This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
There are four games in the NHL on Wednesday as the Wild play the second game of back-to-back contests, this time against the Ducks. Montreal entertains Vancouver after both teams played Tuesday. The Hurricanes visit the Panthers while Washington hosts Pittsburgh. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
GOALIES
Darcy Kuemper, WAS vs. PIT ($8,100): While Kuemper's record is weak at 4-5-1, he has a 2.42 GAA and a .919 save percentage this season, after winning the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2021-22. Kuemper was 2-0-0 against the Penguins last season, stopping 79 of 85 shots. The Penguins are floundering on the road this season as they are 1-5-1 and in seventh place in the Metropolitan Divison.
Sam Montembeault, MON vs. VAN ($7,800): There are not a lot of great choices in goal Wednesday, but Montembeault seems to be the best of the rest. He is 2-1-1 this season with a 2.47 GAA and a .928 save percentage, giving up 10 goals on 138 shots. Montembeault will face the Canucks who are 4-6-3 this season and are coming off a 6-4 win over Ottawa on Tuesday while the Canadiens upended the Red Wings 3-2 in a shootout.
VALUE PLAYS
Mike Hoffman, MON vs. VAN ($3,700): Hoffman was a healthy scratch for a pair of games last week and it seems to have worked, as he scored twice on Tuesday in a 3-2 shootout win over Detroit. Hoffman is seeing second line action on both even-strength situations and the power play. He has three goals and four points in 11 games and has scored 20-plus goals on six occasions in his NHL career.
Colin White, FLA vs. CAR ($4,600): White has moved up to the top line with the Panthers, alongside Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe. That's a great spot for the former first-round pick -21st overall - in 2015. White has three goals and five assists in 12 games this season and also sees time on the second power play.
Adam Henrique, ANA vs. MIN ($4,100): Henrique started the season off slowly with only one assist in his first nine games, but has been on fire of late with four goals in his last four contests. He had a nice 2021-22 season with 19 goals and 42 points in only 58 games. Henrique plays on the top line with Trevor Zegras and Frank Vatrano and also is on the Ducks' first power play.
Max Comtois, ANA vs. MIN ($3,700): Comtois saw his three-game goal scoring streak come to an end Sunday against the Panthers. He has four goals in 13 games this season and has boosted his value as he is seeing time on the second line with Troy Terry and Ryan Strome, as well as first power play time. Comtois had a goal and an assist in his last game against the Wild last season.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Wild at Ducks
Mats Zuccarello (W - $7,800), Kirill Kaprizov (W -$9,800), Frederick Gaudreau (W - $4,300)
The trio are due. Zuccarello and Gaudreau are pointless in their last four games while Kaprizov had a pair of goals against Montreal three games ago and was pointless in the other three. Zuccarello still has 12 points in 12 games while has 13 points in the same 12 contests. The Wild are in Anaheim to take on the Ducks who are the worst defensive team in the NHL, allowing 61 goals in only 13 games. The Wild are due for a huge breakout game, led by their top line.
Capitals vs. Penguins
Alex Ovechkin (W-$8,000), Evgeny Kuznetsov (C-$5,800), Conor Sheary (W-$4,700)
Ovechkin is back. After scoring only two goals in his first six games (both coming in the same game against Vancouver). Ovechkin has been hot of late with goals in three straight games and five of his last six contests. Ovechkin has eight goals and 13 points in 14 games this season, while linemate Kuznetsov scored his first two goals of the season Monday in a 5-4 win over Edmonton. Kuznetsov also chipped in with a pair of assists to give him 11 points in 13 games, while Sheary has four goals and seven points in 14 contests.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN at MON ($7,100): Hughes has yet to score this season but has 11 assists in only nine games. He has points in all but one game and currently is on a seven-game points streak, which was interrupted by a lower-body injury that caused him to miss four games. Hughes is expensive but worth the price as he quarterbacks the Vancouver power play.
Erik Gustafsson, WAS vs. PIT ($3,900): If you are in need of an inexpensive defenseman, Gustavsson is a good play. He has taken over quarterbacking the Washington power play with John Carlson out of action with a lower-body injury, and had three power play assists Monday in a 5-4 win over Edmonton. Gustafsson has six assists in 14 games this season.
