This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
After a three-day holiday for the Christmas break, the NHL is back in action Friday with an eight-game schedule. Columbus is home to Boston, Buffalo hosts Chicago, Carolina travels to New Jersey, Colorado plays in Utah, Dallas welcomes Minnesota, Detroit hosts Toronto, Nashville travels to St. Louis and Vegas finds its way to San Jose.
GOALIES
Jeremy Swayman, BOS at CBJ ($8,400): Swayman has won three of his last four games and none were easier than Monday's 4-1 win over Washington in which he was required to make only 10 saves. Swayman had a tough start to the season as he missed all of training camp holding out as a restricted free agent before agreeing to terms just before the start of the 2024-25 campaign. Overall, Swayman is 12-10-3 with a 3.05 GAA and an unimpressive .887 save percentage, but he has been coming on of late. The Blue Jackets have been a high-scoring team this season, averaging 3.31 goals per contest in 2024-25.
Adin Hill, VGK at SJS ($8,500): Hill has won six of his last seven starts, allowing six goals on 34 shots in his lone loss, but he has stopped 184 out of 199 shots (including the six-goal debacle in Edmonton). Hill has a 15-5-2 record this season with two shutouts, a 2.61 GAA and a .905 save percentage. He is the undisputed No. 1 goaltender in Vegas at this time with Ilya Samsonov as his backup. The Sharks have been scoring more this season than last when they were 31st overall, averaging a measly 2.20 goals per game. They are more than a half-goal better this season, averaging 2.73 goals in 2024-25.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
JJ Peterka, BUF vs. CHI ($4,800): Peterka has been switching between the first and second line this season. The 22-year-old has 10 goals and 25 points in 33 games, after a huge 2023-24 campaign in which he managed 28 goals and 50 points. Peterka plays on the first power-play unit and has already equaled his three goals and seven points with the man-advantage, set last season. He is a great play versus Chicago on Friday.
Dmitri Voronkov, CBJ vs. BOS ($4,200): Voronkov is on a five-game point streak with three goals and four assists. The talented winger has 10 goals and 19 points in only 26 games and continues to see action on the top line, as well as the top power-play unit.
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. MIN ($3,900): Benn has been hot of late with points in six of his last seven outings. While he plays on the third line with Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven, he benefits from playing on the first power-play unit where he has five assists this season. Benn has seven goals and 21 points in 33 games and has a great price ahead of Friday's tilt with Minnesota.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche vs. Utah
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $10,300), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,900), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $5,500)
The Avalanche have the NHL's leading scorer – Nathan MacKinnon with 57 points, five better than linemate Mikko Rantanen and Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl. MacKinnon has been a stud over the last three seasons and Rantanen has followed right behind him. When you get two of the top scorers in the league, grab them and hope they have a big game. Nichushkin has been excellent since returning to the lineup on November 15 from a six-month suspension. He has 11 goals and 16 points in 19 games and has a goal in each of his last four games. The trio all play on the first power-play unit and are worth playing Friday.
Wild at Stars
Kirill Kaprizov (W - $9,500), Marco Rossi (C - $4,700), Mats Zuccarello (W - $5,000)
If you want a more affordable top line then the Wild trio of Kaprizov, Rossi and Zuccarello are worth selecting. Kaprizov is tied for fourth in NHL scoring with 50 points. Zuccarello has been a long-time linemate of Kaprizov. Zuccarello missed 13 games with a lower-body injury and has a goal and five points in six games since his return, giving the 37-year-old Norwegian seven goals and 19 points across 22 appearances. Rossi has settled back into the No. 1 center's spot with the Wild in the absence of Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) and has 12 goals and 28 points in 35 contests. This line plays on the first power-play unit with the Wild and is a worthwhile selection if you need inexpensive players like Zuccarello and Rossi to fill out your roster.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at UTAH ($8,500): The NHL's top defenseman has 11 goals and 45 points in 36 games, three points better than Quinn Hughes. Makar is on a five-game point streak – two goals and nine points. If you are using the MacKinnon line up front, you might as well go all-in and play Makar while hoping for a Colorado avalanche of goals.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at CBJ ($4,700): McAvoy has only five goals and 16 points in 36 games this season, a far cry from his last three seasons when he averaged 51.7 points over 73 appearances. McAvoy has been heating up of late with an assist in each of his last five games. McAvoy has been terrific on the power play in his last three seasons as well with 53 points, but has only a goal and two helpers in 2024-25. He is ready to break loose as he is averaging a career-high 3:49 of ice time this season with the man advantage.
Thomas Harley, DAL vs. MIN ($3,800): Harley is surprisingly tied with Miro Heiskanen for the lead among Dallas defensemen with 15 points. Harley has two goals and three assists in his last nine games and could be used on your fantasy roster if you need a cheap defenseman to fill out your roster.
