This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
We'll have a bit of a late start Wednesday with the three-game docket starting at 9 p.m. EST with a matchup between the Avalanche (-150) and the Canucks. This game sports a 6.0 O/U, the highest mark in the slate.
Two more games will fire up at 10 p.m. ET. The Kraken (-135) will host the Blackhawks and the Kings will host the Capitals (-125), who played last night. Both of these games are listed at 5.5 O/U. Considering none of the six teams crack the top-12 in terms of xGF/60 at even strength, it's not surprising that the sharps are projecting a low-scoring slate. Let's look at some of the places where we can still extract value.
All advanced statistics are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper, COL at VAN ($8,600): Kuemper has put forth a few rocky appearances with his new team thus far, but he's mostly been solid with a .914 save percentage and a 2.61 GAA. The Canucks are a total mess right now, losing eight of their last 10 while averaging 2.3 goals per game. The Avalanche should be able to handle them even without Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) in the fold.
Marc-Andre Fleury, CHI at SEA ($7,600): The Blackhawks got off to a rough start, and Fleury wasn't immune, posting an .881 save percentage and 1-7-0 record through his first eight appearances. However, Fleury is still the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, and he's coming off back-to-back wins in which he posted a .955 save percentage. Meanwhile, the Kraken have lost four straight games and rank 31st in the league with a 10.9 power-play percentage.
Jonathan Quick, LA vs. WAS ($7,200): The Capitals are basically missing an entire top-six line, and Quick missed the memo that his game is supposed to drop off at age-35, as he's accrued a .935 save percentage this season. He's a high-risk option because the Kings' PK is dysfunctional and Alex Ovechkin will be on the attack, but he's a better DFS option than Ilya Samsonov ($8,200), especially in tournaments.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Dominik Kubalik, CHI at SEA ($5,200): Kubalik is off to a solid start with three goals, seven assists and 36 shots on net through 15 games. The 26-year-old is shooting plenty, but he's scoring at an 8.3 percent clip, far less than last year's 10.9 mark. We should expect to see upward regression from a player of Kubalik's talent level. Wednesday could yield returns, as Seattle has allowed 3.67 goals per game -- the second-most in the league.
Jaden Schwartz, SEA vs. CHI ($4,800): Schwartz has quietly been Seattle's second-best scorer, posting three goals and eight assists through 15 games. He was productive with the Blues for a long time, and he's averaging a career-high 19:34 of ice time thus far. Fleury is a tough goalie to crack, but it's worth noting that the Blackhawks' defense ranks 23rd in the league with 2.49 xGA/60.
Alex Newhook, COL at VAN ($3,800): Newhook started the year in the AHL, but he doesn't belong there, evidenced by his 11 points through 10 games. He's fitting in with the big club as well, posting a goal and an assist through three games. The 20-year-old skates on the third line and PP2. His chances with the man advantage make him an intriguing option, as the Canucks rank last in the league with a 62.3 penalty-kill percentage.
LINE STACKS
Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,100), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $8,400), Logan O'Connor (W - $4,100)
Head coach Jared Bednar is trying Rantanen at center with MacKinnon out, but all three forwards are listed at wing for DFS purposes. Each player has posted at least two points with MacKinnon out, totaling eight through the two games. The Canucks have struggled at even strength, and they're even worse when down a man. Landeskog and Rantanen both man PP1.
Kirby Dach (C - $4,800), Patrick Kane (W - $8,800), Alex DeBrincat (W - $7,100)
Seattle's defense has been decent this season at even strength, posting 1.96 xGA/60 at even strength -- the third-best rate in the league. However, Phillipp Grubauer has surprisingly been a drain on their defensive efficiency, posting an .880 save percentage and a 3.18 GAA. The Blackhawks' top line will aim to exploit those weaknesses. Kane and DeBrincat have combined for 13 goals and 25 points this season. Dach is skilled enough offensively to contribute and will keep the salary of this unit reasonable.
Connor McMichael (C - $4,000), Daniel Sprong (W - $3,800), Conor Sheary (W - $3,900)
The Capitals' first line is the chalk tonight, featuring Alex Ovechkin ($9,400) and Evgeny Kuznetsov ($8,000) versus the Kings' 25th-ranked penalty kill (76.9 percent). That's an expensive unit, and they'll likely have a high roster percentage Wednesday. The second line is an intriguing pivot. They're in this position due to the Capitals' slew of injuries, but they have some solid talent -- McMichael was a first-round pick in 2019 -- and the opportunity against the Kings can't be understated.
DEFENSE
John Carlson, WAS at LA ($6,400): Carlson probably relies too heavily on the man advantage, as he's posted five of his 10 points on the power play this year. We shouldn't be too concerned about that note Wednesday as he takes on the Kings' putrid PK.
Samuel Girard, COL at VAN ($4,700): There's nothing wrong with Cale Makar ($6,700), but Girard is far more affordable and can provide plenty of upside as well. Girard has produced a goal and six assists across the last three games, firing 10 shots on goal in the process. The 23-year-old skates on PP2, so he could be a solid stack with Newhook as well.
Alexander Edler, LA vs. WAS ($3,800): This slate is projected to be low scoring, so seeking high-floor defensemen can be a useful strategy. Edler has 30 blocked shots and 22 shots on goal through 15 games, and he has blocked even more shots in previous seasons. Furthermore, Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov has an .894 save percentage this season, meaning Edler's ceiling is better than expected.
Erik Gustafsson, CHI at SEA ($3,600): Seth Jones ($7,100) rightfully gets all the fame with 13 points from the blue line through 15 games, but Gustafsson maintains nightly upside despite a low floor. Gustafsson has four points this season while firing just 12 shots on net and blocking 13 shots. However, he skates on PP2 and will take aim at Seattle's 20th-ranked PK (80.6 percent).
