This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday marks the second day of the 2023-24 NHL season, and it features six games after 7 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Bruins (vs. Chicago) and Maple Leafs (vs. Montreal) are Wednesday's two biggest favorites, though the Hurricanes (vs. Ottawa) aren't too far behind. Oilers-Canucks has the highest over/under at 7.0 goals, while Avalanche-Kings, Jets-Flames, and the aforementioned Canadiens-Maple Leafs matchup all come in at 6.5, with the other two games both at 6.0.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, BOS vs. CHI ($8,500): Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy last season with a dominant 40-6-1 record, 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage, as he led all qualifying goalies in wins, GAA and save percentage. Boston's defensive play in front of him will likely take a hit with the retirement of six-time Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron, but while matching last season's elite production will be a tall order, Ullmark should get off to a hot start against a Chicago team that's playing the second leg of a back-to-back. The Blackhawks will undoubtedly have some soreness coming off Tuesday's 4-2 win in Pittsburgh, and that result was a surprise considering Chicago averaged a league-low 2.46 goals per game last season.
Frederik Andersen, CAR vs. OTT ($8,200): Carolina enters the 2022-23 season as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup due to the team's depth on the blue line and coach Rod Brind'Amour's system, which has led to sustained regular-season success and excellent defensive numbers. Andersen has been the beneficiary with a 46-25-4 record, 2.29 GAA and .915 save percentage across his two seasons in Carolina. He's had trouble staying healthy, but when the Dane has been available, he's been effective.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at CGY ($7,500): Hellebuyck's a nice bargain play against a Flames team that bolstered opposing goalies' stats last season by averaging the second-most shots (36.0) but 14th-fewest goals (3.15). Winnipeg's star netminder finished third in Vezina Trophy voting last season thanks to 37 wins, a 2.49 GAA and .920 save percentage. That result marked his fourth top-four finish in the past six seasons, including a Vezina Trophy win as the league's best netminder in 2020.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Connor McDavid, EDM at VAN ($9,800): McDavid's coming off one of the best seasons of all time, as he produced a 64-89-153 line to lead the league in goals, assists and points. The world's best player should pick up where he left off and will likely be worth paying up for against a Canucks team that allowed 3.61 goals per game last season -- ninth-most in the NHL.
Connor Bedard, CHI at BOS ($7,700): Bedard is the most hyped prospect to enter the NHL since McDavid, and the 2023 first-overall pick got off to a strong start Opening Night with an assist and five shots in a 4-2 win over the Penguins. He's an against-the-grain option against Ullmark and the stout Boston defense, but Bedard has the talent to excel in any matchup.
Brad Marchand, BOS vs. CHI ($6,900): Bergeron's retired, but fellow long-time Bruin Marchand is still around, and while Marchand's best known for his dirty antics, he's quite an effective scorer when he decides to focus on offense instead of cheap shots. Last season's 67 points in 73 games ended a six-year streak of averaging over a point per game for Marchand, and the veteran winger has a nice opportunity to get on the scoresheet in his 2023-24 debut against a Chicago team that's expected to start Arvid Soderblom (career 2-12-2 record, 3.69 GAA and .889 save percentage) in net.
Andrei Kuzmenko, VAN vs. EDM ($4,900): Kuzmenko's a nice value in what's expected to be Wednesday's highest-scoring game. The 27-year-old winger posted a 39-35-74 line in his first NHL season after coming over from the KHL last year, and he has the potential to be even better now that the Russian's fully adjusted to playing in North American rinks. Kuzmenko should have plenty of opportunities to showcase his scoring skills while skating on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Oilers at Canucks
Leon Draisaitl (C - $8,600), Zach Hyman (W - $4,300), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $5,100)
This line can be used as part of a larger Oilers stack with McDavid or as a standalone stacking option. Draisaitl finished second in the NHL behind McDavid with 128 points last season, and the German has better linemates at even strength. Nugent-Hopkins was third on the team with 104 points last season and Hyman was fourth with 83, while no other member of the Oilers had more than 43 points. All three of these players are also expected to share the ice with McDavid on Edmonton's top power-play unit, which is important considering the Oilers easily led the league with a 32.4 percent conversion rate on the man advantage in 2022-23.
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens
Auston Matthews (C - $9,400), Mitchell Marner (W - $6,400), Tyler Bertuzzi (W - $4,700)
There's no shortage of appealing stacking options Wednesday, and if Edmonton doesn't float your boat, maybe Toronto will against the rival Canadiens, who gave up 3.72 goals per game last season. Matthews has reached the 40-goal mark in each of the last four seasons, including a 60-goal campaign in 2021-22, while Marner will be motivated to finally crack 100 points after finishing the past two seasons with 97 and 99. Bertuzzi's a nice value as the third member of Toronto's talented top line, and the former 30-goal scorer has the skills to capitalize on all the open ice he'll have with defenses focusing on Matthews and Marner.
Avalanche at Kings
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,200), Mikko Rantanen (W - $7,400), Jonathan Drouin (W - $4,500)
MacKinnon's arguably the second-best player in the NHL after McDavid, and his 42-69-111 line in 71 appearances last season was good for 1.56 points per game, third-most after McDavid's 1.87 and Draisaitl's 1.60. MacKinnon also had 366 shots on net, trailing only the 407 of Boston's David Pastrnak ($9,700). Rantanen's arguably the best value among the elite skaters in action Wednesday, as he can be had for just $7,400 after producing 55 goals and 105 points last season. Like Bertuzzi, Drouin's a nice value simply by virtue of skating alongside a pair of stars, and Colorado's top-line duo is even better than Toronto's.
DEFENSEMEN
Evan Bouchard, EDM at VAN ($6,100): Bouchard is the fifth member of Edmonton's elite No. 1 power-play unit, making him an integral option if you're crafting an Oilers stack in Vancouver. In his last 31 games, including the playoffs, the 2018 first-round pick has produced a 9-27-36 line.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. EDM ($5,100): Hughes' puck-moving skills should allow him to thrive in a fast-paced game against Edmonton. After scoring 68 points over 76 games in 2021-22, Hughes improved to 76 points in 78 games last season. This could be the year that the young blueliner -- who will celebrate his 24th birthday Saturday -- finally reaches the point-per-game threshold.
Bowen Byram, COL at LA ($4,100): Byram's often overlooked given all the high-end talent in Colorado, but we almost certainly haven't seen the best of the 2019 fourth-overall pick, whose development has been choppy due to injuries. Byram showed plenty of encouraging signs last season with a 10-14-24 line in 42 games, and if he can sustain that pace over a full season, we're talking about a 20-goal, 47-point output. He's a low-risk, high-reward option at $4,100 against a Kings team that could struggle to get quality goaltending from either Cam Talbot ($7,600) or Pheonix Copley ($7,600).
John Klingberg, TOR vs. MON ($3,200): Klingberg got nicked up in the preseason, but if his upper-body injury doesn't hold him out, the affordable blueliner could be one of Wednesday's top bargains. He has been quarterbacking Toronto's top power-play unit in practice, and the six-time 40-point scorer will have substantial offensive upside as long as he maintains that role over Morgan Rielly ($5,900), as Toronto's power play ranked second in the NHL at 26.0 percent in 2022-23.
