This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are six games in the NHL, a fairly busy Friday night by NHL standards. Anaheim faces the Rangers in New York, Carolina hosts Nashville, Boston plays the Islanders, Ottawa travels to Dallas, San Jose faces Arizona and Vegas hosts Buffalo. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. OTT ($8,100): Oettinger has looked shaky over his last nine starts, giving up at least five goals in four, while giving up four in another. But, the 24-year-old looked better Monday, making 27 saves in a 6-3 win over Detroit. Oettinger won his only start versus Ottawa last season, stopping 28 shots in a 4-3 victory. Oettinger is 11-7-2 with a 2.85 GAA and .904 save percentage. His peripherals are the worst of his career, but I think he will bounce back at home versus Ottawa. The Senators are fifth in the NHL, averaging 33.1 shots per game and are 26th in the league with 78 goals.
Jonathan Quick, NYR vs. ANA ($8,500): Quick is slated to play versus the Ducks on Friday. If the Rangers decide to start Igor Shesterkin, I would not use Shesterkin as his play has been terrible of late. On the other hand, Quick has been outstanding all season, going 8-0-1 with a 2.20 GAA and .922 save percentage. Quick has given up more than three goals in only three of his nine starts and won his lone contest versus Anaheim last season. The Ducks are averaging 29.5 shots per game, 25th in the NHL.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Michael Carcone, ARI vs. SJ ($3,700): Carcone's career high in goals was only four heading into the 2023-24 campaign. He has already smashed that mark with 14 markers in 27 games to lead the Coyotes and is tied for 13th overall in the NHL. Carcone has eight goals in his last 10 games. What is truly amazing is that he receives no power play time and is averaging only 11:02 TOI this season.
Jason Robertson, DAL vs. OTT ($6,300): Robertson has four points in his last three games after snapping a two-game point drought. Robertson is behind his pace of last season when he had 46 goals and 109 points in 82 games, as he has nine goals and 17 assists in 27 contests. Robertson averaged 3.82 shots per game in 2022-23 and is only averaging 2.48 this season. Nevertheless, Robertson is a good play Friday, especially at his price.
Vladimir Tarasenko, OTT at DAL ($4,900): Tarasenko has six goals and 13 assists in 24 games after going pointless Thursday versus his ex-St. Louis teammates. Tarasenko has three goals and six points in his last six games and is playing well alongside Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson. Tarasenko sees second-unit power-play time and has five points with the man-advantage this season.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers vs. Ducks
Mika Zibanejad (C-$6,600), Chris Kreider (W-$6,700), Blake Wheeler (W-$3,300)
The Rangers top line is led by Zibanejad. He struggled in the middle of November, going four games without a point, but he has bounced back with six goals and seven assists in his last 11 games. Zibanejad has eight goals and 23 points in 27 contests this season and had a career-high 91 points in 2022-23. Kreider has gone pointless in his last four games but still has 14 goals and 22 points in 27 outings, including seven goals and two assists on the power play. Wheeler snapped an eight-game pointless streak with a pair of goals Tuesday. He has only four goals and eight points this season, but the move to the top line has helped. The Rangers have a relatively easy matchup versus the Ducks, who are second-last in the NHL with only 20 points in 28 games.
Golden Knights vs. Sabres
Jack Eichel (C - $8,700), Mark Stone (W -$5,700), Ivan Barbashev (W - $3,600)
Eichel gets to face his former teammates once again. Eichel finally faced the Sabres last season and had a hat trick with an assist in his one game versus Buffalo. He is off to a great start in 2023-24 with 12 goals and 33 points in 30 games, including five goals and five assists on the power play. Stone has managed to avoid injury this season, after missing 82 games over the previous two seasons. Stone has 10 goals and 29 points in 30 games, including five goals and six assists in his last eight outings. Barbashev – the third member of the line – has two goals and seven points in his last seven games, giving the 28-year-old six goals and 13 points this season. The trio should be a force Friday, especially with Eichel motivated to play against his ex-teammates.
DEFENSEMEN
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. BOS ($7,200): Dobson is on a five-game point streak with eight assists and has 13 helpers in his last eight contests. The outstanding offensive display of late has given Dobson five goals and 29 points in 28 contests as he is on pace to smash his previous career-high of 51 points, set two seasons ago. He had an assist in his lone game versus the Bruins this season, and had a goal and two helpers last year in three games.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. OTT ($5,500): Heiskanen had an outstanding 2022-23 season with 11 goals and 62 assists as he finally showed that he was gifted offensively. Heiskanen has three goals and 19 points in 27 games this season as he has regressed slightly, but he is coming off a huge game Monday versus Detroit, scoring a pair of goals while adding an assist. It was his third three-point game of the season.
Jake Sanderson, OTT at DAL ($4,700): Sanderson has gone pointless in his last two games, but the 21-year-old defenseman still has five goals and 14 points in 24 games. He quarterbacks the Senators' top power-play unit with Thomas Chabot out of action with a lower-body injury and is considered one of the top young defensemen in the NHL.
