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Friday features a four-game main NHL slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings. In this article, you will find DFS advice for DraftKings lineups, plus some DraftKings Sportsbook bets to target.
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DraftKings Sportsbook
Colorado Avalanche vs. San Jose Sharks over 6 goals (-108)
The Avalanche have allowed 14 goals over their last three games and continue to roll out the dynamic duo of Devan Dubnyk and Jonas Johansson in net. The Sharks also feature weak goaltending but have been hot from an offensive perspective after changing around their top two lines, with 13 goals over their last three games. Both teams have seen six or more goals scored (in five of their last six outings) making the over attractive.
Evander Kane to score a goal (+260)
Kane enters this game with goals in his last three outings and with 17 SOG over that span as well. The winger has been moved onto a line with Tomas Hertl and the connection is working. Considering the Avs’ current goaltending situation, I like taking these inflated odds for Kane, who has been dangerous every time he takes the ice of late.
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Top Line Stack
San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche
Tomas Hertl ($5,000) — Evander Kane ($6,300) — Alex Barabanov ($2,600)
The Avs come into this game having lost three straight, while allowing 14 goals over that stretch. The Avs are dealing with subpar goaltending right now as they wait for their two top netminders to get healthy, and make for a better than usual target here. The Sharks jumbled up their top lines recently and the results have been good for fantasy purposes. Evander Kane has received a spark from landing on Hertl’s wing as he comes into this game with six points and three goals over his last three outings.
While he’s generally a high-volume shooter, Kane’s volume has rocketed over the last few games and he is now averaging 3.9 SOG over his last 10 games. Both Kane and Hertl look like steals at these prices and can be paired with Alex Barabanov, who has played over 16 minutes as the winger on this line the last two games while landing points in both contests. This in-form line stack gives you good exposure to the Sharks’ PP1 and will let you slide in studs from other games as well if you so desire.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $35K Kick Save [$10K to 1st]
Superstar to Target
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche vs. San Jose Sharks ($9,000)
We’ve got a couple of big names on this four-game slate to think about, with Max Pacioretty ($8,600) also on the slate and taking on the Coyotes. If we were getting a little better price on Max he may actually rate out as the better play, but with only $400 separating him and Nate the Great, MacKinnon should be the main target here. The Avs’ center is now averaging a ridiculous 4.6 SOG over his last 10 games and is almost a walking bonus at this point. On top of having 18 points in his last 10 games, he’s also now hit the DK-SOG bonus six times in his last eight outings. With all due respect to the rest of the players on this slate, no one comes close to these numbers and the matchup against the Sharks—who allow the fourth-most goals and ninth-most scoring chances—isn’t going to slow him.
Value on Offense
Andreas Athanasiou, Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks ($4,500)
The cheaper Kings forwards tonight make for decent targets in GPPs given the matchup with the Ducks here. Anaheim has given up the second-most scoring chances in the league and still allows around 31 SOG per game. Athanasiou has seen more ice for the Kings since the departure of Jeff Carter and is averaging 2.3 SOG over his last 10 games. With a weak defensive team on tap here, the speedy winger and former 30-goal scorer makes for a good breakout target today.
Reilly Smith, Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes ($4,000)
Smith recently returned from injury for the Golden Knights and immediately stepped back into his second-line role alongside William Karlsson ($5,400) and Jonathan Marchessault ($6,200). Smith’s struggled through a tough season thus far but the winger still sees plenty of minutes for the Golden Knights and has a great matchup here against the Ducks’ thin forward core. You can consider stacking this whole line, which has good correlation for fantasy purposes, or use Smith here as a one-off in big field GPPs, where he’s certain to have low ownership.
Stud Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets at Montreal Canadiens ($7,700)
Hellebuyck has certainly seen a dip in performance over the last few weeks, as the reigning Vezina Trophy winner has just a .889 save percentage over his last 10 games. He did bounce back with a solid effort in his last game though, posting a .923 save percentage in a 3-1 loss against Edmonton’s elite offense, and he could be turning a corner in terms of his level of play. The Canadiens’ offense has really sputtered of late, scoring two or less goals in eight of their last nine games. The Jets are also 6-2 against the Canadiens this season, so they make for decent moneyline targets on DraftKings Sportsbook as well. Hellebuyck is a good bounce-back target here at a very attractive price tag.
Value on Defense
Alex Goligoski, Arizona Coyotes vs. Vegas Golden Knights ($4,200)
Goligoski continues to play big minutes for the Coyotes on their top pairing. He’s now averaging 1.9 blocked shots and 10.0 DKFP over his last 10 games, which makes him a great floor play for this price. Of note is the fact that his power-play production has finally stepped up as he has eight points over his last 10 games, three of which have come with the man advantage. The Coyotes don’t have a deep enough backend to change his role anytime soon so keep targeting him as a value in DFS at this price.
Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche ($4,100)
Karlsson is another attractive veteran player who is putting up nice stats in the peripheral categories. He’s playing over 24 minutes per game while also averaging 2.7 SOG and 1.7 blocked shots per contest over his last 10 games. The points have dried up for him this year, somewhat thanks to San Jose’s pathetic power-play, but his volume gives him a shot at reaching both bonuses on any given night. Given the Colorado goaltending situation, which has been horrible of late, Karlsson makes for a great target with the Sharks having a little more potential for offensive breakout than they normally would against the Avs.
Power-Play Defensemen
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes ($6,700)
There’s two great defensemen available in this game between the Coyotes and Golden Knights, but with the Knights sitting as -205 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, Theodore makes for the far more attractive target. The Coyotes have now lost four of their last five games and are spiraling downward in terms of defensive metrics and their goaltending. Theodore has been on a run ever since he returned to PP1 duties around mid-season and comes into this game with 12 points in his last 10 games, seven of which have come on the power-play. In a premier matchup and with his salary still under $7K, Theodore’s the top pay-up option on defense here and is a must include if you’re planning on a Vegas PP1 stack tonight.
Set your DraftKings fantasy hockey lineups here: NHL $35K Kick Save [$10K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is wavegoodbye) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.