This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
GOALIE
Washington Capitals, WAS vs. CAR ($16,600): The Capitals have won five games in a row, and at home they are an excellent 18-5-0. Braden Holtby hasn't quite what he has been the last few years, but he still as a 2.68 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Plus, at home, Washington has a team GAA of 2.22, third best in the league.
CENTER
Tyler Johnson, TAM vs. CGY ($13,300): Have you been overlooking Johnson because of how impressive some of his teammates have been? He has 34 points in 42 games, including 23 points in 17 contests since the start of December. Calgary is in middle of the pack in terms of allowing goals, but that shouldn't scare you off given how good Johnson has been. Plus, the Flames have the 23rd-ranked penalty kill.
Pierre-Luc Dubois, CLM at BUF ($10,700): Dubois is now the top-line center for the Jackets, and he's started 64.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone (most on Columbus). He's also been considerably better after a slow start, as he has six goals and 10 assists in his last 20 tilts. The Sabres, on the other hand, have a 3.47 team GAA. That's second worst in the league.
WING
Josh Anderson, CLM at BUF ($12,200): Anderson is getting real minutes for the first time in his career, as he's averaged 18:27 per game. He's also put a ton of shots on net, with 136 in 42 contests. The Sabres have given up 32.5 shots on net per contest, and as previously noted they have a poor 3.47 team GAA.
Vladislav Namestnikov, TAM vs. CGY ($11,800): Namestnikov is no longer skating on a line with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, but he's still a big part of their potent power play. The Russian has averaged 3:36 per game with the extra man, notching 14 power-play points in 43 contests. Calgary has the 23rd-ranked penalty kill, so Namestnikov may be able to take advantage of that.
Sebastian Aho, CAR at WAS ($10,500): After a surprise rookie season, Aho has actually gotten even better in his sophomore campaign. He's already tallied 14 goals, 20 assists, and 119 shots on net through 42 games. To make his case further, he has 11 points in his last eight games, and he's notched at least one point in seven of those contests. The Capitals aren't an ideal matchup, but with only three games on the docket, you can afford to pay this price for the red-hot Aho.
DEFENSEMEN
Zach Werenski, CLM at BUF ($10,800): Werenski has averaged 13.51 fantasy points per game, which is third most among defensemen playing Thursday, and more than his teammate Seth Jones ($13,200). The 21-year-old already has 11 goals and 114 shots on net through 40 games. Going up against Buffalo with a team GAA of 3.47 makes for a great matchup for him.
Dmitry Orlov, WAS vs. CAR ($7,700): Obviously John Carlson is the best defenseman Washington has, but he's also the most-expensive option Thursday ($13,500). Orlov offered you some potential at a much lower price. He's notched 14 points, including two in his last three games, and he's tallied 77 shots on net and 65 blocked shots. The Hurricanes have the 24th-ranked penalty kill and a team GAA of 3.05.
