This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's Veterans Day NHL slate will feature plenty of action, with 11 games scheduled after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Despite the multitude of options, there aren't many lopsided matchups to target, though the Avalanche, Blues and Jets are all substantial home favorites against the Canucks, Predators and Sharks, respectively. If you're a fan of riding momentum, the Kings are a sensible choice, since they have won six straight heading into a road matchup with a Senators team that has dropped five in a row. That Kings-Senators matchup is one of four games tied for the slate-high over/under of 6.0 goals, along with Oilers-Bruins, Panthers-Penguins and Capitals-Red Wings. With some enticing affordable goalie options available here, you can grab one of those to maximize your spending on skaters or play it safe with a more reliable choice in net.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at MON ($8,100): Markstrom has been one of the league's top performers in net, while Montreal has been one of the least threatening offenses. The veteran Swede has a 5-2-3 record, 1.69 GAA and .940 save percentage, while the Canadiens are averaging just 2.00 goals per game -- second-fewest after the idle Coyotes. Markstrom already has a league-high four shutouts this season and could contend for a fifth here.
Robin Lehner, VGK vs. MIN ($7,800): Lehner has gotten himself back over .500 with wins in five of his past six starts. He's been especially effective in the last three, winning them all while allowing just five goals on 104 shots for a .952 save percentage. While the visiting Wild are far from an easy matchup, Lehner's catching them at the right time, as Minnesota's finishing up a west coast back-to-back set.
James Reimer, SJ at WPG ($6,700): Reimer's Sharks tenure is off to a tremendous start, as he's 3-1-1 with a 1.60 GAA and .946 save percentage. Despite that success, he can be had for just $6,700 against a Jets team that could be without two top-six forwards in Nikolah Ehlers (illness) and Paul Stastny (foot). Reimer has already faced the Jets once this season, setting aside 34 of 35 shots Oct. 30 in a 3-1 win.
Thatcher Demko, VAN at COL ($6,700): Demko has been a master at stealing games for the Canucks, with a 5-4-1 record, 2.59 GAA and .918 save percentage. Colorado will likely tilt the ice in Demko's direction and keep him busy, but the Avalanche could have some trouble finishing off their chances after having just lost their best player, Nathan MacKinnon, to a multi-week lower-body injury. At just $6,700, Demko's a high-risk, high-reward play capable of providing massive bang for the buck.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Kyle Connor, WPG vs. SJ ($7,000): If Reimer's early success in San Jose's net doesn't scare you, then lock in Connor with confidence. The standout winger is tied for third league-wide with nine goals in 12 games, and he has sole possession of fourth in points with 17, while also ranking third with 49 shots. Despite his across-the-board production, Connor still comes in valued below 21 other skaters in this slate, so he's actually quite the value at $7,000.
Troy Terry, ANH at SEA ($5,600): Will Terry ever be held off the scoresheet again? His point streak now sits at 12 games, and he has compiled a robust nine goals and seven assists in this dominant stretch. A Kraken team that's giving up 3.38 goals per game and has surrendered nine goals in the last two is unlikely to slow down the red-hot winger, whose $5,600 valuation is quite affordable given Terry's production.
J.T. Compher, COL vs. VAN ($5,400): Compher's set to fill in on the top line for the injured MacKinnon, and Compher has already had success in such a role earlier this season. He had a goal and an assist in the second game of the season while MacKinnon was on the shelf to begin the year, and more recently, Compher put together a 3-2-5 line while taking Mikko Rantanen's usual spot for three games while the first-line winger was shelved. All in all, Compher has a 5-4-9 line in 10 games this season, so his production comes almost exclusively when he's bumped to a more prominent role, like he will be here.
Jesse Puljujarvi, EDM at BOS ($5,400): While linemates Connor McDavid ($9,400) and Leon Draisaitl ($9,200) are rightfully quite pricey, locking in Puljujarvi gives you exposure to their success at a much more affordable valuation. The 2016 fourth-overall pick took a while to develop, but Puljujarvi's certainly performing like a player worthy of that early selection at this point, with a 6-7-13 line through 11 games, including four goals during his active three-game point streak.
