This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Welcome to a new season of FanDuel daily NHL! All year long, we'll be providing you with value plays to help you craft the best lineups you can, and Wednesday's four-game Opening Night slate comes with a healthy number of promising options to target in hopes of opening the season on a high note.
GOALIE
Martin Jones, SJ vs. LA ($8,600): With goalie prices tight across the eight starters, turn to Jones with confidence. He posted a 1.92 GAA and .926 save percentage over his final 30 home starts last year, including the playoffs. He also bounced the Kings from the postseason in the first round, and that was a stronger collection of talent than the one that will travel to the Shark Tank on Wednesday.
CENTER
Kyle Turris, OTT vs. TOR ($5,000): Underpriced and in a potentially strong matchup, Turris is a solid value lean Wednesday. Remember, he started last year with 13 goals and 13 helpers through his first 32 games before an ankle injury derailed his season. There's a lot of optimism in Toronto, but the roster will likely feature six rookies, so there should be a number of high-danger chances for Turris to find the scoresheet.
Mitch Marner, TOR at OTT ($3,800): Handed a top-six role out of training camp alongside veterans Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk, Marner is a cheap flier with tremendous offensive gifts. While he's likely best suited to a contrarian lineup, returning value on his discounted salary isn't a long shot.
WING
Jordan Eberle, EDM vs. CGY ($6,300): Here's an opportunity to grab cheaper exposure to Connor McDavid. Eberle is expected to share the ice with McDavid in all situations, and the duo combined to post an impressive 3.79 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five last season.
Mike Hoffman, OTT vs. TOR ($5,500): As an accomplished scorer coming off a 59-point campaign, Hoffman presents great value at this salary. Over the past two seasons, Hoffman's 2.89 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five in home games rank second in the league, further highlighting his underrated standing despite exceptional offensive production over a long stretch.
Robby Fabbri, STL at CHI ($4,500): Fabbri hit his stride down the stretch as a rookie with 19 points through the final 26 games of the regular season, and followed it up with 15 points in 20 playoff games. The sophomore has ascended to a top-six role and is expected to skate with capable veterans Alexander Steen and Paul Stastny on Wednesday, giving him significant upside at a low price.
Joonas Donskoi, SJ vs. LA ($3,900): Projected to play a top-six role with Logan Couture and Mikkel Boedker, Donskoi offers plenty of upside at his cap hit. Including the playoffs, the 24-year-old Finn scored 35 points over 69 games to finish last season. His offensive numbers and role don't jive with his salary, which means there's profit opportunity here.
DEFENSE
Oscar Klefbom, EDM vs. CGY ($4,000): Expect Klefbom to have a large market share of the offensive opportunities spread among the Edmonton defense corps. He averaged 3:17 of power-play time in the preseason and has flashed nice upside early in his career with 0.36 points per game over the past two seasons.
Nikita Zaitsev, TOR at OTT ($3,500): After passing the eye test in both the World Hockey Championship and the World Cup of Hockey, Zaitsev is in line to receive a significant role with Toronto right away. He averaged 3:30 of power-play time per game during the preseason and checks out as a nice bargain-basement flier Wednesday.
