This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
While this week will be busier than usual thanks to the NHL taking a break from action starting Friday, that doesn't hold true for Wednesday. There are only four games on the slate Wednesday, which is a far cry from the busy dockets Tuesday and Thursday. Nevertheless, you can still play daily fantasy Wednesday, so here are some picks to consider…
GOALIE
Frederik Andersen, TOR at DET ($34): The Red Wings are the only team playing both Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning they are the only team that has to deal with the hassles of competing on back-to-back nights. That also could mean Petr Mrazek (3.13 GAA, .895 save percentage) is in net for Detroit. Toronto has averaged 3.09 goals per game, while the Wings have only scored 2.43 goals per game. Andersen's chances of winning seem strong, and that goes a long way, especially with only four games on the slate.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR vs. PHI ($32): Lundqvist's last few starts have been better, but in January he has a 3.60 GAA and a .879 save percentage. The Flyers, meanwhile, have scored 2.73 goals per game and notched 31.9 shots on goal per contest. They also rank ninth on the power play. It's sort of a weird collection of goalies to choose from Wednesday, but King Henrik's January woes are enough of a reason to be a little concerned.
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CENTERBo Horvat, VAN at COL ($16): Colorado has been dead-last in goals allowed per game for much of the season, and nothing has changed. The Avalanche have given up 3.38 goals per game on 32.1 shots on goal per contest. Unfortunately, the Canucks don't have a ton of offensive talent to take advantage of this matchup. At least they have Horvat, who is averaging 5.4 fantasy points per game. In this matchup, it wouldn't be surprising in the slightest to seem him do even better than that.
CENTER TO AVOID
Claude Giroux, PHI at NYR ($25): Giroux is having a fine year, but is only averaging 6.5 fantasy points per game. While Lundqvist has struggled in January, the Rangers are ranked 11th on the penalty kill, which could hinder Giroux a bit, considering 21 of his 39 points have come on the power play.
WING
James van Riemsdyk, TOR at DET ($21): As previously mentioned, the Wings are playing on back-to-back nights, and Mrazek could be between the pipes. If it's not Mrazek, unproven 25-year-old rookie Jared Coreau will have to pull double-duty for Detroit. Most of Toronto's best offensive players are listed as centers, but at least JVR is here. He's notched 12 points and 28 shots on goal in his last nine contests.
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR vs. PHI ($17): Since returning from a lengthy injury absence, Buchnevich has played pretty well. He's tallied six points in six games, and averaged 2:39 a night on the power play. Overall, in 16 games he's registered 14 points. The Flyers have allowed 3.13 goals per game, and their penalty kill ranks 20th. Buchnevich seems to have found his footing post-injury, and he comes at a reasonable price that lets you bet on his upside.
WINGS TO AVOID
Corey Perry, ANA vs. EDM ($22): The Oilers rank just outside the top 10 in goals allowed per game, and Cam Talbot has a 2.41 GAA with a .919 save percentage. While much has been made of Perry's bad shooting luck, the fact remains he only has two goals over his last 20 games. He's one of the pricier wings available Wednesday, and for him to be worth this price his luck has to finally turn around.
Connor Brown, TOR at DET ($18): Brown is only averaging 5.1 fantasy points per game, which sticks out as being notably lower than the options surrounding him. He's also only played 44 seconds per game with the extra man, so he'll be no help there. While this matchup is fine, Brown is a rookie whose numbers pale in comparison to many of his cohorts, so this is more about having better options than Brown being a bad option per se.
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Gardiner, TOR at DET ($15): On the other hand, Gardiner can definitely contribute some power-play points to your daily fantasy lineup. Gardiner, who has averaged 2:35 per game with the extra man, has eight of the aforementioned power-play points. The Wings rank 18th on the penalty kill over the season, which bodes well for Gardiner's chances to grab a point with the man advantage.
Troy Stecher, VAN at COL ($13): It'd be nice to get a Canucks defenseman in your lineup against the Avalanche, but with Alexander Edler considered day-to-day, Stecher seems like the best bet. Stecher hasn't been hugely prolific, but has averaged 3:11 on the power play with six points in that time. He's also quite cheap, which will allow you to spend up elsewhere while still getting a blueliner in Wednesday's best matchup.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Cam Fowler, ANA vs. EDM ($20): Fowler snapped out of a cold streak recently, but still only has four points (none on the power play) in his last 17 games. That's concerning, especially since this isn't a particularly great matchup for Fowler.
Oscar Klefbom, EDM at ANA ($18): The Ducks have been surprisingly stingy this season, and no team has a better GAA in January (1.58). On the season, they've only allowed 2.48 goals and 29.2 shots on net per tilt. One third of Klefbom's points have come on the power play as well, and the Ducks rank eighth on the penalty kill.
