This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Well, there's nothing lion-esque about Wednesday's NHL schedule, as there are a mere two games on the docket in the aftermath of the trade deadline. Nevertheless, we press on in the daily fantasy world, so here are some players to target for your DraftKings lineup.
GOALIE
Scott Darling, CHI vs. PIT ($7,600): OK, so Pittsburgh has a great offense, but Darling is no slouch – after all, he has a 2.18 GAA and a .929 save percentage. The Blackhawks have also won four in a row and nine of their last 10 contests. Meanwhile, the Penguins are only 13-10-5 on the road, so this is a good spot to take advantage of them. Additionally, Pittsburgh will be on the second night of a back-to-back, and that could mean Marc-Andre Fleury in net. Fleury has a 3.16 GAA and a .906 save percentage, so he could further increase Darling's chances of picking up a win.
CENTER
Victor Rask, CAR vs. TAM ($4,700): After a cold stretch, Rask has three points in his last three games, so he's gotten back on the board. That's not terribly surprising, considering that he's started 41.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second-highest on the Hurricanes and a particularly high percentage for an NHLer. With Ben Bishop now a King, the Lightning's ostensible starter is Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has a 2.75 GAA and .912 save percentage. The Bolts also have the 17th-ranked penalty kill, and Rask has chipped in a decent eight power-play points over 58 games.
Brayden Point, TAM vs. CAR ($4,000): Since returning from injury, Point has notched nine points in 11 games. The Hurricanes have allowed 2.83 goals per game, and they will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back when they meet up with the Lightning. That could mean Eddie Lack in net, and Lack has had a particularly rough season (3.24 GAA, .883 save percentage). Even if Cam Ward tends the goal, he only has a .905 save percentage himself. Point is quite cheap, making him a nice value play on this small slate.
WING
Artemi Panarin, CHI vs. PIT ($6,400): Panarin has started a whopping 46.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the third-highest percentage in the NHL. As such, perhaps it isn't surprising that he's tallied 19 goals and 36 assists in 62 games. The Pens, meanwhile, have allowed 32.3 shots on goal per game, and their penalty kill ranks 20th in the league. Panarin has notched 15 power-play points, which is just another mark in his favor Wednesday.
Sebastian Aho, CAR at TAM ($5,100): Jeff Skinner went back to Raleigh to be reevaluated for an injury, and if he can't play Wednesday, that should lead to more minutes for Aho, including extra power-play time. Tampa has allowed 30.0 shots on goal per game, and the Finnish rookie has taken 39 shots on goal in his last 12 contests, so he's been providing a good floor and he has a solid chance to produce more offense in this one.
Ondrej Palat, TAM vs. CAR ($5,000): As mentioned previously, the Hurricanes will be on the second night of a back-to-back and Lack has been having a season to forget. Palat isn't having a great season himself, but he is playing a career-high 18:14 per game alongside his 30 points in 54 contests. With so few teams in action, it's definitely worth paying this price to use Palat against a struggling Carolina team that has major goaltending issues.
DEFENSEMEN
Duncan Keith, CHI vs. PIT ($5,500): Always a blue-line workhorse, Keith has played a whopping 25:51 per game this season, tallying 42 points and 140 shots on goal along the way. Considering that Fleury has a 3.16 GAA, while the Penguins have allowed 32.3 shots on goa per contest, Keith should be able to make a real impact in the offensive zone. He's also averaged 3:16 a night on the power play, tallying 15 points in that time. As previously mentioned, Pittsburgh has league's the 20th-ranked penalty kill. Additionally, Keith has blocked 80 shots, while the Penguins have attempted 59.6 shots attempts per 60 minutes, sixth in the NHL.
Justin Schultz, PIT at CHI ($4,800): While Darling has been impressive for the Blackhawks, Chicago's overall defensive profile isn't as sterling. The Blackhawks have allowed 31.1 shots on goal per game, and their penalty kill is ranked 28th in the NHL. Schultz has averaged 3.1 fantasy points per game and tallied 13 power-play points, with much of his finest production coming with Kris Letang (who's currently injured… again) out of the lineup. The breakout blueliner has looked none the worse for wear since returning from a concussion, and his combo of price and upside makes him an easy pick for this slate.
