This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
It's your run-of-the-mill Wednesday in the NHL, with four games on the docket. There are a couple good games on the schedule, and one that seems like a pretty obvious one to target. Here's a look at some players who can help you fill out your DraftKings lineup.
GOALIE
Chad Johnson, CGY vs. TAM ($7,700): Earlier in the year, this would have seemed like a terrible matchup for the Flames. Then Johnson stepped in for Brian Elliott and began utterly dominating. He's got a 1.98 GAA and a .936 save percentage, and the Flames have won six games in a row. The Bolts don't offer a great matchup (they are 11th in goals per game), but it's hard to bet against Johnson and the Flames right now, especially with both Andrei Vasilevskiy and Ben Bishop delivering some ugly lines lately.
CENTER
Brayden Schenn, PHI at COL ($5,800): Philly's matchup with Colorado is definitely the most enticing of the day. The Avs are allowing 3.15 goals per game and 32.7 shots per game, both in the bottom five of the NHL; their 24th-ranked penalty kill doesn't exactly inspire confidence either. Schenn is playing 4:07 a game on the power play, where he has 13 points, making this look like a great opportunity for him – and for you.
Mikael Backlund, CGY vs. TAM ($5,500): The Lightning are 19th in goals allowed and 21st in penalty-killing percentage. Ben Bishop still only has a .906 save percentage, and Vasilevskiy has allowed 14 goals in his last four games. For his part, Backlund has a modest 15 points, including five goals, but his 6.4 shooting percentage indicates he could be in for some more puck luck. For a reasonable price, Backlund provides some real upside.
WING
Wayne Simmonds, PHI at COL ($7,000): Jakub Voracek ($7,100) and Simmonds are both a little pricy, but given the potential in this matchup, it's worth paying up. Since Simmonds is slightly cheaper, he's the one who lands here. He's another major power play contributor, having already notched eight goals and six assists with the extra man. Sure, his shooting percentage is a little high, but Simmonds has scored at least 28 goals in his last three seasons, so he's far from a fluke. This is the kind of player and the kind of matchup that are worth spending a few extra bucks on.
Matt Duchene, COL vs. PHI ($6,000): While the Flyers have a great matchup, don't overlook this opportunity for the Avalanche. Philadelphia is giving up 2.97 goals per game, and even though Steve Mason has been unbeatable lately, he still has a 2.78 GAA and a .905 save percentage for the season, so he's got a ways to go before we accept this as the new normal. Duchene has 10 goals and 55 shots on net in 23 games, making him one of the few Avalanche players who haven't struggled offensively this season.
Brad Marchand, BOS at PIT ($6,300): The quality of this matchup depends on whether it's Matt Murray or Marc-Andre Fleury in net, but either way, the Penguins are allowing the sixth-most shots per game at 32.1. Marchand has 78 shots on net in 30 games, but he also has 17 assists, so he's helping out in other ways as well. He's got seven points in his last nine games and is one of the more reliable scorers around, making this a safe pick. The 28-year-old definitely gets extra preference here if Fleury draws the start.
DEFENSEMEN
Ivan Provorov, PHI at COL ($4,700): Provorov is more interesting than usual on account of the injury to Mark Streit, who was averaging 2:23 per game on the power play. Somebody has to fill that spot, and Provorov was already playing 1:50 a night with the extra man, so he's a likely candidate for an increased role. Considering that the rookie has 14 points and 54 shots on goal in 31 games, he seems like the kind of player who can take advantage of such an opportunity.
Tyson Barrie, COL vs. PHI ($4,600): Barrie's minus-12 rating is woeful, but it's not relevant for our daily fantasy purposes. What does matter is his scoring – 13 points in 27 games – and also his 59 shots on goal. Barrie only has two goals, which gives him a 3.4 shooting percentage; that's less than half of last season's mark, so he should have some positive regression coming to him. He's also an asset on the power play – 21 points there last season and five so far this year – which offers some extra appeal.
