Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey: Thursday's bargains and fades

By Sasha Yodashkin

RotoWire Hockey Writer

Thursday is a busy night in the NHL, with a Rangers-Lightning Eastern Conference finals rematch and a clash between the hot-starting Stars and Capitals as the highlights of a nine-game slate. There are nearly endless lineup possibilities with 18 teams in action, but that doesn't make zeroing in on the players in the best position to succeed any less important. Whether they're scorers on hot streaks or simply primed for production due to favorable situations, these players are the investments most likely to put your lineup over the top.

GOALIE 

Marc-Andre Fleury, Pit vs. COL ($33) - A lot of Thursday's goaltending options carry a high level of uncertainty, but Fleury has been steady all season en route to a 9-6-0 record and 2.08 GAA. The Avalanche looked tired in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the Maple Leafs and are in the midst of a seven-game road trip while the Penguins have only been away from Consol Energy Center once since Nov. 7. Advantage: Fleury.

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Goalies to Avoid: 

Devan Dubnyk, MIN at BOS ($35) - In a matchup between the league's two worst penalty kills, goalie probably isn't the position in which to invest. It's going to be hard for Dubnyk to live up expectations as the night's third-most expensive goaltender in what promises to be a high-scoring affair.

Jake Allen, STL vs. BUF ($34) - Allen isn't the automatic option some might assume. The 25-year-old has been inconsistent in his first season as a full-time starter, and his 3.59 GAA and .837 save percentage over his last three starts show he's in a downswing. Buffalo's feisty young team isn't the cupcake opponent it was last year, either, as a 6-3-1 record in the last 10 games is actually superior to the Blues' 6-4-0 mark.

CENTER 

Claude Giroux, PHI vs. SJS ($21) - Giroux's recent uptick in production has been overshadowed by the resurgence of linemate Jakub Voracek, but it's hardly surprising that the two have gone hand-in-hand. While both have seen the requisite increase in price, Giroux's $21 is still disrespectful for a 27-year-old with 159 points in his last two full seasons, especially considering he has eight points in his last eight games. Hop on the Giroux bandwagon before his cost normalizes back to the mid-$20s.

Center to Avoid: 

Evgeny Kuznetsov, WSH vs. DAL ($21) - Kuznetsov has failed to capitalize on recent playing time alongside Alexander Ovechkin, as the less-heralded Russian has seen his production drop dramatically since the calendar turned to November. He shoots the puck much less than most centers in his price range, so it's tough for Kuznetsov to generate much value unless he's putting up points.

WING 

Mats Zuccarello, NYR at TBL ($25) - Zuccarello's absence was the primary reason the Lightning triumphed over the Rangers in last season's Eastern Conference finals, but now he's healthy and as dangerous as ever. The diminutive winger earned NHL's Second Star of the Week honors with seven points and a plus-5 rating in four games last week, and he has had since Sunday to prepare for a game that means a lot to the 14-2-2 blueshirts. Expect Zucc to at least maintain his early season point-per-game pace against a Lightning team that has scuffled to 3-6-1 in its last 10.

Thomas Vanek, MIN at BOS ($18) - Zach Parise's injury has forced the Wild to look for alternative scoring sources, and Vanek has stepped up with three goals and an assist on 16 shots in his last four outings. The sniper is also a prominent fixture on Minnesota's top power-play unit, even though he has posted only three points with the man advantage this season. Despite his relative lack of power-play production, Vanek is in an excellent position to capitalize on Boston's league-worst penalty kill.

Wings to Avoid: 

Nikita Kucherov, TBL vs. NYR ($23) - Kucherov's move up to Tampa's top line with Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov is promising, but it doesn't suddenly make a winger on a 41-point pace worth $23. The Lightning's reshuffled offense produced a whopping zero goals in Monday's loss to the Panthers, so it's foolish to expect a significant uptick in production only three days later against the best defensive team in the NHL.

Frank Vatrano, BOS vs. MIN ($19) - Vatrano's rise to the NHL level is a nice story, but his price's subsequent rise to $19 is nothing more than the result of an overreaction to one good game. Since scoring a goal in his first career game, the undrafted free agent hasn't registered a point in four subsequent contests. Fantasy isn't the place to overpay for a feel-good story.

DEFENSEMEN 

Kevin Shattenkirk, STL vs. BUF ($20) - Shattenkirk has really taken off in the last three games, posting a goal and three assists. The talented blueliner flew under the radar after missing three weeks due to a groin injury, but Shattenkirk's recent hot streak has quickly returned him to prominence. His superb offensive profile suggests this recent run is par for the course, and $20 is a reasonable price for a 26-year-old defenseman with 203 points in 347 career games. Look for Shattenkirk to play an even bigger role Thursday if Colton Parayko (lower body) does not play.

Jack Johnson, CLS at OTT ($15) - The third overall pick in the 2005 draft has shown some signs of stirring from an early season slump. Johnson has posted a goal and two assists on the power play in the last four games after tallying just two points total in the season's first 15 games. Columbus' recent improved play mitigates Johnson's plus/minus downside, making him a sensible low-cost option against a Senators team that ranks near the bottom of the league defensively.

Defenseman to Avoid: 

Dan Girardi, NYR at TBL ($21) - Girardi's eight points through 18 games are much more likely to be a product of puck luck than some sort of newfound offensive skill at age 31. He has averaged a nondescript 25 points per season over his eight full NHL seasons and should continue to produce at that pace. Girardi's value generally stems primarily from blocked shots and plus/minus, and while those stats tend to quietly add up to decent performances, they aren't worth paying $21.

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