This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Thursday has nine games scheduled, including five in the 7:00-7:30 p.m. ET window, three starting at 8:00 p.m. ET and one getting underway at 10:30 p.m. ET. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of the DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
Boston (vs. Montreal), Minnesota (vs. Columbus) and St. Louis (at San Jose) are the biggest Moneyline favorites. Five of the nine matchups (Kings-Sabres, Panthers-Senators, Maple Leafs-Devils, Penguins-Red Wings, Blue Jackets-Wild) carry an over/under of 6.5 goals. The rest of the games check in at 6.0 goals.
GOALIES
Jordan Binnington, STL at SJ ($8,300): Binnington is a high-priced option for Thursday night. In 11 career contests versus the Sharks, he has posted a 7-1-1 record with a 2.52 GAA and a .914 save percentage. The 31-year-old netminder also had 30 saves on 32 shots in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Seattle.
Linus Ullmark, OTT vs. FLA ($7,400): Fresh off signing a four-year contract carrying an average annual value of $8.25 million, Ullmark will make his Ottawa debut Thursday against the defending Stanley Cup champions. He has been spectacular against Florida in his career, earning a mark of 12-3-1 with a 2.47 GAA and a .929 save percentage. Ullmark should face plenty of shots and could be a strong contrarian play.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Nico Hischier, NJ vs. TOR ($6,700): Hischier has one goal on five shots through two games this season. He has been productive versus the Maple Leafs in his career, compiling six goals and 13 points in 17 contests. That includes two goals, four assists and five shots in three outings last campaign.
Timo Meier, NJD vs. TOR ($5,900): Meier has one goal on 10 shots following two contests this season. He compiled three goals, two assists and eight shots in three outings against Toronto last season.
Mitch Marner, TOR at NJD ($5,800): Marner tied Auston Matthews for the team lead with six shots in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Montreal. If Toronto's top offensive duo gets some bounces Thursday, Marner has plenty of upside as a value play. The 27-year-old Marner also has seven goals and 15 helpers in 19 career appearances versus the Devils.
Pavel Zacha, BOS vs. MTL ($4,500): Zacha supplied three goals on seven shots and added an assist in four games against the Canadiens last campaign. He scored a short-handed goal on three shots in Tuesday's loss to Florida to open the 2024-25 season.
Tyler Seguin, DAL at NSH ($3,500): Seguin notched two goals, three assists and nine shots in four appearances versus the Predators last season. He racked up 25 goals and 27 assists across 68 games in 2023-24.
Maxim Tsyplakov, NYI vs. UTA ($2,600): Tsyplakov could be a great value play in his NHL debut. He will skate alongside Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri on the second line while seeing time as a net presence on the top power-play unit. The 26-year-old winger netted 31 goals in the KHL last season and could be a valuable source of offense for the Islanders in 2024-25.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Wild vs. Blue Jackets
Marco Rossi (C - $3,400), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $9,400), Mats Zuccarello (W - $5,100)
Kaprizov, who amassed 46 goals and 96 points in 75 games last campaign, has a hefty price tag, but he's worth building around, and his linemates are more than affordable. Rossi is expected to take a step forward after showcasing his upside in 2023-24. Zuccarello collected 51 assists and 63 points over 69 matches last season.
Minnesota's top line makes for a great option versus a Columbus team that allowed the second-most goals per game (3.63) last season.
Blues at Sharks
Pavel Buchnevich (C - $6,000), Jordan Kyrou (W - $6,900), Alexandre Texier ($2,700)
Buchnevich had three shots in the Blues' opener and has three goals and 17 points in 14 career games versus San Jose. Kyrou scored a pair of goals Tuesday versus the Krake while Texier contributed an assist.
The second line of the Blues offers plenty of upside against a San Jose squad that surrendered the most goals per game (3.98) in 2023-24.
DEFENSEMEN
Roman Josi, NSH vs. DAL ($7,900): Josi accumulated 23 goals, 85 points and 268 shots from the blue line in 2023-24. He registered three assists and eight shots in four meetings against the Stars last season. Josi will likely be among the highest-scoring defenders in 2024-25. There is a good chance he will hit the ground running on Thursday.
Brock Faber, MIN vs. CBJ ($5,000): Faber earned three assists and four shots in two games versus Columbus last season. He was also a good source of blocks in 2023-24, registering 150 in 82 contests.
