This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EST and features seven games. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are a few massive favorites to build around in this slate, headlined by the Avalanche, who are expected to take care of business against Detroit in a game that also has Friday's highest over/under at 6.5 goals. Hot on their heels are the Panthers in Arizona (over/under: 6.0 goals), as well as the Golden Knights against the Flyers (over/under: 6.0) and Rangers in Buffalo (over/under: 6.0). Those four teams should provide the majority of options for lineups, though there are also some intriguing options in the remaining three matchups, which are Penguins-Capitals, Predators-Devils and Jets-Canucks.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at ARI ($8,400): Bobrovsky has relied on Florida's explosive offense to bail him out a bit more lately after a dominant start, but it's hard to complain about his 11-1-2 record, 2.41 GAA and .920 save percentage. He should improve those numbers further against the league-worst Coyotes offense, which is averaging just 1.76 goals per game.
Robin Lehner, VGK vs. PHI ($8,300): Whether it's Lehner or identically priced backup Laurent Brossoit, Vegas' goalie of choice should dominate a Flyers team that's been no better since firing coach Alain Vigneault. Philadelphia was shut out 3-0 by the Devils on Wednesday and has scored more than two goals only three times in its last 16 games while going 0-8-2 in its last 10.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. WPG ($8,000): Unlikely Philadelphia, Vancouver has clearly benefited from a change behind the bench. The Canucks are 2-0 in the Bruce Boudreau era, and Demko has led that turnaround. In two games under Boudreau, he has set aside 66 of 67 shots, giving Demko substantial upside against a Jets team that will be playing its second game in as many nights.
Tristan Jarry, PIT at WAS ($7,600): Jarry's an against-the-grain value option. Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are a tough matchup, but Jarry has been outstanding recently. In his last eight games, Jarry has allowed more than one goal only once.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Max Pacioretty, VKG vs. PHI ($7,500): Pacioretty's quickly making up for lost time. He hasn't been held off the scoresheet in any of his six games since returning from a lengthy absence due to a lower-body injury, and he's managed to light the lamp in each of the past four, totaling a 5-2-7 line and 23 shots during the goal streak. Pacioretty's shot volume gives him a tremendous floor, and a Flyers team that's allowing 3.33 goals per game is unlikely to slow down the streaking winger.
Artemi Panarin, NYR at BUF ($6,700): Panarin has five multi-point performances in his last eight games and a 5-10-15 line over that span. The Sabres team he's set to face here has allowed the most fantasy points in the league to opposing left wings and is 1-8-1 in its last 10 games. Somehow, he's not even in this slate's 20 priciest skaters. Don't question it, just lock Panarin in and reap the benefits.
Ryan Johansen, NSH at NJ ($4,300): Johansen has a 2-3-5 line in his last two games and 23-12-15 line over the past 10, as Nashville's first-line center has been sizzling. He's easy to overlook behind all the big names in favorable matchups, but Johansen's an excellent value option at $4,300 against a Devils team that's among the league's 10 worst defensively, allowing 3.13 goals per game.
Robby Fabbri, DET at COL ($3,800): Colorado's been scoring at will, but the Avs have struggled to keep the puck out of their own net, allowing 3.43 goals per game. Fabbri has four goals in his last four games, making him a sneaky value option despite Detroit's underdog status in what should be a high-scoring affair.
Brock Boeser, VAN vs. WPG ($3,700): Besides Demko, the other player leading the charge for the Canucks since Boudreau's arrival has been Boeser. The winger was in a slump before the coaching change and had mustered only a 4-6-10 line in 22 games. He has a 2-1-3 line in two contests under Boudreau, but Boeser's valuation hasn't accounted for the change in circumstances, as he's still available for just $3,700.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche vs. Red Wings
Nazem Kadri (C - $6,800), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,400), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $4,000)
Colorado's second line has been even more productive than its first of late, and both combinations figure to find plenty of success against a visiting Red Wings team that's finishing up a back-to-back set and has allowed 17 goals in its last four games. Kadri has been on an absolute tear over his last 16 appearances, producing MVP-like numbers with a 10-20-30 line over that span. Just make sure he's not sidelined by the lower-body injury that knocked him out of Wednesday's game early. Despite missing three of the team's 23 games, Rantanen leads the Avs with 12 goals, and he's added 11 assists as well. Nichushkin brings some affordability to this line, but the big-bodied Russian isn't just a passenger, having chipped in a 7-6-13 line in just 14 appearances.
