This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Here we go! Friday brings us two Game 7s in the NHL playoffs. I'm stoked. I'm less enthused for trying to pick a goalie to use for DFS purposes, but I have done it. The first game of the day starts at 4:00 p.m. EDT. Here are my recommendations.
GOALIE
Anton Khudobin, DAL at COL ($33): Vegas and Vancouver are on the second leg of a back-to-back, so I'm worried about their goalies even if Marc-Andre Fleury starts for Vegas. Colorado is down to third-string goalie Michael Hutchinson, so I'll pass there. That just leaves Khudobin, who did – to be fair – post a .930 save percentage during the regular season.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Thatcher Demko, VAN at VGK ($27): Call me a spoilsport if you must. Sure, Demko has made 90 saves on 91 shots over his two starts in this series. He also produced a .905 save percentage in 27 games this season and faced 91 combined shots across the last two. Demko can't keep standing on his head like this. I have to rain on this parade.
CENTER
Joe Pavelski, DAL at COL ($21): Pavelski didn't play particularly well during the regular season, but the veteran has come up big in the playoffs with nine points over the last nine games - including six goals. Presuming Pavel Francouz is out again, Hutchinson has barely played over the last five seasons and has not achieved a save percentage higher than .907 save percentage during that time.
CENTER TO AVOID
William Karlsson, VGK vs. VAN ($21): Each season in Vegas has gone slightly worse for Wild Bill as he's gone from scoring 43 goals to 24 to 15. He's managed eight points in 14 playoff games, but only three goals. Even if I don't believe in Demko, I also don't trust Karlsson at this salary.
WING
Reilly Smith, VGK vs. VAN ($21): Despite limited power-play time, Smith tallied 27 goals and 27 assists in 71 games. It's no surprise the Canucks have allowed so many shots with Demko in net, with the Golden Knights leading the NHL in shots on goal per game this season and the Canucks allowing an average of 33.3 shots. Unless Demko continues to play the best hockey of his life, somebody like Smith will end up on the score sheet.
Andre Burakovsky, COL vs. DAL ($19): Burakovsky has been the hottest player in the NHL with a four-game point streak where he's racked up seven points along with 15 overall during this postseason. Khudobin impressed with a .930 save percentage in the regular season, but he's slipped in the playoffs to a 2.88 GAA and .905 save percentage. Like I said, it's a tough day for goalies.
WINGS TO AVOID
Brock Boeser, VAN at VGK ($19): Boeser's playoffs have been up and down, with two points in Game 5 but none in Game 6. He's notched two goals over his last 13 games, which may be why he's recently lost ice time. It's possible the Golden Knights will start Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 7. Even if he didn't do much of late, he can still be a difference maker.
Roope Hintz, DAL at COL ($18): If not for the power play, Hintz would have barely helped this season since 11 of his 14 assists came with the extra man. The Avalanche didn't mantain a great penalty kill, but it ranked 13th overall. Of the four teams in action Friday, that's the best mark.
DEFENSE
Quinn Hughes, VAN at VGK ($19): I can't get enough of recommending Hughes, and he keeps earning his salary. With two more points Thursday, he's up to 16 points in 16 games. I don't expect the rookie to be lacking for energy, especially since he does so much of his work on the power play. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights come in with the 27th-ranked penalty kill.
Nate Schmidt, VGK vs. VAN ($17): Not wanting to pay Shea Theodore's ($25) lofty salary, I'm opting for his teammate Schmidt. He doesn't take as many shots as Theodore, but has directed 48 shots on net over 14 playoff games. As I noted before, the Canucks allowed 33.3 shots on net per game this year and Demko posted a .905 save percentage.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Alexander Edler, VAN at VGK ($19): I like Hughes a lot, but I don't get why Edler is listed at the same salary since he's not the juggernaut his teammate currently is. Edler registered 33 points this season, and only seven of those came with the extra man. The Swede blocks a lot of shots, which keeps him from being a total zero for DFS players. But if he's not contributing on offense, this salary will be hard to justify.
Ryan Graves, COL vs. DAL ($17): Graves has all of two points in his last 13 games and hasn't put a single shot on net in his last two outings. The 25-year-old also doesn't play on the power play. Dallas produced the second-lowest GAA in the NHL this year. The Stars haven't looked like that team recently, but it'll be tough for the Avalanche to do much offensively if their opponents rediscover that form.
