This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday is back to business as usual for the NHL after a holiday slate of day games galore. There are eight contests on the docket, all of them starting at 7 p.m. EST or later. It's straightforward, but you are still here for a suggestion or two (or several) for your DFS lineups. Here are my players to target, and to avoid.
GOALIE
Petr Mrazek, CHI vs. SAN ($26): Sure, Mrazek only has a .904 save percentage, and Chicago is the second-worst team in the NHL. Fortunately, though, the worst team in the NHL is coming to town, and it is on the second leg of a back-to-back for good measure. The Sharks are at or near the bottom of the rankings in effectively every significant category offensively, defensively, and on special teams. This is, perhaps, the one and only time Mrazek will be a top goaltending option.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Stuart Skinner, EDM vs. TOR ($26): Skinner has been stellar, as important to the Oilers turning things around as anybody. However, this is a battle of star-laden, high-scoring Canadian teams. Toronto has averaged 3.51 goals and 33.3 shots on net per game. I think this one could see a few goals in net, so Skinner's hot streak could hit a snag.
CENTER
Philipp Kurashev, CHI vs. SAN ($12): Yes, Kurashev has replaced Connor Bedard as Chicago's top center, but he's not quite on that level. He does have seven points in his last 11 games, though, and in that time he's averaged 3:10 per contest with the extra man. I mentioned the Sharks being bad across the board. Indeed, they are last in goals per game, but also GAA, with a lacking penalty kill to match.
CENTER TO AVOID
Anze Kopitar, LOS at DAL ($24): Kopitar can still get it done, but he's tallied 14 of his 36 points with the extra man. The Stars weathered Jake Oettinger's injury and still ranks third on the penalty kill. Additionally, the Kings are on the road for the second game of a back-to-back.
WING
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG vs. NYI ($30): Ehlers has been throwing shots on net, with 127 of them coming in 42 games. That's helped him tally 15 goals, including four in his last seven outings. The Islanders are in the bottom three in shots on goal allowed per contest, and they too are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Claude Giroux, OTT vs. COL ($21): Giroux is on a three-game point streak, getting him up to 35 points in 38 contests. Colorado's defense has had to bail out its goalies. Ivan Prosvetov, the expected starter Tuesday, has an .895 save percentage. However, it will be harder for the Avalanche to do that on the road playing their second game in as many days.
WINGS TO AVOID
Mathew Barzal, NYI at WPG ($19): I just noted the Islanders are on the road to play their second game in as many days. If that wasn't enough, the Jets have been the toughest team to score on in the NHL. The numbers bear that out. Winnipeg has only allowed 28.8 shots on net per game, and its 2.29 GAA is lowest in the league.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA at NYR ($19): There are many players on the second leg of a back-to-back Tuesday, as you may have noticed. Throw Bjorkstrand into the mix. He's productive for a third-line player, because the Dane plays on the first power-play unit. Thirteen of his 34 points have come on the power play. The Rangers are at home, and rested, and have a top-eight penalty kill. Bjorkstrand could have a tough go of it.
DEFENSE
John Carlson, WAS vs. ANA ($22): After struggling to score goals all year, Carlson has two of them in his last six games, paired with three assists. Also, three times in those six games he's put four shots on net. The Ducks are, you guessed it, on the road for the second game of a back-to-back. Lukas Dostal will likely start, and he has a career .902 save percentage.
Jakob Chychrun, OTT vs. COL ($21): Chychrun's scoring has slowed down, but he has 26 points in 38 games. He's also put 91 shots on net and blocked 63 shots. I noted Colorado is on the second day of a back-to-back, and also that Prosvetov has an .895 save percentage as the backup for the team.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Noah Dobson, NYI at WPG ($24): Dobson's issues are the same as Barzal's, so I'll just add a specific detail into the mix. Connor Hellebuyck, probably the favorite to win the Vezina at the moment, has an 1.69 GAA and .942 save percentage over his last 19 starts.
Vince Dunn, SEA at NYR ($22): Now, Dunn is banged up and surprisingly didn't play Monday with an undisclosed injury. That alone is a concern on the second day of a back-to-back. The Rangers are in the top 10 in GAA, shots on net allowed per game, and penalty-kill percentage. I wouldn't risk Dunn even if healthy. Also, I'd avoid his usual pairing partner Adam Larsson as well.
