The NHL playoffs are in full swing, as the first round moves on with a juicy four-game slate on Friday night. The Vegas Golden Knights just wrapped up their series with a resounding 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night, but there are still seven series underway with plenty of entertainment and DFS value to target. Carolina, Boston, and Dallas will all attempt to close out the series on the road o Friday night. At the same time, the Seattle Kraken are seeking their second postseason win at home to knock off the defending champion Colorado Avalanche.

Tuesday’s recommended picks were solid overall. Roope Hintz (C – Stars) didn’t disappoint as the premiere blue-chip prospect in lineups, netting three assists during the Stars’ 4-0 rout of the Wild. Unfortunately, that meant John Klingberg (D – Wild) and Mats Zuccarello (RW – Wild) wound up without a point, but on the plus side, goaltender Jake Oettinger (G – Stars) recorded 27 saves and his first shutout of the 2023 playoffs. Moving onto the New York Islanders, who salvaged their series with a 3-2 win on the road against Carolina, Ilya Sorokin (G – Islanders) had his best outing of the series, recording 34 saves against 36 shots. Lastly, Kevin Fiala (LW – Kings) and Anze Kopitar (C – Kings) each logged an assist during Los Angeles’ 6-3 loss, while Evan Bouchard (D – Oilers) extended his point streak with an assist for the Oilers.

Four games on the slate mean we have many options when setting lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. So I’ve dug into the Friday night slate and identified eight of my favorite prospects to target to cash contests and start the weekend with some cash in our pocket. Good luck, and enjoy watching the chaos that unfolds on the ice!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Sam Bennett (C – Panthers): $5,100
Florida extended its series against Boston with a massive overtime road win in Game 5. Sam Bennett scored his third goal of the series and took three shots on goal, delivering 13 DK fantasy points. The second-line center consistently provides double-digit fantasy points during this playoff series against a formidable opponent. With the urgent need to keep up with the Bruins to reach Game 7, expect Bennett to continue his point streak, which he’s hit in four consecutive games. He’s a value addition into lineups at a meager $5,100 salary, so plug Bennett into lineups with hesitation.

Brad Marchand (LW – Bruins): $6,500
Brad Marchand scored a goal or an assist during every game against Florida, showing poise and offering experience from previous playoff runs, including the Stanley Cup win back in 2011. Marchand is a value at $6,500 on DraftKings, as he just racked up a two-point outing in Game 5 while attempting three to five shots on goal. We’re landing a floor and the potential to hit over 20 DK points again on Friday night against spotty goaltending from the Panthers, which makes Marchand a rare blue-chip value prospect to target.

Devon Toews (D – Avalanche): $5,500
Colorado is on the brink of elimination, heading up to Seattle for Game 6 on Friday night, but Devon Toews will continue to make his presence felt on the ice. The Avs’ defenseman has played a solid series, notching one goal and four assists, despite being a low-volume shooter in the offensive zone. He has a low floor, but the ceiling is intact based on his ability to generate scoring possessions, so at $5,500, let’s insert Toews into lineups against the Kraken.

Ilya Sorokin (G – Islanders): $8,000
I’m running back to Ilya Sorokin after he proved me right with a stellar performance in the crease against Carolina in Game 5. Unfortunately, he’s returning to his standard salary pricing after a great outing. However, Sorokin is still worth spending up to acquire in DFS, as he’s been the focal point of the Islanders’ success for most of the season. With another elimination game, I expect Sorokin to return value this time at home and will ultimately force a Game 7 back in Carolina.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Sebastian Aho (C – Hurricanes): $6,500
Carolina’s scoring is led by Sebastian Aho, who has logged four points, including two goals, in the last two games that the Hurricanes have played against the New York Islanders. Aho is a good value at $6,500 on FanDuel, averaging 14.6 FPPG while giving DFS managers at least 14 fantasy points and upwards of 33.4 fantasy points per game during this series.

Kyle Palmieri (RW – Islanders): $6,200
New York’s second-line attack is arguably its most consistent force in the offensive zone. Kyle Palmieri benefits from skating alongside Pierre Engvall (LW – Islanders) and Brock Nelson (C – Islanders), recording an assist in Game 5 and logging two multi-point outings during Game 2 and Game 3. As a result, there’s a bit of risk baked in at $6,200 on FanDuel. However, Carolina is expected to roll Frederik Andersen (G – Hurricanes) into the crease tonight for the first time in the series, so he may be rusty, which means Palmieri could wind up with his third multi-point game on Friday night.

Dmitry Orlov (D – Bruins): $4,400
Dmitry Orlov has consistently contributed to Boston since joining the Bruins at the trade deadline. However, he saw his assist streak snap in Game 5 against Florida, so we’re landing a discount on Orlov’s salary at $4,400. Orlov can be a high-volume shooter, although it fluctuates, plus he’s usually suitable for a couple of blocked shots, creating a stable floor of around 10 FPPG.

Philipp Grubauer (G – Kraken): $7,400
Philipp Grubauer is among the cheapest goaltending options on Friday’s slate, so we need to pounce on his value. Grubauer has shown up against Colorado in a big way during this series, allowing five combined goals during the three wins he’s earned as a starter through five games. After surrendering eight goals, resulting in consecutive losses for the Kraken in Game 2 and Game 3, Grubauer has elevated his level of play, fueled by an improved Kraken defense, so despite being a home underdog, Grubauer is set up nicely to close out the series in front of a raucous home crowd on Friday night.