This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Wednesday offers a light slate of four games. All eight teams are entering tonight's action rested, but Dallas, Tampa Bay and Carolina are all starting the first half of a back-to-back set.
SLATE PREVIEW
Of the eight squads playing, the 9-12-1 Edmonton Oilers have the worst record, but they've rebounded lately, winning their last four games and seven of their last 10. They still have a huge hole to dig out of if they want to make the playoffs, though, and the Hurricanes tonight should be a big obstacle. Carolina's goaltending hasn't been great this campaign, but the Hurricanes have compensated for that by allowing the least shots per contest (24.6). Even still, preventing Edmonton's red-hot offense from getting good scoring chances is a daunting task for Carolina.
GOALIES
Logan Thompson, VGK at STL ($7,800): Thompson is having a solid campaign with a 6-3-3 record, 2.33 GAA and .919 save percentage in 13 contests this season, and he's done well lately, saving 46 of 49 shots (.939 save percentage) over his last two outings. St. Louis is tied for 22nd offensively with 2.88 goals per game, so this should be a favorable matchup.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL vs. PIT ($7,300): Vasilevskiy initially struggled in his return from back surgery, posting a 3.87 GAA and an .859 save percentage over his first four games. However, he earned a 25-save shutout over Dallas on Monday, which might be an indication that he's shaken off that initial rust. Vasilevskiy is still cheap for someone of his accomplishments, so the 29-year-old might provide tremendous value if you take him tonight.
VALUE PLAYS
Mason Marchment, DAL at FLA ($4,900): There aren't many good discount options available tonight, but Marchment is solid for his price with seven goals and 15 points in 23 contests this year. The 28-year-old is also hot, providing three goals and five points over his last four games.
Michael Bunting, CAR at EDM ($4,500): With five goals and 15 points through 23 games, Bunting has also done fine relative to his price point. Over his last seven outings, he's been particularly effective, supplying two goals and six points. As noted above, the Oilers have done better recently and on a busier night, I likely wouldn't have featured Bunting, but the nature of tonight's lineup forces me to settle.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Stars at Panthers
Roope Hintz (C - $7,300), Joe Pavelski (W - $7,700), Jason Robertson (W - $6,800)
Robertson is the cheapest member of this line, but he's a great pick all on his own. He was fine early this year with three goals and 10 points over his first 13 outings, but based on his 2022-23 showing (46 goals, 109 points), it was clear he had another level. What held him back early on was a lack of power-play production -- he had just one point with the man advantage over those first 13 contests. That issue has been corrected recently. Robertson has five goals and 12 points over his last 10 games, including seven power-play points.
Meanwhile, Pavelski has 11 goals and 24 points in 23 contests this campaign, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. Over his last 10 outings, he's contributed six goals and 12 points. Hintz has eight goals and 20 points in 22 contests, including two goals and seven points over his last seven games.
All-in-all, it's a solid line that's reasonably priced and has been continuing to succeed recently.
Oilers vs. Hurricanes
Connor McDavid (C - $10,100), Zach Hyman (W - $8,800), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $6,100)
This is primarily a McDavid recommendation with his linemates being secondary. Sure, the Hurricanes aren't the easiest team to generate scoring chances against, but when McDavid's at his best, it's extremely difficult for anyone to stop him. That's been the case lately with McDavid supplying four goals and 16 points in just his last six contests, including an unreal 13 points over his last four games.
Hyman has benefited from McDavid's surge, collecting four goals and eight points over his last four contests. That brings him up to 12 goals and 23 points in 21 appearances this year.
By contrast, Nugent-Hopkins has been held off the scoresheet over his last two contests, though he still has a solid five goals and 18 points in 22 games in 2023-24.
DEFENSEMEN
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. CAR ($8,000): If you take the Oilers' top line, you could double down by selecting Bouchard as well. After all, the 24-year-old defenseman is on an eight-game scoring streak, supplying two goals and 10 points (five on the power play) over that span. He's up to five goals and 22 points in 22 outings this campaign.
Victor Hedman, TBL vs. PIT ($6,700): Hedman cheaper option than Bouchard, but he's been similarly potent offensively with five goals and 25 points through 26 contests in 2023-24. Hedman also has nine points with the man advantage this year while serving on the Lightning's top power-play unit.
