This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
GOALIE
Casey DeSmith, PIT vs. NYI ($8,200): With Matt Murray out, DeSmith is the clear top choice at goalie for the Penguins. To be fair, he should be anyway, as he has a 2.49 GAA and .923 save percentage. The Islanders have gotten love for not falling apart without John Tavares, but they have offensive issues. They've only managed 28.2 shots on goal per game.
CENTER
Jeff Carter, LOS vs. NJD ($5,900): The Kings have had a lot of offensive issues, but guys like Carter seem bound to get better. After all, he only has five goals on 79 shots, which gives him a 6.3 shooting percentage bound for regression toward the mean. This is the kind of matchup that can turn a player's luck around. The Devils have a 3.50 GAA, fourth worst in the NHL.
Cody Eakin, VGK vs. CHI ($4,800): With Paul Stastny and Erik Haula out long term, Eakin has moved up to the second-line center role for the Golden Knights. He's lived up to the role, as he has 15 points in his last 15 games. The Blackhawks are on the road for the second night of a back-to-back, and they are the only team in such a situation Thursday. They have the second highest team GAA in the NHL, and being on the second leg of a back-to-back won't help.
WING
Brendan Gallagher, MON at OTT ($6,300): Gallagher has notched 12 goals on 98 shots, which are encouraging numbers heading into a matchup with the Senators. Ottawa has a league-worst 4.07 GAA and has given up a whopping 38.0 shots on goal per game. The Sens also have the league's worst penalty kill, and though Gallagher only has three power-play points, he's averaged 3:23 with the extra man.
Craig Smith, NAS at VAN ($5,300): Smith has started 69 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second highest on the Predators. He's scored seven goals on 87 shots, adding seven assists for good measure. The Canucks have a 3.43 team GAA and the 27th-ranked penalty kill.
Reilly Smith, VGK vs. CHI ($5,000): Let's double down on Smiths given that the Blackhawks on the second night of a back-to-back make for a great matchup. Smith has 17 points on the season, even though he has a 5.6 shooting percentage. Seven of those points have come with the extra man, as well. Corey Crawford will be in the net Wednesday, which likely means Cam Ward, who has a 3.91 GAA and .888 save percentage, will be in net.
DEFENSE
Torey Krug, BOS at TAM ($5,900): Krug has started 65.2 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Boston defensemen. He's notched 12 points in 16 games even though he hasn't scored a goal. The 27-year-old has put 38 shots on net, so goals should arrive in time. Louis Domingue hasn't been able to fill Andrei Vasilevskiy's skates while the latter has been sidelined, as Domingue has a 3.14 GAA and .900 save percentage.
Zach Werenski, CLM at PHI ($5,100): Werenski hasn't been shooting quite as much this season, but it hasn't hurt his offensive output. The 21-year-old has five goals and 11 assists through 27 games. Philadelphia has a 3.52 GAA, and it has been getting awful goaltending. The Flyers have an .881 save percentage as a team.
