This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
GOALIE
Marc-Andre Fleury, CHI at ARI ($30): There are few matchups better than facing the Coyotes, who rank 28th in the league over the last month with 2.13 xGF/60, according to Natural Stat Trick. Fleury has been impressive on the road this season too, posting a .922 save percentage and a 5-5-0 record. He and John Gibson ($30) against the Red Wings are the best values in this slate.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Juuse Saros, NSH at LA ($39): Picking the goalie with the highest salary typically means sacrificing some roster flexibility, and this matchup isn't that enticing anyway. Saros has recorded a respectable .916 save percentage on the road this season. However, the Kings have been quite good since the start of December, recording 2.96 xGF/60 at even strength (third in the league).
CENTER
Jack Hughes, NJ vs. CLS ($18): Hughes will be considered one of the league's superstars before long. He has accrued eight goals and 17 points through 17 games this season, including nine points over the last four contests. The 20-year-old skates on PP1 too, and he'll tee off against the Blue Jackets' 26th-ranked PK (76.5 percent) on Thursday.
CENTER TO AVOID
Elias Lindholm, CGY at TB ($27): Lindholm has been steady this season with 28 points and a plus-26 rating. The latter is quite important in Yahoo DFS, but we should note that his ceiling is likely capped tonight. Andrei Vasilevskiy has been tough to solve at home this year, posting a 1.85 GAA through 14 appearances.
WING
Alex DeBrincat, CHI at ARI ($22): DeBrincat has racked up 20 goals on 103 shots (19.4 percent) through 33 games. He typically has a shooting percentage this high, and it helps that he's shooting nearly three times per game. Eight of his tallies have come with the man advantage, so he'll have a good chance to add to his total against Arizona's 29th-ranked PK (72.1 percent).
Alex Newhook, COL vs. WPG ($13): The 2019 first-round pick has been productive in a third-line role this season with seven goals and four assists through 20 games. Newhook also mans the second power-play unit. While he hasn't been very effective with the man advantage this season, a chance against Winnipeg's 30th-ranked PK (71.6 percent) could turn the tide.
WINGS TO AVOID
Ryan Hartman, MIN at BOS ($24): Hartman has been outstanding this season with 15 goals and 13 assists through 31 games. He's shooting more than three times per game, but it's unlikely that he can keep scoring on 14.2 percent of his shots when he hasn't surpassed the 9.5 percent mark in any of the last four seasons. Boston is stingy too, ranking seventh in the league with a 2.59 GAA.
Filip Forsberg, NSH at LA ($22): Forsberg is having an excellent season, recording 17 goals through 25 games while scoring on a whopping 23.0 percent of his shots. He'll likely face some regression soon, and he'll be a risky play Thursday against the Kings, as expected starter Jonathan Quick has a 2.37 GAA this year.
DEFENSE
Devon Toews, COL vs. WPG ($24): Toews is basically discount Cale Makar. Through 18 games, Toews has accrued five goals, 16 assists and a plus-21 rating. He has put up six points on the power play, too, making him a solid stack with the aforementioned Newhook, as both players line up on PP2.
Shea Theodore, VGK vs. NYR ($20): Theodore brings a steady floor every night. He has fired 85 shots on net and blocked 36 shots through 33 games, adding 25 points – eight with the man advantage – in the process. The Rangers have been steady in net this season, but a cross-country flight to Vegas certainly makes them a more volatile team.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
John Klingberg, DAL vs. FLA ($18): Klingberg carries substantial risk Thursday with limited reward. The Panthers are a systemically sound team that can keep opponents off the scoreboard, and they rank second in the league with 3.85 goals per game, as well. Klingberg has a minus-10 rating this season, leaving him particularly vulnerable in tonight's matchup against a high-powered offense.
Zach Whitecloud, VGK vs. NYR ($17): Players in this salary range typically play more than 21 minutes per game, but Whitecloud is logging less than 19 minutes per contest. That would be fine if he was handling high-leverage ice time, but the 25-year-old doesn't skate on the power play, either. His ceiling should be lower as a result, making Whitecloud an unappealing tournament play.
