This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
There are eight games Thursday, but two of them stand out as difference makers in the daily racket. The Leafs are on the wrong end of back-to-back road games, which makes Minnesota a ripe group to pluck value plays from. Allotting cap space for a Dallas trio is also advised.
Player Recommendations
G: Devan Dubnyk, MIN vs. TOR ($7,500): The Leafs got thumped 6-1 by the Jets on Wednesday, and they face another daunting road matchup Thursday. They've won just a single game over their past five outings while averaging 1.8 goals, and they're 4-7-2 on the road with an average of 1.77 goals per outing. Minnesota owns an 8-3-1 record at home, and Dubnyk presents nice value with a strong likelihood of returning the three-point win bonus.
C: Artem Anisimov, CHI at OTT ($4,650): While he hasn't produced at the level of linemates Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin, Anisimov has 11 points -- six goals -- through 14 games since the calendar flipped to November. With Ottawa allowing 2.88 goals per game this season and an average of 3.0 over their past five, Anisimov stands to continue his strong surge. He also provides exposure to Kane at a discount.
W: Justin Fontaine, MIN vs. TOR ($3,750): A speculative source of cap relief, Fontaine is two games removed from a lengthy knee injury, and he offers upside in the favorable matchup Thursday. Fontaine and his linemates, Thomas Vanek and Charlie Coyle, should present a tough matchup for Toronto's depth players.
W: Filip Forsberg, NSH vs. FLA ($5,000): The breakout that seemed to be pending for weeks is finally here. Forsberg has three goals and two helpers over his past three games with 16 shots; prior to that three-game stretch, he was carrying a 3.8 shooting percentage. While it isn't a high-end matchup, considering his cap hit, Forsberg is well within profit territory Thursday.
W: Elias Lindholm, CAR vs. NJD ($3,800): Sporting a five-game point streak and coming off a six-shot showing in his latest game, Lindholm is in fine form. He's locked into a top-line role with Eric Staal and Viktor Rask, and Lindholm opens up cap wiggle room to spend up elsewhere.
D: Jonas Brodin, MIN vs. TOR ($3,250): Currently playing his best hockey of the campaign, Brodin has received an uptick in ice time -- 22:43 on average over his past five games -- and returned a goal and two assists with 11 shots on goal and 10 blocked shots. Expect a plus-rating with solid counting stats Thursday, and the cap relief Brodin provides allows for spending elsewhere.
Dallas Stack vs. Vancouver
C Tyler Seguin ($6,000), W Jamie Benn ($5,850) and D John Klingberg ($5,150):
The Stars are the highest-scoring team in the league, and they've bounced back in a big way after every loss with at least three goals in every game and an average of 3.67 following a defeat.
Klingberg hasn't gone consecutive games without a point all season, and he paces all defensemen in points. As the sixth-most-expensive rearguard in the player pool Thursday, he's a great value.
While you're paying up for the Benn-Seguin stack, the one-two punch has been as consistent as any duo in the league. The savings gained from Klingberg provide the wiggle room to load up the two Art Ross candidates. And like their stud rearguard, Benn and Seguin haven't gone pointless in consecutive games all season either.
