This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are a whopping 13 games on the docket Thursday after a three-day holiday hiatus. Here are my players to target and avoid...
GOALIE
Martin Jones, SJ vs. ANA ($28): Normally, a goalie with a .899 save percentage would not be a wise investment for your lineup. However, he will be behind a strong defense, as the Sharks have only given up 27.2 shots on net per game at home. Meanwhile, the Ducks have averaged a league-low 27.1 shots on goal per contest. Jones isn't likely to be very busy Thursday.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Ben Bishop, DAL at NAS ($36): Bishop has been impressive in net, but this will be a daunting test. The Predators are 14-5-0 at home, while the Stars are 7-11-2 on the road. It will likely be hard for Bishop to get much in the way of goal support, as Dallas is 27th in goals per game, while Nashville is first in GAA. The former Lightning netminder is pricey, and it is going to be hard for him to earn a win in this one.
CENTER
Pierre-Luc Dubois, CLM at NYR ($21): Dubois impressed as a rookie, notching 48 points, which earned him a major uptick in playing time (and power-play time) this season. It's paid off, as he has 31 points through 36 games. He gets to return from the break with a matchup against the Rangers, who have a 3.23 GAA and have allowed 33.5 shots on net per contest.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nathan MacKinnon, COL at VGK ($34): MacKinnon is the most expensive center Thursday, and with good cause given his production, but Vegas is a tough place to play. The Golden Knights have a 2.18 GAA at home, second lowest in the NHL, and have only allowed 28.6 shots on net per contest. On top of that, the Knights have the seventh-ranked penalty kill, so MacKinnon's usual power-play numbers may not be there.
WING
Jake Guentzel, PIT vs. DET ($22): Ah, the perks of playing on Sidney Crosby's wing. Guentzel has 33 points this season, including seven in his last six games. As for the Wings, they've struggled defensively on the road. They have a 3.56 GAA and have given up 34.4 shots on goal per contest in away games.
Mikael Granlund, MIN at CHI ($20): Granlund has struggled to score goals recently, but he has 11 on the season. Plus, he has 10 assists in his last 10 games. The Blackhawks have a 3.69 GAA, and also the league's worst penalty kill. That bodes well for the Finnish winger, as he's notched 11 points with the extra man.
WINGS TO AVOID
Taylor Hall, NJD at BOS ($28): Hall is having a good season, although his shooting percentage has dropped from 14.0 last season to a more reasonable 9.7, so he likely won't score 39 goals again. He may not score at all against the Bruins. Boston has a 2.54 GAA, which is second lowest in the NHL.
Claude Giroux, PHI at TAM ($27): Like Hall, Giroux has experienced a drop in shooting percentage (17.6 to 10.4), but he's also struggled on the power play compared to his usual production. The Lightning have the eighth-ranked penalty kill, and bear in mind Andrei Vasilevskiy missed a chunk of the season. When he's played, the Russian netminder has a 2.39 GAA and .928 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Torey Krug, BOS vs. NJD ($20): It took Krug a while to score his first goal, but now he has four in his last nine games. He's put 72 shots on net through 26 games, so more goals should come. The Devils have struggled defensively all season, but they've been particularly poor recently. In fact, Keith Kinkaid has a 3.68 GAA and .877 save percentage over his last 12 outings.
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. VAN ($20): Filling in for Oscar Klefbom has been great for Nurse. Over his last nine games, he's averaged 26:51 in ice time (2:51 on the power play) and tallied 10 points and 28 shots on goal. The Canucks have a 3.15 GAA, bottom 10 in the NHL, so Nurse could easily stay hot.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
John Klingberg, DAL at NAS ($22): Since returning from injury, Klingberg has one assist and six shots on goal through three games. That's not bad, but he may not be up to speed yet. It will be hard for him to do that against the Predators, especially with Pekka Rinne likely in net. Rinne has a 2.15 GAA and a .925 save percentage, the former of which is lowest in the NHL.
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI at TAM ($19): Gostisbehere isn't playing quite up to his usual standards. He's only averaged 5.0 fantasy points per game, and he only has one goal in his last 19 contests. To add to his misery, now he faces the Lightning and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has a 2.39 GAA and .928 save percentage.
