This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
We have a busy night ahead of us with 12 games on the docket. Seven games start at 7 p.m. ET, but the remainder of the action is relatively spread out with one match at 7:30 (Philadelphia at Pittsburgh), one at 8 p.m. (Winnipeg at Nashville), one at 9 p.m. (Minnesota at Utah) and two at 10 p.m. (Chicago at Vegas, Vancouver at Anaheim).
SLATE PREVIEW
It might be best to steer clear of Edmonton for now. They've been really rough since the 4 Nations break, losing three straight games while being outscored 17-7. Of course, it hasn't helped that they're on the road, but life isn't about to get any easier on them. They'll play in Florida on Thursday (the puck drops at 7 p.m.) and then head to Carolina to face the Hurricanes on Saturday. It'd be premature to panic about the Oilers, who still have a 34-20-4 record, but the bad times might continue for them a little while longer. By contrast, the Lightning have won six straight and will seek to continue the good times in a home matchup against the Flames, starting at 7 p.m.
GOALIES
Adin Hill, VGK vs. CHI ($8,300): With Hill, you're betting on the team more than the goaltender. Hill has a mediocre .903 save percentage, but the Golden Knights have kept his workload in net light, which has resulted in a more flattering 2.59 GAA, and they've provided him with ample run support to give him a 21-10-4 record. It's reasonable to believe that Vegas should be similarly effective in front of Hill on Thursday versus Chicago -- the Blackhawks rank 29th in goals per game with 2.62 and have a bleak 17-34-7 record.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL vs. CAL ($7,900): Vasilevskiy has been a big part of the Lightning's recent success. He's been in the net for all six of their recent victories, allowing just 12 goals on 189 shots (.937 save percentage) over that span. He's had some rough patches, but after a difficult 2023-24 campaign, the 30-year-old has looked far better this season, posting a 27-15-3 record, 2.26 GAA and .920 save percentage in 45 appearances.
Sam Montembeault, MON vs. SJS ($7,900): Montembeault has uninspired season totals with a 20-21-3 record, 2.90 GAA and .899 save percentage, but there are reasons to consider him tonight. He's won his past two games while saving 45 of 47 shots (.957 save percentage), and he'll be up against the free-falling Sharks. Dating back to Dec. 5, San Jose has been an abysmal 5-23-3 while managing just 2.29 goals per game. The Sharks are also on a six-game losing streak (0-4-2), so they haven't exactly been turning things around.
VALUE PLAYS
Bobby Brink, PHI at PIT ($4,700): Brink was extremely strong against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, providing a goal and four points to lead the Flyers to a 6-1 victory. Tonight's rematch against the Penguins might not be as one-sided, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Brink feature on the scoresheet again. Keeping the puck out of the net has been a problem for the Penguins all season, resulting in the Penguins ranking 31st in goals allowed per game with 3.58.
Leo Carlsson, ANA vs. VAN ($4,600): Carlsson is on a four-game scoring streak and has been held off the scoresheet just once in his past six appearances, totaling two goals and seven points in that span. The 20-year-old has been inconsistent offensively in his sophomore season, but the potential has been there from the start, and he's worth selecting during hot streaks like this one.
Alex Newhook, MON vs. SJS ($4,200): If you want a fairly cheap option to run against the sad Sharks, then Newhook is a nice grab. He's typically not much of an offensive threat, but the 24-year-old has been doing well recently, providing a goal and six points across his past seven outings. Up against San Jose, which ranks 32nd in goals allowed per game with 3.68, there's a solid chance of Newhook extending that run of success.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Blues at Capitals
Robert Thomas (C - $6,900), Pavel Buchnevich (C - $6,100), Jake Neighbours (W - $5,200)
This line is an interesting value proposition. Featuring a unit facing Washington typically hasn't been a good idea. However, backup Charlie Lindgren is projected to start tonight, and he's not as intimidating as his counterpart, Logan Thompson -- Lindgren has a 13-9-3 record, 2.64 GAA and .899 save percentage in 26 appearances this season and has allowed at least three goals in each of his past three starts.
That's part of the reason why I'd consider the Blues, and why I'd take this unit specifically is because of how hot it's been. Thomas is on a seven-game scoring streak in which he's provided four goals and 11 points, while Buchnevich has been held off the scoresheet just once in that span, supplying a goal and eight points. Neighbours is having a quiet campaign with 14 goals and 27 points in 59 outings, but he supplied a goal and an assist Tuesday, so that's something for him to build off going into tonight's action.
It is unfortunate that this unit features two players listed as centers, but their value relative to their price still makes them worthy of mention.
Canadiens vs. Sharks
Nick Suzuki (C - $7,300), Cole Caufield (W - $7,100), Juraj Slafkovsky (W - $5,700)
I've already touched on the Sharks' struggles, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Suzuki capitalize on that. He's red hot with a goal and five points across his past two games, bringing him up to 16 goals and 57 points in 58 outings this campaign. Caufield is a good counterpart for him with 27 goals and 51 points in 58 games in 2024-25, and the 24-year-old winger found the back of the net against the Sharks when he last faced them Feb. 4.
Slafkovsky has been a mixed bag in 2024-25 with 10 goals and 32 points in 55 appearances, but he is entering tonight's match on a three-game scoring streak (two goals, three points). Even still, I'd seriously consider swapping him out for Patrik Laine (W - $5,900). Laine is playing on a different line at even strength, but that doesn't matter because he'll be sharing the ice on the power play, and that's where he shines. Laine has two goals and four points across his past two games, including three points with the man advantage. The 26-year-old is a player who tends to go on intense hot and cold stretches, which makes him a miserable selection during his struggles and a tremendous value when he's on a roll like this one.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN at ANA ($7,100): Vancouver has problems this season, but Hughes isn't one of them. He's been doing his part with 14 goals and 60 points through 48 appearances. Although Hughes missed six games due to an oblique injury, the 25-year-old returned Wednesday, registering an assist in 21:38 of ice time. He has recorded at least a point in each of his past nine outings, including the time prior to his injury.
John Carlson, WAS vs. STL ($6,200): Carlson registered a power-play assist Tuesday to extend his scoring streak to nine games. With four goals and 35 assists, the 35-year-old is now just one point away from reaching 40 for the seventh time in eight years.
Lane Hutson, MON vs. SJS ($5,900): The 21-year-old rookie had a quiet stretch from Jan. 23 to Feb. 9 in which he was limited to two assists across nine games. The 4 Nations break did him some good, though. He's recorded a goal and an assist -- both on the power play -- over Montreal's two games since the tournament. That brings him up to four goals and 43 points through 58 outings in 2024-25.
