This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There are 10 NHL games on the schedule Thursday after 7:00 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below are pulled from DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are four significant favorites to build around Thursday: the Bruins vs. Detroit, Panthers in Philadelphia, Oilers in Chicago and Maple Leafs in San Jose. Every game on the schedule has an over/under of 6.5 goals except Jets-Kings, which comes in at 6.0.
GOALIES
Erik Kallgren, TOR at SJ ($8,200): Considering Kallgren's only previous appearance this season was a loss to the lowly Coyotes, it's hard to feel as confident about him as you would with starter Ilya Samsonov, but Toronto's backup should still find success in this cushy matchup. Kallgren will face a Sharks team that's off to a 2-7-0 start while averaging a league-low 1.89 goals per game.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at LA ($7,300): Hellebuyck's coming off a down year but has regained his Vezina-contender form, posting a 3-2-0 record, 2.20 GAA and .929 save percentage. In a game that's expected to feature fewer goals than any other Thursday, Hellebuyck's a nice value at his modest $7,300 valuation. The Kings are allowing 4.13 goals per game — sixth-most in the NHL — so Hellebuyck should get goal support, even from a lackluster Jets offense.
Thomas Greiss, STL at NSH ($7,000): Greiss will man the road crease as the Blues finish up a back-to-back set, and he should provide strong bang for the buck at $7,000. The German goalie made 39 saves in a losing effort in his Blues debut, but he could fare better against a Predators team that's gone winless in five games stateside after notching a pair of victories in Europe. Nashville's 2.29 goals per game is tied with idle Anaheim for second-fewest in the NHL.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Auston Matthews, TOR at SJ ($8,500): Matthews is off to a slow start with a 1-5-6 line through seven games, but he tends to accumulate goals in bunches, and it's likely just a matter of time before his next scoring binge begins. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 60 goals in 73 games last season while posting a 17.2 shooting percentage, so one goal on 33 shots is an unsustainably slow scoring pace for the star center. A matchup with the struggling Sharks could be just what Matthews needs to get rolling.
Timo Meier, SJ vs. TOR ($6,100): Speaking of snakebitten shooters, Meier has yet to light the lamp this season despite leading the league with 42 shots on goal. He scored 35 goals last season, and Meier's ability to generate chances could finally pay off against Kallgren.
Joe Pavelski, DAL vs. WAS ($5,800): Pavelski's showing no signs of slowing down at age 38. He had 81 points in 82 games last season and has chipped in a 4-3-7 line through seven games. The most affordable member of Dallas' top line should remain productive against a Capitals team that's allowing 3.43 goals per game — eighth-most in the NHL.
Shane Pinto, OTT vs. MIN ($3,900): Pinto's riding a five-game goal streak heading into this visit from a Wild team that's allowing 4.67 goals per game — second-most after idle Arizona. If you believe in riding the hot hand, the 21-year-old center's worth a look at his sub-$4,000 valuation.
Cole Perfetti, WPG at LA ($3,400): Like Pinto, Perfetti's a promising young forward on a hot streak. The 20-year-old has a 2-3-5 line during his current four-game point streak, showcasing the scoring ability that prompted the Jets to select him 10th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. A Kings team that's giving up over four goals per game will have a hard time slowing Perfetti down.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins vs. Red Wings
David Krejci (C - $5,800), David Pastrnak (W - $8,700), Taylor Hall (W - $4,800)
This line has been dominant for the Bruins, and that trend should persist in this Original Six matchup with a Red Wings team that last made the playoffs in 2015-16. Pastrnak has been as productive as anybody early on, compiling a 5-7-12 line and 40 shots through seven games. Krejci has chipped in a 2-6-8 line, and Hall's 4-2-6 line includes a 3-2-5 output during his current three-game goal streak.
Oilers at Blackhawks
Connor McDavid (C - $9,500), Zach Hyman (W - $5,700), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $5,100)
Edmonton's latest shakeup in lines has yielded this combination. McDavid's 5-6-11 line through seven games speaks for itself, but even if he's too pricey for your tastes, flanking the league's most productive center creates nice value opportunities for both of his wingers. Hyman notched career highs in goals (27) and points (54) in his first year with the Oilers, and he's picked up the pace this season with a 3-5-8 line through seven games. Nugent-Hopkins usually relies on the power play for much of his production while centering the third line at even strength, so moving up to the top line substantially raises the ceiling for the former No. 1 overall pick, who has earned the promotion with a 4-4-8 line across his last five games.
Kraken vs. Canucks
Matty Beniers (C - $4,200), Jaden Schwartz (W - $3,600), Jordan Eberle (W - $3,200)
Thursday's slate features no shortage of stars in favorable matchups, and the way to fit as many of those as possible in your lineup is by finding value elsewhere. Seattle's top line should provide that at home against a Canucks team that's allowing 4.29 goals per game en route to a 0-5-2 start. Beniers and Schwartz have posted identical 3-3-6 lines through eight games, while Eberle's tied for the team lead with four assists.
DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. MON ($7,500): Dahlin had his season-opening goal streak snapped at five, but he picked up a helper and thus has a point in every game en route to a 5-4-9 line through six games. This elite level of production could be the new normal for the former No. 1 overall pick, and Dahlin should continue rolling against a Canadiens team that's dropped both of its road games by a combined 6-1 score.
Gustav Forsling, FLA at PHI ($5,900): Forsling's the top healthy blueliner on the Panthers, and he's racked up a 1-4-5 line, 21 shots and nine blocks through seven games. He posted 22.4 fantasy points when the Panthers beat the Flyers last Wednesday, and Forsling's primed for another strong performance in this rematch.
Matt Grzelcyk, BOS vs. DET ($4,600): Grzelcyk is a nice value at $4,600 as a stand-alone option or part of a Bruins stack. After missing a few games to start the season, he's made up for lost time with a three-game point streak while supplementing his point production with eight shots and six blocked shots.
Vince Dunn, SEA vs. VAN ($3,400): If Seattle's able to pile onto Vancouver's early struggles, Dunn should play a key role in the Kraken doing so. Dunn notched 35 points over 73 games in the Kraken's inaugural season and is looking to take a step forward offensively at age 25. So far so good in that department, as Dunn's produced a 1-4-5 line through eight games, including three power-play points, as well as a goal and two assists in the last two games alone.
