The NHL has decided to unleash the floodgates with its version of Black Friday, rewarding fans with a massive 14-game slate. Here, we’ll focus on the prime-time slate, which consists of eight matchups, as DraftKings and FanDuel segment out contests and tournaments based on various puck drop times throughout the day. The league is heating up with plenty of scoring, which happened during Tuesday’s reduced two-game slate.

My recommended picks from Tuesday were red-hot, notably if you opted to tail my Buffalo Sabres recommended players. Tage Thompson (C – Sabres) and Alex Tuch (RW – Sabres) combined for two goals and five assists between each other, while defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (D – Sabres) also scored a goal and notched two assists of his own, creating a massive output in terms of DFS production. Even Sabres goaltender Craig Anderson (G – Sabres) played well, blocking 29 of 31 shots against Montreal in a 7-2 rout. Adam Fox (D – Rangers) and Mika Zibanejad (C – Rangers) scored three assists for the New York Rangers, who wound up winning 5-3 with goaltender Igor Shesterkin (G – Rangers) recording 35 saves on 38 shots in the crease. Seven of my eight recommendations were on fire, while Montreal winger Brendan Gallagher (RW – Canadiens) was the lone dud.

Now is the time to do some holiday shopping, so to get the funds together, build your DFS lineups around these eight players that I’m targeting on DraftKings and FanDuel during Friday’s prime-time NHL slate. Let’s cash out and buy some cool gifts for the family!

Check out today’s One-Timer contest from FanDuel

Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Jack Hughes (C – Devils): $7,900
It’s always a good idea to roster players from the best teams on a big DFS slate. 21-year-old center Jack Hughes has been a pivotal piece to New Jersey’s red-hot start in 2022, racking up 21 points, including seven goals, in the first 20 games played. Hughes has two games in his past five matchups without a point, so there is some risk involved, but he delivers a massive ceiling during the games when he’s in a rhythm in the offensive zone. Hughes will face the Buffalo Sabres on the road Friday night, where veteran netminder Craig Anderson is expected to get the start in goal. Anderson has played well lately but he can quickly regress by allowing four or five goals in a game, so take the chance and plug in Hughes.

David Perron (LW – Red Wings): $6,000
David Perron has settled in nicely for Detroit this season. The veteran winger has scored 16 points, including six goals, with a current five-game point streak intact entering Friday’s home matchup against Arizona. Coyotes netminder Karel Vejmelka (G – Coyotes) is playing with some confidence after recording his second shutout of the season in his last start, but Vejmelka is volatile in the net at times. He’s surrendered four goals in consecutive starts before recording his second shutout, which makes Perron an intriguing winger to invest in at $6,000 on DraftKings.

Noah Dobson (D – Islanders): $6,100
The New York Islanders are the best team that no one is talking about. The Islanders are only six points behind New Jersey, sitting comfortably in second place within the Metropolitan Division, and get a plus-matchup against Columbus on the road Friday night. The Blue Jackets are 32nd in goals against this year, allowing 4.3 goals per game, which means defenseman Noah Dobson gains appeal in DFS lineups. The 22-year-old already has six goals, matching eight assists, while finishing with multi-point games in two of his past five starts. Dobson provides a nice floor with his high-shot volume and blocked shot volume while getting the best matchup in the league to net a point or two. Plug him in with confidence.

Ilya Sorokin (G – Islanders): $8,400
Sticking with the Islanders, pay up to land goaltender Ilya Sorokin on Friday’s slate. The 27-year-old netminder has only allowed two goals in his previous two starts combined, including a shutout with a ridiculous 49 saves against Edmonton on Wednesday. Goaltenders often make or break DFS lineups based on their ability to win and rack up saves, so look no further than Sorokin if he winds up getting the nod against the Blue Jackets on Friday night.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Jack Eichel (C – Golden Knights): $9,500
Jack Eichel’s journey has been a fascinating one. Leaving Buffalo for Vegas at the trade deadline last season, it took Eichel a bit to produce in his new sweater. This season, however, the 26-year-old center has been racking up production early, sitting with 26 points through 21 games played. Eichel has 11 goals and 15 assists, entering Friday’s home matchup against Seattle with a five-game point streak intact. He’s notched two double-digit point finishes during this streak, plus he’ll face Kraken netminder Martin Jones (G – Kraken), who just allowed San Jose to score five goals in an 8-5 win on Wednesday. Eichel should continue to deliver high-caliber production against Seattle.

Timo Meier (RW – Sharks): $8,200
As bad as San Jose’s record appears right now, Timo Meier is one of the few reliable options in its attack. The 26-year-old right winger leads the Sharks with 12 goals through 22 games and has a multi-game point streak entering Friday’s late puck drop at home against the Los Angeles Kings. Meier is fresh off of a hat trick performance in an 8-5 loss to Seattle on Wednesday. He attempts anywhere from three to nine shots on goal per game, while almost always finding his way into the point column. Pay up to land one of the most talented wingers on Friday’s prime-time slate.

Filip Hronek (D – Red Wings): $6,200
Paying up for a defenseman in DFS is worth the price hike if you’re rostering a consistent contributor on offense. Such is the case for Filip Hronek, who has five goals and three assists across his last five games played, notching at least one point during this streak. The 25-year-old defenseman has been a nice fit in Detroit since being drafted by the Red Wings back in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft. Hronek is pricey but he’s playing with momentum in the offensive zone while offering a high floor due to his role in the defensive zone.

Vitek Vanecek (G – Devils): $8,600
Vitek Vanecek came over from Washington and has helped propel New Jersey to the top of the league in 2022. The 26-year-old netminder is 9-2-1 as a starter for the Devils this season and has a 2.13 GAA with a .917 save percentage, which means he’s rock solid in the crease. Vanecek has allowed two or fewer goals in four consecutive starts with a 3-1 record, so against Buffalo on Friday night, he has a good chance to erase Wednesday’s loss from his mind by earning his fourth win since November 15th.