DraftKings NHL: Friday Picks

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Updated on October 26, 2018 4:46AM EST

GOALIE

Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB at VGK ($7,600): Vegas hasn't looked as energetic at home as it did last year, and it's coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Canucks. Vasilevskiy, meanwhile, is coming off a 22-save shutout against the Avs and their vaunted top line in Denver. Neither team are performing at full capacity, but the Lightning have the edge in overall play and record. Vasilevskiy is an elite goalie without the high price tag.

CENTER

Nathan MacKinnon, COL vs. OTT ($8,000): The Avs were shut out in their last game but MacKinnon's play recently has put him in the conversation for best in the league. His explosive line should be an overwhelming matchup for the Sens, who allow 36.1 shots per game, third-worst in the league. As good as Craig Anderson may be, the sheer volume of shots he will face ensures at least a few goals will be scored.

Bryan Little, WPG at DET ($4,800): Little has scored 14 points in 13 career games against the Dead Things, who are currently averaging a league-worst 4.22 goals against per game. He won't get the same opportunities as Mark Scheifele, but Little's also got plenty of talent on his wings with Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers. With a favorable matchup like this, Little is a good value play at this price.

WING

Evander Kane, SJ at CAR ($6,600): He has five assists in his past four games, which is odd considering he's more adept at scoring goals, but at least he's been consistently getting shots on goal. The Hurricanes don't mind exchanging scoring chances which suits the Sharks fine because of their quality depth, and Kane gets a plush assignment on Joe Pavelski's wing. He has 10 goals and 25 points in 28 career games against Carolina.

Nikita Kucherov, TB at VGK ($6,500): He snapped a power-play drought for the struggling first unit against Colorado and is looking to extend his point streak to seven games against Vegas. It will be a tight-checking game because both teams have depth up front and on defense, but Tampa has the edge with more elite talent. Kucherov has managed to get at least two shots on goal every game since the season opener.

Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG at DET ($5,400): It took 10 games to score his first goal of the season but it looks like the Danish winger is starting to get back on track. He has just four points in 10 games but played on the second line recently after spending parts of the season on the fourth. He had a goal and eight shots against the Leafs, and should be able to continue his outburst against the league's worst team.

DEFENSE

Erik Karlsson, SJ at CAR ($5,600): It's been a while since Karlsson made this space, but with two assists in his past three games and the Sharks getting into a groove, it's time to put any concerns to rest. The Hurricanes' goaltending isn't very strong and, on most nights, win by outscoring their opponents, and Karlsson excels in frenetic north-south games.

Jacob Trouba, WPG at DET ($4,800): Not only can Trouba score points with five in his past three games, he's a valuable fantasy asset because he also shoots without hesitation and blocks a lot of shots. He should get plenty of chances to do both against Detroit, against whom he's had some success with four points in six career games. Josh Morrissey ($5,300) is also an option.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.