This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
It is a unique National Hockey League schedule Thursday with no back-to-back games.
There are a number of high-profile names already ruled out or questionable, though. Claude Giroux, Alexander Steen, Zach Parise, Rick Nash, Jonathan Huberdeau and Radim Vrbata will all miss action Thursday, and Bryan Little, Shea Weber and Ryan McDonagh are all game-time decisions.
Keep a close eye on the latest happenings before lineups lock.
Player Recommendations
G: Jonathan Quick, LA vs. EDM ($7,450): This is a generous price for Quick, and the matchup is solid. Edmonton has dropped five straight outings and averaged just 1.8 goals per game during the skid. Quick has a .949 save percentage through his past five outings and has won consecutive starts with exactly one goal allowed in each.
C: Jason Spezza, DAL vs. WPG ($5,300): The veteran is rolling with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn of late, and as long as Spezza is playing with the duo, he is a lineup lock. Spezza scored Tuesday against Winnipeg and add four shots on net, and the Jets have lost four consecutive games and allowed 16 goals in the process.
C: Jordan Staal, CAR at TOR ($4,150): There's no reason to shy away from Staal in an A-plus matchup. He has registered 24 points -- nine goals -- through his past 21 games with 35 shots on net and a plus-17 rating. Given his cap hit, recent form and matchup, Staal is one of the safest options in the player pool Thursday.
W: Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. NYR ($5,700): With consecutive multi-point games to the tune of two goals, three assists and eight shots on net, Tarasenko is breaking out of his recent slump in a big way. New York allows 2.86 goals per road game and is coming off a 5-2 spanking at the hands of New Jersey on Tuesday.
W: Tyler Toffoli, LA vs. EDM ($5,200): With just two goals and a 4.7 shooting percentage through his past 15 games, look for Toffoli to kick his scoring woes in the high-end matchup against Edmonton. The Oilers allow 3.33 goals per road game and have allowed 17 goals through their past four games, after all.
W: Jaden Schwartz, STL vs. NYR ($4,400): Take the injury discount and run. Schwartz's ice time has climbed in each of the past three games, and he has a four-game point streak. Additionally, his shot volume is climbing, as he's fired seven pucks on goal in the last two games. The Rangers aren't an overbearing matchup, especially their 77.8 percent penalty kill.
W: Jannik Hansen, VAN vs. OTT ($4,100): Skating with Henrik and Daniel Sedin certainly helps, and Hansen is currently sporting a three-game point streak with three goals and an assist. The Senators also allow 3.43 goals per road tilt. The price, matchup and form all stack up nicely for Hansen on Thursday.
D: Drew Doughty, LA vs. EDM ($5,100): Relative to his peers, Doughty stands out as a nice value. He's collected three goals, 10 assists, 27 shots and 13 blocked shots with an average of 29:43 minutes of ice per night. Doughty's cross-category production offers a nice floor, and this is an ideal matchup for him to add another notch or two in the point column.
D: Mathew Dumba, MIN at PHI ($3,400): The cap hit hasn't caught up to Dumba's recent production, and while he isn't going to score consistently at his current rate (nine points through 11 games), his role is fantasy friendly. He has averaged 4:07 power-play minutes per game during his recent offensive surge and has six power-play points. Philadelphia's sub-80 percent penalty kill is promising in that regard, too.
