This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Saturday's extensive, 13-game NHL slate begins at 1:00 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players are likely to emerge out of the sea of options as the top value plays and which ones should be avoided.
GOALIE
Harri Sateri, FLA vs. DET ($23): After struggling in his first few NHL appearances, Sateri's built up a head of steam with 62 saves on 65 shots in consecutive road wins over the Islanders and Sabres. The 28-year-old rookie has a golden opportunity to keep that momentum going at home against a Red Wings club playing the second leg of a road back-to-back. Detroit's 29th-ranked output of 2.53 goals per game is much closer to Buffalo's league-worst mark than it is to the impressive third-ranked Islanders offense which Sateri also stifled.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR at NSH ($34): Lundqvist's output has been well below his usual standards lately as an injury-depleted Rangers team has failed to provide much offense or defense in front of its All-Star netminder en route to four consecutive Lundqvist losses. He's been pulled twice in that stretch and owns an awful .859 save percentage over that time. Getting back on track will be difficult at Bridgestone Arena, where the Predators are 17-5-3.
[Join the free NHL Yahoo Cup. $10K in total prizes with weekly winners]
CENTER
Danton Heinen, BOS vs. TOR ($18): Heinen's been arguably the biggest beneficiary of Brad Marchand's five-game suspension for the flagrant elbow that concussed Marcus Johansson. He was moved up to the top power-play unit in Marchand's first game out and immediately rewarded that decision with a power-play goal. Heinen subsequently got promoted to the top line and has averaged a shade under 17 minutes of ice time per game while totalling 10 shots in three games sans Marchand. At $18, Heinen's been a terrific value play in each of the last two games of his dirty teammate's ban given the tremendous talent surrounding him.
CENTER TO AVOID
Auston Matthews, TOR at BOS ($32): Matthews is a terrific talent, but it makes little sense to pay $32 for the most expensive center on this slate against a goaltender who's 17-0-2 over his last 19 decisions in Tuukka Rask. You have to pick your spots with the top guys to find consistent success, and this simply isn't the time to roll with the American sniper.
WING
Jaden Schwartz, STL at BUF ($26): Schwartz took a couple of games to get acclimated after returning from an injury-related absence, but he looked to be back in form with a goal on five shots Thursday against Boston. The lowest-priced skater who's averaging at least 9.4 fantasy points per game should thrive in this much easier matchup against a Sabres club that's allowing the fourth-most goals (3.30) while scoring the fewest (2.30).
Artemi Panarin, CLS at NYI ($25): While he's failed to replicate his incredible production with the Blackhawks, Panarin still comfortably leads Columbus with 41 points and has a team-leading 13 points on the power play. Both of those stats are likely to rise in this ideal matchup against an Islanders club that allows the most goals in the league (3.62) while killing penalties at the second-lowest rate (73.9). This is the time to pay up for the highly-skilled Russian.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest or league today]
WINGS TO AVOID
Dustin Brown, LA vs. ARI ($17): Even with his current 11-game goal drought, the 33-year-old Brown's still shooting 11.0 percent after failing to top 8.0 percent in any of his previous four campaigns. Given the high likelihood of continued regression, Brown's tough to trust at $17 even against the defensively challenged Coyotes.
Zach Parise, MIN at DAL ($19): Its hard to keep using rust as an excuse for Parise's lackluster play. He's now 11 games into his return and is still averaging just 3.6 fantasy points per game -- the lowest mark among all wingers priced at $15 or more. Until he picks things up, there's little justification for looking Parise's way at this price.
DEFENSE
Drew Doughty, LA vs. ARI ($22): Doughty is a fantastic all-around asset, as indicated by his eight goals, 36 points and plus-15 rating. His ability to create value all over the ice through marking the scoresheet, blocking shots and throwing pucks on net while playing 27:11 per game gives Doughty a tremendous floor and high ceiling against an Arizona team that's been outscored 3.36 to 2.34 in the average game this season.
Duncan Keith, CHI at CGY ($17): Keith still hasn't lit the lamp despite shooting the puck 121 times already this season, but he does have 25 helpers in 51 games, including three in the past three contests. The veteran blueliner's still skating a hefty 24:36 per game, which should give him plenty of opportunities to produce against a scuffling Flames team that's lost six consecutive games while allowing a combined 14 goals over the past three.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Justin Holl, TOR at BOS ($32): Sure, Holl has goals in consecutive games to open his NHL career. However, it's still outrageous to pay $32 for a defenseman who wasn't exactly lighting up the AHL with four goals and 16 assists in 39 games and will probably be sent right back down once Toronto's blue line heals up. A matchup with Rask and the red-hot Bruins just makes this already poor value that much worse.
Kris Letang, PIT at NJ ($24): Letang has posted 14 of his 29 points on the power play while recording a minus-10 rating. A road match with a Devils penalty kill that ranks fourth at 83.4 percent represents a risky spot to use Letang, as his scoring upside is capped while his floor remains low as usual.
