Spending lower in any daily fantasy lineup is a way to incorporate some diversity into your roster. In NHL DFS, there is typically more value in this strategy but also a good deal more risk. This is especially true on tonight's slate, where there are lots of lower-salaried plays. Plugging in these options will afford you more chances to play some studs, as well.
Friday night has just two late-night games. Let's search for value.
Alex Newhook, Center, Colorado Avalanche
FanDuel Salary: $3,800
The Colorado Avalanche is a worthwhile risk to take on Friday night against the Seattle Kraken. Alex Newhook is far from safe, but he is capable of coming through in this spot.
He played a little more than 10 minutes on Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks. There is just enough intrigue to try a player with an above-average shot and release. Newhook averages 2.67 shots per 20, which could be useful, and he has two real-world points so far in four games for Colorado.
Marcus Johansson, Wing, Seattle Kraken
FanDuel Salary: $3,900
This slate Is so tiny that Marcus Johansson has found his way into this piece.
Johansson has three real-world points in five games for Seattle this season. He is averaging 2.75 shots per night over his last four contests. Also, Seattle shoots the puck more at home with a rate of 31.5 shots per game. Johansson has a power-play goal and power-play assist. His value on the man advantage is a big reason why I'm into him tonight.
The talented Swede skates on the second line and should play good minutes on Friday night.
Nate Schmidt, Defenseman, Winnipeg Jets
FanDuel Salary: $4,100
The Winnipeg Jets' defenseman has found a nice niche role on the top-pairing at even strength alongside Josh Morrissey. Both are options at their $4,100 salary on Friday night, but Schmidt may have a bit more upside.
Schmidt has racked up three or more blocked shots in three of his past five games. The defenseman has 10 assists on the season. He has a team relative possession metric of +1.8% -- even after playing the Edmonton Oilers twice.
Schmidt is trusted in all situations on the ice, and he probably won't be as popular as Morrissey is.
Chris Wassel is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Chris Wassel also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username chriswassel. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.