This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
We have a busy schedule tonight with 10 games on the docket, and most of that action will overlap. Six of the matches are set to start at 7:00 p.m. ET (Buffalo at Ottawa, Boston at Tampa Bay, New Jersey at the Rangers, Dallas at Philadelphia, Edmonton at Pittsburgh, Seattle at Columbus), one at 7:30 (Toronto at Carolina) and two at 8:00 (Anaheim at St. Louis, Colorado at Minnesota). There is just one West Coast tilt, which is Vegas hosting the Islanders, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET. The upside is those on the East Coast should have a solid idea of how their fantasy lineup has performed before bed. Here are my FanDuel recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Colorado is playing in its second road game in as many nights, so fatigue might be a factor working against them. Carolina is in the first half of a back-to-back set tonight (the Hurricanes will face Vancouver on Friday), which might influence the squad's lineup decisions.
GOALIES
Jacob Markstrom, NJD at NYR ($7,800): Markstrom has been strong in his first campaign as a member of the Devils, posting a 20-8-2 record, 2.17 GAA and .911 save percentage in 30 outings. Earlier in the campaign, I likely would have avoided recommending a goalie facing the Rangers, but New York is 6-16-1 dating back to November 21st.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL vs. BOS ($7,600): Vasilevskiy is rather cheap for a goaltender with a 17-12-1 record, 2.36 GAA and .914 save percentage. He is up against the Bruins, who certainly aren't the easiest of adversaries, but Boston has been rather inconsistent this campaign and is currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak in which the Bruins have recorded just 10 goals. The Bruins offense has been a problem overall too – they rank just 29th in goals per game with 2.58.
Filip Gustavsson, MIN vs. COL ($7,300): This is a very risky option, but one with a ton of upside. Gustavsson has been stellar in 2024-25 with an 18-6-3 record, 2.31 GAA and .922 save percentage in 28 appearances. To get him at this price is fantastic. Of course, the reason he's this cheap is because he's facing the Avalanche, who rank seventh in goals per game (3.33). However, Colorado is playing on no rest, which might limit the Avalanche – the squad has averaged just 2.75 goals per game in four games on no rest. Being on the road should further limit Colorado.
VALUE PLAYS
Viktor Arvidsson, EDM at PIT ($4,900): Arvidsson has struggled overall in 2024-25, recording just five goals and 12 points through 25 appearances. However, the 31-year-old might have turned a corner. Across his past seven outings, he has three goals and seven points. It helps he's playing on the second line alongside Leon Draisaitl, who has factored into six of Arvidsson's past nine points.
Kaapo Kakko, SEA at CBJ ($4,900): Kakko needed a couple of games to adjust to Seattle after being traded from the Rangers, but he's settled into his new home while providing a goal and five points across his past six appearances. He's averaged 16:50 of ice time in that span, which represents a major jump from the 13:17 per game he was getting with New York.
Noah Cates, PHI vs. DAL ($4,600): Cates has been a steady contributor recently, recording at least a point in nine of his past 10 appearances. He has five goals and 10 points in that span, giving him seven goals and 17 points in 37 outings overall.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Oilers at Penguins
Connor McDavid (C - $8,700), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $5,700), Connor Brown (W - $4,800)
Although McDavid isn't especially hot right now, he's certainly not cold either after collecting a power-play goal Tuesday. He has been dominant in 2024-25 with 16 goals and 55 points through 37 appearances. More importantly, he's up against a team that has struggled defensively. The Penguins rank 29th in goals allowed per game with 3.62. Pittsburgh is on a four-game losing streak, so this is a prime target for McDavid and the Oilers.
Nugent-Hopkins and Brown are solid options to round out the line for their respective prices. Nugent-Hopkins has four goals and five points across his past six appearances, while Brown seems to have finally found his way with Edmonton after disappointing last campaign by providing three goals and 11 points across his last 12 outings.
Maple Leafs at Hurricanes
Auston Matthews (C - $8,900), Mitch Marner (W - $8,200), Matthew Knies (W - $5,600)
Matthews is red hot since returning from an upper-body injury, contributing multiple points in three consecutive games, totaling two goals and five assists in that span. That's been of great benefit to Knies, who has an incredible five goals and seven points across the same three outings.
Marner, meanwhile, has been Marner. He has 14 goals and 58 points through 42 games in 2024-25, including four goals and 20 points across his past 13 appearances. At this rate, he'll surpass his career-high 99 points before the campaign is done.
DEFENSEMEN
Zach Werenski, CBJ vs. SEA ($7,600): Werenski has been one of the most production defensemen of late, providing a goal and 14 points across his past seven appearances. That's propelled him to 12 goals and 46 points through 41 outings overall. Only Cale Makar ($7,600) has more points among defensemen.
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. NYI ($6,400): Theodore is having a strong campaign with four goals and 33 points through 39 outings, and he's showing no signs of slowing. Quite the contrary, he's been outpacing his season average recently with three goals and 15 points across his past 39 outings.
Erik Karlsson, PIT vs. EDM ($6,300): Karlsson is entering Thursday's action after supplying two goals and 11 points across his past 10 outings. He's up to four goals and 30 points through 42 appearances this season, which puts him on pace to surpass the 50-point milestone for the third straight campaign.
Jonas Brodin, MIN vs. COL ($5,400): Brodin is on a four-game scoring streak and has been held off the scoresheet just once across his past seven appearances (two goals, seven points). His price reflects his typically lukewarm offensive production – he has four goals and 16 points in 31 games in 2024-25 and has never recorded more than 30 points in a single campaign – but it also makes him a good value play while he's hot.
