The NHL will transition from a meager two-game schedule on Wednesday night to a whopping 13 games for Thursday’s slate. With so many teams competing, it becomes critical to roster at least three to four prospects who return double the amount of value based on their salary. Expect a ton of production from every level of a team’s depth chart on Thursday, as both games on Wednesday wound up with at least seven total goals scored. Please don’t commit the mistake of ignoring current winning streaks, like Arizona and Philadelphia. They have both hit their stride late in the season after struggling to manufacture offense all year. Conversely, powerhouse teams like St. Louis and Pittsburgh find themselves in the midst of losing slumps. This also ties into the exhaustion factor affecting some teams who play three to four games in a week.
My recommended prospects from Tuesday’s slate fared well overall, as Jake Guentzel (LW – PIT), John Tavares (C – TOR), and Jakob Chychrun (D – ARI) all scored goals to yield high production. Particularly Chychrun, who scored two goals and netted an assist to finish with three points during Arizona’s 9-2 rout of Detroit. Tyler Toffoli (RW – CGY) managed an assist, and Juuse Saros (G – NAS) held Dallas to only one goal in a 2-1 win for Nashville. Jacob Trouba (D – NYR) and Robin Lehner (G – VGK) were the only busts, while Nico Hischier (C – NJ) sustained an injury before puck-drop, eliminating him from lineups. Expect this production level to kick up a notch on Thursday with 26 teams competing for their playoff lives.
It’s a slate that will likely overwhelm with the number of prospects available to sift through when constructing DFS lineups. Fortunately, I’m here to help uncover hidden value that could make the difference between losing and cashing out. So let’s get to it!
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Ryan Hartman (C – MIN): $5,700
Minnesota continues to battle for the second seed with St. Louis in the Central Division, as a 3-7 record across their last ten games has tested the fortitude of the Wild. However, 27-year old Ryan Hartman has been an integral piece towards sustaining their offense all season, as he’s fourth in points (41) and has scored 23 goals, which is the second-highest on the team behind only Kirill Kaprizov (LW – MIN). Earning his primary minutes on the Wild’s first-line attack and their top powerplay unit allows Hartman to continuously provide scoring opportunities. He has scored four goals across his last four games and is a high-volume shooter. Hence, a plus-matchup against the porous goaltending of Detroit’s Alex Nedeljkovic (G – DET) elevates Hartman as a massive value in DFS lineups Thursday night.
Clayton Keller (LW – ARI): $5,700
The only member of the Arizona Coyotes franchise who has scored over 20 goals is 23-year old Clayton Keller. The first-line winger also earns additional minutes on the Coyotes’ top powerplay unit, allowing him to already set a career-high in goals (24) in just 56 games played. Lately, Keller has been on fire, scoring three goals and pouring in five assists across his previous three outings. He’s not necessarily the highest volume shooter, but he’s skilled and used enough to be the ace scorer for an Arizona team that has quietly strung three consecutive wins across the last week. Toronto is a formidable opponent, but Jack Campbell (G – TOR) has not defended the crease with the same ability he displayed earlier in the season. Campbell has allowed at least four goals in each of his previous five starts. This makes Keller a fantastic value, as he can produce a high ceiling and will face a goaltender lacking confidence. Don’t let the Arizona Coyotes’ collective struggles dissuade you from Keller. Plug him into lineups with confidence in a surprisingly juicy matchup.
Damon Severson (D – NJ): $4,600
New Jersey is another team flying under the radar with their two-game winning streak intact entering Thursday’s home game against Winnipeg. The 28-year old defenseman skates on the Devils’ first defensive line and gets extended opportunities on their top powerplay unit, earning close to 24 minutes average time on ice per matchup. Severson has spent his entire eight-year career in New Jersey and has been able to carve out a role within the offense, holding onto a 3:1 assist to goal ratio that has elevated him into fifth for most points (32) on the Devils. Severson is also suitable for a couple of blocked shots per game to raise his floor while staying involved within the offense with two to four shots on goal. He is coming off of scoring only his eighth goal of the season against Colorado, so a plus-matchup against Connor Hellebuyck (G – WPG) warrants serious consideration. Hellebuyck has surrendered four goals in four straight starts, leading to a 2-1-1 record. He’s vulnerable at all times, and Severson is riding momentum from scoring during Tuesday’s big win over the Avs. Take the value by rostering one of the most underrated defensemen on Thursday’s slate.
Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR): $7,300
Arguably the frontrunner for the Vezina Trophy, Igor Shesterkin continues to play lights out in the net. The 26-year old has a 1.93 GAA and a 28-6 record, along with three recorded shutouts this season. While there are other goaltenders like Jacob Markstrom (G – CGY) who have compiled double the amount of shutouts, the consistency that Shesterkin provides makes him such a reliable prospect to roster. He’s surrendered just one goal in five of his previous six starts and will face a St. Louis Blues team that has dropped four in a row and lacks any momentum. Take advantage of Shesterkin’s salary, which somehow is among the cheapest on the slate for goaltenders. This is free money. I strongly encourage you to plug Shesterkin into lineups for a massive point boost.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Jack Eichel (C – VGK): $6,800
He’s only been a member of the Vegas Golden Knights for ten games, but Jack Eichel is trusted with a full workload within their offense. The 25-year old centers the Golden Knights’ first-line attack and gets extra minutes on their top powerplay unit, which has already allowed Eichel to notch an assist and a goal in a short ten-game span. Eichel has three points in his last four games and is a tough, gritty center for Vegas, racking up one to three blocked shots per game. He’s also continuously taking shots on goal, totaling nine during a 2-1 loss against Philadelphia on Tuesday and never dipping below four shots on goal. After leaving Buffalo, he’s been given new life, so expect Eichel to continue producing on Thursday in a revenge game when he returns to face his former team. Craig Anderson (G – BUF) shows his age as the 40-year old netminder has surrendered ten goals across his last two starts in the net. Eichel could wind up with a multi-point effort, and he’s available under $7,000, making him an excellent value as a blue-chip prospect in Thursday’s DFS lineups.
Tyler Toffoli (RW – CGY): $6,100
I’ve constantly been pulled back into recommending Tyler Toffoli because he’s another talented star who was given a second chance after being traded from Montreal to Calgary a few weeks ago. He’s been so good for the Flames that Toffoli is now featured on the second-line attack instead of the third-line where he was previously relegated. Extra minutes on their top powerplay unit only increase the appeal of rostering Toffoli at his current $6,100 salary on FanDuel. The 29-year old has exchanged jerseys four times in the last three seasons, but it appears he’s settling into a solid offensive role on a deeply talented roster. The Flames will face Tampa Bay and their goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (G – TB), who has recently struggled, surrendering 12 goals across his previous three starts. Toffoli has an assist and two goals compiled in his last two games, so expect him to extend the point streak to three games against the Lightning at home on Thursday night.
Erik Karlsson (D – SJ): $6,000
It’s more than fair to say that San Jose’s season never stood a chance without arguably their best player available. 31-year old defenseman Erik Karlsson is set to return from IR after suffering a forearm injury in January. Since his absence, the Sharks have been abysmal, earning just three wins in their last 15 games played. Karlsson netted three assists in his last game against the Los Angeles Kings, his opponent again on Thursday. Jonathan Quick (G – LAK) has not been stellar in the net, surrendering five goals in less than two periods to Boston and three to Columbus in his last start on March 4th. He’s well-rested, but so is Karlsson, who should quickly shake off the rust and energize the Sharks’ offense with his presence and elite assist ability. At $6,000, Karlsson is worth the price of admission. He’s still sixth in total points (26) despite missing the last five weeks, giving incredible context to how valuable Karlsson is to San Jose.
Ilya Sorokin (G – NYI): $7,400
Ilya Sorokin is another underrated goaltender available to roster for pennies on the dollar. The 26-year old netminder has been very good for the New York Islanders all season, keeping them in games despite their lack of offense early on. Now that the Islanders have established a bit of momentum with their improved scoring, the pressure is off of Sorokin, which is why he’s been stacking saves and wins. At $7,400, Sorokin is a massive value and has had two full days to rest, heading into a plus-matchup against the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets. Sorokin has only surrendered five goals across his last three starts, including his fifth shutout of the season. Nothing more needs to be said. Sorokin will only aid in launching your lineups into the green by the end of Thursday night.
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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_.
