This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Since the NHL is off Christmas, plus the day before and after, Saturday is sort of its Christmas gift to us. There are 14 games on the NHL slate, although a lot of them are in the afternoon. Don't fret, though. There are eight games in the evening, starting at 7:00 PM ET. You can wait to set your daily fantasy lineup and still have plenty of players to choose from. Here are my recommendations.
GOALIE
Frederik Andersen, TOR vs. NYR ($8,300):Andersen is having a great year, despite facing a hefty workload. He's posted a 2.48 GAA and .924 save percentage through 29 games. The Rangers, on the other hand, have only averaged 2.79 goals and 28.6 shots on net per game. They also have a 4-9-2 record on the road, which bodes well for Andersen picking up the win.
CENTER
Ryan Getzlaf, ANA at BUF ($5,400): Despite all the injuries that his teammates have dealt with (and Getzlaf has been banged up too), the veteran center is doing his best to carry the Anaheim offense. He's got 29 points in 31 games, including 11 in his last 10 contests. The Sabres have given up 33.0 shots on goal per game, but they are also playing the second game of a back-to-back, which is one of the reasons I like Getzlaf in this matchup.
Bo Horvat, VAN vs. WPG ($5,100):Elias Pettersson is the shiny new thing on the NHL landscape, but don't forget about Horvat. He's only 23 himself, and he has 17 goals and 17 assists through 38 games. Connor Hellebuyck has a 2.90 GAA and .909 save percentage, both of which are disappointing after his performance last season. Plus, like most teams, the Jets are worse defensively on the road (3.09 GAA).
WING
J.T. Miller, TAM at EDM ($4,000): Miller has been snakebit when it's come to goals, but his 10.9 percent shooting is well below his career average. Besides, he does have 19 assists, and he's impressed on the power play as well. He's averaged 3:13 per game with the extra man and notched 11 points in that time. Perhaps this will be the matchup where Miller lights the lamp again, as the Oilers have the 26th-ranked penalty kill.
Brett Connolly, WAS at OTT ($3,700): Connolly has been enjoying a nice run of play, as he's tallied seven points in his last nine games. He's also earned extra power-play time, averaging 2:36 per game with the extra man in those contests. Now he's facing a Senators team on the second game of a back-to-back that ranks last in GAA and shots allowed per game.
Connor Brown, TOR vs. NYR ($2,800): Step right up, Mr. Brown. You're now skating on a line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner. That certainly can't hurt, and Brown does have four points in his last two games. Now he's facing a Rangers team that has a 4.27 GAA and has allowed 35.3 shots on net per contest on the road.
DEFENSE
Dustin Byfuglien, WPG at VAN ($5,900): Since returning from injury, Big Buff has 10 points in eight games. That gives him 27 points in 29 games, including a whopping 15 with the extra man. As for the Canucks, they have a 3.21 GAA, thanks in part to an .897 save percentage as a team.
Michal Kempny, WAS at OTT ($4,000): Kempny doesn't get power-play time, but at even strength Kempny skates alongside John Carlson on Washington's top pairing. He's averaged 19:14 per game in ice time, and tallied eight points in his last 15 contests. Heading into Friday night, the Senators had a 3.86 GAA and had given up 38.0 shots on net per game, both worst in the NHL.
