This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate consists of nine games after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are three massive favorites in action Tuesday: Calgary vs. the Blackhawks, Colorado vs. the Ducks and Minnesota vs. the Flyers. A step down from those favorites are the Jets vs. Buffalo, Red Wings in Montreal and Blues in Arizona. The Winnipeg, Colorado and St. Louis games all have over/unders of 6.5 goals, as does Penguins-Capitals.
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GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, CGY vs. CHI ($8,400): Markstrom's had a down year, but his nine shutouts since the start of last season are still just one back of the league lead shared by Darcy Kuemper ($7,800) and the idle Ilya Sorokin. Perhaps a visit from a Chicago team that averages a league-low 2.39 goals will help Markstrom find his form.
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. PHI ($8,300): Gustavsson has been the far superior performer in Minnesota's goaltending timeshare, and their alternating pattern lines him up to start in this juicy matchup. The Flyers have played better of late, but most of their wins come from goalies stealing games, as Philadelphia's bottom-10 offense is supplying a measly 2.78 goals per game. Gustavsson has a nice opportunity to improve on his 11-7-1 record, 2.26 GAA and .922 save percentage.
Vitek Vanecek, NJ at NSH ($7,900): Vanecek comes into this one riding an eight-game winning streak, and Nashville's 27th-ranked offense (2.74 goals per game) is unlikely to cool him off. Among bottom-10 offenses, only the Senators (33.7) average more shots than the Predators (31.2), so Vanecek should see enough rubber to make him worth plugging in.
Linus Ullmark, BOS at TB ($7,700): This is about as affordable as Ullmark will get. He's been matchup-proof with a 25-2-1 record, 1.82 GAA and .938 save percentage on a Bruins team that's played historically well so far. If you don't fear the Lightning on the road, grab Ullmark and enjoy the discount.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Jordan Kyrou, STL at ARI ($7,400): Kyrou leads the Blues in goals (23), points (46) and shots (156), and that's despite missing three of the team's 48 games. The fleet-footed winger is more than just a speedy skater, and Kyrou comes into this one riding a three-game goal streak, with 16 shots over that span. He should keep piling up chances against a Coyotes team that allows the seventh-most goals (3.60) and third-most shots (34.6) per game.
Jesper Bratt, NJ at NSH ($5,800): Bratt has been an underrated contributor for the ascendant Devils, as he's averaging over a point per game with an 18-30-48 line through 47. His production includes a 3-5-8 line in the past six games, so the first-line winger's showing no signs of slowing down and remains a relative bargain at $5,800.
Joel Eriksson Ek, MIN at PHI ($5,700): Eriksson Ek's physical style should allow him to flourish on Broad Street. The Swedish center plays middle-six minutes at even strength but skates on the top power-play unit, where he has scored 15 of his 37 points. During his active four-game point streak, Eriksson Ek has produced a 3-3-6 line, with one goal at even strength, one on the power play and one shorthanded.
Nick Schmaltz, ARI vs. STL ($4,700): After scoring a goal on eight shots in his last game, Schmaltz boosted his line to 8-16-24 through 32 games. Had he not been hampered by injuries this season, his scoring rate would likely be even higher considering the underrated winger had 59 points in 63 games last season. At home against a Blues team that just gave up five goals apiece to both the Blackhawks and Sabres, Schmaltz is a low-risk, high-reward play at his sub-$5,000 valuation.
Cole Perfetti, WPG vs. BUF ($3,700): Perfetti is by far the most affordable member of Winnipeg's highly skilled top six up front, but the 2020 first-round pick is more than holding his own. He currently has a three-game point streak rolling and has averaged a point per game over his last nine. Perfetti has a nice opportunity to build on his recent success in what should be a fast-paced game against a Sabres team that's surrendering 3.40 goals per game.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche vs. Ducks
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,500), Artturi Lehkonen (W - $5,900), Evan Rodrigues (W - $5,400)
This is the night to get as many top Avalanche players in there as possible, so feel free to throw Mikko Rantanen ($8,400) in here as well, even though he's skating on a separate line from MacKinnon. Among skaters in action Thursday, only David Pastrnak ($9,600) has outscored MacKinnon on a per-game basis in fantasy, with 20.0 fantasy points per game to MacKinnon's 19.5. While Pastrnak has to deal with the stingy Lightning here, MacKinnon can feast on some tasty Duck – Anaheim's allowing a league-high 4.15 goals per game. MacKinnon's linemates should get in on the fun as well. Lehkonen has a 6-2-8 line in his last six games, while Rodrigues is averaging a point per game over his last 13.
Flames vs. Blackhawks
Elias Lindholm (C - $5,600), Tyler Toffoli (W - $6,200), Dillon Dube (W - $3,800)
Calgary's top line should dominate a Blackhawks team that's been outscored 166-110 this season. Nazem Kadri ($6,100) leads the Flames with 19 goals, but Toffoli (17), Lindholm (14) and Dube (12) occupy the next three spots. When it comes to points, Lindholm paces the team with 42, followed by Toffoli (40).
Red Wings at Canadiens
Dylan Larkin (C - $6,000), Lucas Raymond (W - $4,600), Michael Rasmussen (W - $3,800)
Detroit's top line should provide strong value against a Canadiens team that's giving up 3.65 goals per game. Larkin has led by example, as the captain is tied for the team lead in goals (15) and easily leads the Red Wings in points (42). Raymond is the man tied with Larkin for the goals lead, and the second-year winger has been hot lately, with a 5-4-9 line over his last eight appearances. Rasmussen spent much of the season as a bottom-six center, but the light has turned on for him as a scorer since being moved into a top-six winger role, as Rasmussen's racked up a 4-8-12 line in his last 16 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Josh Morrissey, WPG vs. BUF ($6,000): Morrissey has yet to endure a three-game point drought this season. He'll need to get on the scoresheet in this one to avoid doing so, but Morrissey should have plenty of chances to do so against the Sabres, who have allowed 42 goals in their last 12 games. That stretch includes a 4-2 Jets win in Buffalo on Jan. 12, in which Morrissey lit the lamp.
Kris Letang, PIT at WAS ($5,100): After missing nearly a month due to a lower-body injury, Letang quickly began to make up for lost time with two goals and two assists in his return Tuesday. Long considered one of the game's premier sources of offense from the blue line, Letang should be worth locking in while he's hot.
Devon Toews, COL vs. ANH ($5,000): Assuming Cale Makar ($,7300) remains sidelined due to an upper-body injury, Toews is the next-best thing on Colorado's blue line. Toews has five assists in five games dating back to the last time Makar saw game ice, and you can add him to an Avalanche stack without breaking the bank.
Calen Addison, MIN vs PHI ($3,000): Minnesota shields the defensively challenged Addison from tough matchups when it can, but home-ice advantage should help the Wild optimally deploy the 22-year-old blueliner, who has 23 points in 45 games. All three of Addison's goals and 15 of his 23 points have come on home ice, where he can be used primarily in the offensive zone and stay away from the opposition's top players.
