This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
With just two games on Wednesday's docket, there aren't a ton of players to choose from. That said, there are till plenty of worthwhile options to build your virtual squad.
Let's take a look...
GOALIE
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM vs. DET ($40): Vasilevskiy is a fine choice in any circumstance, and he has a 2.14 GAA and .925 save percentage. However, this is also a great matchup. The Red Wings have scored 2.00 goals per game this season, and that's what they averaged last season as well.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Tuukka Rask, BOS at PHI ($34): Rask's 2.49 GAA tracks, but his .890 save percentage is concerning. That will improve in time, but the Flyers have scored 3.50 goals per contest. That's with only managing 23.6 shots on net per game. Speaking of numbers that will improve, that's one of them as well.
CENTER
Anthony Cirelli, TAM vs. DET ($19): Cirelli only has one goal, but that's with a 7.1 shooting percentage. That's well below his career average. Plus, the center does have six assists in seven games. The Red Wings may not be last in GAA this season, but I'm not exactly celebrating a 3.50 GAA, especially since they had a 3.73 GAA last year.
CENTER TO AVOID
Dylan Larkin, DET at TAM ($18): Larkin's first season as Detroit's captain has been going well, but facing Tampa Bay is tougher than Florida or Chicago. Like I said, Vasilevskiy has a 2.14 GAA and .925 save percentage. He's a Vezina winner who hasn't had a save percentage lower than .917 in any of his past four campaigns.
WING
Ondrej Palat, TAM vs. DET ($19): Palat is getting the chance to play on Tampa's top line with Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos. That's helped him tally four goals in seven games. He's also averaged 3:21 per contest with the extra man and notched two of his goals on the power play. On top of all their other woes last season, the Wings had the worst penalty kill.
Craig Smith, BOS at PHI ($18): Smith used to put a lot of pucks on net in Nashville, and that has carried over to his first season in Boston. The 31-year-old has put 26 shots on goal in eight games, and he's tallied three goals so far. Philadelphia was stout defensively last year, but this season hasn't gone as well so far. The Flyers have a 3.00 GAA and have allowed 33.7 shots on goal per game.
WINGS TO AVOID
Claude Giroux, PHI vs. BOS ($17): On the one hand, Giroux has 10 points in 10 games. On the other hand, he's only put 13 shots on goal. He's relying on assists for your fantasy value, and the veteran already has three games where he has registered zero shots on net. The Bruins are stellar at suppressing shots as is, as they've only given up 23.2 shots on net per contest to start this season.
Anthony Mantha, DET at TAM ($17): Mantha has goals in back-to-back games, but I don't expect that to continue Wednesday against the Lightning. In addition to Vasilevskiy's numbers, which I have thrown out a couple times, the Lightning have only allowed 28.9 shots on goal per game.
DEFENSE
Ivan Provorov, PHI vs. BOS ($19): Frankly, this was not an easy day for finding defensemen. This isn't a great matchup, but Provorov is a top defensive talent already at 23. He had 13 goals and 23 assists in 69 games last season, including 16 with the extra man. The Russian already has six points in 10 games this year, including three on the power play. Rask's save percentage is still concerning, so with the options so limited you can still take a shot on Provorov at this salary.
Mikhail Sergachev, TAM vs. DET ($17): Sergachev has had his largest role yet for the Lightning. He's averaged 21:48 in ice time and 2:03 with the extra man. Though the Russian got off to a slow start, he's put 11 shots on goal over his last four games. The Wings, of course, had a 3.73 GAA last season, which was by far the highest in the NHL.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at PHI ($19): McAvoy is on a five-game point streak, but I am a little hesitant to pay this salary. Thinking back to last season, the Flyers allowed a league-low 28.7 shots on net per game. Also, you may recall how much better Philly and goalie Carter Hart were at home. The Flyers had a 2.00 GAA in home games last year, lowest in the NHL.
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI vs. BOS ($16): Back in action after missing the beginning of the season, Gostisbehere has averaged 19:40 in ice time. That's a jump from last season, but let's not forget how that season went for Ghost. He had 12 points in 42 games, and the defenseman simply doesn't seem like the player he used to be. If Rask is the player he used to be, he's going to start playing better soon, and that doesn't bode well for opponents like Gostisbehere.
