This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
GOALIE
Jake Allen, STL vs. COL ($7,600) – He's a big reason why the Blues aren't a contender this year despite a pretty talented roster, but he's had three solid starts in a row, allowing a total of five goals thanks to a .948 save percentage. Allen should be worried the Avs are coming off a 5-1 win against the Wild, but the Avs have had the Wild's number all season and their 13 road wins are still second-worst in the conference. Allen may be difficult to rely on and he will need some goal support to win, but among Thursday's starters he presents some intriguing upside at this price, especially when you also consider he's 6-2-2 with a .927 save percentage in his career against the Avs.
CENTER
Sidney Crosby, PIT at MON ($7,400) – Even a red-hot Antti Niemi should not be able to stop Crosby, who's feasted on the Habs his entire career. He has six points in his past two games and in 33 career games against the Habs he's scored 17 goals and 40 points. The Habs have been decimated by injuries and may not have Andrew Shaw (head) in the lineup, which means Jonathan Drouin has to somehow handle both Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Penguins' road record isn't very good but the Habs have won just three of their past 10, and a win would vault the Pens into the division lead, something the ultra-competitive Crosby must be cognizant of.
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS at NYI ($5,500) – All things considered, this has been one of Backstrom's worst seasons in recent memory; he's unlikely to crack 70 points, the first time he will fail to do so since the lockout-shortened season, and the Caps' Stanley Cup-winning window continues to close ever so slowly. However, he's performed well against the Islanders in years past with 34 points in 38 career games, and the Islanders' defense and goaltending have been atrocious all season. Backstrom's defensive game is constantly underrated and he should be able to capitalize on the Islanders' numerous turnovers.
WING
Patrik Laine, WPG vs. CHI ($7,400) – His six-game goal streak was snapped Tuesday against the Predators, but he managed to pick up an assist, stretching his point streak to 13 games. Expected starter Anton Forsberg has alternated wins and losses in his past seven starts, and so with a 31-save win against the Bruins he's due for a loss. Laine has three goals in seven career games against the Blackhawks.
Artemi Panarin, CLS at PHI ($6,700) – The Jackets have won five in a row and Panarin has registered a point in each of those games. Expected starter Petr Mrazek has not been the answer to the Flyers' goaltending woes, losing three of his past four starts and allowing 12 goals in that span. His .898 save percentage is the lowest of his career, which means Panarin should have no problem scoring.
Mitch Marner, TOR at BUF ($6,300) – It's true that the Leafs have not fared well in Buffalo, but they still have to be considered the heavy favorite. Marner has scored three points on eight shots in his past two games, and his ice time has crept up steadily since the beginning of the season. He's averaging over 18 minutes per game in March, and the Sabres will not have Jack Eichel (ankle) or Kyle Okposo (concussion) in the lineup. The Sabres lack speed on their back end, which will be a boon for Marner and his linemates.
DEFENSE
Seth Jones, CLS at PHI ($6,300) – He stretched his point streak to three games with a two-point effort against the Habs on Monday, giving him seven points in his past three games. Jones is a two-way force for the Jackets, as his 48 points in 70 games is a career high and ranks him among the league's elite defensemen. The Flyers aren't very stout on defense and their goaltending has been a problem all season, so Jones' ability to move the puck up the ice with ease could translate into a couple points.
P.K. Subban, NSH at ARI ($5,800) – Fun fact: other than the expansion Golden Knights and his former team in montreal, the Coyotes are the only team Subban has never scored a goal against. That cold spell has to end at some point, right? In 13 career games against the Coyotes, he's only managed to register five assists even though he's put 31 shots on goal. He hasn't scored since Feb. 10 — further proof that he's due — and needs just one more goal to set a new career high.
