This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
After an incredibly busy Tuesday that saw 14 games take place, Wednesday is a little bit easier to wrap your head around. There are only three games, and that means the pool of players to choose from isn't so daunting. However, you might still want some help looking for the best values. That's why we're here.
GOALIE
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. BOS ($8,300): Naturally, with so many teams in action Tuesday, almost every team going Wednesday is dealing with back-to-back games and the impact that has on the goaltending situation. Washington's plan seems simple, though: Philipp Grubauer started Tuesday, leaving Holtby to start at home Wednesday. He has a 1.96 GAA, while the Bruins have a bottom-10 offense in terms of goals per game. Holtby may be the most expensive goalie Wednesday, but he's worth it.
CENTER
Mikko Koivu, MIN at CGY ($5,600): The Flames are the one team playing Wednesday that didn't play Tuesday, but that may not give them much of an upper hand. After all, they just wrapped up a month of January in which they gave up 2.85 goals per game while their netminders had an .887 save percentage. Koivu has been somewhat overshadowed by Eric Staal's resurgence in Minnesota, but he's having a nice season in his own right. He's averaging 3.0 fantasy points per game, and if Calgary's January struggles continue into February, this could be a rewarding matchup for him.
Anze Kopitar, LOS vs. COL ($5,500): Kopitar has had his struggles, as his 5.8 shooting percentage can attest, but his luck should turn around eventually. Indeed, it's starting to already -- he's notched 13 points in his last 10 games. Even without that uptick, you'd want Kopitar in this matchup, as the Avalanche have allowed the most goals per game in the league, and their goaltending situation is particularly sketchy with Semyon Varlamov out for the season. That's only amplified in a back-to-back situation.
WING
Tanner Pearson, LOS vs. COL ($5,500): Pearson has had better shooting luck than his teammate Kopitar, having notched 15 goals on 106 shots in 48 games. Although he only has four power-play points, he's averaged 2:22 per game with the extra man, so that number could climb. The Avalanche rank 25th in penalty-kill percentage, so if he's going to find more luck on the power play, this could be the time.
Nino Niederreiter, MIN at CGY ($5,300): Niederreiter got hot before the All-Star break, notching 12 points in the nine games preceding the midseason exhibition. That includes six power-play points, lifting his total to nine on the season. In addition to their 2.83 GAA, the Flames rank a mediocre 18th on the penalty kill.
Justin Williams, WAS vs. BOS ($5,200): Tuukka Rask was an All-Star, but he didn't play like one heading into the break. In the nine games leading up to his All-Star appearance, Rask had a 3.05 GAA and a .869 save percentage. On Wednesday, either he'll be playing on back-to-back nights or the Bruins will resort to using backup Anton Khudobin (.885 save percentage). Either way, it bodes well for Williams, who has notched 17 goals in 50 games (and picked up an assist Tuesday).
DEFENSE
Alec Martinez, LOS vs. COL ($4,800): Since there are only three games Wednesday and only one team gets to play against the worst team in the NHL, it makes sense to load up on Kings. That includes Martinez, who is averaging an impressive 3.2 fantasy points per game. The Avalanche have allowed 32.3 shots on goal per contest, and Martinez has tallied 97 shots in 50 games.
Jake Muzzin, LOS vs. COL ($4,400): Like we said, this is a fantastic matchup. While Muzzin hasn't been quite as good as Martinez, he's actually put more shots on goal (109 in 50 games). He plays plenty of minutes, as he's averaged 22:04 a night, with 2:12 of that coming with the extra man. When you play that many minutes against the team that gives up the most goals in the league, it's likely to bode well from a fantasy perspective. On top of that, Muzzin comes pretty cheaply, letting you splash some money elsewhere in your lineup.
