This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are 11 games this Saturday, and because five of those contests are before the evening slate, I'll be covering the entire slate. The afternoon games are appealing for fantasy purposes, making the all-day contests a fun competition. Read on for tips before setting your DFS lineup.
GOALIE
Devan Dubnyk, MIN vs. SJ ($25): This will be Dubnyk's first start without Bruce Boudreau behind the bench, and the team should come out with some fire. He's been up and down lately, but this is a favorable matchup for him (and the squad) to get back on track, as the Sharks rank 26th with just 2.41 goals per road contest this season.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Carter Hart, PHI at TB ($26): Hart has strung together two straight wins since returning from a lengthy recovery for an abdomen injury, but the buck stops here. The Lightning lead the league with 4.0 goals per home game, and with Andrei Vasilevskiy in the opposite net carrying a 20-game point streak (18-0-2), it could be tough to mark a win.
CENTER
Ryan O'Reilly, STL vs. NSH ($21): O'Reilly is enjoying an excellent February, posting seven points over five games. He continues to drive the Blues' offense on the top line, and Nashville has struggled on the road with a 3.31 GAA -- the 11th-highest mark in the league.
CENTER TO AVOID
Brock Nelson, NYI at VGK ($21): Nelson has failed to record a point in three of the last four games, and in those pointless affairs, he has a combined minus-5 rating. Going up against Marc-Andre Fleury in Vegas won't make it easy for Nelson to turn the tide.
WING
Mike Hoffman, FLA vs. EDM ($20): The floor that Hoffman carries is quite intriguing. He has fired 29 shots on net over the last seven games (4.1 per contest), and he managed to post six points (three goals, three assists) in that stretch. The Oilers' issues in the crease have continued since the All-Star break, and they've allowed 2.91 G/60 at even strength, per Natural Stat Trick.
Craig Smith, NSH at STL ($18): Smith is on a three-game goal-scoring streak, including a hat trick in Thursday's matchup against the Islanders. He's heating up at the right time, and taking on the Blues puts him in an excellent position, as the division foe has allowed at least three goals in 10 straight games.
WINGS TO AVOID
Brendan Gallagher, MON vs. DAL ($22): Gallagher's scoring has tapered off recently, and he's minus-3 over his last two outings. His shooting volume isn't enough to justify this price tag, especially against Ben Bishop, who has accrued a .922 save percentage and 2.37 GAA this season.
Jake DeBrusk, BOS vs. DET ($18): Going against the Red Wings makes it seems like a good matchup. Tread lightly. The Red Wings' goaltending has taken a turn for the better since the All-Star break, allowing 2.03 G/60 -- the ninth-best rate in the league.
DEFENSE
Tyson Barrie, TOR at OTT ($19): Barrie has endured some bumps in the road lately, but he's still accumulated 33 points this season with 10 coming on the man advantage. He's strong on the power play providing support for Toronto's superstars, and Ottawa's putrid penalty kill makes this a perfect storm.
Dante Fabbro, NSH at STL ($13): Fabbro fits the budget and comes with an appealing upside and a solid floor due to his shots and blocked shots. He also logs major ice time and has been a consistent part of the power play lately. The youngster will look to leverage that against the Blues' worst-ranked penalty kill since the break (14.99 GA/60).
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Cale Makar, COL vs. LA ($24): Makar rarely finds himself on this side of the list, but the time is right to fade the rookie. He's notched 17 of his 42 points with the man advantage this season, and the Kings' penalty kill has locked down opponents to the tune of just 2.09 GA/60 -- the second-best mark in the league -- since the break.
Erik Karlsson, SJ at MIN ($20): Karlsson's season hasn't lived up to expectations, and he's gone pointless in four of the past six games. Dubnyk and the Wild stepping up in this contest could be dangerous for Karlsson, especially since his floor isn't too intriguing anyway.
