This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Thursday's 12-game NHL slate begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time and features no shortage of options to choose from. Even so, certain players stand out as options to target or avoid. Read on for some recommendations...
GOALIE
Pekka Rinne, NSH vs. LA ($34): Rinne comes into this contest riding a five-game personal winning streak, yet the star netminder still costs the same as or less than eight alternatives in this slate. With a below-average Kings offense that's scoring only 2.80 goals per game in town, Rinne has a strong chance of finishing as the top fantasy performer among goalies in this crowded slate.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK at WPG ($38): Fleury will have his work cut out for him against a Jets team that's been flying high at home. Winnipeg ranks fourth with 3.24 goals per game overall and boasts an 18-3-1 record at Bell MTS Place, so paying $38 for a visiting goaltender there is asking for trouble.
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CENTER
Vincent Trocheck, FLA at BUF ($21): Trocheck's in the midst of a tremendous season, as the 24-year-old pivot has 18 goals and 46 points through 48 games. He's been even better of late, piling up three goals and nine points in his past seven appearances. Maintaining that momentum should be easy against a Sabres team that allows the fourth-most goals per game (3.30). Trocheck's minus-5 rating also presents minimal risk since Buffalo owns the league's least dangerous offense (2.30 goals per game).
CENTER TO AVOID
Nazem Kadri, TOR at NYR ($18): Kadri's three goals in the last two games before the All-Star break elevated his price to $18, but it's tough to justify paying that much for him in this tough matchup. Well-rested Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is 15-5-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .922 save percentage at Madison Square Garden, and Kadri had exceeded 5.8 fantasy points only once in his previous 18 appearances before picking things up in his last two games.
WINGS
Alexander Radulov, DAL at ARI ($22): Radulov actually has more points (48) than linemates Jamie Benn (47) and Tyler Seguin (43), yet he's $5 cheaper than each of his $27 teammates. A Coyotes team that's allowing the third-most goals per game in the league (3.36) is likely to get exploited by arguably the most dangerous line in the league, and Radulov offers the best bang for the buck among the trio given his equivalent scoring ability and much lower price.
Elias Lindholm, CAR vs. MON ($13): Lindholm is tied for third on the Hurricanes with 14 goals and ranks sixth on the club with 27 points. Additionally, his minus-1 rating is better than that of any player ahead of him in either category. Despite those numbers, the 2013 fifth overall pick is priced below nine teammates, including four wingers. His role on the top power-play unit also positions Lindholm to take advantage of a lackluster Montreal penalty kill that ranks eighth-worst at 78.1 percent.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Tyler Toffoli, LA at NSH ($19): Toffoli's mired in an eight-game point drought, and he's seen his ice time cut to 15:33 or less in four of his past five appearances. Reversing those recent trends will be difficult against a locked-in Rinne.
Brendan Perlini, ARI vs. DAL ($17): Perlini's lit the lamp in four consecutive games, but the increase in price that's come with that hot streak makes him a poor play here. His average of 4.7 fantasy points per game is the lowest among all wingers priced at $17 or more, and that disappointing figure comes despite a 15.7 percent shooting percentage that's likely to decline considering it's more than a full percentage point higher than any single-season mark for renowned sniper Alex Ovechkin.
DEFENSEMEN
Tyson Barrie, COL at EDM ($18): Barrie ranks fourth on the Avalanche with 12 power-play points, but that production has come in just 35 games, putting him on a similar pace to team leaders Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, who have 18 apiece in 49 games. The offensive-minded blueliner is significantly cheaper than those teammates, but he's likely to make a similar impact against an Edmonton penalty kill that ranks dead-last in the league at 72.2 percent. Favorable matchup aside, Barrie's just one of three sub-$20 defensemen averaging at least 7.0 fantasy points per game.
Cam Fowler, ANH at OTT ($17): Fowler's season totals don't look too impressive because he's missed 12 games, but he's up to a solid 20 points in 39 appearances after a pair of two-assist performances over his past three. This matchup with an Ottawa team that's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.40) should allow Fowler to build on his recent output, and he's the clear-cut choice for owners looking to find offensive production on Anaheim's blue line.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
P.K. Subban, NSH vs. LA ($22): Subban has relied heavily on the power play for his offense, with 17 of his 37 points this season coming in extra-man situations. That part of his game is severely compromised in this matchup, as Los Angeles is killing off penalties at a league-best 86.2 percent rate.
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI at NJ ($22): Gostisbehere's cut from a similar mold to Subban, except he's even worse in his own end. New Jersey's fourth-ranked, 83.4 percent penalty kill should limit the offensive opportunities for a player that's scored 18 of his 33 points on the power play, especially with Philadelphia playing its second game in as many nights.
