NHL first look: Game-by-game DFS breakdown for Feb. 19

There are only four games in the NHL Friday, so it’s a small player pool for DFS contests. Carolina is receiving the most chalk on the docket with the Flames and Canucks also short home favorites. While the Florida-Detroit matchup is the only game on the docket with an over/under total under 6, it’s important to note that the Panthers are also the second-largest favorite Friday.

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Chicago Blackhawks at Carolina Hurricanes (-200)

The Hurricanes are unbeaten in regulation on home ice and own the second best Corsi For percentage in the league. Carolina otherwise ranks middle of the pack in most other meaningful statistics — penalty-kill percentage, goals against and high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes — but a disappointing .899 team save percentage has made twins more difficult. Still, with a 10-3-1 record, and coming off a loss, the Hurricanes are a large favorite for a reason. As noted in this space before, it’s hard to pinpoint forward targets from Carolina because the Hurricanes roll out three balanced lines capable of contributing offensively. Dougie Hamilton could be a standalone option or stack addition. He’s a high-volume shooter with 10 points through 14 games and skates with the No. 1 power-play unit.

Challenge your hockey friends to find a bigger surprise to this point of the season than the Blackhawks’ success. Chicago is tied for first in the Central Division with a 9-5-4 record, has won three consecutive games and might have unearthed a No. 1 goalie in Kevin Lankinen. The 25-year-old Finn has come out of nowhere to post a 7-2-3 record with a .931 save percentage and 2.29 GAA. Of course, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat deserve oodles of praise, too. They’ve combined for 16 goals and 24 assists, and DeBrincat also missed four games. With Carolina’s suspect team defense and questionable goaltending in mind, Kane and DeBrincat are definitely in play. Additionally, Lankinen will likely face a lot of shots, so his fantasy point total could climb quickly.

Florida Panthers (-190) at Detroit Red Wings

Detroit has scored the second-fewest goals per 60 in the league while allowing a hefty 3.11 and sporting a 27th-ranked 73.1 penalty-kill percentage this season, so this is a favorable road set up for the Panthers. Florida enters with consecutive victories and a Central Division best 10-2-2 record. This is also the fifth meeting between the two clubs, and Florida enters with a 3-1 record against Detroit.

Jonathan Huberdeau deserves more attention than he receives. He leads the league with 5.16 points per 60 minutes this season with seven goals, 13 assists and nine power-play points through just 14 contests. For some reason, his salary isn’t through the roof at most DFS sites, either. Linemate Patric Hornqvist is also a stack option alongside Huberdeau, as the Finnish winger has only scored once through the past eight games and owns an unsustainably low 4.0 shooting percentage during the stretch. In a small player pool, stacking the entire top power-play unit is also in play because Aleksander Barkov also provides coverage of the Panthers’ other scoring line. As noted, Detroit’s penalty kill is vulnerable, and it could provide a differentiated lineup.

Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames (-121)

While there were 10 total goals in the first meeting between these two clubs, it will be interesting to see how Friday’s game plays out. Calgary has only allowed 14 five-on-five goals through its seven home games, whereas the Oilers have scored the second most goals and generated the second most high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes in the league this season, so there could be contrasting styles at play. However, the Flames have allowed eight goals through their past two contests and have been incredibly inconsistent en route to their current 8-7-1 record.

The Oilers might not be in the toughest spot, after all. Plus, Edmonton has scored three goals or more in each of its past 12 games and posted an impressive 8-4 record along the way. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combined for 13 goals and 33 assists during the stretch, as the league’s best one-two punch has been only been held off the scoresheet entirely once — Feb. 9 against Ottawa. The secondary scorers have also been solid. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kailer Yamamoto, Tyson Barrie, Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard are all also in play.

Winnipeg Jets at Vancouver Canucks (-117)

Vancouver has been a mess defensively this season with the second-most goals and third-most high-danger scoring chances allowed per hour, but the Canucks just went 2-1-1 with nine goals against during a four-game series against Calgary, so perhaps fortunes are changing. After all, Vancouver entered the noted four-game set with a five-game losing streak with 26 goals allowed and a minus-15 goal differential.

The Jets are in the midst of a mediocre stretch with an underwhelming 5-5-1 record while surrendering 13.38 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes at five-on-five. Netminder Connor Hellebuyck has done a respectable job in net during the stretch with a .914 save percentage and 2.77 GAA, considering the quality chances he’s facing night in, night out. Additionally, Winnipeg is still scoring, and Mark Scheifele is leading the way. The go-to center has found the scoresheet in all but two games this season and has racked up an impressive 22 points — eight goals — through 14 contests.