DraftKings NHL: Thursday Breakdown

DraftKings NHL: Thursday Breakdown

This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.

Thursday has 11 games scheduled, including six starting at 7:00 p.m. ET, one beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET,  one getting underway at 9:00 p.m. ET and three puck drops in the 10:00-10:30 p.m. ET window. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of the DraftKings Sportsbook. 

SLATE PREVIEW 

Pittsburgh (vs. Montreal), Tampa Bay (vs. Washington) Los Angeles (vs. Nashville) and Dallas (at Ottawa) are the biggest favorites, according to the Moneyline. Only the Kings-Predators (6.0) and Bruins-Flames (5.5) matchups have an Over/Under below 6.5 goals. 

GOALIES 

Thatcher Demko, VAN at SEA ($8,000): Demko is a great bounce-back candidate after losing his past two outings. In six career contests versus Seattle, he has posted a 5-1-0 record with a 2.52 GAA and a .915 save percentage. The Kraken have scored two goals or fewer in four of their past six games.  

Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at CAR ($7,500): Bobrovsky has plenty of bang for the buck upside despite facing a difficult opponent Thursday. He has stopped 202 of 214 shots during his seven-game winning streak. Additionally, Bobrovsky has emerged victorious in each of his past three starts against the Hurricanes, including a 28-save performance in a 5-2 decision on Nov. 10. 

VALUE PLAYFS/ONE-OFFS 

Sidney Crosby, PIT vs. MON ($7,800): Crosby has three goals on 12 shots in three games heading into Thursday night's action. He has amassed 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 24 career contests versus the Canadiens, including two tallies and two helpers in two previous meetings this season. 

J.T. Miller, VAN at SEA ($6,800): Miller has notched five goals and one assist in his past four outings. He also has nine points, including seven helpers, and 22 shots on target in 10 career appearances against Seattle. 

Mika Zibanejad, NYR at NJ ($6.500): Zibanejad has compiled three goals and six helpers across his past eight outings. He also has two goals and three assists during a three-game point spree. 

Jason Robertson, DAL at OTT ($6,100): Robertson is long past due for a breakout performance after generating one goal, five assists and 16 shots on net over his last seven appearances. 

FORWARD LINE STACKS 

Islanders at Blues 

Mathew Barzal (W - $6,600), Bo Horvat (C - $6,400), Anders Lee (W - $3,900) 

Barzal has accumulated five goals and six assists over an eight-game point streak. He also has four power-play points (two goals, two assists) and 30 shots during that stretch. Horvat has picked up two goals, two assists and 16 shots in five contests going into Thursday night's slate. Lee has collected one goal, one helper and six shots in his last two matches. 

The top line of the Islanders offers tremendous value and great upside against a Blues team that has lost three of four games heading into Thursday's tilt. St. Louis has permitted 16 goals against over that period. 

Stars at Senators 

Matt Duchene (C - $5,400), Mason Marchment (W - $4,200), Tyler Seguin (W - $4,600) 

Duchene has piled up four goals, five assists and 11 shots on net over his past five appearances. Marchment has four tallies, nine helpers and 24 shots in his last 11 games. Seguin has three goals, 10 points and 32 shots during an 11-game stretch. Marchment and Seguin have cooled down a bit lately, which explains their discounted salaries. 

The Stars' second line has plenty of bang for the buck upside. They were red hot until Duchene missed one game with a lower-body injury, but it shouldn't be long before they get back on track. Ottawa has surrendered the third-most goals per game (3.57) in the league this season.

DEFENSEMEN 

Shea Theodore, VGK vs. TOR ($5,900): Theodore contributed a power-play assist, one shot and one blocked shot in his return to the lineup Tuesday versus Nashville. He has 19 points, including 11 on the man advantage, 53 shots and 27 blocks in 21 appearances this season. Theodore also has seven helpers in 10 career contests versus the Maple Leafs. 

Adam Fox, NYR at NJ ($5,600): Fox brings plenty of value to the table after producing one goal, eight assists, six shots and four blocks in his past five outings. He has three multi-point performances in that span. Additionally, Fox has 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in 20 previous games against the Devils. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Corey Abbott plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: armchair_gm, DraftKings: thenext1, Yahoo: Why.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Corey Abbott
Corey Abbott is an avid sports fan who has been writing fantasy hockey for 15-plus years.
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