This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Last week, on account of the holiday, Wednesday was much busier than usual. Things are back to normal this week, with only three games on the docket for DraftKings NHL gamers. Hey, at least this time you don't have to worry about being distracted by thoughts of turkey and sweet potatoes.
GOALIE
Peter Budaj, LOS vs. SAN ($7,600): Budaj has been steady as the Kings' stopgap starter, as he has a 2.04 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The Sharks aren't an easy matchup, but they'll be on the second night of a back-to-back and they've been winning mostly with defense and goaltending this season. This feels like a low scoring game, and Budaj's chances of picking up a win (which would be his sixth straight) are better than most – if not all – of the goalies in action Wednesday.
CENTER
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. TOR ($5,000): The Maple Leafs aren't particularly gifted at goal prevention on a good day, and they're on the second night of a back-to-back, which could mean they deploy Jhonas Enroth and his .866 save percentage in net. Backlund's minutes are up this year, and he's taken 59 shots on goal in 25 games. Whether or not he gets to go up against Enroth, he offers a strong floor with upside.
Brock Nelson, NYI vs. PIT ($5,300): Marc-Andre Fleury, who currently sports a .901 save percentage, is projected to start for the Penguins in this one. On top of that, the Pens are 28th in penalty-killing percentage. Nelson hasn't taken a shot on goal in his last two games, which is not encouraging, but he's averaging 2:11 per game on the power play and has 13 points on the season, making him the highest-scoring Isle not named John Tavares.
WING
James van Riemsdyk, TOR at CGY ($6,300): Chad Johnson may have lifted his save percentage up to .922, but the Flames still have questions defensively, including the league's 29th-ranked penalty kill. JVR registered his 10th goal of the season Tuesday night, and he's put 64 shots on net in 22 games. The veteran winger's been almost a point-per-game player this year, and the new offensive talent around him doesn't seem to be cramping his style in the least.
Matthew Tkachuk, CGY vs. TOR ($4,800): Tkachuk was thought of highly enough by Calgary for the Flames to draft him sixth overall in this year's NHL Draft and stick him in their lineup at the tender age of 18. He's paying off for them, having notched 10 points in 21 games. Tkachuk is also playing more than two minutes a night on the power play, and his minutes have increased as the season has gone on – thanks mostly to Johnny Gaudreau's injury. He gets to go up against Toronto's fellow youngsters, and young players (especially tired ones) often make defensive mistakes. The Leafs are no exception.
Jake Guentzel, PIT at NYI ($4,000): Guentzel is a bit of a gamble, given that he's only played in four NHL games. However, he's also tallied four points, including three goals, in that time, and he gets to play alongside Evgeni Malkin at even strength. The Islanders, meanwhile, have been about as lousy of a team as there is in the league. You'll need Guentzel to stay hot, but at this price and with only six teams in action, it's not that big of a gamble.
DEFENSEMEN
Dougie Hamilton, CGY vs. TOR ($5,200): Hamilton got off to a concerningly slow start, but he's finally started to find his footing. He's now notched 10 assists on the season, including two on the power play. Granted, he still only has two goals, but he's put 66 shots on net – that 3.0 shooting percentage is about half of his career average, so he's due for positive regression. A date with the Leafs and Enroth could be exactly what he needs to finally light the lamp again.
Nick Leddy, NYI vs. PIT ($4,800): A lot of Islanders have struggled this year, but Leddy isn't among them – he's got 10 points and 42 shots on goal in 20 games. Leddy is playing career-high minutes and averaging 3:19 a game on the power play. That's a good thing against the Penguins. Another good thing: his willingness to block shots, which will likely come in handy against the Penguins' big-name offensive weapons.
