Uncover waiver wire goalie gems! Target Elvis Merzlikins and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for wins and saves. Linus Ullmark offers DFS value against Calgary's depleted defense.
On every game day this season, THN Fantasy will highlight players and goalies for fantasy hockey managers to stream, roster or utilize in standard leagues and/or DFS games. Players and goalies highlighted for streaming in standard leagues are rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.
8 games on Thursday, March 5
* = confirmed
Joseph Woll, TOR at Igor Shesterkin, NYR (7 p.m. ET)
Karel Vejmelka, UTA at Dan Vladar, PHI (7 p.m. ET)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF at Arturs Silovs, PIT (7 p.m. ET)
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA at Elvis Merzlikins, CBJ (7 p.m. ET)
Jeremy Swayman, BOS at Juuse Saros, NSH (8 p.m. ET)
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB at Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (8 p.m. ET)
Linus Ullmark, OTT at Dustin Wolf, CGY (9 p.m. ET)
Ilya Sorokin, NYI* at Darcy Kuemper, LA (9:30 p.m. ET)
Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins, CBJ vs. FLA (13% rostered) - FanDuel $7,800
With the Panthers essentially waving the white flag making Sergei Bobrovsky open for trade, and the Jackets still in the midst of the playoff race, there’s no doubt which team should be more motivated. The Jackets have won two straight with eights goals scored and faces a Panthers team that has been uncharacteristically poor in nearly all facets of the game, losing eight of their past 10 and 13 goals allowed in their past three games.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF at PIT (37% rostered) - FanDuel $8,000
Tough matchup because the Pens defend very well, but the Sabres have been the league’s best team in 2026 and carry a lot of positive momentum into this game. They’ve won four straight with seven goals allowed, and might see a bolstered defense if Colton Parayko draws into the lineup. Luukkonen has a good chance to win this game, but it’ll be tight because they’re matched up quite evenly. At the very least, Luukkonen should be able to turn in a strong performance with plenty of saves.
Linus Ullmark, OTT at CGY (71% rostered) - FanDuel $6,700
Question for DFS play only: Is this a value trap? Ullmark has the lowest salary among goalies for Thursday's slate, but even if he hasn't been sharp, this is a matchup that favors the Sens, especially after the Flames traded Mac Weegar yesterday. Ullmark may have allowed five goals in his previous game against McDavid's Oilers -- understandable, especially after Brady Tkachuk's awful penalty to put the Oilers PP on the ice in OT -- but otherwise he's been quite good with no more than two goals allowed in his four previous games.
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