This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's featured NHL slate consists of 11 games 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
Most of Thursday's games are expected to be fairly competitive, but a few teams stand out as options to build around. The Bruins are massive home favorites against the Canadiens, while the Capitals are expected to get it done on home ice against Chicago and the Jets are favored in Anaheim. There are also two games with over/unders of 7.0 goals Thursday: Maple Leafs at Panthers and Sharks at Canucks.
GOALIES
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at ANH ($8,400): Hellebuyck hasn't gotten much support from the slumping Winnipeg offense recently, but the star goalie has been locked in, going 4-2-0 in his last six decisions while allowing only 14 goals over that span. Every point counts for the Jets as they try to hang onto a playoff spot, so Hellebuyck will be dialed in against a Ducks offense that's scoring only 2.55 goals per game.
Jeremy Swayman, BOS vs. MON ($8,300): Swayman has shut out each of his last two opponents, boosting his season record to 18-6-4 along with a 2.20 GAA and .920 save percentage. He should maintain his dominant form with the Bruins expected to easily handle a Canadiens team that's scoring just 2.77 goals per game.
Joel Hofer, STL at DET ($7,400): Jordan Binnington ($7,400) is no longer suspended, but perhaps a Blues team that's out of playoff contention will continue to ride Hofer down the stretch to see just what it has in the 22-year-old Winnipeg native. Over the past week, Hofer has gone 2-0-1 with a 1.32 GAA and .959 save percentage.
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at CAR ($7,300): Some third-period concentration lapses cost Shesterkin and the Rangers against Carolina on Tuesday, as Shesterkin was one period away from a second consecutive shutout win and sixth consecutive victory overall but ended up falling 3-2. The star goalie should bounce back in this rematch two days later if he gets the nod, as the Hurricanes have scored only 18 goals against him in their last nine meetings between the regular season and playoffs.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex Ovechkin, WAS vs. CHI ($8,600): Even with limited help from the rest of Washington's forwards, Ovechkin continues to be a one-man wrecking crew. The proud owner of the most 40-goal seasons in NHL history reached that threshold for the 13th time in his previous game, and Ovechkin has a 7-5-12 line in his last eight outings. He'll remain the focal point of the offense in what's a must-win game for Washington's slim playoff hopes at home against the lowly Blackhawks.
Carter Verhaeghe, FLA vs. TOR ($6,900): Verhaeghe has been generating bushels of chances recently. His 4-4-8 line over the past five games has been accompanied by a whopping 29 shots on goal. Verhaeghe should continue to produce in what should be a fast-paced game against a Toronto team that's been burned for 11 goals in its last two games.
Mitch Marner, TOR at FLA ($6,800): With goals expected to be pouring in all night, Marner should help the Maple Leafs keep pace with Verhaeghe and the Panthers. While Marner doesn't match Verhaeghe's shot volume, he has a knack for getting on the scoresheet. After putting together a 23-game point streak earlier this season, Marner has a seven-game streak going now, consisting of five goals and eight assists.
Logan Couture, SJ at VAN ($5,500): Couture continues to produce as one of the few reliable offensive players left on San Jose's roster. The veteran center has a 2-5-7 line in his last five games, and he'll look to add to his momentum against a Canucks team that's allowing 3.71 goals per game.
Reilly Smith, VGK at CGY ($4,600): Smith has a nine-game point streak rolling, with a 4-7-11 line over that span. He has a nice chance to extend that streak against a Flames team that has allowed 15 goals in its last three games.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins vs. Canadiens
David Krejci (C - $4,800), David Pastrnak (W - $9,700), Pavel Zacha (W - $4,300)
Pastrnak is the premier player to build around Thursday with the likes of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon getting the day off, and the rest of Boston's "Czech-ing line" offers nice value against a Canadiens team that's giving up 3.69 goals per game. Pasta ranks second with 48 goals, fifth with 93 points and leads the league with 333 shots on goal. His countryman Krejci is on a two-game goal streak, which has boosted his line to 19-35-54 through 64 appearances, while Zacha is enjoying a career year in Boston after underachieving in New Jersey. The sixth overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has already established new career highs with 18 goals and 48 points.
Jets at Ducks
Mark Scheifele (C - $6,200), Nikolaj Ehlers (W - $5,600), Blake Wheeler (W - $4,400)
A trip to Anaheim could be just what the doctor ordered for the slumping Jets offense, as the Ducks are surrendering a league-high 4.01 goals per game. Scheifele has gone six games without a goal, but he's still hanging onto a top-10 spot in the NHL with 38 goals in 72 games. Ehlers has been the most productive Jets skater lately, as he's scored three of the team's eight goals over the past five games and assisted on another. Wheeler has added a 15-35-50 line in 63 games this season, so he's a nice value play in this favorable matchup.
Canucks vs. Sharks
J.T. Miller (C - $6,400), Brock Boeser (W - $4,500), Phil Di Giuseppe (W - $3,000)
Vancouver's affordable second line is poised to deliver some impressive bang for the buck against a Sharks team that's allowing 3.77 goals per game. Miller has been one of the league's hottest scorers, as he's produced multiple points in six of his last seven games en route to a 7-6-13 line. Boeser has chipped in a 1-3-4 line in his last five games and has a 1-2-3 line in three meetings with the Sharks this season. The affordable Di Giuseppe scored a goal in Vancouver's previous game and will look to build on that performance here.
DEFENSEMEN
Brandon Montour, FLA vs. TOR ($6,300): Montour continues to deliver across the board. He has a 3-9-12 line over his last nine games, along with 30 shots on goal. During this strong stretch, Montour has scored fewer than 11 fantasy points only once.
Rasmus Sandin, WAS vs. CHI ($4,600): Sandin continues to delver on a nighly basis for the Capitals, making him a tremendous value at his sub-$5,000 valuation. The former Toronto defenseman has 12 points through nine games with Washington, and he'll look to bolster that total against a Blackhawks team that's allowing 3.53 goals per game.
Tyson Barrie, NSH vs. SEA ($4,600): With Roman Josi battling an upper-body injury, Barrie continues to man the point on Nashville's top power-play unit. Filling that role in Edmonton prior to being traded to the Predators has allowed Barrie to pick up 28 power-play points, which is tied for third among NHL defensemen. He'll try to climb that leaderboard against a Kraken penalty kill that's operating at just 74.4 percent -- sixth-worst in the NHL.
Jake Sanderson, OTT vs. TB ($3,900): Sanderson's quietly developing into a two-way force on Ottawa's blue line. The fifth player selected in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft has played 20-plus minutes in each of the past six games, complementing his four assists over that span with 20 blocked shots. Sanderson's shot blocking prowess should be on full display against the potent Lightning offense.
