This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's expansive NHL slate features 13 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 a couple of overwhelming home favorites Thursday, as the Bruins and Golden Knights have juicy home matchups against the Flyers and Coyotes, respectively. The Jets are also substantial favorites at home against the Ducks. There's a substantial dropoff after that before you get to the Panthers against the Stars. All of Thursday's games opened with over/unders of either 6.0 or 6.5 goals.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, BOS vs. PHI ($8,400): Ullmark's the early frontrunner for the Vezina Trophy, as he's off to an 11-1-0 start with a 1.96 GAA and .936 save percentage. He has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last five outings and 10 of 13 appearances overall heading into this visit from a Flyers team that's averaging 2.56 goals per game – just .06 more than last place Chicago.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. CGY ($7,700): Vasilevskiy's numbers have taken a noticeable dip now that Tampa Bay has a regular good team as opposed to a superteam in front of him, but he's still capable of carrying the Lightning to victory on any given night. Calgary has been a fantasy-friendly opponent for goalies thus far, as the Flames average the third-most shots (36.0) but rank 16th at 3.13 goals per game. Look for Vasilevskiy to deliver a solid performance and push his season save percentage back over .900.
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at SEA ($7,300): Shesterkin's a nice value play at $7,300. He's 8-2-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .915 save percentage, and the star goalie should benefit from having a rested Rangers team in front of him, as New York hasn't played since Shesterkin turned aside 31 shots in a 4-1 win over Arizona on Sunday. Seattle has been opportunistic offensively, but the Kraken offense has gone into a mini-slump, scoring only twice over the past two games combined en route to a 0-1-1 record.
Juuse Saros, NSH vs. NYI ($7,000): Saros is another top-end goalie available at a discount. He got off to a rough start but has rounded into form lately, holding the Rangers and Wild to one goal apiece on a combined 68 shots over his previous two starts. Nashville's physicality matches up well against the Islanders, so this should be a comfortable matchup for the locked-in Saros, who is 5-1-0 with a 2.31 GAA and .916 save percentage against the Isles in his career.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at STL ($7,600): Most players would sign up for Ovechkin's 8-6-14 line through 18 games, but this is viewed as a slow start for the future Hall of Famer. Thursday's trip to St. Louis offers a nice opportunity for Ovechkin to get back on track, though, as the Blues just played Wednesday night and used starter Jordan Binnington. That means St. Louis will have tired legs and will likely trot out struggling backup Thomas Greiss, who has gone 0-3-0 with a 3.78 GAA and .899 save percentage.
Patrice Bergeron, BOS vs. PHI ($7,300): Bergeron's the most affordable member of Boston's high-powered top line. He's been in a groove lately with a 4-1-5 line and 15 shots over the past four games, and while the Flyers have been solid defensively this season, they're likely to be overwhelmed by Bergeron and the Bruins' relentless offense.
Tomas Hertl, SJ vs. DET ($4,800): Hertl has heated up after a slow start, notching a 3-8-11 line in his last eight games. San Jose's top-line center should build on his recent hot streak against a visiting Red Wings team that has stumbled recently after a strong start defensively. Detroit's winless in its last four games with 17 goals allowed.
Emil Bemstrom, CLS vs. MON ($4,000): Bemstrom's well positioned to outperform his modest $4,000 valuation at home against a Canadiens team that's allowing 3.31 goals per game. The 23-year-old Swede is skating on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit, and Bemstrom has racked up one goal, one assist and 12 shots since being called up from the AHL Cleveland. He earned the promotion by tearing up the AHL ranks with a 7-7-14 line over 10 games, so Bemstrom's a talented, if unheralded, offensive player.
