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Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Saturday picks

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 7: Shea Weber #6 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on January 7, 2017 in Toronto,Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 7: Shea Weber #6 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on January 7, 2017 in Toronto,Ontario, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

By Sasha Yodashkin

Saturday’s nine-game slate offers no shortage of options to choose from. While it’s important to consider matchups, sometimes a good deal on a hot player is just too good to pass up, even against a decent opponent. Both of those factors are used to bring you Saturday’s top value plays.

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GOALIE

John Gibson, ANH at MIN ($31): Many DFS owners won’t even give Gibson consideration against the Wild, but his combination of momentum and affordability makes the young netminder a strong option regardless of matchup. While Minnesota’s goalie has shown some chinks in the armor by allowing seven combined goals to a pair of bottom-three offenses in New Jersey and Arizona over his past two appearances, Gibson has been rock-solid in losing just one of his past 14 starts in regulation. He has allowed just 23 goals in that span, yet remains cheaper than 13 of the alternatives at his position.

Goalie to Avoid

Devan Dubnyk, MIN vs. ANH ($41): As mentioned above, Dubnyk has been significantly underperforming his lofty standards of late. Living up to his price as the most expensive player available will be exceedingly difficult against an Anaheim team that has won eight of its past 10 games.

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CENTER

Sean Monahan, CGY vs. EDM ($16): Monahan’s four-game goal streak has been no fluke, as the talented center has been creating quality chances at will with 18 shots on goal over that span. Staying hot shouldn’t be a problem against the rival Oilers, who will either be rolling out Cam Talbot for the second consecutive night or turning to subpar backup Jonas Gustavsson. Even if Talbot’s in net, it would be foolish to pass over such an affordable weapon coming off consecutive 60-point seasons.

Center to Avoid

Jack Eichel, BUF at MON ($27): Eichel’s $27 price is a bit of a stretch considering he has only managed to top 5.0 fantasy points twice in his past six games. The second-year center hasn’t exhibited the consistency typically displayed by players in this price range, and expectations should be tempered against Canadiens goaltender Carey Price and his 2.35 GAA.

WINGS

Tanner Pearson, LAK vs. NYI ($18): Pearson has been a completely different player over his past 13 games, with seven goals, four assists and a plus-3 rating in that span. The 24-year-old winger’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, as he has skated at least 17 minutes in four straight contests to bump his season average over 16 per game. His recent production and increased role put Pearson in a fantastic position to deliver against an islanders team that ranks 22nd with 2.91 goals allowed per game.

Justin Williams, WAS at DAL ($15): Williams has five goals in his past five games and eight in his last 11, giving him plenty of momentum heading into a matchup with a Stars team that has surrendered 3.13 goals per game. Dallas also ranks 29th on the penalty kill, suggesting the veteran has a strong chance to score a power-play goal for the second consecutive contest from the second unit. If you want to invest in the Capitals’ offense without breaking the bank, Williams is the obvious choice given his combination of production and affordability.

Wings to Avoid

Jamie Benn, DAL vs. WAS ($26): Benn has accrued 13 of his 38 points on the power play, but he is unlikely to find success in such situations against a Capitals penalty kill that ranks third at 86.1 percent. His minus-10 rating also shows that there is more downside to using Benn than most players priced this high, and he hasn’t been getting as many opportunities, with fewer than 19 minutes of ice time in five straight games after averaging 19:55 this season.

Jordan Eberle, EDM at CGY ($18): Eberle finally halted his goal-scoring drought at 18 games Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean he’s suddenly going to get over the struggles that have plagued him for much of the season. He’s still skating on a separate line from star center Connor McDavid, and remains relegated to the second power-play unit. Eberle’s inferior role compared to most similarly-priced players makes him a risky investment in this average matchup.

DEFENSEMEN

Shea Weber, MTL vs. BUF ($26): What better time to use the league’s top power-play asset from the blue line then against the worst penalty kill in the league? Weber won’t come cheap, but he has certainly earned his $26 price by leading all defensemen with eight power-play goals and ranking fifth with 15 points with the extra man. His top-10 ranking at his position in rating, shots and blocks further solidifies Weber as an elite all-around asset who should have no problem exploiting an inferior Sabres team that ranks last in the Eastern Conference.

Ivan Provorov, PHI vs. NJ ($14): Provorov has made his offensive presence felt with 20 points already, but few realize that his 91 blocks are good for 16th in the league. The 20-year-old rookie continues to improve on both ends, and New Jersey’s 28th-ranked offense presents little threat to his shaky rating. Provorov represents an excellent low risk, high-reward opportunity at just $14.

Defensemen to Avoid

Cam Fowler, ANH at MIN ($20): Fowler is mired in an extended slump, with no goals and just one assist in his past 15 games. While Dubnyk has underperformed in his past two games, he’s still the league’s GAA and save percentage leader for a reason. Don’t expect the offensive-minded blueliner to find his game here.

Derek Forbort, LA at NYI ($17): With so many options available, it’s going to be tough to do well without getting offensive contributions from your blue line. Forbort is unlikely to provide any such contributions considering he has just two goals and 14 points this season, along with no production on the power play. Using Kings defensemen in this good matchup isn’t a bad idea, but paying up for the offensive upside of Drew Doughty ($21) or Alec Martinez ($18) is worth it over going with Forbort.

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