This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The NBA is taking its All-Star break this weekend, so if you aren't interested in slam-dunk contests (or Friday's celebrity game), there's still hockey to watch. Indeed, there are three NHL games scheduled to kick off the weekend, and while that's not a large slate, we're still here to help you make the most advantageous choices for your FanDuel lineups.
GOALIE
Cam Ward, CAR vs. COL ($8,000): The Hurricanes have struggled recently, but not as thoroughly as the Avalanche have been all season long. Additionally, Carolina has been decidedly better at home (17-6-1), while Colorado will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. The Avs rank dead last in both goals scored and goals allowed per game, and they've allowed 36.9 shots on net on zero days' rest. Ward's got a great chance of picking up a win Friday, and he's less expensive than four projected starters (and even two projected backups).
CENTER
Rickard Rakell, ANA vs. FLA ($5,700): Rakell has notched 22 goals this season, and his minutes have picked up over the past month. He's averaged 18:51 over his last 14 games, including 2:47 with the extra man. Additionally, Rakell has started 36.3 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which ranks fourth among Anaheim forwards. The Panthers have allowed 31.5 shots on net per game, and that went up to 34.2 in January. (They've only played four games in February.) Rakell should at minimum be able to notch a few shots on net in this matchup, which gives him a solid fantasy floor.
Victor Rask, CAR vs. COL ($4,600): Rask is in the midst of a scoring drought, but even so, he's still averaging 10.4 fantasy points per game for the season. That's the same as Jordan Staal, who will cost you $900 more. Rask is still getting offensive opportunities as well – he's started a team-leading 42.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. He's also averaged 2:19 with the extra man, where he's notched seven points. The Avalanche have allowed 3.39 goals per game and may be starting 27-year-old rookie Jeremy Smith in net due to this back-to-back situation, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Rask finally break out of his slump.
WING
Nick Foligno, CLM vs. PIT ($6,400): The Penguins will be playing on the second of back-to-back nights. While they will be starting Matt Murray, there's still reason to like some aspects of this matchup for Foligno. Pittsburgh's allowed 32.0 shots per game and has the league's 24th-ranked penalty kill. For his part, Foligno has notched 25 shots on net over his last eight contests, and his 19 points on the power play offer plenty of fantasy promise.
Sebastian Aho, CAR vs. COL ($5,900): Aho has moved up to being Carolina's first-line left wing, and he's actually been better that Jeff Skinner recently. He's notched eight points and 24 shots in his last eight games while averaging 3:33 with the extra man. That power-play time could come in handy against Colorado's 25th-ranked penalty kill.
Jakob Silfverberg, ANA vs. FLA ($5,800): Roberto Luongo has had some issues recently, as he's registered a 4.19 GAA and .885 save percentage over his last eight starts. Meanwhile, Silfverberg has played quite well since returning from a three-game absence. In his seven games back in the lineup, he's notched seven points and 16 shots on goal, and his high-volume shooting gives him a solid fantasy floor for points to build on.
Mikko Rantanen, COL at CAR ($4,500): Despite having been banished to the AHL early in the year, the 20-year-old rookie has already taken on a significant role with the lowly Avalanche, averaging 18:15 of ice time, including 2:58 on the power play. Rantanen has also started 31.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the most of any Avalanche right wing. Yes, I identified Ward as a target-worthy goalie Friday, but that's a statement about Colorado as a team, not about the impressive Finnish rookie. The Hurricanes have still allowed 2.87 goals per game, so Rantanen still has the upside to help your fantasy team. He's also quite cheap, so you're not taking a big risk here.
DEFENSEMEN
Zach Werenski, CLM vs. PIT ($5,100): After a bit of a dry spell, Werenski tallied two points in the Jackets' last game. That included a power-play point, giving Werenski 18 of those on the year. He's also notched 20 shots on goal over his last six games. Meanwhile, the Penguins have averaged 59.71 shot attempts per 60 minutes, the most of any team playing Friday and fifth in the NHL overall. That could mean plenty of chances for Werenski to both take and block shots.
Tyson Barrie, COL at CAR ($4,600): The defensive options available Friday aren't easy to get enthusiastic about, but Barrie is a relatively cheap option with some upside. He's started a higher percentage of his shifts in the offensive zone than any other Avalanche player (37.2), and he's also notched 116 shots on net in 47 games. On top of that, Barrie's 2.6 shooting percentage is the worst of his career, so he's due to find a little more puck luck down the stretch. The aforementioned Ward has a .905 save percentage, which should help Barrie's odds in this one.
