This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate includes eight 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
The two obvious teams to build around are the Panthers and Penguins, as they're both heavy home favorites in what should be high-scoring games. Pittsburgh's over/under of 6.5 goals against the Devils is tied with Wild-Maple Leafs for the second-highest, while Florida's game against the Blue Jackets comes with a gargantuan over/under of 6.5 goals. Most of the remainder of the slate is expected to be on the low-scoring side, as Capitals-Rangers (6.0) is the only other game that comes in with an over/under above 5.5.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at VAN ($8,200): The Flames are on fire, and I'm not talking about the logo on their jerseys. Calgary has won 10 consecutive games, and Marsktrom's been credited with eight of those wins. In those eight wins combined, Markstrom has allowed just 10 goals, and he shut out the Canucks over that stretch. He's as safe as it gets in net.
Linus Ullmark, BOS at SEA ($8,100): Ullmark has ceded the majority of playing time to Jeremy Swayman lately, but the former Sabres netminder could start to claw back a larger share of starts if he can string together a few strong performances in a row. He's already beaten the Kraken once this month, and Boston's sturdy defense should limit the quality opportunities for a Seattle offense that's averaging just 2.57 goals per game.
Tristan Jarry, PIT vs. NJ ($8,300): Jarry has scuffled a bit lately, dropping each of his past two starts. A visit from the Devils could help him get back on track, though, as Jarry figures to get plenty of goal support against the Metropolitan Division's cellar-dwellers. The last time he got into the win column was in New Jersey a week and a half ago; Jarry stopped 28 of 30 shots in that one.
James Reimer, SJ vs. NYI ($7,600): The Islanders have the lowest-scoring offense in action Thursday, averaging just 2.50 goals per game. Reimer has struggled recently and is mired in a seven-game winless streak, but this visit from the feeble New York offense presents a great opportunity for the veteran Sharks netminder to bounce back.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Auston Matthews, TOR vs. MIN ($9,300): Matthews is capable of carrying your lineup on any given night. Just take Toronto's last game – the Maple Leafs fell 4-3 in overtime to Columbus, but that didn't stop Matthews from accumulating 42.3 fantasy points thanks to a goal, two assists and 11 shots on goal. He has top-six marks league-wide in goals (34), points (62) and shots (213) over 47 games.
Elias Lindholm, CGY at VAN ($6,900): Thatcher Demko can be a tough nut to crack, especially on home ice, but the red-hot Lindholm's certainly capable of solving the Vancouver goalie. Lindholm has been the second-biggest contributor to Calgary's 10-game winning streak after Markstrom, as the successful run has coincided with a 10-game point streak for the top-line center, who has also managed to light the lamp in each of the past eight contests.
Artemi Panarin, NYR vs. WAS ($5,900): Panarin's a bargain at just $5,900. He has a 4-15-19 line in his last 12 games, and such stretches aren't out of the ordinary for the Russian winger, who has 55 points in 45 games overall this season. Even against a tough Washington team, the potential reward outweighs the risk at this valuation.
Kevin Fiala, MIN at TOR ($5,400): This game's expected to feature plenty of offense, and Fiala's likely to get in on the fun given his recent success. He boasts a 13-11-24 line in the past 19 games and is showing no signs of slowing down, having accrued three goals, two assists and 12 shots in his last two contests.
Brock Nelson, NYI at SJ ($4,500): Nelson continues to carry the Islanders offensively, as his three-game goal streak has him up to 18 tallies in just 37 appearances. Given Reimer's recent struggles in San Jose's net, Nelson has a nice opportunity to extend his streak, during which he has also contributed an assist and 13 shots on goal.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Penguins vs. Devils
Sidney Crosby (C - $7,500), Jake Guentzel (W - $7,600), Bryan Rust (W - $7,800)
All three members of Pittsburgh's top line are comfortably above a point-per-game pace. In fact, Guentzel's average of 1.13 points per game is the lowest of the three, and he still ranks in the top 25 league-wide in that measure. Stacking this entire trio will limit your spending ability elsewhere, but it could be worth it considering New Jersey's allowing 3.56 goals per game – fifth-most in the league.
Panthers vs. Blue Jackets
Anton Lundell (C - $3,600), Sam Reinhart (W - $5,000), Mason Marchment (W - $4,500)
Whether you use these guys in tandem with some pricer teammates or opt to spend big on skaters from other teams, Florida's productive third line should provide excellent bang for the buck against a Blue Jackets team that's giving up 3.64 goals per game. Reinhart's often overlooked given the Panthers' wealth of scoring threats, but he's averaging over a point per game this season and has a 6-6-12 line during his active seven-game point streak. Marchment often stirs the pot physically, but he has plenty of scoring touch, too, as evidenced by his 9-7-16 line over the past nine games. Lundell's enjoying a fine rookie season, and his 11-24-35 output through 47 games includes a 2-9-11 line over the past nine.
Bruins at Kraken
Patrice Bergeron (C - $7,100), David Pastrnak (W - $8,400), Brad Marchand (W - $7,700)
Boston's top-line trio will finally be reunited, as Marchand's six-game suspension has expired just in time to beat up on the porous Kraken defense – 3.57 goals allowed per game. Despite dressing for just 39 games, Marchand's 21-28-49 line has him tied with David Pastrnak for the team points lead, though Pasta leads the Bruins with 27 goals in 50 games, including three over the last two contests. Bergeron has chipped in a 13-24-37 line over 46 contests.
DEFENSEMEN
Kris Letang, PIT vs. NJ ($7,000): Letang's an integral part of any Penguins stack. He has a 6-41-47 line in 48 games, putting him just shy of a point-per-game pace despite a 4.5 shooting percentage that's his lowest since 2017-18. Facing a New Jersey team that's without its top two goalies from the start of the season offers a nice opportunity to bring that puck luck up a bit.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA vs. CLS ($6,800): Figuring out which Florida forwards to lock in can be tough, but the choice is much simpler on the blue line. Paying up for Ekblad has certainly been worth it lately, as he has a six-game point streak and four-game goal streak rolling, producing a 4-3-7 line over the latter stretch. He's unlikely to cool down in this highly favorable matchup.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at NSH ($4,300): Heiskanen's heating back up after a quiet stretch, with an assist, 11 shots on goal and three blocked shots in his last two games. The solid two-way defenseman has topped 24 minutes of ice time in each of the past seven games and should continue to carry a heavy load against a Nashville team that Dallas is trying to chase down for a playoff spot in the Central Division.
Alexandre Carrier, NSH vs. DAL ($3,500): Carrier's not normally a big contributor on offense, but he has quietly managed to mark the scoresheet in five of his last seven games. If you're looking to save some money on the blue line, he could be worth a flier at $3,500 against a Stars team that's playing its second game in as many nights.
