This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
With the Christmas break behind us, the NHL is back in full swing Wednesday with 14 games scheduled for tonight. That gives us a ton of options to choose from, which is great, but it can also make it difficult to settle on a choice. Let me offer some DFS recommendations to help.
SLATE PREVIEW
Every team is of course rested going into Wednesday's action, but Carolina, LA, Vegas and San Jose are playing in the first half of a back-to-back, which might influence their lineup decisions, particularly when it comes to goaltenders. You might want to also take caution when it comes to Detroit. The Red Wings are in a freefall, dropping eight of their last 10 contests.
GOALIES
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at CHI ($8,800): Hellebuyck's having a dominant campaign with a 16-6-2 record, 2.37 GAA and .918 save percentage in 24 contests, and he's been getting even better as the season's progressed. Through his last 12 outings, he's 9-2-1 with a 1.75 GAA and a .940 save percentage. The Blackhawks rank 30th offensively this year with 2.42 goals per game, so they'll have a difficult time against a netminder of Hellebuyck's caliber.
Cam Talbot, LAK vs. SJS ($7,800): As noted above, LA will also play Thursday, so verify Talbot is starting before selecting him tonight. If he is though, he seems like an ideal choice. Talbot has been one of the top goaltenders this year with a 14-6-2 record, 2.06 GAA and .925 save percentage in 22 outings while the Sharks sit in the NHL basement with a 9-22-3 record after dropping their last five contests. It's rare to find a mismatch this staggering, making Talbot's low price all the more enticing.
Joey Daccord, SEA at CAL ($7,000): If you want a really cheap option, this looks like one of the rare times Daccord is a preferable option. Granted, he's playing for the Kraken, who have struggled this campaign, making wins hard to come by, but the 27-year-old has been solid with a 2.53 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 21 contests. He's also on a roll, going 4-0-2 with a 1.64 GAA and a .947 save percentage over his last six starts. To top it off, this is a winnable game for Seattle. The Flames are a poor 14-15-5 this year while tying for 22nd offensively with 3.00 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS
Alex Kerfoot, ARI vs. COL ($4,500): Kerfoot has been streaky this campaign. From Nov. 28-Dec. 4, he recorded an incredible nine points (one goal) in four contests, and now he's rolling again, supplying two markers and six points over his last four appearances. He's being leaned on heavily in Arizona as a member of the Coyotes' top line and first power-play unit.
Matty Beniers, SEA at CAL ($4,500): Beniers won the Calder Trophy last season with 24 goals and 57 points in 80 contests, but he had a rough start to the 2023-24 campaign, providing just four goals and 13 points through 32 outings. Perhaps he's turned a corner, though. Beniers is entering Wednesday's action on a three-game scoring streak, supplying a goal and five points over that stretch.
Morgan Geekie, BOS at BUF ($4,100): Geekie is red hot, providing three goals and six points over his last seven contests. He's not a major offensive threat usually -- even with his recent success, he still has just 12 points in 26 contests in 2023-24 -- but he's worth selecting for now. It helps that the Sabres are tied for 26th defensively with 3.43 goals allowed per game.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Jets at Blackhawks
Mark Scheifele (C - $8,200), Gabriel Vilardi (W - $7,400), Nikolaj Ehlers (W - $6,600)
Ehler is having a fantastic month, scoring five goals and 15 points over his last 10 contests. That's elevated him to 11 goals and 26 points through 32 outings this year. Not bad for the cheapest member of that line, and he's far from the only hot player in this grouping.
Vilardi will carry a five-game goal-scoring streak into Wednesday's game. During that stretch, he's provided six tallies and 12 points. Not to be outdone, Scheifele has contributed three goals and eight points over his last five games, bringing him up to 12 goals and 36 points in 32 appearances this campaign.
Chicago, which ranks 31st defensively with 3.70 goals allowed per game, will have a very difficult time standing in the way of that trio.
Blue Jackets at Devils
Adam Fantilli (C - $5,300), Johnny Gaudreau (W - $5,100), Justin Danforth ($3,800)
Columbus typically isn't a great team to bet on, especially on a night like this where there are plenty of alternatives, but their top line is very cheap and up against a squad that has struggled defensively -- New Jersey ranks 29th with 3.56 goals allowed per game.
The Blue Jackets' first unit has also seen some success recently. Gaudreau is on a five-game scoring streak in which he's supplied two goals and seven points while Fantilli has a goal and four points over his last four contests. Danforth hasn't enjoyed the same level of recent production, but he did find the back of the net in his last contest Saturday. You could consider swapping Danforth out for Yegor Chinakhov, who still isn't particularly expensive at $5,000 and has been much better with six goals and 10 points over his last seven outings. Chinakhov is playing on the second line but is part of the first power-play unit.
Avalanche at Coyotes
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $10,600), Mikko Rantanen (W - $9,500), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $8,500)
While Columbus offers tremendous value, if you want the cream of the crop, you have to look the Avalanche's way. MacKinnon's scoring streak stands at 18 games, and he has an unreal 12 goals and 34 points over that stretch. He sits second in the scoring race with 54 points (18 goals) through 34 contests this year.
Rantanen ranks 10th in scoring this campaign with 42 points (17 goals) in 34 outings. He's remained effective lately, collecting five goals and 11 points over his last seven appearances. That makes Nichushkin the worst member of the trio despite averaging just over a point per game with 16 goals and 17 assists through 32 contests. The 28-year-old is on a seven-game scoring streak, supplying six goals and 12 points in that span.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at ARI ($8,400): Makar has been limited by injuries this season, but he's been his usual dominant self when healthy, scoring eight goals and 39 points in 29 contests. No blueliner is above him in terms of points per game in 2023-24.
Victor Hedman, TBL vs. FLA ($7,000): Hedman has five goals and 33 points in 33 contests this year, putting him well on his way to surpassing the 70-point milestone for the third time in his career. He's on a four-game scoring streak in which he's supplied six assists, including three on the power play.
Brock Faber, MIN vs. DET ($4,700): Faber isn't nearly as effective as Makar or Hedman offensively, but if you're looking for a value option, Faber fits the bill. The rookie has a goal and four points over his last four contests, bringing him up to two goals and 16 points in 32 contests this year. With Detroit potentially missing goaltenders Ville Husso (lower body) and Alex Lyon (upper body) tonight, Faber is in a strong position to extend his hot streak.
