Eight games fill Tuesday’s NHL slate after seven exciting games occurred on Monday. The offense is alive and well with teams like Minnesota and Calgary, who combined to score 15 goals in each of their games en route to blowout victories. However, several of these games wound up low scoring, with Colorado shutting out Chicago 2-0 and Vegas scoring the only goal in a decisive 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals.
Reflecting on Saturday’s recommendations, it was an excellent outing for most of my selections. While Timo Meier (RW – SJ) and Cale Makar (D – COL) failed to generate a point, everyone else managed at least an assist or a goal, while both Juuse Saros (G – NSH) and Darcy Kuemper (G – COL) earned wins while performing well defending the crease. Overall, six of eight prospects exceeded their projected total and returned quality value in DFS lineups. Unfortunately, five of Tuesday’s eight games have odds favoring the over for the total amount of goals scored, meaning there is a ton of production waiting to be rostered.
I’ve gathered eight of my favorite prospects on Tuesday’s slate and will explain why each one warrants consideration to cash your DFS lineups tonight.
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Sebastian Aho (C – CAR): $7,600
This season, Sebastian Aho has been a massive asset for the Carolina Hurricanes offense. Despite only being 24 years old, Aho leads the team with 42 points, including 25 assists, tied for first alongside defenseman Anthony DeAngelo. Aho doesn’t typically see 20 minutes average time on ice but does earn extra minutes on the top powerplay unit for Carolina. On Saturday, he was held without a point and did not attempt a single shot on goal against the New Jersey Devils but had three assists and two goals in his previous four matchups. Expect Aho to score or nab an assist against Vegas’ reserve netminder Laurent Brossoit (G – VGK), returning from injury to defend the crease on Tuesday. Brossoit surrendered five goals to Winnipeg in his last start on January 2nd, meaning Aho has the massive upside to tap into ahead of Tuesday’s slate. Plug Aho in at a lower salary than he typically goes for due to his goose egg from Saturday.
Jake Guentzel (LW – PIT): $7,500
Another high-caliber player who is being undervalued ahead of Tuesday’s contest against the lowly Arizona Coyotes is Pittsburgh’s first-line winger Jake Guentzel. The 27-year old leads the Penguins in points (40) and is the only player on the team with at least 20 goals scored this season. He earns additional minutes on their top powerplay unit and ended a four-game point streak in his last outing against Winnipeg on Sunday. He did attempt five shots on goal, which raised his floor despite the lack of production. The Penguins are the healthiest they have been all season. Guentzel benefits from playing alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby (C – PIT) and Kris Letang (D – PIT), so go ahead and plug him into lineups with confidence against Arizona goaltender Karel Vejmelka (G – ARI), who just allowed six goals to the New York Rangers in his last start on Saturday.
Rasmus Dahlin (D – BUF): $5,700
If you’re looking for drastically underrated defensemen to fill a hole in your DFS lineups, look no further than Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin. He’s already earning close to 24 minutes average time on ice and has 21 assists for the Sabres through 41 games played. Dahlin is only 21 years old but now in his fourth year with the franchise, so he has developed into a role with the first line defensive pairing and earns additional minutes on their top powerplay unit. Dahlin enters Tuesday’s contest with five points generated across his previous two games and will face a plus-matchup against Ottawa’s goaltender Anton Forsberg (G – OTT). Forsberg has been playing much better, allowing two or fewer goals in three of his previous four starts. However, Dahlin is riding a hot streak, and the momentum is on his side. He raises his floor via blocked shots and hits, making him an undervalued asset to acquire in DFS lineups on Tuesday.
