This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL main slate consists of seven games after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Bruins have been so dominant this season that they are Thursday's biggest favorites, even with a good Jets team in town. After them come the Wild in San Jose and Rangers vs. the Islanders. Capitals-Senators and Kraken-Canucks are the games with the most expected scoring, as each checks in at over/under 5.5 goals.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, BOS vs. WPG ($8,500): Ullmark has been a nearly automatic win in net, with an 18-1-1 record, 1.89 GAA and .937 save percentage. He should be worth paying up for on home ice, even with the ninth-ranked Jets offense (3.38 goals per game) in town.
Filip Gustavsson, MIN at SJ ($8,500): Gustavsson has won each of his last six starts while holding four of those opponents to no more than one goal. Even with the Wild tanks less than full after playing last night, the surging Swede should continue his excellence against a Sharks team that's tied for the 10th-fewest goals per game at 3.00.
Tristan Jarry, PIT vs. CAR ($7,900): In an unstoppable force vs. immovable object type of matchup, Jarry will put his recent excellence on the line against the surging Hurricanes. He's 11-0-1 in his last 12 decisions while Carolina has won six in a row. It took a few assists from the pipes behind him, but Pittsburgh's netminder came out on top in a similar situation Tuesday, when Jarry put an end to the Rangers' seven-game winning streak. Despite the Hurricanes' recent success, they still rank in the bottom 10 offensively at 2.94 goals per game.
Ilya Sorokin, NYI at NYR ($7,300): The Islanders tend to bring their best against the Rangers, and Sorokin was on his game against the crosstown rivals earlier this season, pitching a 41-save shutout on Long Island. That was one of his 10 shutouts since the start of last season, as the Islanders' tight-checking style creates a goalie-friendly environment, even if it can be a bit of an eyesore.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at OTT ($8,200): You don't get any extra fantasy points for historic goals, but you know Ovechkin will be highly motivated and fully engaged as he looks to tie Gordie Howe's mark of 801 for second on the all-time NHL goals list. The prolific winger's in position to make history thanks to a recent surge that's seen Ovechkin light the lamp seven times and dish out seven assists across his last seven games.
Drake Batherson, OTT vs. WAS ($6,400): Batherson's quietly turning into a star for the Senators. He has a nine-game points streak rolling and has topped 20 fantasy points in five of those games. During the streak, the 24-year-old winger has six goals, seven assists and 37 shots on goal.
Vincent Trocheck, NYR vs. NYI ($5,400): Trocheck's on a five-game point streak, and he's produced multiple points in four of those five games for a 2-7-9 line. He shares the ice with elite goal scorer Chris Kreider ($6,300) – whose 68 regular season goals since the start of last season are fifth-most in the NHL – both at even strength and on the top power-play unit, with the latter role accounting for seven of Trocheck's 11 goals as a Ranger.
Frederick Gaudreau, MIN at SJ ($4,300): Gaudreau has been quietly effective recently, notching a 4-1-5 line in his last five games while adding a pair of four-shot performances over that span. His 8-6-14 line this season includes only one power-play point, so Guadreau actually has more even strength points than Matthew Boldy ($6,000), who has scored 14 of his 25 points on the man advantage. Gaudreau's ability to produce at even strength should make him an effective choice against a Sharks team that's allowing 3.62 goals per game despite neutralizing opposing power plays with its second-ranked, 84.2 percent penalty kill.
Nick Bonino, SJ vs. MIN ($3,600): Bonino's filling in for Tomas Hertl on the top line while Hertl serves a two-game suspension. While the veteran center isn't the most offensively gifted player, Bonino's well-rounded skill set gives him a high floor relative to his $3,600 valuation while he's seeing increased usage. In the first game of Hertl's suspension Tuesday, Bonino totaled two shots and three blocked shots.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins vs. Jets
Patrice Bergeron (C - $6,900), Brad Marchand (W - $7,100), Jake DeBrusk (W - $5,900)
Instead of using David Pastrnak ($9,100) here, the Bruins have split up the "Perfection Line" to great effect. Bergeron and Marchand can still control play, as the former's coming off a two-g0al, two-assist outing and the latter has a 9-17-26 line in just 23 games. DeBrusk has fit in nicely alongside the veteran dynamic duo, supplying an 11-12-23 line in 30 games, and this top line should keep rolling for the favored Bruins.
Flames at Kings
Elias Lindholm (C - $6,000), Tyler Toffoli (W - $6,100), Dillon Dube (W - $3,500)
The Flames' offense has been heating up, and Toffoli has led the way as Calgary's won its last two games by a combined score of 12-5. Toffoli has a 3-2-5 line in those two contests, and he has generated plenty of chances recently, putting at least four pucks on net in five of his last eight games. Lindholm has a 2-6-8 line in his last three games and a 5-10-15 output over his last 10. Dube's been much more than a passenger on this top line, adding a 2-5-7 line during his current four-game point streak. This trio should keep rolling against a Kings team that's allowing the third-most goals per game in this slate and eighth-most overall (3.51).
Kraken at Canucks
Matty Beniers (C - $5,300), Jordan Eberle (W - $4,400), Jared McCann (W - $4,300)
You won't have to break the bank to secure this line against a leaky Vancouver defense that's allowing 3.90 goals per game. McCann leads Seattle with 15 goals, and he's showing no signs of slowing down with three in the last four games. Beniers is Seattle's star of the future, but the second overall selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft is already quite good now, ranking second on the team in goals (11) and third in points (24). Eberle is one of two players above Beniers in the latter category with an 8-17-25 line through 31 games, though they both trail Andre Burakovsky ($5,200), who has a 10-18-28 line.
DEFENSEMEN
Adam Fox, NYR vs. NYI ($6,200): The Islanders' sturdy defense corps makes life difficult for opposing forwards, but defensemen have been able to skate around their aging forwards and make plays in the offensive zone, which is why the Islanders allow the eighth-most fantasy points to blueliners. Fox is a premier playmaker from the back end, ranking fourth in points among defensemen with a 7-27-34 line.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. SEA ($5,200): Along with Fox, Hughes is one of only five defensemen averaging at least a point per game. All 27 of his points have been assists, but his lack of goals can be attributed in part to poor puck luck, as the career 4.4 percent shooter has already put 51 pucks on net. Hughes' offensive capabilities give him a high ceiling at his middling valuation.
Brady Skjei, CAR at PIT ($4,200): Skjei's strong play has contributed to Carolina's recent success, as he's chipped in a 4-3-7 line over the past seven games. With at least three shots on goal in seven of his last 10 games, Skjei has been a more consistent presence in the offensive zone than usual. At $4,200, it's worth seeing whether he can keep up the recent success.
Erik Gustafsson, WAS at OTT ($3,500): Gustafsson has heated up out of nowhere, delivering a 4-1-5 line, 11 shots and four blocked shots in his last two games. He's up to 15 points in 33 games overall, and the risk:reward ratio is heavily in your favor at just $3,500 given Gustafsson's recent production.
