This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Thursday's seven-game NHL slate beginning at 7:30 PM Eastern time marks the second day of action since the Holiday break. Read on to see which players are primed to produce following the time off and which ones should be left out of lineups.
GOALIE
James Reimer, FLA vs. PHI ($22): Reimer was on fire before the short break, earning the NHL's third star of the week with a 3-0-0 record, 1.33 GAA and .964 save percentage thanks to 106 saves on 110 shots. If he's able to keep the good times rolling at home against a Flyers offense that ranks 21st with 2.75 goals per game, Reimer would provide tremendous bang for the buck at just $22.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, TOR at ARI ($42): Andersen's good, but he's not $42 good. Some of the league's best netminders are playing in this slate, yet no other projected starter costs more than $35. While Arizona seems like a safe matchup, the Coyotes did defeat the seemingly-superior Capitals in their last home tilt.
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CENTER
William Nylander, TOR at ARI ($18): Nylander struggled offensively while linemate Auston Matthews was out with a concussion, but those struggles can be attributed to the extra defensive workload Nylander had to take on with a temporary shift to center in addition to playing without one of the league's most talented forwards by his side. Back to a first-line wing role in the final game before the break, Nylander broke out with a goal and an assist against a formidable opponent in the Rangers. Similar success should be expected here against a lowly Coyotes club that's allowing the second-most goals per game in the league (3.47).
CENTER TO AVOID
Sean Monahan, CGY at SJ ($21): Monahan's mired in a slump, with just two points -- both assists -- over his past seven games. Getting back on track will be tough against a Sharks team that's surrendering the second-fewest goals per game (2.44).
WINGS
Kevin Labanc, SJ vs. CGY ($15): Labanc was hot before the break, with six points in the last three games. Skating in a top-six role has helped the Brooklyn native's offensive output, but he's benefitted even more from playing on the top power-play unit, with nine of his 17 points coming with the extra man. He'll have a great chance to add to that production against Calgary's penalty kill, which ranks seventh-worst in the league at just 77.6 percent.
Patrick Sharp, CHI at VAN ($12): Sharp's skating on the top line alongside Jonathan Toews, but remains priced below four other Blackhawks wingers. This matchup with a Vancouver club that's just 6-10-3 at home makes Sharp a great low-risk, high-reward play at $12.
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WINGS TO AVOID
Alex Ovechkin, WAS vs. BOS ($35): Fellow $35 winger Nikita Kucherov is averaging 12.7 fantasy points per game to Ovechkin's 10.6, so Ovechkin is outclassed whenever he doesn't have a far superior matchup. That's far from the case this time, as Washington's playing the second leg of a back-to-back and Ovechkin's countryman Anton Khudobin has made life difficult for opposing scorers with a 2.45 GAA and .923 save percentage.
Jake DeBrusk, BOS at WAS ($17): DeBrusk simply doesn't get as many opportunities to pile up fantasy points as most guys in his price range, as he's averaging only 14:11 of ice time per game and has been held to 14:16 or less in eight of his past nine appearances. With starter Braden Holtby in net for Washington after Philipp Grubbauer got the nod Wednesday, scoring will be hard to come by for DeBrusk.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Muzzin, LA vs. VGK ($19): Muzzin's 7.0 fantasy points per game are tops among all healthy blueliners priced below $23, and he's racked up that value in a variety of ways with 20 points and a plus-4 rating in an average of 22:41 per game. He probably won't win you contests on his own, but Muzzin's consistent bang for the buck makes him a high-floor choice at $19. While the Golden Knights seem like a tough matchup, they're just a pedestrian 8-7-1 away compared to an outstanding 15-2-1 in Vegas.
Morgan Rielly, TOR at ARI ($16): Arizona's defensive shortcoming have been well documented, and Rielly's recent offensive success suggests he's capable of taking advantage of this subpar opponent. Rielly's contributed seven points in his past 10 games, but remains extremely affordable at just $16. The offensive upside here is too high to pass up at this price given the opponent.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Shea Theodore, VGK at LA ($18): Theodore has 10 points in 19 games, but his minus-2 rating suggests the talented defenseman's not much use when he's not scoring. He's relied on the power play for six of his 10 points, so Los Angeles' league-best 86.5 percent penalty kill is likely to keep Theodore off the board altogether.
Justin Braun, SJ vs. CGY ($18): Braun continues to be overpriced based on likely unsustainable offensive production. His one goal and 14 assists have the eighth-year blueliner just eight points shy of his career-high 23 already, but there's little reason to believe Braun will keep that pace up given his negligible change in role from past seasons. Braun also doesn't play with the extra man and has zero power-play points, so he won't be able to take advantage of Calgary's subpar penalty kill.
