DFS: Counterattack - Saturday's Top Contrarian Plays
Saturday's NHL DFS play will include 14 games and 28 teams in total, with several different start times for contests. Picking on teams playing the second half of a back to back will be an excellent strategy, especially when those teams have had to travel as well. Opportunities will open up for some less popular players, as they'll be facing a tired opponent.
Here's a look at the top contrarian options for use in GPPs:
G Cam Ward, Hurricanes (vs. Red Wings)
Ward was not as bad as he was generally perceived to be in 2014-15. His .910 save percentage matched his career average, and his 2.40 goals against average was the best mark of his career. In his first game of the 2015-16 season, Ward stopped 23 of 25 shots he faced, as the Hurricanes fell to the Nashville Predators by a score of 2-1.
Saturday, Ward will be in net for the 'Canes home opener, and they'll be opposed by a Detroit Red Wings team that took on the Toronto Maple Leafs Friday night. As a whole, the Red Wings are far superior to the Hurricanes, but that means Ward's ownership percentage will be dangerously low, Saturday.
Ward is one of the cheapest starting goalies on the market in the early going of the season, offering a rare source of cap relief at the goaltender position. He's far from a safe choice, but the upside is there, and the ownership won't be.
D Sami Vatanen, Ducks (at Sharks)
Vatanen comes in the middle-tier of defenseman pricing. He's slated to begin the Ducks' season on the third-pairing at even strength, reducing his potential to a certain degree, but he does quarterback the Ducks' first powerplay unit, that features Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, along with Patrick Maroon and Cam Fowler.
The Sharks' 9:05 of penalty time in the first game of the season was more than any team other than the Los Angeles Kings through Thursday's games. Vatanen will see plenty of time with the man advantage.
Vatanen faded down the stretch in 2014-15, but he did collect seven points in his first eight games for the Ducks. With so many top-tier defensemen on the schedule, Vatanen will be a sneaky choice with top-tier upside.
W Brendan Gallagher, Canadiens (at Bruins)
Known around the league as one of the NHL's most annoying pests, Gallagher saves his best hockey for Montreal's most disliked rival. Gallagher scored twice and added four assists in four games played against the Bruins last season.
The majority of DFS owners will tend to gravitate toward Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec when targeting the Canadiens' top line, but Gallagher's style of play makes him an excellent option when facing the big, bad Bruins.
C Evgeny Kuznetsov, Capitals (vs. Devils)
With so many elite - and high priced - centers available Saturday, it will be easier than ever to overlook Kuznetsov.
The Capitals will open their season against a Devils team who played the Winnipeg Jets Friday night. With C Nicklas Backstrom still sidelined, Kuznetsov will be in the driver's seat of a line that features Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie.
Kuznetsov struggled with inconsistency last season, but he has shown dynamic abilities that will now be in the forefront of the Capitals offense for the foreseeable future.