This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's a light day for the NHL on Wednesday, with three games on the schedule. Here are my recommendations to help you build a winning lineup…
GOALIE
Cam Talbot, MIN at ARI ($36): The Coyotes have managed a mere 1.58 goals and 25.3 shots on net per game, and if I were in the business of making predictions I'd peg them to finish last in both statistics this season. Talbot is off to a bit of a slow start, but he had a .915 save percentage last season, his first with the Wild.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Carter Hart, PHI vs. TOR ($31): Hart looks like he's bouncing back. He has a 2.41 GAA and .926 save percentage. That being said, even in his first couple of seasons when he was looking like a future star, he never had a save percentage better than .917. Some regression is likely. Speaking of regression, the Maple Leafs have averaged 34.6 shots on net per game and have Auston Matthews, so they aren't going to remain in the bottom 10 in goals per game much longer.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS at DAL ($12): Johansen has eight points in 12 games, including three on the power play. He's not traditionally a goal scorer, but he is a playmaker. The Stars have a 3.09 GAA and are in the bottom 10 on the penalty kill, so it's been a slow start in Dallas.
CENTER TO AVOID
Tyler Seguin, DAL vs. NAS ($21): I was going to recommend avoiding Roope Hintz, who is off to an ice-cold start. However, Yahoo has him listed as a wing. As such, I am recommending avoiding Seguin, less for his play than for the opponent. Juuse Saros has a .925 save percentage for Nashville, and in eight of his 10 starts he's allowed two or fewer goals.
WING
William Nylander, TOR at PHI ($26): Nylander has 11 points in 13 games. He's also put 51 shots on goal, which leads the Maple Leafs. That's what sticks out to me in this matchup, as the Flyers have allowed 33.2 shots on net per contest, which puts a lot of pressure on Hart.
Mats Zuccarello, MIN at ARI ($19): Zuccarello got off to a hot start with seven points in six games, but then he missed four contests due to COVID-19 protocol. He just returned to play 19:48 against the Islanders, racking three shots on goal. That leads me to believe he's good to go. Rookie goalie Karel Vejmelka showed a little promise for a few games, but he currently has a 2.85 GAA and .913 save percentage and I remain skeptical of a 25-year-old rookie goalie who wasn't even named the starter over Carter Hutton when the season began.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. NAS ($18): Benn only has two goals in 11 games. Now, you might look at his 8.7 shooting percentage and assume some regression is coming. However, last year he only managed an 8.9 shooting percentage. Maybe this is just the player he is now, and don't forget Saros has a .925 save percentage.
Travis Konecny, PHI vs. TOR ($17): Konecny is off to a strong start, but you know who else is beginning the year on the top of their game? That would be Jack Campbell, who has a 2.09 GAA and .929 save percentage. This comes after Campbell had a 2.15 GAA and .921 save percentage last season.
DEFENSE
Roman Josi, NAS at DAL ($25): Josi doesn't just power the Nashville blue line. He powers the offense. The Swiss defenseman has 12 points and 39 shots on goal in 12 games. Seven of his points have come with the extra man. Additionally, Josi has started 67.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most on the Predators.
Jared Spurgeon, MIN at ARI ($16): Spurgeon is on Minnesota's top pairing and top power-play unit, so he's played 21:45 per night, including 3:26 on the power play. That's only yielded five points in 11 games, but for a defenseman that isn't bad. What is bad is that Vejmelka allowed two goals on two shots in his last outing and got pulled for Scott Wedgewood.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Ivan Provorov, PHI vs. TOR ($18): Provorov has 28 blocked shots in 10 games, but it's about the only way he's contributed this season. He only has two points, both assists, and concerningly has only put 15 shots on net. Don't expect him to break through on the power play in this one either, as the Maple Leafs have a top-10 penalty kill.
Jakob Chychrun, ARI vs. MIN ($15): I was on the Chychrun train often last season, but this year he's gone truly ice cold. He just picked up an assist in his last game, but it was his first point of the season. He's somehow already minus-20. While Chychrun is still shooting a lot, the Wild have only allowed 29.5 shots on net per game, which is top 10 in the NHL.
