This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday's NHL slate features six games after 7:00 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
There aren't any overwhelmingly lopsided matchups, but five of the six games have clear favorites. The star-studded Oilers are the heaviest favorites at home against the injury-riddled Kings. That game is tied with Rangers-Red Wings for the highest over/under (6.5 goals), and New York's still expected to come out on top despite likely turning to its backup goalie in the second leg of a back-to-back. The Jets (in Buffalo), Golden Knights (in Seattle) and Sharks (in Arizona) are all road favorites as well, while Blues-Canucks is a toss-up.
GOALIES
Logan Thompson, VGK at SEA ($8,100): If the Golden Knights are to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, Thompson will likely have to carry them down the stretch. He's won his last two starts and is 4-2-0 in his last six, providing a steadying force in goal in the wake of injuries to Robin Lehner (lower body) and Laurent Brossoit (undisclosed). Thompson should keep rolling against Seattle's 27th-ranked offense (2.64 goals per game) in a game that means much more to his team.
James Reimer, SJ at ARI ($7,900): Reimer's on a roll, having allowed just six goals during his three-game winning streak. In fact, he's been solid all season, going 18-13-6 with a 2.75 GAA and .917 save percentage. He should add another strong start against a league-worst Coyotes offense that's averaging 2.53 goals per game.
Mikko Koskinen, EDM vs. LA ($8,300): It hasn't always been pretty, but Koskinen's 5-1-0 over his last seven starts. He'll have a nice opportunity to get back into the win column against the beat-up Kings, who have won just four of their last 10 games and are coming off a 6-1 drubbing at the hands, — or tentacles, if you will — of the Kraken.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. STL ($7,800): Demko's 13-10-2 with a 2.43 GAA and .926 save percentage on home ice this season. The Blues just beat the Canucks in St. Louis, but that was only their second win in the past seven games, giving Demko some appeal here despite the Blues' firepower up front.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Evgenii Dadonov, VGK at SEA ($3,200): Dadonov's trade to the Ducks not going through might wind up being what saves Vegas' season. The Russian winger has a 5-3-8 line during his four-game goal streak and is thriving in a top-line role. Given that context, Dadonov's arguably the top bargain available at just $3,200.
Timo Meier, SJ at ARI ($7,700): A hat trick in his last game gave Meier a 5-2-7 line over his last four games. He has a 30-35-65 line in 60 games overall, and the productive winger ranks fifth in the league with 256 shots on goal. Meier's likely to extend his point streak against a Coyotes team that's surrendering 3.58 goals per game.
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG at BUF ($6,700): Ehlers has scored a goal in six of his last eight games, and he's generating plenty of chances even when he's held off the scoresheet. The standout winger's coming off an eight-shot performance, giving Ehlers 34 shots during this strong eight-game stretch. Buffalo's giving up 3.51 goals per game, so Ehlers should continue to produce here.
Anze Kopitar, LA at EDM ($6,000): Kopitar's coming off a rare clunker, but he mustered a 1-4-5 line over the preceding three games. The top-line center leads Los Angeles with 57 points in 68 games and figures to play a prominent role in what should be a fast-paced battle in Edmonton.
Jakub Vrana, DET vs. NYR ($4,500): With backup Alexandar Georgiev (3.08 GAA, .894 save percentage) likely to man the road crease, Detroit's offense should be in for a productive night. Vrana has a 3-2-5 line in his last four games and six goals in 10 appearances since returning from shoulder surgery, making him a nice value at $4,500.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Rangers at Red Wings
Mika Zibanejad (C - $6,900), Chris Kreider (W - $7,000), Frank Vatrano (W - $2,800)
The Red Wings gave up 11 goals to the Penguins in their last game Sunday, while this line just helped the Rangers beat that same Pittsburgh team 3-2 on Tuesday. Kreider's third in the league with 45 goals, while Zibanejad has a 4-7-11 line in his last nine games and is over a point per game overall. Vatrano has fit in seamlessly as the third member of this line with four goals in his last three games. This trio should stay hot against a Red Wings team that's giving up the most goals per game in the league (3.80).
Oilers vs. Kings
Leon Draisaitl (C - $8,200), Zach Hyman (W - $5,100), Kailer Yamamoto (W - $3,900)
Draisaitl's one of the league's hottest scorers at the moment, and his success is buoying the remainder of his line. The German forward has a 10-7-17 line in his last nine games, and a 6-2-8 output in just the last three. Hyman has a three-game point streak going, while Yamamoto has been sneaky-hot for a while, with a 7-6-13 line in his last 10 games.
Sabres vs. Jets
Tage Thompson (C - $6,400), Alex Tuch (W - $5,800), Jeff Skinner (W - $5,400)
This run is much too little too late in terms of the playoff picture, but the Sabres have quietly mustered an 8-3-2 record of late while scoring four-plus goals in six of those games. This top line has led the way during this strong stretch. Thompson has a 5-4-9 line in his last eight games, and his 28 goals lead Skinner by one for the team lead. Skinner has a 4-2-6 line during his five-game point streak, while Tuch has been productive during his time with Buffalo, posting a 9-19-28 line in 35 games overall.
DEFENSEMEN
Adam Fox, NYR at DET ($6,500): Fox has been overshadowed by some extraordinary offensive seasons from other defensemen around the league, but the reigning Norris Trophy winner has quietly accumulated 65 points in 64 games. Offense shouldn't be hard to come by for the exquisite passer against the league-worst Detroit defense.
Josh Morrissey, WPG at BUF ($4,800): Morrissey has a 4-2-6 line in his last seven games, and he's complemented that production with 24 shots and 11 blocked shots. The secondary stats give Winnipeg's top blueliner a high floor, and he also carries plenty of scoring upside heading into this trip to Buffalo.
Alec Martinez, VGK at SEA ($4,100): This is a buy-low opportunity on Martinez, who's in his second game back after an absence that stretched for four and a half months due to a facial injury. He's available at just $4,100 here, marking your first opportunity of the season to nab the veteran blueliner for less than $5,000.
Nick Leddy, STL at VAN ($2,600): With Torey Krug (upper body) out of commission, the recently acquired Leddy's getting a shot on the top power-play unit. That role hasn't borne fruit yet, but now that he's had a chance to get acclimated to his new surroundings, Leddy's a low-risk, high-reward play against a 72.8 percent Canucks penalty kill, which ranks second-worst in the league after Leddy's former team in Detroit.
