The NHL returns with an 11-game schedule tonight, and we have a few exciting matchups on the docket. I’m heading the DFS route to get in on the action. Below is the nine-man lineup I’ve locked in for tonight’s action. This roster is playable in DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary format, but I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent.
Here’s who I believe is primed for a big night on the ice.
Thursday’s NHL DFS Picks & Advice
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
C1: Nick Suzuki (C – MTL) | DraftKings: $5,900/FanDuel: $7,100
Let’s start in Motown, where Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens take on the Red Wings. Suzuki is Montreal’s top-line centerman and a member of the first power-play unit. He leads the team in scoring with 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists). I like this matchup because Detroit’s penalty-killing unit is ranked 31st in the NHL (68.07%).
This upward-trending Montreal offense should be able to take advantage, and I think Suzuki will make his way onto the scoresheet.
C2: Evgeni Malkin (C – PIT)| DraftKings: $4,800/FanDuel: $5,600
Evgeni Malkin’s age is starting to show, but the 38-year-old can turn back the clock and light up the lowly Ducks tonight. Geno has 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists) this season, but he did notch a goal in Monday’s 5-1 win over the Kings.
Anaheim spends a ton of time in its own zone, and the Ducks are 30th in shots on goal (SOG) against (1,511) and 31st in high-danger shots against (211). The experienced Malkin will make his way into one of the scoring columns tonight.
W1: Jonathan Marchessault (C – NSH) | DraftKings: $7,000/FanDuel: $6,800
Nashville’s Jonathan Marchessault is coming off of a monster four-point night (one goal, three assists) against the Sharks on Tuesday. The two teams will run it back in a home-and-home in San Jose.
I’ll back Marchessault, who’s riding a nine-game point streak (two goals, 10 assists). The winger has been turning up since December, as he has 26 (11 goals, 15 assists) of his 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) over his last 21 games. Look for him to stay hot against a Sharks club ranked 31st in GAA (3.28) and dead last in high-danger shots against (213).
W2: Jack Roslovic (C – CAR) | DraftKings: $4,400/FanDuel: $5,400
Jack Roslovic continues to lead the Hurricanes in goals this year with 17 tallies. He’s up to 25 total points in 48 games played. I like this matchup for the sharp-shooting Roslovic (18.3% shooting rate), as they welcome in a Blue Jackets team on the second night of a back-to-back.
Columbus is 30th in both GAA (3.21) and SV% (.883), and they’ll likely be turning to Daniil Tarasov (3.64 GAA, .872 SV%) after using Elvis Merzlikins in last night’s win over Toronto (5-1). This is great value on Roslovic.
W3: Viktor Arvidsson (RW – EDM) | DraftKings: $4,300/FanDuel: $5,600
Connor McDavid‘s suspension has thrown a wrench in Edmonton’s lines. However, we could see first-line winger Viktor Arvidsson step up in his absence tonight. Arvidsson is playing alongside Leon Draisaitl on the top line and top power-play unit.
The winger has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 32 games and is averaging 2.5 shots on goal per game (SOG/G). The price combined with the way his ice time is trending upward makes him worth a flier against the Canucks.
D1: Moritz Seider (D – DET) | DraftKings: $6,500/FanDuel: $6,600
I’ll ride with Detroit’s Moritz Seider as my top defenseman tonight. Seider is up to 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) on the year, and he’s averaging two SOG/G this season. Seider gets a matchup against Montreal’s defense, which is still a bottom-tier unit, ranking 29th in GAA (3.13) and 26th in SV% (.886).
Seider is also eighth in the NHL in blocked shots (105), so he has a path to pick up fantasy points on both ends of the ice.
D2: Jackson LaCombe (D – ANA) | DraftKings: $4,400/FanDuel: $5,700
I’m scraping the bottom of the value barrel at defenseman and taking a flier on Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe. LaCombe has emerged as Anaheim’s top offensive defenseman, where he has 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) across 40 games played.
LaCombe has added 81 SOG in those 40 contests. The Ducks host the Penguins tonight, who rank 32nd in GAA (3.33), 31st in shots on goal against (1,521) and 27th in SV% (.886). I like LaCombe’s chances to get in on the scoring tonight against this lousy Pittsburgh defense.
G: Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR) | DraftKings: $8,000/FanDuel: $8,300
Igor Shesterkin appears to be hitting his stride, as he’s logged two consecutive shutouts. He went 47-for-47 in shots saved (1.000 SV%) in those wins over the Blue Jackets and Senators. He’s now 16-15-2 (13th-most wins) on the year, to go along with a 2.78 GAA (26th) and .912 SV% (11th).
The Blue Shirts welcome a Flyers team that’s just 17th in scoring (three goals per game) and 28th on the power play (16.42%), so I’m expecting another big outing from Shesterkin. I love this play at just $8,000 on DraftKings.
UTIL: Chris Kreider (LW – NYR) | DraftKings: $4,500/FanDuel: $6,000
Let’s keep it in the same game and round out our lineup with New York’s Chris Kreider. Kreider has lit the lamp four times in his last eight games, bringing him to 15 goals (67th) on the season. He is the only Ranger on the ice to score goals and gets an excellent matchup against a Philadelphia goaltending group that’s dead last in SV% (.875).
Kreider’s averaging 2.6 SOG/G. I think he bangs one home tonight in front of his home crowd. Let’s lock him in at this low price of $4,500 on DraftKings.