This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Only the North and Central Division are in action Wednesday with five games on the docket, highlighted by Canadiens at Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. EDT). The Blues need a win badly against the Golden Knights (9 p.m.), who now sit sixth in the division, while the fourth-place Coyotes hope to build on their five-point cushion against the Kings (10 p.m.)
Note that the Oilers at Senators matchup at 5 p.m. EDT is not available for the main slate.
GOALIES
Philipp Grubauer, COL at MIN ($8,700): The Avalanche continue to roll. They narrowly escaped with a win last game but that's now three straight wins against the Wild and their fifth straight overall. The goal support the Avs offense provides Grubauer ranks first in the league in GF/GP.
Jack Campbell, TOR vs. MTL ($8,500): The Habs are expected to start Jake Allen, who has played sparingly but allowed just one goal in a win against the Senators. They will also be missing Brendan Gallagher, which gives the Leafs an even bigger advantage in a season series which they already lead 3-1. Campbell's numbers has dipped a little but he remains a good play playing behind the North's best team.
Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK at STL ($8,000): Fleury has lost four of his past five but the Blues just haven't been a tough opponent for the Knights, having lost four straight by a combined score of 21-7. Fleury doesn't have to be lights out; he just has to outduel Jordan Binnington at the other end of the ice, and that shouldn't be difficult.
Mike Smith, EDM at OTT ($7,500): The Sens are pesky but they haven't been able to play spoiler against the Oilers yet, who have won seven straight against them. The goal differential in this series is plus-19 for the Oilers, and there's no signs that anything will change in the short term. Smith should be a popular pick for his low salary and favorable matchup.
VALUE PLAYS
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, MON at TOR ($3,800): The Habs weren't kidding when they said they don't really have a set hierarchy for their lines, and it's difficult to predict which one will be their best on a nightly basis. However, with Brendan Gallagher sidelined, Kotkaniemi skated on what had usually been considered their top line with Philip Danault and Tomas Tatar. Not sure how well Kotkaniemi will do with them, but at the very least it looks like he will get more minutes than usual.
Chandler Stephenson, C, VGK at STL ($3,800): Stephenson is set to return after completing his three-game suspension, and he will likely slot back into his usual spot between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. His offense comes and goes, but he's in a good position to pick up some points against an opponent that's much weaker than them.
LINE STACKS
Oilers at Senators
Connor McDavid (C - $9,000), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $5,200), Jesse Puljujarvi (W - $3,600)
McDavid has scored 16 points in seven games against the Sens this season, one less than Leon Draisaitl, but what tips the scales in McDavid's favor for a line stack are his wingers. RNH has five points in seven games and Puljujarvi has scored two of his eight goals this season against the Sens.
Avalanche at Wild
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,100), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,300), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $7,100)
It's very difficult to beat this stack, but it is expensive for good reason. It's another good matchup for the Avs based on recent history, and they've combined for 30 points (!) against the Wild this season.
Coyotes at Kings
Nick Schmaltz (C - $3,900), Conor Garland (W - $5,300), Michael Bunting ($3,200)
The Coyotes are on a roll so you might as well roll with it, and it starts with Schmaltz and Garland with the added bonus of a red-hot Bunting. They usually operate an offense by committee, but there's no doubt that this has been their best line on offense.
DEFENSEMEN
Darnell Nurse, EDM at OTT ($5,900): Both Nurse and Tyson Barrie ($6,200) have fared well against the Sens this season, but Nurse has been more consistent all season and is second only to Leon Draisaitl with five goals against them. He also trails Barrie in even-strength points with just one, making him a better value play unless the Oilers get a ton of power plays.
Samuel Girard, COL at MIN ($4,600): He's making a strong case to be the Avs' most valuable defenseman, and his tape-to-tape breakout passes allowed him to get two helpers in his last game. He doesn't have the same offensive upside as Cale Makar, but on a team that scores as much of the Avs, Girard will outscore most of the competition on most nights anyway.
Jakob Chychrun, ARI at LA ($4,600): He's been a key component of Arizona's hot run and he's scored five points on 11 shots in his past two games. Among No. 1 defensemen – yes, he's surpassed Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Chychrun's salary is one of the lowest.
Alec Martinez, VGK at STL ($4,400): The upside to Martinez is that because he's so dependable, the Knights will play him in any situation. With Shea Theodore ($6,200), his minutes can get cut back if Vegas is up by a lot of even protecting a lead, which makes Martinez a safer play. Combine that with his scoring of late, it helps Martinez stand out in a crowd.
