This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate features 10 games after 7:00 p.m. EST. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
Two heavy favorites stand out as teams to build around Tuesday, with the Maple Leafs hosting Columbus and the Lightning in Montreal. The Toronto game is one of three with an over/under of 6.0 goals, along with Ducks-Sabres and Panthers-Blues, but Wild-Oilers is expected to be the highest-scoring game, with an over/under of 6.5 goals. If you believe in riding momentum — be it positive or negative — keep in mind that the Islanders head to Ottawa having dropped 11 straight while the Rangers and Wild have each won six in a row as they get set to travel to Chicago and Edmonton, respectively.
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB at MON ($8,400): The Lightning are battling injuries up front, but they're healthy on the back end and providing the defensive infrastructure Vasilevskiy needs to put his best foot forward. He has allowed only seven goals over his last five starts, improving to 12-4-3 with a 2.23 GAA and .927 save percentage heading into this matchup with a Canadiens team that's averaging just 2.27 goals per game.
Anthony Stolarz, ANH at BUF ($7,900): Stolarz has been decent when called upon this season, and he should get the nod after John Gibson started Monday against the Capitals. Anaheim's backup has solid numbers (3-2-1 with a 2.82 GAA and .919 save percentage), while the reeling Sabres are 1-7-1 in their last nine games.
Filip Gustavsson, OTT vs. NYI ($7,200): Ottawa has been even worse than the Islanders for much of the season, but the Senators have heated up with three consecutive wins while the Islanders haven't won a game since Nov. 6. Anton Forsberg has been in net for Ottawa's entire winning streak, but Gustafsson should get a look as the team rounds out a back-to-back set by hosting an Islanders offense that's scoring a measly 1.90 goals per game.
Alexandar Georgiev, NYR at CHI ($8,100): There are many safer options to go with, but Georgiev has plenty of upside for the streaking Rangers against a Chicago team that's averaging just 2.13 goals per game. The much-maligned backup has stepped up since starter Igor Shesterkin suffered a lower-body injury Friday against the Sharks, as he set aside nine shots after Shesterkin's injury to complete a combined shutout before beating the Blackhawks 3-2 Saturday. Both of Chicago's goals were scored in controversial fashion, so Georgiev's in a much better groove now than his horrendous overall 3.58 GAA and .876 save percentage suggest.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Steven Stamkos, TB at MON ($7,200): Stamkos is being asked to carry the depleted Lightning forward corps, and he's having little trouble doing so. His 12-15-27 line in 23 games includes a 3-6-9 output over Stamkos' current seven-game point streak, and a Montreal team that's been outscored 93-59 this season is unlikely to slow him down.
Mathew Barzal, NYI at OTT ($6,100): Barzal has looked much better since the Islanders returned after a few days off to combat a COVID-19 outbreak. The first-line center has produced a 1-4-5 line in three subsequent games after totaling eight points through 17 contests to open the season. Barzal's speed will trouble a leaky Ottawa defense that's allowing a league-high 3.83 goals per game.
Andrew Copp, WPG vs. CAR ($4,200): The most affordable member of Winnipeg's top-six forward group actually ranks third on the team with 20 points in 24 games. Copp's the best value among a Jets group that has more upside than initially meets the eye against the Hurricanes given recent trends. Winnipeg's offense is on fire, having scored 14 times in the last two games, while the Hurricanes have cooled down after a torrid start and are 2-4-1 in their last seven.
Andrew Mangiapane, CGY at SJ ($5,600): The Flames are on the road again, which means you can expect Mangiapane to light the lamp. Mangiapane has 16 goals in 16 road tilts this season, and he'll face a Sharks team that has made the odd decision to commit to Adin Hill (5-7-0, 2.79 GAA) in net for each of the past three games over James Reimer (8-4-1, 2.05 GAA). Either Reimer's battling and unreported injury, or San Jose's already waving the white flag on the season and prioritizing Hill's development over Reimer's present-day success.
