Despite the NHL’s regular season winding down and concluding next week, there are still ten games filling up Tuesday’s slate. This means there is a ton of production for DFS managers to hone in on, especially with so many teams already eliminated from the postseason. In addition, players who aren’t clutch or weren’t given extensive opportunities will now earn additional minutes to evaluate their role on the team moving into the offseason as front offices across the league prepare for their drafts and free agency.
Several one-sided blowouts are expected, with Tampa Bay being favored -526 on the Moneyline against Detroit, while Toronto is another -400 favorite at home against the abysmal Philadelphia Flyers. Minnesota and Vancouver are the other big favorites at -260 and -250, respectively. However, these teams have depth and draw plus matchups against inferior opponents on Tuesday, which means a couple of prospects amongst the heavy favorites will make their way into my recommended plays.
Saturday’s recommended players were solid but not collectively productive. Tim Stuetzle (W – OTT) scored a pair of goals to headline, while Noah Hanifin (D – CGY) and Viktor Arvidsson (RW – LAK) netted an assist to placate their value in DFS lineups. Jacob Markstrom (G – CGY) recorded 25 saves and allowed only one goal in a 9-1 blowout of the Arizona Coyotes, flooding lineups with fantasy points. Defenseman Morgan Rielly (D – TOR) was the most productive player recommended without a point recorded, as he finished with six shots on goal and three blocked shots to yield a high floor. Both recommended centers, Jack Roslovic (C – CBJ) and Roope Hintz (C – DAL) were held to goose eggs, while Nico Daws (G – NJ) played a solid game defending the crease but ultimately allowed Seattle to get the best of him in a shootout loss. If you invested in Stuetzle, Rielly, and Markstrom, your lineups should have finished in the green by the end of the night.
I’ve narrowed Tuesday’s DFS slate down to eight prospects with high value. So let’s get to it!
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Steven Stamkos (C – TB): $7,000
Steven Stamkos continues to lead Tampa Bay on a crusade towards their third consecutive Stanley Cup. The 32-year-old veteran earns minutes on the Lightning’s second-line attack and top powerplay unit, where he’s been productive in spots all season long. Stamkos has four points across his previous two games, which is encouraging since he’s typically a low-volume shooter. Stamkos gets the juiciest matchup of the night against Detroit goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (G – DET), who has surrendered five or more goals in two of his previous three starts. Yes, Nedeljkovic did manage to earn his third shutout of the season in between these terrible performances. However, that was a revenge game against Carolina, his former team who traded him to Detroit in a three-way trade with Toronto. Nevertheless, Stamkos has momentum and should have minimal difficulty racking up a point or two against the hapless Red Wings at home.
Kirill Kaprizov (LW – MIN): $7,700
Minnesota is another powerhouse team that has solidified its playoff berth in the Western Conference. This season, Star winger, 24-year-old Kirill Kaprizov has 43 goals and 50 assists for the Wild. He’s usually much more expensive than his current $7,700 salary on DraftKings, which could be due to finishing two of his past five games without a point. Kaprizov attempts three to five shots on goal during most matchups, and he’ll get a favorable one on Tuesday on the road in Montreal. Canadiens’ goaltender Samuel Montembeault is projected to start in the net, and he’s coming off of a horrendous night against Washington on Saturday, surrendering eight goals on 41 shots. Kaprizov is coming off of a game without a point in a soft matchup against San Jose, so expect him to avenge his poor performance in a plus-matchup against Montembeault, who has allowed 13 goals in his past two starts. Kaprizov is a rare value, so plug him into lineups with confidence.
Vladislav Gavrikov (D – CBJ): $4,400
Columbus has been bounced out of the playoffs, but its first-line defenseman, Vladislav Gavrikov, still holds some floor appeal in DFS lineups against San Jose on Tuesday night. The 26-year-old defenseman earns over 21 minutes of average time on ice and has increased his shots on goal in recent games, going up to five against Anaheim on Sunday. He is not the most aggressive defensive zone defenseman, but Gavrikov manages a blocked shot or two in most matchups. Gavrikov has an assist in three of his past five games and will have opportunities to add his 29th assist of the season against Sharks goaltender James Reimer (G – SJ). Reimer has surrendered at least four goals in each of his past two starts, creating value in rostering Gavrikov. He’s a salary-saver with a decent floor, so plug Gavrikov into lineups as a solid filler against San Jose.
