This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
After your work is done, you can kick up your feet and enjoy one or more of the five NHL games taking place Friday. Why stop there, though? You can also play daily fantasy hockey on FanDuel, and if that idea tickles your fancy, perhaps these players will give your lineup the boost it needs.
GOALIE
Corey Crawford, CHI at DET ($8,800): If Crawford starts Friday, it will be his second game in as many nights, but with Scott Darling hurt, the odds of that happening are good. He should be fine, considering that Detroit has only averaged 2.37 goals per game. They Wings have also allowed 3.02 goals per contest, and after they sold at the deadline, their roster is even weaker. All the momentum's going the way of Crawford and his mates – Detroit has lost four in a row, whereas Chicago has won seven in a row. That puts Crawford in good position to come away with the ever-valuable W.
CENTER
Vincent Trocheck, FLA vs. MIN ($5,800): Normally, a matchup with the Wild would be one to steer clear of entirely. However, they played on Thursday, so they'll be on the second night of a back-to-back. Beyond the potential added fatigue, this could also mean Darcy Kuemper (3.22 GAA, .905 save percentage) in net for Minnesota. That would certainly change the look of this matchup. Beyond that, the Wild have allowed 30.9 shots on net per contest, which matches up well with Trocheck, who's been putting a ton of shots on net recently – 59 in his last 17 contests. He's been rewarded with 13 points in that span. On the whole, Trocheck has averaged 12.7 fantasy points per game, and he could deliver tremendous value at this price if Kuemper does end up starting.
Paul Stastny, STL vs. ANA ($5,600): With John Gibson out, the Ducks have the choice of starting Jonathan Bernier (2.85 GAA, .904 save percentage – though he spun a shutout Thursday) on back-to-back nights or giving a start to Jhonas Enroth (3.94 GAA, .872 save percentage). Either way, it looks good for Stastny, who has tallied 37 points in 60 games and is enjoying his biggest ice-time average in years (19:26) as the Blues' top pivot.
WING
Artemi Panarin, CHI at DET ($6,700): Panarin has started a whopping 47.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, one of the highest rates in the entire NHL. He's also averaged 3:08 per game on the power play, resulting in 17 points with the extra man. Given all this, perhaps it's not surprising that he's tallied seven points in his last seven games. Meanwhile, the Wings have allowed 3.02 goals and 30.6 shots on net per game. Even though Jimmy Howard may be returning to action soon, he's been gone for so long that his presence offers no reason for great concern, especially for a player as skilled as Panarin.
Nick Foligno, CLM vs. BUF ($5,900): Foligno has averaged 2:48 per game on the power play, tallying 19 points with the extra man in that time. Granted, the Jackets' power play has dropped off a bit, but this could be the game where it turns around. After all, the Sabres have the second-worst penalty kill in the NHL, and they've also allowed a league-high 34.0 shots on net per contest. Foligno has also started 37.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, so he should be able to manage a few opportunities even at even strength.
Patrick Maroon, EDM vs. PIT ($4,800): The Penguins have allowed 2.80 goals per game, and while they've been better with a healthy Matt Murray, they've still given up 32.5 shots on net per contest. Maroon is playing a career high in minutes, and he's also skating on Edmonton's top line with Connor McDavid. That line is often put in favorable situations, as Maroon has started 36.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. Maroon's already set a new career mark with 148 shots on net, and with the way Pittsburgh has given up shots, he could manage a few more in this matchup.
Anthony Mantha, DET vs. CHI ($4,700): While Crawford is my goalie to target Friday, there are still reasons to like Mantha. Chicago will be on the second night of a back-to-back, and the Blackhawks have allowed 32.3 shot on net per game on zero days of rest. They aren't much better in general, as they've given up 31.2 shots on goal per contest. To top it off, Chicago has the 27th-ranked penalty kill. Mantha has notched 115 shots on goal in 50 games, and he's tallied six points in his last 10 games. He's also averaged 2:13 per game on the power play, which could pay off against the Blackhawks' woeful penalty kill.
DEFENSE
Zach Werenski, CLM vs. BUF ($5,200): Unlike many of his fellow Blue Jackets, Werenski hasn't completely fallen off a cliff on the power play. He's tallied three points with the extra man in his last 10 games, and he's got 20 power-play points overall. That certainly bodes well heading into a matchup with Buffalo's 29th-ranked penalty kill. Werenski's also tallied 162 shots on net in 65 games, and the Sabres have allowed more shots per game than anybody. The rookie has started 34.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, and he's already proven himself to be one of the most offensively gifted blueliners in the league.
Oscar Klefbom, EDM vs. PIT ($4,700): As previously noted, the Penguins have allowed 32.5 shots on net per contest; that bodes well for Klefbom, who's tallied 165 shots on net in 66 games. However, on top of that, Pittsburgh has averaged 60.0 shot attempts per 60 minutes, fourth in the NHL. Klefbom has blocked 107 shots, and the matchup seems to indicate that he should be able to get in front of a couple pucks in this game, too.
