There are three games in the NHL on Wednesday with the Rangers and Kraken both playing the second leg of back-to-back road sets. New York, Washington and Anaheim are the three favored teams on DraftKings Sportsbook, and you’ll want to look at creative ways to differentiate your DraftKings DFS lineups from the shallow player pool.
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Top Line Stacks
Kraken at Ducks
Jaden Schwartz ($4,400) - Jared McCann ($3,600) - Jordan Eberle ($4,800)
The No. 1 line for Seattle is affordable and finished Tuesday’s game with 17 shot attempts and three individual high-danger scoring chances. With the 11th most expected goals against per 60 minutes, there’s a case Anaheim has overachieved defensively this season, and especially shorthanded. The Ducks rank third in penalty-kill percentage with a second-ranked team save percentage, which are both likely unsustainably marks.
Rangers at Coyotes
Artemi Panarin ($7,300) - Ryan Strome ($5,300) - Mika Zibanejad ($6,800) - Chris Kreider ($6,400)
This stack covers the top two lines and No. 1 power-play unit for the Rangers in the plus matchup against Arizona. Additionally, if interested in pushing all in, Kaapo Kakko ($3,300) and Dryden Hunt ($2,700) are also inexpensive additions to fill out a stack of their respective lines. The Coyotes have the fourth worst penalty-kill percentage and have surrendered the most goals per game in the league, so it’ll be helpful to find creative ways to load up on the Rangers.
Superstar to Build Around
Alex Ovechkin, WAS at CHI ($9,700) - With just a single goal and a 3.8% shooting percentage despite 63 shot attempts and 10 individual high-danger scoring chances through his past six outings, statistical correction is ahead for Ovechkin. This isn’t a daunting matchup, either. While Chicago has improved defensively since the coaching change in early November, the Blackhawks still rank 20th in penalty-kill percentage and allow 3.17 goals per game for the campaign.
Value on Offense
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS at CHI ($4,000) - There’s profit opportunity in this salary range for Backstrom. The veteran ranks 35th in points per 60 minutes over the previous three seasons and is projected to return to a top-six role while skating with the No. 1 power-play unit. Just double-check he’s making his season debut after his lengthy absence due to a hip injury.
Troy Terry, ANA vs. SEA ($4,300) - This salary is short considering Terry ranks 20th in points per 60 minutes for the season. Even with his current form – six points through the past 12 games – and an unsustainably high 24.6% shooting percentage in mind, he’s locked into a go-to offensive role with a potentially favorable matchup Wednesday. Seattle is playing its second road game in consecutive nights and has surrendered the fourth most goals per 60 minutes in the league.
Stud Goalies
Keith Kinkaid, NYR at ARI ($8,100) - There have been flashes of solid play from Kinkaid throughout his eight-year career, and with 166 appearances under his belt, a date with the basement-dwelling Coyotes remains a high-end matchup. After all, the Rangers have surrendered the sixth fewest goals per 60 minutes in the league, and Arizona has scored the fewest.
Ilya Samsonov, WAS at CHI ($7,800) - The Capitals have allowed the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes in the league and rank seventh in penalty-kill percentage, so a date with the Blackhawks should prove all the more favorable. Chicago has only scored the third fewest goals per 60 minutes since their coaching change Nov. 6, and Samsonov boasts an 8-2 record, .924 save percentage and 2.29 GAA through his past 10 starts.
Value on Defense
Vince Dunn, SEA at ANH ($4,000) - As noted, there should be negative regression ahead for the Anaheim penalty kill, and Dunn checks out as another cost-effective Kraken to add to a stack. He’s provided a serviceable seven points, 16 shots and 13 blocks through the past 15 games, and Dunn should receive a slight value boost with his expected role quarterbacking Seattle’s No. 1 power-play unit.
Power-Play Defenseman
John Carlson, WAS at CHI ($7,500) - This salary should keep Carlson’s popularity in check, and while there have been a lot of peaks and valleys in his game-to-game production over the past month, he’s still racked up an impressive 15 points, 32 shots and 12 blocks through the past 14 contests. As noted, the Blackhawks shouldn’t be viewed as an opponent to steer clear of, either.
Adam Fox, NYR at ARI ($7,400) - With 14 points through his past 11 contests, Fox is up to a second-ranked 2.25 points per 60 minutes among all defensemen over the past two seasons. His high-end current form and long-standing track record will make him a popular target in the noted plus matchup against Arizona on Wednesday.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is naparker77) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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