This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are two games in the NHL on Friday. A tired Calgary team travels to Columbus while New Jersey faces the Islanders in New York. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at CLS ($7,900): Markstrom has been inconsistent in the early going, something that plagued him last season. Markstrom gave up only two goals on 28 shots in his lone contest against Columbus last season. He was 23-21-7 with a 2.92 GAA and .892 save percentage last season, after an outstanding 2021-22 campaign where he went 37-15-9 with a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage. Markstrom will likely finish somewhere in the middle this season. There are only two games Friday and I think the Flames will prevail, even though they are the tired team.
Ilya Sorokin, NYI vs. NJ ($7,500): Sorokin is an outstanding goaltender, and he has been since coming into the league in the 2020-21 season. Sorokin is a perfect 2-0-0 thus far, including shutting out the Coyotes on Tuesday. Many consider Sorokin the best goaltender in the NHL and he is definitely one of the top-three. He has a tough matchup versus the Devils, but that didn't bother him last season as he stopped 69 of 73 shots in two games.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, NYI vs. NJ ($3,200): Pageau is pointless in his first two games of the season, but is coming off a strong 2022-23 campaign where he managed 40 points in 70 contests. Pageau centers the third line and sees second unit power-play time. He had two assists in three games versus New Jersey last season.
Matthew Coronato, CGY at CLS ($4,200): Coronato picked up an assist Thursday to give him two points in four games as he opened the season with a power-play goal. The diminutive winger was selected 13th overall in 2021 and has outstanding offensive skills. He is a middle-six forward at this time, but certainly has the capability to be a top-six – or even a top-line – forward in the NHL. Coronato is nicely priced Friday.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Devils at Islanders
Jack Hughes (C-$8,800), Tyler Toffoli (W-$6,500), Timo Meier (W-$6,700)
Hughes is the star of the Devils and is a top-five player in many pundits eyes at this time. He has two goals and four assists in three games after making the big jump into stardom last season, scoring 43 goals and adding 56 assists in 78 contests. Toffoli has a pair of assists in three games after a 34-goal, 73-point effort with the Flames last season. Meier was added to the line last game, replacing Jesper Bratt. Meier has yet to hit the scoresheet, but the talented winger managed 40 goals last season. They face Sorokin who has been hot, but the Devils' top line is more than capable of a breakout game.
Flames at Blue Jackets
Elias Lindholm (C - $7,700), Jonathan Huberdeau (W-$5,000), Andrew Mangiapane (W - $6,500)
The Flames top line is a nice stack, especially with only two games in the NHL on Friday. They are talented and inexpensively priced. All three are off to good starts, averaging at least a point-a-game. Lindholm has a goal and four assists in four games while Huberdeau has two goals and four points thus far. Huberdeau had a horrible 2022-23 campaign with only 17 goals and 55 points in 79 games after an outstanding 2021-22 season with the Panthers where he had 30 goals and 115 points in 80 games. He is well on his way to bouncing back. Mangiapane also has two goals and four points this season. He had 35 goals two seasons ago but injuries took their toll on Mangiapane last season, as he found the back of the net only 17 times. This is a very good line, especially at their prices.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. NJ ($5,400): Dobson quarterbacks the first power play with the Islanders and has an assist in two games this season. Dobson has had back-to-back solid seasons, finding the back of the net 13 times while adding 36 helpers in 78 games last season and 13 goals and 38 assists in 80 games in the previous campaign.
David Jiricek, CLS vs. CGY ($3,000): Jiricek was selected sixth overall in the 2022 Draft and actually played four games for the Blue Jackets last season as an 18-year-old. Jiricek was recalled after Opening Night and has a goal in two games this season.
