This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's intriguing from an NHL perspective. There are 10 games on the slate, creating a mixture of favorable DFS opportunities and matchups to be avoided unless you are feeling bold and contrarian. Here are my players to target, and to eschew, for your lineups.
GOALIE
Tristan Jarry, PIT vs. ARI ($31): The Penguins needed Jarry to turn things around in their quest for a "Last Dance" style run for their franchise icons. Fortunately, he's done it, as he has a 2.48 GAA and .918 save percentage. The Coyotes are middling in terms of goals per game, but are in the bottom five in shots on net per contest. On top of that, they are on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TAM at VAN ($35): Vasilevskiy's been playing better, though a terrible outing against the Stars is still hurting his ratios as he's only made seven appearances since returning from his injury. Those numbers may take another hit Tuesday, though. Perhaps Vasilevskiy shows that Vezina-winning form as time goes on, but the Canucks are tops in the NHL in goals per game at 3.82.
CENTER
Vincent Trocheck, NYR vs. TOR ($20): Ever since Trocheck moved to New York's second line, where he gets to skate next to Artemi Panarin, he's been on fire. He has 21 points over his last 15 games. The Maple Leafs are on the second night of a back-to-back, and Joseph Woll is currently week-to-week with an ankle injury. Woll was keeping Toronto's goalies above water, but now Martin Jones is the backup, and he has a career .905 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Ryan O'Reilly, NAS vs. PHI ($19): O'Reilly's first season with the Predators has been a success, with 12 goals and 10 assists through 28 games. Maybe his 17.6 percent shooting is a little high, but it isn't hugely inflated. However, the Flyers have been strong defensively. They've allowed a mere 28.4 shots on net per game, and Carter Hart has been playing well. He has a .919 save percentage, which paired with stingy defense has helped him post a 2.42 GAA.
WING
Jonathan Marchessault, VGK vs. CGY ($23): Marchessault has been racking up goals recently, with five over his last five games. The key with the reigning Conn Smythe winner is that he also shoots a ton. He's put 94 shots on target through 29 contests. Calgary is on the road for the second game of a back-to-back, and with Jacob Markstrom hurt the goaltending situation has taken a hit as well.
Cole Perfetti, WPG at SAN ($18): Perfetti has been a bit of a power-play specialist in terms of his minutes, but that may not be the case Tuesday, depending on the health of Kyle Connor. Connor left Winnipeg's last game early and Perfetti ended up playing 18:39, though a staggering 9:25 of that was on the power play. Perfetti, who has 19 points in 26 games, may be skating on the first line against the Sharks. Oh, and the Sharks have a 4.04 GAA, highest in the NHL.
WINGS TO AVOID
Owen Tippett, PHI at NAS ($22): Tippett has nine goals and eight assists on the season, but you may see his 9.9 percent shooting and think some improvement is on the way. However, at this point in his career, he seems to be from the Jakub Voracek school of shooting acumen. Tippett's career mark is only 9.8 percent, so he's right on his usual level of performance. Juuse Saros, meanwhile, has gotten into a groove, having allowed two goals or fewer in six of his last eight outings.
Jared McCann, SEA vs. FLA ($19): Fresh off a 40-goal season, McCann has 13 goals this year, though with only five assists. Surprisingly though, the Panthers are in the top five in GAA, in part because they are in the top five in shots on net allowed per contest. Sergei Bobrovsky has been solid, which has helped, as he has a .913 save percentage.
DEFENSE
Evan Bouchard, EDM vs. CHI ($23): Bouchard has been as hot as any defenseman in the NHL. In fact, I'll take that qualifier away and simply say he has been the hottest defenseman in the league. He's on an 11-game point streak with two three-point games in that time. Facing Chicago increases the chances of his streak hitting 12 games, given the team's 3.44 GAA and 32.9 shots on goal per game allowed.
Brent Burns, CAR at OTT ($19): It seems like Burns has slowed down a bit. However, he has 63 shots on goal through 27 games, and he has five points on the power play. The Senators have a bottom-five penalty kill, and Joonas Korpisalo has a .903 save percentage. Burns is still on the top power-play unit for the Hurricanes, so the opportunity is there.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Rasmus Andersson, CGY at VGK ($20): I recommended a Golden Knight in part because the Flames are on the second leg of a back-to-back. Now, I'm flipping that around and suggesting you avoid rostering Andersson on Tuesday. Vegas has a 2.34 GAA and a top-five penalty kill, and even if Adin Hill isn't quite ready to return, Logan Thompson has a .919 save percentage.
Mikhail Sergachev, TAM at VAN ($18): The Canucks have improved quite a bit from last year, including on the penalty kill, but the thing is that last year they had the league's worst penalty kill. Vancouver has a 2.61 GAA but is actually still in the bottom 10 in penalty-kill percentage. Last year Sergachev had a big role on the power play, but this year he's ceded that role back to Victor Hedman. Hedman is banged up, but if the Swede can play, Sergachev has only averaged 1:45 per game with the extra man.
