This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
With American Thanksgiving on Thursday, the NHL is cramming 14 games into the Wednesday night slate. It's important to differentiate your lineup from other fantasy players in large slates like this, meaning shying away from the chalk can be a wise move. That means targeting players in perceived tougher matchups, and keeping highly rostered players out of your lineups. Good luck, and Happy Holidays!
All advanced statistics are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
GOALIES
Jack Campbell, TOR at LA ($8,000): Campbell has been phenomenal this year with a .944 save percentage, a 1.66 GAA and three shutouts. The 29-year-old will have a high ceiling Wednesday. The Kings rank fifth in the league with 32.94 shots per game at even strength while being tied for 18th with 2.31 xGF/60.
Jake Allen, MON at WSH ($7,000): Allen's been better on the road this season than at home, posting a .918 save percentage compared to an .896 mark at his home barn. The Canadiens haven't been very good this season, but Washington is almost certainly overperforming. It has recorded 3.03 GF/60 at even strength despite sitting at 2.25 xGF/60. While Washington has superb talent to overperform, their bevy of high-profile injuries mean this likely isn't sustainable.
John Gibson, ANH at COL ($6,800): Gibson has always been one of the best goaltender talents in the league, and he's finally getting surrounded with some weapons. The 28-year-old boasts a .925 save percentage, a 2.36 GAA and a 9-4-2 record. Most fantasy players will shy away from a goalie facing the Avalanche, but it may be worth the risk. Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) and J.T. Compher (upper body) will both be out of the lineup.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Mathew Barzal, NYI vs. NYR (C - $6,200): Barzal is one of the league's top young players, evidenced by his 17 goals and 28 assists over 55 games last season. He's off to a slower start this year with four goals and as many assists through 15 contests, and he's scoring on 9.1 percent of his shots. Last season, he found the back of the net on 12.7 percent of shots. Barzal will get back on track soon. The Rangers rank 29th in the league with 2.54 xGA/60 at even strength and 25th with 77.4 penalty-kill percentage.
Trevor Zegras, ANH at COL (C - $5,600): Zegras was sent down to the AHL last year so he could work on being a natural center, and it looks like he has finally found his groove. The 20-year-old has posted four goals and two helpers over the last four games. Meanwhile, the Avalanche rank 26th in the league with a 3.27 GAA and 24th with a 78.0 penalty-kill percentage.
Lawson Crouse, ARI vs. EDM (W - $4,200): Crouse leads Coyotes forwards with 10 points through 19 games, adding 47 shots on net as well. The Coyotes won't be a popular team to target in DFS this year, but their matchup is appealing tonight. Mikko Koskinen will start in goal for the Oilers, and he has posted a 4.31 GAA and an .866 save percentage over his past four starts.
Ryan Johansen, NSH vs. VGK (C - $4,100): Johansen is coming off a couple of down years, but he's been impressive this season with six goals and 13 points -- five with the man advantage -- through 18 games. His playing time is steady on the top line, and he operates on the top power play. The Golden Knights are being held up by steady goaltending right now, but Robin Lehner still has a 3.01 GAA on the year.
Seth Jarvis, CAR at SEA (W - $3,200): The No. 13 pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft made the big club's final roster in training camp and will stick with the NHL team after playing his 10th game Monday. Jarvis has recorded four goals, two assists and 20 shots on net so far. This matchup is intriguing, as Seattle ranks last in the league with 3.78 team GAA.
LINE STACKS
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C - $5,700), Blake Wheeler (W - $5,000), Kyle Connor (W - $9,100)
Dubois will get to face his old team tonight, and he's been red-hot to start the year with 10 goals and six apples through 18 games. Wheeler has been cold (five points), but Connor is up to his usual tricks with 22 points (12 goals) and 84 shots on net so far. Fire up this unit against the rebuilding Blue Jackets, who have allowed 3.19 goals per game (22nd) this season.
Robert Thomas (C - $4,400), Vladimir Tarasenko (W - $7,700), Pavel Buchnevich (W - $5,400)
Thomas has developed into the player the Blues hopes would once center a line with Tarasenko, as the former has posted a goal and eight assists over the past nine games. He has clear chemistry with Tarasenko, who is back on track this year with seven goals and nine helpers through 18 games, and Buchnevich looks like a strong fit in The Lou each night. With the Red Wings ranking 27th in the league with 3.35 GAA, this trio could light it up in this old-fashioned rivalry.
Ryan Hartman, (C - $5,200), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $7,400), Mats Zuccarello (W - $4,800)
This trio has been tearing it up this season, combining for nine multi-point games and 44 total points. The Devils' goaltending has been mediocre this year with a 2.94 GAA (16th), and the team ranks 26th with a 76.8 penalty-kill percentage. All three of these forwards line up on the power play, adding a level to their ceiling tonight.
DEFENSE
Roman Josi, NSH vs. VGK ($7,200): Josi has been lights out all year, lighting the lamp six times and adding 22 helpers through 18 games. Nine of his points have been with the man advantage, and the matchup against Vegas -- who ranks 17th with an 80.8 penalty-kill percentage -- isn't a major impediment to his ceiling tonight.
Erik Karlsson, SJ vs. OTT ($4,900): Karlsson has been the Sharks' best power-play scorer, accruing five points with the man advantage through 12 games. After being in a rut last year, Karlsson is back on track. He'll take aim at the league's 28th-ranked penalty kill (73.9 percent), so his ceiling will be quite high Wednesday. Plus, did I mention it's a revenge game?
Kevin Shattenkirk, ANH at COL ($4,800): Shattenkirk has recorded four goals and 14 points -- seven on the power play -- through 19 games, and he's one point away from matching last year's point total through 55 games. He has always been a solid offensive producer, and while he won't keep scoring at a 12.5 percent clip, Shattenkirk can keep generating offense Wednesday, especially with the man advantage against Colorado's faulty PK (78.0 percent).
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. NYR ($4,100): Dobson has been bumped up to the top pairing with Ryan Pulock (lower body) out of the lineup, and he's skating on PP1 as well. The 21-year-old has flashed offensive potential in the past, including 14 points over 46 games last season. Now is his chance to prove it in a favorable matchup against the cross-town rival.
