This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
Four games are on the docket Wednesday night, starting with two games at 7:30 p.m. EST, including matchups between the Blues and the Rangers in addition to the Sabres and the Maple Leafs.The Stars will host the Kings at 8:30 p.m., and the Kraken will host the Predators at 10 p.m.
We should expect a low-scoring slate. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, every game except the Sabres-Maple Leafs is listed at a 5.5 O/U. The Maple Leafs (-425) are the largest favorites, while the Blues-Rangers is considered a pick 'em.
All advanced statistics are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
GOALIES
Juuse Saros, NSH at SEA ($8,200): Despite losing five of his last six starts, Saros -- who has a .923 save percentage and a 2.46 GAA this season -- is positioned well to bounce back against the Kraken, who have been even worse. The Kraken have lost seven straight games while scoring more than two goals on just one occasion.
Ville Husso, STL at NYR ($7,700): Some have already crowned Husso the No. 1 in St. Louis, but this is a goalie battle instead. It should be Husso's turn in net, and it's easy to hop on the bandwagon at this bargain salary. He has a .935 save percentage and a 2.03 GAA this season, and the Blues' defense has been the best in the league over the last month at even strength with 2.09 xGA/60.
Cal Petersen, LA at DAL ($7,400): It should be Petersen's night in the blue paint against the Stars, who have been lethargic offensively with just 14 goals over their last seven games. It's not that Petersen has been lights out lately, but he has a respectable .907 save percentage in 2022 and is a massive value at his salary.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Jeff Skinner, BUF at TOR (W - $6,000): Skinner was a taboo just a couple of years ago, but he's been outstanding in 2022, recording 11 goals, nine assists and 77 shots on net through the last 22 games. He should be considered a contrarian option, and it helps that Jack Campbell has fallen off of late with a 3.78 GAA over the last eight games. The 30-year-old has recorded seven points over the last nine contests,
Robert Thomas, STL at NYR (C - $5,100): We need to carefully pick our players when going against Igor Shesterkin -- the Vezina frontrunner. Thomas is an excellent choice, as he has accrued two goals and seven assists across the last seven games while being solidified on the top line.
Calle Jarnkrok, SEA vs. NSH ($4,900): Jarnkrok has never posted more than 35 points in a season, but he has managed to jump to the first line in recent weeks. He'll be a major contrarian option Wednesday against Saros. His ceiling should be high nonetheless.
LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Sabres
John Tavares (C - $7,100), Alex Kerfoot (W - $5,200), William Nylander (W - $7,200)
The Maple Leafs poured on 10 goals against the Red Wings over the weekend but Tavares didn't have a signal point. Instead, the Matthews-Marner-Bunting line stole the show. Still, Tavares has accrued 50 points with 15 on the power play through 52 games, and Nylander has 49 points with 20 on the power play. The Sabres' defense is brutal, and their PK (76.6 percent) ranks 24th. This line is contrarian with how popular Matthews' line should be.
Predators at Kraken
Mikael Granlund (C - $4,900), Matt Duchene (W - $7,000), Filip Forsberg (W - $8,400)
Forsberg is the heart and soul of this line with superstar stats this year, recording 27 goals and 18 assists through 40 games. Meanwhile, Duchene is enjoying a bounce-back season with 23 goals himself, and Granlund has put up a whopping 33 assists. This trio all skates on the first power play, too, meaning they'll face the Kraken's 22nd-ranked PK (77.1 percent) on Wednesday.
Kings at Stars
Anze Kopitar (C - $6,500), Adrian Kempe (W - $5,600), Alex Iafallo (W - $5,400)
Both Kopitar and Kempe combined for eight goals and 10 assists through eight games in February. Iafallo didn't contribute as much as we'd like, but the trio has been the Kings' best line of late. This is a reasonable salary to cough up for a first line. Stars netminder Jake Oettinger has recorded a .908 save percentage and a 2.64 GAA at home in 2022, which is nothing to shy away from.
DEFENSE
Morgan Rielly, TOR vs. BUF ($6,200): Just like Tavares, Rielly was a major disappointment against the Red Wins this weekend, but the odds are on his side for a bounce back. Rielly has accrued 15 of his 44 points with the man advantage this season, and facing off against the Sabres' putrid PK should keep Rielly's ceiling high.
Justin Faulk, STL at NYR ($5,100): Faulk has averaged 23:28 of ice time over the last nine games, and the increased playing time helped him put up nine points in that stretch. He averages two shots per game, too, and he should make a solid mini-stack with Robert Thomas at an affordable salary.
John Klingberg, LA at DAL ($4,600): Klingberg is in a cold spell, but this matchup against the Kings' 28th-ranked PK (75.8 percent) could be perfect to turn things around. The veteran defenseman has posted 14 of his 26 points on the power play this season. He provides a solid floor every night with shots and blocked shots, too
Dante Fabbro, NSH at SEA ($4,000): Fabbro can save you some serious salary while skating on the top blue-line pair next to Roman Josi. The 23-year-old has posted four points, 15 shots on net and 14 blocked shots through the last nine outings. His ceiling gets a boost against Philipp Grubauer, who has a 3.17 GAA this season.