This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are only three games in the NHL on Friday. Nashville is the only tired team as they take on the Islanders after upsetting New Jersey 4-3 in overtime. The Senators are in New York to play the Rangers, while Columbus travels to Winnipeg to play the Jets. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Ilya Sorokin, NYI vs. NAS ($7,800): Sorokin saw his three-game winning streak come to an end Tuesday, giving up two goals on 32 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Flyers. He has been outstanding this season with a 10-6-0 record, to go with a 2.18 GAA and a .933 save percentage. He has been especially strong of late, giving up only six goals on 139 shots, in his last four games. Should the Islanders decide to go with backup Semyon Varlamov, I would also take him in your fantasy lineup.
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. OTT ($8,000): Shesterkin was quite angry with himself after losing to the Devils on Monday, saying he was ashamed in taking the blame for the loss. Shesterkin is 10-4-3 but has not looked sharp as in his Vezina-winning performance last season when he was 36-13-4 with a 2.07 GAA and a .935 save percentage. Look for a bounce-back game from the Ranger netminder Friday after he was the backup netminder Wednesday.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Patrik Laine, CLS at WPG ($6,400): Laine is back in Winnipeg, the team that drafted him second overall in 2016. Adding to that, is Laine returning to action after missing the last seven games with an ankle injury. Laine has two goals and four points in eight games this season, but look for a big game as Laine should be pumped to be playing against the Jets as well as his return to action.
Juuso Parssinen, NAS at NYI ($4,300): Parssinen is seeing first line time with Filip Forsberg and Mikael Granlund, as well as second unit power play time. The 21-year-old has three goals and five points in eight games since his recall from the minors. Not bad for a seventh-round pick from the 2019 Draft.
Nino Niederreiter, NAS at NYI ($2,900): This is a great price as Niederreiter has nine goals and 11 points in 22 games. While he sees third-line action, Niederreiter is seeing second line power play time and has two goals and an assist with the man-advantage. Niederreiter has not picked up a point in his last four games, so he is due as he had a three-game goal scoring streak previous to that.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers vs. Senators
Chris Kreider (W - $6,200), Mika Zibanejad (C -$7,500), Jimmy Vesey (W - $3,400)
After a 52-goal season last year, Kreider is still producing, with 11 goals and 20 points in 24 games, including four goals and an assist in his last five contests. He also has 80 shots on goal, averaging 3.33 shots per game. Zibanejad is a tad better, as he also has 11 goals, but has 14 assists and 101 shots on goal. He has been held off the scoresheet only twice in his last 16 games. Both play on the first power play. They are joined by Vesey, who scored his third of the season Wednesday, giving him eight points in 23 contests. Vesey does not see any power play time but is an inexpensive add to a top line.
Jets vs. Blue Jackets
Kyle Connor (W-$7,400), Pierre-Luc Dubois (C-$5,600), Morgan Barron (W-$4,000)
After a slow start in which he had only two goals in his first 14 games, Connor has come alive of late, with six goals in his last seven contests. Connor is back on track as he potted 47 goals last season. He has 21 points in 21 games this season. Dubois will play against the team that drafted him third-overall in 2016. He has come into his own over the last two seasons, as he had 60 points last season and is right back at it this year with 10 goals and 20 points in 21 games. Dubois has seven points in his last five games. The third member of the line, Barron, has a goal and five points in 11 games with all five coming in his last six games.
DEFENSEMEN
Josh Morrissey, WPG vs. CLS ($5,800): Morrissey has quietly become a huge offensive force this season, as he has five goals and 25 points in 21 games. The defenseman has four goals and eight points in his last five contests and had points in 11 of 12 November games, picking up five goals and 17 points during the month. His career-best is 37 points, set last season and he is well on his way to smashing that mark.
Adam Fox, NYR vs. OTT ($6,000): Fox has six goals and 25 points in 24 games as he and Morrissey are tied tied for third place among rearguards in points, trailing only Erik Karlsson (32) and Rasmus Dahlin (25). Fox had a great November, with four goals and 17 points in 14 games and hopes to continue that trend in December.
