This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL schedule is really dotted with busy days and light days right about now. Wednesday is one of the light slates. There are only two matchups on the docket, but DFS opportunities remain. Here are my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF vs. OTT ($27): There is no great matchup for any of these four goalies, but the Senators are not terribly imposing, as they are just above average in terms of goals per game at 3.17. Luukkonen has been stellar in net for a while now. In 28 outings in 2024, the Finnish netminder has a 2.11 GAA and .925 save percentage. He's the clear choice to me.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM vs. BOS ($35): The Bruins are the one team on the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday, but I still wouldn't bite. Boston is 10th in goals per contest, for starters. Second, Vasilevskiy has simply not looked like "himself" all season. He's played in 44 games now, but he has an .897 save percentage.
CENTER
Pavel Zacha, BOS at TAM ($20): Who is skating next to David Pastrnak? That's the question I asked in seeking what center to recommend. While the Bruins do have a tendency to bounce "Pasta" around a bit, right now he's slated to play next to Zacha on the first line, and the two will assuredly be together on the top power-play unit. Zacha is no slouch, by the way. He has 49 points in 69 games.
CENTER TO AVOID
Shane Pinto, OTT at BUF ($18): Pinto skates on Ottawa's top line between Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson. His linemates have helped him notch 21 points in 29 games after his gambling suspension. However, he's on the second power-play unit, having averaged 1:51 a night with the extra man over his last 16 games. The Sabres have a below-average penalty kill, but have only allowed 29.2 shots on net per game. Additionally, as noted, Luukkonen has a .925 save percentage in 2024.
WING
Alex Tuch, BUF vs. OTT ($24): Tuch is on a five-game point streak, and has at least one point in six of his last seven outings. It's easy to see that streak continuing with this matchup. The Senators have a 3.56 GAA, which is bottom five in the NHL.
John-Jason Peterka, BUF vs. OTT ($19): Hey, only four teams are playing. Might as well double down on Sabres wings! Quietly, Peterka has 24 goals in his sophomore season. On top of that, he's averaged 2:45 per game with the extra man over his last seven outings. It's a good time for him to have elevated power-play minutes, as the Senators rank 31st on the penalty kill.
WINGS TO AVOID
Claude Giroux, OTT at BUF ($21): Giroux has only one goal in his last 15 games. That's not what concerns me most, though. In that time, he's only put 17 shots on net. Also, while Giroux has been successful on the power play in the past, he only has two power-play points in his last 16 outings, and he's even been demoted to the second power-play unit.
Brandon Hagel, TAM vs. BOS ($15): Hagel has 64 points in 71 games, but he only has one goal in his last 11 outings. Though the Bruins are on the second leg of a back-to-back, they have two above-average goalies. Linus Ullmark is in line to start Wednesday. He has an 1.80 GAA and .938 save percentage over his last five starts.
DEFENSE
Jakob Chychrun, OTT at BUF ($21): With only four teams in action, it's worth it to consider looking beyond the two teams with easy matchups on the surface. Chychrun is on the top power-play unit, and he just scored two goals with the extra man in his last game. All in all, he has six goals and eight assists on the power play on the year. The Sabres, as I mentioned, have a below-average penalty kill, so I'd take a shot on Chychrun.
Owen Power, BUF vs. OTT ($17): Power has not hit the ground running (hit the ice skating) like his fellow first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin. However, he does have 10 points in his last 15 games, including three on the power play. Given that the Senators have a 3.56 GAA and the 31st-ranked penalty kill, I'd take a shot on Power. He's still only 21, after all.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at TAM ($23) Prior to having two points Tuesday, McAvoy had been held without a point 10 games in a row. Now, he's on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back. The defenseman has tallied 13 of his 44 points on the power play, and he gets a lot of minutes with the extra man. That being said, even with Tampa's issues in net, it has the sixth-ranked penalty kill.
Thomas Chabot, OTT at BUF ($18): Since returning from injury, Chabot has been on the second power-play unit. He may not see much of the Sabres penalty kill, but he should see plenty of Luukkonen. That would be the Luukkonen with a 2.11 GAA and .925 save percentage over his last 28 appearances.
