This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
If you like hockey, Thursday is the night for you. There are a robust 11 games on the NHL schedule as we head toward the home stretch of the season. With that in mind, here are my daily fantasy lineup recommendations.
GOALIE
Mike Smith, CGY at ARI ($8,500): Yes, the Flames are on the road for the second game of a back-to-back, but I'm interested in Smith for a few reasons. First, he has a 2.27 GAA and .918 save percentage in his last seven starts. Second, the Flames have a 2.44 GAA in road games. Finally, the Coyotes have only managed 2.62 goals per contest. It's a minor gamble, but one that intrigues me.
CENTER
Dylan Strome, CHI vs. BUF ($6,000): Apparently all Strome needed to get his career on track was a change of scenery. Since being traded to the Blackhawks the third-overall pick from 2015 has 46 points in 62 games. Meanwhile, since the All-Star break the Sabres have a 3.81 GAA.
David Krejci, BOS vs. FLA ($5,800): Krejci has 14 points in his last 10 games, and in half of those contests he's had multiple points. Another multi-point outing could be in the offing against the Panthers. Florida has a 3.78 GAA on the road, bottom five in the NHL.
WING
Sam Reinhart, BUF at CHI ($5,600): Only one team has a higher GAA since the All-Star break than the Sabres. You can probably guess based on context clues it's the Blackhawks. They have a 4.00 GAA in that time. That certainly bodes well for Reinhart, who has 58 points in 66 games.
Josh Bailey, NYI at OTT ($4,900): Bailey has enjoyed a hot run of play, as he has 12 points in his last 13 games. He also has 13 points with the extra man after having a whopping 31 power-play points last season. The Senators no longer have the league's highest GAA, but nobody is going to admire their 3.73 GAA. They've also still allowed a league-worst 36.1 shots on net per contest.
Thomas Vanek, DET vs. NYR ($4,200): Vanek picked up two assists in his first game back from injury, looking no worse for the wear. He's also certainly been helped this season by the fact he's started 69.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest on the Wings. As for the Rangers, they have a 3.90 GAA in away contests.
DEFENSE
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. VAN ($5,500): The return of Oscar Klefbom did not cut into Nurse's offense output as some feared. In fact, he has five points in his last four games. The Canucks will be on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. Thatcher Demko will likely be in net, and the rookie is highly unproven at this level.
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF at CHI ($4,500): Despite being only 18, Dahlin has shown that he has the skills to run a power-play unit already. He's averaged 2:56 per game with the extra man and notched 16 power-play points. That certainly bodes well heading into a matchup with the Blackhawks, who have the league's worst penalty kill.
