This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
For a Wednesday, we have a practically healthy schedule for the NHL. There are five games on the slate, but that's on a day of the week when two or three contests are not uncommon. This means more options for your NHL DFS lineups. The first pucks drop at 7:30 p.m. ET. Here are my DFS recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
The goaltending situations are somewhat straightforward. That's partly because no team is on the first leg of a back-to-back, and only the Maple Leafs are on the second leg of one. Toronto is visiting Washington. Plus, the Red Wings have made it a habit of naming starting goalies before it is even game day, which is nice for DFS players.
GOALIES
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR at UTA ($8,200): Kochetkov has picked up seven wins in a row. He has a 2.45 GAA, though that comes with a .902 save percentage. It's a tale as old as time, as the Hurricanes have consistently suppressed shots and helped out netminders under Rod Brind'Amour. Carolina has only allowed 25.4 shots on goal per game. Utah has only managed 26.2 shots on net per contest. Kochetkov might not even face 20 shots in this one.
Adin Hill, VGK at ANA ($8,100): Ilya Samsonov is banged up, so barring a surprise start for Akira Schmid, Hill will be in net. He's had a tough season, but if there was ever to be a day to reverse that trend, it would be a day like this one. The Ducks are last in the NHL at 2.21 goals per game and have averaged 27.9 shots on net per contest. Hill should be able to handle this matchup – emphasis on should.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Tom Wilson, WAS vs. TOR ($6,000): Yes, Alex Ovechkin is getting the bulk of the attention for the Capitals, which will happen when you are chasing down Wayne Gretzky for most career goals. Wilson, though, has been producing as well. He has six goals and six assists, including three assists over his last two games. Since the Maple Leafs are the sole team on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, I wanted somebody in this matchup.
Pavel Dorofeyev, VGK at ANA ($5,100): Dorofeyev doesn't just have a larger role for Vegas, he's more engaged offensively. He leads the Golden Knights with 44 shots on net through 15 games. The Ducks have allowed a league-high 35.3 shots on net per game, and Lukas Dostal is starting to slip after a red-hot start. He's allowed at least four goals in each of his last three outings.
FORWARD LINE STACK TO CONSIDER
Red Wings at Penguins
Dylan Larkin (C - $6,500), Alex DeBrincat (W - $6,300), Lucas Raymond (W - $4,300)
With a 3.88 GAA and 32.8 shots on net per game, the Penguins find themselves in the bottom five on both fronts. Tristan Jarry was exiled to the AHL for conditioning and has not made any appearances since his return. Former Red Wing Alex Nedeljkovic has been the top netminder for the Penguins. He has a .899 save percentage over the last four seasons. The Red Wings' top line is the only one producing, so that is our stack option.
In each of the last three seasons, Larkin had over 30 goals and over 30 assists. While he only has two assists this year, he's tallied nine goals already, including six on the power play. As with last year, DeBrincat has come out of the gate hot. He has six goals and six assists through 14 contests. Like his center, DeBrincat also has six power-play points. Raymond has been dishing out helpers, as he has 12 assists on the season. He only has one goal, but his 4.3 percent shooting rate should improve.
DEFENSEMEN
Erik Karlsson, PIT vs. DET ($5,300): Karlsson has 10 points through 17 contests and he's been contributing more on the power play this year. He's averaged 3:02 per game with the extra man and has four power-play points. The Red Wings have had some real issues on the penalty kill, as they are in the bottom three on that front. That's good for the Swede.
Vladislav Gavrikov, LAK at COL ($3,400): With Drew Doughty out, Brandt Clarke has taken on the power-play point role, but Gavrikov is the one getting the larger minutes. Playing on the first pairing, he's averaged 23:22 in ice time. He also has four points over his last five contests. Surprisingly, and owing to poor goaltending, the Avalanche have a 3.81 GAA, third-highest in the NHL.
