The NHL is back in full swing following the All-Star break and the stretch run to the postseason is underway! With the entire league having returned to action this weekend, the best part of the hockey calendar is right ahead of us.

We don’t exactly have a heavy NHL slate ahead of us on this Friday evening with four games on tap, but some of the league’s best are in action. The Toronto Maple Leafs return from the break to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets, the New York Rangers — with Vladimir Tarasenko in tow — host the Seattle Kraken, and Sidney Crosby and the Penguins travel to Anaheim to take on the Ducks. Oh, and the Arizona Coyotes visit the Chicago Blackhawks in a ‘fall hard for Bedard’ preview.

Let’s dive in and check out the top picks on this slate!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

John Tavares (C – Maple Leafs): $7,500

Auston Matthews remains out of the lineup which means John Tavares is the top center on the Maple Leafs these days and could very well be the top-scoring pivot on this slate as the Leafs head to Columbus for an appetizing matchup with the Blue Jackets.

The Leafs tend to play down to their opponents on occasion, but the Jackets are the NHL’s worst team by both points and points percentage while sitting 30th in overall defense. They’re also tied with the Sharks for last place in terms of home defense where they allow 3.96 goals per game. Finally, they sit 31st in shot attempts against per 60 minutes of five-on-five action, giving Tavares plenty of runway to get pucks on goal in this one.

The 32-year-old has collected 21 goals and 50 points in 51 games while averaging 3.58 shots on goal per game. He’s notched a goal and six points over his last five games and has averaged a hefty five shots per game during that time.

This seems to be a matchup where fading Tavares could put you in trouble, especially in cash games.

Patrick Kane (RW – Blackhawks): $6,300

It seems the hockey universe has lost its faith in Patrick Kane. You know, the future Hall of Famer who has won three cups and posted 92 points across 78 games on a brutal Blackhawks offense last season. The same Patrick Kane that has notched a goal and five points over his last four games.

Yes, this Blackhawks offense remains very poor. Kane has collected just nine goals and 35 points in 46 games along the way. However, he’s also averaging 3.35 points per game on the season with a 5.8% shooting rate that is roughly half his 11.4% career mark.

Fortunately for Kane, tonight’s matchup is favorable. The Coyotes aren’t a complete dumpster fire defensively, but sit 21st overall and 26th in shot attempts against per 60 at 5v5. They also sit 28th in expected goals against per 60 at 5v5. This is not a good defensive team.

At this price, Kane’s value is through the roof at DraftKings.

Morgan Rielly (D – Maple Leafs): $4,800

I really like Kris Letang as he’s rejuvenated and playing his best hockey of the season, but Morgan Rielly at this price — and in this matchup — is too good to pass up on. His value is sky-high at DraftKings and should certainly slide in with Tavares as part of a Leafs stack tonight in Ohio.

With just one goal on 69 shots, Rielly’s 1.4% shooting rate is not only tiny by all accounts but well below his 4.7% career mark. Despite the poor puck luck, he’s tallied 23 points in 37 games and is the lone rear guard on the Maple Leafs’ top power-play unit, a group that sits fifth in the NHL at 28.4%.

Rielly’s lone goal on the season came just two games ago against Washington. He went on to add an assist in the club’s final pre-All-Star break game against the rival Bruins. He’s going to score more goals moving forward (it’s a certainty), and this matchup provides an ideal scenario to do just that.

The value upside is just too good given the matchup in Columbus.

Casey DeSmith (G – Penguins): $8,200

DeSmith continues to log plenty of starts in the absence of Tristan Jarry and he has a fine matchup on his hands tonight in Orange County.

The Penguins absolutely need to take advantage of this one as they are battling for Wild Card positioning right now in the east and they’re a healthy bunch. There’s no excuse for this offense not to beat up on an exceedingly weak Ducks back end which should, in turn, provide DeSmith with a clear path to a win should he make the stops he should make.

After all, the Ducks sit dead last — by a country mile — with just 2.35 goals per game on the season. The second-worst offense is Chicago at 2.64 goals per game. Anaheim’s power play sits 30th with a 13.5% clip on the campaign.

For his part, DeSMith owns a 3.23 goals-against average and .905 save percentage on the season. That is not great, of course, but it doesn’t matter. Not in this matchup. He’s the clear-cut top goaltending option on this slate and has solid shutout upside in this matchup.

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Evgeni Malkin (C – Penguins): $7,400

Stacking the Penguins is always a decision as it’s tough to get both Crosby and Evgeni Malkin into the same lineup, but in this case, it’s Malkin holding the superior value as he’s $1,100 cheaper than Crosby at FanDuel.

I mean, either or both centers could go off at any time, especially in this matchup. The big Russian didn’t skip a beat during the break as he returned with a two-assist effort with four shots on Tuesday, giving him three goals and eight points over his last four games. There’s nothing wrong with riding the hot hand.

He’s now up to 52 points across 50 games on the season following a fairly slow start. He’s just a hair below three shots per game. At 36, he might not be in his prime but he’s still very, very good. The price and matchup warrant strong consideration on this short slate.

Michael Bunting (LW – Maple Leafs): $6,000

Michael Bunting‘s price at FanDuel is solid as he could very well make for a nice stack alongside Tavares and Rielly. Leaving either William Nylander or Mitch Marner out is a decision but that’s why they invented four-man stacks, right?

Bunting will skate to Tavares’ left at even strength while he gets the power-play spot vacated by Auston Matthews. At $6,000 against a poor Columbus defense, what’s not to like?

Bunting has notched 15 goals and 35 points in 52 games on the season after a 23-goal, 63-point rookie season last year. Skating with Matthews helps inflate those numbers but he and Tavares should be able to team up for plenty of damage in this one.

Sometimes you just have to take what the sites are giving you and $6,000 is a nice price for the Leafs’ top left-winger.

Kris Letang (D – Penguins): $6,500

Okay, now to Letang.

I mean, he’s a fine play at both sites but I just love the inspired hockey he’s playing in what has been a difficult season both on and off the ice.

He’s dealt with the death of his father and more injuries this season. Through it, he’s tallied just five goals and 21 points in 33 games, a far cry from his standard after notching 68 points in 78 games a season ago. That said, he recorded two goals and four points in his return to the lineup following a months-long absence on Jan. 24 and bagged the OT winner in his return from the All-Star break on Tuesday. He’s put 15 shots on goal over his last four games with another 10 blocks in that time.

In short, it appears he’s rounding into form as a cross-category fantasy beast. The matchup doesn’t hurt, either.

Ilya Samsonov (G – Maple Leafs): $8,200

I still remain adamant that DeSmith is the top goalie on the slate, but if for some reason you don’t like him — even at $700 cheaper than Samsonov at FanDuel — Samsonov should fare well in his matchup tonight.

One thing I don’t like about the Leafs’ top goaltender is his home/road splits. He’s dominated to the tune of a 15-2-1 record alongside a 2.07 GAA and .924 Sv% across 18 home games and owns a 3.29 GAA, .889 Sv%, and 2-4-1 record across seven road outings.

However, a matchup with the NHL’s 23rd-ranked offense should help. The Jackets are also tied for 25th in power play efficiency. Add in the run support Samsonov should get from his well-rested offense and he should be off and running out of the gate in the season’s second half.

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

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