The second half of the 2022 NHL season is officially underway, with Las Vegas and All-Star Weekend in the rearview mirror. Most teams playing on Tuesday’s slate have had at least four to five days to rest up and recharge for the upcoming playoff push. Nevertheless, the league eased its way back into regular season play on Monday night, as Toronto mounted a late comeback to steal a win from Carolina in overtime. At the same time, the Ottawa Senators dominated the New Jersey Devils in a 4-1 rout.
Three of these teams will play again tonight, with Ottawa hosting Carolina and New Jersey traveling to Montreal. Quite a few games have high over/under odds, including Columbus at Washington, Carolina at Ottawa, Minnesota at Winnipeg, and New Jersey at Montreal. These are the matchups to target when constructing DFS lineups since oddsmakers expect a flurry of goals.
Seven games round out Tuesday’s slate, the perfect amount to opt for numerous lineup strategies. Whether you want to stack players on the same attack line, pair a star player and his goaltender, or diversify your lineup with players from different teams, these seven matchups possess ample opportunities for DFS managers to cash out. So let’s jump right into a few of my favorite prospects to target on Tuesday’s slate.
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Evgeny Kuznetsov (C – WAS): $5,700
Evgeny Kuznetsov has been skating on Washington’s first-line attack for nearly a decade, and he’s been instrumental in keeping the Capitals competitive enough to win the Metropolitan Division. The 29-year old Russian is second on the team in points and has 31 assists through 44 games played this season. Kuznetsov racked up three assists and a goal in his previous three games, leading to All-Star Weekend. The opposing goaltender, Joonas Korpisalo (G – CBJ), is averaging 3.82 GAA in 14 starts for Columbus this year. Korpisalo previously allowed the Capitals to score four goals in a loss when he last faced them in November, where Kuznetsov produced an assist. Expect at least one point against Korpisalo on Tuesday night with the potential for a multi-point outing due to Alex Ovechkin (LW – WAS) being unavailable due to Covid-19 protocols. It’s rare to find someone like Kuznetsov available at such a discounted salary, so take advantage and acquire him without hesitation.
Tyler Toffoli (RW – MTL): $5,400
Montreal is likely already preparing for their offseason, but that doesn’t mean first-line winger Tyler Toffoli is a bad decision to add into DFS lineups. It’s quite the opposite. The 29-year old has played 11 fewer games than most of his teammates but is still tied for first in goals (9) and second in total points (25) thanks to his ease of navigating the offensive zone. Toffoli earns additional minutes on the Canadiens’ top powerplay unit and has at least one point in six of his previous seven games. The New Jersey Devils expect to deploy reserve goaltender Nico Daws (G – NJ), who just allowed Ottawa to rout the team 4-1 on Monday night. Toffoli is due for another big game and should end the Canadiens’ six-game losing skid on home ice. He’s another excellent value prospect with a solid floor and an even bigger ceiling, so prioritize him in as many lineups as possible.
Jonas Brodin (D – MIN): $4,300
In recent games, second-line defenseman Jonas Brodin has been elevating his production for the Minnesota Wild, netting assists in back-to-back games before All-Star Weekend. The 28-year old Swede has spent his entire ten-year career with Minnesota and raises his floor significantly due to his involvement and willingness to block opposing shots. He racked up four blocked shots against Chicago in Minnesota’s last game while attempting three shots on goal. This blend of defense and offense is the exact recipe to target when looking at defensemen to roster. In addition, Brodin is exceptionally cheap and earns roughly 22 minutes of average time on ice per game, so he is a great value player to target in lineups on Tuesday night.
Ilya Samsonov (G – WAS): $8,300
Washington is objectively a more talented and balanced team than the Columbus Blue Jackets, whom they will be hosting on Tuesday night. 24-year old goaltender Ilya Samsonov has been pretty good in spots for the Capitals this season, racking up three shutouts in only 24 games played. Samsonov has not allowed more than three goals in four consecutive starts, and Columbus certainly doesn’t pose a legitimate threat in scoring goals. The Blue Jackets did muster 15 goals across their previous three games played, but these all occurred against reserve goaltenders. Samsonov is the primary goaltender in Washington, and he’s well-rested after a disappointing outing in his last start, surrendering three goals to Edmonton in five minutes. Don’t expect him to be this poor defending the crease against Columbus, who have found success against lesser netminders than Samsonov. He’s a bit pricey, but the opponent is the key here, so plug Samsonov into lineups if you are willing to pay up.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Nick Suzuki (C – MTL): $5,700
I’m all over Montreal’s offense against New Jersey Devils 21-year old goaltender Nico Daws. Nick Suzuki is a 22-year old phenom on the Canadiens’ first-line attack, racking up 27 points to lead the team in a year much different from last season. Suzuki netted a multi-point outing, including a goal, against Columbus in his last game played before All-Star Weekend, and he gets another plus-matchup against Daws and the Devils on home ice Tuesday night. Suzuki doesn’t attempt more than two or three shots on goal, but he is highly efficient with his usage, which is why he is a quality candidate to consider adding into DFS lineups. Especially at under $6,000 on FanDuel, Suzuki is a great value addition that should pair nicely with fellow linemate Tyler Toffoli.
David Pastrnak (RW – BOS): $8,600
25-year old first-line winger David Pastrnak has been one of Boston’s most significant contributors since being drafted in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft. “Pasta” is one of only two Bruins with over 40 points, the other being veteran Brad Marchand (LW – BOS), and he’s been red-hot as of late. Pastrnak scored 12 of his 22 goals in January and has nearly 21 assists to match. He’s the definition of a blue-chip ace prospect that needs to be seriously considered against Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry (G – PIT) on Tuesday night. Jarry has surrendered four goals in two consecutive starts and has zero momentum or confidence to rely on against a top-heavy team like Boston. Spending up on Pastrnak remains a good investment due to the massive upside he can deliver in any matchup.
Shayne Gostisbehere (D – ARI): $6,100
Arizona is another bottom-feeder likely preparing for their offseason movements and restructuring. However, first-line defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere keeps the Coyotes’ fight alive. He’s had to adjust from his days in Philadelphia, but the 28-year old first-line defenseman has an excellent opportunity in front of him against Vancouver and goaltender Thatcher Demko (G – VAN). While Demko has been solid and averaged 2.62 GAA for the Canucks this season, Gostisbehere has displayed his prowess in the offensive zone, rattling off a point in four consecutive games in late January. Arizona lacks offense, and Gostisbehere is a willing and capable contributor poised to end a two-game point drought against Demko, who surrendered four goals to Nashville that led to a loss in his previous start. He’s a volatile goaltender that Gostisbehere should expose, which is why he remains a good investment despite the high salary.
Robin Lehner (G – VGK): $7,500
Vegas continues to sit atop the ultra-competitive Pacific Division, with goaltender Robin Lehner paving the way for their success. The 30-year old netminder has three straight games allowing two goals while previously recording his first shutout of the season, combining for a 3-1 record during this stretch. Unfortunately, Lehner has occasionally allowed four or five goals to pour in. Still, he’s looked increasingly sharp defending the crease in recent weeks, making him a quality asset to acquire in DFS lineups against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. The Oilers have begun to turn their season around, but Lehner is a near-impenetrable force in the net, so it will be intriguing to see how this matchup plays out. Lehner remains one of my favorite goaltenders to roster on the slate based on his recent success and undervalued salary.
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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_.
