This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's a six-game slate in the NHL on Friday with Colorado the lone huge favorite on the docket. Washington and Toronto are also receiving notable road chalk, whereas Edmonton and Los Angeles are smaller home favorites. The two highest over/under totals are in the Toronto-Winnipeg and Washington-New Jersey clashes. Here are some picks and pans for Friday's action.
All statistics from Natural Stat Trick and Hockey Reference.
GOALIE
Cal Petersen, LA vs. SJ ($29): A potential against-the-grain start, Petersen has somewhat quietly turned in a quality season and all but taken over the No. 1 job for the Kings. He's posted a .945 save percentage and 2.01 GAA through his past six starts to improve to rock-solid .925 and 2.51 marks for the campaign, and the Sharks have scored a 20th-ranked 2.69 goals per game this season. Additionally, San Jose could be due for a letdown road showing after upsetting Minnesota in its past two outings.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jack Campbell, TOR vs. EDM ($38): The career backup is garnering all kinds of headlines in Toronto, as he's rolled off a perfect 7-0 record with a .948 save percentage and 1.41 GAA. It's obviously unsustainable statistically, and the Jets have scored the seventh most goals per game in the league. Spending up for Campbell limits options throughout the rest of your lineup, too.
CENTER
Jack Hughes, NJ vs. WAS ($10): With the Capitals playing their second game in consecutive nights, this could be a soft schedule spot for the Devils. Plus, Washington has surrendered 13 goals through its past two outings, too. A seven-game point drought has Hughes' salary down to the minimum, so after registering five shots against Boston on Tuesday, there's limited risk taking a flier on Hughes as a source of cap relief.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nazem Kadri, COL vs. STL ($23): This salary seems steep considering Kadri has only registered a single goal and assist through the past eight games. He's locked into a go-to role for the Avs, but has recently been shifted off the No. 1 power-play unit, which cuts into his upside. Just note, there's nothing scary about a date with the Blues. St. Louis has lost nine of its past 11 contests and surrendered the eighth most goals per game in the league.
WING
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM vs. CGY ($21): Projected to skate with Connor McDavid ($35) in all situations Friday, Nugent-Hopkins is a sound option. The Flames have lost six of their past eight games while surrendered a healthy 27 goals, and Nugent-Hopkins has clicked with McDavid for 5.52 goals per 60 minutes this season. Additionally, RNH's salary has dipped considerably over the past few weeks.
Alex Galchenyuk, TOR at WPG ($10): Another minimum-salary consideration, Galchenyuk has been a solid fit alongside John Tavares ($26) and William Nylander ($21) on Toronto's second line, and the first-year Maple Leaf played a season-high 15:06 with 3:41 of power-play time during Wednesday's win. The trio have also dominated at five-on-five with a 64.8 Corsi For percentage and 20.06 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes.
WINGS TO AVOID
Matthew Tkachuk, CGY at EDM ($20): The high-end performances have been too few and far between to view Tkachuk as a lineup building block. Edmonton is a neutral matchup with 2.89 goals against per game, including 2.83 through six meetings with the Flames. Tkachuk also enters in mediocre form with just two tallies, four helpers and a single multi-point showing through his past 11 games.
Valeri Nichushkin, COL vs. STL ($18): This is a sharp salary, as the 26-year-old winger is arguably having the best stretch of his career with six goals and seven assists through the past 15 games. However, he remains in a third-line role without consistent power-play time, so there's still plenty of risk attached to his climbing salary.
DEFENSE
John Carlson, WAS at NJ ($24): The Devils have the second worst penalty-kill percentage in the league, so Carlson's worth a long look. It will probably be tough to match Thursday's two-goal performance, but Carlson's stretch of high-end production is lengthy. He's collected four tallies and eight helpers through the past 13 games and a top-ranked 2.32 points per 60 minutes among regular defensemen through the past three seasons.
Kris Russell, EDM vs. CGY ($14): Expect Russell to be overlooked Friday, which can provide contrarian value. He's a willing shot-blocker, and while definitely past his prime, a quick look at Russell's game log will showcase a number of respectable fantasy showings relative to his salary. He's also an easy addition to an Edmonton stack.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. TOR ($17): Not only is Pionk reeling offensively with just a single assist and a minus-4 rating through his past 10 games, he also spent the bulk of his five-on-five ice time Wednesday matched up against Toronto's No. 1 line of Auston Matthews ($35), Mitch Marner ($33) and Zach Hyman ($21). As a result, Pionk was on the ice for eight high-danger scoring chances against Wednesday and will probably have the same daunting assignment Friday.
Torey Krug, STL at COL ($17): This is a nightmare matchup, as Colorado scores the most goals per game, allows the fewest and boasts the second best penalty-kill percentage in the league. Additionally, Krug hasn't completely found his game as a Blue and sports a minus-9 rating with just three assists over the past 11 outings.
