This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Three-game slates can be tricky, especially this early in the season. However, Los Angeles will be in tough with an aging team and Jonathan Quick injured. Additionally, expect the Blackhawks to face an uphill battle against Nashville in the Predators' home opener. Here is a collection of value options to turn to while filling out your DraftKings lineup.
GOALIE
Steve Mason, PHI at LA ($7,800): The 28-year-old goalie is criminally underrated, and he could be relatively lightly owned in a solid matchup against Los Angeles. The Kings scored a single goal in their opener and were nothing more than a middle-of-the-pack offense (14th-ranked 2.72 goals per game) with a better roster last year. Mason also boasts a rock-solid .921 save percentage over the past three years.
CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS vs. CHI ($5,600): This salary has oodles of room for Johansen to provide a nice return on investment. He's posted 60 points in three consecutive seasons, and now he's had an entire offseason of acclimatizing to Nashville after the joining the Predators last January. The only knock on Johansen is his low shot volume, so he'll need to find the scoresheet.
Sean Couturier, PHI at LA ($4,700): Injuries derailed Couturier's breakout season last year, but he did finish the campaign strong with 14 points over the final 19 games. Los Angeles is top heavy, and Couturier should see some easier minutes against the Kings' questionable supporting cast. Still, the pivot is likely best left to GPP contests.
WING
Travis Konecny, PHI at LA ($3,700): One of the highest-rising prospects from the 2015 draft class, Konecny went nuts in junior hockey last year (101 points), and played his way into a top-six role with a point-per-game showing during the preseason (three goals and three assists). Just note that this likely isn't the best matchup, even with Jeff Zatkoff donning the blue paint. Konecny is more of a cheap flier than a lineup lock Friday.
Kevin Fiala, NAS vs. CHI ($3,600): The 2014 first-round pick appears to be starting the season on a line with Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen. While that's plenty of reason for optimism on its own, Fiala is coming off a strong AHL season (50 points over 66 games) and has already made cameo appearances with the Preds the past two years.
Kris Versteeg, CGY vs. EDM ($3,600): Typically, home-road splits aren't outstanding predictors, but then there's Johnny Gaudreau's 91 points through 86 games in Calgary the past two years. Versteeg is skating on the top line and offers plenty of upside and cap relief due to riding shotgun with Gaudreau.
DEFENSE
T.J. Brodie, CGY vs. EDM ($4,800): With consecutive 40-point seasons and a point in the season opener, Brodie should be considered a high-floor defenseman. He logged 26:20 of ice Wednesday, including 2:18 of the power-play variety. After he registered just 79 shots last year, Brodie's three shots in the opener were also encouraging.
Mattias Ekholm, NAS vs. CHI ($4,200): After Seth Jones was dealt to Columbus in January, Ekhom averaged 22:08 per night and scored 21 points over 42 games. Now locked into a top-four role with power-play time, Ekholm's stock is trending straight up. The Swede also helps in the peripheral categories, and he stands to build on his 144 shots and 106 blocked shots from 2015-16.
