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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, April 6 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):
Dynamic Duos
- C Auston Matthews (69K) and D Jake Gardiner (39K), Maple Leafs (vs. Lightning): It's a night Leafs fans have been waiting for - and you know the players are going to be fired up. A Toronto win vaults the Leafs into the playoffs, and Matthews - who has eight goals in his last 10 games and 39 on the season - will be front and center. Pair him with Gardiner, who has four assists in his last four games.
- C Brandon Dubinsky (45K) and RW Cam Atkinson (65K), Blue Jackets (vs. Jets): Columbus still has plenty to play for as the regular season winds down, sitting three points back of Pittsburgh for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Look for Dubinsky and Atkinson to help shake Columbus out of its offensive doldrums against a Winnipeg team allowing the third-most goals per game in the league.
- C Connor McDavid (73K) and LW Milan Lucic (38K): No team scored more goals in March than the Oilers, who averaged 3.46 per game en route to ending a decade-long postseason drought. On the flip side, the Sharks were one of only 10 teams in the league to allow more than three goals per game for the month. Pair McDavid with Lucic, who joins the NHL's leading scorer on the first power-play unit.
Goalie Breakdown
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
- TARGET - Devan Dubnyk (108K), Wild (at Avalanche): Dubnyk appears to be back on track following a dreadful showing in March, stopping 57 of 62 shots en route to a pair of victories over Colorado and Carolina to open the month. Thursday, he gets another crack at an Avalanche team that has scored two or fewer goals in four of its last six games. Dubnyk is pricey, but you'll be glad you started him.
- BARGAIN - Jaroslav Halak (81K), Islanders (at Hurricanes): With the Islanders' playoff chances hanging by a thread, Halak will need to be at his absolute best in Carolina. The 31-year-old has been terrific of late, limiting opponents to six goals over his last four games while picking up three victories over that stretch. If he can continue his red-hot play, he should provide huge value in Squad Up.
- FADE - Jonathan Bernier (104K), Ducks (vs. Blackhawks): Bernier has fallen on hard times of late, having been tagged for seven goals in road games in Winnipeg and Calgary. And while his 43-save shutout against Chicago back on March 9 stands as his best game of the season, the chances of another 40-save blanking aren't good. These Blackhawks can score, and should do so multiple times on Thursday.
- CONTRARIAN - Joonas Korpisalo (115K), Blue Jackets (vs. Jets): It isn't often that you see a team's backup netminder as one of the most expensive options of the night - but with Sergei Bobrovsky coming off a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh two nights earlier, Korpisalo gets the call against visiting Winnipeg. He hasn't won since March 18 but looked good last time out, stopping 29 of 31 shots in a loss to Carolina on March 30.
Bargain Plays
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
- C Leon Draisaitl (46K), Oilers (at Sharks): Draisaitl is priced at an absolute bargain given that he ranks eighth in league scoring and has five goals and 14 assists during an 11-game point streak. But here's the catch: You can't roster both he and McDavid, since both are listed at center. If you're looking to load up at other positions, you could do a whole lot worse than a guy with 75 points.
- LW Richard Panik (32K), Blackhawks (at Ducks): Panik is far removed from his high-scoring days of earlier this season, but he's still a decent daily fantasy option while skating on Chicago's top line. Panik has seven points over his last 10 games and recorded multiple shots on goal in nine straight games in March. He has just two shots over his past three games, so expect some positive correction there.
- D Jacob Trouba (27K), Jets (at Blue Jackets): This game appears one-sided on paper, but that doesn't mean you should ignore Trouba. He has four assists over his past three games for the Jets, who have scored four or more goals in four straight contests. Trouba might end up on the wrong side of the final score, but he's too gifted an offensive talent to be left unowned at his rock-bottom salary.
Top Fades
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
- C Patrice Bergeron (67K), Bruins (vs. Senators): While Bergeron is off to a sizzling start this month with three goals in three games, he and the rest of the Boston offense will take a significant hit Thursday as winger Brad Marchand serves the opener of a two-game suspension levied earlier in the day. Bergeron can still generate offense without Marchand, but it becomes a whole lot tougher.
- RW Phil Kessel (67K), Penguins (at Devils): Perhaps Kessel is just saving himself for the Penguins' Stanley Cup title defense. Or maybe he's gripping his stick too tightly. Whatever the case, the Pittsburgh sniper comes into this one having scored just one goal in his previous 23 games. His salary is far too high for his recent lack of production, and it's hard to see him getting on track in New Jersey.
- LW Daniel Sedin (63K), Canucks (at Coyotes): It doesn't matter who the opponent is - no player averaging barely a half-point per game should have a salary this high. Sedin has just four points over his past 17 games, and has shown no inclination to halt his slide. Considering the collection of left wingers priced lower - including Mike Hoffman, Zach Parise and Jeff Skinner - you can do much better here.
Contrarian Options
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
- C William Nylander (56K), Maple Leafs (vs. Lightning): Anytime the Leafs are in action, both Nylander and fellow center Nazem Kadri can be labeled as contrarian plays since most daily fantasy players choose Matthews. But Nylander plays alongside the rookie scoring leader and comes at a significant discount. Look for Nylander to hit the scoresheet as Toronto aims to end its lengthy playoff drought.
- RW David Backes (49K), Bruins (vs. Senators): There might be a bevy of more attractive options ahead of Backes in the Squad Up pecking order, but he's a sneaky value play in a must-win game against Ottawa. Someone has to pick up the slack with Marchand on the sidelines, and Backes comes at a nice discount compared to teammate David Pastrnak (61K). Backes isn't a slam-dunk value play, but he deserves a look.
- D Dion Phaneuf (28K), Senators (at Bruins): The Ottawa blue-line has been beaten and battered, leaving Phaneuf as the lone reliable offensive option on the back end. With Erik Karlsson ruled out with a lower-body injury, Phaneuf will see all the high-leverage situations he can handle. He might be passed over by most in favor of more reliable options, but he should easily return value Thursday.
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