This article is part of our 120 Sports & RW Video series.
There are five games on tap for Friday and a handful of debuts, with the most fantasy-relevant that of Brandon Saad for the Blue Jackets. The big offseason addition in Columbus, Saad will skate on the top line with Ryan Johansen and captain Nick Foligno.Targeting players like Saad is a good way of finding value for Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey. Here are a few more value plays who will make constructing a lineup a little easier.
GOALIE
Michael Hutchinson, WPG vs. NJD ($20) - Chances are, Hutchinson will start Friday as the Jets open the season with back-to-back road games. If so, Hutchinson gets a nice matchup against a Devils team that finished 28th in goals last season and doesn't seem likely to have a much improved offense this year. He comes dirt cheap in comparison to the evening's highest-priced goalie, Henrik Lundqvist ($39).
Players to Avoid:Jimmy Howard ($33), Corey Crawford ($33)
CENTER
Brad Richards, DET vs. TOR ($18) - Richards will start off on the second line with the Red Wings' top two goal scorers, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist. All he has to do is feed them the puck and watch the assists pile up. The rival Maple Leafs opened their season Wednesday, and goaltender Jonathan Bernier was shaky at best. Richards' line has a potentially great matchup against Toronto's Tyler Bozak, and for the price, he comes with plenty of upside.
Players to Avoid:Derick Brassard ($21), Mathieu Perreault ($19), Frans Nielsen ($19)
WING
Mikkel Boedker, ARI at LAK ($16) - Boedker slots in on the first line with Antoine Vermette and rookie dynamo Max Domi. The Kings took eight penalties and allowed two power-play goals in a 5-1 loss to the Sharks on Wednesday. Los Angeles also gave up 32 shots on goal. Boedker is the Coyotes' biggest threat to score and will man the point on the power play. There aren't many high-quality, first-line wingers for a price like Boedker's.
Teuvo Teravainen, CHI at NYI ($15) - Teravainen played 16:48, scored and had three shots on goal in the Blackhawks' opener Wednesday. Sometimes, it makes sense to ride the hot hand, and with that in mind, Teravainen seems like a safe bet. He's playing alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa, and he saw a bit of ice time during Chicago's lone power play. The Islanders owned the NHL's 26th-best penalty kill last season, so if Teravainen can get some more time on the man advantage, he has a shot at cashing in again.
Players to Avoid:Rick Nash ($25), Scott Hartnell ($23), Kyle Okposo ($21)
DEFENSE
Tyler Myers, WPG at NJD ($18) - Myers came on strong after being dealt to Winnipeg in February last season. He scored three goals and 15 points in 24 games to finish the season. The Devils have a much younger roster and their blue line remains a work in progress, so expect the towering Myers to take advantage of the growing pains. He could easily pick up where he left off and provides roster flexibility at a reasonable price.
Kyle Quincey, DET vs. TOR ($12) - With Danny DeKeyser injured to start the season, Quincey will play on the second defensive pairing with the offensive-minded Mike Green. The boost in playing time coupled with Green's ability to score should help Quincey's production. He probably wouldn't mind sticking it to his former coach either. Quincey's price is as low as it gets in the Yahoo! game.
Players to Avoid:Jack Johnson ($22), Travis Hamonic ($20), Ryan McDonagh ($19)
