This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are just three games on the Wednesday night slate. The Devils will host the Coyotes at 7 p.m. EST followed by the Rangers hosting the Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. EST. Finally, the Avalanche travel to Anaheim for a 10 p.m. EST game.
The Rangers and the Ducks rank third and fourth, respectively, with 85.6 and 84.8 penalty-kill percentages. That could provide a reason to fade Avalanche and Maple Leaf players tonight, but this may also be a situation where these high-powered offenses outmatch the stout defensive schemes. We'll examine those options and more in this article.
Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper (head) and Ducks goaltenders John Gibson (not injury related) and Anthony Stolarz are questionable for Wednesday's game. If Gibson and Stolarz suit up, Colorado players drop a bit in value, and vice versa.
All advanced statistics are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
GOALIES
Jack Campbell, TOR at NYR ($8,400): Sitting second in the league with a .931 save percentage and third with 19 wins, Campbell is making a case for the Vezina Trophy as we close in on the halfway mark. A matchup against the Rangers can be a bit daunting, but the Rangers rank 31st in the league over the last month with 1.88 xGF/60 at even strength. Campbell is a sturdy option in tournaments and cash games.
Mackenzie Blackwood, NJ vs. ARI ($7,500): Overall, Blackwood has been mediocre this season, but he's been excellent at home with a .922 save percentage, a 2.35 GAA and a 6-3-2 record. The Coyotes – who rank 31st with 2.22 goals per game and a 9-24-4 record – played Monday at home and will travel cross-country for Wednesday's clash against the Devils.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Trevor Zegras, ANH vs. COL (C - $6,100): Zegras has been fantastic all season, especially recently. He has posted 15 points over the last 14 games while staying locked into the top six. He has recorded seven power-play points this year, too, and the Avalanche surprisingly rank 28th in the league with a 74.1 penalty-kill percentage. Furthermore, Kuemper likely won't play, meaning Pavel Francouz – who has posted a 2.94 GAA this year – is expected to start.
Nico Hischier, NJ vs. ARI (W - $5,900): Since returning from injury Dec. 29, Hischier has posted six points and 20 shots on goal over six games. He's skating on the second line and PP2, and the matchup against Arizona is quite intriguing. The Coyotes are last in the league with a 3.68 GAA and 30th with a 73.4 penalty-kill percentage.
Phil Kessel, ARI at NJ (W - $5,100): There's no doubt that Kessel is slowing down at age-34, but he's been hot lately with four multi-point games over the last nine contests. He likely won't be a popular DFS option in tournaments, making him an intriguing contrarian option. Blackwood has been steady this year at home, but it's worth noting that he's allowed at least three goals in eight of his last nine appearances.
LINE STACKS
Auston Matthews (C - $10,100), Mitch Marner (W - $6,400), Michael Bunting (W - $4,800)
I mentioned in the preview that we should consider the Rangers' dominant PK when opting for Maple Leafs players, but a player like Auston Matthews is fairly immune for fantasy purposes. He has posted 25 points over the past 16 games, and he'd still be averaging a point per game if we took away his power-play points. With Marner – who comes at a discount – healthy and by Matthews' side again, this line retains massive upside.
Nazem Kadri (C - $9,900), Andre Burakovsky (W - $6,100), Logan O'Connor (W - $4,800)
Kadri has unlocked his true potential in his age-30 season, racking up 49 points – 16 with the man advantage – through 33 games. Burakovsky is on pace for season highs, too, recording 31 points through 34 games, and O'Connor can contribute (14 points through 36 games) while keeping the average salary low. The Ducks rank 16th with a 2.85 GAA, and they may need to call up a goalie from the AHL to fill in for Gibson and Stolarz.
DEFENSE
Devon Toews, COL at ANH ($6,700): Toews is a slightly cheaper Cale Makar ($7,500). He has posted 26 points, 59 shots on net and 31 blocked shots through 25 games. He comes at a high salary, but he's a strong add-on to Kadri's line, especially if Gibson and Stolarz are out.
Jakob Chychrun, ARI at NJ ($5,000): Chychrun was activated from injured reserve Tuesday and should be back in his usual role Wednesday. Prior to his injury, Chychrun averaged 25:06 of ice time over 10 games while posting five points, 37 shots on net and 18 blocked shots. His slow start keeps his salary low, and he provides a solid floor even if he doesn't notch a point.
Hampus Lindholm, ANH vs. COL ($4,800): Lindholm recorded five points, 19 shots on net and 13 blocked shots over the last eight games while averaging more than 22 minutes per game. Francouz is a bit volatile, and Lindholm comes at a significant discount as a contrarian play tonight.
P.K. Subban, NJ vs. ARI ($4,400): Subban has averaged nearly 21 minutes of ice time over the past eight games, totaling four points and 20 shots on net in the process. He also is skating on the top power-play unit, meaning his ceiling should be raised against the Coyotes' 30th-ranked PK (73.4 percent).
