Yahoo Daily Fantasy Sports: Saturday picks

By Sasha Yodashkin

Saturday’s two-game NHL slate consists of a 3:00 p.m. matinee between the Rangers and Senators followed by an 8 p.m. Penguins-Capitals showdown. With at least six games of playoff action to evaluate the talent on each team, these players stand out as the top value plays given their contributions and usage patterns:

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GOALIE

Braden Holtby, WAS vs. PIT ($29): Holtby struggled in Game 1, but it’s safe to expect a bounce back given his combination of recent regular season success and playoff history. The Vezina Trophy finalist’s 2.07 GAA and .925 save percentage from the 2017 campaign are outclassed by his 1.95 GAA and .935 save percentage in 53 career postseason appearances, suggesting he has the skills to deny even Pittsburgh’s high-flying offense. With Washington desperate not to fall into an 0-2 hole in their building, this is the perfect buy-low opportunity on Holtby.

Goalie to Avoid

Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT at WAS ($34): Fleury did well to limit the Capitals to two goals in Game 1, but his 4-7-5 record and 3.58 GAA on the road in the regular season suggest the veteran is going to have a hard time stealing another game at Verizon Center. Given the lower-scoring nature of the other Eastern Conference series, it makes more sense to grab either of those goaltenders over Fleury.

CENTER

Derick Brassard, OTT vs. NYR ($15): Brassard was all over the ice in the series opener against his former team, tying for a game-high with five shots to give him 13 over the past three games. While a strong effort from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist ended the center’s point streak at five, Brassard’s eight points in seven games this postseason are still good for sole possession of the team lead. He’s priced at just $15 despite all that production, making this a can’t-miss value.

Center to Avoid

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, OTT vs. NYR ($16): Pageau is priced $1 above Brassard even though he has managed just one point in the playoffs. He saw only 12:43 of ice time in Game 1, suggesting coach Guy Boucher has taken note of Pageau’s poor play.

WINGS

Rick Nash, NYR at OTT ($19): Nash continues to throw pucks on net every chance he gets, as his three shots in Game 1 gave the power forward 26 through seven contests. Just two of those found the back of net, but his career 12.3 percent shooting percentage and the 11.8 percent mark from this past regular season suggest he’s bound to start burying more looks.

Bryan Rust, PIT at WAS ($15): Rust has already scored four goals in six games this postseason, and he should continue to get plenty of grade-A scoring chances while skating on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel. He’s the logical choice for any owner who wants to benefit from Pittsburgh’s high-octane offense without burning a hole in their wallet.

Wings to Avoid

Andre Burakovsky, WAS vs. PIT ($15): Burakovsky continues to be overpriced for his role. He has topped 14 minutes of ice time just once through seven playoff games, and hasn’t earned any more with no goals and two assists in that span. Expect another low-usage effort Saturday.

Chris Kreider, NYR at OTT ($21): Kreider’s play has been worth nowhere near $21. He has just one assist without a goal in seven games en route to an average of 3.9 fantasy points per contest, and has seen his ice time reduced to under 15 minutes in each of the past four games after averaging 18:27 in the first three games against Montreal. New York’s deep forward corps offers plenty of capable alternatives, each of whom can be had at a lower price.

DEFENSEMEN

Ryan McDonagh, NYR at OTT ($19): McDonagh is starting to ramp up his play at both ends, and he is getting rewarded for it with more ice time. He’s averaging 2.0 shots and 2.9 blocks per game while having skated at least 25 minutes in each of the past three games after falling short of that mark in three of the first four. Throw in his goal and two assists over the past four and you get tremendous all-around production for a sub-$20 player.

Dmitry Orlov, WAS vs. PIT ($15): Orlov has had a disappointing postseason following a campaign in which he was an under the radar two-way force, but the Russian blueliner is bound to turn things around before long. He has topped the 20-minute mark in every playoff game after averaging only 19:32 in the regular season, and is the only Capitals defenseman with at least one shot and one block in each of their first seven contests. Regaining the offensive form that saw him net 33 points and a plus-30 rating this season shouldn’t be difficult for Orlov given Fleury’s road numbers.

Defensemen to Avoid

Kevin Shattenkirk, WAS vs. PIT ($22): Shattenkirk has skated below his season average of 19:56 in five consecutive games, as the Capitals simply don’t seem to trust him in non-power-play situations. It’s easy to see why they feel that way given his minus-5 rating and zero points at even strength or shorthanded this postseason.

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Justin Schultz, PIT at WAS ($23): Schultz’s offensive presence has been decreasing with every game. After firing four shots in Game 1 against Columbus and two in Game 2, he only managed one apiece in the following two contests and none in either of the past two. That’s simply not going to cut it from a player whose price still reflects a regular season in which he averaged 2.0 shots per game en route to 51 points.

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