This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Friday's NHL slate features five games and begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time. With a few of the league's most vulnerable defensive teams in action, there's no shortage of enticing options to choose from. Additionally, certain guys stand out as players to avoid at their respective prices. Read on to see who falls into which category.
GOALIE
Mike Smith, CGY vs. ANH ($31): Smith has reclaimed the starting job from David Rittich, getting the nod in net for each of Calgary's past four games. The veteran netminder has posted a 3-0-1 record in those contests, holding three opponents to two goals apiece. Smith should build on his recent momentum in this home tilt against a feeble Ducks offense that ranks comfortably last with 2.23 goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Cam Ward, CHI vs. COL ($33): Ward is overpriced at $33 in a game that will likely feature plenty of offensive fireworks. While Chicago's resurgent offense has carried the former Hurricanes netminder to plenty of victories recently, Ward has allowed 13 goals over his past three starts to bring his season numbers to an uninspiring 3.69 GAA and .894 save percentage.
CENTER
Dylan Strome, CHI vs. COL ($19): Strome has racked up 20 points and a plus-10 rating over the past 12 games, displaying the skills that prompted Arizona to take him third overall in the 2015 draft before giving up on him too early. His emergence has helped propel Chicago back into the playoff picture in a Western Conference where just showing up to work can make any team a playoff contender. Just ask Colorado, which also finds itself in the thick of the playoff race despite winning just six of its last 25 games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Eric Staal, MIN at DET ($19): Staal dished out two assists Thursday against the Rangers, but he went nine games without a point prior to that outburst, so a repeat effort is unlikely here. It's also fair to expect his 34-year-old legs to be a step slow in this second leg of a back-to-back.
WINGS
Mikko Rantanen, COL at CHI ($29): Rantanen is one of five players across the NHL to rank in the top 10 in both goals (11) and points (26) on the power play. He gets an ideal opportunity to climb further up the extra-man leaderboard with this matchup against Chicago's league-worst, 73.5 percent penalty kill. The Blackhawks have hardly been any better defensively outside of shorthanded situations, letting up 3.70 goals per game.
Cam Atkinson, CLS at OTT ($26): Atkinson has been held to one point -- a goal -- over his past five games, but his 21 shots on net over that stretch suggest that these recent struggles are the result of poor luck rather than a decline in quality. The veteran sniper gets a great opportunity to turn his luck around against a Senators team that's allowing a league-high 3.72 goals per game and playing its second game in as many nights.
WINGS TO AVOID
Artemi Panarin, CLS at OTT ($26): The matchup looks ideal on paper, but some important externalities are likely to prevent Panarin from playing up to his potential in this one. The pending unrestricted free agent could be asked to sit out if a trade is imminent, and an illness that forced him out of Columbus' last game will likely limit the talented Russian's impact, even if it doesn't prevent him from suiting up.
Mark Stone, OTT vs. CLS ($23): Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel were all held out Thursday to preserve their health ahead of Monday's trade deadline. Expect all three potential rental options to sit this one out as well.
DEFENSEMEN
Mike Green, DET vs. MIN ($15): Green's stat totals look underwhelming this season, but that's only because he's missed significant time due to injury. His 23 points in 39 games translate to a 48-point, 82-game pace, and Green's rating (plus-6) hasn't been held back by playing for a Detroit team that's languishing near the bottom of the standings. Set to receive a visit from a Wild team that's won just twice in its last 11 games and is playing the second leg of a back-to-back, the veteran blueliner is primed to add to his solid per-game production.
Zach Werenski, CLS at OTT ($17): Werenski has eclipsed 24 minutes of ice time in each of his past two games, and his usage should tick up even further with Ryan Murray sidelined by an upper-body injury. The talented blueliner is eclipsing 0.5 points per game with 30 through 59 appearances this season, and his extended usage should turn into more production against a Senators team that's been dreadful when at full strength and is benching three of its most prominent players to boot.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Jacob Trouba, WPG at VGK ($20): Trouba's attempting to pick up the slack for the missing Dustin Byfuglien (lower body), but he simply lacks Byfuglien's offensive ability and is mired in a four-game point drought. Ending this slump won't be easy on the road against a Vegas club that's 17-9-4 on home ice this season.
Travis Hamonic, CGY vs. ANH ($17): Hamonic has two goals in his last three games, but don't let that small sample fool you into thinking he's a major scoring threat. Prior to these last three games, Hamonic had gone 15 without a goal, registering just one assist over that span. His defensive prowess gives Hamonic a high floor, but you'd like to see more offensive upside in this price range.
