This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Before the NHL's Christmas break, they have some eventful days ahead of them with Tuesday being of particular note with 11 contests on the schedule. That gives us plenty to choose from, so let's take a closer look at our options and offer some recommendations.
SLATE PREVIEW
Even with 22 teams playing, the only team on the second half of a back-to-back is Minnesota, which will play in Boston tonight. Every other team is rested, though the New York Islanders will host the Oilers on Tuesday and then play in Washington on Wednesday while the Kings will play in San Jose on Tuesday before hosting the Kraken on Wednesday, so LA's and the Islanders' lineup decisions tonight might be influenced by their quick turnaround between games.
GOALIES
Devon Levi, BUF vs. CLM ($8,000): Levi has an unappealing 3.06 GAA and .898 save percentage in 13 contests this season, but that's due to his rough start to the campaign. Buffalo sent him to AHL Rochester on Nov. 28 to help him rebuild his confidence before recalling him Dec. 5. That time in the minors did the trick with the 21-year-old posting a 3-0-1 record, 1.71 GAA and .942 save percentage over his last four starts.
Connor Ingram, ARI vs. OTT ($7,800): I am a little nervous about going against the Senators tonight given that playing for a new coach after firing D.J. Smith might spark them, but Ingram is good enough to make it worth the risk. He has a 12-6-0 record, 2.41 GAA and .923 save percentage in 19 contests this year. Ingram is also coming off a 21-save shutout over San Jose in his last start Friday.
Thatcher Demko, VAN at NAS ($7,800): Demko has won his last four starts while posting a 1.75 GAA and a .940 save percentage. That's just the latest strong stretch in what's been a fantastic campaign in which the 28-year-old has a 16-7-0 record, 2.33 GAA and .921 save percentage in 23 appearances. He's also had two other starts against the Predators this season, winning both games while saving 43 of 47 shots (.915 save percentage).
VALUE PLAYS
Kevin Hayes, STL at TBL ($3,300): Hayes isn't getting the kind of minutes with St. Louis that he did with Philadelphia, going from averaging 17:34 of ice time in 2022-23 to just 14:59 this year. Still, the 31-year-old is capable of chipping in offensively and with his rock bottom price, he's at least worth taking a chance on when he's hot. Hayes has three goals and four points over his last three games, so this qualifies as one of those times.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, NYI vs. EDM ($2,900): If you want someone even cheaper, Pageau is worthy of consideration after scoring two goals and seven points over his last 12 contests. Edmonton might be starting another rough patch too, having dropped its last two games while being outscored 12-5.
Conor Garland, VAN at NAS ($2,900): Garland is on a three-game scoring streak, providing an assist in each of those games. He's also chipped in five helpers over his last seven appearances, so his current streak is part of a longer hot run.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Islanders vs. Oilers
Bo Horvat (C - $6,600), Mathew Barzal (W - $6,700), Anders Lee (W - $4,100)
Horvat has been providing tremendous value relative to his price, scoring seven goals and 16 points over his last 10 contests. As noted above, the Oilers have slipped recently, so Horvat has a prime opportunity to extend his scoring streak to an 11th game.
Barzal has been rolling too, supplying three goals and nine points over his past six outings. The 26-year-old is up to 10 goals and 32 points in 29 appearances. By contrast, though, Lee has been held off the scoresheet for four straight contests and has just 10 points (albeit seven goals) in 30 contests, so might want to just skip him instead of taking the full line.
Golden Knights at Hurricanes
Jack Eichel (C - $8,800), Mark Stone (W - $6,000), Ivan Barbashev (W - $3,800)
Eichel's on a 10-game scoring streak in which he's collected six goals and 16 points, so it's fair to say fantasy managers who have selected him recently have been pleased with the results. However, thanks to his lower price, Stone is the real gem of this trio. He's been nearly as hot as Eichel, supplying five goals and 14 points over the same 10-game stretch. After some injury-riddled seasons, Stone is back on track this campaign with 10 goals and 32 points through 32 contests.
Meanwhile, Barbashev would have also made sense in the Value Plays category. Despite his low fee, the 28-year-old has four goals and 10 points over his past nine outings.
Avalanche at Blackhawks
Nathan MacKinnon (C - $9,800), Mikko Rantanen (W - $8,400), Valeri Nichushkin (W - $6,600)
If you're willing to pay the higher fees, you'll be getting a dominant line in Colorado's top unit. There are players who are hot, and then there's MacKinnon, who has three goals and 10 points in his last four contests alone. That's part of a larger 15-game scoring streak in which he's supplied eight goals and 27 points.
Rantanen has been on fire too, contributing three goals and eight points over his last four outings, bringing him up to 15 goals and 39 points in 31 appearances this season. Rounding out the line, Nichushkin has three goals and six points over his past four contests, giving him 13 goals and 27 points in 29 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Jakob Chychrun, OTT at ARI ($6,200): Chychrun has been somewhat hot-and-cold this campaign, going through a seven-game scoring drought from Nov. 16-Dec. 5. He's back on track, though, providing nine assists over his last six contests. Chychrun's up to five goals and 21 points through 26 appearances in 2023-24.
Adam Fox, NYR at TOR ($5,400): Fox was out from Nov. 2-27 because of a lower-body injury, but when he's been healthy, he's been fantastic, contributing three goals and 21 points in 19 contests this year. Fox has been held off the scoresheet just once over his last eight games and has collected 10 assists in that span.
Jake McCabe, TOR vs. NYR ($3,300): McCabe has just a goal and eight points in 22 contests this season, but he's been very productive recently, providing a goal and six points over his last six outings. McCabe isn't typically much of an offensive threat, so he'll likely fizzle out before too long, but because his price is still low, the 30-year-old is worth grabbing while he's hot.
