This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT and features five games. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
This slate has a mix of familiar and fresh matchups; Flyers-Rangers and Bruins Sabres are rematches of Thursday's games, the Predators and Blackhawks are facing off for the third time this week, while Canadiens-Flames and Wild-Kings are fresh matchups. The Bruins are the only overwhelming favorites Friday, though the Wild and Rangers are also solidly favored, and the latter's game is supposed to be the slate's highest-scoring with an over/under of 6.0 goals.
GOALIES
Tuukka Rask, BOS at BUF ($8,400): Rask will be the chalk play in net after Jeremy Swayman presided over Thursday's 5-1 win in Buffalo. The lowly Sabres average the third-fewest goals per game (2.32) and have a league-worst 12-28-7 record.
Cam Talbot, MIN at LA ($8,100): Talbot's having an outstanding season, with a 16-6-3 record, 2.35 GAA and .925 save percentage. He's been even better recently, with a 10-1-2 record in his last 13 decisions. Talbot's success should continue against a slumping Kings team that's averaging 2.72 goals per game.
Jake Allen, MON at CGY ($7,900): Allen's the main man in Montreal's net while Carey Price recovers from a concussion, and he's poised for a strong performance here. While Allen's 1-3-0 record against the Flames this season is far from ideal, that lack of success can be traced to a lack of goal support, as his 1.78 GAA and .943 save percentage against them are excellent. Allen's lone victory over the Flames came in their last meeting, just a week ago.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Elias Lindholm, CGY vs. MON ($6,100): Lindholm has been by far the Flames' most productive player recently, with a 4-4-8 line during his active six-game point streak. That recent success has given him a cushion in the race for the team points lead, as Lindholm's 39 points in 45 games have him six clear of second-place Johnny Gaudreau. Lindholm's also pulled within two goals of Gaudreau's team-leading 15.
Kirill Kaprizov, MIN at LA ($6,500): Kaprizov boasts a 19-19-38 line through 45 games and has a three-game goal streak going ahead of this matchup with the struggling Kings. Los Angeles defeated the lowly Ducks in its last game but is still just 4-9-0 in its last 13 games.
Brandon Hagel, CHI vs. NSH ($2,900): Chicago undoubtedly has the momentum heading into this one after coming back from a 4-1 third-period deficit to win 5-4 in overtime Wednesday. Hagel led the charge in that comeback, potting the overtime winner after racking up a pair of assists in regulation. At just $2,900, it's worth seeing whether the rookie can keep rolling in this rematch.
James van Riemsdyk , PHI at NYR ($5,200): Van Riemsdyk starred in Thursday's win at Madison Square Garden with two power-play goals. Both came from his office just outside the crease, with one going in off his face and the other off his stick. An injury-riddled Rangers defense that's currently dressing just one player not in his first or second season doesn't have the physicality to clear JVR out of the crease, so he'll be tough to handle in this rematch.
Andreas Athanasiou, LA vs. MIN ($3,800): Game-to-game consistency has been hard to pin down for Athanasiou, but the speedster has a high ceiling, as evidenced by his pair of standout performances in his last four games (goal, assist, seven shots and goal, two assists, four shots). Minnesota's heavy style often stifles chances against, but Athanasiou remains a high-risk, high-reward option despite the difficult matchup.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins at Sabres
Patrice Bergeron (C - $8,000), David Pastrnak (W - $8,700), Brad Marchand (W - $8,100)
The Perfection line dominated the overmatched Sabres on Thursday with a 2-3-5 combined line, and its members are likely to be even more effective in what will be the first NHL start for Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Luukkonen is a highly-touted prospect, but he's struggled at the AHL level this season with a 3.60 GAA and .888 save percentage. Plus, this is the Sabres we're talking about, so a forgettable debut from a top prospect would be par for the course. Marchand has been the hottest member of this group, with a 6-3-9 line in his last five games to bring his season line to 25-32-57 in 43 games. Pastrnak has added a 17-22-39 line in 37 games, while Bergeron sports an 18-22-40 line in 44 appearances.
Rangers vs. Flyers
Ryan Strome (C - $6,300), Artemi Panarin (W - $7,900), Colin Blackwell (W - $3,700)
The Rangers lost 3-2 to the Flyers on Thursday but are likely to bounce back in Friday's rematch against third-string goalie Alex Lyon, who has a 4.40 GAA and .880 save percentage in two appearances this season. Panarin figures to lead the way, as his goal Thursday gave him a 9-15-24 line in his last 13 games. Strome's 14-30-44 line this season has him second on the team in points behind Panarin's 53. The affordable Blackwell has held his own on this line with a 3-6-9 line in his last 10 games.
Predators at Blackhawks
Mikael Granlund (C - $4,200), Calle Jarnkrok (W - $3,600), Luke Kunin (W - $3,400)
Nashville's second line has dominated these last two games against Chicago, with Granlund producing a pair of multi-point games, Kunin contributing a 2-1-4 line with eight shots, and Jarnkrok adding a goal and an assist. All three of these guys have missed some time due to injuries but are hovering right around half a point per game played this season. Locking in one or more of these players can help free cap space for some of this slate's stars.
DEFENSEMEN
Jeff Petry, MON at CGY ($6,000): Petry has fallen one point behind Tyler Toffoli's team lead but still sports an excellent 11-21-32 line in 44 games. While admittedly fueled by a hot start, that production is good for third among defensemen league-wide in goals and eighth in points.
Matt Dumba, MIN at LA ($4,600): Choosing the right member of Minnesota's deep defense corps isn't easy, but Dumba has been the Wild's most consistent two-way contributor on the blue line lately. He has a 1-4-5 line in his last six games and has blocked 14 shots over that span. Another strong performance should be forthcoming against a Kings team that's allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to defensemen.
Mike Reilly, BOS at BUF ($3,500): Reilly has four helpers in six games with the Bruins, and he's been terrific at moving the puck in transition all season, with 23 assists in 46 games between Ottawa and Boston. He's a nice value blueliner in this favorable matchup.
Zachary Jones, NYR vs. PHI ($2,500): Jones skated just 9:45 in his NHL debut Thursday but still managed to post three shots and worked on the second power-play unit. The 20-year-old defenseman turned pro earlier this month after leading UMass to the NCAA championship with a 9-15-24 line in 29 games. If his offensive ability translates to the NHL level like the Rangers are hoping, Jones won't be available for just $2,500 for long.
