This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
There are only two NHL games Wednesday. One of them is between the Kings, who have the best team GAA in the league, and the Flames, who have a 1.75 team GAA in January. So what I'm saying is get ready to see a bunch of Maple Leafs and Blackhawks in the recommendations below.
GOALIE
Calgary Flames, CGY vs. LOS ($16,000): Here's one place where you can eschew piling up the Leafs and Blackhawks. The Kings are going to be on the second night of a back-to-back, and the Flames are 7-1-2 in their last 10 contests. Los Angeles also has a middling offense that has averaged 2.83 goals and 30.6 shots on net per game. In Mike Smith's last 16 games, he's posted an impressive 1.86 GAA and .940 save percentage.
CENTER
Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. TOR ($12,700): Toews has been held without a point in five straight games, but before that he had nine points in five contests. In those last five tilts, he still put 14 shots on net, and averaged 3:08 per game on the power play. The Maple Leafs have allowed 33.6 shots on goal per contest, and they have a 2.90 team GAA.
Tyler Bozak, TOR at CHI ($8,600): Bozak has started 60.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, second most among Toronto forwards. His offense has picked up a bit recently as well, as he's notched four points and 19 shots on net in his last seven contests. The Blackhawks are still without Corey Crawford, and both of their healthy goalies have a GAA over 3.00.
WING
Patrick Kane, CHI vs. TOR ($15,500): With only two games on the docket, and one of them looking like a low-scoring affair that won't be good for fantasy players, it's worth splurging on a guy like Kane knowing his track record. The longtime scoring dynamo has 20 goals and 28 assists in 47 games, including 14 points with the extra man. On the road, Toronto has a 2.96 team GAA, giving Kane a bit of a home-ice advantage in this one.
James van Riemsdyk, TOR at CHI ($11,900): Van Riemsdyk has 19 goals this year, and in his last seven games he's put 30 shots on net. JVR has also started 64.4 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, tops on Toronto. The Blackhawks have given up 32.6 shots on net per contest, and that's not good without Crawford to tend the goal.
Zach Hyman, TOR at CHI ($9,200): Hyman is currently on the top line of Toronto's depth chart, which means he's skating alongside Auston Matthews and William Nylander. That's a good place to be, and the 25-year-old has three points in his last three tilts. Anton Forsberg has the best numbers of Chicago's two healthy goalies, and he has a 3.15 GAA and a .907 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Duncan Keith, CHI vs. TOR ($10,400): Keith has no goals, but he's tallied 22 assists. He's also put 111 shots on net in 47 games, so a goal will come eventually. The fact he's averaged 3:30 per game on the power play is also beneficial for his goal-scoring potential. Toronto has allowed 33.6 shots on net per contest, so Keith should be able to put a couple pucks on net. He's also blocked 84 shots.
Jake Gardiner, TOR at CHI ($9,300):Morgan Rielly and Nikita Zaitsev are hurt, but Gardiner is still healthy and playing a ton of minutes. In January, he's averaged a whopping 25:19 per game, and he's tallied six points in nine contests since the calendar turned. Jeff Glass, the 32-year-old journeyman who is listed as the No. 1 goalie for the Blackhawks, has a 3.17 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
