NHL DraftKings and FanDuel DFS Primer: Tuesday (12/20)

The NHL is gifting us an eight-game slate filled with a lot of good opponents and the potential for high-scoring affairs on Tuesday night. Minnesota, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo are just a few of the current teams on four or five-game winning streaks, while powerhouses like Boston, New Jersey, and Dallas sit atop their respective divisions. We’re not quite at the halfway point of the 2022-23 NHL season, but we’re well past a third, staring down an exciting slate that has a lot of potential to cash DFS lineups on Tuesday.

Friday’s recommended players were a massive success, as every single skater and goalie either racked up a point or secured a win. Kirill Kaprizov (LW – Wild) paved the way with a three-point outing against Chicago, which included a goal, while defensemen Noah Dobson (D – Islanders) and Shayne Gostisbehere (D – Coyotes) each scored a goal. Brock Nelson (C – Islanders), Matt Boldy (LW – Wild), and Robert Thomas (C – Blues) all notched an assist, while netminder Thomas Greiss (G – Blues) saved 41 of 43 shots in a 5-2 win over Calgary. Veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (G – Wild) stopped 29 of 30 shots on goal to lead Minnesota to a 4-1 win over Chicago.

We were overdue for a big game from all recommended players on Friday, so let’s take this momentum into Tuesday’s eight-game slate. I’ve identified eight of my top players to target when constructing DraftKings and FanDuel lineups ahead of puck drop tonight, so let’s dive right into the action!

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Recommended Plays: DraftKings

DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000

Mark Scheifele (C – Jets): $6,900
Winnipeg’s veteran center, Mark Scheifele, has a lot of appeal going up against the Ottawa Senators. Scheifele has scored four goals in his past four games played, including a hat trick against Vegas, while also consistently showing up with a high shot volume, taking anywhere from three to five shots on goal in each of his past three games. The Senators will likely deploy Cam Talbot (G – Senators) in net, who has allowed five goals in his previous two starts, so Scheifele has a good opportunity to net his 20th goal of the season on Tuesday night. He’s worth investing in at $6,900 on DraftKings.

Travis Konecny (RW – Flyers): $6,300
Philadelphia isn’t going to be competing for a Stanley Cup anytime soon, but they still have talent within the offense. Travis Konecny has a point in three of his past four games, including two goals, while attempting three to six shots on goal during this stretch. The 25-year-old winger is now in his seventh year with the Flyers and faces a good matchup against Columbus’ woeful goaltending on Tuesday night. Plus, he earns over 20 minutes ATOI, so Konecny should have plenty of production in a plus-matchup.

Jacob Trouba (D – Rangers): $5,500
The Rangers have a slew of weapons in its arsenal but Jacob Trouba is a dual-threat, two-way defenseman who is heating up in the past week. Now in his fourth year with New York, Trouba has three points in his past three games, including a mini-two-game goal streak against Philadelphia and Chicago. On Tuesday night, Trouba will face the Pittsburgh Penguins and their streaky goaltender Tristan Jarry (G – Penguins), who bounced between one to three goals allowed per night. Trouba isn’t too overpriced for a defenseman, so plug him into lineups.

Pyotr Kochetkov (G – Hurricanes): $7,800
Carolina’s 23-year-old netminder, Pyotr Kochetkov, is playing lights out this season. He has a 2.01 GAA and .923 save percentage, going 9-1 as a starter and recording three shutouts. Kochetkov has allowed only four total goals in his past four starts, so even in a tough matchup against the potent New Jersey Devils offense, Kochetkov is a worthy investment at under $8,000 on DraftKings.

Recommended Plays: FanDuel

FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000

Pierre-Luc Dubois (C – Jets): $8,600
I’m sticking with Winnipeg’s attack and recommending Pierre-Luc Dubois. He’s the other center for the Jets, and while he doesn’t take a high volume of shots, Dubois is great at setting up scoring possessions and attaching himself via assist. This isn’t a knock on his goal-scoring ability, as Dubois has 15 goals, including two in the past five games played. Ottawa is a quality matchup and the goal total line has juiced odds on over six goals, which is encouraging. Pay up to land Dubois’ upside on FanDuel.

Timo Meier (LW – Sharks): $8,300
San Jose is reliant upon Timo Meier, scoring four goals and two assists in his past five games. The 26-year-old winger leads the Sharks with 16 goals and is playing with a lot of confidence. The lack of defense and goaltending keeps Meier involved frequently in an attempt trying to play catch up, which is a big reason why Meier has such a high ceiling. He’s expensive, but against a struggling team like Calgary, Meier becomes a top priority to build around on FanDuel.

Kris Letang (D – Penguins): $5,800
After a stint away due to suffering a stroke, Kris Letang has returned to remind us all of his greatness. Pittsburgh’s veteran defenseman has three points in his last two games played, including a multi-point outing with a goal against Florida. Letang and the Penguins will host the New York Rangers and goaltender Igor Shesterkin (G – Rangers), who is a bit more vulnerable in the crease this season. Letang racks up several blocked shots per game, so combined with his shots on goal and ability to finish and chip on scoring possessions, he’s a great value at $5,800.

Andrei Vaslievskiy (G – Lightning): $7,900
One of the best games on Tuesday’s slate is the matchup between Tampa Bay and Toronto. Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been much better after a slow start, going 3-0 in his last three starts by allowing four total goals during this stretch. The Maple Leafs will take plenty of shots on goal, so as long as Vasilevskiy brings his A-game like he’s shown recently, he’s worth investing in on FanDuel, especially under an $8,000 salary.