Panthers at Coyotes
Sam Bennett (C - $7,500), Jonathan Huberdeau ( W - $7,400), Sam Reinhart (W - $4,900)
This line has developed excellent chemistry, leading the way for the Panthers while Aleksander Barkov was injured. Huberdeau easily leads the team in points with a 9-21-30 line through 25 games, including 10 points in the last four games alone. Reinhart's hot streak has coincided with Huberdeau's, as he has a 3-3-6 line in the last four contests. Bennett seems overvalued at first, but he's on the verge of a breakout performance, as Bennett has just one goal and no assists in his last five games despite putting 24 pucks on net over that span. Given his 14-14-28 line in 31 games as a member of the Panthers, Bennett could be ready to spring to life offensively against a Coyotes team that's allowing 3.64 goals per game.
Rangers at Sabres
Filip Chytil (C - $3,200), Alexis Lafreniere ( W - $2,500), Julien Gauthier (W - $2,500)
If you're looking for some cheap value to complement this slate's pricey stars, consider locking in some or all of New York's kids line against a Sabres team that's allowing 3.68 goals per game. The 22-year-old Chytil has by far the most NHL experience of the group, with 208 games under his belt. He had a goal and an assist Wednesday against Colorado and is due for some better puck luck, as Chytil's converting on just 6.5 percent of his shots, which is his lowest mark since his nine-game cup of coffee back in 2017-18. Gauthier's the elder statesman of the line at age 24. The two-time 25-goal scorer in the AHL hasn't managed to translate that success over to the NHL level, but he shows glimpses of skill with frequent power moves to the net, and facing the Sabres should remind Gauthier of the quality of competition against which he thrived in the minors. Lafreniere has 17 goals through 81 games – not bad for most 20-year-olds but underwhelming for a first overall pick. His very first goal was an overtime winner against the Sabres, and he's scored more points against Buffalo than any other opponent in his young career, mustering a 3-2-5 line in nine meetings.
DEFENSEMEN
Adam Fox, NYR at BUF ($7,100): Fox was held off the scoresheet by the Avs in his last game, but he's still tied with Victor Hedman for the league lead in points among defensemen with 27. Of those 27 points, 11 came in a seven-game point streak preceding Wednesday's down game, and Fox also blocked 21 shots over that stretch, showcasing the two-way value that helped him reel in the Norris Trophy last season. Buffalo has had no answer for Fox since he came into the league, as he's mustered 15 points in 11 meetings with the Sabres, including two in their only previous clash this season.
Devon Toews, COL vs. DET ($5,600): Toews has been on a scoring spree this season, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. He has seven points and 14 shots over an active four-game point streak, bumping Toews' season line up to 4-13-17 in 14 games. He's a no-brainer at $5,600 on home ice against the lowly Red Wings.
Nicolas Hague, VGK vs. PHI ($4,000): Hague has shown offensive abilities we didn't know he had over the past few games. He has three assists in his last three contests and 19 shots over the past four. He's a low-risk, high-reward play at $4,000 with the reeling Flyers in town.
Logan Stanley, WPG at VAN ($2,500): Neal Pionk's concussion has resulted in a few more opportunities for Stanley over the past two games, and Stanley has capitalized with an assist and eight blocked shots over that span. The 6-foot-7 blueliner knows how to position his burly frame between the shooter and the net, and his shot-blocking prowess coupled with his modest but existent offensive skills make Stanley a solid option at the minimum $2,500 if you need someone to fill out your lineup.