Ilya Sorokin (G – NYI): $8,400
Arguably one of the league’s best goaltenders this season, Ilya Sorokin will not be receiving any Vezina Trophy consideration due to the lackluster play of the New York Islanders’ offense. However, the 26-year old netminder has overcome the adversity dealt his way, boasting an impressive 2.26 GAA and a .928 save percentage with an 11-7-4 record. The Philadelphia Flyers are amid a 12-game losing skid and lack any momentum to challenge Sorokin. He’s expensive for a reason. He’s a blue-chip goaltending prospect facing one of the league’s worst offenses across the last three weeks. Don’t dismiss Sorokin due to the offense. Instead, roster him and watch the saves and points pile up. The Islanders have won four of their last six games, so Sorokin should be in line for an easy win at home ice on Tuesday night.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Evgeni Malkin (C – PIT): $6,700
After spending the first few months on IR, Pittsburgh veteran second-line center Evgeni Malkin has returned dominantly. The 35-year old has at least one point in five of seven games since being activated off of IR, entering Tuesday’s home contest against Arizona with a point in four straight games. Malkin earns quality minutes on the Penguins’ top powerplay unit and attempts at least a couple of shots on goal per game while occasionally using his big frame to rack up hits and blocked shots. Arizona goaltender Karel Vejmelka has struggled all season and allowed the Rangers to rack up six goals in 41 minutes of playing time during his last start on Saturday. Malkin is licking his chops for this matchup and should be a shoo-in for at least one point to extend his scoring streak to five games by the end of Tuesday’s matchup.
Matt Duchene (RW – NSH): $7,100
Matt Duchene is coming off a monster performance against the Detroit Red Wings, burying two goals and adding an assist to lead Nashville to a 4-1 rout on Saturday night. The 31-year old first-line winger will hit the road to face Philipp Grubauer (G – SEA) and the Seattle Kraken. Grubauer just surrendered three goals to Florida on Sunday but earned a much-needed win for the Kraken in the process. Duchene is now in his 13th season in the league and his third with the Predators, which means he is fully entrenched in his role on the first-line attack and powerplay unit. He has an even 1:1 split for goals and assists (19) and is only four points behind defenseman Roman Josi (D – NSH) for holding the title for team points leader. Duchene should quickly dispose of Grubauer and the Kraken with his elite stick handling and navigation in the offensive zone. At $7,100, Duchene is still slightly undervalued, so take advantage and plug him into your DFS lineups with confidence.
Shea Theodore (D – VGK): $6,300
26-year old second-line defenseman Shea Theodore has been one of the team’s most consistent contributors on the offense this season. Theodore was held without a point against Washington in his previous matchup but managed to rack up four points, including a goal, before Monday’s 1-0 defensive win. He earns closer to 26 minutes average time on ice and often finds himself blocking shots or hitting the opponent a couple of times per game. Theodore earns minutes on the Golden Knights’ top powerplay unit and benefits from skating alongside the talented personnel. He gets a tough matchup against Frederik Andersen (G – CAR) and the Carolina Hurricanes on the road Tuesday night. Still, Theodore has shown that he can overcome a bad effort in a previous game with a rock-solid outing in the next contest. With the ample opportunities and skillset he possesses, plugging Theodore into a Defenseman slot in your DFS lineups is an intelligent investment.
Juuse Saros (G – NSH): $8,100
Now in his seventh season with the Nashville Predators, 26-year old netminder Juuse Saros may be playing his way into being a Vezina Trophy finalist. Saros has allowed three goals across his last two starts in the net, resulting in wins for the Predators. Nashville is 6-3-1 in their previous ten games, with Saros starting in all but one of them, which ended up as a 3-1 loss to Vancouver. The Predators have a solid attack but rely on Saros to defend the crease often, as he saw over 40 shots in five straight games dating back to a 5-0 stretch earlier this month. Saros is worth every penny, and it’s absurd to see that he costs less than other goaltenders. This could be due to playing on the road, but Nashville is superior to Seattle. On Tuesday, Saros will continue to play at a high level and is set up for success to earn his third straight win. Get him into your lineups and view him as the anchor, allowing you to build around him by saving a few hundred dollars.
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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_.
