This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Hockey fans rejoice, because Saturday is the day for you! There are a whopping 13 games on the slate. However, only nine of them are at night, so those are the games included in daily fantasy contests. Hey, at least you don't have to rush to get your lineup in early in the afternoon. Here are some names to consider.
GOALIE
Craig Anderson, OTT vs. MON ($7,500): Anderson has put up two great starts in a row, stopping 73 of the last 75 shots he's faced. He sports a .925 save percentage from his early returns, but I'm skeptical about him given his .898 save percentage last year. However, I share just as much doubt about Montreal's offense. The Habs only managed 2.24 goals per game on the road last season, and they also can no longer rely on Max Pacioretty for scoring.
CENTER
Dylan Larkin, DET at FLA ($6,300): Larkin has been a rare - perhaps sole - bright spot for the Wings this year. He comes in with five points and 23 shots through seven games, and last year managed 63 points and 232 shots. The Panthers are on the second night of a back-to-back, and third-string goalie Michael Hutchinson will probably be getting the start since Roberto Luongo is hurt and James Reimer was pulled Friday night. He hasn't played regularly since the 2016-17 season, when he managed a .903 save percentage with the Jets.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, CLM vs. CHI ($5,900): Last year, Dubois started 65.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the Blue Jackets. He's locked into his role as Columbus' top center, which means Artemi Panarin is on his wing, and has also averaged 3:30 per game on the power play. Corey Crawford will be making only his second start since returning from a long layoff, and it's his first road start of the year. In his first appearance, he allowed three goals to an Arizona team that had previously struggled mightily to score.
WING
Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA vs. DET ($6,200): Huberdeau tallied 27 goals on 204 shots last year and added 42 assists, with 19 of those points coming on the power play. Though the Panthers are playing the second night of a back-to-back, it's only their sixth game of the season so the tread shouldn't be so worn down yet. Also, and more importantly, the Wings enter with a league-worst 4.57 GAA.
Zach Hyman, TOR vs. STL ($4,500): Hyman is skating on Toronto's top line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner. Perhaps not coincidentally, he's contributed five assists. He may not have a goal yet, but he did pot 15 last year, and Tavares knows how to set up linemates. Jake Allen posted a 2.75 GAA and .906 save percentage last season, and through five games this year the numbers have dropped to a 3.91 GAA and .877 save percentage.
Kevin Labanc, SAN vs. NYI ($4,400): Labanc has notched six points in seven games, even if four of them came in one game. That being said, the 22-year-old managed 40 points last season – his first full campaign in the NHL – including 17 power-play points. The Islanders struggled to a 3.57 GAA last year and allowed 35.6 shots on net per contest, both bottom of the league. They've been a bit better to start this season, but the sample size remains small.
DEFENSE
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at VAN ($4,700): McAvoy was quite impressive as a rookie, tallying 32 points in 63 games. He should improve this year, and that's started well with six points in his first seven contests. The Canucks had a 3.16 GAA last season, and Anders Nilsson may be off to a hot start but didn't look especially good last year with a 3.44 GAA and .901 save percentage.
Thomas Chabot, OTT vs. MON ($4,200):Erik Karlsson who? Chabot has stepped into the role of Ottawa's top defenseman, and he's earned that role by notching eight points in six games. He's averaged 21:08 in ice time, including 2:44 on the power play. Meanwhile, the Canadiens ranked last in 2017-18 with a 3.54 GAA on the road.
