This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a light night on the NHL schedule with only two games Friday. Dallas hosts Nashville while Philadelphia travels to Minnesota. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Scott Wedgewood, DAL vs. NSH ($8,500): Wedgewood could be making his final start as the Stars' No. 1 goaltender as Jake Oettinger (lower body) could return to face the Predators after missing 12 games. Should Oettinger play, use him. Wedgewood is 7-3-2 since taking over the top spot, but he has been shaky of late, going 1-2-1 while giving up 15 goals on 97 shots. There aren't a lot of choices due to there being only two games and Nashville is 4-5-1 in their last 10 games.
Carter Hart, PHI at MIN ($7,200): Hart is having a nice season, going 10-8-3 with a 2.69 GAA and a .911 save percentage. Hart stopped 26 shots in his only game versus Minnesota earlier in the season, coming out on top in a 6-2 victory. Coach John Tortorella has the Flyers playing well as they are third in the Metropolitan Division at the halfway mark of the season. Should the Flyers go with Samuel Ersson, go with him, but the Flyers have been rotating their netminders of late and it is Hart's turn.
VALUE PLAYS
Owen Tippett, PHI at MIN ($6,400): Tippett had his best season in his NHL career last season, and is on pace to match it in 2023-24. The 24-year-old has 14 goals and 24 points in 41 games and has 144 shots on goal, well ahead of last season's 231 shots. Tippett has only two goals and an assist on the power play, despite seeing a career high of 2:34.
Colton Sissons, NSH at DAL ($4,700): Sissons has 12 goals and 21 points in 41 contests, as he is ready to smash his previous career high of 15 goals and 30 points. Sissons is seeing plenty of time on the top power play, averaging 2:02 of ice time – a career high.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Stars vs. Predators
Roope Hintz (C-$7,500), Jason Robertson (W-$8,400), Joe Pavelski (W-$7,700)
The Stars' top line each had a goal Wednesday in a 7-2 romp over the Wild. It was Robertson's third straight game with a goal, giving him 15 goals and 41 points in 40 games. He has regressed from his 109-point season of a year ago, but no one should have expected Robertson to approach his outstanding 2022-23 campaign. Hintz has two goals and an assist in his last two games and has 17 goals and 18 assists in 38 games. The 39-year-old Pavelski has 16 tallies and 20 helpers in 40 games and is on pace for his third straight 70-plus point season. The trio all play on the first power play, where they have combined for 17 goals and 18 assists.
Wild vs. Flyers
Matt Boldy (W - $7,000), Mats Zuccarello (W-$7,200), Joel Eriksson Ek (C - $7,300)
The pickings are slim Friday, so I'm going with the Wild's top line. Boldy has been scoring since Dec. 21, finding the back of the net six times while adding two assists in his last 10 games. Zuccarello returned to action from a lower-body injury that cost him nine games. He has two helpers in three games, giving him six goals and 30 points in 31 games. Eriksson Ek has 15 goals and 12 assists in 40 contests this season. The three were put together after star Kirill Kaprizov was injured Dec. 30 and subsequently placed on injured reserve.
DEFENSEMEN
Jamie Drysdale, PHI at MIN ($5,900): Drysdale was dealt earlier in the week from Anaheim, for the controversial Cutter Gauthier. He is something the Flyers need, a smooth-skating defenseman who has plenty of offensive flair. Drysdale has played only 19 games in the last season-and-a-half due to a multitude of injuries, but is expected to eventually take over as the Flyers' quarterback on their first power play. Drysdale picked up an assist in his first game with the Flyers on Wednesday.
Thomas Harley, DAL vs. NSH ($6,300): Harley has taken over quarterbacking the Stars' first power play since Miro Heiskanen suffered a lower-body injury last week. Harley has two assists in his last three games, giving the 22-year-old, nine goals and 19 points in 37 contests. Harley is showing why he was selected 18th overall in 2019, and his nine goals are tied for third place among NHL defensemen.
