Sandwiched between busy Tuesday and Thursday slates is a lighter night for hockey. There are three games on the docket Wednesday. The action starts with the Devils hosting Minnesota at 7 p.m. ET, followed by a 7:30 start (Detroit at Buffalo) and an 8:30 matchup (Montreal at Calgary).
SLATE PREVIEW
New Jersey is playing in the second half of a back-to-back set, so fatigue might be a bit of a factor there. The other five squads playing tonight are rested, but Detroit and Montreal will play again Thursday, which might influence those teams' lineup decisions.
GOALIES
John Gibson, DET at BUF ($7,200): Gibson had a rough start to his Detroit tenure, allowing five goals on 13 shots before being yanked in a 5-1 loss to Montreal on Oct. 9. He got a few games off after that and looked much better once the Red Wings went back to him, winning his past two outings while saving 47 of 50 shots (.940 save percentage). Detroit as a team is riding high -- the squad has won five straight games -- so this is a nice time to lean on the Red Wings' goaltender over the struggling Sabres. The only question is if Gibson or Cam Talbot ($7,200) will get the start Wednesday, especially given that this is the first half of a back-to-back, so the next two games will presumably be split between them. Talbot, who has a 3-0-0 record, 1.78 GAA and .932 save percentage in four appearances this year, is a great selection if he's set to be the starter Wednesday. Just keep an eye out to make sure you're taking the one who is set to get the nod.
Filip Gustavsson, MIN at NJD ($7,000): Gustavsson has a 2-3-0 record, 3.04 GAA and .899 save percentage across five outings this year, which obviously isn't good. However, he should still have a great season overall, and he might have ended his recent slump with a 23-save performance en route to a 3-1 win over the Rangers on Monday. It doesn't hurt that he'll face the Devils in the second half of their back-to-back set, so the team might not have the same kind of punch that they're normally known for.
VALUE PLAYS
Ivan Demidov, MON at CAL ($4,700): Demidov isn't going to stay this cheap forever, so you may as well take him while he is. The 19-year-old rookie has a goal and five points through seven appearances this year, and he seems to be only getting better, collecting four points over his past four outings.
Vladimir Tarasenko, MIN at NJD ($4,400): Tarasenko disappointed with Detroit last year, supplying just 33 points in 80 appearances, but Minnesota seems to be a better fit for him. The 33-year-old has a goal and five points in seven outings this year. It helps that he's part of the first power-play unit -- four of his points have come with the man advantage.
FORWARD LINE STACK
Canadiens at Flames
Nick Suzuki (C - $7,300), Cole Caufield (W - $6,700), Juraj Slafkovsky (W - $5,300)
It remains to be seen if Montreal's 5-2-0 start is reflective of how the squad will do this season, but even if the Canadiens' record gets less impressive as the season goes on, they should remain a very fun team. Montreal has so many great offensive weapons, and at the heart of that is the Canadiens' superb top line.
Caufield set career highs last season with 37 goals and 70 points, and he'll likely do even better this season. He already has five goals and eight points through Montreal's opening seven games. It helps that he's sharing the ice with Suzuki, who has recorded a goal and 10 points through seven appearances. After being held off the scoresheet in Montreal's season opener, Suzuki has recorded at least a point in six straight games.
Slafkovsky hasn't been as impressive but he's capable of big moments, too. He has three goals through seven outings, including a goal in each of his past two games.
DEFENSEMEN
Lane Hutson, MON at CAL ($6,000): Hutson was quiet in Montreal's first two games this year, but he put that behind him by tallying a goal and five points over his past five appearances. What's surprising is that none of his production so far has come with the man advantage. Of his 66 points during the 2024-25 regular season, 26 of them were recorded on the power play. It shouldn't be long before Hutson starts producing on special teams.
Zeev Buium, MIN at NJD ($6,000): Buium showed the world why he's so highly regarded when he scored a goal and five points over three games from Oct. 11 to 14. He hasn't recorded a point in the three games since that hot streak, but there's not much in the way of appealing defensemen tonight, so this isn't a bad day to take a chance on a talented defenseman who has been a touch cold recently. Buium, whom Minnesota selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, should end up having a strong rookie season after scoring 13 goals and 48 points in 41 outings with the University of Denver as a sophomore last year.
