Fantasy picks: Eric Staal revitalized with Wild

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This list of targets includes expensive and value options at each position to help you build a winning roster.

C - Nicklas Backstrom, WSH ($6,100)
The Washington Capitals offense has gotten off to a slow start, but a game against the Carolina Hurricanes could get Alex Ovechkin and Backstrom going in no time. Ovechkin has 31 goals and 76 points in 65 games against them and Backstrom has 50 points in 45 games. Even with Washington on the second leg of a back-to-back set, this is a prime matchup considering Carolina has allowed 14 goals in four home games.
C - Eric Staal, MIN ($5,300)
Staal has looked resurgent under Minnesota Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, scoring 11 points with 34 shots on goal in 12 games (3.8 DraftKings points per game). Staal was dominant against the Pittsburgh Penguins' high-end centers with one goal, two assists and six SOG (10.0 DraftKings points) on Thursday, and will face the Philadelphia Flyers, who will be on short rest after playing Friday at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Staal can be stacked with linemate Charlie Coyle (W, $5,000) for an affordable rate.

W - Johnny Gaudreau, CGY ($6,600)
Gaudreau, tied for 13th among wings in DraftKings price, has points in two straight and broke out Thursday with two goals and six SOG at home against the Dallas Stars. The Calgary Flames wing has four points in as many career games against the New York Rangers, and Henrik Lundqvist is 1-2-0 with eight goals allowed in three road games. Gaudreau is always explosive at home; he has seven points in seven home games this season and had an NHL-best 56 points in 40 such games last season.
W - Nick Foligno, CBJ ($5,100)
Foligno and Alexander Wennberg are tied for the most productive power-play point pair in the NHL entering Friday; each has a point on five team power-play goals for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Foligno is looking more like the 73-point player of two seasons ago than the 37-point player of last season; he has 13 points (six power-play points) in 12 games with eight in six home games and is a good choice against the St. Louis Blues.

D - P.K. Subban, NSH ($6,100)
Subban has eight points in 13 games with strong DFS peripherals (30 blocks, 30 SOG), and has been at his best on home ice with five points in six games and 4.3 DraftKings points per game (compared to 3.3 on road). The Nashville Predators defenseman did not have a point Oct. 26 at the Anaheim Ducks, but more than salvaged his fantasy returns with four blocks and three SOG for 3.5 DraftKings points.
D - Brady Skjei, NYR ($3,400)
Skjei, priced $900 above the DraftKings minimum, is riding a six-game point streak (seven assists) with most of the damage coming at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers hit the road to face the Flames, who have allowed 27 goals in seven home games (tied for most in NHL). Skjei is logging 16:11 per game but 1:04 of it is coming with the man-advantage (two PPP). He's well worth a cheap DFS flier in the hope his streak continues.
G - Carey Price, MTL ($8,400)
There are a number of goalies with favorable matchups Saturday, so this is a night to spend up at the position for Price. The Montreal Canadiens goalie is 8-0-0 with a .957 save percentage and one shutout in eight home games this season, and the Detroit Red Wings have scored 13 regulation goals in six road games this season (T-25th in NHL). If backup Al Montoya ($7,900) gets the start, you know he'll be motivated to avenge that forgettable 10-0 loss to the Jackets.

G - Roberto Luongo, FLA ($7,700)
Speaking of teams having trouble scoring on the road, the New York Islanders have the fewest road goals in the NHL (seven in four games). Luongo, like Price, has been strong at home with a 4-2-0 mark and a .933 SV%. Luongo and the Florida Panthers have not played the Islanders since losing to them in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, so expect them to take care of business against their struggling opponent.
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