This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
There are four games Wednesday, with both the Flames and Wild facing elimination. Toronto and Ottawa own 2-1 leads in their respective series and will look to grab convincing strangleholds, but it won't be easy. Here are a number of players to consider while assembling your FanDuel lineups.
GOALIE
Jake Allen, STL vs. MIN ($9,000): Minnesota has registered 117 shots and scored just three goals through the first three games of the series. Allen has made a number of key saves, but the Wild have also shown a propensity to blindly fire the puck on the net from everywhere, which has enabled Allen to pad his fantasy point total with easy save after easy save. St. Louis doesn't need to win Game 4 for Allen to reward on this salary, either.
CENTER
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS at TOR ($7,400): It took five minutes of Game 3 for Backstrom to reward Monday, and with three points and eight shots in the series, he provides a high floor. He's the go-to offensive center in all situations for the Caps, and head coach Barry Trotz has said he needs to lean on his best players more in Game 4.
Kyle Turris, OTT at BOS ($5,300): The pivot has been limited to just a single assist and five shots through the first three games of the series, but he remains the top offensive center for the Senators. Additionally, Turris should continue to see soft matchups with Derick Brassard matching up against Patrice Bergeron. At this salary, counting on a breakout showing from Turris is hardly a risky investment.
WING
Rickard Rakell, ANA at CGY ($6,200): Dating back to the regular season, Rakell sports a five-game point streak with three goals, eight points and 12 shots. He posted an elite 1.6 goals per 60 minutes in the regular season, and Brian Elliott has allowed 11 goals in the series, including five on just 27 shots in Game 3. Rakell's salary presents plenty of value, and down 3-0, Calgary might have already waved the white flag.
William Nylander, TOR vs. WAS ($5,800): The winger has been dangerous all series (12 shots) and finally found the back of the net in Game 3. However, what's most impressive is his ability to drive possession and scoring chances. While Nylander was on the ice, Toronto had 23 shot attempts and six high-danger scoring chances over just 16:15 of ice time Monday.
Marcus Johansson, WAS at TOR ($4,900): The winger offers sneaky fantasy value because of his second-line role at even strength and power-play gig with the No. 1 unit. He shares the ice with Washington's five best forwards, and Johansson has passed the eye test through the first three games while picking up an assist in the past two outings. Considering his role and offensive upside after posting career-high numbers during the regular season, there's plenty of profit potential in this salary.
DEFENSE
Erik Karlsson, OTT at BOS ($7,400): The star has logged over 30 minutes of ice time in consecutive games, and he has four assists, eight shots and eight blocked shots through the first three contests. Karlsson has tilted the ice in his favor at five-on-five with a 66.77 Corsi For percentage, which is encouraging, considering the health concerns he carried into the playoffs. This salary isn't prohibitive enough to view Karlsson as anything other than a lineup lock thanks to his floor-ceiling combo.
Dmitry Orlov, WAS at TOR ($3,800): The 25-year-old defenseman has consistently passed the eye test with his skating ability and offensive vision through the first three games, and he's logged the most five-on-five ice time of any Washington defenseman (72:48). As far as value plays go, few offer the raw skill Orlov boasts, and he's also attached to a potent offense in dire need of a win.
