This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are six games on the Wednesday slate with all games involving rested teams. Toronto hosts the tired Blackhawks, while Tampa Bay comes off a 4-3 shootout win Tuesday and travels to Arizona to play the Coyotes. The Avs – losers to Tampa Bay on Tuesday – face Minnesota in the final game between a tired and rested team. Detroit visits Edmonton, Buffalo plays in Anaheim and Vancouver hosts the New York Rangers in the remainder of Wednesday's action. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Ilya Samsonov, TOR vs. CHI ($8,300): Samsonov has been absolutely spectacular at home, going 15-2-1 with a 2.07 GAA and .924 save percentage, the second best goaltender on home ice behind only Linus Ullmark. Samsonov has struggled on the road as he is 3-4-1 away from Scotiabank Arena and is 18-6-2 with a 2.32 GAA and .917 save percentage overall this season. Add on the fact that the Blackhawks, Wednesday's opponents are the lowest scoring team in the NHL, averaging only 2.40 goals per game, makes Samsonov the play of the night.
Marc-Andre Fleury, MIN vs. COL ($7,600): Fleury had a tough outing in his last game Thursday, giving up five goals on 23 shots in a lost to the Golden Knights. He was pulled after 40 minutes and the Wild gave Filip Gustavsson the last two starts, before returning to Fleury against the Avalanche. Fleury is 16-12-3 with a 2.98 GAA and .902 save percentage this season. Fleury faces the Avalanche, who are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Colorado are not been a scoring team this season, averaging only 3.00 goals per game, good for a tie for 22nd in the NHL. It's a good spot for Fleury.
VALUE PLAYS
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF at ANA ($4,500): Mittelstadt has a goal and two assists in his last two games, giving him eight goals and 31 points in 52 games. The 31 points represent a career high and with the Sabres taking on the worst defensive team in the NHL -- the Ducks -- it looks like a great spot to take Mittelstadt who has four goals and 13 points with the man-advantage.
Vasily Podkolzin, VAN vs. NYR ($3,000): Podkolzin has only one goal and four points in 21 games this season, but has been moved up to the top line with Elias Pettersson and Anthony Beauvillier. He sees second power play action as well. The former 10th overall pick in 2019, Pozkolzin played 28 games at the AHL level this season, scoring seven goals and adding 11 assists.
Peyton Krebs, BUF at ANA ($3,500): Krebs has seven goals and 14 points in 44 games this season. While it has been some tough going for the former 17th pick in the 2019 Draft, Krebs has four goals in his last 10 games. He is seeing third line action with Casey Mittelstadt and Jack Quinn, as well as time on the second power play.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers at Canucks
Mika Zibanejad (C-$8,400), Chris Kreider (W-$7,100), Vladimir Tarasenko (W-$6,500)
The Rangers top line faces the Canucks, who are the second worst team in allowing goals this season, giving up 218 goals in 54 games. That's great news for the Rangers top line. Zibanejad is on a four-game goal scoring streak, and has 27 goals and 55 points in 53 games, including 16 goals and 24 points on the power play. Kreider is on a five-game point-streak, with two goals and six points. Kreider scored 52 goals last season and while he has only 21 goals in 50 games this season, he is still always dangerous. Tarasenko was dealt from St. Louis last week and scored in his New York debut. Tarasenko is coming off his best season as he had 34 goals and 82 points in 75 games in 2021-22 with the Blues.
Maple Leafs vs. Blackhawks
Auston Matthews (C - $9,900), William Nylander (W -$8,800), Michael Bunting (W - $6,000)
Matthews is expected to return to action Wednesday after missing five games with a knee injury. While Matthews will not win his third straight Rocket Richard Trophy as he has only 25 goals this season, good for a tie for 21st in the NHL and 17 behind the leader Connor McDavid, Matthews is still capable of exploding in any game and going on a prolonged hot streak. Matthews has 53 points in 47 games this season. Nylander is having a career year with 29 goals and 61 points in 54 games, five goals and 19 points away from tying career highs, with 28 games remaining in the NHL schedule. Nylander had a seven-game scoring streak in late January, with six goals and six assists. He was pointless in the last game before the All-Star break and first game back, but returned to the scoresheet Saturday with a goal and assist. Bunting has four points in his last four games, giving him 16 goals and 37 points in 54 games. He plays on the second power play while his five-on-five linemates are on the first unit. The Leafs play the fifth-worst defending team in the NHL, as the Blackhawks are giving up 3.62 goals per game.
DEFENSEMEN
Moritz Seider, DET at EDM ($6,300): Seider got off to a bad start this season but has come on strong of late as he is on a four-game point-streak and has a goal and 14 assists in his last 14 games. Seider has three goals and 29 points in 52 games (he had two goals and 17 points in his first 38 contests), as he has returned to his 2021-22 form, when he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.
Jonas Brodin, MIN vs. COL ($4,300): Brodin has a goal and an assist in his last three games as he has started to hit the scoresheet once again. Brodin has two goals and seven assists in 45 games this season and does see second power play time at this stage of the season.
