This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Friday's seven-game NHL slate begins at 2:00 PM Eastern time and should be a high-scoring one with none of the league's eight best defensive teams in action. Finding bang for the buck in all price ranges is key to putting together a winning lineup, as is avoiding overpriced options. Read on to find out which players are primed for success and which to stay away from in this medium-sized slate.
GOALIE
Roberto Luongo, FLA at BUF ($27): Luongo's been busy in two games since returning from a hand injury, stopping 84 of 91 shots for a .923 save percentage. His high save totals help provide value, and a win is likely against a Sabres team that's scoring just 2.53 goals per game while allowing 3.53. Backed by a Panthers offense that's scoring 3.43 goals per game, Luongo's a steal at $27 in this matchup.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Sergei Bobrovsky, CLS vs. CAR ($41): Bobrovsky's hit a rut lately, surrendering four goals apiece in consecutive losses after snagging wins in his previous two starts despite allowing three goals in each of those. The Russian netminder's recent form suggests he can't he be trusted at this price against a .500 Carolina club.
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CENTER
Matt Duchene, OTT at COL ($14): Duchene will be highly motivated in his Senators debut, as he conveniently draws the very team that just traded him to Ottawa. The Avalanche are allowing 3.36 goals per game, so expect Duchene to do some damage right off the bat in the first leg of a Stockholm-based back-to-back. His price is likely to rise now that he's surrounded by better teammates, so this is the time to use Duchene.
CENTER TO AVOID
Sidney Crosby, PIT at WAS ($33): You can't trust Crosby until he shows signs of breaking out of his current slump. After failing to fire a shot or get on the scoresheet while posting a minus-1 rating Tuesday against Arizona, Crosby's now gone nine games without a goal while compiling only three assists in that stretch and his season rating is an abysmal minus-12. The Capitals are much better than the Coyotes defensively, so expect them to hold Crosby in check as well.
WINGS
Kyle Connor, WPG at VGK ($16): Connor and Bryan Little ($12) are the only members of Winnipeg's stacked top-six forward group priced under $20. While Little's recent slump justifies his reduced price, Connor's level has fit right in with the talent around him. The 2015 first-rounder has produced three goals, seven points and a plus-5 rating while averaging 18:35 of ice time per game in his nine appearances this season and has an excellent chance to add to those totals against a Golden Knights team that's starting AHL-caliber goaltender Maxime Lagace after getting bitten by the injury bug in net.
Josh Bailey, NYI at DAL ($19): Bailey's tied with linemate John Tavares ($28) for the team lead with 18 points in 15 games, and his team-leading plus-8 rating in that span dwarfs Tavares' plus-2 mark. The veteran forward is significantly underpriced given his level of play so far in his age-28 season, making him a tremendous value play against a Stars team that's trotting out struggling netminder Ben Bishop. In his past five appearances, Bishop's 1-3-0 with a 3.64 GAA and .887 save percentage.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Jeff Skinner, CAR at CLS ($22): While Bobrovsky's been slumping, he's still one of the toughest matchups in the league for opposing snipers. With just two assists, four blocks and a minus-3 rating to go with his seven goals, Skinner's nearly useless when he doesn't put the puck in the net.
Artemi Panarin, CLS vs. CAR ($23): With the league's eight best defensive teams so far all getting the night off, Carolina's 2.73 goals allowed per game represent the toughest mark any offense has to contend with. For this reason, Columbus' most expensive skater will be hard-pressed to live up to his price here. It doesn't help that Panarin hasn't lit the lamp against any opponent except the Rangers this season.
DEFENSEMEN
Marco Scandella, BUF vs. FLA ($12): With Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) listed as week-to-week, Scandella will have an extended opportunity to serve as the point man on Buffalo's top power-play unit. The oft-used blueliner has seen his ice time jump to almost 25 minutes per game in his team's first two contests sans Ristolainen, totaling a respectable five shots, three blocks and plus-1 rating. Scandella gets a golden opportunity here to add some offensive production with the extra man against a Panthers penalty kill that's been second-worst in the NHL at 73.2 percent.
Brad Hunt, VGK vs. WPG ($16): Hunt has shown himself to be a power-play specialist, snagging five of his seven points in eight games with the extra man. His skill set is perfectly tailored to excel in this matchup with a 26th-ranked Jets penalty kill that's operating at just 76.5 percent.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Erik Johnson, COL vs. OTT ($18): There's little reason to use Johnson over equally-priced teammate Tyson Barrie given the gulf in offensive capabilities between the two blueliners. Johnson has just four assists without a goal while Barrie has two goals and 12 helpers, but both carry serious rating downside against a heavily favored Senators team that just added Duchene to an offense that's already averaging 3.57 goals per game.
Torey Krug, BOS at TOR ($18): This one could get ugly for the Bruins, as goalie Tuukka Rask has allowed at least three goals in four of his past five starts while posting a save percentage better than .906 only once in that span. Krug's minus-8 rating is in jeopardy of sinking much lower against a Maple Leafs team that's scoring 3.76 goals per game, especially since Boston is yet to beat an Eastern Conference opponent.
