Let’s take a look at Friday’s NHL Pick Six and the daily sleeper.
Left Wing – Zach Parise – Minnesota Wild
Don’t look now but the Wild are bona fide Stanley Cup contenders and one of the hottest teams in the league with seven wins in their last ten games. Parise is a big reason why with 29 goals and 26 assists including two goals and two assists in his last five games. The Wild host Calgary at 8 p.m. ET.
Center – Tyler Seguin – Dallas Stars
The red hot Stars have closed within five points of the final Western Conference playoff spot and have won eight out of their last ten games. Dallas is at the Edmonton Oilers with faceoff time set for 9:30 p.m. ET. Edmonton is the worst defensive team in the NHL and ranks 28th against the power play. Seguin has one goal and four assists in his last five games and is capable for more as evidenced by his season totals of 33 goals and 34 assists.
Right Wing – Jordan Eberle – Edmonton Oilers
Eberle is the Oilers top scorer with 21 goals and 38 assists and should make the scoresheet against a Dallas team notorious for its defensive weaknesses.
Defenseman – Ryan Suter – Minnesota Wild
Suter is proving his worth along with Parise as the tandem that broke the bank for huge contracts in the summer of 2012. Suter has two goals and 34 assists with a plus-seven on the season and has four assists with a plus-six in his last five games.
Defenseman – Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago hosts Columbus at 8:30 p.m. ET and is coming off a stink-bomb loss at Philadelphia. Keith should lead a rebound effort for the Hawks as one of the top defensemen in the game. Keith has eight goals, 34 assists, and is a plus-16 on the season.
Goalie – Devan Dubnyk – Minnesota Wild
Although it won’t happen, a compelling case can be made that Dubnyk is the most valuable player in the NHL. When he arrived the Wild were as good as dead, buried deep in the Western Conference standings and out of a playoff spot. Head coach Mike Yeo was considered a dead man coaching. But Dubnyk came to the rescue from a trade with Arizona to save the season. Dubnyk has a save percentage of .941 in 12 games this month and has six shutouts in 48 games started.
Sleeper – Patrick Eaves – Dallas Stars
Again we pick on Edmonton, this time with Eaves, who has four goals and three assists in 11 games this month with a plus-five.
