This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's a heavy schedule in the NHL on Wednesday as the league is taking Thursday off for Thanksgiving. Three of the four teams that played Tuesday will be in action as a tired Buffalo squad will play St. Louis, Montreal will travel to Columbus to play the second game in back-to-back nights. The Rangers are the third team that played Tuesday and they travel across town in Los Angeles to play the Ducks. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper, WAS vs. PHI ($7,400): Kuemper has not been what the Capitals expected when he inked a five-year contract in the offseason, but last year's Stanley Cup champion goaltender gets the Flyers on Wednesday. Philadelphia is 2-6-2 in their last 10 games and have scored only 48 goals in 19 contests. Kuemper is 5-9-1, with a 2.83 GAA and a .907 save percentage. He will get back on track Wednesday.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at PIT ($6,900): This is a value play as Markstrom is 8-4-2 with a 3.03 GAA and an .889 save percentage. He has won four of his last five games and was a top-three goaltender last season, going 37-15-9 with a 2.22 GAA and a .922 save percentage, as well as nine shutouts. He was a perfect 2-0-0 against the Penguins last season, giving up only one goal on 67 shots.
VALUE PLAYS
Seth Jarvis, CAR vs. ARI ($4,400): Jarvis snapped a seven-game pointless streak Monday with an assist, giving him seven points in 19 games. The former first-round pick (13th overall) in 2020, Jarvis sees second line action in even strength situations with Andrei Svechnikov and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. He also sees first power play time. Jarvis had 40 points in 68 games last season as a 19-year-old rookie.
Michael Bunting, TOR at NJ ($4,500): Bunting is back on the top line, playing alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander. He also sees second line power play time and has four goals and 10 points in 20 games. If Matthews goes off and has a huge game (he is due) then Bunting should be a big beneficiary on the scoresheet.
Mason McTavish, ANA vs. NYR ($4,200): McTavish is off to a fair start in his rookie campaign after entering the season as one of the favorites for the Calder Trophy. McTavish has two goals and nine points in 19 games and while he centers the third line with Brett Leason and Max Jones, he is a big part of the first power play for the Ducks. McTavish will only get better as the season progresses and gets a tired Rangers team Wednesday.
Tyler Bertuzzi, DET vs. NAS ($4,500): Bertuzzi returned from a hand injury three games ago and picked up his first goal of the season in Columbus on Saturday. Bertuzzi has two points in five games and is coming off his best NHL season as he had 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games in 2021-22. Bertuzzi is seeing second line time in both even strength situations and on the power play at this time.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Flames at Penguins
Elias Lindholm (C - $7,000), Tyler Toffoli (W -$6,900), Adam Ruzicka (W - $6,000)
Ruzicka has been a gem since getting first line action as he has four goals and eight points in his last seven games, including a huge two-goal, three-point performance in Florida on Saturday. Toffoli has six goals and 13 points this season and also sees first power play time, as does Lindholm, who is the Flames' top player. Lindholm has six goals and 16 points in 18 games this season. This line is well priced to stack in your lineup.
Stars vs. Blackhawks
Jason Robertson (W-$10,100), Joe Pavelski (C-$7,800), Roope Hintz (C-$8,700)
Robertson is on a tear as he has a 12-game points streak in which the talented 23-year-old, has 12 goals and 22 points, giving him 14 goals and 29 points in 19 games. Hintz has points in each of his last 11 games (he sat out Saturday with a lower-body injury but returned Monday) and has eight goals and 23 points in 18 games this season while the veteran Pavelski has five goals and 14 points in his last 11 games, giving him 21 points in 19 games this season. All three also play on the first power play and face the Blackhawks at home. Chicago has given up 62 goals in 18 games and the trio are primed to add to their scoring totals Wednesday.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN at COL ($6,900): Hughes has done everything but put the puck in the net this season. While he has yet to light up the lamp, Hughes has 18 assists in 15 games, including eight on the power play. He is averaging 4:09 of power play time this season. Hughes has always been an offensive defenseman as he had eight goals and 68 points last season and three goals and 41 points in 56 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign.
Mark Giordano, TOR at NJ ($4,100): Giordano has only one goal and four points in 20 games this season but gets a big boost Wednesday as Morgan Rielly suffered a knee injury Monday and was quickly put on long-term injured reserve. The move will allow Giordano to move up the depth chart and see more power play time as he had been averaging 0:35 per game, but saw 1:13 Monday after Rielly's injury early in the third period.
