Up next is one of the busiest days remaining in the 2025-26 schedule. There are 14 games on the docket tonight, which gives us plenty to consider, so let's discuss who stands out tonight.
SLATE PREVIEW
Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Jose are all playing in the second half of a back-to-back, so fatigue might be a factor for those squads. The rest of tonight's competitors are rested, but Philadelphia is set to play again Friday, which might influence the team's lineup decisions tonight.
Additionally, we're approaching the point in the schedule where teams might start managing key players if a playoff berth is a foregone conclusion. That might be particularly true for starting goaltenders on competitive teams. They might yield a higher proportion of the final starts to their understudies in order to be as fresh as possible going into the postseason. So, while these recommendations are based on projected lineups from the time of writing, you should be especially careful to ensure you don't accidentally use someone who isn't playing.
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL vs. PIT ($7,800): Vasilevskiy has been one of the league's top goaltenders in 2025-26, posting a 35-13-4 record, 2.32 GAA and .911 save percentage in 52 outings. Pittsburgh isn't an easy adversary, but Vasilevskiy did get the better of the Penguins in his last meeting Jan. 13, stopping 26 of 27 shots en route to a 2-1 shootout win. He was similarly effective against Pittsburgh last campaign, going 2-0-0 with a 1.45 GAA and a .912 save percentage.
Karel Vejmelka, UTA at SEA ($7,600): Vejmelka is coming off a 6-2 victory over the Kings on Saturday in which he stopped 29 of 31 shots. Across 57 outings this season, his .898 save percentage has left something to be desired, but his 33-19-3 record and 2.69 GAA are great. The Kraken have struggled recently, dropping six of their past seven games (1-4-2).
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. MON ($7,300): While the Rangers have had a rough campaign, Shesterkin has been elite with a 24-16-6 record, 2.52 GAA and .912 save percentage in 47 appearances. He'll enter Thursday's action hot after stopping 48 of 50 shots (.960 save percentage) across two straight wins.
VALUE PLAYS
Connor McMichael, WAS at NJD ($4,900): McMichael is on a three-game scoring streak and has accumulated six helpers across his past seven outings. He's up to 10 goals and 39 points in 71 appearances in 2025-26, so he's not a consistently good play, but McMichael has value doing hot stretches like this one.
Trevor Moore, LAK vs. NAS ($4,500): Moore has just 25 points (11 goals) in 61 outings this campaign, which is down from 40 points (18 goals) in 71 regular-season appearances in 2024-25. However, he's done well recently, supplying four goals and eight points in his last 11 outings.
Connor Brown, NJD vs. WAS ($4,500): Among discount forwards, Brown is arguably the hottest after scoring six goals and 16 points over his past 15 appearances. That gives him 16 goals and 38 points in 67 outings in 2025-26.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Bruins at Panthers
Pavel Zacha (C - $5,800), Viktor Arvidsson (W - $5,800), Casey Mittelstadt (C - $4,800)
Boston's second line is providing a tremendous amount of offense relative to its price, and that's especially true for Arvidsson, who has eight goals and 20 points across his past 15 outings, including an incredible five goals and nine points over his last four appearances. He's among the hottest forwards in the league, but his linemate, Zacha, is producing at a similarly impressive rate with nine goals and 15 points over his past 10 outings.
Unfortunately, Mittelstadt isn't quite as hot, and his 14 goals and 40 points through 65 outings this season don't stand out. On top of that, his center eligibility might make things a bit awkward with him on the same line as Zacha. If you can afford the upgrade, David Pastrnak (W - $7,900) is always a great choice. He has seven goals and 23 points over his past 14 games, bringing him up to 29 markers and 95 points in 70 appearances this campaign.
Sharks vs. Maple Leafs
Macklin Celebrini (C - $7,900), Will Smith (W - $5,900), Collin Graf (W - $4,800)
Celebrini has established himself as one of the league's best players in his sophomore campaign, supplying 40 goals and 105 points in 73 outings, including five goals and nine points over his past three outings. However, while Celebrini is the highlight of this line, he's not the only positive. Smith is red hot, contributing three goals and nine points over his past five outings, which brings him up to 22 goals and 54 points in 60 appearances in 2025-26.
Graf rounds out this unit with 19 goals and 41 points in 72 outings in 2025-26. He's an okay option to take, but you should consider swapping him for Tyler Toffoli (W - $5,200). While Toffoli has similar offensive numbers – 18 goals and 46 points in 71 appearances – the 33-year-old is projected to serve on the top power-play unit with Celebrini and Smith, while Graf might not see any work with the man advantage.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, MIN vs. VAN ($6,900): Hughes has been one of the league's top offensive defensemen, with six goals and 72 points in 68 outings between Vancouver and Minnesota in 2025-26. He was held off the scoresheet for three straight games from March 15 to 19, but he's heating up again with five helpers across his past four appearances.
Adam Fox, NYR vs. MON ($6,100): Fox has been a consistent contributor for a while now, supplying two goals and 15 points across his past 13 outings. That run has elevated him to six goals and 44 points in 48 appearances this season.
Jordan Spence, OTT vs. BUF ($4,100): If you're looking for a more affordable blueliner, Spence is hot, with two goals and seven points across his past seven outings. It helps that he has averaged 24:03 of ice time over that stretch compared to his average of 18:12 overall in 2025-26.
