Fantasy picks: Patrick Maroon thriving on top line

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 - Tyler Seguin, DAL ($7,500)
The Dallas Stars have been decimated by injuries and are underachieving in many areas this season, but a bright spot has been Seguin's good health and productivity. He has 14 points and 54 shots on goal in 13 games this season and seven points in as many road games. He has goals in each of his past two games with 11 SOG in that span, and faces the Edmonton Oilers, who have allowed three or more goals in four of their five games this month. Seguin can be easily stacked with affordable linemate Patrick Eaves (W, $5,000), who has points in three of his past four games.
C - Sam Reinhart, BUF ($4,600)
If Cory Schneider was in net for the New Jersey Devils, it would be wise to stay away from the Buffalo Sabres. But the Devils will start backup goalie Keith Kinkaid on Friday in Buffalo, and DFS owners should warm up to Reinhart, who scored 23 goals as a rookie last season. If Ryan O'Reilly is out again with injury, Reinhart will see big minutes as Buffalo's top-line center. He has three SOG in each of his past five games and four points in five home games this season.

W - Jakub Voracek, PHI ($6,600)
Voracek, priced eighth among wings, is worth drafting with such a high SOG volume (58, tied for second in NHL entering Thursday), including 48 in his past 10 games. He's playing on the Philadelphia Flyers second line and first power-play unit, and has 15 points (five on power play) in 14 games. He has back-to-back games with multiple assists and faces the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are allowing the sixth-most DraftKings points to opposing wings.
W - Patrick Maroon, EDM ($4,400)
Maroon has caught fire playing with Connor McDavid, combining for three goals, two assists and 11 SOG in his past four games. McDavid should continue to have his way against the depleted Stars, who are allowing the fifth-most goals per game (3.54) entering Thursday. Although it's likely Milan Lucic will eventually move back to McDavid's left wing, this is more than just a fluke for Maroon, who had 14 points in 16 games playing mostly with McDavid last season.

D - Drew Doughty, LAK ($5,200)
It will be a matchup of elite defensemen Friday when Doughty and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators square off. Doughty has responded from a four-game pointless streak with assists in back-to-back games to go with two blocked shots and six SOG in that span. Doughty is a logical DFS play priced tied for eighth among defensemen when he's averaging 3.4 DraftKings points per contest, tied for fourth at his position.
D - Oscar Klefbom, EDM ($3,900)
Klefbom brings exposure to McDavid at even strength and on the Oilers first power-play unit; he leads Edmonton with 21:49 per game, 2:12 on the power play. It's hard to believe with that degree of usage that he has three points in 14 games, but that could change very quickly. Klefbom has a favorable home draw against the Stars and is buzzing of late in DFS with 17 SOG and 13 blocks in his past five games.
G - Corey Crawford, CHI ($7,900)
Crawford should start Friday at home against the Washington Capitals, and has been his usual dominant self at United Center this season (4-1-1, .948 save percentage, two shutouts). The Capitals have plenty of offensive weapons but have struggled out of the gate with 2.75 goals per game (14th in NHL) after finishing second in that category last season (3.02). He's $200 cheaper than Oilers goalie Cam Talbot on this six-game slate, so spend up for Crawford and draft a Blackhawks skater or two.

G - Semyon Varlamov, COL ($7,500)
Varlamov faces the Winnipeg Jets for the second time this season; he allowed one goal on 21 shots faced in a 1-0 home loss Oct. 28. Varlamov has been shaky to say the least, but will be back in the crease for the second game of Colorado's four-game homestand. Calvin Pickard had been impressive prior to allowing four goals Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes, so the momentum shifts back to Varlamov against the Jets, who will be on the second game of a back-to-back. If you build a lineup without Jets skaters, Varlamov is a cheap, against-the-grain option who could exceed expectations any given night.
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