This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Saturday's NHL main slate features 10 games and begins at 7 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
While no lopsided matchups immediately jump off the page in this slate, there are plenty of high-value areas to target. This slate features 12 of the league's top 14 offenses, highlighted by a matchup between the seventh-ranked Penguins (3.30 goals per game) and fifth-ranked Panthers (3.53). The top-ranked Avalanche (at Columbus), second-ranked Maple Leafs (at Montreal) and third-ranked Capitals (vs. Philadelphia) should get plenty of attention as usual.
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy ($9,200) is always worth mentioning considering he's a remarkable 15-0-2 in his last 17 decisions. The Lightning netminder will look to extend that unbeaten streak at home against the Islanders, who rank 19th with 2.92 goals per game.
MacKenzie Blackwood ($7,300) is a low-floor, high-ceiling play who can be had at a low price. The Devils' netminder recorded a spectacular 46-save shutout in Philadelphia in his last start and and now gets to host a Kings team that's averaging the second-fewest goals in the league (2.47).
Jacob Markstrom ($8,100) offers nice value in net, as Vancouver's goalie is priced in the middle of the pack heading into a favorable home matchup against the Flames. The hulking Swede is in the midst of a solid season — 20-15-3 with a 2.77 GAA and .916 save percentage — while the Flames rank in the bottom five offensively at 2.60 per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex Ovechkin ($9,500) is the most expensive player in this slate with good reason, as he's scored an incredible 14 goals in his last seven games. His hat trick against the Kings in his last game was Ovechkin's third in this dominant stretch, and he's unlikely to slow down at home against a Flyers team that's 11-13-3 on the road.
If you don't build around Ovechkin, then there's a good chance you'll be building around Auston Matthews ($8,900) instead. Matthews is tied with Ovechkin for the league goals lead at 40, and he has 68 points to Ovechkin's 57. While not as impressive as Ovechkin's recent goal binge, Matthews has been a goal-per-game scorer over his last 21. Matthews should stay hot in Montreal, as Canadiens goalie Carey Price has an ugly .903 save percentage on home ice.
Picking against Columbus' stingy defense has rarely paid off recently, but winger Andre Burakovsky ($5,100) makes for an intriguing against-the-grain play given his recent success for the visiting Avalanche. Burakovsky's riding a six-game point streak that's included four goals and eight assists.
With Nico Hischier sidelined by a knee injury, 2019 first overall pick Jack Hughes ($4,100) will center New Jersey's top line against the Kings, who are starting Cal Petersen in net after trading Jack Campbell to Toronto. Petersen struggled to a 3.43 GAA and .906 save percentage in the AHL, and while the Devils may not be that much better than an AHL team, the matchup still offers plenty of upside for Hughes, who has a 6-12-18 line in his first 45 NHL games.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Oilers vs. Predators
Leon Draisaitl (C - $8,200), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $6,300), Kailer Yamamoto (W - $3,900)
This trio has been nearly unstoppable in 13 games since Yamamoto was promoted to the NHL level. Since that point, Draisaitl has a 7-15-22 line, Nugent-Hopkins has a 7-10-17 line and Yamamoto has a 5-6-11 line. This line should keep rolling against a Nashville team that's allowing 3.23 goals per game. Draisaitl — who leads the league with 83 points — and RNH feature on the top power-play unit while Yamamoto's on the second, so these guys should all get exposure to Nashville's vulnerable 74.8-percent penalty kill.
Penguins at Panthers
Evgeni Malkin (C - $8,300), Bryan Rust (W - $5,800), Patric Hornqvist (W - $5,600)
All three of these guys have missed time due to injuries, but they've been effective when healthy and should continue their strong play against a Panthers team that's allowed 3.30 goals per game. Malkin has been one of the league's best players on a per-game basis with a 17-39-56 line in 40 games. Despite being limited to 39 of a possible 53 games, Rust leads the Penguins with 22 goals and ranks second behind Malkin with 45 points. Hornqvist has 12-10-22 line in 36 games and comes in riding a three-game point streak.
Stars at Blues
Jason Dickinson (C - $3,400), Denis Gurianov (W - $3,900), Corey Perry (W - $3,300)
If you're going to load up on some of this slate's expensive weapons, you'll need to save money elsewhere, and these inexpensive Stars offer a chance to do just that. Dallas' third line has some nice against-the-grain potential in St. Louis given recent results. Gurianov has finally put the tantalizing combination of size and speed that prompted Dallas to select him 12th overall in the 2015 draft to good use, as he has nine goals in his last 18 games, including four in the past six. Both Dickinson and Perry have managed to produce a point in three of their past four games, while Blues netminder Jordan Binnington is going through a rough patch that's seen him surrender at least three goals in each of his past six starts.
DEFENSEMEN
Jeff Petry ($4,900) is Montreal's top defensemen with Shea Weber sidelined by a lower-body injury, and he looked fit for the role with a goal and an assist Thursday in the first game of Weber's absence. That effort gives Petry 19 points in his last 21 games heading into the rivalry game against the Maple Leafs, who are without starting goalie Frederik Andersen (upper body).
Sticking with the Toronto-Montreal matchup, Tyson Barrie ($5,500) has 16 points in his last 18 games for the visitors. The career 6.7-percent shooter is still waiting for his puck luck to turn around, as he's at just 3.6 percent in his first year with the Maple Leafs.
Roman Josi ($6,700) is rarely a bad choice if you have the available funds. Nashville's star defenseman is in the Norris Trophy conversation with a 14-39-53 line in 53 games. He'll face an Oilers team that's held only one of its last six opponents under three goals.
Carolina's Jake Gardiner ($3,800) should offer nice bang for the buck if you're looking to save money on the blue line. The six-time 30-point scorer has points in two of his last three games and seven in 14 games since the calendar flipped to 2020.
