This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
After a day off for Thanksgiving, we have a boatload of games Friday night, and that means there's a lot of value to be found out there for the savvy GM.
GOALIE
Petr Mrazek, DET vs. EDM ($36) - Mrazek isn't the cheapest goalie around Friday, but he's in a good situation. He's been playing well, Detroit is reasonably healthy and is at home. Meanwhile, Edmonton is at the bottom of the Western Conference and holds the league's worst road record. The Oilers can score, but their offensive depth is shallow. To boot, they're now without Nail Yakupov, who was injured last game shortly after snapping himself out of a scoring slump. They're also without Connor McDavid and Rob Klinkhammer. They're dangerous, but they're shorthanded. The side factors are in Mrazek's favor.
Goalie to Avoid:
Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT at CBJ ($33) - The price is right on Fleury, and he's had a decent season, but there's a bit of a trap built into rostering him. He's had four bad starts in a row and is playing the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets. However, it's a rivalry game, it's in Columbus, and Columbus has been much better recently than its stats on the season show. It's not as much of a gimme as it might seem. Fleury could perform well, but there are a lot of factors that could flip the script on you.
CENTER
Sidney Crosby, PIT at CBJ ($21) - For the price of admission, Crosby might be worth it. His value is depressed because of a slow start to the season. However, he is on a three-game point streak, over which he has three goals, an assist and an average of four shots per game. We all knew that the slow start wouldn't last. This might be that sweet spot where he's back on track, but his price tag is still pretty low.
Center to Avoid:
Leon Draisaitl, EDM at DET ($22) - Draisaitl's fun to watch, and he's been a killer. But the bottom is going to fall out. It might not be Friday, but it's time to start being a little wary of Draisaitl. His 17 points in 12 games is incredible, but it's not going to last, particularly for a rookie who has seven goals with a 26.9 shooting percentage. That shooting percentage is unsustainable, so even if you believed that he'll average more than a point per game this season, he has to take more shots or the goal total is going to fall. He costs more than Crosby and, like we knew that Crosby would rebound, Draisaitl will fall back to earth. At this price, it's worth being wary.
WING
Evander Kane, BUF vs. CAR ($14) - You're getting a lot of bang for your buck by grabbing Kane at this price. He's needed a little time to adjust after coming back from injury, but even with that time he's put up 15 shots in four games and finally grabbed his first goal since returning in his last game. He has loads of talent and may finally be settling in. At $14, he could be a low-cost steal.
Radim Vrbata, VAN at DAL ($20) - Vrbata is finding himself after a glacial start to the year. He has three goals and an assist in his last three games, averaging four shots per game in his last seven games. His 83 shots on the season ranks eighth in the league. There's more than meets the eye with Vrbata.
Wings to Avoid:
Max Domi, ARI vs. CGY ( $18) - The 20-year-old Domi has been inconsistent and there's a feeling that he's bouncing back toward that season-opening hot streak. But his ice time has fallen a bit, he's without a goal in five games and while he has three assists in those games, he's averaging just one shot per game in that stretch and didn't manage to take a shot at all in his last two games. He's going to be a great player, but his streaky production is driving his price up and ignoring the fact that his underlying numbers indicate that he's maybe not worth rostering at this price point.
Chris Kunitz, PIT at CBJ ($14) - Kunitz simply isn't producing enough to be trusted this year, no matter who his linemates are. He has no assists on the season and just one goal in his last 10 games. Even at this bargain basement price, he's not worth it. There are just better deals and better bets at $14, like Evander Kane.
DEFENSEMEN
Justin Faulk CAR at BUF ($22) - There aren't many defensemen who have been hotter than Faulk. He's the third-highest priced defenseman, but if you're looking to spend on a top guy, he's a big financial step down from John Klingberg's $26. He's on a seven-game point streak and is the owner of a league-leading eight power-play goals. He's as hot as any defenseman in the league.
Defensemen to Avoid:
Travis Hamonic, NYI at FLA ($17) - Hamonic is getting a lot of attention with all the trade rumors circulating and he's put together a nice stretch of games with a three-game point streak and a good number of shots. But it's consistency and price that are worrying here. For this price there are defensemen whose MO is offensive play. Hamonic is the opposite, riding a hot stretch.
Mark Giordano, CGY at ARI ($20) - Giordano hasn't been able to approach last year's impressive totals. He's without a point in nine straight and hasn't put up many shots. He's providing some blocked shots, but that's largely because Calgary is giving up so many shots and it's coming at the expense of his plus/minus.
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