Several matchups on Thursday’s ten-game slate will feel like playoff games, as Carolina travels to Calgary, Toronto hosts Tampa Bay, and Boston heads west to face the offensive juggernaut that is the Edmonton Oilers. While these games have the most depth and talent on the ice Thursday night, don’t make the mistake of ignoring players on pedestrian or lackluster teams. There are always a few players capable of producing and carrying their team. This means games on Thursday’s slate, such as Chicago at Montreal, Seattle hosting Winnipeg, and Nashville traveling to face the New York Islanders, possess hidden value to take advantage of when constructing DFS lineups.
On Tuesday, the last ten-game slate saw five teams score at least five goals, while seven teams scored two or fewer goals. This means most teams scored three to four goals, which is a healthy level of production to sustain several players, including second and third-line skaters. With this in mind, let’s assess some of my favorite prospects ahead of Thursday’s crowded slate.
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Roope Hintz (C – DAL): $6,900
In his fourth season with Dallas, 25-year old Roope Hintz skates as their first-line center and top powerplay unit contributor. The Stars have been volatile and inconsistent in terms of wins, but Hintz has steadily been one of the most reliable players on the team, pouring in at least one point in seven of his last eight games. Hintz finished with two assists against Vegas on Wednesday and found the back of the net to score a goal against Arizona earlier in the week. He’s on fire right now and will continue to have lucrative opportunities against Los Angeles Kings veteran netminder Jonathan Quick (G – LAK). Quick was impressive in his last start, allowing only one goal, but surrendered ten goals in his previous two starts. Dallas is a marginally better team, and Hintz should remain busy all night long, making him a valuable prospect in Thursday lineups.
Sonny Milano (LW – ANA): $4,000
Sonny Milano finished a jaw-dropping play created by fellow linemate Trevor Zegras against the Buffalo Sabres the other night. Zegras flipped the puck onto his stick and sent it over the goal from behind to Milano, who buried the incredible assist to rack up his eighth goal and 20th point of the season for Anaheim. Milano began his career in Columbus but has developed a first-line role with the Ducks, benefitting from skating alongside Zegras. Milano currently has the third-most points for Anaheim entering Thursday’s road contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins (G – CBJ) has not played at the level we saw earlier in the season, surrendering nine goals in his last two starts in the crease. This creates a wonderful opportunity for Milano to return to Nationwide Arena and play spoiler against the fans who saw him begin his career in 2015. He’s an incredible value at only $4,000, so plug Milano into lineups with confidence.
Matt Dumba (D – MIN): $5,800
The Minnesota Wild are currently the hottest team in the league. While Matt Dumba skates on the first defensive line and second powerplay unit, his name gets buried behind the likes of Kirill Kaprizov (LW – MIN), Mats Zuccarello (RW – MIN), and Ryan Hartman (C – MIN). Dumba has 13 points through 25 games and enters Thursday’s contest against San Jose with an assist in back-to-back games. When Dumba can’t get an assist or goal, he is busy blocking or taking shots, subsequently raising his floor. He has disappeared for long periods throughout the season, but he gets a good matchup against the Sharks, who plan to start Adin Hill (G – SJ) in between the pipes on Thursday night. Hill has allowed three or more goals in two consecutive starts, so Dumba is positioned for success, as he’ll be skating roughly 23 minutes based on his average time on ice this season. There are dozens of quality defensemen, but I like Dumba to return value due to his personnel.
Marc Andre-Fleury (G – CHI): $8,000
Since the first month of the season, the veteran netminder has improved his play for the Chicago Blackhawks, allowing three or fewer goals in seven of his last nine starts. However, Marc Andre-Fleury’s most recent start against the New York Rangers resulted in him surrendering five goals for the first time since November 5th, so expect him to avenge this poor outing with a much better one against Montreal on Thursday night. The Canadiens have scored five more goals (61) than Chicago entering tonight’s matchup. However, their goaltending has been atrocious, leading to a minus-35 goal differential. Chicago has outstanding personnel on its top two lines, including Patrick Kane (RW – CHI) and Jonathan Toews (C – CHI), so I like Fleury to sit comfortably in the net to lead the Blackhawks back into the win column on Thursday night.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Mark Scheifele (C – WPG): $7,200
Since their relocation, Mark Scheifele has been with Winnipeg and is showing his veteran prowess lately. The 28-year old center skates on the Jets’ first-line and top powerplay unit, which has led to seven points across his last three games. Even more impressive is Scheifele’s efficiency, as he has three points in back-to-back games with only one shot on goal. While this is not sustainable, Scheifele typically averages three to four shots on goal, which will likely occur against an inferior Seattle Kraken team on Thursday night. Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer (G – SEA) has surrendered three goals in four straight starts, and the Jets are a sneakily potent offense that will take advantage of the matchup. He’s a bit pricy due to his recent point explosion, but Scheifele is an excellent asset to insert into DFS lineups ahead of Thursday’s slate.
Kirill Kaprizov (LW – MIN): $8,700
This is a no-brainer recommendation. Kirill Kaprizov is seventh in the league in terms of points (30) and is the catalyst for one of the league’s best offenses. Only Colorado has scored more goals (99) than the Minnesota Wild. Kaprizov has dominated during his second year in the league and has not been held without a point since November 24th. He is expensive, but for a good reason, as he is the best foundational piece to invest in during Thursday’s ten-game slate based on his consistent high-level production. He does this while averaging under 20 minutes of time on ice per night, so chalk Kaprizov up as a lock against San Jose. The Sharks will start Adin Hill in the crease, and the team has surrendered nine goals in their last two games, meaning Kaprizov will extend his point streak to seven games with ease.
Nate Schmidt (D – WPG): $4,200
This season, Nate Schmidt has adjusted nicely to his new team, skating on the Jets’ top powerplay unit and first defensive line, leading to a solid 15 points. Schmidt isn’t known for his goal-scoring, but he does have 14 assists, including three in his last two games. A couple of blocked shots per game also raises his floor, while his shot volume hovers between one to three on most nights. In his first matchup against the Seattle Kraken, Schmidt should continue setting up scoring possessions against Philipp Grubauer, who has four consecutive games with three goals allowed. Winnipeg has quite a bit of offensive talent, as they have scored a combined 18 goals in their last three wins. As a result, Schmidt is a solid return on investment in lineups on the road in Seattle.
Jacob Markstrom (G – CGY): $7,700
I’ve been heavily invested in Calgary Flames’ goaltender, Jacob Markstrom, all season long. The 31-year old netminder has been having the best year of his career and has only surrendered three or more goals twice in his last seven starts, leading to a 1.83 GAA and a .937 save percentage. While the Carolina Hurricanes are among the top teams in the league, they have faltered a bit in recent games, going 5-4-1 in their last ten games. The Hurricanes had ten goals in their previous two wins, but the team had five goals across three games before this turnaround. They are a streaky bunch that will have to deal with the elite play of Markstrom, who benefits from the talented personnel surrounding him. Invest in Markstrom after he surrendered three goals against Vegas last weekend, as his salary reflects the rare three-goal performance he allowed.
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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
