This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are six games on the NHL slate Friday. Toronto is home to Washington, Seattle plays in New Jersey, the Rangers host Pittsburgh, Columbus visits Vancouver, Dallas is in Vegas and Minnesota travels to Anaheim. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Filip Gustavsson, MIN at ANA ($8,000): Gustavsson has been spectacular this season, going 12-4-3 with two shutouts, a 2.04 GAA and a .929 save percentage. He has started the last two games – Marc-Andre Fleury usually plays every fourth game – and has allowed only four goals on 59 shots in two overtime wins. This season is in stark contrast to the 2023-24 campaign in which he had a 3.06 GAA and an .899 save percentage. Gustavsson has a matchup against the Ducks, who are 31st in the league in goals with 61.
Anthony Stolarz, TOR vs. WSH ($7,900): The Maple Leafs have been getting stellar goaltending from both their netminders as Joseph Woll has been outstanding in limited action. But Stolarz has been the star of the show, as he is 8-4-2 with a 2.23 GAA and a .924 save percentage. The Maple Leafs have been playing tighter defense under new head coach Craig Berube, but it helps to get great goalkeeping. The Capitals lead the NHL in goals with 102 in 25 games, but will still be missing Alex Ovechkin, who is out with a fractured fibula.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Conor Garland, VAN vs. CLS ($4,800): Garland has been on a tear of late. He had his seven-game point streak (four goals and six assists) halted Sunday, but picked up a helper Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to Minnesota. Garland has eight goals and 22 points in 24 games and seems poised to smash his career-high of 52 points, set in the 2021-22 campaign.
Jason Robertson, DAL at VGK ($5,400): Robertson continues to be an enigma this season as he has only five goals and 15 points in 25 games, a far cry from the 109 points in 2022-23, or even the 80 points he had last season. That being said, Robertson has a goal and six assists in his last eight games and could be worth selecting Friday in DraftKings, especially at his price.
Jake DeBrusk, VAN vs. CLS ($4,700): DeBrusk, like Garland, is also hot. The 28-year-old has eight goals and two assists in his last six games, giving him 11 goals and nine assists in 24 games. The loss of J.T. Miller (personal) has helped DeBrusk and Garland move up the depth chart and both have taken advantage of it. DeBrusk is a great value play.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Wild at Ducks
Kirill Kaprizov (W - $9,500), Marco Rossi (C - $4,600), Matt Boldy (W - $7,600)
The Wild are led by their top line of Kaprizov, Rossi and Boldy. Rossi returns to the top unit with the lower-body injury suffered by Joel Eriksson Ek, who is out week-to-week at this time. Kaprizov is tied for the NHL lead in points heading into action Thursday with 39, but he has played one less game than Martin Necas and two less than Nathan MacKinnon. Kaprizov is on a four-game point streak and has at least one point in 11 of his last 12 games. He is a definite Hart Trophy candidate thus far and is considered the favorite by many. Rossi is on a three-game point streak and has seven goals and 20 points in 25 games. His low salary makes taking the line, more appealing. Boldy is having a great start to the season with 11 goals and 24 points in 25 games. All three also are on the first power play.
Devils vs. Kraken
Jack Hughes (C - $8,300), Jesper Bratt (W - $7,100), Ondrej Palat (W - $3,100)
The Devils' top line is led by Hughes, who has been hot in his last three games with three goals and five assists. The outburst has moved Hughes into 11th place in NHL scoring heading into action Thursday with 33 points including 11 goals. Bratt has been almost as hot with two goals and five helpers in the last three games. Bratt is tied for sixth in the NHL scoring race with 35 points. Palat has only three goals and five assists in 27 contests this season, but the veteran does have a pair of assists in the last two games. Palat's low, low salary makes him worthy of a roster spot in your DraftKings lineup, alongside Hughes and Bratt.
DEFENSEMEN
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK vs. DAL ($4,900): Pietrangelo has cooled off after a great start as he had a goal and 11 assists in his first 10 games. Since then, the 34-year-old blueliner has only a goal and two helpers in his last 14 appearances. That being said, Pietrangelo is always a threat to score and if you need a less expensive player to fill out your roster, the former St. Louis Blues star could fit the bill.
Zach Werenski, CBJ at VAN ($8,100): Werenski has been white-hot of late with five goals and 16 points in eight games before his point streak was halted Tuesday in Calgary. Werenski has always been an offensive force with only injuries holding him back. Werenski had eight goals and 26 points in 24 games and should easily surpass his career-high of 57 points set last season, if he can remain healthy.
Olen Zellweger, ANA vs. MIN ($4,700): Zellweger is without a point in his last four games, but he still has four goals and 10 points in 23 games. He quarterbacks the first power-play unit and has a goal and four points with the man advantage, averaging 2:58 of time. Zellweger is only 21 and is going to get better. He is certainly worth taking a chance on in DFS on Friday.
