This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
If you were hoping to kick off your weekend with some hockey action, your choices are going to be rather limited. There are only two games on the NHL schedule, meaning the pickings are slim for your daily fantasy lineups. Nevertheless, some players look like better options than others, and you will find them below.
GOALIE
Corey Crawford, CHI at WPG ($8,900): This has the potential to be a high-scoring game, but Crawford and the Blackhawks are likely to come out on the winning side. Crawford hasn't had an outstanding year, posting a 2.59 GAA and a .917 save percentage, but he's been a solid presence in Chicago's net. The Jets, meanwhile, have allowed 3.13 goals per game. Choosing Crawford gives you a good shot at a win, and he'll cost you a lot less than Devan Dubnyk ($9,600).
CENTER
Artem Anisimov, CHI at WPG ($6,500): Anisimov hasn't scored a goal in a while, but he does have four points in his last five games. As previously mentioned, Winnipeg has allowed 3.13 goals per game, which is in the bottom four of the NHL. The Jets also rank 28th on the penalty kill, and Anisimov has played 2:42 a night on the power play.
Eric Staal, MIN vs. TAM ($5,600): Staal has averaged 12.6 fantasy points per game, the third-highest average of any center in action Friday. He's tallied 16 goals on 133 shots in 53 games, and he's added 27 assists as well. Meanwhile, the Lightning have given up 2.87 goals per game and Ben Bishop is struggling again, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Staal return good value on this modest price.
WING
Artemi Panarin, CHI at WPG ($7,100): Panarin hasn't been putting as many shots on net recently as he did earlier in the season, but he still has five points in his last six games. It's hard to quibble with his overall numbers regardless, as he has 18 goals and 30 assists in 55 contests. Fifteen of those points have come on the power play, and as previously noted, Winnipeg has the 28th-ranked penalty kill.
Zach Parise, MIN vs. TAM ($6,600): Parise's seen an uptick in production recently, as he's notched 26 shots on goal over his last six games. He's managed four points in that time, bringing his total to 25 points in 44 games. The aforementioned Bishop has struggled to the tune of a 2.69 GAA and a .907 save percentage, so if Parise keeps registering shots this prolifically, it could turn out quite well for him.
Marian Hossa, CHI at WPG ($6,100): The veteran winger is still going strong, as he's averaged 11.2 fantasy points per game. He's tallied 19 goals this season and owns nine points on the power play. Likely Jets starter Connor Hellebuyck has a 2.78 GAA and a .909 save percentage, and he's actually been the team's best goalie this season.
Charlie Coyle, MIN at TAM ($5,000): Coyle hasn't scored a goal in 15 games, which is concerning, but he has 10 assists in that time, including four in his last two games. He's averaging 11.9 fantasy points on the season, so even this goal drought hasn't stopped him from being productive. It has, however, dropped his price, which makes him a much better value Friday, especially if he can get back to lighting the lamp in this fairly friendly matchup.
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan Suter, MIN vs. TAM ($5,300): Suter is in the middle of a dry spell, but he's still having a fine season,
having tallied 30 points while averaging a whopping 27:13 of ice time. Suter's also notched 102 shots on net and 72 blocked shots in 53 games, giving him a high fantasy floor. His cold streak won't last forever, and the Lightning's defensive issues mean there's a reasonable chance it'll end Friday.
Jacob Trouba, WPG vs. CHI ($5,000): To this point, this article has been all players from the Wild and Blackhawks, and with good reason -- both of those teams have rather favorable matchups. However, Trouba's price makes it worth ending with a Jet. He's averaged 11.9 fantasy points per game, second among defensemen in action Friday, and yet he's far from the most expensive. With 104 shots and 80 blocks in 41 contests, he's been consistently providing defensive production for his offense to build on.
