The Jets will host the Avalanche in their first meeting since last season's playoff. Vilardi is on a five-game points streak while the Jets are looking for their fifth straight win.
On every game day this season, THN Fantasy will highlight players and goalies for fantasy managers to stream or roster for the rest of the season. The recommended players and goalies can be used in standard fantasy leagues or for daily fantasy games.
Forwards
Stefan Noesen, LW/RW, NJ vs. MON (36% rostered)
Dawson Mercer, C/RW, NJ vs. MON (20% rostered)
Noesen remains a great source of goals and hits. He scored his sixth goal of the season against the Oilers and he's now on pace for 32 goals, giving him plenty of rest-of-season value.
Mercer's fantasy value is gaining steam with a goal and five points in his past four games. Mercer's scoring pace has always been relatively modest, but he's been catching fire on a line with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. The latter two do most of the scoring but once in a while Mercer gets in on the action, too. The Habs have struggled defensively, allowing four goals per game, second-worst in the league.
Gabriel VilardiGabriel Vilardi, C/RW, WPG vs. COL (33% rostered)
Vilardi's on a five-game points streak and the Avs are expected to start the struggling Alexandar Georgiev, and may also be without top defenseman Cale Makar. That's a huge opportunity for Vilardi to extend his streak, and it's a revenge game for the Jets who were ousted by the Avs in the first round last season. The Jets are one of the top offensive teams in the league thanks to an excellent shooting percentage.
Rickard Rakell, C/RW, PIT at CAR (30% rostered)
Rakell has been one of fantasy's biggest risers with his L1 role with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He's won the equivalent of the hockey lottery playing with two future Hall of Famers, and he's made good with 11 points in 14 games this season.
Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL vs. CHI (24% rostered)
Pay attention as Seguin will be drawing in and out of the lineup due to a nagging injury, and that's been a constant theme over the recent years. With a four-day break following their Global Series, and Mason Marchment potentially unavailable, look for Seguin to draw into the lineup. If he does, he'll likely play with Matt Duchene, and the veteran duo have some good chemistry. In seven games this season, Seguin has scored five goals and nine points. When healthy, he's a nightly threat to score.
Ryan Donato, C/LW, CHI at DAL (19% rostered)
Donato's five-game points streak was snapped Wednesday in a 4-1 loss to the Wings, but he's expected to maintain his role on L1 and PP1 with Connor Bedard. Whoever plays with the young phenom will surely see their fantasy value spike, and Donato certainly has been no different. He's getting plenty of minutes and putting a lot of shots on net, recording at least four shots in four of his past five games. The Stars, by Peter DeBoer's own admission, might be a little rusty having just returned from Finland.
Kyle Palmieri, RW, NYI at OTT (19% rostered)
Anders Lee, LW, NYI at OTT (13% rostered)
The danger in this streaming option is the Sens have been very good at home (5-1-0). Palmieri has been the more consistent of the two wingers, and the Isles' second line with Brock Nelson and Maxim Tsyplakov has rarely been broken up. According to moneypuck.com, that line ranks seventh in the league in expected goals percentage among trios who have played at least 100 minutes together.
With all the injuries, Lee has moved up from L3 to L1 with Bo Horvat and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Palmieri has two goals and four points while Lee has four assists in their past three games, and both play PP1.
Will Cuylle, LW, NYR vs. BOS (14% rostered)
Will the Thrill (yes, I know that's Will Clark, but it works here as well) has provided New York solid across-the-board production. Cuylle offers modest offensive upside but that may change, as he's expected to skate on L2 with Vincent Trocheck and Reilly Smith for the second game.
Jack Roslovic, C, CAR vs. PIT (1% rostered)
Roslovic continues to reap the benefits of playing on the right wing with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. Seriously, they do all the work and he just cleans up whatever's left. Roslovic's ice time is limited because he's not a true top-six forward, but his production has been hard to ignore. He's shooting the puck and converting a high number of his chances, of which he'll get plenty against a defensively porous Penguins squad. Roslovic has seven goals in 11 games.
Conor Garland, RW, VAN at LA (13% rostered)
Y'know that Rodney Dangerfield quote, "I don't get no respect"? That's Garland in fantasy. Despite putting up 10 points in 11 games, including three assists in his past two games while averaging 20 minutes a night, Garland continues to be overlooked in fantasy. The Kings will be a tough matchup but Garland has proven time and again this season that he's a legit second-line scoring threat with L2 and PP1 deployment alongside Elias Pettersson.
Defensemen
Uvis Balinskis, D, FLA vs. NSH (0% rostered)
It's boom or bust for Balinskis. He doesn't play a lot and almost all of his fantasy value is derived from his role on PP1. He has just two assists in 13 games this season, and his role is always under threat, but note the Preds are playing the second game of a back-to-back and expected to start backup Scott Wedgewood.
Matt Grzelcyk, PIT at CAR (1% rostered)
Grzelcyk is a low-upside defenseman in fantasy but he's been red-hot with five assists in his past seven games. He offers modest peripherals, so you're hoping that he can maintain his strong play, though the matchup is quite difficult.
Timothy Liljegren, SJ vs. MIN (2% rostered)
Jake Walman is expected to draw back into the lineup though Liljegren is expected to remain QB on PP1. The Sharks are determined to give him a shot after acquiring him from the Leafs, and while time will tell if he sticks on PP1, it's an excellent opportunity for him nonetheless. Liljegren is still getting used to his new surroundings so it's reasonable to think his ice time will increase in his third game.
Honorable mention:
Alex Laferriere, RW, LA vs. VAN (48% rostered ) - L3, PP1
Trevor Moore, LW/RW, LA vs. VAN (41% rostered) - L2, PP2
Blake Coleman, C/RW, CGY at BOS (41% rostered) - L2
Quinton Byfield, C/LW/RW, LA vs. VAN (37% rostered) - L3, PP2
JJ Peterka, LW/RW, BUF at NYR (36% rostered) - L1, PP1
Phillip Danault, C, LA vs. VAN (8% rostered) - L2, PP2
Jason Zucker, LW, BUF at NYR (4% rostered) - L3, PP1
Frederick Gaudreau, C, MIN at SJ (1% rostered) - L3, PP2
Colton Parayko, D, STL vs. UTA (50% rostered) - L1, PP1
Justin Faulk, D, STL vs. UTA (37% rostered) - L2, PP1
Dmitry Orlov, D, CAR vs. PIT (10% rostered) - L2
Jared Spurgeon, D, MIN at SJ (6% rostered) - L2, PP2
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