This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate features 10 games after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are a few substantial favorites to build around Thursday, led by the Blues in Montreal and Oilers at home against the Ducks. The second tier of favored teams includes the Rangers (vs. Detroit), Capitals (in Philadelphia) and Jets (vs. Seattle). Anaheim-Edmonton and Pittsburgh-Toronto are expected to be the highest-scoring games, coming in with over/unders of 6.5 goals.
GOALIES
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. DET ($6,900): Every once in a while you find a goalie with a bizarrely low valuation, and that's the case with Shesterkin here at just $6,900. The arguable Vezina Trophy front runner is 23-5-2 with a 2.05 GAA and .938 save percentage, and while the visiting Red Wings have some young talent, they're not playoff contenders.
Ville Husso, STL at MON ($8,600): Husso would be a strong play if he gets the nod against the league-worst Canadiens offense, while Jordan Binnington ($8,600) would be a riskier choice. Binnington has a 3.35 GAA and .898 save percentage, while Husso has earned at least an even split of playing time in net with a 1.85 GAA and .939 save percentage.
Ilya Samsonov, WAS at PHI ($8,200): Samsonov has sharpened his game lately, stopping 97 of 104 shots (.933 save percentage) en route to two wins in his last three starts. He should build on this recent success against a reeling Flyers team that's won just twice in its last 18 games.
Eric Comrie, WPG vs. SEA ($8,300): Connor Hellebuyck has been a workhorse in Winnipeg's net recently, but he might be due for a day off in this second leg of a back-to-back set. Comrie has played well when called upon, with a 4-2-1 record, 2.34 GAA and .920 save percentage. With some key members of Winnipeg's offense heating up lately (more on that below), Comrie should get plenty of support against a Kraken team that's been outscored 173-129 in its first 49 games.
Linus Ullmark, BOS at NYI ($7,400): Ullmark's an appealing value option behind the stout Boston defense against the offensively challenged Islanders. The Bruins have allowed just one goal over their last two games, while the Islanders have been outscored 14-6 over their last three games and are averaging just 2.42 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at PHI ($9,100): Ovechkin boosted his season line to 31-31-62 in 49 games with two goals Tuesday in Nashville, surpassing the 30-goal mark for the 16th time in 17 seasons. He should be worth paying up for and building around against an overmatched Flyers team that's giving up 3.40 goals per game.
Artemi Panarin, NYR vs. DET ($5,900): Panarin's a strong value play at just $5,900 given his explosive scoring ability. He has 52 points in 43 games and has posted multiple points in six of his last 10 appearances heading into this visit from a Red Wings team that's surrendering 3.46 goals per game.
Alex DeBrincat, CHI vs. CLS ($4,900): It's rare that a potential 50-goal scorer can be had for under $5,000, especially in a favorable home matchup. DeBrincat's 28 goals through 49 games have the former 41-goal scorer on pace to pot 47, while the visiting Blue Jackets are giving up 3.66 goals per game — third-most in the league.
Michael Bunting, TOR vs. PIT ($3,900): Locking in Bunting gives you exposure to the offensive upside of his linemates without having to commit $9,400 of cap space for Auston Matthews or $7,300 for Mitch Marner. Bunting has more than held his own on Toronto's top line recently, with a 6-2-8 line in his last seven games.
Elias Pettersson, VAN at SJ ($3,900): Pettersson's another established player who's available at a bargain valuation here. A slow start to the season has masked Pettersson's 7-3-10 line in the past 12 games, and the recent production should be sustainable for the career .84 point per game scorer (180 in 214).
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Blues at Canadiens
Robert Thomas (C - $3,900), Vladimir Tarasenko (W - $6,400), Pavel Buchnevich (W - $4,600)
The Blues' reasonably priced second line is set to dominate a Canadiens team that's allowing a league-high 3.98 goals per game. This trio combined for nine points in the Blues' last game. Tarasenko has 44 points in 43 games and four goals in his last three, Buchnevich is averaging a point per game in 41 and Thomas is just below that pace with 36 points in 40 appearances.
Oilers vs. Ducks
Connor McDavid (C - $9,300), Zach Hyman (W - $4,300), Jesse Puljujarvi (W - $4,200)
Edmonton's 3-0 with an 11-3 goal differential under new bench boss Jay Woodcroft, and the top line should continue to thrive against a Ducks team that's been outscored 10-5 over a pair of regulation losses since the All-Star break. McDavid's one of three players tied for the league lead with 66 points, and he has a 2-3-5 line and 12 shots in three games under Woodcroft. Over the same timeframe, Hyman has two goals on 11 shots and Puljujarvi's added a 1-1-2 line and 10 shots.
Jets vs. Kraken
Mark Scheifele (C - $6,400), Blake Wheeler (W - $5,200), Paul Stastny (W - $3,200)
Scheifele and Wheeler are two of the hottest scorers in hockey, and a Kraken team that's allowing 3.51 goals per game is unlikely to slow them down. The center has a 7-4-11 line over an active five-game goal streak, including a hat trick and a helper Wednesday against the Wild. Wheeler also had four points Wednesday, just two games after a five-point outburst against Nashville. Stastny lit the lamp against Minnesota, and he's a nice value play at $3,200 alongside his scorching linemates.
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Burns, SJ vs. VAN ($6,300): Burns is a stat-sheet stuffer, as he's totaled three-plus shots in five of his last six games and t least three blocks in four of those games as well. He's also the undisputed top point man on San Jose's power play with Erik Karlsson on IR following arm surgery. Three of Burns' last four points have come with the extra man, and his success in that situation should continue against a 70.2 percent Canucks penalty kill that's the most generous in the league.
John Carlson, WAS at PHI ($6,200): Carlson has a four-game point streak going, boosting his season line to 9-29-38 in 47 games, which is still a bit low by Carlson's lofty standards. He should continue to find success against the lowly Flyers, who have only two wins in their last 18 games.
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. OTT ($4,800): Dahlin has a three-game point streak going since the All-Star break, and he's on pace to surpass 50 points with an 8-23-31 line in 47 games. The 2018 first-overall pick should be one of the best players on the ice in a battle between two Atlantic Division foes that are once again bound for the lottery.
Justin Faulk, STL at MIN ($4,500): Faulk has a four-game point streak going and has augmented his point production with 11 shots and five blocks over that span. Don't expect the last-place Canadiens to cool him off.
