This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The weekend kicks off with five NHL games. Here are some of the players that have particularly exciting prospects for Friday evening's FanDuel action.
GOALIE
Corey Crawford, CHI at CGY ($8,900): In terms of team quality, the Blackhawks and Flames are pretty far apart. That means Crawford has a great chance of getting a win – perhaps the best chance of any goalie on Friday. It helps that he's played quite well, as his .928 save percentage indicates, particularly since the Blackhawks have cleaned up their penalty-killing issues.
CENTER
Alex Galchenyuk, MON at CAR ($6,600): Oddly, Galchenyuk is playing fewer minutes this season than the past two seasons, but that could be an early-season sample-size thing. Regardless, it hasn't hurt his impact on the ice, because he has six goals and 12 assists in 17 games. Carolina's goalie is still Cam Ward, and there's nothing for Galchenyuk owners to worry about there.
Jonathan Toews, CHI at CGY ($6,800): Unfortunately, the depth isn't really there at center Friday with a few rough matchups out there, so you may have to splash a little cash. Toews will likely be worth it, though. Not only does he have a great matchup, but he's a proven commodity who's gotten unlucky to open the season, netting just four goals on 44 shots. Based on his career shooting percentage (14.9 percent), he's due for positive regression.
WING
Jeff Skinner, CAR vs. MON ($6,400): If Carey Price was in net, Skinner would be a no-go. However, it's Al Montoya getting the call, and he instills much less fear, especially with that 10-goal game against Columbus still lingering in our collective memory. Skinner has been struggling a bit recently, but he's got six goals and seven assists, and he's taken 50 shots on goal in 14 games. You can still trust him.
Brendan Gallagher, MON at CAR ($5,700): It's been a little while since Gallagher has scored a goal, but he's got 45 shots and 10 points overall in 17 games. His minor struggles have probably driven his price down a bit, but that makes him a potential value. Carolina offers a good matchup, and with Alexander Radulov (illness) not traveling for this game, Gallagher could see a little bump in minutes Friday.
Conor Sheary, PIT at NYI ($4,500): Sheary has eight points in nine games, and that's led to an increase in his minutes. That means more opportunity, and with Chris Kunitz (lower body) day-to-day, Sheary's minutes should remain elevated. The Islanders have been terrible this season, so Sheary has a solid shot at continuing his surprising start.
Phillip Danault, MON at CAR ($3,600): If you want a real value play – and if you end up spending big on a center, you may need one – Danault is intriguing. He's already set a career high in points with nine, but he's also moved up to Montreal's second-line center slot. The 23-year-old's regularly been playing more than 14 minutes a night, and you rarely find players this cheap who have been as competent offensively as Danault. Combine that with a good matchup, and he could be a steal.
DEFENSEMEN
Andrei Markov, MON at CAR ($4,800): Alright, so there are a lot of Canadiens on this list, but with good cause. It's not all about the matchup for Markov. He's got 12 points on the year as well as a six-game point streak. A long-time power-play specialist, he's notched five assists with the man advantage thus far; while the Hurricanes have the best penalty kill in the league at the moment, Markov will have plenty of opportunity with or without the extra man.
Trevor Daley, PIT at NYI ($4,100): Daley hasn't produced a ton yet, but he's playing more than 21 minutes a night and he's blocked 30 shots, so he's helping out a bit defensively and providing a reliable fantasy floor. This is a really good matchup, and rolling out Daley will let you fit some pricier players in at the top of your lineup.
