This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
The NHL schedule is packed Saturday, but only the seven evening games are included in the featured contests at DraftKings. It's worth noting that all 14 teams are rested after having Friday off. Here's a quick-hit primer to help assemble your lineups.
Notable favorites from DraftKings Sportsbook:
Avalanche
Lightning
Canucks
Potential high-scoring games:
Avalanche-Devils
Lightning-Senators
Rangers-Canucks
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy ($8,100) has won four consecutive games and hasn't been beaten in regulation though his past six starts, as the Lightning are beginning to put it all together. Ottawa also owns a discouraging 2-3-3 active record with a minus-10 goal differential since mid-December, and Tampa Bay represents the biggest favorite on the docket.
Another goalie on a roll, Jacob Markstrom ($7,900), has rolled off five straight wins with a .924 save percentage, and he's now 8-5-2 with an impressive .919 mark at home for the year. However, the Rangers offer a capable offense with at least three goals in each of its past five contests. Still, this is the final test of a four-game road trip, and the Blueshirts have already lost the past two.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
An outing removed from a six-game point streak consisting of three tallies, eight helpers and 23 shots, look for a bounce-back showing from Evgeni Malkin ($7,900) Saturday. The Canadiens are dealing with a slew of injuries and have lost four consecutive games with 16 goals against. No. 71 also boasts a second-ranked 4.38 points per 60 minutes for the campaign.
The Islanders are a daunting opponent with just 2.44 goals against per hour on the road this season, which ranks second lowest in the league. However, New York has been a little more giving of late with 29 goals against through its past eight contests for 3.56 per hour. Enter Auston Matthews ($8,000) and his current heater, and there's reason to consider loading him up in hopes his ownership percentage takes a hit because of the perceived tough matchup. After all, he's collected eight goals, seven assists, six multi-point showings and 28 shots through his past eight outings.
This is a reasonable price for an emerging Tyler Toffoli ($4,400). The winger is projected to skate atop the depth chart in all offensive situations and has recorded five tallies, five helpers and 24 shots through his past 11 outings, including consecutive showings with double-digit DraftKings points. Nashville has also lost three consecutive games and allowed 15 goals in the process.
Don't sleep on Nikita Gusev's ($3,700) breakout stretch at this price. The Russian has collected 10 points - with two goals and 19 shots - through his past eight outings and is locked into a scoring role. A date with the Avalanche is a daunting matchup, but Gusev should also be scarcely owned.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
With the Rangers allowing 23 goals through their past five games and having surrendered the most expected goals per hour in the league for the season, this sets up as a favorable matchup for the Canucks. Their go-to offensive line of Elias Pettersson ($6,600), Brock Boeser ($6,500) and J.T. Miller ($6,100) have combined for an impressive 5.64 goals per hour, including racking up 14 tallies and 27 helpers through 14 games dating back to Dec. 1. The trio also skate together on the No. 1 power-play unit.
Over the past 10 games, Brayden Point ($6,400), Nikita Kucherov ($7,700) and Ondrej Palat ($4,700) have clicked for an impressive 4.39 goals and 14.27 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes at even strength while driving possession with a dominant 62.8 Corsi For percentage over their past 10 contests. The Sens are also in the midst of a mini slide with an active 2-3-3 record with 4.25 goals against per game. The three Bolts have also piled up 12 goals and 19 assists during the aforementioned stretch.
The Devils are overachieving of late with wins in four of their past five games, so look for a return-to-form showing against the high-powered Avalanche. After all, even with the recent success, New Jersey has surrendered the third most goals per hour in the league. Nathan MacKinnon ($8,100) has also been dominant through his past two showings with three goals, three assists and 15 shots, and his linemates Gabriel Landeskog ($6,600) and Joonas Donskoi ($4,700) have also collected two tallies, a helper and 13 shots during the heater.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman ($6,300) is positioned for a bounce-back showing after missing the scoresheet in consecutive games and failing to register a single shot. The veteran's current 2.62 points per hour still represent a career-high mark and rank third among all regular defensemen this season. It's also a potentially soft matchup.
Cale Makar ($5,900) has recorded double-digit DraftKings points in consecutive games and has collected a tally, two helpers and 12 shots through four outings since returning from an upper-body injury. The rookie continues to quarterback the No. 1 power-play unit and lands in the noted potentially advantageous situation against New Jersey.
Another option in a potential Vancouver stack with the favorable home-ice matchup, Quinn Hughes ($5,100) continues to quarterback the No. 1 power-play unit and has found the scoresheet in three of his past four outings to improve to a rock-solid 2.05 points per hour for the campaign - a top-10 mark in the league.
If you're chasing cheaper exposure to the Lightning on the blue line, both Kevin Shattenkirk ($4,100) and Mikhail Sergachev ($3,400) are affordable and producing respectable offensive numbers this season. The duo skate with the No. 2 power-play unit and have recorded 2.03 and 1.63 points per hour for the campaign, respectively.
Tyler Myers ($3,700) is a boom-or-bust candidate against the Rangers. The veteran defenseman has posted a rock-solid three goals, six assists, 30 shots and 20 blocks through his past 12 outings, including registering double-digit DraftKings points in five of those appearances.
