This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Because it might be hard for people west of the Mississippi to get a daily fantasy lineup in before 12:30 PM ET, I won't give my recommendations for the all-day slate. However, even using the 'main' slate on FanDuel, you will have to get your lineup in by 5:00 PM, and you will only have four games worth of players to choose from. That said, here are my recommendations.
GOALIE
Martin Jones, SAN at CHI ($8,400): Jones has been playing better recently, as he's 4-1 in his last five starts with a 1.81 GAA and .943 save percentage. He's also getting help from his defense, as the Sharks have only allowed 28.8 shots on goal per contest. As for the Blackhawks, they are 1-8-1 in their last 10 games.
CENTER
David Krejci, BOS vs. BUF ($5,800): Krejci, who has been centering Boston's top line with Patrice Bergeron out, is riding a five-game point streak wherein he's notched eight points. Now he's squaring off with a Sabres team on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. Linus Ullmark and his 3.03 GAA will likely be in net for Buffalo.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM at VAN ($5,500): The Oilers are now more than Connor McDavid – and also Leon Draisaitl, I suppose – thanks to Nugent-Hopkins. The Nuge has struck for 30 points in 33 games, including 12 on the power play. Vancouver owns the 24th-ranked penalty kill and is on the second leg of a back-to-back, which probably won't help the penalty-kill performance.
WING
Leon Draisaitl, EDM at VAN ($7,200): Speaking of Draisaitl, he enters with 42 points, including 12 in his last five games. He also has chipped in with 12 power-play points, and he too will face Vancouver's poor penalty kill. Additionally, the Canucks entered Saturday with a 3.32 GAA.
Evander Kane, SAN at CHI ($6,000): Kane likes to put pucks on net. He had directed 307 shots on goal last season, and has 119 shots in 33 games this year. The Blackhawks have given up 34.0 shots on net per contest, and they also come in with the league's second-highest GAA at 3.74.
Ondrej Palat, TAM at WPG ($4,900): Since returning from injury, Palat has registered five points in eight games. He's also started 60.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the Lightning. Connor Hellebuyck has played better recently, but he's struggled overall with a 2.85 GAA and .908 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Torey Krug, BOS vs. BUF ($6,000): Krug has started 64.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Boston defensemen. He's also averaged 3:56 per game with the extra man, and notched 10 power-play points in 21 games. As previously noted, the Sabres are on the road for the second game of a back-to-back.
Darnell Nurse, EDM at VAN ($4,000): Nurse has stepped into the injured Oscar Klefbom's skates, and frankly he's been outdoing him. Over his last six games he has racked up eight points and 20 shots on goal. He's also averaged 2:21 per game on the power play, well above his average prior to Klefbom's injury. Now he's facing a Canucks team that boasts a bottom-10 GAA and is playing the second game of a back-to-back.
