This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are 11 games in the NHL on Thursday. Carolina hosts Florida, Colorado visits Detroit, the Rangers are in New Jersey, Dallas takes on Ottawa, Pittsburgh hosts Montreal, Tampa Bay is home to Washington, the Islanders visit St. Louis, Boston plays in Calgary, Seattle hosts Vancouver, Toronto plays in Vegas and Nashville visits LA. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIE
Thatcher Demko, VAN at SEA ($39): Demko has lost his last two starts, after winning 12 of his previous 13 outings. He is having an outstanding season, going 30-11-1 with a 2.44 GAA and a .918 save percentage, as he has led the Canucks to the top spot in the NHL standings. Demko is 1-1-0 versus Seattle this season, stopping 45 of 50 shots. He won his lone contest in Seattle, turning aside 23 shots in a 5-1 win Nov. 24.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Nico Daws, NJ vs. NYR ($20): Daws is 6-7-0 with a 3.18 GAA and a .903 save percentage this season. He struggled in Washington on Tuesday, giving up six goals on only 26 shots. Daws has had problems defending the crease at times this season, but he did have a streak before his loss to Washington, in which he went 3-1-0, giving up only eight goals on 137 shots. He will have a tough go of it versus the Rangers who have won eight straight games.
CENTER
Vincent Trocheck, NYR at NJ ($20): Trocheck is on a three-game point streak, scoring four times while adding an assist. Trocheck has 19 goals and 52 points in 56 games and is closing in on his career high of 75 points, set in the 2017-18 season. Trocheck has 19 points on the power play as he is a vital member of the first unit. He is a great bargain in Yahoo.
CENTER TO AVOID
John Tavares, TOR at VGK ($26): Tavares returned to action Wednesday after missing one game with an undisclosed injury. He has points in only three of his last 15 games heading into Wednesday's tilt in Arizona. Overall, Tavares has 15 goals and 40 points in 52 games and is on pace for his worse season since his rookie year of 2009-10.
WING
Jason Robertson, DAL at OTT ($28): While Robertson may never approach the 109-point season he had in 2022-23, the winger is still having a good campaign with 56 points in 57 outings. Robertson is coming off back-to-back 40-goal seasons and will have to get 22 goals in his last 25 games to hit the mark again. While that is unlikely, Robertson still has plenty of scoring punch to deliver Thursday in Ottawa.
Patrick Kane, DET vs. COL ($21): Kane missed seven straight games before the All-Star break, but he has been on fire since then, as he is on a five-game point streak with two goals and five assists. Kane has 23 points in 24 games in his first season with the Red Wings and has been an integral part of Detroit holding on to the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
WINGS TO AVOID
Viktor Arvidsson, LA vs. NSH ($22): Arvidsson suffered a lower-body injury Tuesday and is expected to be out of action for at least a few weeks. That's unfortunate as he finally returned to action Feb. 15 after missing the first 50 games of the season with a back problem. Arvidsson had two assists in his first four games but it looks like he will not have any fantasy value the rest of the way.
Brock Boeser, VAN at SEA ($28): Boeser got off to a great start this season, scoring 13 goals and adding eight assists in his first 16 contests. He surpassed the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career as he has 31 tallies, along with 26 assists in 58 contests. Boeser has slumped of late, as he went six straight games with nary a point, before picking up a goal and two helpers in the last two games. Boeser has yet to pick up a point in two games versus the Kraken this season.
DEFENSE
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. STL ($24): Dobson has smashed his career high in points with 58, and still has the last third of the season to play. He has been a stud on the power play with a goal and 21 assists. The 24-year-old has become one of the leading scoring defensemen in the NHL and should receive some consideration for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top blueliner.
Victor Hedman, TB vs. WAS ($20): Hedman is having a bounce-back season this year, scoring nine times while adding 45 assists. He struggled last season – at least as far as his stats were concerned – scoring nine goals and adding 40 assists in 76 games. Hedman has 24 points on the power play.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Adam Larsson, SEA vs. VAN ($17): Larsson has only three goals and 16 points in 55 games this season. He doesn't see much power play time – and has yet to pick up a point in his last two seasons with the man-advantage – and while he is a solid blueliner, he is not an offensive threat.
Filip Hronek, VAN at SEA ($22): Hronek has four goals and 42 points in 58 games this season, but he has only a goal and five assists in his last 16 games. The former Red Wing quarterbacks the second power play, and has nine points with the man-advantage, but has only one assist in his last 36 games on the power play.
