This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday has eight games on the schedule, including three starts in the 7:00-7:30 p.m. ET window, two beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET, one getting underway 9:00 p.m. ET and two 10:00 p.m. puck drops. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
Toronto (vs Columbus) and Seattle (vs Chicago) are the biggest favorites on the Moneyline. The Flames-Wild and Kraken-Blackhawks both have 6.0 goals set as the Over/Under, while Capitals-Flyers is the lowest at 5.5.
GOALIES
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. CGY ($8,200): Gustavsson has posted a 4-1-0 record over his past five outings. He has allowed two goals or fewer in each outing during that stretch, including a 28-save performance in a 5-2 win over the Flames on Dec. 5.
Carter Hart, PHI vs. WAS ($8,100): Hart has stopped 92 of 96 shots for a .958 save percentage during his three-game win spree. The Capitals rank 30th in the league this campaign with 2.48 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Claude Giroux, OTT at STL ($5,500): Giroux has three goals and three assists during his four-game point streak. He also has two power-play points (one goal, one assist) and 16 shots on net over that period.
Jared McCann, SEA vs. CHI ($5,500): McCann racked up five goals and two assists in three meetings with the Blackhawks last season. He contributed an assist and two shots in a 4-3 loss to Chicago on Nov. 28 of this campaign.
Vladimir Tarasenko, OTT at STL ($4,500): Tarasenko notched one goal and one assist in his first game against his former team last season after being traded to the Rangers. He also has three goals, three helpers and 14 shots on target over his past five contests.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets
Auston Matthews (C - $9,600), William Nylander (W - $8,400), Matthew Knies (W - $3,300)
Matthews has been red hot, netting seven goals on 28 shots and adding four assists across six games going into Thursday night's action. He has also two goals and two helpers on the man advantage over that span. Nylander has been productive as well, generating one goal and eight assists in a six-game point spree. Knies has been a bit quiet offensively of late and missed Tuesday's 7-3 victory over the Rangers with an illness. If he doesn't play Thursday, Noah Gregor ($3,000) may skate on the top line again.
The duo of Matthews and Nylander has been excellent recently and they will be difficult for Columbus to stop. The Blue Jackets rank 29th in the league in goals against per game (3.50) and shots against per game (34.2).
Wild vs. Flames
Joel Eriksson Ek (C - $7,800), Matt Boldy (W - $6,400), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $8,200)
Eriksson Ek has potted six goals on 43 shots across is last 10 games. He has lit the lamp in three of his past four outings. Boldy has heated up in December with five goals, 13 shots and two assists in five appearances. Kaprizov has accumulated three goals and nine points in his last nine outings.
The first line of the Wild has plenty of upside against a Calgary team that ranks 28th in the league in goals against per game (3.48) this campaign.
DEFENSEMEN
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. TB ($6,900): Bouchard still isn't that pricey for a blueliner who has compiled five goals and 13 assists over a 12-game point spree. He also has 31 shots on net, eight power-play points (three goals, five assists) and 20 blocked shots during that stretch.
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. CLS ($5,700): Rielly makes for a solid stack play with Toronto's top line for Thursday's slate. He has one goal and three assists in a four-game point streak. Rielly also has 15 shots on target and 10 blocked shots over that span.
