This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday's NHL slate consists of just two games after 7:30 p.m. EST. 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
Both road teams are clear favorites Wednesday, as the Devils travel to Washington, then the Maple Leafs play in Anaheim. Both games have an over/under of 6.5 goals, and Toronto is a larger favorite over the Ducks than New Jersey is over the Capitals.
GOALIES
Dennis Hildeby, TOR at ANH ($7,900): Martin Jones ($8,100) could be called into action for the second time in as many nights after shutting out the Kings on Tuesday, but it's more likely that Hildeby will make his NHL debut against a Ducks team that's averaging 2.56 goals per game -- fourth-fewest in the NHL. The 22-year-old Swede has a 2.20 GAA and .919 save percentage in 15 AHL games this season.
Vitek Vanecek, NJ at WAS ($7,900): Vanecek is likely to start over Nico Daws ($7,700), though Daws looked good in his first NHL action of the season Dec. 29. Goaltending hasn't been a strong suit for New Jersey, but the Devils average the seventh-most goals per game (3.46) while the Capitals average the second-fewest (2.34).
Darcy Kuemper, WAS vs. NJ ($7,500): Kuemper's an against-the-grain play against New Jersey's high-powered offense. He has been inconsistent overall but has played pretty well lately, with four wins in his last six starts. Kuemper has been far better at home than on the road, with a 5-2-1 record, 2.55 GAA and .910 save percentage at Capital One Arena.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
William Nylander, TOR at ANH ($8,500): Nylander leads the Maple Leafs in points, with a 19-31-50 line through 35 games. He also leads the team with 150 shots on goal, so while he can't match Auston Matthews' goal scoring, you can argue Nylander is having the better season overall. Nylander makes for a strong alternative or complement to Toronto's top line against a Ducks team that's allowing 3.39 goals per game.
Alex Ovechkin, WAS vs. NJ ($6,400): Ovechkin has been off to a slow start, but he's starting to heat up with goals in each of the last two games. New Jersey gives up 3.54 goals per game, so this is a nice opportunity for the future Hall of Famer to extend his goal streak and keep chipping away at the gap between himself and Wayne Gretzky's NHL goals record, which has been trimmed down to 64 goals.
Nico Hischier, NJ at WAS ($5,200): Hischier has been limited to 24 appearances by injuries, and his 8-9-17 line works out to a 27-goal, 58-point pace over 82 games. That's nowhere near his 80-point output from last season, but Hischier's capable of picking up his production and making up for lost time. He scored his first power-play goal in over a month last game, which could give the second-line center some much-needed confidence.
Trevor Zegras, ANH vs. TOR ($4,100): Zegras has played well since returning from a six-week injury layoff, producing a 1-2-3 line and 10 shots in four games back. He topped 60 points in each of the previous two seasons, so the buy-low window is still open on the highly skilled 22-year-old.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs at Ducks
Auston Matthews (C - $10,200), Mitchell Marner (W - $6,900), Matthew Knies (W - $3,600)
Matthews leads the league with 29 goals in 34 games. Marner has been a strong setup man as usual, with a 14-24-38 line, and he's on pace to reach 30 goals for a third consecutive season. Knies is a sensible option if you're going with a Toronto stack, as you need affordable complements to the team's pricey stars, and Knies offers that at $3,600 while sharing the ice with Matthews and Marner.
Devils at Capitals
Jack Hughes (C - $9,400), Jesper Bratt (W - $6,700), Tyler Toffoli (W - $5,700)
New Jersey's top-line trio is jostling for the team goals lead, as Hughes and Toffoli have 15 apiece in 30 and 35 appearances, respectively, while Bratt's one back of 14. The only other player on the team to crack double digits is Dawson Mercer ($3,900) with 10. When it comes to points, Hughes (44) and Bratt (43) are neck-and-neck, while Toffoli's a distant third with 27.
Ducks vs. Maple Leafs
Mason McTavish (C - $5,400), Frank Vatrano (W - $6,500), Alex Killorn (W - $4,300)
The Ducks will likely be facing a goalie making his NHL debut, so this could be a high-scoring game both ways. Vatrano has been Anaheim's best source of offense all season, as he leads the team in both goals (17) and points (26). He's showing no signs of slowing down, with goals in three of his last four games. McTavish had 43 points in his first full season last year, and the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft is on pace to easily top that mark with a 10-14-24 line through 29 games. Killorn missed some time at the beginning of the season, but he has been reasonably productive when available, with 14 points through 26 games as a Duck.
DEFENSEMEN
Morgan Rielly, TOR at ANH ($6,000): Rielly's a key setup man for the Maple Leafs, as only Nylander and Marner have more assists than the skilled blueliner. He also has a high floor of supporting stats, with 82 shots and 73 blocked shots through 35 games while skating on the top power-play unit with Matthews, Nylander, Marner and John Tavares ($7,100).
Jamie Drysdale, ANH vs. TOR ($4,400): Drysdale has been limited to seven appearances by a lower-body injury, but he's been quietly strong when available. In those seven games, Drysdale has a 1-2-3 line, 13 shots and 14 blocked shots. He has reclaimed a spot on the top power-play unit, lowering the comparative value of fellow Anaheim blueliners Cam Fowler ($4,200) and Pavel Mintyukov ($3,600).
Luke Hughes, NJ at WAS ($3,700): Hughes continues to man the point on New Jersey's No. 1 power-play unit with Dougie Hamilton on IR due to a torn pectoral. He has dished out two assists with the extra man in the last three games, while adding a goal per game at even strength. Given the offensive capabilities of the fourth overall pick from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, he's a low-risk, high-reward option at $3,700.
Rasmus Sandin, WAS vs. NJ ($3,300): Sandin's another affordable defenseman with some nice offensive capabilities. He has four assists in his last four games, giving Sandin 25 points in 54 games since the Capitals acquired him from Toronto via trade last season.
