This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
Here are my recommendations for games on Friday, March 27:
Center
Jason Spezza ($5,250) - Spezza is still a solid offensive talent, albeit one who is happy to be playing away from the spotlight in hockey-mad Ottawa. He has enjoyed a productive season, with 56 points in 74 games, but continues to be a streaky scorer. The good news is that he appears to be on a new streak with three points in his last three after a five-game drought.
Wings
Jordan Eberle ($5,250) – Of all the Oilers' young stars, Eberle may have the highest hockey IQ. He is enjoying his hottest stretch of the season, with 11 points in his last seven games, and has a favorable matchup at home against a Dallas team that has not been very good defensively this season. This game against the Stars could be a wide-open, offensive affair and that should suit Eberle just fine.
Zach Parise ($5,900) – Parise has retained his role as the Wild's leading scorer, with 57 points in 67 games this season, but he probably is more motivated to play to a higher level because this may be the deepest team that he has played with during his three seasons there. He is certainly doing his part as a consistent offensive threat with five points in his last seven games.
Charlie Coyle ($4,000) - Coyle has made steady progress during his three years as a pro with the Wild, becoming a more productive player in each season with the big club. He is proving to be a solid source of secondary scoring, and has recently earned a regular turn on their improved power play. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, he has the size and has shown the ability to get in front of opposing goalies. Plus, he has six points in his last six games.
Chris Stewart ($3,750) – Stewart has been a different player since he was acquired from the Sabres before the trade deadline. Consider that he had a minus-30 rating in 61 games with the Sabres and that he is a plus-4 in 12 games with the Wild and you get a quick indicator that he finds himself in a much better place now that he is on a contending team. That notion has led to a more engaged power forward who is finally looking like the two-time 28-goal scorer who had been MIA during his last couple of seasons with Buffalo.
Defensemen
Duncan Keith ($5,000) – Still one of the game's premier defensemen, Keith knows that he has to find that higher level with the playoffs just around the corner. He is the power-play quarterback and the busiest Blackhawk in terms of ice time per game. With his overall skills and the quality of players around him, he is that rare defenseman who is a threat to reach the scoresheet in every game and rates a start in a good matchup against Columbus.
Matthew Dumba ($3,450) - The Wild have brought the robust defender along slowly and are recently showing an inclination to feature him as a threat on their power play. Dumba has an excellent slapshot, which is now being used as a feature play in that attack unit, and he is the most prolific goal scorer on the Wild blueline in the last two months. The best is yet to come for this 2012 first-round draft pick.
Flex
Mikko Koivu ($4,500) – Koivu started off this season very slowly and the whispers were that he may have lost a step. However, he has improved his rate of production as the season has moved along, now finding himself in the normal range for his annual productivity. He is still one of the club's top setup guys with 32 assists and has better options to work with on an improved power play this season.
Goaltener
Corey Crawford ($7,600) – Crawford has finally shed the image of the weak link in the Chicago roster, even though there is still plenty of talent in all aspects of the team. He is enjoying a third-straight campaign when he is among the league leaders with his 2.22 goals-against average in 51 appearances. He has struggled a bit in two of his last three starts but preceded that with three straight wins, when he allowed only four goals. Overall, it looks like he's ready for another long playoff run and should not stumble at home against the Jackets on Friday.
