This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's NHL slate has seven games scheduled after 7:00 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Most lineups will likely be built around the Lightning, who are heavy home favorites against a Blackhawks team that will be playing its second game in as many nights. Friday's other clear favorites are the Predators in Buffalo, Golden Knights in Seattle and Rangers at home against the Islanders. Chicago-Tampa Bay is tied with St. Louis-Edmonton for the evening's highest over/under at 6.5 goals. Senators-Red Wings and Ducks-Coyotes clashes round out the action.
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. CHI ($8,500): Vasilevskiy has been his usual stellar self this season, going 34-14-4 with a 2.37 GAA and .919 save percentage. After getting shut out by the Panthers 4-0 on Thursday, Chicago won't find it any easier to score against Tampa Bay's netminder. The Blackhawks are averaging 2.65 goals overall, seventh-fewest in the league.
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. NYI ($8,400): Vasilevksiy isn't the only elite Russian goaltender likely to take the ice Friday, as Shesterkin will probably be putting his 32-9-3 record, 2.11 GAA and .936 save percentage on the line against the rival Islanders. Despite a recent uptick in offense, the Islanders still rank in the bottom 10 overall with 2.76 goals per game.
Robin Lehner, VGK at SEA ($8,100): Lehner's back from a lower-body injury and could make his first appearance since March 8 here. The Golden Knights are in the midst of a playoff push, so they're implementing a playoff-style, defense-first approach for every game at this point. That approach helped Logan Thompson notch his first NHL shutout Wednesday in Seattle, and Lehner's capable of posting a repeat performance in this rematch.
Anthony Stolarz, ANH at ARI ($7,600): Stolarz should get this second leg of a back-to-back after John Gibson got the nod Thursday. The backup has been effective when called upon this season, with a 9-6-2 record, 2.66 GAA and .919 save percentage. He'll face a Coyotes team that's scoring just 2.57 goals per game – tied for second-fewest in the league.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Connor McDavid, EDM vs. STL ($9,300): Even though we've come to expect greatness from McDavid, his current form is still extremely impressive. He has reached the 100-point mark in just 67 games, propelling himself there with an 11-game point streak that's included nine multi-point games. He doesn't come cheap, but building your lineup around a player who produces multi-point games at a better rate than most guys get individual points is rarely a bad idea.
Filip Forsberg, NSH at BUF ($8,000): Forsberg should be worth paying up for against a Sabres team that's surrendering 3.49 goals per game. The Swedish winger has 37 goals in just 54 games, and Forsberg has mustered a 10-10-20 line over his last 11 games.
Andrew Copp, NYR vs. NYI ($5,000): This will be Copp's introduction to the Rangers-Islanders rivalry, but his mix of physicality and skill should allow him to fit right in. He's certainly been a fit for the Rangers since being acquired in a trade with Winnipeg, opening his tenure on Broadway with a five-game point streak consisting of two goals and five assists. As long as Ryan Strome (lower body) remains sidelined, Copp should continue to occupy Strome's usual spot centering Artemi Panarin on even strength while working with the Rangers' highly effective top power-play unit.
Troy Terry, ANH at ARI ($4,500): Terry's 31-24-55 line in 63 games is impressive for a player who can be had for just $4,500. Take advantage of this value opportunity against a bottom-five Coyotes defense that's letting in 3.55 goals per game.
Evgenii Dadonov, VGK at SEA ($4,100): Dadonov had a four-game goal streak snapped Wednesday in Seattle, but he still has a 5-3-8 line and 16 shots over his past five games. With a spot on both the top line and No. 1 power-play unit, the Russian winger is well positioned to continue outperforming his $4,100 valuation against a Kraken team that's allowing 3.51 goals per game.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Lightning vs. Blackhawks
Brayden Point (C- $5,800), Nikita Kucherov (W - $7,100), Steven Stamkos (W - $6,400)
With the Lightning's three best forwards all skating on one line together, building around them should pay off against a tired Blackhawks team that's given up 15 goals in its last three games. In a departure from previous seasons, Stamkos has been the healthiest of Tampa Bay's top forwards, and he leads the team in goals (30) and points (73) through 65 games. Kucherov has an 11-27-38 line in 31 games, ranking 17th in the league with 1.23 points per game. Point has a 25-26-51 line in 52 games, including a 2-4-6 line during his current four-game point streak.
Senators at Red Wings
Josh Norris (C - $5,900), Brady Tkachuk (W - $6,100), Drake Batherson (W - $5,600)
If there was ever a time to build around the Senators, it's against a Red Wings team that's allowing a league-high 3.82 goals per game, including 16 in the last two games alone. All three members of this top line have proven capable of carrying the offense. Tkachuk leads the Senators in points with a 23-24-47 line in 63 games. Norris leads them in goals with 26 in 50 games, and Batherson has been the team's most productive player on a per-game basis, averaging 1.06 points (35 in 33).
Blues at Oilers
Ryan O'Reilly (C - $4,500), David Perron (W - $5,800), Brandon Saad (W - $3,300)
The depth of the Blues' offense makes it tough to predict which forwards will stand out on any given night, but this line presents good value on paper in what should be a fast-paced affair featuring plenty of chances at both ends. O'Reilly has a 2-2-4 line in his last five games and Saad's at 1-3-4 over that same span, but Perron's really the star of the show with this trio. In his last 14 games, Perron's averaging a goal per game to go with seven assists.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TB vs. CHI ($6,800): Hedman has bombarded the net with pucks lately, totaling 13 shots during his two-game goal streak. If you're stacking Lightning players in this lopsided matchup against the Blackhawks, Hedman is one of the most important pieces in such an approach. The star blueliner's also a solid standalone play, regardless of strategy.
Shea Theodore, VGK at SEA ($5,900): Theodore has provided value in a variety of ways recently. He's scored double-digit fantasy points in each of the past three games, starting with three shots and three blocked shots, then recording an assist and four shots before notching a goal Wednesday in Seattle. The offensively gifted blueliner will look to keep rolling in this rematch with the Kraken.
Kevin Shattenkirk, ANH at ARI ($4,600): Shattenkirk has played well over the past five games. He has a 1-3-4 line over that span, as well as 16 shots on goal and nine blocked shots. The veteran blueliner has an 8-23-31 line in 69 games overall heading into this favorable matchup in Arizona.
Nick Leddy, STL at EDM ($2,500): Leddy stuffed the stat sheet Wednesday in Vancouver with his first goal as a member of the Blues, along with two shots on goal and four blocked shots. He's occupying a spot on the top power-play unit with Torey Krug (upper body) sidelined, giving Leddy significant upside relative to his minimal $2,500 valuation.
