This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Wednesday's NHL slate is the last one before the All-Star break, and it features six games beginning at 7:30 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players are primed to hit the break on a high note and which ones are likely to underwhelm and should thus be avoided.
GOALIE
Jordan Binnington, STL at ANH ($32): Binnington has been tremendous in limited action this season, posting a 1.96 GAA and .924 save percentage through eight appearances. He gets a golden opportunity to improve on those already robust numbers against a Ducks team that comes in averaging 2.32 goals per game. Only the Kings score fewer.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Pheonix Copley, WAS at TOR ($33): Copley's quite pricey for a backup, coming in valued at $33. He's scored a combined 2.4 fantasy points in his past four appearances, including minus-8.4 over the last two, and things are likely to get even worse for Copley with his team playing the second leg of a back-to-back on the road against a Maple Leafs team that's scoring 3.50 goals per game.
CENTER
Bo Horvat, VAN vs. CAR ($20): Horvat's enjoying a nice hot streak, having recorded 12.5 or more fantasy points in three of the past four contest. He should stay hot against a Hurricanes team that's playing its second game in as many nights and has allowed three-plus goals in each of its past nine games.
CENTER TO AVOID
William Karlsson, VGK vs. NSH ($19): Karlsson's mired in a rut, having been held off the scoresheet in nine of his past 10 games. He's unlikely to turn things around in this battle of top-five defensive teams.
WINGS
Kasperi Kapanen, TOR vs. WAS ($16): Kapanen's playing at a point-per-game pace over his past five, and this little hot streak has raised his season totals to a balanced 15 goals, 15 assists and plus-17 rating. As long as he keeps, skating on Toronto's top line, Kapanen should offer both a high rating floor and a high offensive ceiling. Don't be surprised if he plays up to his ceiling against a tired Capitals team that given up 24 goals in its past four games.
Brendan Gallagher, MON vs. ARI ($18): Gallagher has outperformed his valuation all season -- his average of 7.1 fantasy points per game is the highest among all wingers that cost $20 or less. There's little reason for him to slow down here, as the Canadiens will play host to a Coyotes team that's playing its second road game in as many nights.
WINGS TO AVOID
Tom Wilson, WAS at TOR ($21): Wilson has struggled recently, posting just one multi-point performance over his past 22 appearances and averaging only 1.0 fantasy point in his past six games. Traveling to Toronto for the second night of a back-to-back while his team's been hemorrhaging goals at an alarming rate is unlikely to help Wilson turn things around.
Conor Garland, ARI at MON ($17): Garland's ice time has been dropping precipitously. He's skated under 11:30 in three of his past six games, including a season-low 8:07 Tuesday. It's hard to live up to a $17 valuation with so little playing time, and facing Carey Price in Montreal likely won't help.
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan Suter, MIN at COL ($16): Suter ranks second in the league with an average ice time of 26:35, and that heavy workload includes a role on Minnesota's top power-play unit. The veteran defensemen could well parlay that power-play role into points against an Avalanche penalty kill that's tied for sixth-worst in the league at 77.0 percent.
Shea Weber, MON vs. ARI ($19): It's hard to pass up Weber at just $19, especially in a decent home matchup. He's recorded a pair of multi-point games over the past three, and Weber's average of 7.5 fantasy points per game is the best mark among all defensemen that cost less than $20. Weber may not stay this cheap much longer, so take advantage while you can.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
P.K. Subban, NSH at VGK ($21): Subban's another slumping player who's unlikely to get back on track in what should be a low-scoring matchup. Over the past six games, Subban has just one assist without a goal.
Tyson Barrie, COL vs. MIN ($21): Barrie relies on the power play for a significant chunk of his production -- 17 of his 38 points this season have come with the extra man. That portion of his game is likely to be neutralized here, though, as Minnesota sports the league's second-stingiest penalty kill (84.7 percent.
