This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
The temperature is dropping and Christmas music is playing incessantly on radio stations everywhere. What can we do to escape these twin scourges? Play some daily fantasy hockey, of course! There are four NHL games Wednesday, and here are some players I'd recommend for your lineup.
GOALIE
Boston Bruins, BOS at DET ($17,000): The Bruins have been playing good hockey recently, as they have an 8-2-0 record in their last 10 games. The Red Wings, meanwhile, are 1-5-4 in their last 10, and they've only scored 2.63 goals per game. Tuukka Rask has played a lot better recently after missing four games, posting a 1.45 GAA and a .946 save percentage in his last six contests.
CENTER
David Krejci, BOS at DET ($9,000): Detroit's offense has been bad, but their defense hasn't been any better. The Red Wings have a team GAA of 3.27, and Jimmy Howard has a 4.10 GAA and a .857 save percentage in his last 10 contests. In his last six contests Krejci has six points, including two on the power play.
David Desharnais, NYR at OTT ($6,900): The Senators will be on the second night of a back-to-back, and projected starter Craig Anderson has a 3.11 GAA and a .895 save percentage. This is partially why the Senators rank in the bottom five in team GAA and penalty-kill percentage. With Mika Zibanejad out, Desharnais has been skating as New York's top-line center. He's also started 57.0 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, most among New York forwards.
WING
Jamie Benn, DAL at NYI ($14,500): Benn has 26 points and 100 shots on goal in 31 games, and in his last six contests he has five points and 26 shots. He also has nine power-play points, and he hasn't had fewer than 19 in his last four seasons. The Islanders have the 30th ranked penalty kill, and they also sport a 3.30 team GAA.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS at VAN ($13,900) The 24-year-old Swede remains a legitimate fantasy option, as he has 21 points and 98 shots on goal in 29 games. He also has 25 shots on net in his last seven contests, and last year he had a whopping 246 in a breakout campaign. After an unexpectedly good start, Jacob Markstrom has regressed and he has a 2.83 GAA and a .904 save percentage in his last 12 contests.
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR at OTT ($11,500): Buchnevich has already bested the numbers from his rookie season, as he has 10 goals and 12 assists through 30 games. He's been helped by the fact he's averaged 3:02 per game on the power play, and he's notched eight points with the extra man. As previously noted, the Senators are going to be on the second night of a back-to-back, and before Tuesday's contest they had a 3.36 team GAA and a .892 team save percentage.
DEFENSE
John Klingberg, DAL at NYI ($11,400): Klingberg has been racking up the assists, notching 21 helpers in 31 games. He's also put 70 shots on net, an increased rate compared to last season. The Islanders have a 3.30 team GAA and allowed 32.8 shots on net per contest, and let's not forget their 30th ranked penalty kill. That's noteworthy, as Klingberg has averaged 3:17 with the extra man, tallying eight points in that time.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at DET ($9,800): McAvoy has been perhaps forgotten about a bit, but he has five points in his last seven contests. The rookie has also averaged 23:27 per game in ice time, so he's getting plenty of opportunity. Detroit has a team GAA of 3.27 and it has given up 32.0 shots on net per tilt to boot. Also, as noted Howard has really struggled recently, and the Wings can't turn to Petr Mrazek (3.73 GAA, .888 save percentage) either.
