This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday's modest NHL slate consists of three games after 7:30 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective DraftKings DFS lineup. All game lines and odds used below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
SLATE PREVIEW
The Red Wings will be looking to pick up two big points in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and they're Wednesday's biggest favorites on home ice against Chicago. The Canucks are also clear home favorites against the Ducks in a game with a slate-high over/under of 6.5 goals. Wednesday's highest-quality game is also expected to be the lowest-scoring, as Wild-Jets has an over/under of just 5.5 goals.
GOALIES
Marc-Andre Fleury, MIN at WPG ($7,900): Fleury has been relegated to backup duties lately, but he should get this second leg of Minnesota's back-to-back set. The veteran netminder has been effective when called upon, allowing a total of three goals during his three-game winning streak, and he'll face a fading Jets team that's 1-5-1 in its last seven games.
Ville Husso, DET vs. CHI ($7,700): Husso is having a solid first season in Detroit, with a 23-16-6 record, 2.93 GAA and .904 save percentage. An ill-timed six-game losing streak has Detroit on the verge of falling out of playoff contention, but the Red Wings still have hope, as they sit eight points out of a playoff spot. With a Blackhawks team with the second-fewest standings points in town, this game's a must-win for the Red Wings. Chicago's also bringing up the rear offensively with 2.48 goals per game.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. ANH ($7,500): Demko has looked pretty good in three games since returning from an extended absence, going 2-2-1 with 104 saves on 111 shots for a .937 save percentage. One of the league's better goaltenders last season will look to finish this lost campaign strong, and he'll have a nice opportunity to build on his recent success at home against a Ducks team that's averaging 2.50 goals per game – second-fewest after Chicago.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Trevor Zegras, ANH at VAN ($5,700): Zegras has a 2-2-4 line during his current three-game point streak, and he leads the Ducks in both goals (21) and points (54) this season. Even with Demko stepping up recently, the Canucks still have a porous defense, so Zegras should get plenty of opportunities to generate offense against an opponent that's allowing 3.87 goals per game – second-most behind Zegras' own Ducks.
Ryan Hartman, MIN at WPG ($4,700): Minnesota's offense has been stuck in a rut for a while due in large part to the team's lack of a true first-line center. The Wild have tried numerous options on the top line, and Hartman is the latest. As long as he's skating in the prime spot between Kirill Kaprizov ($8,200) and Mats Zuccarello ($6,400), Hartman will be worth a look. He has a 3-4-7 line in his last nine games.
Lukas Reichel, CHI at DET ($3,900): With Chicago looking to the future after selling off at the trade deadline, the team has recalled Reichel and placed him in a top-line role over the past three games. The 2020 first-round pick has responded with a goal and an assist over the past three games, bringing him up to a 2-3-5 line in seven NHL appearances this season.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Jets vs. Wild
Mark Scheifele (C - $6,900), Kyle Connor (W - $8,000), Nino Niederreiter (W - $4,600)
Winnipeg's top line has remained productive, even with the team slumping recently. Connor has been blanked on 10 shots over the last two games, but he's dished an assist in each, bringing his season line to 27-42-69 through 64 games. The star winger's tied for 20th in the NHL in points, while his center is tied for ninth in goals. Scheifele's 36 goals on the season have been accompanied by 21 assists, and he has a 2-3-5 line over his last five games. Between his last three games in Nashville and his first four with the Jets, Niederreiter has a 5-2-7 line over his last seven games.
Red Wings vs. Blackhawks
Dylan Larkin (C - $7,400), David Perron (W - $4,700), Lucas Raymond (W - $4,000)
Detroit's offense has been slumping lately, but a home game against a Blackhawks team that's allowing 3.54 goals per game offers a nice opportunity for this top line to post a breakout performance. Larkin leads the Red Wings in both goals (23) and points (59). The drop-off in points between Larkin and the rest of the team is substantial, as Perron occupies the No. 2 spot with a 16-23-39 line. One of the few players on this team with any playoff experience has been trying to lead by example recently, as Perron scored Detroit's only goal in a 3-1 loss to the Flyers the last time the Red Wings suited up. Raymond's 15-18-33 line includes one measly assist in his last 10 games, but given the favorable matchup here, this could be a nice buy-low opportunity on the second-year winger.
Canucks vs. Ducks
J.T. Miller (C - $6,000), Brock Boeser (W - $4,900), Phil Di Giuseppe (W - $3,400)
Vancouver's second line has been its best recently, and that trend may well continue against a Ducks team that's surrendering a league-high 4.05 goals per game. Miller has a 3-5-8 line in his last eight games, and he's added 27 shots over that span. Boeser has a 2-2-4 line in his last five games, and the affordable Di Giuseppe has a goal and an assist in his last four. Miller and Boeser both skate on the top power-play unit alongside the team's leading scorer Elias Pettersson ($8,100), who should also be worth paying up for against the lowly Ducks.
DEFENSEMEN
Seth Jones, CHI at DET ($6,400): Jones has taken it upon himself to lead the way for the Blackhawks' otherwise young and unproven lineup. He has opened March with a three-game goal streak, lighting the lamp four times on 11 shots. Look for Jones to keep rolling against the reeling Red Wings.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. ANH ($5,900): Hughes is one of five defensemen to have reached the 60-point mark this season, and he's needed only 59 appearances to do so. He has six assists and 12 shots over the past four games, so Hughes is locked in heading into this home date with a Ducks team that's allowing the most goals per game and playing its second game in as many nights.
Cam Fowler, ANH at VAN ($5,000): Fowler has quietly compiled a 2-9-11 line over his last 10 games, and he could flirt with 50 points this season, as Fowler's season line is up to 9-28-37 through 64 games. The Ducks' third-leading scorer behind Zegras and Troy Terry ($6,000) has a nice opportunity to stay hot against the defensively challenged Canucks.
Ben Chiarot, DET vs. CHI ($4,400): Chiarot has seen an uptick in usage since the Red Wings traded away Filip Hronek. The veteran blueliner has topped 20 minutes of ice time in each of the three subsequent games, and Chiarot has chipped in on both ends with a goal and a pair of three-block performances.
