This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
The NHL trade deadline is passed. Lineups are going to be more stable down the stretch. Saturday kicks off the post-deadline part of the season with eight games starting at 7 p.m. ET or later. Here are my recommendations for your lineups. I wish you DFS success.
SLATE PREVIEW
Three teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back, and all three are on the road for both games. Now, the Stars are doing the Ducks-and-Kings doubleheader, but the Wings are going from Arizona to Vegas, and the Jets are going from Seattle to Vancouver.
GOALIES
Charlie Lindgren, WAS vs. CHI ($8,500): Coming off a 39-save shutout of the Penguins, Lindgren has a breezy matchup on the docket Saturday. He'll be at home hosting the woeful Blackhawks. Chicago has averaged a mere 2.05 goals per game, which is lowest in the NHL, and a remarkably-low number at this point in the season.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. WPG ($7,900): Having allowed only a single goal in each of his last two starts, Demko seems back on track. He has a 2.49 GAA and .916 save percentage on the season. The Jets are average in terms of goals per game, but as I noted they are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Quinton Byfield, LOS vs. DAL ($5,000): The second-overall pick in 2020, Byfield has emerged in his age-21 season. That's a reasonable timeline for a young player, especially one who was drafted for his upside. Byfield has 19 goals and 28 assists through 60 games. The Stars suited up Friday, so Saturday they will presumably be starting Scott Wedgewood. He has an .899 save percentage on the campaign.
Chandler Stephenson, VGK vs. DET ($4,200): Stephenson is expected to be on the wing of the second line for the Golden Knights now that they have revamped the lineup to make a run for a repeat. He also has six goals and six assists over his last 13 games. Since Detroit played Friday, James Reimer is likely to be in net Saturday. He has a .906 save percentage this season.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Senators at Sharks
Tim Stutzle (C - $5,200), Claude Giroux (W - $5,100), Mathieu Joseph (W - $3,700)
The Sharks comfortably have the worst defense in the NHL. They have a 3.94 GAA, and the team in 31st, Columbus, has a 3.63 GAA. San Jose has also given up 35.5 shots on net per game, which is last, and it has the 31st-ranked penalty kill for good measure. That's why I went with Ottawa's second line, because two of these guys are on the top power-play unit.
Stutzle has slightly stepped back this year, with his 9.1 shooting percentage being largely responsible. Even so, he has 57 points in 61 games, including 13 points with the extra man. Giroux has slowed down after an eight-game point streak, but also, he had an eight-game point streak. He's also averaged 3:03 per game with the extra man and has 13 power-play points for good measure. Joseph doesn't play on the power play, but being on the second line with these two, and facing the Sharks, is still a favorable situation. He also has 10 goals and 20 assists in 51 games.
DEFENSEMEN
John Carlson, WAS vs. CHI ($6,700): The Capitals dealt players away at the deadline, but I think Carlson will be fine. He has seven points in his last 10 games, including four on the power play. That gives him 14 points with the extra man on the season. Now, Chicago's penalty kill is not in the bottom 10, if below average, but it still has a 3.56 GAA, fourth highest in the NHL.
Cam York, PHI at TAM ($4,000): York was already playing the most minutes of his career this season, but he's taken on a larger role recently. Over his last six games he's averaged 22:59 in ice time. York also has five points in that time. Andrei Vasilevskiy has never gotten on track this year, as he has a 3.03 GAA and .894 save percentage.
