This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT and features eight games. Below, you'll find suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
This slate is expected to be quite competitive for the most part, with only the Rangers (vs. Buffalo) and Lightning (in Chicago) standing out as heavy favorites, New York significantly more so than Tampa Bay. Those two games both have over/unders of 6.0 goals, as does Panthers-Predators, but the go-to matchup for offense Tuesday will be Flyers-Devils, with an over/under of 6.5 goals.
GOALIES
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. BUF ($8,300): Shesterkin's in excellent position to pick up a win, which would be absolutely vital for the Rangers' faint playoff hopes. The visiting Sabres rank 28th offensively with 2.41 goals per game, and two of Shesterkin's last four home starts have been shutout wins.
Elvis Merzlikins, CLS vs. DET ($8,000): Only the idle Ducks average fewer goals than Detroit's 2.28, and the Red Wings have been especially abhorrent on the road at 6-15-3. With Joonas Korpisalo battling a lower-body injury, Merzlikins should get a much-needed opportunity to pad his stats against the low-octane Detroit offense.
Alex Nedeljkovic, CAR at DAL ($8,000): Nedeljkovic had a four-game winning streak snapped by Florida in overtime in his last start, but he still sports a terrific overall record of 12-4-3 to go with a 1.98 GAA and .930 save percentage. The rookie's standout season should continue against a middling Stars offense that's averaging 2.85 goals per game.
Ilya Samsonov, WAS vs. NYI ($7,700): Samsonov has won his last four starts, with the last two coming against the Islanders, one via shutout. Meanwhile, New York's offense has sputtered recently, producing no more than one goal in six of the Islanders' last 10 games.
Jonathan Bernier, DET at CLS ($7,100): Detroit has struggled on the road, but Bernier's an obvious choice nonetheless if you're looking for affordable upside in net. The Blue Jackets average the third-fewest goals per game (2.38) and are winless in their last nine, while Bernier's coming off a 50-save performance.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Miles Wood, NJ vs. PHI ($4,100): Wood's playing some inspired hockey recently. He has a 2-1-3 line and 11 shots in his last two games, including a goal and an assist Sunday against the Flyers. At just $4,100, New Jersey's leading goal-scorer (16 in 48 games) is worth a look against a Philadelphia team that's allowing 3.48 goals per game — second-most in the league.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, CLS vs. DET ($5,500): Bjorkstrand leads the Blue Jackets in both goals (15) and points (38) through 50 games, and he comes into this favorable matchup riding a five-game point streak. Needing just two points to match his career high of 40 set over 82 games in 2017-18, Bjorkstrand could well get them against a Red Wings team that's allowing 3.12 goals per game.
Jakub Vrana, DET at CLS ($4,600): Vrana has been a man on a mission since coming over at the trade deadline, determined to prove the Capitals wrong for deeming him expendable in the Anthony Mantha trade. He has a 5-1-6 line in five games for Detroit, and while most of that production came in a four-goal outburst against Dallas, that dominant performance showcased the upside Vrana possesses when he's on his game. Expect Vrana to be a difference-maker against a Blue Jackets team that's looking up at the Red Wings in the standings after having lost nine games in a row and 12 of 13.
Sam Bennett, FLA at NSH ($3,700): Bennett has undoubtedly benefited from the change of scenery since coming over from Calgary after publicly requesting a trade. He lit the lamp again Monday in Nashville and now has a 4-3-7 line in six games with the Panthers, adding 21 shots while being held off the scoresheet only once. Despite his success in Florida, Bennett can still be had for just $3,700.
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. CAR ($5,000): If you believe in riding the hot hand, Benn's your man. After scoring a goal on five shots Saturday in Detroit, Benn followed up with a goal and three assists in Monday's 4-3 overtime win over Carolina. While a repeat effort is unlikely, the four-time 79-point scorer has the skills to post another productive effort in this rematch with the Hurricanes.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Flyers at Devils
Sean Couturier (C - $7,000), Claude Giroux (W - $5,600), Jakub Voracek (W - $5,300)
The Flyers' top line is primed to put up big numbers against a Devils team that's lost 10 in a row while allowing a whopping 48 goals in that stretch. Couturier has been Philadelphia's most productive player when available, leading the team in goals per game (.38) and points per game (.92) with a 14-20-34 line in 37 games. Giroux was the hero in Sunday's 4-3 shootout win over New Jersey, scoring twice in 22 seconds with less than a minute and a half to go to send the game to overtime and bring his season line to 13-22-35 in 46 games. Voracek assisted on both of Giroux's goals and ranks second on the team with 37 points in 45 appearances, trailing only James van Riemsdyk (39 in 48).
Rangers vs. Sabres
Mika Zibanejad (C - $8,100), Pavel Buchnevich (W - $7,000), Alexis Lafreniere (W - $3,300)
This line offers a great mix of productivity and affordability, and its members eviscerated the Sabres when these teams met Sunday. Zibanejad picked up his third hat trick of the season in that game, raising his line over the past 10 games to 6-9-15. Buchnevich's two-assist effort Sunday was his second multi-point game in a row and fourth in his last eight. Lafreniere has played his best hockey since being promoted to this top line, as the rookie first overall pick has a 1-2-3 line in his last two games.
Lightning at Blackhawks
Brayden Point (C - $6,400), Ondrej Palat (W - $5,500), Alex Barre-Boulet (W - $2,700)
This trio skates together on the top line and top power-play unit, and the latter deployment could prove especially noteworthy against the bottom-five Blackhawks penalty kill (76.5 percent). Point and Palat each racked up three points in Tampa Bay's last game, giving the former a 3-4-7 line in his last five games and the latter a five-game point streak. Barre-Boulet scored his first NHL goal — on the power play — to go with six shots in Sunday's win over the Blue Jackets, showcasing the offensive skills that have made him one of the AHL's top scorers over the past couple years.
DEFENSEMEN
Adam Fox, NYR vs. BUF ($7,100): Fox's three-assist effort when these teams played Sunday propelled him into the league points lead among defensemen with 46 in 48 games, and he ranks second among all Rangers skaters in the category, trailing only Artemi Panarin's 56. Fox has 11 points in his last five meetings with Buffalo, so he should be worth paying up for here.
Ryan Ellis, NSH vs. FLA ($4,600): Ellis was quiet in Monday's win over the Panthers, but he was a two-way force over the previous four games, with three assists, 11 shots and 10 blocks. His combination of point production and contributions in secondary stats make Ellis a strong mid-tier blue line option.
Travis Sanheim, PHI at NJ ($3,700): Sanheim has been a great source of secondary stats lately despite failing to provide offense, with 20 shots and 14 blocks in his last six games. If he's able to mark the scoresheet against a Devils team that's allowing the most fantasy points in the league to defensemen, Sanheim would be an absolute steal at $3,700. If not, his well-rounded production still gives Sanheim a solid floor.
Cody Ceci, PIT vs. BOS ($3,200): Ceci was held off the scoresheet for just the third time in 13 April contests when these teams met Sunday, but he's nonetheless enjoying a productive month as a surprisingly consistent contributor in Pittsburgh's high-powered offense. Grabbing Ceci on the cheap despite the tricky matchup could pay off as you fill out your lineup.
