This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday's NHL slate consists of five games after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Maple Leafs in Arizona and Flyers in Chicago are Wednesday's two biggest favorites, while the Oilers vs. Boston, Sabres in Montreal and Ducks vs. Columbus are modest favorites. Flyers-Blackhawks has an over/under of 5.5 goals, while each of the other four games comes in at 6.5.
GOALIES
Samuel Ersson, PHI at CHI ($8,300): Ersson's primed for a strong performance against a league-worst Chicago offense that'd averaging 2.09 goals per game. The Blackhawks have been a bit better since Connor Bedard rejoined the lineup, but they still sit last in the league standings with 33 points in 56 games, while the Flyers have a comfortable hold on a playoff spot with 65 points in 56 games. Ersson's 15-10-4 with a 2.64 GAA and .898 save percentage.
John Gibson, ANH vs. CLS ($8,100): Gibson's 4-0-1 in his last five decisions, which is especially impressive considering he's 12-19-1 overall. He has also allowed two or fewer goals in five of his last nine outings. The usual problem for Gibson is that the Ducks are simply outclassed in front of him, but that won't be the case in this home game against a Blue Jackets team with just two more points in the standings than Anaheim's 42. Unsurprisingly, Columbus is in the bottom 10 offensively at 2.89 goals per game.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF at MON ($7,900): Buffalo's inability to score has Luukkonen treading water with a .500 record at 14-14-2 despite his solid 2.54 GAA and .910 save percentage. The Sabres should give him more support Wednesday against a Canadiens team that allows the fifth-most goals per game (3.53) and also scores the sixth-fewest (2.78).
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Connor McDavid, EDM vs. BOS ($9,800): McDavid's mired in a six-game goal drought and will be facing a Boston team that's allowing the fourth-fewest goals per game, so he's actually an against-the-grain play here. That being said, the world's best player is capable of carrying a lineup on any given night, and McDavid has climbed up to third in the NHL points race with 12 assists in his last four games. Ignore him at your own risk.
Connor Bedard, CHI vs. PHI ($6,500): Bedard has hit the ground running since returning from a six-week absence due to a broken jaw. The rookie first overall pick scored one point in his return, then two points, and added three points in his most recent game. A four-point night to continue the pattern is unlikely, but Bedard's certainly worthy of consideration despite the lack of talent around him, as he's likely to only get pricier from here.
Juraj Slafkovsky, MON vs. BUF ($4,500): Speaking of recent first overall picks, Slafkovsky's starting to show the potential that prompted the Canadiens to pick him at the top of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He has quietly put together an eight-game point streak, and the first-line winger stuffed the stat sheet in his most recent outing with seven shots and six blocks to complement a power-play assist.
Nick Schmaltz, ARI vs. TOR ($4,500): Toronto's penalty kill is 11th-worst in the NHL at 77.6 percent, and Schmaltz is likely to capitalize on that vulnerability, as he leads the Coyotes with eight power-play goals. His 15 points with the man advantage are second-most behind the 22 of Clayton Keller ($6,500), but Schmaltz is much easier to fit into lineups with a salary that's $2,000 lower.
Jack Roslovic, CLS at ANH ($3,500): Roslovic has shown marked improvement since being bumped up to the top line. In three games as a first-line winger, the natural center has compiled a 1-2-3 line and 12 shots on goal, with a point in each outing. He's a nice value at just $3,500 against a Ducks team that's allowing 3.51 goals per game -- sixth-most in the NHL.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs at Coyotes
Auston Matthews (C - $10,000), Mitchell Marner (W - $7,200), Matthew Knies (W - $3,500)
Between his recent accolades and the favorable matchup against a Coyotes team that's allowing 3.24 goals per game, Matthews is the default player to build around Wednesday. With seven goals over his last three games, Matthews has opened up a double-digit lead in the Rocket Richard race with 49. Marner has been Matthews' main setup man as usual, with eight assists in the last three games, as well as a 2-12-14 line during his current seven-game point streak. Locking in the affordable Knies would help clear cap space for Matthews, and Knies has chipped in a 2-3-5 line in his last five games.
Ducks vs. Blue Jackets
Mason McTavish (C - $5,000), Frank Vatrano (W - $6,100), Troy Terry (W - $5,200)
This red-hot trio should keep rolling against a Blue Jackets team that's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.72). McTavish has a 2-3-5 line in his last three games, which has pulled him into a tie with Adam Henrique ($4,800) for third on the team in points with 36, though McTavish's total has come in just 47 appearances. Terry's 16-26-42 line includes a 5-10-15 output over his last 11 games, while Vatrano's 26-18-44 line has him leading the team in both goals and points. Vatrano's showing no signs of slowing down, with a 4-2-6 output during his current three-game goal streak.
Flyers at Blackhawks
Morgan Frost (C - $4,600), Travis Konecny (W - $6,700), Joel Farabee (W - $5,300)
Konecny is the engine that drives this line and Philadelphia's entire offense. He easily leads the team in both goals and points with a 26-27-53 line, and the talented winger is showing no signs of slowing down, with a 4-7-11 line during his current six-game point streak. Frost has a solid 2-3-5 line in his last five games. Farabee has been cold with just three helpers during his nine-game goal drought, but he continues to generate chances with at least three shots on goal in five of those games, and a matchup with a lowly Chicago team that's allowing 3.54 goals per game could be just what he needs to get back on track.
DEFENSEMEN
Zach Werenski, CLS at ANH ($6,200): Werenski has been held without a point only twice in his last eight games, and a Ducks team that's surrendering 3.51 goals per game is unlikely to hold him down. In addition to the points, Werenski has also suppled plenty of secondary stats recently, with at least three shots on goal in each of his last six games and multiple blocks in five of those.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at EDM ($6,000): Boston will need every bit of McAvoy's two-way ability to slow down McDavid and the vaunted Oilers. McAcvoy's well-rounded skill set has been on full display during his four-game point steak, as he's complemented a 1-4-5 line with 12 shots and eight blocks.
Timothy Liljegren, TOR at ARI ($4,000): Liljegren has been arguably the biggest beneficiary of Morgan Rielly's five-game suspension, as Liljegren has seen a substantial bump in usage, especially on the power play. He has five points in his last three games, and this is the last chance to lock in Liljegren before Rielly's eligible to return to the lineup.
Henri Jokiharju, BUF at MON ($3,200): Jokiharju isn't known for his offense, but he has a 1-2-3 line in his last two games and is averaging over 24 minutes of TOI in four games since Owen Power (hand) exited the lineup, well above the Finn's season average of 18:08. All that playing time is giving Jokiharju plenty of opportunities to rack up fantasy value, making him a high-floor play at just $3,200.
