It's not too early to start feeling thankful. I, for one, am thankful there are 10 NHL games starting at 7 p.m. EST or later on Saturday. And hopefully, you will be thankful for these NHL DFS lineup recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Penguins are the only team on the second leg of a back-to-back and they host the Kraken. Several teams are playing on the first of consecutive days, but none have named a starter as of this writing so I opted to roll with RotoWire's goalie grid as it tends to be reliable.
GOALIES
Scott Wedgewood, COL at NAS ($8,000): The Avs are one of the teams on the first leg of a back-to-back while both Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood are worth rostering. Let's just imagine Wedgewood will start against his former team (that he played all of five games for). He's posted a .913 save percentage and 2.23 GAA while the Preds have managed a mere 2.40 goals per game while bottom-8 in GAA, so there's a better chance of him earning a win.
Jacob Markstrom, NJD at PHI ($7,500): It's been a subpar season for Markstrom, but he's only made nine appearances due to injury. I'm hoping this matchup will help him get back on track as the Flyers are one of two teams in the bottom-5 for both goals and shots.
Dustin Wolf, CGY vs. DAL ($7,000): It's only been nine games on both sides of Wolf's home/road splits, though he's recorded a 2.23 GAA and .921 save percentage in Calgary behind the league's lowest scoring team. The Stars are just above average in terms of offense, yet have only managed 25.7 shots per outing. Take a chance on Wolf.
VALUE PLAYS
Artturi Lehkonen, COL at NAS ($6,900): Staying healthy has been Lehkonen's main issue in Colorado (in related news, Valeri Nichushkin is week-to-week with a lower-body injury). He's been available all season with 18 points and 55 shots. It's another tough season for the Preds as their offense continues to struggle while holding a 3.50 GAA in part because Juuse Saros's save percentage is .892.
Sam Reinhart, FLA vs. EDM ($6,800): Reinhart has earned trust in his ability to sustain a higher shooting percentage than most currently listing a 19.3 and an 18.7 the previous five years. He even started the season slowly with nine of his 11 points coming during his last 12 games. Speaking of earning trust, Stuart Skinner hasn't done that and the Oilers have a 3.57 GAA in spite of a defense that's been solid at allowing pucks on net.
Will Smith, SAN vs. OTT ($6,200): Linus Ullmark may be fine as the Sharks are middling offensively and reliant on a few players for production. Smith is one of those performers and gets to skate next to Macklin Celebrini with 20 points across 21 appearances. He's also averaged 3:36 on the power play and will be facing an Ottawa side on Saturday ranked 31st on the penalty kill.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Kraken at Penguins
Chandler Stephenson (C - $5,300), Jaden Schwartz (W - $5,600), Eeli Tolvanen (W - $4,400)
Stackin' Kraken isn't the most exciting of decisions as they've had issues scoring goals. However, the Penguins are an older roster and the lone team on Saturday playing the second leg of a back-to-back. Tristan Jarry is also currently injured while Sergei Murashov has made two NHL starts with one being shutting out Nashville and the other allowing three goals on 27 shots to the Kings - the latter also coming on the second of consecutive nights. This line doesn't command a lot of salary, so it's worth a shot.
Stephenson has never been big at putting pucks on net, but he's still managed between 51 and 65 points in each of the last four seasons and is currently at 12 - including seven over the last 10 games. It's probably not coincidental Schwartz has four goals and two assists during the same stretch while finding the back of net eight times overall after 26 last year. Tolvanen has completely turned his campaign around with 10 of his 11 points coming during his last 11 outings, with five of those while up a man and going up against an aging club on the second leg of a back-to-back that could be a little slower at killing penalties.
Maple Leafs at Canadiens
John Tavares (C - $7,500), William Nylander (W - $7,900), Calle Jarnkrok (W - $4,300)
These teams are neck-and-neck in GAA, and not in a good way with Montreal at 3.60 and Toronto at 3.67. The Leafs just got Joseph Woll back, and he's offered something in the way of hope. The Habs' netminders have careened off a cliff as Sam Montembeault has been poor with a 3.72 GAA and .852 save percentage indicate while Jakub Dobes lists a 4.09/.844 across six appearances after a promising start. With Toronto banged up, I went with the one trio carrying two pretty solid forwards.
Tavares is doing his best with 27 points and 65 shots while only twice being held off the scoresheet the last month. Nylander hasn't been his usual self on the man-advantage, but maybe facing Montreal's below-average penalty kill will help. That's not to say he's been scuffling considering his 27 points. Jarnkrok has four goals in 15 games and and has recently appeared on the power play with Matthew Knies hurt. Nicholas Robertson ($5,000) has racked up nine points from his last 11 outings. So if you wanted to include him, your secret is safe with me.
DEFENSEMEN
Shea Theodore, VGK at ANA ($5,600): Theodore is on fire heading into a matchup with his former team with 11 points in his last 14 games and 22 shots over seven. The Ducks' defense goes as far as Lukas Dostal takes them as they're bottom-10 in shots allowed and penalty-kill percentage. Even though the Golden Knights rock a five-forward top power play, Theodore has notched four PPPs through his last 11 matchups.
Dmitry Orlov, SAN vs. OTT ($4,800): When a young, rebuilding team is way ahead in terms of offensive cornerstones compared to defensive ones, players like Orlov step in. The veteran left Carolina to take on a role as a top-pairing blueliner and has averaged 22:24, including 2:29 on the power play. Orlov hasn't yet managed a goal, but has 12 assists, 28 shots, and 29 blocked shots. He should receive a lot of ice time against Ottawa and its 31st-ranked penalty kill.
Gustav Forsling, FLA vs. EDM ($4,600): Forsling has directed 28 shots on net, so it's not a shock he's at zero goals. However, he lists a career 5.6 shooting percentage so eventually a few pucks will go in. Forsling can also claim 10 assists, with four of those coming in the last five games. The Oilers come in with a 3.57 GAA, so assists aren't usually hard to come by when facing them.
