This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are 14 NHL games Friday - including 10 in the afternoon - as the league took off Thursday for Thanksgiving. The only four clubs who aren't playing are the Leafs, Canadiens, Senators, and Blues. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. CHI ($8,000): Gustavsson has been brilliant all season, including Wednesday when he stopped all 39 shots to beat Buffalo. The Blackhawks struck for six goals against Dallas last time out, but that was at home and Friday's matchup will be on the road.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at VGK ($7,400): If Gustavsson isn't the NHL's best goaltender, then it's gotta be Hellebuyck as he's posted a 15-3-0 record with three shutouts, a 2.11 GAA and .928 save percentage. He'll face a strong Vegas offense, but should be able to handle that.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Valeri Nichushkin, COL at DAL ($5,000): Nichushkin returned to action two weeks ago and got off to a slow start with no points from his first three games, though he's hitting his stride with two goals and three assists across three appearances. He's skating on the top line with Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen and also joins the captain on the first power-play unit.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM at UTA ($5,000): Nugent-Hopkins' struggles continue, but playing alongside Connor McDavid should finally pay off. He's only managed two goals and nine assists in 22 games, yet is only one season removed from a 37-goal, 104-point campaign. I like RNH to produce, especially at this salary.
Dmitri Voronkov, CLM vs. CGY ($4,600): Voronkov has gone under the radar, though the Blue Jackets' winger has four goals and three assists over his last six games. Voronkov is on the first line with Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko while all three participate on the lead man-advantage.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Wild vs. Blackhawks
Kirill Kaprizov (W - $8,800), Joel Eriksson Ek (C - $5,700), Matt Boldy (W - $8,000)
The Wild's top trio is led by Kaprizov, who's second in scoring with 35 points. Eriksson Ek recently rejoined this group as he replaced Marco Rossi. He's notched five goals and five assists from 19 games, including two helpers from his last three. Boldy is up to 11 goals and 12 assists, including four and four of each on the power play. They'll be going up against the Blackhawks, who are much better defensively this season while still averaging 2.95 goals against per game.
Kraken at Sharks
Jared McCann (W - $7,200), Matty Beniers (C - $4,900), Andre Burakovsky (W - $4,100)
McCann leads the Kraken in points after doing so for the franchise's first three-plus seasons. He also tops the club in goals (nine) and assists (13). Beniers showed promise a few weeks ago when he tallied three goals and five assists through seven games, yet he's currently stuck in a six-game scoring slump. Burakovsky has supplied nine points this season, including three assists on the power play. They're all on Seattle's first man-advantage to face the Sharks with their 28th-ranked 3.40 GAA.
DEFENSEMEN
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. COL ($5,500): Heiskanen is riding a three-game point run with two goals and two assists. He started off the season slowly with nothing in his first seven matchups, but he's racked up 10 points across his last 14 and accumulated 73 and 54 the last two seasons. The Avs list the third-worst defense allowing 3.65 goals per game.
Brandon Montour, SEA at SJ ($6,300): Montour saw his three-game goal-scoring streak end Wednesday. He's benefitted from Vince Dunn being out the last 18 games with an upper-body injury as he has quarterbacked the first power play. Montour has registered seven goals and eight assists, including three points with the man-advantage.
Mason Lohrei, BOS vs. PIT ($3,900): Lohrei is having a nice offensive season with a goal and seven assists. He's taken over at the point on Boston's second PP with three helpers there. The Bruins face a Penguins side on Friday sitting last in the league with a 3.93 GAA.