Sam Reinhart, FLA at PIT ($4,300): Pittsburgh has been the most generous fantasy opponent in the league to opposing left wings, which makes Reinhart an appealing value option at just $4,300 in what should be a high-scoring affair. The former Sabre has opened his Panthers tenure with a 3-7-10 line through 13 games, building on a strong finish to his time in Buffalo, which included eight goals in his final nine games. Reinhart's average of 8.2 fantasy points per game is superior to Carter Verhaeghe's ($4,500) average of 7.6, though Jonathan Huberdeau ($5,800) tops the team's left wings with 8.7 fantasy points per game.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Capitals at Red Wings
Evgeny Kuznetsov (C - $7,700), Alex Ovechkin (W - $9,300), Tom Wilson (W - $5,700)
The last time Kuznetsov and Ovechkin had chemistry this good, the Capitals won the Stanley Cup. Ovechkin leads the league in both goals (11) and shots (60), while his 21 points through 12 games trail only Edmonton's dynamic duo of McDavid and Draisaitl, who have 23 apiece. Kuznetsov checks in fifth on that points leaderboard thanks to a 5-11-16 line, while Wilson has chipped in a 3-7-10 line, including three goals on 11 shots in the last three games. The Red Wings seem to have escaped cellar-dweller status thanks to some dynamic young offensive talent, but they still leak chances defensively, allowing 3.29 goals (seventh-most) and 34.4 shots (second-most) per game.
Kings at Senators
Phillip Danault (C - $3,700), Alex Iafallo (W - $5,300), Andreas Athanasiou (W - $3,600)
Los Angeles' affordable second line has been the driving force behind the team's recent success. Danault has a 2-3-5 line in his last four games, and the normally defense-first center has been aggressive offensively, with a seven-shot effort mixed in during this hot stretch. Iafallo has a 5-5-10 line during an active seven-game point streak, while Athanasiou has only been in there for the past three games, but he's hit the ground running with a three-game point streak consisting of one goal and three assists. A Senators team that's surrendering 3.58 goals per game overall and has allowed five goals four times during its current five-game losing streak will be hard-pressed to slow this trio down.
Blues vs. Predators
Robert Thomas (C - $3,500), Vladimir Tarasenko (W - $6,800), Jordan Kyrou (W - $4,600)
Starter Juuse Saros got the nod in Nashville's net Wednesday night, so the Blues' productive second line will likely face backup David Rittich, who would be making his Predators debut if he indeed gets this second leg of Nashville's back-to-back. The favorable matchup in the opposing net further raises the appeal of a group that's off to a fantastic start. Kyrou's breaking out at age 23, as he leads the Blues in points with a 3-9-12 line through 11 games. While Kyrou's reaching a new level, Tarasenko's returning to the dominant form he had displayed for years. Finally healthy after three shoulder surgeries, the 29-year-old Russian -- who had five consecutive seasons with 33-plus goals from 2014-15 to 2018-19 -- boasts a 4-7-11 line. Thomas' best hockey is probably still ahead of him at age 22, but he's already acquitting himself admirably, with eight points through 11 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Charlie McAvoy, BOS vs. EDM ($6,000): The Oilers have done a lot of things well early this season, but preventing opposing blueliners from racking up fantasy points isn't one of them, as Edmonton's allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to the position. McAvoy's primed to take advantage of this favorable matchup, and Boston's well-rounded No. 1 defenseman comes in hot, having racked up a 1-4-5 line over his past four games, with four of those points coming on the power play.
Cale Makar, COL vs. VAN ($6,100): Makar has been battling a lower-body injury, but he could be cleared to return for this one. If Makar's given the green light to suit up, he could enjoy a productive return to the lineup thanks to his role on the top power-play unit. Of his 100 points through 109 NHL games, 43 have come with the extra man, and Vancouver's 30th-ranked, 65.0 percent penalty kill will be hard-pressed to keep Makar from adding to that total.
Quinn Hughes, VAN at COL ($5,500): The Avalanche aren't the only team set to play at Ball Arena on Thursday with a productive young puck-mover on the blue line. Hughes' offensive capabilities have been on full display recently, as his five helpers over the past two games have him producing at a point-per-game pace through 12. Colorado has surprisingly been the worst team in the league when it comes to keeping the opposition's defensemen from racking up fantasy value, so don't be deterred by the Canucks' underdog status in this one.
Gustav Lindstrom, DET vs. WAS ($2,500): If you're trying to cram as many pricey stars as possible into your lineup, you may find yourself with just the minimum $2,500 to spend on your last defenseman. Lindstrom's an appealing option for such a situation due to his willingness to put his body on the line. He has racked up 13 blocked shots over the past four games, and though the 23-year-old hasn't marked the scoresheet since opening the season on a two-game point streak, his shot-blocking gives him a high floor at the minimum valuation.
