This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Welcome to the last slate of games before the NHL trade deadline. For some teams on the bubble, the results of tonight's action is the players' final chance to influence their general managers decision when it comes to what they should do on the trade market. Nine games are on the docket, so here are my FanDuel lineup recommendations for Thursday's action.
SLATE PREVIEW
All 18 teams set to play tonight had Wednesday off, so fatigue shouldn't be a major consideration tonight. However, Winnipeg, Detroit and Utah are entering the first half of a back-to-back, which might influence those teams' lineup decisions. Some teams outside of the playoff hunt might also scratch players whom they're hoping to trade Friday to avoid any potential injury. There's also a chance for last-minute trades today that will have unforeseen consequences on tonight's lineups, so be sure to monitor the situation and adjust accordingly.
GOALIES
Mackenzie Blackwood, COL vs. SJS ($8,200): Blackwood started the season with San Jose before being acquired by Colorado on Dec. 9. That move has worked out perfectly for him, with Blackwood posting a 16-7-2 record, 2.12 GAA and .921 save percentage in 25 appearances since joining the Avalanche. This will be his second match against the Sharks since the trade -- he turned aside 32 of 34 shots in Dec. 19's 4-2 victory over San Jose.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL vs. BUF ($8,000): Vasilevskiy saw his eight-game winning streak come to an end Monday, but he stopped 27 of 29 shots in that 2-1 loss to Florida, so it was hardly his fault. He's having an outstanding campaign with a 29-16-3 record, 2.18 GAA and .923 save percentage in 48 appearances. Meanwhile, Buffalo has lost its past four games, dropping to 24-30-6.
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. CAL ($7,900): Oettinger has been solid in 2024-25, posting a 29-13-2 record, 2.44 GAA and .911 save percentage in 44 appearances. After resting during Dallas' 4-3 win over New Jersey, Oettinger is likely to get the nod tonight in what would be his first opportunity of the season to reach the 30-win mark. The Flames are tied for 31st in goals per game with 2.59, so this is a favorable matchup for Oettinger.
VALUE PLAYS
Mackie Samoskevich, FLA vs. CLM ($5,000): The absence of Matthew Tkachuk (groin) has resulted in Samoskevich averaging 15:05 of ice time, including 1:57 with the man advantage, over Florida's past five games. That's a major jump from his average of 11:41 going into the 4 Nations Face-Off. The 22-year-old hasn't made headlines with his new role, but he has seen a noteworthy uptick in production, providing two goals and three points across his past four appearances.
Alex Newhook, MON at EDM ($4,500): Newhook has been a steady contributor recently, supplying three goals and eight points across his past 10 outings. He might not sustain his recent scoring pace for much longer, but Edmonton's defense has been awful since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, allowing 4.67 goals per game, so it's not a bad idea to have some representation from Montreal.
Colton Sissons, NAS vs. SEA ($4,300): Sissons isn't known for his offensive contributions, but he has recorded two goals and seven points over his past nine outings. Nashville traded Thomas Novak to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, which might lead to Sissons playing in a bigger role tonight, including a position on the second power-play unit.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche vs. Sharks
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,200), Martin Necas (W - $7,800)*, Artturi Lehkonen (W - $6,800)
You'll notice the asterisk next to Necas' name. That's because he was limited to 15:23 of ice time Tuesday due to nausea, which got worse as the game progressed. It's not clear if he'll be in the lineup versus the Sharks, but if he's over his illness, then Necas will be a good addition to your lineup. He has 20 goals and 68 points in 62 appearances this season, including four goals and 13 points in 13 outings since being acquired by Colorado from Carolina.
He's not the reason I'm recommending this unit, though. MacKinnon is the headline here. He's supplied 23 goals and 93 points through 62 outings and is red hot, contributing 13 points (three goals) over his past seven outings. Lehkonen is on a roll, too, providing five goals and seven points over his last seven games, bringing him up to 26 markers and 37 points in 50 outings overall.
If Necas is unavailable, then Valeri Nichushkin (W - $6,600) is a good alternative. Nichushkin recently returned from a lower-body injury and is starting to get going with a goal and an assist -- both on the power play -- over his past two outings. He has 12 goals and 19 points in 24 appearances in 2024-25.
Canadiens at Oilers
Nick Suzuki (C - $7,700), Cole Caufield (W - $7,100), Juraj Slafkovsky (W - $5,700)
As mentioned when I recommended Newhook, Edmonton has done a terrible job of keeping the puck out of its net recently. That's going to be a huge challenge tonight because the Oilers are up against one of the hottest players in hockey.
Suzuki has been acting like Connor McDavid, supplying four goals and 13 points over his past five outings, including six points with the man advantage. That gives the 25-year-old Suzuki 19 goals and 65 points in 61 outings this season. Caufield is making his presence be felt, too, with four goals and six points over his past five appearances. His goal against Buffalo on Monday was his 30th marker of the 2024-25 season -- it's the first time the 24-year-old has reached that milestone.
Slafkovsky is the least productive player on this line with 11 goals and 35 points in 58 outings this campaign. However, he's still worthy of selection with three goals and six points across his past six appearances.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL vs. SJS ($7,000): Hard to go wrong with Makar. He has 22 goals and 68 points through 62 appearances in 2024-25. He's also on a four-game scoring streak (five assists) and has been held off the scoresheet just once across his past seven outings (three goals, 10 points).
Thomas Harley, DAL vs. CAL ($6,000): If Makar is the best overall defenseman tonight, then Harley is the hottest. He's provided four goals and 14 points across his past 11 appearances. That gives him 11 goals and 37 points in 59 outings in 2024-25. If he keeps playing like he has recently, Harley will be able to surpass his personal best of 47 points, which he established last season.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA vs. CLM ($5,300): Ekblad has competition for his spot on the top power-play unit after Florida's acquisition of Seth Jones ($5,700), but so far Ekblad seems to be holding onto that role. The 29-year-old Ekblad registered a power-play assist Monday to extend his scoring streak to four games. He's up to 11 points (one goal) across his last 13 outings.
