This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
With some players being held out ahead of Monday's trade deadline, this will be one of the trickiest contests of the season for fantasy owners to navigate, especially given the early start. Those brave enough to take on the challenge can find recommended value plays, as well as players to avoid, below.
GOALIE
Anton Khudobin, BOS at BUF ($32): Khudobin is expected to start this second leg of a back-to-back, and he'll be an overwhelming favorite to beat the lowly Sabres. Tuukka Rask's backup is having a fantastic campaign, sporting a 13-3-4 record, 2.33 GAA and .922 save percentage, including wins in each of his last three starts. A Sabres team that's getting outscored 3.26 to a league-low 2.39 in the average game this season is in no position to halt Khudobin's momentum.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Darcy Kuemper, ARI vs. VAN ($37): Kuemper posted strong numbers in limited action with the defensively responsible Kings, but he'll have a hard time living up to his $37 price as a member of a Coyotes club that leaves a lot to be desired on that end. Even against Vancouver's 24th-ranked offense, its best to leave Kuemper on the bench for his Arizona debut.
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CENTER
Eric Staal, MIN vs. SJ ($20): There's no end in sight to Staal's hot streak, as he's up to 10 goals and 17 points in his past 13 games after Friday's two-goal, two-assist effort. His $20 price is the same as it was prior to Friday's masterful performance, but it's surely only a matter of time before Staal's valuation starts climbing. Grab him for $20 now while you still can and don't fret the matchup with San Jose's 10th-ranked defense.
CENTER TO AVOID
Brayden Schenn, STL at NSH ($21): Schenn's had a forgettable last six games, with just two points, a minus-4 rating and 12 shots in that stretch. Improvement will be hard to come by against an elite Predators team that's allowing the third-fewest goals per game overall (2.50) and sports a marvelous 21-7-3 record at Bridgestone Arena.
WINGS
Brock Boeser, VAN at ARI ($25): Boeser's been a scoring machine, racking up 27 goals and 51 points in 57 games. His price would almost certainly be higher if not for a minus-8 rating, but the 2015 first rounder's defensive deficiencies are unlikely to come into play against a Coyotes team that ranks second from the bottom in league scoring at 2.40 goals per game. On the other hand, a leaky Arizona defense that gives up the third-most goals per game (3.28) should allow Boeser to spread his wings offensively.
Rickard Rakell, ANH vs. EDM ($22): Rakell has been his team's most potent power-play producer, as he leads the Ducks in both goals (six) and points (13) in extra-man situations. He'll have a golden opportunity to add to those totals against an Edmonton penalty kill that ranks lowest in the league at 72.4 percent. Additionally, Rakell's 55 goals since the start of last season show that his production is far from limited to power plays.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Evander Kane, BUF vs. BOS ($20): Kane has gotten his trade value up with four goals in the past seven games, but those are his only goals in the last 21 and he has just one assist over that 21-game span. Even if Buffalo doesn't simply hold him out of the lineup for this one, Kane's likely to struggle against a Bruins team that's allowing a league-low 2.41 goals per game. Boston's fifth-ranked offense could also wreak serious havoc on Kane's minus-14 rating.
Chris Kreider, NYR vs. DET ($17): When Kreider hit injured reserve with a blood clot in his arm in late December, the Rangers were surging back into their customary role as playoff contenders after a slow start. His injury turned out to be the first of many suffered by the team, and that combination of afflictions has hollowed out the once-potent roster around Kreider while knocking New York down quite a few pegs in the standings. Given the inevitable rust he's dealing with in his second game back and the power forward's role as a finisher rather than a playmaker, Kreider's going to have trouble getting things going without quality teammates around him.
DEFENSEMEN
Anthony DeAngelo, NYR vs. DET ($10): The selling New York team's holding some regulars out ahead of the trade deadline, but the 22-year-old DeAngelo is in no danger of missing this game. While his minus-17 rating suggests he's still learning the defensive side of the game, the 2014 first rounder has already demonstrated a high offensive ceiling with three power-play assists and three five-shot efforts in the past eight games. Detroit's 77.8 percent penalty kill is eighth-lowest in the league and the 27th-ranked offense (2.58 goals per game) is even worse, so DeAngelo's rating risk is minimized here while his extra-man capabilities should be on full display.
Torey Krug, BOS at BUF ($20): Krug's offense has reached a new level of effectiveness over the last 16 games, as he's played at a point-per-game pace during that stretch. Given Boston's dominance and Buffalo's futility this season, it's safe to expect more contributions from the diminutive defenseman with very little risk for Krug in his own end.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Ryan Suter, MIN vs. SJ ($17): Power-play production is a significant component of Suter's game, as his 17 points with the extra man are just one shy of Mikael Granlund's team-leading total. That major portion of his value is likely to be absent against a Sharks penalty kill that leads the league at 84.0 percent.
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF vs. BOS ($19): Ristolainen normally makes up for his minus-14 rating with offensive production, as he has 29 points, including 15 on the power play. Even with Rask getting the night off, offense will be hard to come by for Ristolainen considering Boston's tied for the league lead in penalty killing at 84.0 percent in addition to allowing the fewest goals per game.
