This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EST and features five games. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
All five of these games are rematches of Monday's matchups. The two biggest favorites are the Oilers — who beat the Senators on Monday — and the Avalanche, who will be looking to avenge a home loss to the Coyotes. Ottawa-Edmonton has the highest over/under at 6.5 goals, while Montreal-Vancouver is the only other game above 5.5 at 6.0. Competitive Golden Knights-Wild and Kings-Ducks matchups round out this slate.
GOALIES
Mike Smith, EDM vs. OTT ($8,300): Smith has been terrific in Edmonton's net, with a 7-2-0 record, 2.29 GAA and .925 save percentage. He allowed just one goal on 28 shots to beat the Senators in their only previous meeting this season, and Smith's primed for another strong performance against the North Division cellar dwellers.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. MON ($7,300): Demko's as hot as any goalie in the league, having allowed just four goals on 128 shots (.969 save percentage) in winning each of his last four starts. This stretch is even more impressive considering it came against the Jets, Maple Leafs twice and Canadiens. He'll look to keep rolling in this rematch with Montreal.
Kaapo Kahkonen, MIN vs. VGK ($7,400): Speaking of hot yet affordable goalies, Kahkonen has now won seven consecutive starts, most recently shutting out Vegas on Monday. With just 10 goals allowed in that span, the 24-year-old Finn seems to be evolving into one of the league's best goalies in front of our eyes. He likely won't be available for just $7,400 much longer.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Adrian Kempe, LA at ANH ($4,300): Kempe's hat trick Monday in Anaheim was the continuation of a recent hot streak that now stands at five goals, two assists and 17 shots over the past five games. The affordable winger should continue his strong play in this rematch.
Brendan Gallagher, MON at VAN ($6,000): If Demko finally comes back down to earth, Gallagher should take advantage. The two-time 30-goal scorer is off to a phenomenal start in March, posting a 4-2-6 line through four games to open the month.
J.T. Miller, VAN vs. MON ($5,600): Miller continues to produce while filling in at center for Elias Pettersson (upper body), building on his strong start on the wing en route to a 7-17-24 line through 26 games overall. That production includes a 4-7-11 line in the last 11 games, and Miller has a nice opportunity to stay hot against underwhelming Montreal goalie Carey Price, whose save percentage was hovering below .900 until recently and still sits at just .903.
Tim Stutzle, OTT at EDM ($4,100): Stutzle had a goal on five shots Monday in Edmonton, giving him eight points in the last 10 games and a 6-9-15 line in 25 overall. The rookie third overall pick should only keep getting pricier from here, so lock him in at $4,100 in what's expected to be the night's highest-scoring game.
Clayton Keller, ARI at COL ($4,500): Keller has a 3-4-7 line over an active five-game point streak, including a pair of helpers in Monday's win over the Avalanche. If the Coyotes are able to repeat that upset, Keller will likely play a prominent role.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Oilers vs. Senators
Connor McDavid (C - $9,300), Leon Draisaitl (W - $8,100), Kailer Yamamoto (W - $4,800)
Any time you get the league's leading scorer facing the weakest defensive team, it creates a fantasy-friendly situation. McDavid's pair of assists in Monday's win over the Senators gave him a league-high 45 points in 27 games, and he should add to that total against Ottawa's league-worst defense (3.86 goals allowed per game). Edmonton decided to supercharge its top line by also throwing the league's third-leading goal-scorer in Draisaitl (11-26-37) alongside McDavid, and Yamamoto (7-7-) has enough offensive aptitude to capitalize on all the open created by skating alongside two of the league's top players.
Avalanche vs. Coyotes
Mikko Rantanen (C - $7,500), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $6,200), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $2,800)
Rantanen has been moved to center while Nathan MacKinnon (upper body) recovers, and Nichushkin has been promoted to fill Rantanen's top-line wing spot. Nichushkin is playing his best hockey of the season, with a 3-1-4 line and 13 shots in his last three games. Rantanen has been Colorado's best player throughout the season with team highs in both goals (12) and points (25) through 23 games, while Landeskog's overall 6-9-15 output includes a 3-4-7 line over his last six games. If MacKinnon returns to the lineup, whichever two of these three guys skate alongside him would form a strong stack.
Ducks vs. Kings
Ryan Getzlaf (C - $4,300), Maxime Comtois (W - $4,000), Troy Terry (W - $2,900)
Anaheim's offense has come alive lately, scoring 11 goals in the last two games, including six in Monday's overtime triumph over the Kings. The top line should lead the way if that recent improvement holds in the rematch with Los Angeles. Getzlaf has been held off the scoresheet only once in his last five games. Comtois leads the team in goals (nine) and is tied with Rickard Rakell for the team lead in points (19). That production includes 10 points in Comtois' last eight games. Terry's status is uncertain after he was injured following only 5:19 of ice time in Anaheim's last game, but he scored two goals on seven shots in the previous contest.
DEFENSEMEN
Tyson Barrie, EDM vs. OTT ($6,300): Barrie was a standout performer in Monday's clash between these teams, tying Alex Chiasson for the team lead in shots (six) and dishing a helper for his 19th point in 27 games with Edmonton. He has 14 shots in his last two games, so Barrie could be on the verge of a breakout performance as he searches for his first goal since Feb. 11.
Drew Doughty, LA at ANH ($5,500): Only Anze Kopitar (30) has more points than Doughty's 21 through the Kings' first 24 games. Doughty's production includes three assists in two games against the Ducks, and he has topped 7.0 fantasy points in each of his last five games and 10 of 13.
Alec Martinez, VGK at MIN ($5,000): If Alex Pietrangelo (undisclosed) is unable to make his return, Martinez would be in line for an expanded role again after skating 24:37 Monday. All that ice time on a strong Vegas team and Martinez's well-rounded game have allowed him to average over 10.0 fantasy points per game, and he continues to be a reasonably priced high-floor performer.
Kevin Shattenkirk, ANH vs. LA ($3,400): Shattenkirk's playing his best hockey of the season, with a goal and an assist in each of his last two games. He has rounded out his stat line with five shots and six blocks in those games, as the veteran defenseman finally seems to be growing comfortable in Anaheim.
