This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Usually, Thursday is a busy day for the NHL, but this time around the schedule isn't quite as busy. However, there are still six games on the slate, which is far from a sparse docket. You shouldn't have an issue finding players for your lineup, but you would be well-served to target some of the players below, while avoiding others…
GOALIE
Corey Crawford, CHI vs. ARI ($31): For starters, the Blackhawks are 18-8-4 at home and the Coyotes are 8-16-4 on the road. The overarching numbers for both of these teams are even starker. Chicago has averaged 2.92 goals for and 2.55 goals against per game, while Arizona has averaged 2.33 goals for and 3.14 goals against per contest. Crawford has a great chance of picking up a win, and Arizona's offense shouldn't challenge Crawford too much.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, TOR vs. NYR ($32): Andersen has a 2.81 GAA and a .913 save percentage, but he's actually been even worse recently. Over his last nine games, he's put up a 4.03 GAA and a .878 save percentage. The Rangers have scored 3.32 goals per game, so this won't be an easy matchup for Andersen, not to mention the fact they're 7-2-1 over their last 10.
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CENTER
Ryan Johansen, NAS vs. COL ($16): Johansen hasn't had a great season, but he does have 41 points in 59 games, including 17 on the power play. However, this is as much about the matchup as anything else. The Avalanche have allowed a league-worst 3.29 goals per game, and their penalty kill ranks a lowly 24th. There is arguably no more favorable matchup for a player than Colorado, which is what makes Johansen so enticing here. His power-play success also helps. Johansen is Nashville's top-line center, and he's quite reasonably priced, so he could end up being a nice value play even if he hasn't been tearing it up this year.
CENTER TO AVOID
Patrice Bergeron, BOS at LOS ($22): Bergeron and the Bruins are the one team in action Thursday that had to play Wednesday, meaning Bergeron will be playing on the second of back-to-back nights. On top of that, he has to take on a Kings team that has allowed only 2.42 goals per game, and Los Angeles has also given up the fewest shots on net per contest in the league. The Kings also have the fifth-ranked penalty kill, so you can't count on Bergeron helping his cause with the extra man.
WING
Rick Nash, NYR at TOR ($20): Injuries have hampered Nash's season, but he's managed to average 6.9 fantasy points per game when healthy. That's probably in part because he's started 33.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, which is the second highest percentage of any Ranger. Additionally, in his last 11 games he's notched six points and — more notably — 36 shots on goal. The Maple Leafs have allowed 32.5 shots on net per contest, so Nash should be able to get a few more pucks on net in this one.
Tanner Pearson, LOS vs. BOS ($17): As mentioned previously, the Bruins will be on the second night of a back-to-back, and Boston has allowed 3.00 goals per game on zero days of rest. That's probably in part because their backup goalies have been terrible. Current backup Anton Khudobin, for example, has a 3.05 GAA and a .888 save percentage. Tuukka Rask could start on back-to-back nights, but that can be tricky for a goalie, and before a couple nice starts, Rask had an 11-game stretch where he had a 3.57 GAA and a .854 save percentage. Pearson also has eight goals in his last five games, and he's already got a career-high 19 goals this year.
WINGS TO AVOID
James van Riemsdyk, TOR vs. NYR ($22): Van Riemsdyk has had a fine year, but he's only averaged 15:44 per game and is skating with Toronto's third line now. Additionally, he has zero goals in his last nine games, and only one power-play point in his last 15 contests. The Rangers have only allowed 2.59 goals per game, and in February that number is down to 2.11. They owe that in part to a .936 team save percentage, thanks to Henrik Lundqvist turning things around after a slow start.
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY at TAM ($22): Tampa Bay's defensive numbers on the season aren't fantastic, but in February they've only allowed 2.00 goals per game, which is the second fewest in the NHL. They've also only allowed 27.9 shots on net per tilt. Gaudreau has averaged 6.1 fantasy points per game, which is solid, but to find a player averaging fewer you have to get down to Andrew Ladd at $18. At this price, and with Tampa's recent uptick in defensive stoutness, Gaudreau seems like a risky proposition.
DEFENSEMEN
P.K. Subban, NAS vs. COL ($21): It took Subban a little time to get back into the swing of things following his injury, but he's finally looking like the player we expected. Subban has notched nine points in his last six games, including four multi-point outings. He hasn't played as much on the power play with Nashville as he did with Montreal, but he's still averaged 2:42 per game with the extra man, notching 10 points in that time. Colorado's penalty kill ranks 24th, and they've allowed 3.29 goals per game, so it wouldn't be surprising in the least to see Subban keep up his hot run of play.
Dan Girardi, NYR at TOR ($15): Girardi is tied for the second most fantasy points per game among New York's defenseman, even though he's not necessarily considered offensive-minded. However, he's blocked a staggering 144 shots in 53 games, and that has fantasy value. Toronto has averaged 61.5 shot attempts per 60 minutes, the second most in the NHL, so Girardi should have plenty of opportunities to get in front of the puck. Plus, Toronto has allowed 32.5 shots on goal and 3.45 goals per game in February. Girardi could have a better day offensively than usual, but even if he doesn't, he's so cheap that he could provide plenty of value in other ways.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI at CHI ($18): Chicago has only allowed 2.55 goals per game, and that number has dropped to 2.38 in the month of February. Ekman-Larsson has picked up a few assists recently, but he only has one goal on 18 shots over his last 14 games. Overall, he's averaged 5.1 fantasy points per game, which is a middling number. Ekman-Larsson has contributed on the power play, and Chicago's penalty kill has had issues.
Jake Gardiner, TOR vs. NYR ($17): Gardiner has seven points in his last eight games, but those points all came against Dallas, Carolina, and Winnipeg, three of the worst defensive teams in the league. Outside of those contests, he has no points in his last 15 games and no goals in his last 29. The Rangers, who have allowed 2.59 goals and 29.6 shots on net per game, are a much tougher test. Additionally, Gardiner has only blocked 53 shots in 59 games, so you can't expect much fantasy help on that end of the ice.
