This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are only two games in the NHL on Friday. All four teams are rested as Chicago travels to Florida while Calgary hosts Anaheim. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. CHI ($8,100): Bobrovsky has been stellar over his last four games, going 3-1-0. He has given up only five goals on 116 shots and has improved his record to 20-17-2. His peripherals are just average - a 2.93 GAA and .907 save percentage – but he did have a bad start to the 2022-23 season. He will take on the Blackhawks, who are averaging 2.48 goals per game, the lowest in the NHL.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. ANA ($7,900): Markstrom has won his last two games and had the best start of his season Tuesday, as he stopped all 40 shots for his first shutout of the season, a 1-0 victory over Minnesota in a shootout. It has not been a good season for the 33-year-old, as he is 17-17-8 with a 2.89 GAA and .893 save percentage. His saving grace Friday is that he is home to the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL, as the Ducks are averaging only 2.49 goals per contest.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Andreas Athanasiou, CHI at FLA ($4,300): Athanasiou has a three-game point streak on the line, as he has four assists during the streak. The 28-year-old is seeing first line duty as well as playing on the first power play, where he has two goals and four points this season. Overall, he has 14 goals and 26 points in 63 games with 125 shots on goal.
Taylor Raddysh, CHI at FLA ($3,300): Raddysh had a pair of goals Wednesday to snap a 16-game goalless drought. The winger has finally come into his own this season, scoring 16 goals and adding 12 assists, both career highs. Raddysh sees plenty of ice time during the first power play, and he has six goals and six assists this season with the man-advantage.
Ryan Strome, ANA at CGY ($3,700): Strome has had an assist in each of his last two games as he plays on the top line as well as the top power play unit with the Ducks. The former Ranger, has 11 goals and 31 points in 65 contests this season. He had a career high 21 goals last season with New York and his best assist total was during the 2019-20 campaign, when he had 41 helpers with the same Rangers, so he is capable of putting some offense together.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Flames vs. Ducks
Elias Lindholm (C-$5,400), Tyler Toffoli (W-$6,400), Jakob Pelletier (W-$3,100)
The Flames really miss the play of Matthew Tkachuk, who was dealt to Florida in the offseason, as he made Lindholm a great offensive force. Lindholm has only 18 goals and 34 assists in 63 games, after scoring 42 goals and adding 40 assists last season. While that is a significant drop, the trio are one of the top two stacks Friday in limited action. Toffoli is having a career year with 26 goals and 54 points in 65 contests. He had 31 goals and 58 points in 2015-16 with LA, but both those marks are within easy reach of the 30-year-old. Toffoli has been a power play stud as well, scoring nine times with 10 helpers, both career bests. Pelletier is in his rookie season with Calgary and the former first-round pick from 2019 – 26th overall - has three goals and seven points in 19 games as he establishes himself in the NHL. All three also play on the first power play.
Panthers vs. Blackhawks
Matthew Tkachuk (W - $8,800), Aleksander Barkov (C -$7,500), Sam Reinhart (W - $5,900)
The aforementioned Tkachuk, has picked up where he left off in Calgary, as he has 28 goals and 81 points in 62 games, good for a tie for eighth place in NHL scoring, Last season in Calgary, Tkachuk had 42 goals and 104 points, also eighth overall in the league. Tkachuk has 10 goals and 25 points with the man-advantage, as well as 245 shots on goal, only eight shy of last season's career best. Barkov has had injury woes this season, as he has suffered through pneumonia, a knee injury and lately a hand problem. That has cost him 14 games this season and has definitely hampered him in other contests. Nevertheless, Barkov has 53 points in 51 games, as well as seven goals and 23 points on the power play. Reinhart is on a six-game pointless streak but has been moved back up to the top line as Anthony Duclair is currently questionable due to an illness that forced him to miss practice Thursday. Reinhart has 21 goals and 45 points, a far cry from last season's 33 goals and 82 points.
DEFENSEMEN
Seth Jones, CHI at FLA ($6,800): Jones saw his three-game goal scoring streak come to an end Wednesday. He had four goals during the streak, giving the talented defenseman 10 goals and 31 points in 54 games. Jones quarterbacks the Chicago power play, where he has a goal and 10 points.
Cam Fowler, ANA at CGY ($5,000): Fowler has been rather hot of late, scoring two goals and adding nine assists in his last 11 games. That gives him nine goals and 37 points this season. He has seen plenty of action on the top power play, especially with John Klingberg – dealt to Minnesota at the March 3 trade deadline – out of the picture.