Tomas Tatar, NJ at TOR ($3,800): New Jersey has gotten contributions from all over the place during its 10-game winning streak, but Tatar has been one of the most consistent producers, as he had a seven-game point streak snapped in the team's previous game. Skating on the top line and seeing time on the power play, the veteran winger's a nice value at $3,800 against a Toronto team that still isn't sure what it has in net between Matt Murray and some unproven youngsters while Ilya Samsonov recovers from a knee injury.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Golden Knights vs. Coyotes
Jack Eichel (C - $8,000), Mark Stone (W - $5,800), Chandler Stephenson (W - $5,600)
Vegas should carry play in this one, and this highly productive top line's likely to add to its success. Eichel leads the team in both goals and points through 17 games with a 10-10-20 line, providing the Golden Knights with their first true franchise player at the center position. Stephenson's averaging a point per game with a 6-11-17 line, and seven of those points have come during his current four-game point streak. Stone has added a 4-8-12 line, but he's capable of much more considering the veteran winger has surpassed a point per game on three separate occasions, doing so as recently as 2020-21.
Jets vs. Ducks
Mark Scheifele (C - $6,200), Kyle Connor (W - $6,000), Sam Gagner (W - $3,500)
Scheifele's coming off his third two-goal performance of the season and has already lit the lamp 10 times, tying his for seventh league-wide in goals. Connor, on the other hand, has only two goals, but he has stayed productive with 10 helpers in 14 games, and it's only a matter of time until the career 14.8 percent shooter bumps up from his current conversion rate of 4.2 percent. Both elite scorers are reasonably priced against a Ducks team that's surrendering 4.31 goals per game – second-most in the league. Gagner's a nice bargain option given his top-line role and the favorable matchup, and his single-game ceiling is as high as anyone's considering Gagner's the only active player with an eight-point NHL game on his resume.
Canadiens at Blue Jackets
Nick Suzuki (C - $6,300), Cole Caufield (W - $7,000), Kirby Dach (W - $3,900)
Montreal's top line can no longer be had at the bargain rates from earlier this season, but this trio should be worth paying up for against a Blue Jackets team that's giving up a league-high 4.33 goals per game. Suzuki (10-9-19) and Caufield (9-7-16) are both on a point-per-game or better pace through 16 appearances, and both youngsters are on pace to top the 40-goal mark. Dach has fit in seamlessly since being bumped up to the top line, producing a 3-8-11 line in his last eight games.
DEFENSEMEN
Devon Toews, COL at CAR ($5,900): Carolina's a tough matchup, but Toews is still an appealing play at $5,900. With Colorado banged up on the blue line, Toews has eclipsed 26 minutes of ice time in each of the past three games. With all those opportunities to rack up fantasy value at both ends, Toews is capable of posting productive performances on a nightly basis regardless of opponent. He was held without a point in Colorado's previous game, but that goose egg was preceded by a five-game point streak (1-6-7).
Kris Letang, PIT at MIN ($5,300): Letang notched his eighth season with double-digit goals last year en route to 68 points in 78 games, but he's still searching for his first tally of 2022-23. While the veteran blueliner has kept his value afloat with eight helpers in 15 appearances, Letang's value is still at a low point, creating a buy-low opportunity on the road against a Wild team that's only 2-4-1 on home ice. Letang had a season-high six shots in Pittsburgh's previous game, so he could be on the verge of breaking out.
Aaron Ekblad, FLA vs. DAL ($4,900): Keep rolling Ekblad out there until his valuation returns to its normal range. He's a bargain at less than $5,000, and Ekblad should only get more productive as he gets further away from his lower-body injury. The former first overall pick has scored double-digit goals in seven of eight previous seasons, and Ekblad came four points shy of averaging a point per game last season, so it's likely only a matter of time until he's back to being the priciest option on Florida's blue line. He currently sits third behind Brandon Montour ($7,300) and Gustav Forsling ($5,400).
Josh Morrissey, WPG vs. ANH ($4,800): Morrissey has been a key cog in Winnipeg's offense, transitioning the puck effectively from the defensive zone to the Jets' skilled forward corps. He has a 1-14-15 line in 14 games overall, with 12 of those points coming in the past nine games. Morrissey should stay hot against the lowly Ducks.
