(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Welcome back hockey fans. We have a busy Tuesday night ahead of us with nine games on tap including four teams(MON, DAL, NJ, EDM) who are not playing a back to back about also a third game in four nights. Let's take a look at some of the top plays at each position and then make sure to grab a copy of my DFS NHL Cheatsheet where I highlight all my top plays and stacks for the night.
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Opponent - VEG
Proj Pts FD - 18.2 DK - 4.55
The goalie position has been a bit of a mess this season and tonight is no different as the top goalies have either been shaky(Bobrovsky, Lundqvist, Jones) or get tougher matchups(Vasilevskiy). The Leafs matchup isn't perfect either as they have been much better on the road(6-0) this season but I will ride with Andersen at home tonight for a couple reasons. It starts with the fact they are -135 favorites facing a Vegas team that is 2-5 on the road and ranks 30th in offense away from Sin City scoring just 1.7 goals per game. Andersen has also been consistent lately coming off a shutout of the Penguins and has allowed opponents two or fewer goals in five straight and seven of his last nine starts. He is the most expensive goalie on DraftKings so pivoting is an option but on FanDuel where he is the 7th most expensive option, he is my top choice tonight in all formats.
Opponent - LA
Proj Pts FD - 15.99 DK - 4
After a couple rough starts where he allowed nine goals in two games, Gibson rebounded allowing just two in each of his next two starts pushing his save % up to .935 on the season which sits just outside the Top 5. He falls in as my #2 option tonight simply because the Ducks are on the road tonight but it is only a one hour trip North to the Staples Center to face a Kings team that sits at the bottom of the conference(4-8-1). They also rank dead last in the league in offense scoring just 2.15 goals per game. The only downfall here is that the Kings are below average in shots attempted(28.5 per game) which lowers the downside some but the win potential is most definitely there bringing Gibson into the conversation in all formats.
Also Consider: Henrik Lundqvist(NYR) who is at home facing a Habs team that is playing on a back to back and third game in four nights
Opponent - MON
Proj Pts FD - 11.94 DK - 4.5
If you are paying up tonight at the center position, it makes sense to roll with McDavid who has been matchup proof or Tyler Seguin who is averaging over five shots on goal per game. While those plays are fairly obvious I wanted to go into the next tier and suggest a player who allows us to build a much more balanced lineup(FanDuel) tonight. That player is Mike Zibanejad and while he doesn't have the same upside as McDavid or Seguin he has produced a high floor this season averaging four shots per game and has tallied 11 points in 14 games while averaging over 20 minutes of ice-time. What I like most about this matchup is that Rangers are at home and will face a Habs team that is playing on a back to back on the road and a third game in four nights. On DraftKings, it makes sense to pay up for Seguin($100 more) but on FanDuel Zibanejad makes a ton of sense at a $900 discount.
Stack with: Mats Zuccarello, Vladislav Namestnikov
Opponent - ANA
Proj Pts FD - 7.4 DK - 3.04
Digging even deeper for value we find Jeff Carter of the Kings. While the matchup doesn't jump off the page as the Ducks rank inside the Top 10 in defense they have been struggling big-time lately losing seven of their last eight games. Carter has also seen a huge uptick in fantasy value over the last 10 games where he has averaged 3.3 shots per game and has tallied four goals and nine points(four on the powerplay). At these prices, Carter is an excellent play in all formats tonight.
Stack with: Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson
Also Consider: Brayden Point(TB) who has been red-hot to start the season leading the Lightning with 17 points
Opponent - CAR
Proj Pts FD - 11.86 DK - 4.81
Tarasenko checks all the boxes tonight and is easily my top winger. While the Blues have struggled on defense(30th) they have been rolling on offense ranking 4th overall in large part to Tarasenko who comes in red-hot with points in four straight and eight of his last nine games with five points on the powerplay(bonus on FanDuel). Not only does he have elite upside but he has also provided us with a high floor averaging 4.4 shots on goal with a 19.8 iCorsi/60 on almost 19 minutes of ice-time per game. The matchup is also noteworthy as the Hurricanes have lost four straight and seven of their last nine games giving up three or more goals seven times.
Stack with: Ryan O'Reilly, Jaden Schwartz
Opponent - TOR
Proj Pts FD - 8.07 DK - 3.59
Tuch got a late start after leaving the final preseason game with an injury but since his return, he has been a tremendous value for fantasy. Not only has he picked up five points in his first six games but he is also providing a very high floor averaging 4.7 shots on goal per game with a crazy 25.2 iCorsi/60 while skating on the second line and second powerplay unit. The Leafs have been decent defensively this season(11th overall) so on DraftKings where Tuch's price has spiked he is best used in GPP formats but on FanDuel under $5K you can fire him up in all formats.
Stack with: Max Pacioretty, Erik Haula
Also Consider: Timo Meier(SJ) on FanDuel in the mid $5K range, J.T. Miller(TB) on both sites as a value play skating on the top line with Kucherov and Stamkos
Opponent - STL
Proj Pts FD - 8.15 DK - 3.55
There are some options on defense who have much more upside tonight but as long as Hamilton's price stays in the mid $5K range on both sites, he is almost a must play, at least in cash games. He has only tallied five points in 14 games this season but is averaging 4.4 shots per game and leads all players in the league(forwards included) with a 25.96 iCorsi/60 rating which is producing an elite floor for cash games. The matchup helps with the upside tonight as the Blues rank 30th in defense giving up and an average of 3.92 goals per game. Roster Hamilton with confidence on all formats.
Opponent - OTT
Proj Pts FD - 8.8 DK - 3.93
I am going to stick in the mid-range here for my second defenseman despite the Devils are playing a second game in as many nights and third in four nights. Vatanen is one of just four D men on this slate to average over two shots and two blocks per game this season and as I write this he already has two shots and four blocks against the Penguins on Monday night. The good news is that the Senators are also playing a third game in for nights and have struggled a ton lately losing six of their last seven games allowing 4.9 goals per game in that time. He is in play in all formats, especially on FanDuel in the mid $4K range.
Also Consider: Colin Miller(VGK) and Neal Pionk(NYR) as value plays at the position
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