FanDuel NHL: Wednesday Targets

FanDuel NHL: Wednesday Targets

This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.

SLATE PREVIEW

The Sharks will conclude their season with a home date against the Golden Knights (9 p.m. EDT), as will the Senators, who host the Maple Leafs (8 p.m.) Though the West Division playoff teams are set, seeding is still yet to be determined. A point will lock up home-ice advantage for the Avalanche and a win will keep them in the race for the division title. They will host the Kings (9 p.m.), while the Wild will visit the Blues (9 p.m.)

GOALIES

Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK at SJ ($8,400): Fleury's odds of extending his winning streak to nine games seem pretty high against the Sharks, who have lost every single game against the Knights this season. Fleury's a perfect 5-0 with a .942 Sv% and 1.60 GAA against the Sharks, and even with a shorthanded lineup, the Knights have a huge edge.

Philipp Grubauer, COL vs. LA ($8,200): Either Avs goalie should be a good play against the Kings, who are more focused on preparing their young players and prospects for the following season. The Kings have lost three straight games, two of them against the Avs, although they've all been one-goal losses. They might keep it close, but the Avs are by far the better team.

Filip Gustavsson, OTT vs. TOR ($7,400): Consider this a value play, where the Sens are 2-2-0 against the Leafs at home. Gustavsson's numbers have been pretty good lately, limiting the Jets to three goals in two games and the Flames to two goals in two games. Frederik Andersen will be starting at the other end of the ice, and not only will he be rusty, he hasn't been very good when healthy. The Leafs may choose to rest some of their players, which bodes well for the Sens.

VALUE PLAYS

Shane Pinto, OTT vs. TOR ($3,400): The Leafs aren't an easy opponent for the two-way center, but Pinto's showed very well so far since turning pro. He's scored three points in his past three games and has averaged 15 minutes during that span. Pinto will likely have Tim Stutzle on his wing on the second line.

Mattias Janmark, VGK at SJ ($3,500): With Max Pacioretty unavailable, Janmark moved up to the top line and played 21 minutes, finishing with two shots and blocking one. His offensive upside isn't very high but he's getting a lot of opportunities playing opposite Mark Stone.

Gabriel Vilardi, LA at COL ($3,600): Vilardi has a chance to extend his scoring streak to five games, and playing the Avs doesn't seem to deter him; he scored two points on five shots in their previous two-game series. Vilardi will center the second line with Alex Iafallo and Lias Andersson on the wings.

Alexander Barabanov, SJ vs. VGK ($3,600): Barabanov couldn't crack the Leafs roster but he's excelled with the Sharks. Over the past five games he's scored two goals and three assists playing on the top line with Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane.

LINE STACKS

Avalanche vs. Kings

Nathan MacKinnon (C - $8,800), Gabriel Landeskog (W - $6,800), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,100)

The Avs will at least try to win the division title to avoid a first-round matchup against the Wild, and MacKinnon looked pretty good in his first game back from injury. Look for the Avs to lean on this line as they have done all season.

DEFENSEMEN

Shea Theodore, VGK at SJ ($6,400): If the Knights have to play shorthanded again, expect Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo ($6,200) to play a lot of minutes, though Theodore generally has more offensive upside.

Cale Makar, COL vs. LA ($6,100): Makar's one of the few defensemen who are averaging a point per game, and it's a good matchup against a team that bleeds a lot of shots. Makar has two goals and five points in four games against the Kings this season.

Justin Faulk, STL vs. MIN ($4,300): He's got the hot hand with a goal and five helpers in his past five games. It's a meaningless game for the Blues, who will likely face Vegas in the opening round, but look for Faulk to continue to play big minutes.

Nicolas Hague, VGK at SJ ($3,600): Hague has a huge shot from the point that he's not afraid to unleash, and he's collected three assists in his past three games. His ice time crept up to 17 minutes with Vegas playing shorthanded, and if they play a few players short, Hague is a potential value play.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Chen
Jason won the 2021 FSWA Hockey Writer of the Year award, and was also a finalist on 2019. He joined RotoWire in 2013. Jason has also written for Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, The Hockey News, The Hockey Hall of Fame's Legends Magazine, and Centre Ice Magazine.
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