This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are five games on the Wednesday slate with all games involving rested teams. Pittsburgh travels to Ottawa, the Islanders host Boston, Colorado is in Calgary, Tampa Bay goes north of the border to play in Vancouver while Dallas finds its way to San Jose. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark, BOS at NYI ($8,800): It's hard not to go with the best goaltender in the NHL, and that's what Ullmark is this season. He has a 23-2-1 record to go with a league-leading 1.92 GAA and a .936 save percentage. The netminder has lost in regulation only once on the road, going 10-1-0 – his only loss coming against Toronto on Nov. 5 – and faces the Islanders, who have scored only 10 goals in their last six games.
Jake Oettinger, DAL at SJ ($8,300): Oettinger is coming off a 27-save shutout over Vegas on Monday, his third whitewash of the season. Oettinger is 20-6-4 with a 2.21 GAA and a .926 save percentage, as he has become a top-five goaltender in the NHL this season. Oettinger faces the Sharks, who are tied for 23rd in NHL scoring, averaging 3.02 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS
Jonathan Huberdeau, CGY vs. COL ($5,600): Huberdeau got off to a bad start in his first season with the Flames, with a goal and four assists in his first 10 games, after finishing tied for second in NHL scoring last season with 115 points with the Panthers. The Calgary winger has come on of late, scoring three goals and adding 10 assists in his last 14 contests. Overall, Huberdeau has eight goals and 31 points in 42 games. His value is in his salary as he is still capable of putting up big numbers in any given game.
Andrew Mangiapane, CGY vs. COL ($5,000): After a 35-goal season in 2021-22, big things were expected of Mangiapane this season, but he has only nine goals and 21 points in 45 games. The good news is that Mangiapane has come on of late, with two goals and seven points in his last 10 games, with both goals coming in the last four contests. Mangiapane is averaging a tick under two minutes in power play time this season, the most in his NHL career.
Wyatt Johnston, DAL at SJ ($4,100): The 19-year-old rookie has made a dent in his first season in the NHL, scoring 11 times and adding seven assists in 45 games. Johnston has four goals and six points in his last 13 games and is seeing second line duty with Jamie Benn and Ty Dellandrea, as well as second power play time.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Avalanche at Flames
Nathan MacKinnon (C-$10,400), Evan Rodrigues (C-$6,500), Artturi Lehkonen (W-$6,300)
The Avalanche are in 10th place in the Western Conference and are trying to catch Calgary, who currently hold on to the second and final wild card spot. That should be great news for the line of MacKinnon, Rodrigues and Lehkonen, as all three also play on the first power play. MacKinnon is on a five-game points streak in which he has four goals and 11 points, giving him 13 goals and 47 points in just 31 games. Rodrigues has 10 goals and 23 points in 31 games this season, but has been red-hot of late with a nine-game points streak, scoring three times and adding nine assists. Lehkonen has three goals and four points in his last two contests, giving him 12 goals and 30 points in 39 games. The line looks to be a great play Wednesday.
Stars at Sharks
Jason Robertson (W - $10,000), Tyler Seguin (C -$5,600), Joe Pavelski (W - $7,200)
The Stars face the second-worst defensive team in the NHL as the Sharks have allowed 172 goals in 45 games. Robertson is having an outstanding season, with 29 goals and 60 points in 45 games, good for fifth overall in points in the NHL. Seguin has moved up to the top line with the injury to Roope Hintz (upper body) and has three goals and five points in the four games Hintz has missed. Pavelski has 14 goals and 44 points in 45 games this season as the 38-year-old never seems to slow down. Pavelski has two goals and three assists in two games against the Sharks this season, while Robertson has one goal and three helpers. Seguin has been pointless, but this will be his first game on the top line.
DEFENSEMEN
Erik Karlsson, SJ vs. DAL ($7,800): What a season Karlsson is having. The defenseman had 10 goals and 35 points in 50 games last season. That's not bad but in no way did anyone expect Karlsson to return to his form shown in Ottawa when he had 16 goals and 82 points in 2015-16. He has 58 points in 45 games, seventh-best in the NHL and the top total for defensemen, with Josh Morrissey in second place, nine points behind. Karlsson is on pace for 106 points, which has been done only nine times, five time by Bobby Orr and four times by Paul Coffey, the last time being in the 1988-89 season. Karlsson has at least one point in 17 of his last 19 games.
Devon Toews, COL at CGY ($5,600): Toews has three points in his last two games, giving him 23 points in 40 games. He offensive proficiency has fallen this season, as he had 13 goals and 57 points in 66 games during the 2021-22 campaign, but he is still an offensive threat at any time. He had an assist in his only game versus Calgary this season.
