With a couple of games on TNT and one filler, there is a small three-game slate on Wednesday night. However, there are still some great options to sift through for NHL DFS. Let’s examine the best plays for Wednesday on DraftKings and FanDuel NHL DFS today. Of course, be sure to check Stokastic’s NHL DFS rankings and NHL DFS projections.
NHL DFS Picks for DraftKings
Stack 1 – Calgary Flames
(C) Mikael Backlund: $4,300
(C) Trevor Lewis: $2,500
(D) Rasmus Andersson: $5,200
The first stack to target on Wednesday’s slate features the Calgary Flames, who host the Vancouver Canucks in Wednesday’s nightcap on TNT. Spencer Martin is projected to take the crease for Vancouver, and he has had a tough campaign. Through 14 appearances between the pipes, he has a .891 save percentage and 3.45 goals against average (GAA). If he qualified, Martin would rank fifth-to-last among starting goaltenders in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx/60) at five-on-five.
In front of Martin is one of the worst defenses in hockey. The Canucks rank third-to-last in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) At five-on-five.
A stack consisting of Mikael Backlund, Trevor Lewis, and Rasmus Andersson is a great build for this game. Due to the injury to centerman Elias Lindholm, Backlund has been skating on the first line alongside high-profile wingers Jonathan Huberdeau and Tyler Toffoli. Playing alongside these talented forwards, Backlund produced 15.5 fantasy points on Monday, with an assist and five shots on goal. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson is a good pairing for Backlund, as those two guys skate together on the first power play.
This power play should feast against the Canucks, a team that struggles mightily on special teams. Entering this game, Vancouver ranks 26th in the league in penalty minutes and third-to-last in penalty kill percentage. Even if Andersson fails to find the scoresheet, he is typically a solid play in DFS due to his willingness to block shots. Over his last four games, he is averaging a commanding 16.8 fantasy points per game.
To round out the Flames stack, centerman Trevor Lewis is worth a look at the lowest price possible of $2,500. Not only does the Lindholm injury bump up Backlund’s status, but the other centermen also get an increase in playing time. Lewis is not the world’s strongest scoring threat, but he is willing to fire the puck on net and block shots. If he gets a couple of shots on goal and a couple of blocked shots, then he is worth a stab at $2,500, especially if he finds the back of the net like he did two games ago against the Maple Leafs.
Stack 2 – Ottawa Senators
(W) Claude Giroux: $5,800
(W) Brady Tkachuk: $8,200
(W) Derick Brassard: $2,700
The second stack to target on Wednesday’s slate features the Ottawa Senators, who host the Montreal Canadiens. Sam Montembeault is the confirmed starter for Montreal, and he is primed for regression. Through nine starts this season, he has a .908 save percentage and 2.97 GAA. However, if he qualified, Montembeault would rank just 22nd among starting goaltenders in GSAx/60 at five-on-five.
Due to the injury to Tim Stutzle, Derick Brassard has stepped up to center the first line alongside Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux. Automatically, this makes Brassard a steal at $2,700, as he will play alongside two elite offensive wingers and can collect a point or 2 by merely existing. Tkachuk and Giroux have consistently been tremendous DFS options all season, with each guy hovering around the point-per-game mark.
Additionally, Tkachuk and Giroux skate on the first power play, which ranks in the top 10 in the league in power play percentage. Against a sloppy team like Montreal, this power play will have plenty of opportunities since the Canadiens rank second-to-last in the league in penalty minutes.
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Stack 3 – Minnesota Wild
(W) Kirill Kaprizov: $8,900
(D) Calen Addison: $3,900
The last stack to target on Wednesday’s slate features the Minnesota Wild, who host the Detroit Red Wings in TNT’s first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. Since they are on the second half of a back-to-back, backup goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to get the start between the pipes for the Red Wings. It has been a tough start to the campaign for Nedeljkovic, who is 2-4-2 with a .880 save percentage and 4.09 GAA. If he qualified, Nedeljkovic would rank second-to-last among starting goaltenders in GSAx/60 at five-on-five.
This poor play is likely to continue against Minnesota, a team against which he has historically struggled. Across two career starts against the Wild, Nedeljkovic is 0-1-1 with a .828 save percentage and 5.50 GAA. In front of Nedeljkovic is a fade-worthy defense that ranks just 21st in the league in xGA/60 at five-on-five. This blue line will be especially thin for this game, as defensemen Olli Maatta and Robert Hagg are both expected to miss this game.
A mini stack consisting of Kirill Kaprizov and Calen Addison is a great build. While Minnesota’s offense has been lackluster through the first quarter of the season, it is certainly not because of the efforts of Kaprizov, who has now posted 35 points through 28 games. It is no secret that the offense runs entirely through him, and that should not change anytime soon. While the Wild have struggled as a whole at five-on-five, their power play has been strong, which makes Addison a good addition to this lineup at a mere price of $3,900.
Addison quarterbacks the first power play alongside Kaprizov. Entering this game, Addison has two goals and five assists over his last nine games, which is a result of his role on the power play.
Goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury (DET at MIN): $8,300
Marc-Andre Fleury is slated to take the crease for Minnesota. While it has been a difficult campaign for Fleury, he is coming off one of his better performances of the season. In his last start, he shut down the high-powered Oilers by stopping 20 of 21 shots for a .952 save percentage. Perhaps he can build upon that strong outing, especially in a game against the lowly Detroit Red Wings.
Entering this contest, the Red Wings rank fifth-to-last in the league in expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at five-on-five. To make matters worse for this club, they are battling an extensive list of injuries offensively, including the likes of Tyler Bertuzzi, Jakub Vrana and Dylan Larkin. Missing an abundance of their scoring options, the Red Wings should struggle against a strong defense in Minnesota. The Wild rank fourth in the league in xGA/60 at five-on-five.
As long as the defense shows up, Fleury’s job should be relatively easy in this game.
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