This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Leading up to their holiday break, the NHL is very busy this week…except for Wednesday. There are only two games Wednesday. However, if you want to get the most out of your daily fantasy opportunities before Christmas, you can still take a shot at Wednesday's limited lineup. Let's check out the best values.
GOALIE
Cam Talbot, EDM at ARI ($8,100): Yes, Talbot is the most expensive goalie Wednesday, but this is a case of "Keep it simple, stupid." The Coyotes are terrible. They have a minus-29 goal differential and are dead last in goals per game (2.16). Talbot is having a solid year (.917 save percentage), but this is as much about the matchup as anything else.
CENTER
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS at PHI ($5,700): The Flyers have been better defensively recently, but they're still allowing 2.91 goals per game on the season, and Steve Mason has a .908 save percentage. Kuznetsov has been playing better recently as well, notching eight points in his last seven games. With only two games on the docket, not every matchup is going to be ideal, but you can make a good case for Kuznetsov here.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM at ARI ($5,100): It's much easier to make a case for The Nuge against the Coyotes. Arizona gives up 3.13 goals per game and a whopping 35.4 shots on net per tilt. Nugent-Hopkins may get overlooked – not being Connor McDavid will do that to you – but he's notched 95 shots on goal in 34 games. If not for his low 6.3 shooting percentage, he'd probably be having a really good year. The Coyotes can definitely help him on that front.
WING
Jordan Eberle, EDM at ARI ($6,000): Look, even if there were more than four teams in action, there would probably be a few Oilers selected, given this matchup. The fact there are only two games, though, makes it quite easy. Arizona's lack of defensive bona fides is well established. For his part, Eberle has 23 points, including nine on the power play, and he gets to spend time with McDavid. On top of everything else, the Coyotes are 23rd on the penalty kill.
Radim Vrbata, ARI vs. EDM ($5,600): Vrbata is the one Coyotes forward you can truly justify selecting for your fantasy lineup. He leads Arizona with eight goals in 32 games, and he's put a whopping 99 shots on net. The Oilers are a middle-of-the-road team in shots allowed (30.1), but that's good enough to make this a worthwhile matchup for Vrbata, especially with options in short supply.
Jakub Vrana, WAS at PHI ($3,900): Let's say you want to save some cash so you can afford the likes of Talbot or McDavid. Vrana is an interesting choice. The rookie has only played in nine games, but he's averaging 2.2 fantasy points per game in that time. He's also got two power-play points already, perhaps a sign the Capitals have some faith in the 20-year-old.
DEFENSEMEN
Oscar Klefbom, EDM at ARI ($4,800): Okay, it's been too long since we've had an Oiler. Klefbom is having an under-the-radar season, averaging 2.9 fantasy points per game. He's playing 21:32 a night, with 2:36 of that on the power play, and he's notched 82 shots on goal. In this matchup with the Coyotes, those opportunities have a good chance to pay off for the Swedish blueliner.
Andrej Sekera, EDM at ARI ($4,900): Sekera doesn't take as many shots as Klefbom (he's only tallied 43), but he four goals and 16 points, including five on the power play. Some of Sekera's fantasy value comes from blocked shots – he's got 58 of those – which make not come into play all that much against Arizona's unimpressive offense. However, Sekera could easily make up for that on the offensive side of the ice in this matchup.
