This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate features nine games after 7:00 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are plenty of heavy favorites to build around Thursday. The Hurricanes against Montreal, Panthers versus the Blackhawks, Avalanche against the Sharks and Flames versus the Kings are all expected to cruise to victory on home ice. Boston (vs. New Jersey) and Toronto (vs. Winnipeg) aren't too far behind as additional home favorites. Those last two games, as well as Sharks-Avalanche, come in with over/unders of 6.5 goals, but the slate-high mark belongs to Blackhawks-Panthers at 7.0.
GOALIES
Frederik Andersen, CAR vs. MON ($8,500): Andersen's a pricey but safe choice against a Canadiens offense that's averaging a league-low 2.55 goals per game. Andersen's 32-10-3 with a 2.05 GAA and .927 save percentage behind a stout Carolina defense that will likely keep Montreal's opportunities to a minimum.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. LA ($8,100): The Kings have exceeded expectations this year, but they're tired and beat up at the moment, battling myriad injuries heading into this second leg of a back-to-back. Markstrom should take this opportunity to build on his impressive 31-13-7 record, 2.16 GAA and .925 save percentage.
Jake Oettinger, DAL at ANH ($7,800): Oettinger will be looking to repeat his performance from Tuesday, when he held the Ducks to two goals on 28 shots in a 3-2 win to improve to 23-11-1 with a 2.49 GAA and .916 save percentage. Facing the same opponent in the same location two days later, Dallas' netminder should be well prepared for a game his team desperately needs. With the Stars in the thick of the playoff chase, expect maximum effort in front of Oettinger for this one.
Eric Comrie, WPG at TOR ($7,400): Comrie has been excellent when called upon, going 8-2-1 with a 2.39 GAA and .920 save percentage. He should get the nod after Connor Hellebuyck won in Buffalo on Wednesday, and Comrie will have some appeal as an against-the-grain bargain option against the explosive Toronto offense.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Sebastian Aho, CAR vs. MON ($6,400): Aho's available at a surprisingly nice value here at $6,400. He leads the Hurricanes in both goals (30) and points (66) through 64 appearances, and Aho is likely to add to his production against a Canadiens defense that's allowing 3.76 goals per game. Only idle Detroit gives up more.
Mitch Marner, TOR vs. WPG ($6,400): Grabbing both Auston Matthews ($9,300) and Marner is prohibitively expensive, but Marner should provide plenty of value on his own. The star winger has a 5-9-14 line over his last seven games and should continue to power Toronto's first line and top power-play unit against the tired Jets.
Evgeni Malkin, PIT at MIN ($6,200): Malkin has been dominant in his last five appearances, posting a 6-3-9 line in his last five games. Building on his recent success would feel extra sweet Thursday against former teammate Marc-Andre Fleury. Minnesota's defense has been stout lately, but Malkin has proven to be matchup-proof time and time again throughout his illustrious career.
Valeri Nichushkin, COL vs. SJ ($5,200): Nichushkin made sure the Avs didn't feel Nathan MacKinnon's (upper body) absence Tuesday in Calgary, scoring both of the team's goals in a narrow 2-1 win. With MacKinnon expected to rejoin the lineup, Nichushkin should go back to benefitting from all the open ice MacKinnon's gravity creates, as well as MacKinnon's playmaking ability. The most affordable member of Colorado's top line has been outstanding all season, with a 19-20-39 line in 49 games overall and a 5-3-8 line in his last seven.
Paul Stastny, WPG at TOR ($2,900): Stastny's bumped up to a top-six role with Kyle Connor in COVID-19 protocols, and the veteran forward has contributed an assist in each of the last two games. Given his prominent deployment in Winnipeg's top-heavy forward group, Stastny's a low-risk, high-reward play at just $2,900 against a Maple Leafs team that's missing top two goalies Jack Campbell (ribs) and Petr Mrazek (groin).
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Panthers vs. Blackhawks
Sam Bennett (C - $5,400), Jonathan Huberdeau (W - $6,800), Anthony Duclair (W - $4,800)
This one could get ugly for the visiting Blackhawks, as Chicago has allowed 11 goals in its last two games ahead of this road date with a league-best Florida offense that's averaging over four goals per game. Only Connor McDavid (100) and Leon Draisaitl (97) have more points than Huberdeau's 93, and the high-scoring Panthers winger isn't letting them pull away, as Huberdeau has a 4-5-9 line during his five-game point streak and 15 points in his last nine games. Bennett's coming off a three-point game, and his 26 goals are tied for second on the team, three back of Aleksander Barkov's team-leading total. Duclair is the man tied with Bennett, so this line has plenty of finishing ability to complement Huberdeau's exquisite passing skills.
Bruins vs. Devils
Erik Haula (C - $3,900), David Pastrnak (W - $7,700), Taylor Hall (W - $5,100)
Boston's second line has been productive lately, and it offers a nice mix of elite skill and affordability against a Devils team that's allowing 3.56 goals per game — fourth-most in the league. Pastrnak has a 5-2-7 line during his current three-have goal streak, raising his season output to 38-30-68. Haula has contributed a 1-6-7 line in his last four games, while Hall has contributed a 2-3-5 line in his last four.
Islanders vs. Blue Jackets
Brock Nelson (C - $6,300), Anders Lee (W - $4,900), Anthony Beauvillier (W - $3,400)
Those who locked this red-hot trio in when these two teams faced off Tuesday in Columbus came away happy, as they combined for a 2-3-5 line and nine shots. Expect another strong game in this rematch on Long Island against a Blue Jackets team that's giving up 3.70 goals per game. Nelson's goal and assist Tuesday boosted his line to 13-6-19 over the past 14 games, including a 5-4-9 output in the last five. Lee has an 11-9-20 line in his last 13 appearances, while Beauvillier has added 12 points in his last 13.
DEFENSEMEN
Devon Toews, COL vs. SJ ($5,800): At $2,000 less than Cale Makar, there's a good argument to be made that Toews offers better bang for the buck on Colorado's blue line. Offense should be plentiful for the Avs in this one, and Toews is a regular contributor on that end with a 12-37-49 line in 56 games. That production includes three assists, five shots and four blocks in the last two games, as Toews' two-way prowess has been on full display of late.
Tony DeAngelo, CAR vs. MON ($5,600): Offense should be plentiful for the Hurricanes in this one, and DeAngelo's one of the team's top weapons in the offensive zone. With a 10-33-43 line in 49 appearances, he's averaging 0.88 points per game, which is seventh in the league among blueliners who have appeared in at least five games.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS vs. NJ ($5,500): McAvoy has a 1-8-9 line in his last nine games, and he's produced double-digit fantasy points in seven of those while adding a steady diet of shots and blocks. Boston's top defenseman is reasonably priced at just $5,500 for this favorable matchup, making McAvoy a nice value.
Brandon Montour, FLA vs. CHI ($3,200): Montour has been noticeably more involved in the offense since Aaron Ekblad's lower-body injury, contributing a goal on 11 shots over the past three games. Locking him in at just $3,200 gives you more exposure to Florida's high-octane offense without having to commit much salary.
