This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
We're getting close to the first NHL team hitting the 20-game mark. That means the quarter mark of the season is right around the corner. There are three NHL games on the slate for Wednesday, including the Kings' 19th game of the campaign. Here are some players to target and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Arvid Soderblom, CHI vs. STL ($29): Soderblom has surprised with a 2.60 GAA and .931 save percentage through five games. It's early, but Soderblom is a 23-year-old rookie who came into the season with only three games to his name. He's basically a blank slate. The Blues have averaged a mere 2.43 goals per contest, so Soderblom doesn't necessarily need to turn out to be the second coming of Henrik Lundqvist to have a good outing.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. LOS ($31): Skinner may not even start, but Jack Campbell isn't a guy you would necessarily consider anyway. On the other hand, Edmonton's other goalie has a 2.52 GAA and .932 save percentage. Skinner has salvaged things in net for the Oilers, but this matchup is tough. The Kings have averaged 3.33 goals and 32.4 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Max Domi, CHI vs. STL ($14): Domi started his season hot, got cold, but now has three points in his last three games. He's centering Chicago's top line, and that means Patrick Kane is on his wing. The Blues have a 3.57 GAA and have allowed 33.3 shots on net per contest, so Domi can hopefully keep things on track.
CENTER TO AVOID
Tage Thompson, BUF at OTT ($24): The Sabres are the one team on a back-to-back, which is one reason for concern for Thompson. On top of that, Cam Talbot may be in net for the Senators. Since returning from injury, Talbot has a 2.51 GAA and .921 save percentage.
WING
Claude Giroux, OTT vs. BUF ($20): This is exactly what the Senators hoped for from Giroux. The longtime Flyer is on an eight-game point streak, giving him 17 points total. Sure, his 20.5 shooting percentage will probably regress, but this matchup against the Sabres is a good chance for him to keep his point streak alive. Eric Comrie will be in the net for Buffalo, and he has a 3.62 GAA and .885 save percentage.
Jesse Puljujarvi, EDM vs. LOS ($10): Puljujarvi has never quite put it all together, but right now he has a spot on Edmonton's top line alongside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, which should help. Also, his 4.2 shooting percentage should improve. Jonathan Quick has a 3.09 GAA and .895 save percentage, and in two of his previous four seasons he finished with a sub-.900 save percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Alex Tuch, BUF at OTT ($21): Tuch came out of the gate hot, but as expected his shooting percentage has regressed and his numbers have stabilized. He's on the road for the second game of a back-to-back, and Talbot has a 2.51 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Pavel Buchnevich, STL at CHI ($18): Since returning from injury, Buchnevich has struggled a bit. He's been held without a point in six of eight games and has zero goals. Also, he's only put 14 shots on net. If Soderblom's .931 save percentage is at all legitimate, that doesn't bode well for Buchnevich.
DEFENSE
Drew Doughty, LOS at EDM ($17): Doughty has four assists in his last four games. He's also averaged 3:49 per contest with the extra man. The Oilers have a bottom-five penalty kill, and if Campbell happens to be in net against his former team, even better for Doughty.
Jake Sanderson, OTT vs. BUF ($14): With Thomas Chabot out, somebody has to step up. Well, Sanderson just played 25:13 against the Islanders, including 6:39 on the power play. The rookie seems like the next man up. That power-play time should help here, as the Sabres have a bottom-10 penalty kill.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Justin Faulk, STL at CHI ($17): Faulk had three goals in his first three games, but zero in his last 11. While the Blackhawks have struggled on the penalty kill, Faulk has averaged 1:16 per game with the extra man since joining the Blues, and Torey Krug is the defenseman on the top unit. That means limited chances with the man advantage against Soderblom and his .931 save percentage.
Owen Power, BUF at OTT ($14): A teenage rookie will likely have more energy in his legs on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back than most, but this is still a trickier situation than what the other five teams in action Wednesday face. Additionally, while Power has eight assists, he has zero goals and only 21 shots on net in 16 games. As I noted earlier, Talbot has a .921 save percentage as well.
