We're into the thick of the NHL season. There's still a lot of hockey to go, but we've seen enough action from these teams to properly make projections. It's also a busy Saturday with 10 games starting at 7 p.m. EST or later. You have a lot of decisions to make for your DFS lineups, and I have some recommendations to help.
SLATE PREVIEW
Three teams are on the second leg of a back-to-back. However, two of them are the Islanders and Rangers who play each other while saving their No. 1 goalies for this rivalry matchup. The Sharks will be at home for a second straight night, leaving the Panthers with a favorable opportunity.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at SAN ($8,500): When a goalie has made 11 appearances and two of them have been terrible, that's enough to shift the numbers. At the same time, Bobrovsky has allowed two or fewer goals during six outings. The Sharks have been solid offensively, but are on the second leg of a back-to-back. And a big reason for this recommendation is the fact the Panthers are likely to win.
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR vs. BUF ($8,400): The Hurricanes used a goaltending rotation even when Kochetkov was injured. So now that he's healthy, that should certainly continue. That means Kochetkov is up for his second start on Saturday after posting a shutout during his debut. Carolina's defense hasn't been as elite, though the Sabres have only averaged 2.64 goals.
Jordan Binnington, STL vs. SEA ($7,900): This matchup is enticing enough for me to consider Binnington as the Kraken are the only team in the bottom-five in both goals and shots on net per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Kirill Marchenko, CLM at VAN ($6,500): Marchenko has only been kept off the scoresheet twice this season. He's also averaged 2:46 on the power play, where four of his points have originated. Vancouver has started this year with some major struggles ranking 31st on the penalty kill.
Jake DeBrusk, VAN vs. CLM ($5,100): DeBrusk has only managed three goals so far, but his 6.5 shooting percentage should improve and he's directed 46 pucks on net overall. The Blue Jackets have also given up a league-high 33.4 shots per game.
Pavel Zacha, BOS at TOR ($4,000): Zacha is on a five-game scoring streak. And while his overall minutes are down, his power-play time has increased and that's led to three points there across his last five outings. Toronto's goaltending has been an issue this season as they enter Saturday with a 3.57 GAA.
FORWARD LINE STACKS TO CONSIDER
Panthers at Sharks
Evan Rodrigues (C - $3,800), Sam Reinhart (W - $6,900), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $5,300)
No surprise here in terms of stacking a Panthers line. The Sharks are bottom-five in GAA and shots allowed and the only team on the second leg of a back-to-back playing a rested opponent. While Florida's missing two key forwards, they still offer enough talent.
Rodrigues's role is only slightly larger this season averaging 16:44, including 1:55 on the power play. He's also registered four points in his last five games and at least four shots three times overall. Reinhart has racked up at least 30 goals during every year with the Panthers and is currently on seven with a 17.9 shooting percentage that's still slightly below his recent average. After a slow start, Verhaeghe has notched a point in five of his last seven. His 5.6 shooting percentage is bound to get better, even though he only recorded an 8.3 last year.
Hurricanes vs. Sabres
Sebastian Aho (C - $6,700), Seth Jarvis (W - $6,300), Andrei Svechnikov (W - $4,300)
The Sabres have surrendered an average of 31.2 shots, yet are outside the bottom-10 in GAA mainly because Alex Lyon is playing the best hockey of his career by producing a .915 save percentage after previously maintaining a .903 and never finishing above .912. All these pucks on net should eventually take their toll where Carolina's top line should keep Lyon busy on Saturday.
Other than 2020-21, Aho has never finished with fewer than 24 goals and at least 200 shots. He's been dishing out the assists this season with nine so far. After potting over 30 goals in each of the previous two years, Jarvis is already up to eight alongside 46 shots. Svechnikov got off to an ice-cold start, though that's turning around with three goals and an assist from his last five games with a 9.7 shooting percentage that's bound to increase.
DEFENSEMEN
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. BOS ($4,900): Rielly's offense eventually settled down, though he's currently on a three-game scoring streak with three shots last time out. If you thought Jeremy Swayman was bound to improve on his 3.11 GAA and .892 save percentage from last season, you're technically right as he's currently sporting a 3.10 and .897.
Seth Jones, FLA at SAN ($4,500): Jones hasn't yet picked up a goal, but has notched six helpers. He's also assumed the Panthers' prime power-play quarterback role, where he's averaged 4:01. The Sharks are on the second day of a back-to-back, and it'll come as no surprise they maintain a bottom-10 penalty kill.
Noah Hanifin, VGK vs. ANA ($4,000): Hanifin has only managed three appearances this season, yet has an assist and eight shots over the two since returning. Lukas Dostal is a good goalie, but he can only do so much for a team that's conceded 29.8 shots per game with a below-average penalty kill. And while I like him, he's struggled on the road with a .901 save percentage.
