This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are only two games on tap in the NHL on Wednesday, the final night before the All-Star break. A tired Carolina team, off a 5-4 overtime win over LA on Tuesday, faces the Sabres in Buffalo while Boston travels to Toronto. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Ilya Samsonov, TOR vs. BOS ($8,200): Samsonov is coming off a 5-1 win over Washington in which he stopped 23 shots on Sunday. The former Capitals netminder has won three of his last four outings, as he is 17-5-2 with a 2.31 GAA and a .917 save percentage. He is 1-0-0 against the Bruins this season, stopping 13 of 14 shots before leaving the game with a 2-1 lead after two periods when he suffered a knee injury Nov. 5. The Bruins continue to lead the NHL in points with 81 and are tied with Edmonton for the league-lead with 187 goals in 50 games.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF vs. CAR ($7,800): Luukkonen enters Wednesday's action with a 13-5-3 mark, improving his GAA to 3.26 and save percentage to .900 as he has not allowed more than three goals in any of his last seven starts. Luukkonen will face the Hurricanes who travel to Buffalo after coming back from a 4-1 deficit after two periods Tuesday, to beat the Kings 5-4 in overtime. The Hurricanes are 11th in NHL scoring with 168 goals this season, but are a tired team as both squads enter the All-Star break after Wednesday's tilt, which should favor the hometown and rested Sabres.
VALUE PLAYS
David Krejci, BOS at TOR ($6,200): There are not a lot of options in a two-game slate Wednesday, but Krejci could be a good play as the second-line center has 12 goals and 41 points in 45 games. The 36-year-old is seeing second line action in even strength situations with Taylor Hall and Pavel Zacha and is on the top power play where he has three goals and seven assists. Krejci has a goal and 10 points in his last eight games.
Paul Stastny, CAR at BUF ($3,500): Stastny has goals in back-to-back games, giving the veteran five goals and 16 points in 49 contests this season. Stastny sees fourth line time but also is on the second power play, averaging 1:55 with the man-advantage, where he has two goals and four points this season. He is nicely priced if you need a forward to fill out your roster.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, CAR at BUF ($4,100): Kotkaniemi has an assist in two of his last three games, giving him seven goals and 18 points in 50 contests this season. He is centering the second line with Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas on his wings, and that will not hurt his cause. Kotkaniemi also sees second power play time, where he has two goals and five points in a career-high 2:03 per game of ice time.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Bruins
Mitch Marner (W - $8,200), John Tavares (C -$8,500), Michael Bunting (W - $6,000)
Marner has been a member of the first All-Star team in each of his last two seasons and is in contention again as he has 18 goals and 41 assists in 51 games. Tavares has moved into the role of the No. 1 center with Auston Matthews out of action with a knee injury. Tavares has a goal and five assists in his last four games, as well as 23 shots on goal. Overall, Tavares has 21 goals and 51 points in 51 games this season. The third member of the line, Bunting, has 15 goals and 35 points in 51 games as he snapped a four-game pointless streak Sunday with a goal and an assist. All three play on the top power play, with William Nylander and Morgan Rielly.
Sabres vs. Hurricanes
Tage Thompson (C-$10,000), Alex Tuch (C-$8,400), Jeff Skinner (W-$7,900)
Thompson had a break-through campaign last season with 38 goals and 68 points in 78 games, crushing his previous career high of eight goals and 14 points, set the previous year. He has been so much better this season as he has already equalled last season's 68 points, but in only 49 contests as Thompson is fifth in NHL scoring. Tuch has also set career highs with 23 goals and 54 points, with 33 games still remaining on the schedule. Skinner has 50 points in 46 games as he is just 13 points away from equaling a career high, set four times in his career. The trio are one of the NHL's top lines.
DEFENSEMEN
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at TOR ($6,800): McAvoy is having a great season as he has four goals and 31 points in 37 games. He started the season on injured reserve after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. The defenseman is seeing first power play time and has a goal and 15 helpers with the man-advantage. McAvoy snapped a two-game pointless streak with an assist Sunday.
Brent Burns, CAR at BUF ($6,900): Burns is on a six-game points streak, giving him nine goals and 36 points in 50 games. He has moved down to the second power play but garnered an assist Tuesday in his second-straight game with the man-advantage. Burns was dealt from San Jose in the offseason after spending 11 seasons in California, and the move to Carolina seems to have helped as he is looking to have his best season in the last four years.
