This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EST and features 14 games. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup for this busy slate.
SLATE PREVIEW
This slate includes 10 rematches of games from Tuesday and one from Wednesday, providing a roadmap of potential options if you expect those results to repeat. The Avalanche (vs. San Jose) and Stars (vs. Detroit) are the night's two biggest favorites after defeating those respective opponents Tuesday, while Maple Leafs-Oilers and Senators-Canucks are tied for the night's highest over/under at 6.5 goals. Those games offer strong starting points for constructing lineups, but there's value to be found elsewhere throughout the league as well on this busy Thursday night.
GOALIES
Anton Khudobin, DAL vs. DET ($8,400): Khudobin has picked up where he left off after stellar showings in both the regular season and playoffs in 2019-20. He's 3-0 with a 0.99 GAA and .958 save percentage heading into this home tilt against the lowly Red Wings.
John Gibson, ANH at ARI ($7,900): Gibson posted a 31-save shutout Tuesday in Arizona and has now held his last two non-Avalanche opponents off the scoreboard while limiting Colorado's high-powered offense to only four goals in two games in between. He's playing as well as anybody in net and should continue to find success against a Coyotes offense that hasn't scored a goal in its last two games.
Darcy Kuemper, ARI vs. ANH ($8,100): On the other side of this Anaheim-Arizona clash, Kuemper likely won't need much goal support to pick up a win against a Ducks team that's getting great goaltending but scoring a league-low 1.71 goals per game. Antti Raanta ($8,100) would also be a fine choice if he gets the nod over Kuemper.
Tristan Jarry, PIT at BOS ($7,100): Jarry got off to a dreadful start, but he has been quietly effective over his last three outings, going 2-0-1 with a save percentage of .912 or better in each game. If you're looking to spend big on skaters, Jarry should provide solid bang for the buck in net against a Bruins team that's scoring just 2.67 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
J.T. Miller, VAN vs. OTT ($5,800): After leading the Canucks with 27 goals and 72 points last season, Miller is looking even better to start this campaign, with a 2-6-8 line through six games. He's coming off a two-goal, three-point night against the Senators, and a repeat effort is certainly on the table considering Ottawa's allowing a league-high 4.57 goals per game.
James van Riemsdyk, PHI at NJD ($4,000): JVR was unstoppable in Tuesday's meeting between these teams, carving out netfront space against New Jersey's underwhelming defense corps and beating backup goalie Scott Wedgewood twice on seven shots. With Wedgewood likely to man the crease again unless MacKenzie Blackwood returns from the COVID-19 protocol, van Riemsdyk should continue to find success in his home state. He already has five goals and four power-play goals through seven games.
Joe Pavelski, DAL vs. DET ($7,400): Pavelski doesn't show up on the league leaderboards because his team has played fewer games, but he's off to as hot a start as anybody with a 3-5-8 line through three games. The veteran center will look to keep rolling against a Red Wings team that has won only twice through seven games after winning only 17 of 71 games last season.
Auston Matthews, TOR at EDM ($8,400): Matthews has a five-game point streak rolling, having accumulated a 4-3-7 line over that stretch. With a bevy of shots usually accompanying his scoring production, the sky's the limit for Matthews against an Oilers team that's surrendering 3.63 goals per game.
Tyler Johnson, TB at CAR ($2,600): Johnson has just one point in three games, but he's skating on the second line and No. 2 power-play unit for the Lightning. With all the talent surrounding him in those roles, Johnson's worth a look at just $2,600 if you're trying to save cap space for expensive options elsewhere.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Oilers vs. Maple Leafs
Leon Draisaitl (C - $7,500), Kailer Yamamoto (W - $4,900), Dominik Kahun (W - $2,700)
Edmonton's second line offers a nice mix of star power and affordability in this home matchup against a Toronto team that has been surprisingly stout defensively early on but will likely fall into its familiar pattern of high-offense, low-defense hockey as the season unfolds. Draisaitl continues to be a steal, with 12 other skaters priced above last year's leading scorer, even though Draisaitl has a four-game goal streak going and a 4-7-11 line through eight games, putting him one point off the league lead. Yamamoto is also a bargain relative to his production, as he has a solid 3-3-6 line on the heels of last season's 11-15-26 output in just 27 games. Kahun has just one helper but his deployment on this line and the second power-play unit gives him upside as a cheap filler.
Avalanche vs. Sharks
Nazem Kadri (C - $4,600), Brandon Saad (W - $2,800), Andre Burakovsky (W - $4,200)
Colorado's star-studded top line deservedly gets most of the press, but this second line was dominant in Tuesday's 7-3 win over San Jose, as Saad scored twice, Burakovsky and Kadri combined for three assists and the trio totaled nine shots. This is a nice buy-low opportunity on Kadri, as the two-time 32-goal scorer is a career 11.6 percent shooter but is converting at just 5.0 percent through seven games. Saad's an established goal-scorer who has potted no fewer than 18 in each of the past seven campaigns, including 21 in just 58 games last season, while Burakovsky is backing up last year's breakout campaign with a 2-3-5 line through four games in 2021.
Panthers at Blue Jackets
Aleksander Barkov (C - $6,700), Anthony Duclair (W - $3,700), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $3,700)
Columbus' problem has been offense more so than defense, but the bottom line is the Blue Jackets have won only twice in their first seven games while the Panthers have won each of their first three while ranking second in goals per game (4.33). This top line has been the driving force behind Florida's hot start, as Barkov has a 1-3-4 line while Duclair has dished out four helpers and Verhaeghe has a 3-2-5 line. Given the instant chemistry this group has displayed and its affordability, Florida's first line shouldn't be overlooked if you're searching for an against-the-grain stack, especially after combining for a 2-3-5 line and 13 shots Tuesday in Columbus.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL vs. SJ ($6,000): No Avalanche stack is complete without Makar. The sophomore stud paced Tuesday's 7-3 rout of the Sharks with three assists, giving him eight helpers through seven games. His 12-38-50 line in 57 games as a rookie suggests this early success is sustainable, especially against a Sharks team that's surrendering 4.00 goals per game.
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. STL ($6,800): It's getting harder to ignore St. Louis' defensible struggles, as the Blues are allowing 3.71 goals per game through their first seven. Theodore picked up his seventh point in seven games when these teams met Tuesday, and he already has a whopping 30 shots after firing eight Tuesday. The 25-year-old blueliner is here to stay as one of the league's premier offensive defensemen.
Matt Dumba, MIN vs. LA ($4,900): Dumba has a 2-1-3 line and 11 shots in three games against the Kings this season and no points along with seven shots in four other games. While riding the hot hand against a particular team is often fool's gold, Los Angeles' underwhelming forward group seems to be among the least effective at defending opposing blueliners, while Dumba has the skills to capitalize on his chances, having potted double-digit goals in four of the previous five campaigns.
Tyler Myers, VAN vs. OTT ($4,500): Myers' all-around game gives him a high floor, while facing the defensively challenged Senators gives him plenty of scoring upside. His assist in Wednesday's win over Ottawa bumped Myers' line up to 1-4-5 through five games, and the big-bodied blueliner is chipping in 1.6 shots and 2.0 blocks per game.
