Welcome to the Daily Fantasy Hockey (NHL DFS) lineup picks article for March 17th of the 2015/2016 NHL season. Each day we'll be providing you with a handful of forward, defensemen, and goaltender picks for DraftKings and FanDuel GPP and cash games.

Another busy night in the NHL with eight games on the schedule. Everyone should be well rested as only the New York Rangers are playing on a back to back. The action is heating up as we get closer to the playoffs and every matchup is magnified.

Henrik Lundqvist will make his return to the Rangers in a tough road matchup vs. the red hot Kings. The Red Wings are fighting for their playoff lives and now sit on the outside with a huge Flyer win over the Blackhawks last night.

Take your pick at goalie as their are a ton of great options. As of now Roberto Luongo(FLA), Henrik Lundqvist(NYR), and Mike Smith(ARI) are confirmed starting. Be sure to check LeftWingLock prior to lineup lock.

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NHL DFS Picks for Thursday, March 17th

A couple strategy notes. For cash game construction look for players who can contribute to your score when they are not providing offense. Examples are guys who take a ton of shots, defensemen who block a lot of shots(DraftKings). Also, look for guys who get powerplay time and especially Top 6 forwards. You can find value in players who join a new line due to an injury or just get a promotion and more ice time.

For large field tournaments (GPP's) you want to find payers who have multi point upside and can grab double digit fantasy points. To stack the most upside in your forwards a common strategy is to punt the defense position. This doesn't mean just grab anyone. Try and look for a D man who will be playing more PP time or might get a boost in overall playing time due to an injury.

Let's take a look at some solid plays for today's action.

Martin Jones - Goaltender, Sharks (Draftkings - $7,500  FanDuel - $9,000)

He has been playing at an elite level lately winning four of his last five games and not allowing more than two in goals in a game. The Sharks own the leagues best road record and Jones has averaged close to two fantasy points per game more on the road. Look for another strong game from the Sharks and Jones as they try to keep pace in the ultra competitive Pacific Division.

Joe Pavelski - Center, Sharks (DraftKings - $7,400  FanDuel - $7,800)

The Sharks are in a terrific spot to score some goals on Thursday as they face the Coyotes who rank 28th in goals allowed per game. The offense is inconsistent but when he produces it usually comes in bunches. In his last 10 games he has picked up four multi point games providing a ton of GPP upside.

Jonathan Huberdeau - Winger, Panthers (DraftKings - $5,500  FanDuel - $6,500)

Since returning from injury five games ago he has tallied eight points with three multi point games. The Panthers top line has been one of the best value stacks in daily fantasy with all three players coming in under $6,500. Look for another parade of goals on Thursday as they face the Leafs.

Ondrej Palat - Winger, Lightning (DraftKings - $4,900  FanDuel - $6,300)

He has been one of the best players on the Bolts lately with nine points in his last 10 games. He has also added two short handed points and a +9 rating. He enters a matchup vs. the Stars who have been struggling defensively lately and have allowed 16 goals in their last four games.

Aaron Ekblad - Defense, Panthers (DraftKings - $4,900  FanDuel - $6,300)

Consistent fantasy option over the last week with points in three of the last four games. He has provided a safe floor with 12 shots on goal and seven blocks. The Leafs have been playing good lately but don't expect it to last vs. a Panthers team fighting to stay atop the Atlantic Division.

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Get an edge on your NHL DFS competition, every single night of the week. Our Premium cheat sheets provide you with 15 nightly DFS lineup picks, key advanced stats, deeper player analysis, and matchup breakdowns. Below is a sample cheat sheet - take a look for yourself.

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