With the NHL’s nine-game schedule tonight, we have plenty of different ways to get some skin in the game. I’m heading the DFS route and you can see my nine-man roster below.
This lineup is playable on DraftKings’ classic $50,000 salary format, but I’ve also listed each player’s price at FanDuel’s $55,000 salary equivalent.
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Thursday’s NHL DFS Picks & Advice
The lineup below is based on DraftKings, but FanDuel prices are also listed.
Let’s pick it up in Pittsburgh, where the Blues are primed to do some damage against the Penguins. The Pens enter tonight’s game ranked 31st in overall defense (3.30 GAA), 30th in SV% (.883), 29th in defensive-zone giveaways (482) and 22nd in high-danger shots faced (243).
Give me Rob Thomas, who’s nearly a point-per-game player with 51 points (17 goals, 34 assists) in 53 games played. He’s also averaging 2.2 shots on goal per game (SOG/G), which isn’t too shabby from the center position. I love Thomas’ upside tonight.
Anthony Cirelli (20 goals, 45 assists) should make a decent value play tonight, as the Bolts square off against the Flyers in Philly. The Flyers are in the midst of a 0-5-0 run, where they’re allowing 4.4 goals per contest.
The Flyers are dead last in SV% (.876) and 27th in overall defense (3.11 GAA). Tampa’s offense should light it up tonight. The second line of Brandon Hagel-Anthony Cirelli-Nick Paul will likely contribute.
I have a feeling we’re going to see plenty of scoring in this Knights vs. Blue Jackets game in Ohio. I’ll ride with Pavel Dorofeyev, who is second on Vegas in both goals (25) and SOG (194).
Dorofetev is averaging north of 3.0 SOG/G, which bodes well for us since he’ll be ripping pucks on net against a Columbus squad ranked 24th in SV% (.889). They’re also just 28th overall in team GAA (3.17) and 24th on the penalty kill (75.42%).
Keeping it in the same game, I’ll back Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko. The first-line winger leads the team in goals scored (25) and is averaging more than a point per game with 62 points in 61 games.
Marchenko is second in SOG (162) and he’ll be shooting on a Vegas squad that has allowed nine goals in its last two games. To get a sniper like Marchenko at this price is a shot we have to take. This Columbus offense is a top-five unit, and I like them to find success at home.
The Leafs host the Panthers in a colossal divisional matchup tonight. I’m not going to convince anyone that the Cats are bad defensively, but they are a pedestrian 10th in SV% (.899), 16th in defensive-zone giveaways (452) and 15th in high-danger shots against (211).
I’ll ride with Matthew Knies (24 goals, 19 assists), who has six points (three goals, three assists) in his last seven outings.
With Shea Theodore sidelined, Noah Hanifin has received a chance to run point on the top power-play unit for Vegas. The 28-year-old has been lighting it up, racking up nine points (three goals, six assists) in his last seven games.
I laid out most of the anti-Columbus defensive metrics above, so look for Hanifin to get in on the scoring action tonight.
I rarely play Blackhawks players but considering their matchup against the lowly Sharks, I think it’s worth a flier on Alex Vlasic. With Seth Jones getting shipped out, Vlasic has taken over the blue line on the top power-play unit.
Chicago’s sneakily a top-10 man-advantage unit at 25% (seventh). Vlasic has four points (one goal, three assists) in his last seven outings. He’s also 28th in the NHL in blocked shots (120), giving us multiple routes for him to amass fantasy points.
Keeping it will the Hawks, I’ll also play their newly acquired netminder, Spencer Knight. Knight has been tremendous this season, going 14-9-1 with a 2.35 GAA (fourth) and a .912 SV% (10th).
Since joining Chicago, he’s 2-1-0 with a 1.98 GAA and .941 SV%. I like him to turn in another big night against this San Jose offense that has been gutted by trades and ranks 29th in scoring (2.6 goals per game).
Let’s round things out with Jesper Bratt, who is officially New Jersey’s best player with Jack Hughes (shoulder) sidelined. Bratt went off on the Blue Jackets last game, scoring a goal and adding two assists. He’s up to 73 points (18 goals, 55 assists) in 66 games.
The Devils host an Oilers team that is allowing 4.2 goals per game during their current 3-7-0 stretch.
