Yahoo DFS Hockey: Thursday Picks

If you are looking to play daily fantasy Thursday, you will not be bereft for options. There are a whopping 12 games on the docket -- which can be daunting -- but we're here to help.

GOALIE

Devan Dubnyk, MIN vs. NYI ($35): Simply by not being the most expensive goalie Thursday (he's actually fifth most expensive), Dubnyk seems like a great value. He tops the league in GAA and save percentage, and he plays for a team that has won 11 games in a row. The Islanders have won three in a row, but are 3-7-2 on the road, and their 2.72 goals per game isn't a formidable threat to Dubnyk.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Pekka Rinne, NAS vs. CHI ($31): It's tough to argue with the most expensive goalies Thursday, but you can make a case against Rinne. His 2.51 GAA and .916 save percentage are good, but nothing special. Chicago has lost three in a row, but they are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, while Nashville is 4-4-2. Plus, the Blackhawks have a plus-14 goal differential to the Predators' minus-1. Rinne's chances of getting a win seem a little iffy, and there are a lot of cheaper options with more attractive matchups given the busy slate.

[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest now]

Derek Stepan, NYR at ARI ($19): Stepan has been on a nice little run recently, putting up seven points in his last four games. In his last six, he's notched 22 shots, which is enticing heading into a matchup with the Coyotes. Arizona gives up 34.7 shots per game, and New York's high-flying offense should give them fits.

CENTER TO AVOID

Mark Scheifele, WPG vs. CLM ($26): Scheifele is having a fine year, although his 18.5 shooting percentage is bound to go down. Columbus seems likely to help make that happen, as Sergei Bobrovsky has a 1.91 GAA. He's been even better in December, giving up 1.60 goals per game as Columbus has torn through their competition to the tune of a 13-game winning streak. Given the matchup, Scheifele's price is steep.

WING

Nick Foligno, CLM at WPG ($23): On the flip side of things, Columbus has a favorable matchup in the Jets. The Jackets have the league's best power play, while the Jets are 28th on the penalty kill. Foligno has a whopping 14 points on the power play, making Winnipeg a particularly nice opponent for fantasy purposes.

Mike Hoffman, OTT vs. DET ($19): Both of Detroit's healthy goalies have a GAA well over 3.00, and their penalty kill is a decidedly mediocre 18th. Bear in mind that's in part because of Jimmy Howard's strong play in net. Hoffman is playing 3:11 a night on the power play, where he's notched 11 points. Overall, he has 24 points in 31 games, even though his shooting percentage is down from his past two seasons.

WINGS TO AVOID

Patrik Laine, WPG vs. CLM ($27): Laine is having a great rookie season, but he's also getting incredibly lucky. His shooting percentage is up at 19.5, and that's simply not sustainable in the long run. He's getting even luckier than Scheifele, who was mentioned earlier on account of the difficulty of Winnipeg's matchup with the Blue Jackets. Laine has the same matchup, and he's slightly more expensive to boot.

Kyle Okposo, BUF vs. BOS ($20): Okposo is having a good season, but his 6.2 fantasy points per game is far from fantastic. For example, you can get Chris Krieder (7.6 fantasy points per game) for only $1 more. Additionally, 12 of Okposo's 22 points have come on the power play, and the Bruins are ranked third on the penalty kill. Okposo's strengths match up with Boston's, and that doesn't bode well for him.

DEFENSEMEN

John Carlson, WAS vs. NJD ($20): Now that Carlson's price point has dropped a bit, there's a chance for him to be a good value play. He's been unlucky, as his 3.6 shooting percentage attests to, but that hasn't stopped him from helping fantasy teams. Carlson has seven points in his last eight games, and New Jersey is allowing three goals and 31.6 shots per contest this season.

Ryan McDonagh, NYR at ARI ($19): In addition to giving up the most shots in the league, Arizona is 29th in goals allowed per game (3.14). McDonagh doesn't take a ton of shots (63 on the season) but he's racked up 21 assists and is averaging seven fantasy points per game. He should be able to at least manage that against the Coyotes.

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF vs. BOS ($22): Like Okposo, Ristolainen has generated a lot of value from his power-play prowess. Fourteen of his 24 points have come with the extra man. Boston only gives up 27 shots on goal per game, and Tuukka Rask has a .927 save percentage. With so many players in action, you can do better.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI vs. NYR ($18):Antti Raanta's last few games have been forgettable, but on the season he has a 2.23 GAA and a .925 save percentage. Plus, Ekman-Larsson is having a rough season, as he's only averaging 5.1 fantasy points per game. On top of that, 10 of his 17 points have come on the power play, and the Rangers have the eighth best penalty kill. OEL is definitely one rearguard to avoid Thursday.