This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's another busy Thursday with 13 games on the NHL slate. Ottawa visits Buffalo, Carolina hosts Anaheim, LA travels to Florida to play the Panthers, Edmonton is in Detroit, San Jose takes on Montreal, Pittsburgh hosts Vancouver, New Jersey visits Tampa Bay, Seattle plays in Washington, the Islanders are home to Toronto, the Rangers travel to St. Louis, Chicago plays in Winnipeg, Calgary is in Arizona and Vegas hosts Boston. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. LA ($8,600): Bobrovsky is currently on a six-game winning streak. He is having as good as season as he has had in the last five years with the Panthers, going 20-9-1 with a 2.45 GAA and a .912 save percentage. The Kings have been the best road team in the NHL this season, going 13-3-2, but they are 0-2-1 in their last three contests away from LA. It appears to be a good spot to take Bobrovsky against a struggling Kings team.
Sam Montembeault, MON vs. SJ ($7,900): Montembeault was outstanding Saturday against the Rangers, stopping 45 shots in a 4-3 shootout victory. He has won two straight games, bumping his record to 9-5-3 with a 2.93 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Montembeault will face the Sharks who are on a 12-game losing streak and have scored only 81 goals in 41 games – the worst total in the NHL.
VALUE PLAYS
Dawson Mercer, NJ at TB ($5,500): Mercer has moved up to the top line, alongside Tyler Toffoli and Jesper Bratt, as he has replaced the injured Jack Hughes (upper body) on the top power-play unit as well. Mercer has five goals and eight points in his last eight games. He got off to a tough start this season, as he was without a point in his first 10 games. He has come on strong of late, as he has 12 goals and 20 points in his last 28 contests.
David Perron, DET vs. EDM ($4,400): Perron slumped after his return from a six-game suspension for a cross-check on Ottawa's Artem Zub on Dec. 9, as he was pointless in four games. He has returned to form of late with two goals and four points in his last four games, giving the rugged winger nine goals and 17 points in 34 contests. He has been a stud on the power play with five goals and 10 points. Perron sees action on the first line, as well as the first power-play unit.
Jason Dickinson, CHI at WPG ($4,800): Dickinson is having a stellar season in Chicago with a career high 14 goals in just 41 contests. He will get a bump in power-play time with Connor Bedard out of action with a fractured jaw, as he has averaged 2:04 with the man-advantage over the last six games, after playing a total of 6:31 in the Blackhawks first 35 contests. If you need to add an inexpensive forward to fill out your roster, Dickinson is a fine choice.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Hurricanes vs. Ducks
Sebastian Aho (C-$8,600), Andrei Svechnikov (W-$6,100), Seth Jarvis (W-$5,400)
The Hurricanes top line has been on fire of late. Aho saw his six-game point streak come to an end Sunday, but he had three goals and 16 points during the streak. Aho has 15 goals and 46 points in 37 games this season. Svechnikov also saw his six-game streak end Sunday, after scoring seven goals and adding seven helpers in six games. He has finally returned to form after suffering a knee injury last March. He underwent surgery and missed the first eight games of the 2023-24 season and is looking like the player the Hurricanes drafted second overall in 2018. Teuvo Teravainen plays alongside Aho and Svechnikov in even-strength situations, but he has not been scoring so it's best to take Jarvis, who plays with the duo on the first power play.
Sabres vs. Senators
Tage Thompson (C - $7,200), Alex Tuch (W - $7,000), John-Jason Peterka (W - $5,700)
Jeff Skinner could be out of action, as he is suffering from an upper-body injury. If so, put John-Jason Peterka in your lineup if you go with the Sabres' top line. Thompson has five goals and 10 points in his last eight games and has three goals and an assist in two games versus the Senators this season. Tuch has been battling the flu of late, but that has not hurt his stats, as he has two goals and five points in his last three contests. Tuch has 11 goals and 29 points in 34 games this season, four more points than Thompson in three more games. Peterka has 12 goals and 14 assists in 41 games this season and moves up to the top power-play unit, should Skinner sit this one out.
DEFENSEMEN
John Carlson, WAS vs. SEA ($6,500): Carlson is on a three-game point streak with two goals and four points. The streak gives the 34-year-old defenseman three goals and 23 points in 38 games. Carlson has nine points on the power play this season, including two in his last three games.
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. TOR ($8,200): Dobson is having a breakout season at the age of 24. He has six goals and 32 assists in 40 games and should smash his previous career high of 51 points set two seasons ago, should he remain healthy. He had three assists in his lone game versus the Maple Leafs earlier in the season and despite his high price, he is well worth his spot as your top defenseman.
Brent Burns, CAR vs. ANA ($5,800): Burns has found 'The Fountain of Youth' of late, as the 38-year-old blueliner has three goals and nine points in his last six games. Burns has eight goals and 23 points in 40 games and has really picked up the pace since replacing Tony DeAngelo -- who has been a healthy scratch in seven of the last eight games -- on the top power-play unit.
