There are no games Friday, so naturally, tonight is packed with 14 games. Please note that the earliest game, the Islanders hosting Toronto, has a somewhat unusual 6:45 p.m. ET start time. FanDuel is offering an All Day slate that includes the Maple Leafs-Islanders game, and a Main slate that excludes it.
SLATE PREVIEW
Buffalo, Toronto and San Jose are all playing on the second half of a back-to-back, so those squads might underperform somewhat due to fatigue.
You should also note that we're getting to the point in the season where teams are more likely to make unusual lineup decisions. Squads out of the playoff hunt are more likely to dress prospects over veterans, while teams in a secure position might also rest veterans. For example, Carolina summoned four players (Skyler Brind'Amour, Bradly Nadeau, Josiah Slavin and Charles-Alexis Legault) Wednesday, so don't be shocked if some noteworthy Hurricanes players are healthy scratches at various points during the team's regular season-ending four-game road trip, which begins tonight in Chicago.
GOALIES
Carter Hart, VGK at SEA ($7,700): Hart has won three straight games since returning from a lower-body injury, stopping 60 of 65 shots (.923 save percentage) over that stretch. Meanwhile, Seattle is in free fall, having dropped six straight (0-5-1) and 10 of its past 11 (1-8-2), so this is a very favorable matchup.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at STL ($7,400): This will go down as an underwhelming season for Hellebuyck, given his 22-21-11 record, 2.76 GAA and .898 save percentage in 54 outings. However, he's ending the campaign on a strong note with a 5-2-0 record, 2.15 GAA and .910 save percentage across his past seven appearances.
Dan Vladar, PHI at DET ($7,300): Vladar has won his past three starts while turning aside 62 of 65 shots. The 28-year-old is up to 27-13-7 with a 2.40 GAA and a .907 save percentage in 49 outings this campaign. Detroit was solid for much of the season, but the Red Wings are 5-9-3 across their past 17 games.
VALUE PLAYS
Anders Lee, NYI vs. TOR ($5,000): Lee has been a steady contributor recently, supplying four goals and seven points across his past nine outings. He'll look to keep rolling against Toronto, which is tired in its third game in four days. The Maple Leafs have also surrendered at least four goals in five consecutive games.
Egor Chinakhov, PIT at NJD ($4,900): Chinakhov is red hot with three goals and seven points across his active four-game scoring streak. He's been playing like a high-end forward for a while now, contributing 14 goals and 29 points in his past 30 appearances.
Taylor Hall, CAR at CHI ($4,700): Hall is closing out a relatively quiet regular season in which he's supplied 17 goals and 48 points. However, he's been heating up down the stretch with two goals and six points over his past four appearances. As noted above, Carolina's recent call-ups might indicate that the Hurricanes will healthy scratch veterans soon, so double-check their lineup as close to game time as possible.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Kings vs. Canucks
Anze Kopitar (C - $5,300), Artemi Panarin (W - $7,100), Adrian Kempe (W - $6,500)
The Canucks rank dead last in terms of goals allowed per game with 3.83 this season, and Vancouver has dropped nine of its past 10 (1-9-0), so it's about as close to an ideal adversary for LA's top line as you can get.
Panarin will look to take advantage as he looks toward hitting the 30-goal mark for the third straight regular season. He currently sits at 27 goals and 80 points in 73 outings between the Rangers and Kings this season, including six goals and 14 points across his past 12 appearances. It helps that he's paired with Kempe, who has supplied an incredible six goals and nine points across his last five outings, bringing him up to 32 goals and 69 points in 76 appearances this campaign.
By contrast, Kopitar hasn't been noteworthy. Age has diminished the 38-year-old's offensive output, leaving him with 12 goals and 36 points in 62 outings this year. Still, he's cheap enough to make him worth considering, given his linemates and tonight's competition.
Sharks at Ducks
Macklin Celebrini (C - $8,100), Will Smith (W - $6,000), Collin Graf (W - $5,100)
The Sharks are in the second half of a back-to-back, which does give me pause, but Celebrini versus Anaheim, which ranks 30th in goals allowed per game with 3.54 this season, is too good a matchup to pass up. The 19-year-old has been held off the scoresheet just once across his past seven games while collecting seven goals and 12 points. He's up to 42 goals and 108 points in 77 outings this campaign.
His linemates aren't as good, but Smith is having a successful campaign in his own right with 23 goals and 56 points in 64 outings. Smith has also recorded a point in each of his past two outings (one goal, one assist). Graf rounds out the unit with 20 goals and 44 points in 76 appearances, including a goal and four points across his past five outings.
DEFENSEMEN
Matthew Schaefer, NYI vs. TOR ($6,400): Schaefer is having a fantastic rookie campaign with 22 goals and 58 points in 78 outings in 2025-26. He's been steady – you'd have to go back to Jan. 21-26 to find the last time he's been held off the scoresheet across multiple games.
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF vs. CLM ($6,300): Dahlin is on a three-game scoring streak in which he's supplied a goal and four points. He's up to 18 goals and 71 points in 75 outings, putting him two points shy of his career high for a regular season.
Dmitry Orlov, SJS at ANA ($4,100): On the discount side, Orlov is providing good value recently. He has six assists across his past seven outings, giving him three goals and 35 points in 77 outings this campaign.
