This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The next few days of the NHL schedule are pretty busy, but Wednesday is a lighter offering. There are only three games on the slate, but that still gives you a smattering of options for your DFS lineups. To try and help you parse your decisions, here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Mackenzie Blackwood, NJD vs. ARI ($24): Just ride the matchup here. Blackwood hasn't been all that good, but he's at home against a Coyotes team that has averaged 2.22 goals and 26.3 shots on net per contest. They are last in the latter category by a decent amount. There are better goalies in action Wednesday, but none of them have a matchup nearly this good.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. TOR ($37): Shesterkin has been stellar, there's no doubt about it. His 1.99 GAA and .939 save percentage are fantastic. That being said, the Maple Leafs have averaged 3.39 goals and 34.1 shots on goal per game. They've done that even though guys like Auston Matthews and John Tavares have missed time. All the key players are healthy now, though.
CENTER
Jack Hughes, NJD vs. ARI ($21): After a five-game stretch where he tallied 12 points, Hughes may not have a point in his last two games. However, he put five shots on net in both of those contests, so I'm not worried at all. I'm also definitely not worried about this matchup, given that the Coyotes have a 3.68 GAA, battling the Canadiens for worst in the league.
CENTER TO AVOID
Ryan Strome, NYR vs. TOR ($15): Strome has been a strong playmaker with 20 assists, but he only has eight goals on 76 shots on net in 35 games. That makes him reliant on his teammates to finish plays to give him fantasy value. While Jack Campbell has slipped a bit recently, he still has a .931 save percentage this season after having a .921 save percentage last year.
WING
Andre Burakovsky, COL at ANA ($20): Burakovsky has a five-game point streak, and he's tallied a point in 10 of his last 12 outings. Anaheim has some concerns in net, as both John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz have been spending time on the COVID-19 protocols list. Even if one of them is able to start, what kind of shape will they be in?
Clayton Keller, ARI at NJD ($18): Keller is the one Coyote that has been able to break through offensively. There's a reason they've let him averaged 19:58 per game. He's been hot recently as well, as he's notched eight goals on 47 shots on net in his last 10 contests. I'm going with Blackwood in net because of the paucity of offense from Keller's teammates, but Blackwood is still a goalie with an .898 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Mitch Marner, TOR at NYR ($26): You have to make certain seemingly-counterintuitive decisions when only six teams are playing. I recommended Keller even though I am also recommending Blackwood, and I'm recommending avoiding Marner even though I also think you should eschew Shesterkin. There's a difference between individual considerations and big-picture considerations. Shesterkin still has a .939 save percentage, and Marner has only been able to play in three of Toronto's last 12 games. He may not be at his peak performance given that.
Rickard Rakell, ANA vs. COL ($15): It's been 16 games since the Rakell scored a goal. You might see his 9.1 shooting percentage think maybe his puck luck will change. However, Rakell actually had an 8.0 shooting percentage over the previous three campaigns. Darcy Kuemper is banged up, so Pavel Francouz may be in his. His first five games of the season have been spotty, but he has a career .921 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Devon Toews, COL at ANA ($24): Toews has 26 points, which is impressive at this point of the season. Then, you realize he's only played in 25 games and it looks even more impressive. Sure, his 11.6 shooting percentage is likely not sustainable, but he's staying active offensively. The former Islander has six points and 26 shots on net in his last nine contests. He shouldn't have trouble shooting in this one, as the Ducks have allowed 33.0 shots on goal per game.
Ryan Graves, NJD vs. ARI ($16): If you want a healthy Devils defenseman with fantasy upside, Graves is pretty much your sole choice right now. He does have three points and 17 shots on goal in his last six games. While Graves won't do much on the power play, given the fact the Coyotes have a 3.68 GAA, that might not matter.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Jacob Trouba, NYR vs. TOR ($18): Adam Fox is just too good to recommend avoiding pretty much any time he takes the ice, but Trouba isn't on his level. He has six goals in 39 games, but none of them have come in his last 14 contests. Given the fact Campbell has a .931 save percentage, it will be hard for him to break that drought Wednesday.
Hampus Lindholm, ANA vs. COL ($15): The Avalanche have struggled on the penalty kill, but Lindholm isn't likely to take advantage of that. He's averaged a mere 37 seconds per game with the extra man. If Francouz looks like the goalie with the career .921 save percentage, it's not boding well for the Swedish defenseman.
