This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
All eyes will be on the matchup between the Rangers and Capitals. Even with both teams missing key pieces -- John Carlson (lower body surgery) for the Caps and Rick Nash (knee) for the Rangers -- it should be yet another preview of when the two teams inevitably meet in the playoffs.
With Henrik Lundqvist getting the start Thursday, Antti Raanta is in line to start for the Rangers, which is a bit of an odd decision. Normally teams would start their No. 1 goalie against the stronger team in a back-to-back, but Lundqvist has been very good against the Pens. Alain Vigneault may have toyed with the idea of playing Lundqvist back-to-back, but with a five-point cushion on the third-place Islanders and the Caps likely out of reach, playing Lundqvist against the Pens seemed more like a sure bet to get two points.
That plan ultimately backfired, of course, with Lundqvist having an off night and losing 4-1, which means Vigneault's squad is now in a position where they may go 0-2 against division rivals. The addition of Eric Staal may give them more depth down the middle, but it still may not be enough; Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan are both good players, but are clearly a step below Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom, and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
In all likelihood, the Rangers and Capitals matchup will be yet another tight-checking game with goals difficult to come by. The Rangers defense is still very deep, and the Capitals have the best goalie in the Eastern Conference not named Carey Price.
GOALIE
Kari Lehtonen, DAL vs. NJ ($28) - Normally, I wouldn't endorse either Dallas goalie, but on a night where the two top goalies face each other and the third matchup is between two non-playoff teams, Lehtonen isn't so bad. The Stars haven't been as dominant in 2016 as they were in 2015, and have seen their lead in the Central Division evaporate, but they should still come out winners against the Devils, who are just two games above .500 on the road. If Antti Niemi ($25) gets the nod, he's still not a bad choice.
Goalie to Avoid:
Joonas Korpisalo, CLS vs. EDM ($37) - The rookie netminder has been excellent for the Blue Jackets recently, but coming in at the same price as Braden Holtby and facing a red-hot Connor McDavid just doesn't make him a very appetizing pick. The game may very well end up being close, with three of the Oilers' last four games decided by just one goal, but the Oilers should be the favorite in this matchup.
CENTER
Connor McDavid, EDM at CLS ($27) - It should be pretty evident to everyone by now that he's already one of the most offensively gifted players in the league, and against a defense where only Seth Jones and Ryan Murray have the skating ability to keep up with him, the odds are that McDavid will be wreaking havoc all night. He's coming off a brilliant solo effort against Buffalo where he went end-to-end to win the game in overtime.
Center to Avoid:
Eric Staal, NYR at WAS ($15) - Perhaps the biggest indication that Staal isn't the first-line forward he once was is Alain Vigneault's decision to play Derek Stepan ($18) and Derrick Brassard ($20) their usual minutes. Staal played just 15:43 in his Rangers debut and registered just one shot playing on the team's third line. Despite playing on a much stronger team, Staal's point production isn't expected to see a big hike if he continues to see limited minutes. Against the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals, it's even more unlikely he'll be able to get his first point as a Blueshirt.
WING
Alex Ovechkin, WAS vs. NYR ($34) - He may be the most expensive winger Friday, but he's well worth it. Despite having to face Henrik Lundqvist and generally stalwart defense his entire career against the Rangers, Ovechkin has still been very effective with 27 goals and 42 points in 43 career games against them.
Jordan Eberle, EDM at CLS ($27) - He's on a three-game point streak and playing on McDavid's wing, which should be enough reason to pick him. Although he can be one-dimensional sometimes and almost exclusively plays the right wing, Eberle's best trait is his ability to finish regardless of his center's ability. Now that he's playing alongside one of the most dynamic offensive players in the game, he should get plenty of chances to score. Nail Yakupov ($12), who will play on the left wing, could be a sneaky play.
Wings to Avoid:
Mats Zuccarello, NYR at WAS ($23) - He's about as streaky as they come. After scoring seven points in four games, he's scored just one goal in his last five games and was even held without a shot against St. Louis. Although the Caps will be without the services of John Carlson (lower body), Zuccarello and the Rangers will still have to face Braden Holtby, and the odds of scoring against him just aren't very high.
Scott Hartnell, CLS vs. EDM ($19) - If the last six games are any indication, it's unlikely Hartnell will score against the Oilers. He was held without a point for the first two games before potting a goal and an assist against Boston, and was then held without a point for another two games before potting a goal and an assist against Florida. He was held without a point against the Rangers, so odds are he'll be held without a point against Edmonton and then score a goal and an assist against the Flyers. That's how this works, right? Trends aside, at $19 Hartnell comes at a premium when Kyle Palmieri ($18) and T.J. Oshie ($16) come cheaper.
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL vs. NJ ($25) - On a night where most of the league's elite defensemen are off, Klingberg is the cream of the crop. True, the Stars will have to face an excellent goalie in Cory Schneider and haven't been nearly as dangerous in the new year, but if there's any defenseman on the Dallas blue line who will manage to score a point, odds are it's probably Klingberg.
Brandon Davidson, EDM at CLS ($17) - He doesn't score a lot with just 10 points in 48 games this season, but he's earned Todd McLellan's trust and is one of the few Oilers defenseman who gets consistent minutes. Seth Jones ($17) and Ryan Murray ($17) are more talented players and more likely to contribute on offense, but again, Davidson is skating on the same team as McDavid, and that alone should tip the scales in his favor.
Defensemen to Avoid:
Keith Yandle, NYR at WAS ($21) - Not only does he have just 12 power-play points on the season, he'll be trying to score against the Caps, who don't allow many opportunities. After a five-game assist streak, he has just two assists in his last five games, and in what will most likely be a tight-checking game the odds of him scoring just aren't very high. At $19, Ryan McDonagh is a much better choice.
Andrej Sekera, EDM at CLS ($19) - With 21 points in 64 games, Sekera's putting together a decent season, but he also hasn't registered a point since Feb. 16 and has just seven points in his past 26 games. The argument that Davidson could manage to snag a point or two simply by playing with McDavid also rings true for Sekera, but Sekera is a little pricier, and it might be smarter to use the money saved elsewhere in the lineup.
