This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are two games in the NHL on Friday with Ottawa traveling to Columbus while San Jose heads to New Jersey to play the Devils. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Joonas Korpisalo, OTT at CLS ($7,600): Korpisalo will get the start versus the Blue Jackets, his first start versus his former teammates after spending the first eight seasons in Columbus. There is plenty to like for that reason, although Korpisalo's play has been spotty thus far this season. He is 5-5-0 with a 3.34 GAA and .902 save percentage. He had his three-game winning streak snapped Monday as he gave up five goals on 37 shots in a shutout loss to Florida. Look for a bounce-back game from Korpisalo on Friday.
Vitek Vanecek, NJ vs. SJ ($8,100): The only reason to take Vanecek on Friday is his opponent as the Sharks have scored only 36 goals in 23 games this season. Vanecek is 8-5-0 but he has had a save percentage of under .900 in five of his last six games, including a weak performance Nov. 10 when he gave up two goals on five shots before he was pulled against Washington. Overall, Vanecek has a 3.49 GAA and .876 save percentage. I would take Korpisalo first and Vanecek second, especially with the discrepancy in their salaries.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Vladimir Tarasenko, OTT at CLS ($4,300): Tarasenko is due as he is pointless in his last three games. The talented Russian has three goals and 13 points in 17 games thus far and should be ready to score after recovering from the Senators' trip to Sweden two weeks ago. Tarasenko has three assists on the power play.
Ondrej Palat, NJ vs SJ ($3,900): Palat has two goals and eight assists in 21 games. The good news is that he has both goals and five assists in his last 10 contests. Palat is playing on the second line as well as the second power-play unit and has a goal and five points with the man-advantage. Like Tarasenko, Palat is a great price on Friday.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Blue Jackets vs. Senators
Boone Jenner (C-$6,900), Johnny Gaudreau (W-$4,700), Kirill Marchenko (W-$5,200)
Jenner has been great for the Blue Jackets so far this season, scoring 11 times and adding five assists in 24 games. Gaudreau has had problems all season as he has only three goals and 11 points in 24 contests. He is only 20 months removed from a 115-point season in which he finished third in NHL scoring. Gaudreau is enticingly priced as he is capable of breaking out at any time. Marchenko has found the back of the net seven times, including three goals in his last five games. He has 13 points in 22 tilts this season. All three play on the top power play and will face the Senators, who have given up 59 goals in only 17 games.
Devils vs. Sharks
Jack Hughes (C-$9,400), Tyler Toffoli (W-$7,200), Dawson Mercer (W-$4,000)
The Devils' top line did it again Thursday as Hughes had a goal and two assists, Toffoli had one of each and Mercer chipped in with an assist. Mercer has excelled since moving up to the top line in place of the injured Timo Meier and looks to be back to his former self after a tough start to the season. Mercer had no points in his first 10 games but he has battled back with five goals and nine points in his last 11 outings. Hughes is one of the best players in the NHL and has eight goals and 29 points in 16 games while Toffoli has 12 goals and 21 points in 21 games. It's a great line stack, especially against the worst defense in the NHL as the Sharks have given up 93 goals in 23 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson, OTT at CLS ($5,100): Sanderson is one of the top young defensemen in the NHL. Like most Senators, he has struggled since his return from Sweden less than two weeks ago as he has gone pointless in his last two games. Sanderson does have four goals and 12 points in 17 games, including a pair of goals and an assist on the power play. Sanderson is quarterbacking the top power play on the Senators, and has relegated Thomas Chabot (when healthy) to the second unit.
Calen Addison, SJ at NJ ($3,300): Addison was dealt from the Wild to the Sharks on Nov. 8 and has nine assists in 23 games, split between the two teams. Addison is a power-play specialist and has six points with the man-advantage this season. The Sharks are high on the 23-year-old and he should be a force offensively, especially on the power play, for many years to come.
