Adding to the unpredictability of Saturday's competitive festivities, a whopping nine of 13 scheduled games are inter-conference matchups. Highlights include Boston working to remain perfect at home against the visiting Avalanche. No easy task there, as Colorado is 8-4-0 on the road this campaign. Elsewhere, Ottawa is seeking revenge after getting lambasted by former Senator Erik Karlsson and the rest of the Sharks in late November, while the Flames are also hoping for a different result in their second meeting with the Capitals after getting shut out a week ago.
The weekend's limited in-conference action launches when the Ducks visit the Wild at 2pm ET, followed by Toronto's Mitchell Marner vying to register a point in a potentially record-breaking 19th straight game in Tampa, then wraps up with the Coyotes visiting the now Thatcher Demko-less Canucks in Vancouver.
Resources: Goalie depth chart | Injuries | Schedule | How to watch on ESPN+ | Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Hockey | Download the ESPN Fantasy App | Daily lines
All times Eastern.
Favorable scoring match-ups
Florida Panthers at Seattle Kraken
10 p.m., Climate Pledge Arena, Watch live on ESPN+
Since Nov. 17, the Kraken have averaged 5.00 goals/game and surrendered 3.57, while the Panthers have scored 3.75 and allowed 4.13. I suppose in the spirit of they still need to play the game and anything is always possible, this tilt could end 1-0 for one side or the other. However, in light of the math from the past couple of weeks, I'm not sure how. This here fantasy manager, for one, is activating all rostered scoring players from both sides while avoiding whoever is starting between the pipes for either.
Mid-tier fantasy forwards
David Krejci, Boston Bruins (62.5%): It seems the only certainties in life are death, taxes, and that the Bruins' second line center won't receive his due respect as a sparkling fantasy asset. Skating with David Pastrnak, Krejci is riding a six-game point streak with six goals and three assists. Play him. I don't care who the Bruins are facing, Colorado or anyone else.
See also:
Viktor Arvidsson, Los Angeles Kings (51.8%)
T.J. Oshie, Washington Capitals (39.2%)
Nick Schmaltz, Arizona Coyotes (41.4%)
William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights (20.9%)
Kevin Hayes, Philadelphia Flyers (37.0%)
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche (67.6%)
Joel Eriksson-Ek, Minnesota Wild (72.5%)
Deep league/Daily Fantasy value forwards
Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils (2.0%): October 13th was a long time ago. That's when the Flyers beat the Devils 5-2, launching what was to round out into a rather successful month for John Tortorella's crew. Well. Since then, the Flyers have won three games of 16 and sit one notch above the Metropolitan basement-dwelling Blue Jackets. While New Jersey is 13-1-1 over the same stretch. This serves as a roundabout way of suggesting you consider Haula - who's having a fine time of it on Jack Hughes' wing - as a value commodity in Daily Fantasy play when the Devils visit Philly once more.
See also:
Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes (7.5%)
Daniel Sprong, Seattle Kraken (1.4%)
Alexander Barabanov, San Jose Sharks (3.3%)
Sean Monahan, Montreal Canadiens (3.1%)
Mid-tier fantasy defensemen
Filip Hronek, Detroit Red Wings (58.9%)
Sean Durzi, Los Angeles Kings (29.4%)
Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers (39.5%)
J.J. Moser, Arizona Coyotes (24.6%)
Tyson Barrie, Edmonton Oilers (56.6%)
Deep league/Daily Fantasy value defensemen
Justin Schultz, Seattle Kraken (14.2%): Before Thursday's contest against the Capitals, Schultz had been riding a six-game point-streak, comprising two goals and eight assists - four of those points counting with the extra skater. As mentioned, the Panthers are allowing goals in bundles these days. Meaning the puck-moving blueliner is in promising shape to start a new scoring streak this particular Saturday.
See also:
Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks (18.7%)
Goalies
Darcy Kuemper (projected), Washington Capitals (91.0%): Before falling to the Kraken 3-2 in overtime on Thursday, Washington's No. 1 had won three-straight, including last week's 32-save shutout of Darryl Sutter's bunch. If he's given the opportunity to get back on victorious track, I like Kuemper's chances at trying to repeat that stellar performance against those same Flames in Calgary. Having Capitals teammate Alex Ovechkin firing in top form doesn't hurt either.
See also:
Pyotr Kochetkov (projected), Carolina Hurricanes (7.1%)
Jaroslav Halak (projected), New York Rangers (1.3%)
Kaapo Kahkonen (projected), San Jose Sharks (1.7%)
Bench 'em
Andrei Vasilevskiy (projected), Tampa Bay Lightning (99.8%): Appreciably inspired by Mitch Marner's ongoing quest to rewrite the Maple Leafs' record book by, so far, scoring in 18 straight games, this freshly bonded and happy crew appears incapable of losing at present. They only dropped one in regulation in all of November. The Big Four - Auston Matthews, Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares have combined for 70 points in their past 15 games. Plus, Vasilevskiy has been all over the map, as far as quality starts go, since season's launch.
See also:
Jordan Binnington (projected), St. Louis Blues (78.9%)