Fantasy buzz: Vanek, Maroon to debut on first power-play units

All season long, NHL.com's fantasy hockey staff will have you covered with daily lineup news, production trends and injury notes from around the League. We will identify how these developments affect fantasy owners in year-long (Yahoo) and daily (DraftKings) formats.

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Projected lineups

Foligno returns for Blue Jackets; Vanek to debut on first power play

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nick Foligno is expected to return to their lineup after missing four games with a lower-body injury. Foligno (C/LW/RW, 32 percent) is expected to skate on the second line with center Alex Wennberg (19 percent owned in Yahoo) and wing Thomas Vanek (LW/RW, 15 percent), who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. Foligno ranks fourth on the Blue Jackets in goals (13) and third among forwards in time on ice (18:39) behind left wing Artemi Panarin (20:22) and right wing Cam Atkinson (18:44).
Vanek will make his debut for the Blue Jackets on their top power-play unit with Panarin (C/LW, 59th in Yahoo), Atkinson (55 percent), Wennberg and defenseman Seth Jones (90th). In DFS formats, Vanek ($4,000) provides against-the-grain value against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; SN1, FS-W, FS-O, NHL.TV). He has four points (one goal, three assists) and six shots on goal in three games against them. In deep season-long leagues, Vanek is worth a flier if he keeps his favorable spot in their lineup.

Devils to play Maroon on first power play in debut

New Jersey Devils left wing Pat Maroon will make his debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, MSG+, NHL.TV). Maroon (38 percent owned), acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, has 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 57 games and will skate on the fourth line with forwards Blake Coleman and Brian Boyle.
Maroon ($4,000 in DraftKings) does have some DFS appeal because he's expected to play on the Devils' first power-play unit with left wing Taylor Hall (4.9 DraftKings points per game), right wing Kyle Palmieri, center Travis Zajac and defenseman Sami Vatanen ($4,300). Despite the Devils having the 26th-ranked road power play (15.4 percent) and Maroon having three power-play points with Edmonton, his low price makes him stackable with Hall ($7,700), who has at least one point in 22 straight games (15 goals, 17 assists in span).

Bruins scratch rookie Heinen; Gionta to make season debut

Boston Bruins rookie forward Danton Heinen will be a healthy scratch against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN, NESN, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).
Heinen (C/LW/RW, 19 percent owned, 186th in Yahoo) is tied for seventh among rookies with 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) in 57 games but could become droppable in standard leagues after this development and no goals and one assist over his past nine games.
Veteran forward Brian Gionta, who signed a one-year contract with Boston after playing for the United States in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, will make his season debut. Gionta is priced near the minimum in DraftKings (W, $2,800) and could return value on the third line with David Backes ($4,900).
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