This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Thursday's nine-game NHL slate is scheduled for 7:00 PM Eastern time. There's value to be found in this slate if you know where to look, so read on to see which players to target and which to avoid.
GOALIE
Carey Price, MON at PHI ($25): Price has held four of his past five opponents to two goals or fewer, making him a nice buy-low candidate at just $25 here. Philadelphia's only won 13 of 27 home games and has been outscored by five goals overall this season, so there's little reason to fret this matchup even with Montreal's recent struggles in front of Price.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Kari Lehtonen, DAL at CHI ($34): Lehtonen's played well recently with Ben Bishop (face) sidelined, but his 2.85 GAA and .902 save percentage as a starter last season suggest the 34-year-old backup is unlikely to maintain this level given his heavy recent workload. Chicago's above-average offense (2.92 goals per game) figures to make this a tough road game for Lehtonen, so you should be able to do better at $34.
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CENTER
Mathew Barzal, NYI at BUF ($20): Many owners will likely be turned off by Barzal's three negative performances in the past four games, but the rookie's tremendous ceiling makes him a strong play against an awful Sabres club that's allowing the fourth-most goals per game (3.28) while scoring the fewest (2.26). Buffalo's inept offense should mask Barzal's defensive deficiencies, and he still has 16 points in his past 12 games. Few would be surprised with a multi-point effort here, giving Barzal great upside for a $20 option.
CENTER TO AVOID
Derek Stepan, ARI at MIN ($16): Stepan's coming off a two-point effort, but that was only his second such performance since Dec. 23, and he also has only two goals in that stretch. That lack of offense coupled with a vulnerable minus-20 rating makes Stepan a poor choice against a Wild team that's reached the five-goal mark twice in its last three games.
WINGS
Jason Zucker, MIN vs. ARI ($19): Zucker has gotten on the scoresheet in nine of his past 10 games while potting seven goals in that stretch. He would establish a new career high in goals with 23 by scoring one here, and the chances of that happening look pretty good considering Arizona's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.43).
Nikita Kucherov, TB vs. VAN ($33): Kucherov's been a point-per-game player on the road with 18 goals and 18 assists in 36 games, but he's been absolutely phenomenal at home with 22 goals and 27 assists in 38 games. Slightly discounted from his customary $35 price due to an 11-game goal drought, Kucherov is a sensible home grab against a Canucks team that surrenders the sixth-most goals per game (3.17).
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WINGS TO AVOID
Evander Kane, BUF vs. NYI ($22): Kane has frankly looked disinterested recently, with no goals, one point and just 32 shots in his past 13 games (2.5 per game). Those numbers represent a stark contrast from the 16 goals, 35 points and 165 shots (4.1 per game) Kane mustered his first 40 appearances. Even against the league's worst defensive team, $22 is an overpay.
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. COL ($31): Tarasenko's been quiet recently, averaging just 4.6 fantasy points over his past seven games. A matchup with last year's Avalanche would have represented a great opportunity to get back on track, but this season's Colorado team is likely to extend the Russian sniper's slump -- the Avs rank third on the penalty kill (83.7 percent) and have held 19 of their last 20 opponents to three or fewer regulation goals.
DEFENSEMEN
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF vs. NYI ($19): Ristolainen's booming shot from the point has allowed him to rack up half of his 22 points in 44 games on the power play. That level of production is nothing new for a 23-year-old blueliner that's searching for a third consecutive campaign over 20 power-play points and 40 points. The sky's the limit for Ristolainen offensively against an Islanders team that allows by far the most goals per game (3.63) while killing penalties at the league's third-worst rate (74.2 percent).
Jeff Petry, MON at PHI ($19): Petry's another blueliner whose power-play prowess should allow him to thrive against a struggling penalty kill. Philadelphia's 74.2 percent mark is second-worst in the NHL while Petry has three power-play goals in his last two games and seven points with the extra man in his last 12.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Erik Karlsson, OTT vs. NSH ($25): This is nothing new, but Karlsson continues to underperform relative to his $25 valuation. He's coming off a season-low 20:44 of ice time Tuesday, and reduced minutes are likely to be the least of his problems against the defending Western Conference champs, who are in the midst of another strong season.
Jordan Oesterle, CHI vs. DAL ($18): Oesterle ended a 10-game point drought in his last game Tuesday, but he still has just a lone assist to go with a minus-2 rating in his last 11 appearances. The league seems to have figured him out after a hot start with the Hawks, and Oesterle will have a hard time living up to his $18 valuation as long as his scoring struggles continue.
