This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
The NHL returned Thursday with 26 teams in action. The five who didn't play, plus lucky Columbus, are taking the ice Friday. Yes, there are three games on the slate, and here are my recommendations for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Robin Lehner, NYI vs. OTT ($7,500): Lehner has split starts with Thomas Greiss, but when Lehner's played recently, he's been stellar. The Swedish netminder has a 1.36 GAA and .948 save percentage over his last five starts. Ottawa is better offensive than defensively, but it has also gotten pretty lucky. The Senators have scored 2.88 goals per game on the road, but on only 27.8 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Brock Nelson, NYI vs. OTT ($5,200): Nelson has seen his role increase with John Tavares gone, as he's become one of the top-two centers for the Islanders and a key cog on the power play. In this role, he's contributed 12 goals and 11 assists through 35 games. The Senators rank last in the league in GAA (3.89) and shots allowed per game (37.7), both of which bode well for Nelson.
Henrik Borgstrom, FLA vs. MON ($3,300): Due to injuries at center, Borgstrom got called up and put into a top-six role with the Panthers. The 21-year-old first-round pick has notched two points in five games and he's getting power-play time as well. Carey Price is out, which means Antti Niemi is now the de facto starter for the Canadiens. He has a 4.14 GAA and .876 save percentage this season.
WING
Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA vs. MON ($7,100): Huberdeau has only nine goals, after scoring 27 last year, but he has 33 assists through 35 games. That includes 20 assists in his last 15 contests. As previously noted, Antti Niemi has a 4.14 GAA and .876 save percentage. The Habs also have the 24th-ranked penalty kill, and Huberdeau has 17 points with the extra man.
Jonathan Drouin, MON at FLA ($5,600): Let's double down on Jonathans! Brendan Gallagher is dealing with the flu, so Drouin may be the best healthy wing option from Montreal. The third-overall pick from 2013 has 30 points through 37 games, including nine on the power play. Florida, meanwhile, has a 3.49 GAA, bottom five in the NHL.
Anthony Beauvillier, NYI vs. OTT ($4,900): It's been a weird year for Beauvillier. He has only two assists, but 11 goals, after scoring 21 last year. The 21-year-old has started 61.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone as well, second most on the Islanders. Given that the Senators have a woeful 3.89 GAA and somehow a 4.76 road GAA, Beauvillier could easily add to his goal total and maybe even pick up a rare assist.
DEFENSE
Jeff Petry, MON at FLA ($4,600): The return of Shea Weber, if anything, has been a boon for Petry. Over his last 11 games he's tallied 10 points while putting 35 shots on net. As previously noted, the Panthers have a 3.49 GAA, and they have the 23rd-ranked penalty kill as well.
Ryan Pulock, NYI vs. OTT ($4,400): Pulock has picked up five points in his last four games, giving him 15 points on the season. However, he's put 75 shots on net and he has a 2.7 shooting percentage, which is likely to improve. It could easily improve against the Senators. After all, they do have that atrocious 4.76 road GAA.
