This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Sunday is a big day for sports, but Saturday is huge for the NHL. Since the action is spread out from 12 to 10:30 p.m. EST, all of it won't be included in the main array of DFS contests. We have six games starting at 7 or later, and here are my recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
There might be a lot of players with heavy legs on the ice Saturday with six of the 12 teams on the second leg of a back-to-back and one head-to-head with Columbus visiting Toronto. The Rangers, Coyotes, Blackhawks, and Penguins are all on the road facing a rested team that hasn't played since before the All-Star break.
GOALIES
Vitek Vanecek, NJD at MIN ($8,400): This is the one matchup where neither team is on a back-to-back. Vanecek's .916 save percentage is solid, but his 2.34 GAA stands out thanks to the Devils only allowing 28.6 shots on net. The Wild are actually on the fringes of the bottom-10 in offense having averaged 2.96 goals. They've got a couple scoring stars, but aren't too imposing overall.
Jordan Binnington, STL vs. ARI ($7,300): This is a matchup-over-performance recommendation, but it's quite good for Binnington. The Coyotes will be on the road for the second straight night and rank bottom-five in goals per game and bottom-two in shots, so Binnington shouldn't be too busy Saturday.
VALUE PLAYS
Patrik Laine, CLM at TOR ($8,300): Laine has gotten healthy again and has tallied 14 goals on 128 shots to go with 17 assists through 37 appearances. With Matt Murray out and the Maple Leafs on a back-to-back, Joseph Woll will likely be in net. He was an All-Star this year, but in the AHL. Laine has also recorded four power-play points in his last seven games, and the Leafs carry the 16th-ranked penalty kill.
Brayden Schenn, STL vs. ARI ($5,300): Schenn is hoping to carry his momentum into February after accumulating six goals and four assists last month. Karel Vejmelka has posted a 3.16 GAA and .908 save percentage, but will also be behind a defense on the second night of a back-to-back and bottom-five in shots allowed.
LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Kings vs. Penguins
Anze Kopitar (C - $7,200), Adrian Kempe (W - $7,000), Quinton Byfield (W - $3,100)
The Penguins' defense sits in the bottom-six in shots allowed. And that D is playing for a second consecutive night. But who will be in net for the Pens? Casey DeSmith started Friday while Tristan Jarry is expected back from injury soon. If the latter can't go, journeyman Dustin Tokarski will likely be between the pipes. Given these circumstances, I like the Kings' top line.
Kopitar had as good a January as anybody by picking up six goals and eight assists to go with 33 shots. Kempe is more of the scorer and shooter with 22 goals on 151 shots on net this season, with nine of those tallies coming in his last 14 outings. Byfield, the second-overall pick in 2020, has been trying to find his footing in the NHL. Maybe skating on the wing of the first unit instead of is currently better than centering a lower line. To Byfield's credit, he does have nine points in his last nine games.
DEFENSEMEN
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. CHI ($5,600): Pionk is skating with Josh Morrissey on Winnipeg's top pairing. While he isn't as productive as his defensive partner, he's at 22 points and 94 shots so far - and eight of those points have come in the last 16 matchups. The Blackhawks will be on the second leg of a back-to-back and rank in the bottom-seven in GAA and shots allowed with Petr Mrazek and his 3.99 GAA and .885 save percentage scheduled to start.
Mark Giordano, TOR vs. CLM ($4,800): Giordano has produced six points and 23 shots from his last nine games. The Blue Jackets have allowed the second-most shots and are projected to roll out Elvis Merzlikins in goal with a woeful 4.42 GAA and .870 save percentage.
