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NHL Plays will highlight the best and the most underrated daily fantasy options among forwards, defensemen and goaltenders.
Please note, these players were chosen early in the day, so make sure to check NBC Sports EDGE’s player news for any lineup changes, injuries and potential changes in the crease for starting goaltenders.
Additionally, it is worth reminding everyone that FanDuel allows you to roster nine players (2C, 2W, 2D, 2UTIL 1G) with a salary cap of $55,000, while DraftKings has a cap of $50,000 for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 1G, 1UTIL) and Yahoo has a $200 budget for nine players (2C, 3W, 2D, 2G).
There are six games scheduled for Wednesday. Keep in mind that in the current climate, players might end up being unavailable due to the COVID protocol and games could end up getting postponed, so be sure to double check your roster close to game time.
Forwards:
J.T. Miller (Vancouver) – W - $8,400 FanDuel, $5,500 DraftKings, $19 Yahoo
Miller was on a fantastic roll before the break, recording at least a point in six straight games and eight of his last nine contests. He’s up to 10 goals and 32 points in 31 contests in 2021-22. He’s not a bad bet on FanDuel, but is particularly good on DraftKings and Yahoo.
Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis) – W - $7,600 FanDuel, $7,300 DraftKings, $24 Yahoo
Tarasenko found the back of the net in three straight games prior to the break. After missing big chunks of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, he’s bounced back in a big way this season. He’s up to 12 goals and 29 points in 31 games.
Pavel Buchnevich (St. Louis) – W - $6,700 FanDuel, $5,800 DraftKings, $24 Yahoo
Buchnevich has recorded multiple points in each of his last three games. He also has five multi-point contests over his last seven contests. Thanks to that run, he now has 11 goals and 29 points in 29 contests.
Nicklas Backstrom (Washington) – C - $6,400 FanDuel, $5,700 DraftKings, $19 Yahoo
Backstrom has only played in one game this season, but he’s expected to be available tonight. When he’s healthy, Backstrom is one of the top playmakers out there, even at the age of 34. At his current price point, he’s a pretty good deal.
Bargain Bin: Troy Terry (ANA) - $6,300 FanDuel/$5,000 DraftKings/$20 Yahoo, Cam Atkinson (PHI) - $6,200 FanDuel/$5,400 DraftKings/$19 Yahoo, Elias Pettersson (VAN) - $6,100 FanDuel/$3,800 DraftKings/$18 Yahoo, Jordan Eberle (SEA) - $5,900 FanDuel/$5,600 DraftKings/$13 Yahoo, Claude Giroux (PHI) - $5,800 FanDuel/$5,600 DraftKings/$18 Yahoo, Garnet Hathaway (WAS) - $5,600 FanDuel/$2,500 DraftKings/$17 Yahoo, Ryan Johansen (NAS) - $5,300 FanDuel/$4,700 DraftKings/$19 Yahoo, Nico Hischier (NJD) - $5,100 FanDuel/$4,500 DraftKings/$17 Yahoo, Conor Sheary (WAS) - $4,900 FanDuel/$3,300 DraftKings/$18 Yahoo
Defensemen:
Quinn Hughes (Vancouver) - $6,900 FanDuel, $5,300 DraftKings, $18 Yahoo
Hughes has contributed at least a point in four of his last five contests. That’s pushed him up to two goals and 26 points in 30 contests in 2021-22. Since breaking into the league he’s been a high-end blueliner offensively and he should continue to excel for years to come.
Bargain Bin: John Carlson (WAS) - $6,400 FanDuel/$7,500 DraftKings/$23 Yahoo, Tyson Barrie (EDM) - $5,900 FanDuel/$5,700 DraftKings/$17 Yahoo, Kevin Shattenkirk (ANA) - $4,700 FanDuel/$4,800 DraftKings/$14 Yahoo, Jonas Siegenthaler (NJD) - $4,700 FanDuel/$3,000 DraftKings/$12 Yahoo
Goaltenders:
Igor Shesterkin (NY Rangers) - $8,200 FanDuel, $7,100 DraftKings, $38 Yahoo
Shesterkin hasn’t played since Dec. 3 due to a lower-body injury, but he’s expected to be ready Wednesday night. He was doing great before the injury with a 13-3-2 record, 2.05 GAA, and .937 save percentage in 18 contests, so now that he’s healthy again he’s one of the best options out there.
Bargain Bin: Thatcher Demko (VAN) - $7,700 FanDuel/$7,300 DraftKings/$26 Yahoo, Juuse Saros (NAS) - $7,400 FanDuel/$7,200 DraftKings/$35 Yahoo, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) - $7,200 FanDuel/$7,600 DraftKings/$23 Yahoo
