Virtually every NHL team will be lacing up their skates during a monstrous 14-game slate Tuesday night. No games were played on Monday due to a postponed matchup between the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, so the league is rewarding its fans with a slate filled with great matchups and even better DFS lineup opportunities. With nearly every player available, roster construction can become overwhelming. That’s why I’m here to help identify players who meet enough criteria to warrant a spot in lineups.
Vegas travels to Boston, Minnesota hosts Carolina, and the New York Rangers will face off against a surging Colorado Avalanche team in just a few of Tuesday’s most notable games. In addition, numerous lopsided matchups could yield serious production for specific players, as Florida hosts Ottawa and Winnipeg faces a Buffalo Sabres team amid a seven-game losing skid. Don’t gloss over these matchups, as they often contain players on second and third lines who take advantage of their opportunities. Instead, invest early and watch their value grow exponentially. Let’s get right into the recommendations to help cash your lineups on a busy Tuesday night in the National Hockey League.
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Mark Scheifele (C – WPG): $6,600
28-year old center Mark Scheifele has been a steady contributor for Winnipeg all season. He currently has 17 points, which ranks fifth on the Jets in point leaders. Most important, Scheifele has at least one point in five straight games and can produce like this even when held to only one shot on goal. Skating alongside Kyle Connor (LW – WPG) helps, but the top powerplay unit also offers a prime opportunity for Scheifele to set up a crisp pass or bury a shot in the back of the net. Five of his seven goals have occurred in the last two weeks, so inserting Scheifele into lineups at $6,600 is a solid value against the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres plan on starting Aaron Dell (G – BUF) in the net on Tuesday, creating an even juicier opportunity for Scheifele to return maximum value in lineups. Dell has allowed at least four goals in his last three starts for the Sabres, so plug Scheifele into lineups with extreme confidence.
Kyle Connor (LW – WPG): $7,400
I want to stack the Jets first-line as much as possible against the Buffalo Sabres. Kyle Connor is a 25-year old winger skating alongside Mark Scheifele on both the first-line and top powerplay unit and has been a dominant offensive force for Winnipeg all season. Connor leads the team in goals (18) and points (32) and has poured in three goals and two assists across his last two games against a similar level of competition that he’ll face on Tuesday night. Connor earns roughly 22 minutes average time on ice and has taken six shots on goal during this two-game point streak. Stacking Connor at $7,400 with his linemate Scheifele at $6,600 is a phenomenal investment despite absorbing a quarter of the DraftKings salary. The Sabres have lost seven in a row, and goaltender Aaron Dell has been vulnerable in every start this season, so Connor should get a couple of points for the third game in a row. He’s the safest bet you can make on a huge slate, and his salary isn’t tremendous, so take advantage and feel free to stack the Jets offense in the process.
MacKenzie Weegar (D – FLA): $6,200
27-year old defenseman Mackenzie Weegar has been relatively quiet in his last couple of games, but he’s capable of delivering a good floor in most matchups. Weegar has recorded at least two blocked shots in three of his past five games and attempts five to six shots on goal per game, which is high for a defenseman. In addition, he doesn’t need to skate on either of the Florida Panthers’ powerplay units to exceed 20 minutes average time on ice. Weegar is still searching for his first goal of the season, but the surrounding personnel allows him to set up assists in the offensive zone, as he has 15 on the season. Weegar is on a two-game point drought but will face Ottawa Senators goaltender Filip Gustavsson (G – OTT), who has surrendered 11 goals across his last two starts. Expect the Panthers to score early and often in a lopsided matchup, meaning Weegar is expected to net an assist while raising his floor with blocked shots and shots on goal. He’s a bit expensive for a defenseman, but his situation is favorable enough to overcome any discrepancies regarding his salary.
