This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Wednesday is host to just three games, including a Metropolitan Division clash between the Capitals and Flyers. Read forward to help decipher the slate and set your DFS lineup.
GOALIE
Ben Bishop, DAL at LA ($35): Bishop is the most expensive option for a reason. He was stellar over the past two starts with a .947 save percentage and two wins. Meanwhile, the Kings have scored more than two goals just twice over the last eight games, losing six of those contests.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at TOR ($27): There's no team playing better hockey than the Maple Leafs. They've averaged 4.9 goals per game over their last 10 outings, going 8-1-1 in that stretch. Hellebuyck was already lit up for five goals on 17 shots by the Maple Leafs in 2020, and it's simply too tough to trust him against this firepower.
CENTER
Nicklas Backstrom, WAS at PHI ($23): Backstrom carries a six-game point streak into this contest, and he notched three of those on the man advantage. Both teams will be on the second half of back-to-back games, so the Flyers will roll out Carter Hart, who has recorded an .830 save percentage over his last four appearances.
CENTER TO AVOID
Jeff Carter, LA vs. DAL ($16): Carter hasn't notched a point in four straight games while accruing a minus-5 rating. That negative floor doesn't make him an intriguing option since the veteran pivot just has one multi-point game over the past 23 outings.
WINGS
T.J. Oshie, WAS at PHI ($21): Oshie has stacked up three tucks and three apples over the past four games. His consistent time in the top six with the likes of Evgeny Kuznetsov keeps the opportunities rolling, and going up against the aforementioned struggling Hart will raise his ceiling further.
Kasperi Kapanen, TOR vs. WPG ($16): Kapanen's heating up with two scores and three helpers over the past three outings, and he lines up on the team's second power-play unit. That power-play time could be vital in Kapanen exceeding his valuation, as the Jets rank last in the league with a 72.2 penalty-kill percentage.
WINGS TO AVOID
Jamie Benn, DAL at LA ($17): Benn is averaging just 16:56 per game over the last month, and he averaged 0.45 points per game in that stretch. The Kings have kept pucks out of the net well during that stretch, as they yielded just 2.17 G/60 at even strength -- the fifth-best rate in the league.
James van Riemsdyk, PHI vs. WAS ($16): Van Riemsdyk has bounced around the lineup this year, but he doesn't look comfortable of late with six straight pointless games and a minus-4 rating in that stretch. He's struggled against the Caps over the past two years as well with just one point over five games.
DEFENSE
Neal Pionk, WPG at TOR ($20): Pionk has accrued four points over the past four games, including two on the man advantage. That's par for the course, as he's inked more than half of his points on the power play this year, and he'll look to leverage those talents against Toronto's 26th-ranked penalty kill (76.2 percent).
Tyson Barrie, TOR vs. WPG ($19): Barrie has been superb recently with eight points -- three on the man advantage -- over the past seven contests, and he peppered the net with 25 shots in that span. Considering Winnipeg's last-ranked penalty kill, Barrie's in prime position to exceed his valuation.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Drew Doughty, LA vs. DAL ($17): Doughty hasn't lit the lamp in 13 games, and he's averaging just a shade over two shots per contest. The 30-year-old's floor doesn't justify how tough it'll be to reach the ceiling with how well Bishop's playing right now.
Miro Heiskanen, DAL at LA ($15): It's been a tough month for the second-year NHLer. He's notched just one point over 11 games despite averaging a whopping 24:20 of ice time. As I stated, the Kings' goaltending situation is strong right now, so coughing up dough for the highly-touted youngster is unadvised.
