This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There's only one game in the NHL on Friday as the Blue Jackets travel to take on the Penguins. It's a single-game contest requiring six players for $50,000. The Captain receives 1.5 times the salary and gets 1.5 times the points. Here's the lineup I selected.
CAPTAIN
Tristan Jarry, PIT vs. CLS ($15,600): Jarry won four straight before dropping a 4-2 decision to the Islanders on Tuesday while stopping 34 of 37 shots. He's taken back the Penguins' No. 1 netminder role and looks to be the best choice Friday in DraftKings.
FLEX
Daniil Tarasov, CLS at PIT ($9,400): I like taking two goalies in single-game contests. And with Elvis Merzlikins going on Thursday, the Blue Jackets will likely start Tarasov Friday. Tarasov is 3-1-0 with a 2.50 GAA and a .916 save percentage over his last four starts while going 3-0 on the road.
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. CLS ($7,800): Malkin has fallen off this season with only 13 goals and 31 assists, though he's still an offensive force with a goal and two helpers across his last five outings and still logs top-six minutes while participating on the power play.
Kent Johnson CLS at PIT ($7,000): Johnson has moved up to the first trio with Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko. The 2021 fifth overall pick has already reached career-highs in both goals (21) and points (45).
Adam Fantilli, CLS at PIT ($8,200): Fantilli is showing why he was selected third at the 2023 Draft. After a slow start in the bottom-six, he's centered the lead unit since Sean Monahan got hurt during January. And Fantilli has taken full advantage with 25 points from 28 matchups.
Connor Dewar, PIT vs. CLS ($2,000): Dewar comes in at a low salary to allow DFS players to spend up on others. He only registered three assists over 31 games while with the Leafs, though he's contributed three goals in five appearances since being dealt to Pittsburgh.
