This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
GOALIE
Mike Smith, EDM vs. BUF ($23): It won't feel good to fire up Smith. After all, he has an .891 save percentage on the season. However, it's rare to find an affordable starting goalie on a team as favored as the Oilers (-250). The Sabres maintain a 9-16-4 record on the road this season.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Ilya Sorokin, NYI at NYR ($38): Sorokin will face off against Igor Shesterkin, who commands the highest salary of the slate at $39. While Sorokin has been impressive this season, he has a .911 save percentage and a 3.00 GAA over his last eight road games. If that's not enough to convince you to stay away, the Rangers have averaged 3.9 goals over their last seven games.
CENTER
Aleksander Barkov, FLA at VGK ($34): The Golden Knights haven't been able to overcome the absence of Robin Lehner (lower body), as they've allowed 21 goals over four games with their top netminder on the shelf. This game is a battle of heavyweights nonetheless, so Barkov should be ready to star in this show and add to the 26 goals and 60 points he has put up through 47 games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Dylan Larkin, DET at VAN ($24): Tread lightly in this salary range, especially against Thatcher Demko. Since the calendar flipped to 2022, Demko has a .920 save percentage at home. Larkin is in a bit of a rut right now, too. He has notched just two points – both assists – through the last six games while recording a minus-7 rating.
WING
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. PIT ($23): We avoided targeting players that were up against Tristan Jarry earlier in the season. Jarry has cooled off lately but still has managed a .914 save percentage over his last 11 appearances. Tarasenko is hot, though, recording eight points and 16 shots over his past five outings.
Carter Verhaeghe, FLA at VGK ($17): Verhaeghe will flank Barkov on the top line and comes at a significant discount given the opportunity ahead. The 26-year-old has generated 20 goals and 46 points through 59 games. Matching up with Barkov against a highly suspect Golden Knights' goaltending situation is ideal for Verhaeghe.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jamie Benn, DAL at MON ($18): Benn's ice time is starting to dwindle and he's been relegated to the third line, where he has averaged 16 minutes over the past 13 games. He has been mildly productive during that stretch, but he went pointless in seven of those outings. Even in an intriguing matchup, Benn's difficult to trust in DFS cash games.
Claude Giroux, PHI vs. NSH ($17): Giroux has posted four points through the past 10 games. His minus-11 rating for the season is a bit of an eyesore, and his ceiling may be tough to achieve, too. Predators goalie Juuse Saros has posted a .931 save percentage and a 1.99 GAA over the last eight games.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, SJ at LA ($17): Karlsson has been banged up this season and has played just 36 games, but he continues to be productive when he's on the ice. The 31-year-old has accrued 28 points – nine on the power play – while averaging 2.5 shots per game. The Kings rank 28th in the league with a 74.7 percent penalty kill.
Ryan Suter, DAL at MON ($16): The Canadiens have recently shown improvement offensively, but their defense has yet to get the message, as they've allowed 4.1 goals per game over the last seven. Their PK ranks 29th in the league at 73.8 percent, too. Meanwhile, Suter is logging big minutes on the top defensive pairing and PP1, posting a modest eight points over the last 15 games while supplying enough shots and blocked shots to build a decent floor. He's a salary saver Thursday.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. FLA ($21): Pietrangelo has been consistent as a fantasy player because of shots and blocked shots, but his ceiling is lacking with 33 points through 60 games. The Panthers are one of the top defenses in the league. Sergei Bobrovsky continues to carry his weight, as he's gone 7-1-0 with a .917 save percentage over his last eight road outings.
Adam Pelech, NYI at NYR ($17): Pelech has just 19 points through 53 games this season. He doesn't shoot a ton, but he blocks around 1.6 shots per game. Still, he'll be fighting an uphill battle against Vezina frontrunner Shesterkin, especially because Pelech doesn't handle any power-play time.
