Yahoo DFS Hockey: Wednesday Picks

It's business as usual on the NHL docket Wednesday, with four games scheduled. It's not a meaty selection, but at least you have a smattering of options to choose from. We're here to make those choices easier, so take a look below…

GOALIE

Chad Johnson, CGY vs. TAM ($32):Ben Bishop, who has a 2.86 GAA and a .906 save percentage, is the projected starter for the Lightning, which could help Johnson's chances of getting a win. However, he hasn't exactly needed help recently. Johnson has won six straight games, and on the season he has a 1.98 GAA and a .932 save percentage. He had a 2.36 GAA and a .920 save percentage last year in Buffalo, so this is not a total fluke. Johnson, and the Flames, are fittingly hot, and there's a good chance that's going to continue Wednesday.

GOALIE TO AVOID

Calvin Pickard, COL vs. PHI ($31): Sure, Pickard has been better than Semyon Varlamov, but his 2.72 GAA and .913 save percentage do not inspire confidence. Neither does the fact the Avalanche are 29th in shots allowed per game. Philly, on the other hand, is one of the league's highest scoring teams (3.16 goals per game) and they've won nine in a row. It's hard to bet on Pickard picking up a win, and if he does somehow, it probably won't be pretty.

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Brayden Schenn, PHI vs. COL ($16): Here's another thing the Avalanche have going against them; they are 24th in penalty-kill percentage. The Flyers have a tremendous power play, and Schenn is a big part of that. He's averaging 4:07 a night with the extra man and has 13 power-play points. For a reasonable price, Schenn could end up being quite the steal as the Flyers look to make it 10 straight wins.

CENTER TO AVOID

Joe Thornton, SAN at OTT ($16): There aren't a lot of bad matchups for highly-priced centers Wednesday. Sure, the Penguins are facing the Bruins, but are you going to count out Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin? Thornton, though, raises some questions. He came into Tuesday's game against the Maple Leafs averaging only 4.0 fantasy points per game, so even with only eight teams in action, there are clearly better options available.

WING

Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. TAM ($22): The Lightning are 19th in goals allowed and 21st on the penalty kill, and we've been waiting for Bishop to turn it around for a while to no avail. Tampa is also allowing 31.1 shots per game, which should mean plenty of opportunities for the red hot Gaudreau. Since returning from injury, Gaudreau has two points in all four games he's played, and he's put 12 shots on goal during that span. It seems that Johnny Hockey has rounded into form, and that makes him well worth this price point.

Matthew Tkachuk, CGY vs. TAM ($13): It may seem surprising to see two Flames wings selected, but Tkachuk comes at a cheap price that leaves a lot of room for upside. The rookie, who was selected sixth overall in this year's NHL Draft, has 15 points to his name, and has put 47 shots on goal. He's also seeing a little power-play time (1:56 per game), which helps boost his value. If you are looking to save some money to spend elsewhere (maybe on a Flyers winger like Jakub Voracek), Tkachuk could bring some real bang for your buck.

WINGS TO AVOID

Conor Sheary, PIT vs. BOS ($20): Sheary is enjoying a breakout year, as he already has as many goals (seven) and shots on net (51) as last season, but in half as many games. However, this is still a daunting matchup. The Bruins are eighth in goals allowed per game, and they have only given up 27.1 shots per contest. They are even better with Tuukka Rask in net, as he has a 1.80 GAA. Breakout season or not, this will be a tough matchup for Sheary.

David Backes, BOS at PIT ($18): The Penguins give up 32.1 shots per game, and they rank 27th on the penalty kill, but having Matt Murray and his .936 save percentage in net is a game-changer. Backes has been pretty good, but he only has 13 points in 25 games, and he's only averaging 5.7 fantasy points per game. Given this matchup, presuming Murray is in net, opting for Backes feels a bit too risky.

DEFENSEMEN

Dougie Hamilton, CGY vs. TAM ($16): Hamilton has put his slow start behind him entirely. He now has 17 points, including six goals, and he's put 92 shots on net. Hamilton is on pace for a whopping 243 shots on goal, which would dwarf his career high. Despite all this offensive output, he has yet to score a goal on the power play, even though he's had five in each of his last two seasons. This price definitely feels a bit low for Hamilton, making him a potential steal.

Ivan Provorov, PHI at COL ($14): The Flyers have been one of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL, and they have the second best power play, so it makes sense use them for fantasy purposes. This is especially true in a matchup like this, as Provorov is one of the cheaper Flyers defensemen but has real upside potential. Mark Streit is injured, which opens up power-play time that might go to Provorov, who's averaging 1:50 with the extra man already. He's got 14 points and 54 shots on goal, so he clearly has some offensive talent. This is a very favorable matchup, and Provorov doesn't have to do much to earn his modest price tag.

DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID

Torey Krug, BOS at PIT ($19): Considering that Krug averages 3:10 per game on the power play, this matchup might seem good for him, given Pittsburgh's penalty-kill ranking. However, as previously stated, Murray being in net changes things, and also Krug only has four power-play points, so it's not like he's been great with the extra man. He's also stuck on one goal, and while his puck luck will change, it hasn't yet. Why spend $19 on Krug when you could get, say, Shayne Gostisbehere against Colorado for another $1?

Victor Hedman, TAM at CGY ($22): Hedman has five goals this season but also has a career-high shooting percentage, which will be hard to sustain. However, this is more about how good Johnson has been this season, and also because the Flames only allow 29.4 shots per game. Hedman is a great fantasy option at times, but this price and matchup makes it tough to justify selecting him.