This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Thursday's slate will feature 13 games an all 26 teams in action will be rested since none of them played Wednesday.
Marquee matchups include Hurricanes at Lightning and Bruins at Rangers, featuring four of the East's best teams. The Hurricanes and Lightning have played in close, low-scoring games over the past few seasons, with six of their past 11 matches since 2021 decided by just one goal. In the past, the Bruins have dominated the Rangers during the season, but the script has flipped in recent years and the Rangers have won five of their past nine meetings after snapping a six-game losing streak.
Kings at Blackhawks, Ducks at Canucks and Kraken at Wild all feature matchups where both teams rank in the top 15 in most goals allowed per game.
GOALIES
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. MON ($8,800): Hellebucyk faces a lot of shots and saves a lot of them, and historically he's been very good against the Habs with a career 10-5-1/.913/2.96 line. The Habs are playing the final game of their four-game road trip and in their previous game mustered just one goal against the Wild, and they've scored three or more goal just three times this season.
Darcy Kuemper, WSH at DET ($8,300): Kuemper has been very good for the Caps this season and he should get plenty of goal support against the Wings, who allowed eight goals in their most recent game and have also allowed at least five goals in three of their past four games. Dominik Kubalik was one of the league's hottest forwards but over the past three games has recorded just one assist.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at SJ ($8,000): Either Bob or Spencer Knight should be good in this matchup against a generally terrible offensive team. The Sharks have scored three or more goals just once in regulation this season, and that required a historic performance from Erik Karlsson who notched his first career hat trick and became the first defenseman in Sharks history to do so.
Scott Wedgewood, DAL at ARI ($6,800): This is a bargain price for Wedgewood, who faces his former team and he's coming off a 30-save win against the Kings. The Stars typically dominate the Coyotes, who have only lost three times in their 14 meetings over the past five years. The already offense-starved Coyotes may play with seven defensemen as well with Zack Kassian and Nick Schmaltz injured.
VALUE PLAYS
Mason Shaw, MIN vs. SEA ($3,000): Shaw has scored three points in his past two games playing a second-line role with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy. It's an enviable position to be in for the 23-year-old rookie who finished third in scoring for their minor-league affiliate last season, though note Shaw does not play on the power play.
Kirby Dach, MON at WPG ($4,100): Dach's on a two-game point streak with three assists and continues to skate on the top line and on the top power-play unit with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Though Hellebuyck is playing much better this season, note the Jets still bleed a lot of shots and allow the 10th most shots per game.
LINE STACKS
Golden Knights at Senators
William Karlsson (C - $5,100), Reilly Smith (W - $5,100), Jonathan Marchessault (W - $6,600)
The Knights' "Misfits Line" should continue to get a lot of play, especially on a night when so many teams are in action because it's a cheap, effective line stack that gets overlooked. They generate a lot of scoring chances, Marchessault plays PP1 while Smith and Karlsson play PP2, and the Sens are particularly vulnerable at the moment, mired in a three-game losing streak with 13 goals allowed.
Ducks at Canucks
Bo Horvat (C - $7,400), J.T. Miller (C - $6,600), Conor Garland (W - $4,700)
Note Miller is listed as a center even though he's played exclusively left wing over the past few weeks. Defense is the Canucks' kryptonite, not offense, and in this regard they're still a fearsome opponent who will also has a very weak defense. Horvat has been unstoppable on the power play and leads the team with eight goals, and while Miller's play has been disappointing, he's still finding ways to contribute points.
Stars at Coyotes
Roope Hintz (C - $6,900), Jason Robertson (W - $8,100), Joe Pavelski (W - $7,000)
They combined for seven points in their previous game against the Kings and continue to be one of the best offensive lines in the league, and now they'll be facing an opponent that's even weaker defensively and in net. They've accounted for 15 of the Stars' 33 goals this season.
DEFENSEMEN
Roman Josi, NSH at CGY ($7,300): This is a bargain price for Josi, who was slumping at the beginning of the season but now has five points in his past three games. He piles up the shots on goal and it was just a matter of time before they started to bounce in his favour. The Flames will be tough, but with Victor Hedman and John Carlson potentially out of action, Josi is one of the few elite options remaining.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. ANH ($6,900): The Ducks have the second worst penalty kill in the league, which bodes well for Hughes and the Canucks power play, which ranks fifth in the league. He played 26 minutes in his first game back from injury and registered an assist, and he will continue to play a lot as the Canucks' most irreplaceable defenseman.
Erik Gustafsson, WSH at DET ($3,700): The Caps placed Carlson on injured reserve, which means Gustafsson will get an extended look as the quarterback for PP1. He's averaged 18 minutes per game in the two games Carlson missed and registered an assist on the power play against the Canes.
