This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There are no NBA playoff games Saturday, and the NFL Draft will be in the final rounds, which means you won't have much to distract you from Saturday's two NHL playoff games. It's important not to be distracted, because the first game kicks off at 3:00 PM ET. Be sure to get your daily fantasy lineups in before then, and you should also probably include a few of these players in said lineups.
GOALIE
Craig Anderson, OTT vs. NYR ($7,600): While the Rangers averaged 3.09 goals per game this season, that number dropped to 2.63 goals per contest after the All-Star break. In the playoffs, that number is down to 2.14. New York didn't have much success in Game 1 of this series, as Anderson made 34 saves on 35 shots. In his last 10 games, he has a 1.48 GAA and a .941 save percentage, and during the regular season he had a 2.28 GAA and a .926 save percentage in total.
CENTER
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. PIT ($5,900): Kuznetsov scored a goal in the first game of this series, and he put four shots on goal. In his last three games, he has 14 shots on net, and in these playoffs he's tallied 23 shots on goal. The Penguins allowed 32.6 shots on net during the season, third most in the NHL, and to that end Pittsburgh gave up 35 shots in Game 1. Kuznetsov also started 37.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most among Washington forwards.
Derick Brassard, OTT vs. NYR ($4,900): Brassard started 37.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which was the most of any Ottawa forward to play more than 400 minutes this season. His regular season wasn't great, thanks in part to a 7.2 shooting percentage, but the playoffs have been a different story. He tallied eight points in the first round, and while he didn't notch a point in Game 1 of this series, he did put five shots on goal. Brassard has also averaged 3:49 per game with the extra man in the postseason, and the Rangers had the 26th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break.
WING
Phil Kessel, PIT at WAS ($6,700): While Washington was very stingy defensively during the regular season, the Caps have allowed 2.71 goals per contest in the postseason. Regardless, this was likely to be a tough matchup for Washington, as the Penguins averaged a league-high 3.39 goals and 33.6 shots on net per game this season. Kessel was a huge part of that offensive success, as he tallied 70 points and 229 shots on goal. He also started 40.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, and he averaged 3:48 per game with the extra man. In the playoffs, he has eight points, including four on the power play.
Marcus Johansson, WAS vs. PIT ($5,000): Marc-Andre Fleury has been pretty impressive in the small sample size of the postseason, but in the regular season he had a 3.02 GAA and a .909 save percentage. Additionally, the Penguins allowed 32.6 shots on net per tilt during the regular season, and that number is up to 38.2 in the postseason. Johansson started 36.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, and he also tallied 19 power-play points this year. After the All-Star break, the Penguins had the 12th-ranked penalty kill, but much of that was with Matt Murray in net.
Alex Burrows, OTT vs. NYR ($3,600): Burrows' season really picked up after he was traded to the Senators, as he tallied 11 points in 20 games. He also finished the regular season with four points in his final five contests. In the playoffs, he only has two points, but one of those did come in Game 1 of this series. On top of that, he's averaged 2:16 a night on the power play, and as previously mentioned the Rangers had the 26th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break. At this price, Burrows doesn't have to do a ton to be of real value to your fantasy lineup.
DEFENSE
Ryan McDonagh, NYR at OTT ($5,300): McDonagh has averaged 3.1 fantasy points per game, a robust number for a blueliner. He notched 42 points in 77 games, including 15 on the power play. What's more, he averaged 3:22 per game on the power play, and the Senators had the 27th-ranked penalty kill after the All-Star break. In the postseason, McDonagh has played a whopping 26:41 per game, and he has three points in his last four contests. He also blocked 160 shots this season, and he's added 20 more in the playoffs.
Dmitry Orlov, WAS vs. PIT ($3,700): Orlov tallied 33 points this season, and he's added two more in the playoffs. His minutes are up as well, perhaps owing to the injury to Karl Alzner. The Penguins gave up 32.6 shots on net per game, but they also attempted 58.8 shots per 60 minutes, sixth most in the NHL. That should give Orlov the chance to get in front of a few pucks, and he has 17 blocked shots this postseason.
