This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
We have some busy days left in the week with 11 games scheduled for Thursday and 13 set to take place Saturday, but before that, Wednesday offers a relatively light slate of five contests. That doesn't leave us with a ton to choose from, but here are my recommendations among those available.
SLATE PREVIEW
Columbus is the only team playing in the second half of a back-to-back, so exercise some caution when selecting Blue Jackets players. It's also worth noting that Montreal, Toronto and Boston will play Thursday as well, which might influence those squads' lineup decisions.
GOALIES
Martin Jones, TOR at ARI ($8,400): Keep an eye on the goaltender projections before locking in your roster because Ilya Samsonov ($8,400) might end up starting instead. I'd also recommend taking Samsonov if he proves to be the starter as either goaltender should do well against Arizona, which has lost 10 straight contests and ranks 26th offensively with 2.87 goals per game. Jones has had some rough stretches this year, but he's averaged out to be solid with a 10-7-1 record, 2.69 GAA and .908 save percentage across 19 appearances.
Samuel Ersson, PHI at CHI ($8,000): Ersson is going through a rough patch in which he's surrendered 12 goals on 90 shots (.867 save percentage) over his past three contests. Still, he should be fine against the lowly Blackhawks, who are tied for last offensively with 2.09 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS
Morgan Frost, PHI at CHI ($5,000): Frost is going through a strong stretch, providing two goals and five points over his last five games. He has a good chance of capitalizing on the Blackhawks, who are 29th defensively with 3.54 goals allowed per game. It also helps that Frost is projected to serve on the top power-play unit, which accounts for two of his last five points.
Jordan Greenway, BUF at MON ($4,000): Greenway is rolling with three goals and five points over his past four contests as well as five markers and eight points across his last nine appearances. The 27-year-old typically isn't a major offensive force, but his price makes him a good selection for as long as he's hot.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Ducks vs. Blue Jackets
Mason McTavish (C - $6,100), Frank Vatrano (W - $7,100), Troy Terry (W - $6,400)
As noted above, the Blue Jackets will be playing tired tonight, which should make an already bad defense worse -- Columbus ranks 31st with 3.72 goals allowed per game in 2023-24. Meanwhile, Vatrano has been held off the scoresheet just once over his past seven contests, totaling five goals and 10 points in that span.
His linemates have done well for themselves too. Terry has provided a goal and five points over his past three contests while McTavish has two markers and five points over his last three outings. Given the favorable circumstances, that trio should remain effective tonight.
Maple Leafs vs. Coyotes
Auston Matthews (C - $10,300), Mitchell Marner (W - $8,800), Matthew Knies ($4,200)
For as expensive as Matthews is, it's hard to pass him up. The 26-year-old forward has a stunning seven goals and 10 points over his past three contests, and he's provided at least one goal in eight of his past 10 contests. Matthews is up to 49 tallies and 73 points through 53 games, making a 70-goal campaign a real possibility.
Marner isn't doing anything as rare, but he certainly has been fantastic in his own right. He's on a three-game multi-point streak, collecting eight assists in that span. The 26-year-old is up to 22 goals and 65 points across 53 outings this campaign. Knies rounds out the unit with a comparatively underwhelming 10 goals and 23 points through 52 games. Still, he's an affordable option to help balance out the price of his linemates and has done well recently, supplying a goal and three points over his last two appearances.
DEFENSEMEN
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. BOS ($7,500): Boston is a tough adversary, which is why I've been shying away from recommending Oilers players until this point, but I'm willing to make an exception for Bouchard, who has been outstanding recently. The blueliner has three goals and nine points across his past four contests, making him one of the hottest defensemen in the league. He's up to 14 goals and 53 points through 52 appearances in 2023-24.
Timothy Liljegren, TOR at ARI ($4,900): With Morgan Rielly serving a five-game suspension that extends through Wednesday's action, Liljegren has been playing an expanded role, featuring on the top pairing while also averaging 3:23 of ice time with the man advantage over the past three games. That's allowed him to register five helpers (two on the power play) over those three contests. Liljegren isn't typically much of an offensive force, but the current circumstances make him worth selecting, especially against a struggling squad like Arizona.
