This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Friday's NHL slate features six games beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players stand out from the pack as options to target in this slate and which should be avoided.
GOALIE
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. CAR ($20): Holtby's stepped things up a bit following a dreadful stretch, as the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner has won three straight starts and four of his past five while holding each of his opponents in that stretch to three goals or fewer. While he's still not playing up to his usual lofty standards, Holtby won't have to in order to provide strong value at $20 in this home matchup with Carolina's 23rd-ranked offense (2.75 goals per game).
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, TOR at NYI ($33): While he's won three of five starts since returning from an upper-body injury, Andersen hasn't exactly been at the top of his game, allowing 15 goals over that span while surrendering at least three on four separate occasions. He's likely to end up in the win column at the end of the night, but don't expect a performance befitting of his $34 valuation from Andersen against an Islanders team that ranks seventh offensively at 3.16 goals per game.
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CENTER
Auston Matthews, TOR at NYI ($31): In addition to being a rare hockey talent, Matthews is also one of the rare players who performs better on the road. The second-year center has "just" 55 points (29 goals) in 70 career home appearances, but he's been noticeably more impressive in away settings with 68 points (41 goals) in 69 contests. A multi-point effort would put Matthews on a career point-per-game pace on the road, and he's more than capable of achieving that feat against an Islanders club that's allowing a league-high 3.58 goals per game.
CENTER TO AVOID
Brayden Point, TB at NYR ($22): Point's had trouble living up to his lofty $22 price tag lately, topping 5.8 fantasy points only twice in his last 10 games. Tampa Bay doesn't lack strong scoring alternatives up front, so avoiding Point can help owners save a few bucks without reducing production.
WINGS
J.T. Miller, TB at NYR ($19): One of those excellent alternatives to Point is Miller, who's enjoying the combination of scoring success and an increased role heading into this matchup with his old employer in New York. He has eight goals and 14 points in 14 games with the Lightning and that production hasn't been lost on coach Jon Cooper, who has rewarded Miller with over 19 minutes of ice time in six of the past nine games, including four contests over 20 minutes. The Rangers allow the sixth-most goals per game (3.16), so look for a motivated Miller to maintain his recent momentum here.
Brandon Saad, CHI at COL ($16): Saad's loving life on the top line opposite Patrick Kane, as he has a three-game point streak going and 14 shots over that span. Playing in one of the league's most fantasy-friendly situations as Kane's linemate should continue to pay off for Saad against an Avalanche team that will be choosing between a pair of beaten-up goaltenders; both Semyon Varlamov (illness) and Jonathan Bernier (infection) are operating at less than 100 percent right now.
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WINGS TO AVOID
James Neal, VGK vs. STL ($19): Neal's struggled since returning from a hand injury, failing to light the lamp in seven subsequent games while averaging just 4.6 fantasy points per contest. Getting back on track won't be easy against a Blues team that's allowing just 2.61 goals per game.
Rickard Rakell, ANH vs. LA ($26): Rakell has a team-leading seven goals and 16 points with the extra man, but that power-play proficiency is likely to be neutralized by the league-best Kings penalty kill (84.9 percent). Los Angeles also surrenders the fewest goals per game overall (2.45), limiting Rakell's ceiling altogether. His floor isn't in much better shape after two performances with fewer than minus-3.0 fantasy points in the past three games.
DEFENSEMEN
Erik Johnson, COL vs. CHI ($18): Johnson's been filling up the box score recently, contributing multiple shots and blocks in each of the past five contests while totaling 15 and 18, respectively over that stretch. He's also lit the lamp on two of those 15 shots, and a matchup with a Chicago team that's been overcome by the injury bug in net helps further raise Johnson's offensive potential. The Blackhawks will be playing for the second time in as many nights after deploying rookie Collin Delia on Thursday following an injury to Anton Forsberg (undisclosed) in warmups.
Josh Manson, ANH vs. LA ($12): Manson's a low-cost option with the skill set necessary to excel in the low-scoring matchups that permeate this rivalry. While he's no slouch offensively with 32 points in 75 games, Manson's robust average of 5.0 fantasy points per game is due primarily thanks to a team-best plus-26 rating. His strong defensive play gives Manson a high floor against Los Angeles' middling offense, but it's not unreasonable to expect him to chip in a point considering he has two in his past three games and six over his last 11.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Alec Martinez, LA at ANH ($16): Martinez has been a complete non-factor recently, averaging a mere 3.0 fantasy points per contest over his current 10-game point drought. Since 11 of his 21 points this season have come on the power play, don't expect him to get back on the scoresheet against a Ducks club that boasts the league's fourth-ranked penalty kill at 83.2 percent.
Colton Parayko, STL at VGK ($17): Parayko has just one goal since Jan. 9, and reversing his fortunes in that department will be a tall order in this brutal matchup. He's a solid overall player, but Parayko's best avoided on the road against a nascent Vegas club that's outscoring opponents 3.29 to 2.66 on average in its inaugural season, making the Golden Knights quite capable of sending Parayko's even rating right back into the negatives.
