This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
It's another busy Thursday in the NHL with 13 games on tap. There aren't any teams playing tired after a light two-game slate Wednesday. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIE
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. BOS ($32): Shesterkin is coming off a 19-save shutout Tuesday. He is 6-0-2 this season with a 2.22 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Despite his outstanding stats, Shesterkin actually was better last season, going 36-13-4 with a 2.07 GAA and a .935 save percentage. He was 2-1-0 against the Bruins last season, giving up six goals on 103 shots.
GOALIE TO AVOID
James Reimer, SJ vs. FLA ($31): Reimer will face the Panthers, a team he played with for three seasons from 2016-17 until 2018-19. Reimer is 2-5-0 this season with a 2.77 GAA and a .914 save percentage, giving up eight goals in his last two starts (both losses), on 57 shots. He was 0-1-1 against the Panthers in 2021-22, giving up eight goals on 84 shots.
CENTER
Roope Hintz, DAL at ARI ($23): Hintz is off to a great start this season with five goals and 12 points in 10 games, a complete reversal of last season when he had only one assist in his first 10 games. He ended last season with 37 goals and 71 points in his last 70 games after his slow start. He is one of the most underrated players in the NHL and is at a great salary against a mediocre Coyotes team.
CENTER TO AVOID
Logan Couture, SJ vs. FLA ($17): Couture has four goals and seven points in 12 games, but take away his huge performance against Toronto a week ago, and it has not been a great season for the 33-year-old. Couture has slipped the last two seasons and is on the downside of his career.
WING
Kyle Connor, WPG vs. MON ($23): Connor is off to a slow start with a goal and four points in nine games, but he is too talented to remain in a slump. Connor had 47 goals and 93 points last season and faces the Canadiens, a team that he had four assists in two games against last season.
Mark Stone, VGK at OTT ($20): Stone returns to Ottawa for only the second time since he was dealt by the Senators in 2019. He had a big first game with a goal and an assist, but it has been almost three years since he has been back. Stone has three goals and five assists in 11 games this season.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jonathan Huberdeau, CGY vs. NAS ($28): It has not been a great start to the season for Huberdeau, who was dealt from Florida in the offseason as part of the Matthew Tkachuk trade. Huberdeau has only a goal and five points in eight games after a career year last season in which he had 30 goals and 115 points, good for third in the NHL scoring race. The switch to the Flames has not been a good one thus far, as his TOI and shots on goal are down significantly.
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at DET ($29): Ovechkin has five goals and four assists in 11 games this season. He is using his body more often this year with 37 hits in 11 games, which is strange -- you would figure a 37-year-old would be less physical than in previous years. His salary is too high given the other options available.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, SJ vs. FLA ($21): There is no defenseman in the NHL hotter than Karlsson, who has nine goals and 15 points in only 12 games after he recorded his first career hat trick Tuesday. He has returned to the form he had when he was with Ottawa, and the trade of Brent Burns to Carolina in the offseason could be a big reason as Karlsson is the undisputed top dog on defense for the Sharks.
Roman Josi, NAS vs. STL ($30): Josi had a career year last season with 23 goals and 73 assists in 80 games. He got off to a slow start this season with one assist in his first seven games but has a goal and five points in his last three contests.
DEFENSEMAN TO AVOID
Adam Larsson, SEA at MIN ($15): Larsson has only two goals and three points in 11 games this season and has gone pointless in his last four. He had a career year in 2021-22, but it only amounted to eight goals and 25 points. He was held without a point in three games last season against the Wild.
Adam Pelech, NYI at STL ($16): Pelech has four assists in 10 games thus far but is pointless in his last three games. He receives almost no power play time, playing a total of only 52 seconds with the man advantage in 10 games. He has had a pair of two-point games and has been pointless in the other eight games this season.
