This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's a small slate in the NHL on Friday with just three games. Expect the Canadiens to be highly owned, but Columbus has been fairly stout defensively to start the year (2.38 goals against per game, seventh-best in the league), so be wary of overloading on Habs. Here are a handful of players to consider while assembling your DraftKings lineups.
GOALIE
John Gibson, ANA vs. ARI ($7,900): Following a shootout win over Nashville on Thursday, look for Arizona to struggle against Anaheim on Friday after traveling for the back-to-back game. Gibson has been hit or miss for most of the season, but this is a solid matchup, as Arizona's 44.49 scoring chances for percentage are second worst in the league. Since entering the league, Gibson boasts a 15th-ranked .919 save percentage among goalies with at least 3,000 minutes.
CENTER
Antoine Vermette, ANA vs. ARI ($3,700): Ryan Getzlaf's (upper body) injury status will be important to monitor, but should the Anaheim captain sit, Vermette stands to jump into a top-line role. Arizona has allowed the most goals (3.7) and the second-most scoring chances (26.34) per game thus far, so Vermette provides both upside and cap relief.
David Desharnais, MON at CLM ($3,700): Reunited with Max Pacioretty at even strength of late, Desharnais receives an uptick in value. Pacioretty is Desharnais' most frequent linemate at five-on-five dating back to the 2014-15 season, and the duo has combined for 2.65 goals for per 60 minutes. Add that Columbus has allowed the most scoring chances per game (27.63) in the league, and Desharnais is another potential low-priced flier.
WING
Rickard Rakell, ANA vs. ARI ($5,300): After debuting with a three-point night against Los Angeles on Tuesday, Rakell played 19:46 and registered six shots on net against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. He's back to being a key offensive cog for Anaheim and has averaged 3:04 on the power play thus far. As noted, Arizona is playing its second game in as many nights and offers a soft matchup.
Gustav Nyquist, DET vs. WPG ($5,100): Playing on an intriguing top line with Frans Nielsen and Dylan Larkin, Nyquist's salary presents nice value given his solid offensive start (nine points and 20 shots over 11 games) to the season and linemates. Winnipeg has allowed 3.0 goals per game thus far and enters on the second leg of back-to-back road outings.
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG at DET ($4,300): Check for Ehlers' line assignment prior to puck drop, as he received extended time with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele on Thursday. The trio posted the third-most goals per 60 minutes (4.42) and second-most scoring chances for per 60 minutes (13.81) at five-on-five among lines with at least 200 minutes of shared ice time last season.
DEFENSE
Shea Weber, MON at CLM ($7,300): Spending on the blue line can be a path to differentiating your lineup on nights with fewer games. Weber's salary is reasonable given his significant role and production to start the campaign, but a lot of daily players still shy away from high-priced rearguards. With an average of 25:55 per night and 3:42 of power-play time to go along with 10 points, 25 shots and 21 blocked shots over 10 games, Weber is arguably the top option in the player pool.
Cam Fowler, ANA vs. ARI ($5,200): Another high-floor option logging huge minutes and providing cross-category production, Fowler presents nice value in a target-worthy matchup. He's averaging 24:06 per night with 3:45 on the power play and has posted eight points, 25 shots and 13 blocked shots. Additionally, six of his points have come via the power play, and Arizona has the 24th-ranked penalty kill as part of its league-high 3.7 goals allowed per game.
