This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's two-game NHL slate doesn't start until 10:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Avalanche are road favorites in Seattle, while the Canucks are favored against the visiting Jets, but the latter game is nearly a tossup. Both games have an over/under of 6.0 goals, so offense likely won't be sparse, but it's important to nail your pick in net given the lack of options. This will be Winnipeg's second game in as many nights, while the other three teams all last played Wednesday.
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper, COL at SEA ($8,200): Kuemper has found his groove in Colorado's net, going 4-1-0 in his last five starts while allowing only nine goals in that stretch. The good times should keep rolling against a reeling Kraken team that has suffered five consecutive regulation losses, so Kuemper should be worth paying up for.
Eric Comrie, WPG at VAN ($7,800): Comrie should get the nod in Winnipeg's net after Connor Hellbuyck started Thursday's 2-1 shootout loss to Edmonton. The backup has been excellent when called upon, with a 3-1-0 record, 1.98 GAA and .926 save percentage. He'll face a Canucks team that averages the 11-most shots (32.6 per game) but the sixth-fewest goals (2.47 per game).
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. WPG ($7,200): Demko's a sensible value option since the Canucks are actually favored on home ice, but locking him in is certainly risky given Demko's recent struggles. He got off to a hot start but has gone 1-4-0 in his last five while allowing 22 goals in that stretch. The recent rut has ballooned his GAA to 3.31 and dropped his save percentage to .898.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Nazem Kadri, COL at SEA ($6,000): For all the big names on Colorado's roster, it's Kadri who leads the team in points with 17, and his five goals are just one shy of the team lead shared by Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. Stacking the Avalanche will likely be the default strategy for most lineups in this slate, and Kadri's an integral piece of such a strategy.
Andrew Copp, WPG at VAN ($5,000): Copp ranks second on the Jets in points thanks to his point-per-game production through 16. Despite that success, he's still available at a lower valuation than five other Jets forwards, making the winger a nice bargain against a Canucks team that's been tagged for 26 goals during its five-game losing streak.
Conor Garland, VAN vs. WPG ($4,500): Garland's tenure in Vancouver is off to a quietly strong start, as his 4-9-13 line has him third on the team in points through 17 games, trailing only J.T. Miller (18) and Quinn Hughes (14). While Garland has bounced around the top three lines at various times this season, he gets reliable power-play time and will be brimming with confidence after scoring a goal on five shots in Wednesday's loss to Colorado, making him a nice value play at $4,500.
Jared McCann, SEA vs. COL ($4,900): McCann has been excellent when available, with a 6-4-10 line in 11 appearances, including three goals in his last three games. Outside of Seattle's top line (more on them below), McCann's the Kraken forward to target in this slate if you think the Kraken will be able to hang with the visiting Avalanche.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche at Kraken
Mikko Rantanen (C - $8,300), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $7,400), Logan O'Connor (W -$ 4,100)
Rantanen and Landeskog continue to carry Colorado's offense in Nathan MacKinnon's (lower body) absence. The former has a pair of three-point games in his last three and a 6-5-11 line in 10 games overall, while the latter has a three-game point streak rolling and a 6-8-14 line in 11 appearances. O'Connor didn't capitalize on his ascent to the top line Wednesday, but he had two goals and an assist over the previous two games and remains an excellent value play as long as he's deployed alongside Rantanen and Landeskog. A Seattle team that has let in 3.69 goals per game overall, including 24 goals in its last five games, is unlikely to slow this line down.
Jets at Canucks
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C - $5,500), Kyle Connor (W - $7,600), Blake Wheeler (W - $5,200)
Winnipeg's second line features the team's leading scorer in Connor. The standout winger is tied for second in the league with 12 goals, tied for fifth with 21 points and leads the entire NHL with 77 shots in 16 games. Needless to say, he leads the Jets in all three categories. Dubois is actually given Connor a run for his money in the goal category with a 9-6-15 line. Wheeler missed some time in COVID-19 protocols, but he's starting to get going with points in three of his last five games, and a matchup with a Canucks team that's allowing 3.41 goals per game could be just what he needs to break out.
Kraken vs. Avalanche
Alexander Wennberg (C - $3,600), Jordan Eberle (W - $5,500), Jaden Schwartz (W - $4,400)
Seattle probably won't be able to slow down the potent Avalanche attack, so the Kraken will likely have to outscore Colorado to end the home side's losing streak. Given this line's recent success, such an outcome isn't as far-fetched as it may seem. Eberle's in the midst of a six-game point streak (6-3-9), which was ignited by a hat trick and has raised his season line to 8-5--13 in 16 games. Wennberg has functioned as Eberle's setup man during the streak, with a 1-6-7 line and at least one point in five of the past six games. Schwartz's hot spell dates back even further, as he has a 3-8-11 line over his past 10 games and 21 shots in the last five.
DEFENSEMEN
Devon Toews, COL at SEA ($5,000): After taking one game to get back up to speed following an undisclosed injury that pushed back his season debut, Toews has found his groove. He has subsequently produced a 2-2-4 line over a three-game point streak, including a goal and assist on the power play. Between his 9-22-31 line in 53 appearances last season and his small-sample production this year, Toews has played at a 16-goal, 50-point full-season pace since joining the Avalanche.
Neal Pionk, WPG at VAN ($4,900): Pionk has maintained some value during his four-game point drought by averaging two shots on goal and two blocks. Prior to the drought, he had 10 points in 12 games, including four points courtesy of his spot on the top power-play unit. Pionk should rediscover his scoring touch against the Canucks, who allow the most fantasy points per game to defensemen.
Vince Dunn, SEA vs. COL ($3,400): Dunn has nice scoring upside for an affordable blueliner. His six points through 14 games include two in the past three, and the 25-year-old defenseman already has a 12-goal, 35-point campaign under his belt.
Travis Hamonic, VAN vs. WPG ($2,800): If you need a cheap salary to squeeze in more pricey stars, Hamonic can provide that while being a reliable source of secondary stats. He has averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time inthe last two games while chipping in six shots and six blocked shots. His ceiling is limited, but you won't find a higher floor in this price range.
