This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Friday's NHL slate features eight games and begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players should be targeted in this slate and which ones should be avoided based on a combination of production and matchup.
GOALIE
Laurent Brossoit, WPG at CHI ($32): Brossoit has been one of the league's best backups this season, with a 6-1-1 record, 2.27 GAA and .932 save percentage. He presided over a win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday and is likely to do so again here, as the Jets will be comfortable favorites against a Chicago team that's won just once in its past nine games.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jimmy Howard, DET vs. OTT ($33): It's hard to feel good about Howard at $33 against an Ottawa team that's almost as prolific offensively as it is leaky defensively. Howard's likely due for regression considering the 34-year-old currently has a .923 save percentage in 22 appearances after having failed to top .910 in a season with more than 26 appearances since 2012-13. Meanwhile, the Senators rank ninth offensively with 3.31 goals per game.
CENTER
Dylan Larkin, DET vs. OTT ($21): The Senators' productive offense is overshadowed by a league-worst defense that's surrendering 3.91 goals per game. Larkin has five goals, 11 points and 46 shots over the past 10 games, and he's likely to keep rolling in this favorable matchup. Remarkably, just of those points came on the power play with the Red Wings struggling mightily on the man advantage, but a date with a 72.8 percent Ottawa penalty kill that's second-worst in the league could be just what Detroit needs to get going with the extra man.
CENTER TO AVOID
Evgeni Malkin, PIT vs. BOS ($31): Malkin has been a liability over the past eight games, producing just a goal and two assists while posting a minus-10 rating and finishing with fewer than zero fantasy points in five of those contests. He's too good not to bounce back eventually, but that turnaround is unlikely to come against a Bruins team that's allowing 2.55 goals per game -- second-fewest in the league.
WINGS
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR vs. ARI ($15): Buchnevich was rolling prior to hurting his thumb, with two goals and two assists in his last three games before going down. The talented Russian's available at a discount in his first game back from injury, and he draws a favorable matchup against a Coyotes team that's missing starting netminder Antti Raanta (lower body) and playing its second game in as many nights. If you want to double dip on Rangers, the same strategy is also available for $14 top-six winger Mats Zuccarello, who is scheduled to return from a groin injury.
Max Pacioretty, VGK at NJ ($18): Pacioretty took a while to adjust to his new surroundings after coming over from Montreal, but he's making up for that slow start with an extended hot streak. Over the past 14 games, the power forward has eight goals and eight assists, including a trio of two-goal performances. Don't expect a Devils team that's giving up 3.59 goals per game -- fourth-most in the league -- to slow Patches down.
WINGS TO AVOID
Taylor Hall, NJ at VGK ($29): Between the difficulty of this matchup and the possibility of an injury, it's tough to justify spending $29 on Hall here. The red-got Golden Knights are 9-2-0 in their past 11 games, and Hall had his Thursday practice cut short for "precautionary reasons".
Jakub Vrana, WAS at CAR ($17): Washington's offense is very top-heavy with T.J. Oshie skating on the top line while Tom Wilson's sidelined by a concussion. Oshie's return from an injury of his own Tuesday reduced Vrana's temporarily inflated role, and Vrana responded by posting minus-1.1 fantasy points after racking up three goals and an assist over the previous three games. While Vrana should share the ice with talented center Evgeny Kuznetsov at even strength, the Czech winger hasn't eclipsed 15 minutes of ice time in seven games and doesn't have a spot on Washington's stacked No. 1 power-play unit.
DEFENSEMEN
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. PHI ($17): Nurse is expecting a bump in role with Oscar Klefbom and his 25:25 average ice time on injured reserve with a hand injury. He played 30:44 after Klefbom left early Tuesday, most notably moving up to Edmonton's top power-play unit. That move could prove very significant against a Flyers team that sports the league's most generous penalty kill at 72.4 percent.
Tyson Barrie, COL at STL ($21): Barrie can do it all on the back end, with 22 points and a plus-7 rating through 27 games. A Blues team that's getting outscored 3.31 to 2.83 on average this season is likely to leak some goals to Colorado's high-powered offense, so Barrie carries plenty of offensive upside in this matchup.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Neal Pionk, NYR vs. ARI ($15): Pionk has been extremely reliant on the power play for offense, with 11 of his 16 points coming with the extra man. Considering Arizona sports the league's stingiest penalty kill, Pionk's not an advisable option even with the Coyotes playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
Tyler Myers, WPG at CHI ($16): Myers has heated up recently with back-to-back two-point games, but he had just one goal and three assists over the previous 28 games. Even in a favorable matchup against the Blackhawks, the hulking blueliner is unlikely to keep up the recent offensive production.
