This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
There are seven games on the schedule Thursday and many in the daily racket will flock to the expected shootout between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Dallas Stars. It is costly to do so, though, and plucking potential bargains from that contest will open up cap space to lock in strong plays in more favorable matchups.
Fantasy Aces settings:
Rosters
1 Center
4 Wingers
2 Defensemen
1 Goalie
1 FLEX (C, W, D)
*$50,000 salary cap
Scoring for skaters
Goal (G): 3 Points
Assist (A): 2 Points
Shot on Goal (SOG): 0.25 Point
Blocked Shot (BS): 0.25 Point
Plus/Minus (+/-): 0.5 Point
Power Play Goal (PPG): 0.25 Point
Power Play Assist (PPA): 0.25 Point
Short Handed Goal (SHG): 0.5 point
Short Handed Assist (SHA): 0.5 point
Scoring for Goaltenders
Win (W): 3 Points
Shutout (SO): 2 Points
Goal Allowed (GA): -1 Point
Save (SV): .25 Point
*Goalies receive points for goals & assists
Player Recommendations
G: Pekka Rinne, NSH vs. CAR ($7,700): The backstop posted a 25-8-4 record on home ice last season with a 2.12 goals-against average. Nashville boasts a deep team with one of the best defensive corps in the league, and Carolina won just 12 road games last season while averaging only 2.27 goals per game. Rinne checks out atop the pecking order Thursday.
C: Paul Stastny, STL vs. EDM ($4,600): The pivot was relegated to third-line duty for the majority of last season, and despite playing with less-than-desirable talents, Stastny still returned 47 points. He is opening the 2015-16 season between Valdimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen, and Stastny has huge profit potential on his mid-range cap hit.
C: Jack Eichel, BUF at OTT ($4,250): Buy low while you can. Eichel has elite hockey IQ, exceptional wheels and a deft shooting arsenal. His cap hit is a steal, and the fact he can be utilized as a source of cap relief is surprising. And while it is just preseason, Eichel did post two goals and four assists over his four exhibition games. He will receive prime offensive minutes from the onset, too.
W: Valeri Nichushkin, DAL vs. PIT ($4,250): This tilt projects to be a high-event game, as each team boast a number of elite offensive contributors. Focusing on secondary scorers provides access to the game at a discount. Nichushkin has a top-six role with power-play looks.
W: Sergei Plotnikov, PIT at DAL ($4,000): Similar to countrymen Valeri Nichushkin, Plotnikov stands as an upside source of cap relief. Plotnikov posted three points through five preseason games and has been playing with Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist at even strength.
W: Filip Forsberg, NSH vs. CAR ($5,250): Don't let those season-long numbers fool you, as Forsberg exploded out of the gate last season with 35 points -- 14 goals -- through his first 36 games of the season. He also posted a plus-22 rating and registered 115 shots on net during the span. Rookies often fade as the rigors of the lengthy and grueling season catch up. Forsberg is a high-floor, high-upside play in a cushy matchup Thursday.
W: Alexander Steen, STL vs. EDM ($5,450): The veteran notched 30 points -- 12 goals -- through 36 games at the Scottrade Center last season, and he is a nice value play with linemate Paul Stastny. The Edmonton Oilers are an up-and-coming team, but they face a tall task on the road to open the season. Steen is also a high-volume shooter who has averaged over three shots per game in each of the past five seasons.
D: Cody Franson, BUF at OTT ($3,500): The veteran is a high-floor play at a discount who shoots and blocks shot at a high volume. Add his power-play time and respectable offensive acumen, and Franson is a nice low-risk play to help squeeze a few expensive players under the cap.
D: Kevin Shattenkirk, STL vs. EDM ($4,800): Considering Shattenkirk has a legitimate shot at finishing as the highest scoring defenseman in the league, his cap hit screams value. Not only is he the power-play quarterback, Shttenkirk also plays soft and offensively inclined minutes away from the opposition's top players. In the 36 St. Louis wins he played in last year, Shattenkirk posted 36 points and a plus-30 rating, and the Blues are receiving significant chalk Thursday.
