This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
There are 10 games in the NHL on Thursday, so it won't be difficult to differentiate your selections for tournaments. Here are a handful of players across multiple price points to consider while assembling your FanDuel lineups.
GOALIE
Robin Lehner, BUF vs. Car ($8,000): A clear low-priced flier, Lehner is also a potential contrarian option behind a suddenly clicking offense. Since Jack Eichel returned, Buffalo is 5-2-3 with an average of 3.1 goals per game. Lehner boasts a solid .922 save percentage through 43 starts with the Sabres, and Carolina is averaging just 2.39 goals per road game this year.
CENTER
Aleksander Barkov, FLA vs. BOS ($6,600): After a disastrous start, Barkov has caught fire – he's posted six goals, 20 points and 58 shots through his past 21 games while averaging 19:29 of ice per night (2:54 with the man advantage). Facing Tuukka Rask might not be a daunting matchup, as the Finn sports an underwhelming .909 save percentage over his past 12 starts.
Eric Staal, MIN at MON ($5,800): With five goals, 12 points and 38 shots over 13 games since late November, Staal is an against-the-grain target in a tough matchup. He's the go-to offensive center for Minnesota (19:13 of ice per night with 2:32 on the power play) and should be scarcely owned because Montreal is allowing just 1.68 goals per home game. Still, Staal's salary doesn't match his recent production.
WING
Patrik Laine, WPG at VAN ($7,300): High-risk, high-reward players can pay off significantly in deep player pools, and Laine has contest-winning upside at this salary. Vancouver has allowed the fourth-most high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes (11.52) in the league, and Laine owns the second-highest goals per 60 minutes (1.67) among skaters with at least 500 minutes this season.
Robby Fabbri, STL at TAM ($5,200): Clicking with Vladimir Tarasenko to the tune of 3.71 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five this season, Fabbri has seven goals, 16 points and 37 shots through his past 19 games. The sophomore's salary hasn't caught up to his production, and Tampa Bay owns a 3-7-2 record with an average of 3.3 goals against per game since late November.
Frank Vatrano, BOS at FLA ($3,400): A potential low-priced flier, Vatrano has 38 goals and 57 points through 38 AHL games over the past two seasons, and he's expected to draw into the lineup against Florida for his first game of the season. Assuming he isn't buried in the bottom six, Vatrano's offensive upside is worth targeting to free up some cap space.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, OTT vs. ANA ($7,400): The clear No. 1 defenseman in the player pool doesn't have a sufficiently prohibitive salary to rule him out of consideration Thursday. Anaheim is playing its final contest of a six-game road trip after allowing 22 goals through the other five. Karlsson also has cross-category appeal with seven goals, 31 points, 12 power-play points, 85 shots and 91 blocked shots through 33 games.
Justin Schultz, PIT at CLM ($4,800): With six goals, 15 points, 24 shots and 16 blocked shots over his past 11 games, Schultz is not only scorching hot, but he's also now the clear-cut No. 1 offensive defenseman for the Blue Jackets. Even though this is a potentially daunting matchup, there's no reason to fade Schultz at this affordable salary.
