This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Wednesday's two NHL games are on opposite ends of the quality spectrum. On the one hand, we have the Penguins taking on the Capitals. On the other hand, the Flames are squaring off with the Coyotes in a battle of teams that have struggled this year. However, there are still good fantasy values to be found; here are some of them.
GOALIE
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. PIT ($7,600): Obviously, you want to avoid any goalie from the Coyotes and the Flames. Sure, one of them is guaranteed to get a win, but that game feels like a tossup, and it's likely to feature a significant amount of scoring. Holtby is clearly the best goalie starting Wednesday, and there's not really money to be saved on a netminder. This is one of those times when you have to go with the best bet.
CENTER
Jordan Martinook, ARI at CGY ($3,800): It's hard to know how much to trust Martinook, who has five goals and eight points. He's taken 22 shots on goal, which means his shooting percentage is unusually high, but he's also more involved in the offense than he was last season. As much as anything, this is about the fact that the Flames will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back and have been a defensive disaster. With so few options available, you might as well save some salary while seeing if Martinook can keep his hot start going.
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. ARI ($4,200): Arizona has a favorable matchup, but the Flames are in the same boat. With Mike Smith injured, Louis Domingue (who owns an .899 save percentage) is their best option in net. Backlund has six assists, and while he only has one goal, he's taken 36 shots on net, so that stat's bound to improve. There's a very good chance of that happening against the Coyotes.
WING
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. ARI ($6,400): Gaudreau is pricey, but with so few players available, you probably have to grab one of the bigger names. Gaudreau is off to a "slow" start by his standards, but he scored his fifth goal Tuesday night, and he's leading the Flames with 11 points. His talent hasn't disappeared, and this is a matchup he can take advantage of. However, it should be noted that he left Tuesday's game with an injury to his hand/wrist; if you're looking to deploy him, you'll have to check back for his status Wednesday.
Max Domi, ARI at CGY ($4,600): Domi isn't quite as proven as Johnny Hockey, but he may be on his way to a similar career. The 21-year-old has 11 points, and while that only includes one goal, his 29 shots on net imply that he's been unlucky. With so few players to choose from, this feels like a particularly nice price for Domi.
Troy Brouwer, CGY vs. ARI ($4,200): Brouwer hasn't been great this year, as he's got seven points in 17 games, but he's playing more than three minutes per night on the power play. It's too early to give up on a player with Brouwer's track record, and the matchup is enticing. At this point, he's definitely worth a shot.
DEFENSE
Mark Giordano, CGY vs. ARI ($6,000): Giordano picked up an assist and four shots on goal Tuesday, giving him six points and 42 shots on goal. While Giordano has been struggling to score, the shots and minutes show that it's only a matter of time. There's certainly no reason to be worried about him against the Coyotes.
Matt Niskanen, WAS vs. PIT ($4,200): If you don't want to completely give your lineup over to Coyotes and Flames, you're better off going with Capitals over Penguins, given the goalie matchup. Marc-Andre Fleury is the projected goalie for the Penguins, and he has a .910 save percentage this season. Niskanen hasn't scored a goal yet this year, but he's playing a lot of minutes and has seven assists. He's reasonably priced, and he's a better value than John Carlson ($5,700). Not every option is great with so few teams playing, but Niskanen is a good one.