Jack Campbell (G – TOR): $8,400
Jack Campbell is a talented netminder, but this recommendation is primarily rooted in the opponent he’ll face on Tuesday night. The Philadelphia Flyers have lost five consecutive games and have not scored more than three goals since their last win against Columbus back on April 7th. Campbell has only allowed four goals once in his past six starts, meaning he’s extremely safe against the anemic offense of the Flyers. Toronto may have secured a playoff berth, but their talent drastically outweighs the personnel in Philadelphia, so Campbell should have no problem cruising to an easy win at home on Tuesday night. Pay up to acquire one of the safest goaltenders on Tuesday’s slate.
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Robert Thomas (C – STL): $6,100
Arguably one of the hottest players in the league, 22-year-old Robert Thomas is crushing opponents with his skill and offensive prowess. Earning minutes on the Blues’ first-line attack and second powerplay unit, Thomas has been pouring in assists and goals at a furious pace, netting 15 assists and scoring six goals across his 13-game point streak. He’s undervalued on Tuesday’s slate because of the Boston Bruins and their young goaltender Jeremy Swayman (G – BOS), who just held Pittsburgh to one goal in his last start. However, upon closer inspection, Swayman allowed the Blues to score four goals against him a week ago, where Thomas netted an assist on just one shot. Thomas’s shot volume stays relatively low, but he’s got a nose for finding the open teammate to yield a scoring possession. For these reasons, Thomas is one of the best values on Tuesday’s slate due to his ceiling and consistent ability to finish with a point in every matchup.
Matthew Tkachuk (RW – CGY): $8,500
24-year-old Matthew Tkachuk is another player who caught on fire in April. Earning his minutes on Calgary’s first-line attack and top powerplay unit, Tkachuk benefits from the talent surrounding him, netting four assists and scoring two goals in just his previous two games. These came against Arizona and Chicago, but Nashville’s goaltending has been a sore spot lately. Juuse Saros (G – NAS) has surrendered four goals twice in his past three starts, including getting pulled halfway through his last start against St. Louis, which ended an 8-3 loss. He’s playing without confidence, and Nashville is tied with Dallas for the final seed in the Central Division. The Flames have already clinched, but Tkachuk is playing well enough to plug into lineups against a desperate Predators team. He scored a goal against Saros in their last meeting back in November, so he should be capable of replicating the performance despite playing back-to-back nights.
Mark Giordano (D – TOR): $5,100
Mark Giordano was traded to Toronto from Seattle at the deadline a month ago, and he’s been an excellent fit for the Maple Leafs thus far. Yes, the 38-year-old defenseman skates on the third-line defensive pairing, but he does earn additional minutes on the Maple Leafs’ second powerplay unit. Across his last two games, Giordano has scored a goal and netted three assists while attempting three shots on goal in both matchups. It’s encouraging to see the veteran taking on additional roles within the offense, and he’ll get a soft matchup against Philadelphia on Tuesday night. Flyers goaltender Martin Jones (G – PHI) has surrendered four to six goals in each of his previous three starts, facing 27 shots or more in all three games. Toronto is a juggernaut in comparison, and Giordano will benefit from the soft matchup. At $5,100 on FanDuel, insert Giordano as a salary-saver with a high floor.
Jaroslav Halak (G – VAN): $7,700
Vancouver is one of the few teams in the league with massive stakes riding on their Tuesday night matchup. Sitting a point out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division, the Canucks will deploy reserve netminder Jaroslav Halak to defend the crease against Ottawa. Since his last start, the 36-year-old veteran has had roughly two weeks to rest and is facing a Senators team that only scored two goals in a loss to Seattle on Monday night. Halak and the Cancuks should be well-rested and ready, while Ottawa will be lacking energy and have tired legs due to playing on back-to-back nights. Vancouver is in desperation mode and needs the win, while Ottawa is attempting to play spoiler without rest. Halak is an exceptional value at $7,700 on FanDuel, so insert him into lineups as a safe foundation with plenty of fantasy points to follow.
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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_.
