Yahoo DFS Hockey: Friday Picks

NHL action returns Friday with a 14-game slate starting at 1:00 PM Eastern time after taking Thursday off for American Thanksgiving. Read on to find out which players are primed for strong performances and which you'll be thankful for benching…

GOALIE

Malcolm Subban, VGK vs. SJ ($34): Subban has lived up to his top prospect hype since returning from injury, posting two wins with a 2.06 GAA and .936 save percentage in three appearances. He'll have another great chance to get in the win column for the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights with a home matchup against a Sharks team that's scoring the fourth-fewest goals per game at just 2.45.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Pekka Rinne, NSH at STL ($37): Rinne's lived up to his lofty price with wins in seven of his past eight starts, but he should still be avoided in this road matchup with an elite Blues team. Between a 16-5-1 record and average of 3.45 goals per game, St. Louis has been a nightmare matchup for goalies.

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CENTER

Adrian Kempe, LA at ARI ($13): Kempe has played well above his $13 price in his past 16 games, posting seven goals, 13 points and a plus-13 rating. The 2014 first-rounder is the
epitome of a low-risk, high-reward play at this price against an awful Coyotes club that's allowing a league-high 3.67 goals per game.

CENTER TO AVOID

Nicklas Backstrom, WAS vs. TB ($23): Backstrom has gone 16 games without a goal while dishing out just five helpers over that span. In 22 games overall, he's fired one or fewer shots on goal 12 times, so Backstrom's unlikely to contribute in that category, either. Don't expect an improvement in form against a Lightning team that's allowing the fourth-fewest goals per game at 2.52.

WINGS

Michael Cammalleri, EDM at BUF ($10): Cammalleri was brought in to provide some secondary scoring for the top-heavy Oilers and he's starting to look more comfortable after notching his first point in his fourth game with his new club. The veteran sniper has topped 40 points in every season during which he's suited up for at least 63 games, so he's likely to pick up the scoring pace. This matchup with a Sabres team that's allowing the second-most goals per game at 3.55 provides the perfect opportunity for Cammalleri to get on the scoresheet, making him a strong value pick at the minimum $10 price.

Jamie Benn, DAL vs. CGY ($24): Benn's available for cheaper than usual at just $24, creating a tremendous buy-low opportunity in this matchup with a Flames team that's killing off penalties at a league-worst 72.6 percent rate. Working with fellow elite power-play weapons Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov and John Klingberg has allowed Benn to rack up four goals and eight points with the extra man, plus he's been no slouch while skating alongside Radulov on the top line at even strength given Benn's overall totals of 11 goals and 21 points in 22 games.

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WINGS TO AVOID

Joe Pavelski, SJ at VGK ($22): Pavelski's average of 5.6 fantasy points per game is the lowest among wingers priced at $19 or higher, as the 33-year-old veteran has experienced a major downturn in production with just nine points in 20 games. Given Subban's aforementioned success in net, Pavelski will have a hard time getting on the scoresheet here.

Phil Kessel, PIT at BOS ($27): Kessel has been tremendous with the extra man, as 14 of his 26 points this season have come on the power play. Succeeding in such situations will be tough against a Boston team that's killing off penalties at a fourth-ranked rate of 84.8 percent, so Kessel is unlikely to live up to his price as the fourth-most expensive winger in this slate.

DEFENSEMEN

Nick Leddy, NYI at PHI ($18): Leddy's been terrific over his past five games, posting two goals and six assists in that stretch. The 26-year-old blueliner has seen his point total rise in each of the past four seasons and is on pace for another career year with 17 points in 21 games. New York's first-unit point man will have a great chance to contribute on the power play against a Flyers team that's killing penalties at the league's fourth-worst rate of 75.0 percent, and Leddy's a strong value play overall considering his average of 8.1 fantasy points per game is tops among defensemen priced at $22 and under.

Damon Severson, NJ vs. VAN ($12): Coach John Hynes has expanded Severson's role of late, trusting him with over 22 minutes of ice time per contest over the past five. The 23-year-old blueliner has flashed some offensive upside with 38 points in 100 appearances since the start of last season, and he's earned additional minutes through defensive improvement, posting a plus-1 rating so far after finishing 2016-17 at minus-31. Severson's also averaging a career-high 2.0 shots per game, so his offensive ability is sneaky-good for a $12 defenseman. That ability and recent uptick in role should translate into fantasy success against a Canucks team that's allowing 3.43 goals per game over its last seven.

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI vs. LA ($19): Ekman-Larsson's heated up offensively with a three-game point streak, but maintaining that momentum will be difficult against Los Angeles. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick sports a solid 2.44 GAA and .926 save percentage, and the team ranks second in the league with a penalty kill that's been effective 89.3 percent of the time. Ekman-Larsson has scored 22 of his 36 goals since the start of 2015-16 on the power play, and his minus-15 rating this season suggests the Swedish blueliner comes with serious downside when he's not clicking offensively.

Dustin Byfuglien, WPG at ANH ($22): The 32-year-old Byfuglien is clearly experiencing some age-related decline in ability, as he still doesn't have a goal in 19 games and has been held without a point over his last six. Those offensive woes are unacceptable for a $22 defenseman that's averaging only 1.2 blocks per game, and a road tilt with a Ducks team that's allowing the 10th-fewest goals per game is far from the ideal situation to get off the schneid.