This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
Hopefully you didn't get too used to have a lot of hockey action again, because Wednesday there are only three games on the NHL slate. Still, some hockey is better than none. Here are some recommendations for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
San Jose Sharks, SAN at DET ($16,300): Wednesday is a bad day for goalies, so the Sharks get the nod even though they will be on the road for the second night of a back-to-back. Aaron Dell, who has a 2.51 GAA and a .917 save percentage, will likely be in net, which is fairly encouraging. Also, Detroit is only 10-10-7 at home. On top of that, the Wings have only scored 2.56 goals per game while putting 29.6 shots on net per contest. That gives the Sharks the most favorable matchup of the day.
CENTER
Evgeny Kuznetsov, WAS vs. PHI ($13,600): Though Kuznetsov was dealing with a groin issue before the All-Star break, he says that he's good to go for this game. That bodes well, as he has six points in his last seven contests. The Flyers aren't looking so lucky on the injury front. Brian Elliott is on injured reserve, and Michael Neuvirth is day-to-day with an illness. That could leave the Flyers needing to use their third-string goalie Alex Lyon, who is a 25-year-old without an NHL game to his name.
Nazem Kadri, TOR vs. NYI ($10,100): Kadri had a rough patch there for a while, but in the final four games before the All-Star break he had four points. However, even if he hadn't broken his dry spell you'd have to like the opportunity at hand here. The Islanders have the worst team GAA in the league, and they are going to be on the road for the second night of a back-to-back. That's only going to make New York more vulnerable, and it already has a team GAA of 3.63 on the road.
WING
T.J. Oshie, WAS vs. PHI ($11,900): Oshie isn't going to score 33 goals in 68 games like he did last year, but there is still a lot to like about him. For example, he's averaged 3:40 per game with the extra man, and he has 12 power-play points in 43 tilts. The Flyers, meanwhile, have struggled mightily on the penalty kill. Philly ranks 28th in penalty-kill percentage.
Zach Hyman, TOR vs. NYI ($8,800): Hyman has been skating on the top line for the Maple Leafs, and he's notched four points in his last five contests. As previously noted, the Islanders have a league-worst 3.63 road team GAA. On top of that, they have a team GAA of 3.67 when playing on zero days of rest. You aren't going to find a better matchup for a player than this.
Kevin Labanc, SAN at DET ($8,300): Labanc has started 60.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, most of any San Jose forward. Though he only has five goals, he has 21 assists, and his 6.1 shooting percentage could definitely improve with some puck luck. The Wings have a 3.02 team GAA, which is bottom 10 in the NHL, and they've allowed 31.9 shots on net per contest as well.
DEFENSE
John Carlson, WAS vs. PHI ($14,000): Carlson has 38 points through 49 games, putting him easily on pace to crack the 40-point mark for the second time in his career, and probably the 50-point mark for the second time. He's averaged a career-high in ice time (26:07) and power-play time (4:00), and he's notched 17 points with the extra man. The Flyers have the 28th ranked penalty kill, and if Lyon is in net they aren't likely to be much better than that in this game.
Jake Gardiner, TOR vs. NYI ($9,300): With Morgan Rielly out, Gardiner has an even bigger role for the Leafs, and it's been paying off recently. He currently has a five-game point streak, and he's notched nine points in that time. On top of everything else, the Islanders have the 31st ranked penalty kill.
