This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
GOALIE
Cam Talbot, MIN vs. VAN ($25): Seemingly unphased by Minnesota's trade acquisition of Marc-Andre Fleury, Talbot posted a 28-save shutout Monday evening. He has now won five straight games with a .926 save percentage and a 1.97 GAA. The Wild will be on three days of rest while the Canucks, who have lost five of their last six games while scoring 2.3 points per game, played Wednesday.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jeremy Swayman, BOS vs. TB ($38): This is a salary far too high for a goalie going up against Tampa Bay. Swayman has been outstanding this year with a .925 save percentage. However, the Lightning offense has been just as good, ranking ninth in the league with 3.31 goals per game. The risk doesn't outweigh the reward here; I'd sooner pick Andrei Vasilevskiy at $31.
CENTER
Brayden Schenn, STL vs. PHI ($19): Schenn has been excellent over the last two months, posting 13 goals, 30 points, 51 shots on net and a plus-15 rating through the last 24 games. There's a "Revenge Game" narrative here too against his former team. It certainly helps that Carter Hart has posted a 3.15 GAA on the road this year.
CENTER TO AVOID
Charlie Coyle, BOS vs. TB ($19): Coyle has posted 13 points over the last 13 games, but he's fired just 10 shots on net during that stretch. That provides an unappealing floor. Facing off against Vasilevskiy is an extremely difficult task, too, as the Vezina Trophy winner has posted a 2.38 GAA this season.
WING
Alex DeBrincat, CHI at LA ($22): DeBrincat has achieved a career-high 34 goals through 63 games while averaging more than three shots per game. Ranking eighth in the league in goals, DeBrincat's ceiling is as high as anyone's, and he has a solid opportunity to reach it, as the Kings rank 27th in the league with a 75.1 percent penalty kill.
Matthew Boldy, MIN vs. VAN ($17): Boldly has recorded 12 goals and 12 assists through 30 games, including eight power-play points. The rookie was a 2019 first-round pick and has been a revelation for the Wild. The Canucks still have serious holes on defense, and Thatcher Demko's 2.93 GAA on the road is not a major impediment.
WINGS TO AVOID
Andrei Svechnikov, CAR vs. DAL ($23): Svechnikov is enjoying a solid season with 23 goals and 55 points, and he'll likely reach career highs in both categories. However, his ceiling may be cut short Thursday. Jake Oettinger has been remarkable on the road since the calendar flipped to 2022, as he's posted a .932 save percentage and 2.16 GAA over 12 away outings.
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK vs. NSH ($20): The Golden Knights are in a slump, and Marchessault hasn't been immune, posting a mediocre five points over the last eight games. The Predators are a difficult foe, too. Juuse Saros has been among the best goaltenders in the league this year, recording a .922 save percentage and a 2.48 GAA.
DEFENSE
Moritz Seider, DET at NYI ($20): Seider is in a bit of a drought with just one point over the last eight games. He provides a sturdy floor though, posting two shots and 2.5 blocked shots per game over that stretch while averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time. The Islanders are a strong defensive team, but Seider has proven he can be effective even when he's not racking up points.
Seth Jones, CHI at LA ($19): Jones makes for a decent stack with DeBrincat. Through 59 games this season, the defenseman has posted 41 points, including 15 on the power play. Given the Kings' struggles on the PK, Jones has an intriguing opportunity to break through Thursday, as he has averaged 3:23 of ice time on the power play per game.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
John Klingberg, DAL at CAR ($19): Klingberg has recorded 36 points through 55 games, but his minus-14 rating is not only an eyesore but also a significant liability against a team like the Hurricanes, who rank 11th in the league with 3.25 goals per game. Klingberg leans heavily on the power play for his production, and Carolina's PK (89.3 percent) leads the league.
Jeff Petry, MON vs. FLA ($17): Petry has a mere 16 points through 56 games, so his salary is only this high based off name recognition at this point. Rookie goaltender Spencer Knight has been handling a bulk of the workload lately for the Panthers, posting a .923 save percentage and 2.20 GAA over the last nine games. It's tough to see how Petry can provide value Thursday.
