This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There are nine NHL games Tuesday, including one that starts at 6:00 p.m. EST. I'm going to include that for DFS purposes, because 6:00 isn't that early, and also the game is between the Rangers and Penguins and is being aired on NBC Sports. Seems worth including in the offerings when I am going through my players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineup.
GOALIE
James Reimer, CAR vs. NAS ($27): The Predators are really struggling on offense this season, as they've only managed 2.36 goals per game. Petr Mrazek hasn't been able to return from his injury, though he may be back soon, but right now it looks like Reimer is still in line to start. Over his last eight starts, Reimer has a 2.61 GAA and .916 save percentage.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Elvis Merzlikins, CLM vs. FLA ($31): Merzlikins is back from an injury of his own, and given how Joonas Korpisalo has struggled this season, Merzlikins has a good chance of claiming the top role for the Jackets. That being said, this is a tough matchup for anybody to step into, especially after an injury absence. The Panthers have scored 3.29 goals per game and lead the league with 34.1 shots on net per contest.
CENTER
Kevin Hayes, PHI vs. BUF ($17): Sean Couturier has been scintillating this season, which has overshadowed Hayes' performance. However, Hayes has been no slouch, as he has 17 points in 22 games. I think there is room for improvement as well, as the 28-year-old has averaged 3:04 per game with the extra man but only has four power-play points. The Sabres weren't doing well at goal prevention before Linus Ullmark got hurt, but now they have to rely on Carter Hutton, who has a 3.40 GAA and .883 save percentage.
CENTER TO AVOID
Patrice Bergeron, BOS at NYI ($31): I'm not expecting many goals in this game between two of the top five teams in GAA and shots allowed per contest. Bergeron is having a fine campaign, as was to be expected, but the Islanders have a 2.20 GAA. The Bruins center has also been shut down on the power play recently, as he has zero points with the extra man in his last 12 games.
WING
Ondrej Palat, TAM at DET ($22): Palat has back-to-back games with two points, giving him 20 points on the season. This includes a whopping 12 points with the extra man. The Wings have the 30th-ranked penalty kill, which means this matchup should play to Palat's strengths.
Pavel Buchnevich, NYR at PIT ($18): Buchnevich has been even hotter than Palat, as he has a four-game point streak. He's been helped by the fact he's started 54.8 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, most among New York's active forwards. While Tristan Jarry has played a little better recently, he still has a 3.12 GAA and .897 save percentage on the season.
WINGS TO AVOID
Nikolaj Ehlers, WPG at TOR ($24): Ehlers is having a good season, though the fact he doesn't play much on the power play will always hinder his upside a bit. The Leafs have a middling penalty kill, but Ehlers isn't in line to take advantage of that. Outside of the penalty kill, Toronto has a 2.42 GAA, so this is not a good matchup at even strength.
Anders Lee, NYI vs. BOS ($20): Lee has been racking up goals and has 12 this season, but with only six assists. He does have a four-game point streak, but I can envision that ending Tuesday. The Bruins leads the league by only allowing 26.3 shots on net per contest, and since Lee's fantasy value is mostly tied up in his goal scoring that doesn't bode well for him.
DEFENSE
Kris Letang, PIT vs. NYR ($20): Igor Shesterkin is currently dealing with a groin injury and I don't expect him to be ready to go Tuesday. That would likely leave Alexandar Georgiev in net, and he has a 3.03 GAA and .897 save percentage. Letang's issue in the past has been his health and availability, but right now he's healthy and has 10 points in his last nine games.
Brett Pesce, CAR vs. NAS ($17): Pesce is having arguably the best offensive season in his career, as he has 13 points in 24 games. The 26-year-old is also averaging 22:33 per game in ice time, a personal high. I like the upside of Pesce at this salary, as the Predators have a 3.28 GAA, bottom five in the NHL.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Charlie McAvoy, BOS at NYI ($19): It feels like McAvoy has taken a much larger role this season, but he's only gone from averaging 23:10 in ice time to 23:51. He also isn't contributing a ton on the power play, as only four of his 17 points have come with the extra man. McAvoy may be comfortable in his bigger offensive role, but Semyon Varlamov has a 2.10 GAA and .926 save percentage, which makes me uncomfortable selecting the defenseman in this matchup.
Duncan Keith, CHI at DAL ($16): Keith has eight assists this season, but zero goals. Since he's put 55 shots on goal I expect the veteran to score eventually. I just don't think it will be in this matchup. The Stars have a 2.55 GAA and have only given up 28.1 shots on net per contest. Also, Anton Khudobin is starting to play better, as his save percentage is up to .913.
