This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
We're closing in on the midway point of the season, and there are five games on the docket Wednesday night. None of the teams that are playing tonight also played last night; the Ducks and the Blue Jackets will play tonight and Thursday night.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Maple Leafs (-310) are the biggest favorites tonight, while the matchup between the Blackhawks and the Red Wings (-126) is listed as the tightest game. The Avalanche-Bruins matchup is the only one with a 6.5 O/U.
All advanced statistics are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
GOALIES
Jack Campbell, TOR vs. ANH ($8,600): Campbell has registered a .927 save percentage and a 19-6-3 record amid a fierce Vezina Trophy race. He's the chalk tonight against the Ducks, who rank 21st in January with 2.36 xGF/60 at even strength, though he's better suited for cash games than GPP.
Jacob Markstrom, CGY at CLS ($8,400): Much like Campbell, Markstrom is set up quite well Wednesday. The Blue Jackets' offense is lethargic, and Markstrom has been fantastic on the road this year, generating a .932 save percentage and an 8-5-1 record.
Marc-Andre Fleury, CHI at DET ($7,500): The Blackhawks and the Red Wings are tied for 26th over the last month with 2.09 xGF/60 at even strength. In turn, this should be a low-scoring game, and FanDuel Sportsbooks agrees, listing this matchup with 5.5 O/U. Fleury has been solid behind a suspect defense all season, and he has taken it up a notch on the road, posting a .921 save percentage and a 7-7-1 record in opponents' barns.
Pavel Francouz, COL vs. BOS ($8,200): Injuries kept Francouz off the ice for the entire 2020-21 season, and he didn't make his debut this season until mid-December. While he still has just 43 NHL appearances, Francouz has excellent, recording a .925 save percentage and a 27-10-4 record. He's a high-risk option against the Bruins, making him an intriguing contrarian option for tournaments.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Alex DeBrincat, CHI at DET (W - $7,700): DeBrincat ranks fifth in the league with 24 goals – 10 on the power play – through 42 games. He continues to average more than 20 minutes of ice time per game while firing 3.1 shots on net per game. The Red Wings rank 25th with a 3.29 GAA this season, and their PK (78.8 percent) isn't a major barrier for the 24-year-old winger.
Robby Fabbri, DET vs. CHI (W - $4,800): Fabbri has been average this year with 11 goals and seven assists through 40 games, and he has lit the lamp four times with the man advantage. Fleury can ruin an opponent's night, but Chicago's 26th-ranked PK (75.6 percent) provides an opportunity for Fabbri to strike on the team's top power play.
Isac Lundestrom, ANH at TOR (C - $4,600): The 2018 first-round pick has taken the next step in his career with nine goals and 20 points through 44 games while averaging 16:08 of ice time. I still think Campbell is the chalk tonight, but it's worth noting that he's allowed 18 total goals over his last four starts. Lundestrom's still flying under the radar a bit and comes at a value tonight.
Sean Monahan, CGY at CBJ (C - $4,700): Monahan has been demoted to the third line, but he's still earning his worth on the power play. The 27-year-old has accrued 12 of his 19 points with the man advantage, and the Blue Jackets' PK (79.6 percent) may struggle to shut down the Flames' top power-play unit.
LINE STACKS
Flames 
vs. Blue Jackets
Elias Lindholm (C - $6,400), Johnny Gaudreau (W - $8,900), Matthew Tkachuk ($8,500)
The days of John Tortorella's tight defenses are long gone in Columbus, as the Blue Jackets sit 31st in the league with 3.14 xGA/60 at even strength in January. Meanwhile, the Flames' top line has been nothing short of remarkable this season, combining for 47 goals and 75 assists through 37 games. They have a propensity for blow-up games, too, as Gaudreau and Tkachuk have combined for 10 multi-point contests over the last nine outings.
Maple Leafs 
vs. Ducks 
John Tavares (C - $8,100), Ilya Mikheyev (W - $5,500), Mitch Marner ($6,400)
Mikheyev has started his campaign red-hot with six goals through nine games. While he won't continue to convert on 23.1 percent of his shots, he's in an appealing position on the Leafs' second line next to Tavares and Marner, who have combined for 24 goals so far. John Gibson can only take the Ducks so far. Through 44 contests, the Ducks are 16th in the league with a 2.80 GAA.
DEFENSE
John Carlson, WSH vs. SJ ($6,400): The Sharks' PK (82.9 percent) ranks eighth in the league this year, so there is some cause to fade a player like Alex Ovechkin. However, Carlson has posted 10 points over the past 15 games, and all of those points were at even strength. As a bonus, Carlson's salary comes as a discount compared to what you'd find a month ago.
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at COL ($6,300): McAvoy has recorded 13 power-play points through 36 games while averaging about two shots on net per game. If you're not enticed by the Francouz suggestion, McAvoy is a highly intriguing option. The Avalanche rank 27th in the league with a 75.0 penalty-kill percentage.
Samuel Girard, COL vs. BOS ($5,400): While Girard doesn't shoot a whole lot, he continues to have success offensively, putting up 23 points through 38 games, while skating nearly 22 minutes per night. It's tough to shy away from Cale Makar ($7,600) and Devon Toews ($7,100), but Girard can hold his own at this salary range.
Rasmus Andersson, CGY at CBJ ($4,700): With Mark Giordano in Seattle, Andersson is averaging a career-high 22:26 of ice time this season. The 25-year-old has registered 19 points – three short of a career high – through 37 games, including nine points with the man advantage. The Blue Jackets have some serious defensive flaws, including their 78.8 penalty-kill percentage (18th).