Eeli Tolvanen, NSH at DET ($2,900): Perhaps finally getting the goal monkey off his back will get Tolvanen going. The top-six winger snapped a 22-game goal drought last tine out, and that goal was a long time coming considering he's mustered 24 shots in the past seven games. At just $2,900, he should provide nice bang for the buck in Detroit.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets
John Tavares (C - $6,700), William Nylander (W - $6,700), Alex Kerfoot (W - $3,200)
Toronto's talented second line features two of the team's three leading scorers in terms of both goals and points, as Tavares leads Auston Matthews by one point with an 11-15-26 line through 25 games, while Nylander's hot on his heels with a 10-14-24 line in 26. The affordable Kerfoot's 4-12-16 line has him on a 50-point pace. A visiting Blue Jackets team that's been outscored 24-10 to go with a 1-4-0 record in its last five games will have a tough time slowing this trio down.
Wild at Oilers
Ryan Hartman (C - $6,400), Kirill Kaprizov (W - $7,600), Mats Zuccarello (W - $5,100)
Minnesota has won six straight, led by excellent contributions from its top line. Meanwhile, the Oilers have been outscored 9-4 while taking consecutive regulation losses coming into this one. This line's three members are the Wild's top three point scorers this season, as Kaprizov leads with a 9-20-29 line through 24 games, Hartman's 13-8-21 line has him leading the way in the goal column, and Zuccarello's 7-11-18 line has come in just 18 appearances. Kaprizov and Hartman have been especially effective in the last nine games, with the former producing a monstrous 6-12-18 line and the latter mustering a 6-4-10 line and 36 shots.
Ducks at Sabres
Sam Steel (C - $2,600), Troy Terry (W - $5,400), Vinni Lettieri (W - $2,500)
You can search all season and not find such an affordable top line in such a favorable matchup. Locking in this trio lets you exploit the defensive deficiencies of a Sabres team that's giving up 3.75 goals per game while also leaving plenty of cap space for the rest of your lineup. Terry has been the Ducks' top scorer throughout the season, as he comfortably leads the team in both goals (15) and points (26). Lettieri has been a staple among the AHL's top scorers for years thanks to his excellent shot, and he seems to finally be realizing how to translate his skills to production at the top level. The 26-year-old winger has a two-game goal streak going, and his three goals in six NHL games this season are already more than the two he had over 51 games entering the year. Steel continues to fill in for the injured Ryan Getzlaf (lower body) on the top line, making him a low-risk, high-reward value option here.
DEFENSEMEN
Victor Hedman, TB at MON ($7,300): Hedman's the other healthy Lightning star alongside Stamkos, and boy is he playing like a star. His 2-6-8 line over the past four games has propelled Hedman into the league lead in points among defensemen with 26 in 24 games. Adding to that total should be easy against a Canadiens team that's allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing defensemen.
MacKenzie Weegar, FLA at STL ($5,200): Weegar has posted double-digit fantasy points in five consecutive games and seven of eight, proving you don't need goals to dominate in the fantasy realm. He's yet to light the lamp this season, but Weegar's excellent five-game stretch heading into this one has included five assists, 16 shots and 15 blocked shots.
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. MIN ($4,400): Don't be afraid to keep locking in Bouchard, even with Darnell Nurse (finger) back in the mix. Bouchard flies under the radar behind all the big names in Edmonton, but the young blueliner offers an excellent mix of well-rounded contributions and offensive ability. His 4-11-15 line in 23 games includes a 2-3-5 line, eight shots and eight blocks in the last four.
Noah Dobson, NYI at OTT ($4,000): Like Barzal, Dobson benefited from the league giving the reeling Islanders a few days off to reset, having mustered a goal, an assist, eight shots and eight blocks in three games since returning to action. The goal was a huge one, as it allowed New York to salvage a loser point against Chicago by forcing overtime in the final seconds. No team has been more generous to opposing blueliners in fantasy than the Senators, so Dobson should build on his recent success.
