This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Thursday's NHL slate offers no shortage of selection, with 11 games on tap beginning at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Finding good bang for the buck and avoiding overpays are the keys to maximizing value, so read on to see which players to target and which to avoid among the options in this slate.
GOALIE
Keith Kinkaid, NJ vs. MIN ($25): Kinkaid's been sharp over his past four starts, winning three while posting a .920 save percentage in that stretch. The affordable netminder has a golden opportunity to keep things going against a Wild club that ranks in the middle of the pack offensively and sports a subpar 12-15-1 road record.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Petr Mrazek, PHI vs. CLS ($35): It's best to leave Mrazek on the fantasy bench for his first start with his new club. He wasn't exactly lighting it up on his way out of Detroit with 14 goals allowed on 128 shots for an .891 save percentage over his last four appearances, and Philadelphia isn't exactly known for its ability to get the best out of goaltenders. With plenty of viable alternatives in this sizable slate, $35 is an overpay.
CENTER
Sean Monahan, CGY at ARI ($20): Even playing his second game in as many nights, Monahan makes for a tremendous value at just $20. He's already racked up 27 goals, 55 points and a plus-15 rating, and Monahan's in position to improve in all of those categories against a Coyotes club that's getting outscored 3.25 to 2.41 in the average game.
CENTER TO AVOID
Auston Matthews, TOR vs. NYI ($30): Matthews makes for a tempting choice at home against the league's worst defensive team, but he's disappointed more often than not at Air Canada Centre. While he has 40 goals and 67 points in 68 career appearances on the road, paying $30 for a player with only 27 goals and 51 points in 66 career home games is likely to lead to disappointment.
WINGS
Brendan Gallagher, MON vs. NYR ($17): Gallagher's average of 6.4 fantasy points per game is tops among Montreal's forwards, and he's continued to produce recently, playing at a point-per-game pace with three goals and five assists over the past eight. His agitating style fits well against a Rangers team that values speed over physicality, as illustrated by his 19 shots in six games during last season's first-round playoff exit against New York. This season's version of the Rangers is much less defensively responsible, as illustrated by their 13 goals allowed in the past two games.
Andreas Athanasiou, DET vs. BUF ($14): Athanasiou is clearly over the illness that was bothering him a few days ago, as his ice time has climbed in each of the last three games, culminating with a goal and an assist in 19:53 Tuesday against Nashville. The 23-year-old winger still has a lot to learn defensively, but he's flashed impressive offensive talent with 26 points in 48 games. You won't find a much better time to deploy the affordable Athanasiou than against a Sabres team that allows the third-most goals (3.28) while scoring the fewest (2.38).
WINGS TO AVOID
Josh Bailey, NYI at TOR ($25): Bailey does most of his damage on the power play, as he's accrued 28 of his 62 points in such situations while posting a minus-6 rating. Unfortunately for him, the Maple Leafs are set up to neutralize his strengths and counter his weaknesses with a fourth-ranked, 83.0 percent penalty kill and sixth-ranked offense (3.23 goals per game).
Mikkel Boedker, SJ at NSH ($17): Boedker's driven his price up to $17 with five goals in his last four games, but his season average of 4.4 fantasy points per game is the lowest among all wingers that cost at least $17. Even if his recent results represent more than just a random hot streak, keeping things going will be awfully tough against a Predators team that's allowing just 2.53 goals per game -- third-fewest in the league.
DEFENSEMEN
Tyson Barrie, COL at EDM ($22): You'd be hard-pressed to find a better combination of momentum and matchup across the entire NHL. Barrie just recorded five power-play points Tuesday in Vancouver, and now he gets to face an Oilers penalty kill that ranks dead last at 72.3 percent. With 49 extra-man points since the start of 2015-16, Barrie's also proven that he has the skills to back up his masterful performance from the last game.
Mikhail Sergachev, TB at OTT ($13): Sergachev's value has been trending in the wrong direction, but his offensive ability gives the young blueliner a tremendously high ceiling, especially at just $13. His 31 points aren't a far cry from teammate Victor Hedman's 42 from the blue line, yet Sergachev can be had for less than half the price. Both are primed for success against a Senators team that's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.43).
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Alec Martinez, LA vs. DAL ($18): Martinez has a pedestrian plus-2 rating this season and hasn't totaled more than two shots or two blocks in any of the past five games, so his value comes primarily from getting on the scoresheet. Considering that 11 of Martinez's 19 points have come with the extra man, marking the scoresheet will be tough against a Dallas team that ranks seventh with an 82.3 percent penalty kill.
John Klingberg, DAL at LA ($26): Klingberg's 54 points are enough to make most forwards jealous, but the pricey blueliner will have a tough time improving that total in this tough matchup. The Kings are allowing the second-fewest goals per game (2.48) thanks in large part to a fifth-ranked, 82.9 percent penalty kill.
