This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are 12 games for Thursday's slate with only the Penguins pulling double duty after visiting the Avalanche on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks and Sharks should be the most well-rested teams coming off a two-day break.
Key matchups include Maple Leafs at Panthers, Golden Knights at Flames and Rangers at Hurricanes. All six teams are jostling for playoff position.
Note the Main slate does not include the Wild at Flyers matchup, which is included only in the All Day slate.
GOALIES
Joel Hofer, STL at DET ($6,900): Jordan Binnington's two-game suspension ended two games ago but Craig Berube confirmed this morning that Hofer will get his fourth straight start. The young netminder is slated to back up Binnington next season and he's been excellent so far. Hofer had a shaky start against the Wings last game, allowing two goals in the first period, but clamped down the rest of the way only to lose in a shootout. He gets another shot against the Wings tonight, who have an anemic offense that hasn't scored more than two goals in regulation in 11 of their past 13 games.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. SJ ($7,000): Demko has been a wall since returning from injury and Tuesday against the Knights was the first time he allowed more than three goals in eight starts. The Canucks are on a roll while the Sharks have lost seven in a row and won only once in regulation in their past 17 games.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at ANH ($8,800): Hellebuyck was very strong in his previous start with 29 saves against the Coyotes and he gets another easy matchup against the Ducks, who have lost two straight with only two goals scored. The Ducks will likely be without Troy Terry, their top winger and second-leading scorer due to injury.
VALUE PLAYS
Calle Jarnkrok, TOR at FLA ($4,700): Jarnkrok's four-game point streak was snapped in a 7-2 loss to the Islanders, otherwise he had been performing very well on a line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. There isn't a more enviable spot in the Leafs lineup and there's some added value with Jarnkrok playing PP2 as well.
Pavel Dorofeyev, VGK at CGY ($4,500): Dorofeyev has not slowed down since getting called up and has now scored four goals in his past five games. He's playing on the second line with William Karlsson and Reilly Smith, and the Flames' goaltending has been a sore spot all season.
Lukas Reichel, CHI at WSH ($4,300): Reichel hasn't scored a point in two straight games but on a thin Blackhawks lineup has remained on the top line with Philipp Kurashev and Andreas Athanasiou. While the offensive ceiling for the Hawks may not seem very high, note the Caps' goaltending has been horrendous lately with 17 goals allowed in their past three games and they've lost six of their past eight games.
LINE STACKS
Canucks vs. Sharks
J.T. Miller (C - $7,400), Brock Boeser (W - $5,800), Phil Di Giuseppe (W - $4,000)
Di Giuseppe and Miller accounted for all three of the Canucks' goals on Tuesday while Boeser has played well recently with a goal and 10 shots in his past three games. Miller shares the ice with Elias Pettersson on the power play and the penalty kill, both of which have produced goals lately, while Boeser occasionally joins them on the top power play unit.
Wild at Flyers
Joel Eriksson Ek (C - $6,500), Matt Boldy (W - $6,100), Marcus Johansson (W - $3,600)
Boldy has picked up the slack in Kirill Kaprizov's absence and this has been the Wild's most productive line. Johansson has eight points in 10 games with the Wild and adds some value playing on the second power play unit. The Flyers have allowed at least three goals in four of his past five games.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. SJ ($7,200): Hughes has been a workhorse for the Canucks, routinely skating over 25 minutes per night. He's notched two helpers in three consecutive games and no one else on their team generates as much offense as he does from the blue line.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL vs. PIT ($7,000): Heiskanen's point streak has now reached 11 games and he's showing no signs of slowing down. With the Pens playing the second half of a back-to-back, look for backup Casey DeSmith to get the start. Heiskanen's upside is as good as any defensemen available for Tuesday's slate.
