This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are three games in the NHL on Friday with Pittsburgh traveling to Florida, Columbus hosting St. Louis and Minnesota playing in Edmonton. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. PIT ($8,000): Bobrovsky has won his last three starts, giving up five goals on 75 shots. Overall, Bobrovsky 12-6-1, with a 2.49 GAA and .910 save percentage. Should the Panthers decide to start Anthony Stolarz, I would go with him as well, versus the Penguins.
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. MIN ($8,200): Skinner has won five games in a row as he has turned his season around 180 degrees. The Oilers were said to be looking for a new goaltender a few weeks ago, but the stellar play of Skinner should eliminate all that talk. While his overall numbers are still not great (9-7-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .889 save percentage) he has given up only eight goals on 133 shots during the five-game winning streak.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Anton Lundell, FLA vs. PIT ($3,300): Lundell has two goals and 10 points in 25 games this season. While those stats are nothing to write home about, Lundell does see second unit power-play time and that alone makes his low salary worth taking to fill out the final spot in your DFS lineup.
Marco Rossi, MIN at EDM ($3,700): Rossi is finally showing why he was selected ninth overall in the 2020 Draft. The native of Austria has three goals and eight points in his last nine games, giving him eight goals and seven assists in 23 outings. He centers the top line, alongside Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov, as well as seeing second unit power-play time.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Blue Jackets vs. Blues
Boone Jenner (C-$6,300), Johnny Gaudreau (W-$4,500), Justin Danforth (W-$3,500)
The Blue Jackets top line was held scoreless Thursday in a 7-3 loss to the Islanders. Jenner is well on his way to a career-year in goals as he has 13 in 29 games. He managed to hit the 30-goal milestone back in 2015-16 and has had two-straight 20-plus goal seasons, so it's no surprise that he is lighting the lamp this much thus far. Gaudreau has only four goals and 15 points in 29 games, but has been snapping out of his doldrums of late, picking up two goals and six assists in his last nine games. Danforth was recently added to the line and has six goals and 11 points in 29 contests this season. The trio are a huge bargain and with the Blues being a middling team as far as keeping the puck out of the net, it seems like a good play Friday.
Oilers vs. Wild
Connor McDavid (C-$9,400), Zach Hyman (W-$6,900), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W-$5,000)
The line of McDavid, Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins is the best in the NHL. McDavid has 19 points during his seven-game point streak, while Hyman is almost as hot with seven goals and 11 points in his five-game streak. Nugent-Hopkins is the weak link on his line (as is suggested by his $5,000 salary, but he did have 104 points last season and is capable of a breakout game at any time. McDavid has 32 points in 21 games as he is closing in on regaining the lead in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. He trails Nikita Kucherov by 12 points and second-place J.T. Miller by only seven.
DEFENSEMEN
Brock Faber, MIN at EDM ($3,300): Faber is averaging 23:17 of ice time in his rookie season, a huge sign the Wild have a lot of faith in his play. Faber has a goal and nine assists in 23 games and is currently quarterbacking the second power-play unit. He is a great price, especially if you are using the McDavid line as your core up front.
Zach Werenski, CLS vs. STL ($5,500): Werenski has assists in four of the last five games and has nine helpers in his last nine contests. The talented 26-year-old blueliner had shoulder surgery over a year ago. He has a goal and 21 points in 27 games this season. His lack of goal-scoring is worrisome as his only goal was into the empty net, and you have to wonder if he has enough strength in his repaired shoulder, but his assists total is reason enough to take him in DFS on Friday.
