This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Wednesday brings us four NHL games, with the first one starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. That's 30 minutes more than usual to get your DFS lineups in, which also means 30 minutes more to ponder my lineup recommendations. Here are the players to target, and to avoid, for your Wednesday hockey contests.
GOALIE
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. NYI ($41): Demko just had a bad start, but it was in Toronto. That's a tough opponent, of course, and Demko still has an 1.96 GAA and .935 save percentage. The Islanders are an easier opponent than the Maple Leafs. New York has only managed 2.36 goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Carter Hart, PHI at CAR ($32): Hart himself has said he is ready to return from his illness for Wednesday's game against the Hurricanes, so I'll take his word for it. He has a 2.52 GAA and .913 save percentage, but this is a tricky matchup to step into. While Carolina's 3.33 goals per game is middle of the pack, it has managed 34.1 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, CAR vs. PHI ($17): Sebastian Aho is the star of the show for the Hurricanes, but second-line center Kotkaniemi has been impressive himself. After having 43 points last year, he's emerged with six goals and seven assists through 15 games. If Hart has any rust, or Samuel Ersson is in net, that will bode well for Kotkaniemi.
CENTER TO AVOID
Bo Horvat, NYI at VAN ($19): Horvat heads into a matchup with his former team not at peak form. Sure, his 9.8 shooting percentage is a little low for him, but he's been less engaged recently. After starting the season putting plenty of pucks on net, he only has eight shots on goal over his last five outings. That may not suffice against Demko and his .935 save percentage.
WING
Zach Hyman, EDM vs. SEA ($26): Hyman has four goals over his last two games, though another hat trick is too much to expect. What I note more than the hat trick is the fact he has a power-play goal in each of his last two outings. The Kraken had a 3.50 GAA, but also a bottom-five penalty kill.
Valeri Nichushkin, COL vs. ANA ($17): Nichushkin has three points over his last four games, and 13 shots on net in that time. The Ducks have gotten surprisingly good goaltending, but I am dubious that continues. On top of that, Anaheim is the one team on the second leg of a back-to-back Wednesday.
WINGS TO AVOID
Travis Konecny, PHI at CAR ($23): Koneceny came out of the gate on fire, but only has two points over his last seven games. The goaltending for the Hurricanes has been surprisingly dicey, but the defense remains stout. Carolina has allowed a league-low 26.0 shots on net per game.
Frank Vatrano, ANA at COL ($19): Vatrano's hot start is going to subside, as he has 11 goals on 51 shots on net. He came into this season with a career 10.2 shooting percentage, so that kind of shooting acumen has never been part of his game. In addition to being on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, the Avalanche have only allowed 28.4 shots on net per game.
DEFENSE
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. NYI ($27): The Islanders have recent history as a defensively-stout team. This year, they have allowed 34.4 shots on net per contest and have a bottom-10 penalty kill. Hughes, as per usual, has crushed it on the power play (11 points), but he also has 47 shots on net through 15 games.
Devon Toews, COL vs. ANA ($17): Hopefully Toews is getting back in the swing of things after a cold spell. He has three points over his last three games, and 12 shots on net over his last five contests. Lukas Dostal will likely be in net for the Ducks on Wednesday, and he has a 3.14 GAA and .910 save percentage.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Noah Dobson, NYI at VAN ($23): Dobson has 12 points in 14 games, but also an 11.4 shooting percentage that will likely regress a bit. The Canucks could play a role in that, especially Demko. As I noted, he has an 1.96 GAA and .935 save percentage.
Cam Fowler, ANA at COL ($18): The veteran Fowler has seven points in his last eight games, but five of them have come on the power play. That's not ideal here, as the Avalanche have a top-10 penalty kill, and unlike the Ducks, the Avalanche aren't on the second leg of a back-to-back.