James Reimer (G – SJ): $8,100
San Jose is battling in the Pacific Division and will face the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night. The Kraken are the basement dwellers of the division and are unable to defend the goal or score, which is a bad combination for their success but a fantastic prospect for DFS lineups. 33-year old netminder James Reimer is 9-4-1 as a starter for the Sharks this season and has four wins in his last five appearances in the net. Allowing a combined total of three goals in his previous three starts, including a shutout against Chicago, and you see why Reimer is my favorite goaltender on Tuesday’s slate. Reimer’s matchup is favorable for performing well, and his momentum from previous outings should transfer once again in front of the home crowd. So pay up to get a sure-fire goaltender to anchor your Tuesday lineups.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Sidney Crosby (C – PIT): $7,200
Sidney Crosby saw his point-streak end after seven games against Anaheim, attempting only two shots on goal in the process. Put this game out of your mind because the star veteran center for the Penguins will host a bad Montreal Canadiens team on Tuesday night. Goaltender Jake Allen (G – MTL) has surrendered at least three goals in four of his last five starts, so Crosby should have no problem returning to the point column via assist or goal. The absence of Evgeni Malkin (C – PIT), Bryan Rust (RW – PIT), and Jake Guentzel (LW – PIT) are having a noticeable impact on the team, but this means that Crosby has to be the guy to generate production for a team very much in the hunt in the Metropolitan Division. In his last outing against Montreal back on November 18th, Crosby scored a goal and netted two assists on five shots. This is the type of production to chase, no matter the name. Crosby is a household name, but the salary reflects his goose egg against Anaheim over the weekend. Capitalize on this discount and insert Crosby into lineups on Tuesday.
Andre Burakovsky (LW – COL): $5,500
The probability of Andre Burakovsky scoring multiple goals for the third straight game is doubtful. However, he’s been very active on offense for the Colorado Avalanche. He reaps the rewards of skating alongside Nathan MacKinnon (C – COL) and Mikko Rantanen (RW – COL) on the first-line and top powerplay unit. Before this incredible two-game stretch, Burakovsky had been quiet, earning only one point in a seven-game span. The 26-year old is adjusting to the new roster in his third season with the Avalanche but has all of the opportunity in the world to continue his impressive point streak. The matchup is not a give-me by any stretch of the imagination, as the Avalanche will host the New York Rangers. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin (G – NYR) has been rock solid in his last five games, recording a shutout and allowing two goals just once. Burakovsky has momentum, talent, and opportunity in his court. Take the value at just $5,500 and plug him in for a point and heavy usage in the offense against a talented Rangers team on Tuesday night.
Damon Severson (D – NJ): $4,300
If you’re looking for a defenseman that has shown an ability to gain a point in recent games, New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson could be the guy to target. The 27-year old only has seven points this season, but three of these occurred the first week of December, including an assist against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Devils will travel to Philadelphia this time to face a Flyers team that is collapsing, going 2-7-1 in its last ten games. Severson skates on the top defensive line and earns time on the second powerplay unit, which will give him a few looks on the net against Carter Hart (G – PHI). The 23-year old netminder has fared poorly this season, entering Tuesday’s contest with a 2.91 GAA and three goals allowed in four of his last five games. Nevertheless, Severson should take a couple of shots, block a few more shots, and linger long enough in the offensive zone to net his fifth assist of the season. He’s not a high-upside play, but the floor is intact and good enough at this salary.
Linus Ullmark (G – BOS): $7,800
Boston is climbing up the Atlantic Division thanks to their top goaltender, Linus Ullmark. The 28-year old Bruins netminder has five straight games allowing only two goals, leading to four wins and a crisp .921 save percentage entering Tuesday’s postponed matchup against a talented Calgary Flames offense. Ullmark has also recorded at least 36 saves in three of his last four starts, including a 40-save performance against Calgary a few days ago. The rematch in Boston should see Ullmark perform well once again, making his $7,800 salary a steal. The Flames have lost four of their last five and have been unable to score above three goals in any of these losses, signaling that Ullmark should have a relatively easy path to success yet again. So plug him into lineups and watch the points pile up after the game to give the Bruins their third straight win.
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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
