Tonight we have an unusually small Thursday slate with just seven games. There are some massive favorites projected tonight with high game totals. There is not an overwhelming amount of “pay up players” tonight, which leads to a more balanced lineup.

Center

Sean Monahan (CGY): $7,200 vs. ARI
Embarrassed by a 4-1 loss at home against the Leafs, be assured Calgary will come out firing tonight. Flames top line center, Sean Monahan, is off to a career year averaging over a point per game. With the help of Johnny Gaudreau, Monahan has scored 14 goals and 12 assists in 24 games. Of those 26 points, 16 have come during November. Arizona is still the worst defensive team in the NHL and Calgary has the highest projected goal total of any team tonight. Derek Stepan is the Coyotes only defensive threat. At home, the Flames will likely avoid this matchup for Monahan’s line and target the young second line.

Mikko Koivu (MIN): $5,300 vs. VGK
The Vegas Golden Knights have overcome adversity multiple times already this season. Now they have seven players injured and travel into Minnesota. No team will feel sympathy for the battered Golden Knights in the Western Conference. Just three points separate the 13th place Wild from a playoff spot. Every two points will be critical here on out. Minnesota is very talented and has a top-five ranked power play led by Mikko Koivu. Koivu has scored eight points on the power play. Generating a positive 58.57% Scoring Chances For (SCF) and 58.16% High Danger Chances For (HDCF), Koivu is due to break out in a big way soon. With first line and power play time, look for Nino Niederreiter to hook up with Koivu at least once.

Other Centers to consider
Cash – Ryan Johansen ($5,400 vs. VAN), Jonathan Toews ($6,100 vs. DAL)
GPP – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins ($5,700 vs. TOR), Phillip Danault ($4,700 @ DET)

Wing

Johnny Gaudreau (CGY): $7,700 vs. ARI
Two nights ago, the Leafs visited Calgary. This was the first home game for the Flames after a six-game road trip. Toronto played their best game all season Tuesday. This will likely take ownership off of the offensive players for the Calgary Flames who are in a fantastic spot tonight. Emerging as one of the elite offensive forwards, Johnny Gaudreau is a top, pay-up option on this slate. Although held pointless in the last two games, Arizona is a team who can cure any offensive struggle. Along with multiple point upside, Johnny Hockey also generates a lot of shots. Averaging 2.9 shots per game makes Gaudreau a very safe cash game play, with tournament winning upside.

Filip Forsberg (NSH): $7,000 vs. VAN
The Nashville Predators top line concludes the top three teams to look at stacking tonight. Known as a very slow paced, defensive team, the Vancouver Canucks are not an ideal matchup. However, as shown Tuesday in New York against the Islanders, good offensive teams playing at home can dictate the pace of play. Filip Forsberg will forever haunt the Washington Capitals as one of the worst trades in recent memory. Scoring at least a point in nine of his last 11 games, Forsberg has excelled significantly on the power play. Vancouver is wrapping up their long six-game road trip tonight and might look sluggish out of the gate. This adds intrigue to an already great stack.

Nino Niederreiter (MIN): $5,600 vs. VGK
Aside from being one of the more fun names to pronounce, Nino Niederreiter is also a great play tonight. Playing on the top line and power play unit, Minnesota clearly has faith in the young Swiss forward to take an offensive step forward. The time-on-ice has been a slight concern for fantasy production. That being said, in the last seven games, Niederreiter has contributed to five power-play points. As a true power forward with skill, the beaten up Golden Knights will have their hands full.

Other Wingers to consider
Cash – Alex Ovechkin ($6,800 vs. LA), Patrick Kane ($7,500 vs. DAL)
GPP – James Neal ($6,000 @ MIN), Marian Gaborik ($3,700 @ WAS)

Defense

T.J. Brodie (CGY): $4,400 vs. ARI
T.J. Brodie finalizes the Calgary Flames stack on the blue line. Lined up on the top power-play unit, Brodie is an exciting offensive defenseman with plenty of upside. Averaging 25 minutes a night is a healthy average for a player priced at just $4,400. Although less of a shooter and goal scorer, Brodie creates a lot of open looks for the pure goal scorers. With two goals, 14 assists, 34 shots, and 40 blocked shots through 24 games played, this is a multiple category fantasy player.

P.K. Subban (NSH): $5,300 vs. VAN
Although P.K Subban is listed, the top three defensemen are all in play tonight for Nashville. Subban fits the lineup construction build better because he plays on the top power-play unit with Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg, and Viktor Arvidsson. With 18 points in 24 games, Subban is an elite offensive defenseman. As a higher priced player, at this position, Subban checks all of the boxes for fantasy production. He will shoot a lot, log a high time-on-ice average, and score points. As one of the safest plays on the board tonight, Subban should pay off value easily.

Other Defensemen to consider
Cash – Roman Josi ($6,800 vs. VAN), Ryan Sutter ($5,000 vs. VGK)
GPP – Oscar Klefbom ($5,200 vs. TOR), Duncan Keith ($4,800 vs. DAL)

Goalie

Frederik Andersen (TOR): $7,500 vs. EDM
If you are looking to win a tournament tonight and a lot of money, Frederik Andersen is the perfect goalie to select. Now, this is not a pick of confidence and is certainly not a safe play. High risk, high reward! Andersen has arguably been one of the best performing goaltenders in the NHL. He’s sporting a 2.71 Goals Against Average (GAA), .919 Save Percentage (SV%), to go along with three shutouts. Take into consideration that the Leafs are one of the least defensive teams in the league and have hung Andersen out to dry on multiple occasions this season. Andersen will see a lot of shots and if on his game, will have a huge fantasy night. Now the matchup. Some would say the Edmonton Oilers are turning things around. Really? Edmonton is coming off of their first back-to-back win of the season (which they should not have won) against Arizona. Otherwise, they have still lost six of their last 10 and look out of sorts. Edmonton is a slight home favorite, but Nazem Kadri and the Leafs shut this Oilers team down twice last year and are capable of doing it again tonight.

Other Goalies to consider
All Formats – Mike Smith ($8,300 vs. ARI), Pekka Rinne ($8,100 vs. VAN)

Jeremy Maw is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Jeremy, check out his archive or follow him @j_maw.