This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The two-game slate Wednesday creates limited opportunities for your daily lineup to soar. Let's take a look at some of the best values from the four teams in action.
Goalie
Mike Smith, CGY vs. LA ($32)
Smith is probably the most reliable option on the board Wednesday and his recent run of success could continue against a team he has historically played well against. The 35-year-old goalie has not lost a game in regulation in his last eight starts, over which time he has accrued a .945 save percentage and 1.84 GAA. Additionally, Smith has notched two wins over the Kings already this season and boasts a .930 career save percentage against them.
Goalie to Avoid
Darcy Kuemper, LA @ CGY ($29)
With Los Angeles on a back-to-back, Kuemper will presumably get the start Wednesday, but that doesn't make him a good choice even at this price. The career backup has allowed ten goals over his last three starts, posting a .905 save percentage over that span and pulling out a win in just one of the games. It doesn't inspire confidence when going up against a Calgary team that has recorded 29 goals in the last nine games.
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Center
William Nylander, TOR @ CHI ($18)
Nylander continues to cement his place as a solid contributor in his second full season and is seeing a healthy average of 2:12 of ice time with the first power-play unit, a fact that could be advantageous against a Chicago penalty that is good, but not great. Additionally, the 21-year-old's enthusiasm on offense is showing through, as he has five points in the last eight games and has taken four shots or more in half of them.
Center to Avoid
Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. TOR ($20)
Nothing has been going right for the Blackhawks lately and the team's captain has been at the center of it -- Toews is riding a five-game point drought that has seen him record a minus-2 rating and only 14 shots on goal. More specifically, the Chicago power play, of which Toews is a heavy contributor, has been one of the weakest units in the league, so it could struggle again against one of the league's strongest penalty kills Wednesday.
Wing
Brandon Saad, CHI vs. TOR ($17)
Saad has also been a big part of the Blackhawks' recent struggles, as he finds himself mired in a six game pointless streak, but it's encouraging that he's still able to hold his own on both ends of the ice -- the 25-year-old has taken 40 shots on goal and recorded a plus-6 rating over his last 11 games. Probable Leafs starter Frederik Andersen, meanwhile, has allowed two goals or more in each of his last 12 games.
Matthew Tkachuk, CGY vs. LA ($17)
Based on his Wednesday price, you would never guess that Tkachuk is in the midst of a scoring spree right now -- the second-year winger has recorded six goals and four assists while averaging three shots on goal per game over his last nine contests. If there is ever a time to bet against the solid Los Angeles defense, it's when they're playing the second half of a back-to-back after getting shellacked, so take advantage of Tkachuk's low price.
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Wings to Avoid
James van Riemsdyk, TOR @ CHI ($19)
Van Riemsdyk is sometimes a serious offensive contributor, but it's very much outweighed by his penchant for getting burned on defense. The New Jersey native holds a minus-4 rating in his last five games and a minus-9 rating in 49 games this season, which would be forgivable if not for a relatively low 29 points. At this price and lower, you can find better picks Wednesday.
Mitch Marner, TOR @ CHI ($16)
Marner's defensive problems are similar to van Riemsdyk's, only they've been arguably worse of late -- the 20-year-old shows a minus-9 rating to go with just three points and 18 shots on goal over his last 10 contests, which has resulted in five negative fantasy point outings over that span. The Blackhawks' offense has seen better days, but it still boasts some excellent offensive talents that could make Marner's life hard if he can't score.
Defense
Dougie Hamilton, CGY vs. LA ($18)
With four goals, two assists, and 29 shots in his last seven contests, Hamilton is establishing himself as a sure bet for offensive production from the Calgary blue line. However, unlike many offensive-minded defensemen, the Toronto native is also playing excellent defensive hockey, posting a plus-10 rating and blocking six shots to boot. On Wednesday, Hamilton will presumably look to build upon the one assist he's already logged against the Kings this season.
Erik Gustafsson, CHI vs. TOR ($17)
Gustafsson has only played two games thus far this season, but the Blackhawks already seem to be showing a lot of trust in him. The Swedish defenseman is averaging almost 21 minutes of ice time and, perhaps more impressively, saw more than five minutes of power-play ice time in the Hawks' last game. The two points in his season debut was nice, but his plus-11 rating last season makes him a good bet for lasting production.
Defensemen to Avoid
Mark Giordano, CGY vs. LA
Where his teammate Hamilton has excelled in offensive enthusiasm, Giordano has mostly been lacking lately, as he's taken just eight shots on goal to go with three assists in his last six games. The Flames' captain holds just 17 points and a minus-2 rating in 42 career games against Los Angeles, so don't expect him to suddenly create an offensive spark against the Kings on Wednesday.
Jake Gardiner, TOR @ CHI ($17)
Gardiner is currently riding a three-game points streak that has seen him record five assists, but he hasn't scored a goal himself since Dec. 20 and in the 13 games since then, he holds a minus-3 rating to go with just 25 shots on goal. With Morgan Rielly (upper body) ailing, Gardiner will be expected to take on more than he's used to, and that could catch up with him Wednesday against Chicago.
