This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Friday's NHL slate is on the lighter side, with five games on tap after 7:00 PM Eastern time. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Three of these matchups look lopsided on their face, with the Blues in Columbus, the Penguins in New Jersey and the Flyers in Ottawa. The other two games involve plenty of offensive talent, with the Bruins facing Toronto and the Canadiens going to Washington.
GOALIES
Jordan Binnington ($8,200) brings a 9-2-4 record, 2.35 GAA and .921 save percentage into a favorable matchup against a Blue Jackets team that's been outscored 60-42 through 18 games. Only the Red Wings muster fewer goals per game than Columbus' 2.33.
Matt Murray ($8,100) has been almost as good as Binnington, with a 9-3-2 record, 2.39 GAA and .914 save percentage. His matchup is arguably even easier, as the Devils are just 5-8-4 and score 2.53 goals per game.
Sticking in the same game, New Jersey's MacKenzie Blackwood ($7,300) has some against-the-grain appeal against a Penguins team that will be without its best player. While the team in front of him isn't very good, Blackwood has won three of his last five starts, limiting the opposition to just one goal in two of those three wins.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
David Pastrnak ($8,300) leads the league with 16 goals, and his 31 points are among the league leaders as well. The Czech winger should continue to produce against a Maple Leafs team that's allowing 3.25 goals per game.
If the Senators are going to keep building on their 6-4-0 record over the past 10 games, Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($6,200) will have to keep producing. Pageau's hat trick Wednesday gave him eight goals in his last six games, and he leads Ottawa in both goals (11) and points (15) overall.
Brayden Schenn ($5,700) leads the Blues with 10 goals, and the center has added seven assists through 19 games. His middling valuation makes Schenn an appealing option in Columbus.
Though the Bruins present a tough matchup, it's hard to ignore red-hot Maple Leafs winger William Nylander ($4,900). Nylander skates on the top line and has potted five goals in his last five games while also chipping in two helpers over that span.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Capitals vs. Canadiens
Nicklas Backstrom (C - $7,000), Alex Ovechkin (W - $8,200), T.J. Oshie (W - $6,200)
This entire top line also plays on the No. 1 power-play unit, which is key against Montreal's 73.7 percent penalty kill -- the fourth-most generous in the league. Ovechkin leads the Capitals with five power-play goals while Oshie's second with four. Backstrom has just one goal with the extra man, but his seven power-play points are tied with Ovechkin for second on the team behind John Carlson's nine.
Penguins at Devils
Evgeni Malkin (C - $6,800), Jake Guentzel (W - $6,800), Bryan Rust (W - $5,400)
With Sidney Crosby out six weeks due to a core muscle injury, Malkin's tasked with stepping up as the leader of Pittsburgh's offense. The Russian center's performing at a point-per-game pace through seven appearances this season, and Malkin has finished with more points than games played in every season except 2010-11. He'll be flanked by a pair of productive wingers, as Guentzel has an 8-6-14 line in 18 games and Rust has a 5-2-7 line in seven appearances. A Devils team that's allowing 3.65 goals per game will have a tough time containing this trio.
Flyers at Senators
Sean Couturier (C - $6,000), Travis Konecny (W - $5,900), Oskar Lindblom (W - $4,700)
Konecny and Lindblom have been Philadelphia's two best scorers thus far — they're tied for the team lead with eight goals apiece, Konecny leads the team with 19 points and Lindblom ranks second with 14 points. Couturier's tied for third on the team with 13 points, eight of which have come in the past eight games. While Ottawa's played better hockey of late, the Senators have still been outscored 60-51 through 18 games.
DEFENSEMEN
John Carlson ($7,900) leads the Capitals in both points (30) and power-play points (nine). No other defenseman is anywhere near Carlson's point total, so he continues to be worth paying up for.
Justin Schultz ($4,700) is skating on Pittsburgh's top power-play unit with Kris Letang (lower body) out, and Schultz will be brimming with confidence after potting an even-strength goal in Tuesday's overtime loss to the Rangers.
With Torey Krug (upper body) out, Matt Grzelcyk ($3,700) is filling in on Boston's lethal No. 1 power-play unit. Given the Bruins' league-best 30.5 percent success rate with the extra man, that's an extremely valuable role.
