This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
There are four NHL games on the docket after 7:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Despite the modest selection, there are plenty of enticing options to build around Wednesday, as three of the games feature massive favorites, The Maple Leafs are predicted to run up the score at home against a Devils team that's finishing up a back-to-back set in a game with an over/under of 7.0 goals. Colorado's a hefty home favorite against Vancouver, while Pittsburgh's favored in Buffalo. A Blackhawks-Ducks tossup rounds out the action, with each of the final three games coming in with an over/under of 6.0 goals.
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper, COL vs. VAN ($8,300): Kuemper's 30-8-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .923 save percentage overall, and he's in arguably his best form of the season, having allowed just two goals over his three-game winning streak. He'll face a Canucks team that seems to have run out of gas after briefly getting back into the playoff hunt, as Vancouver has won only once in its last six games.
Tristan Jarry, PIT at BUF ($8,200): Jarry's on an even longer winning streak, with eight goals allowed in his last five starts, all wins. A bottom-10 Buffalo offense that's scoring just 2.62 goals per game is unlikely to break Jarry's recent rhythm.
John Gibson, ANH vs. CHI ($7,800): It hasn't been pretty recently for Gibson, but perhaps a visit from a Blackhawks team that's averaging a slate-low 2.60 goals per game will help Anaheim's netminder get back on track. With his last win having come March 1, Gibson's an against-the-grain matchup-based play if you don't want to go with Colorado or Pittsburgh's goalie.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Patrick Kane, CHi at ANH ($6,400): Kane's a bargain at $6,400 given his phenomenal production over the past 12 games. In that span, he's averaging two points per game with a 7-17-24 line. Given Gibson's recent struggles in Anaheim's net, Kane's poised to keep building on his recent success.
Nazem Kadri, COL vs. VAN ($6,400): Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko could keep this one close if he's on his game, but Kadri's a nice value at $6,400. Colorado's second-line center is tied with Mikko Rantanen for the team points lead with a 23-52-75 line in 60 games. Nathan MacKinnon has been better on a per-game basis, but Kadri's $6,400 valuation offers substantial savings relative to MacKinnon's $9,000 and slight savings over Rantanen's $7,000. Kadri and Kuemper sounds a lot better than Rantanen and Gibson.
Jesper Bratt, NJ at TOR ($5,100): With either unproven Erik Kallgren or provenly bad Petr Mrzek starting in net for Toronto, New Jersey's offense should leave its mark in this one. Nobody's more likely to mark the scoresheet for the Devils than Bratt, who leads the team with 62 points in 58 games and shares the team goals lead with Jack Hughes at 21. Bratt's showing no signs of slowing down, having mustered a 2-5-7 line during his current four-game point streak.
Conor Garland, VAN at COL ($4,500): You probably don't want to commit significant resources to a team facing the Avalanche, but Garland's an intriguing stand-alone option at $4,500. He's mired in a goal drought that dates back to Feb. 24, but with 11 shots in his last three games, the first-line winger seems due to end that drought soon. This is an intriguing opportunity to buy low on Garland, who has a respectable 14 goals despite the recent slump.
Victor Olofsson, BUF vs. PIT ($3,200): Olofsson's been hampered by poor shooting luck, but he's starting to turn things around. He has a 2-1-3 line in the last five games and four goals in nine March appearances, but the Swede's shooting percentage still sits at a career-low 9.2 percent. If he continues to inch up toward his career mark of 11.6, Olofsson could see his $3,200 valuation climb down the stretch.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Devils
Auston Matthews (C - $9,200), Mitch Marner (W - $7,500), Michael Bunting (W - $4,100)
The Devils deployed Nico Daws in net last night, and with recently acquired goalie Andrew Hammond (lower body) on IR, that leaves Jon Gillies as the team's likely starter Wednesday. Gillies has been atrocious this season, with a 3-10-1 record, 3.73 GAA and .887 save percentage, so Toronto's high-powered top line should take advantage of this favorable matchup. Matthews has a league-high 46 goals in just 57 games, as well as 33 assists. Marner's 26-42-68 line in just 53 games is good for second on the team in both goals and points, while Bunting has developed great chemistry with Toronto's two stars en route to a 20-28-48 line through 62 games.
Penguins at Sabres
Evgeni Malkin (C - $6,200), Bryan Rust (W - $6,600), Danton Heinen (W - $3,000)
Some line shuffling has created a nice value opportunity, as Pittsburgh's second line is much more affordable than its first and now features two elite producers. Rust has been arguably the team's best player on a per-game basis, with a 21-29-50 line in just 42 appearances, while Malkin's 12-14-26 line in 28 games is also excellent per-game production. Both of those players will continue to feature on the top power-play unit as well. Heinen has slumped recently, but he's flashed some offensive capabilities with a 13-11-24 line in 58 games this season. This trio should remain productive against a Sabres team that's allowing 3.48 goals per game.
Ducks vs. Blackhawks
Trevor Zegras (C - $3,700), Troy Terry (W - $3,900), Derek Grant (W - $2,500)
Some people might not even look at the Ducks given the other offenses in action, but this line offers three exceptional value options against a Chicago team that's relying on Kevin Lankinen (3-8-4 with a 3.51 GAA and .889 save percentage) as its top option in net. Terry leads the team in both goals (30) and points (53) through 60 games, and he's been held without a point only once in his last five. Zegras' 16-30-46 line has him second on the team in both categories, while the affordable Grant moved up to this line after the trade that sent Rickard Rakell to Pittsburgh and immediately took advantage of the opportunity with two goals on five shots Monday.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL vs. VAN ($6,600): Roman Josi's recent hot streak has the Nashville blueliner leading all defensemen with 78 points, but Makar should be able to give him a run for his money before the season's through. Makar boasts a 22-49-71 line through 59 games, leading all blueliners in goals and ranking second in points. He has six points in his last three games and is likely to extend that point streak in this one.
Dougie Hamilton, NJ at TOR ($5,900): Between his high shot volume and shot-blocking ability, Hamilton offers excellent value, even before we look at his scoring ability. Over his last eight games, Hamilton has totaled at least three shots five times and at least three blocks five times. He's also riding a modest two-game point streak that's raised his season line to 9-17-26 in 43 games, putting him on a 50-point, 82-game pace. In a game that should feature plenty of offense at both ends, Hamilton will have lots of opportunities to accrue value.
Mike Matheson, PIT at BUF ($4,100): Matheson has a 2-2-4 line in his last six games, as well as a pair of four-shot performances over that span. He doesn't cost too much and has a plus matchup, so Matheson has a good chance of outplaying his $4,100 valuation in Buffalo.
Mark Giordano, TOR vs. NJ ($3,800): Giordano isn't the stat-stuffer he was in his prime, but he's still a well-rounded contributor and should jump into a top-four role right away with his hometown team after being acquired from the Kraken via trade. At just $3,800, Giordano's a low-risk, high-reward play in his Maple Leafs debut.
