This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate is a massive one, with 13 games on the docket after 7:00 PM Eastern time. Below, you'll find an overview of the matchups and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
With so many options to pick from, there are naturally plenty of favorable matchups available. The most prominent teams to target are the Canadiens in New Jersey, Capitals against Los Angeles and Flames against San Jose. Those are just a few of many enticing options to choose from here, with many of the usual suspects, as well as some under-the-radar values, set for success.
GOALIES
Those willing to pay up for both a high floor and high ceiling in net should target whichever one of Ilya Samsonov ($8,500) and Braden Holtby ($8,500) starts for the Capitals. Samsonov is 16-3-1 while Holtby's 19-10-4, and either goalie would be massively favored to beat a visiting Kings team that's averaging 2.47 goals per game — second-fewest behind the idle Red Wings.
David Rittich ($8,200) is primed to capitalize on a home matchup against a Sharks team that's been in disarray all season and is without two of its top players in Logan Couture (ankle) and Tomas Hertl (knee). Rittich is 22-7-7 at home since the start of last season, while San Jose has been outscored 24-10 en route to a 1-5-0 record in its past six games and has the fourth-worst offense overall (2.53 goals per game).
With Carey Price sidelined by an illness, the Canadiens have recalled 20-year-old goalie of the future Cayden Primeau ($6,500) from AHL Laval. Given his affordability relative to other goalies and solid 2.52 GAA and .931 save percentage in two NHL starts this season, Primeau could be an excellent value play if he gets the starting nod over Charlie Lindgren ($7,600) against a Devils team that's scoring only 2.63 goals per game.
After Anton Khudobin got the nod at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Ben Bishop ($7,600) should be in net for the Stars against the lower-scoring New York team. He's a steal at just $7,600 given his 2.31 GAA and .925 save percentage, while the Islanders have been steadily sliding after a lucky hot start, winning just six of their last 17 games
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Tomas Tatar ($6,100) brings an active three-game goal streak and four-game point streak into this matchup with a Devils team that's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.53). The recent success has been par for the course for the veteran winger, who leads the Canadiens in goals (20), assists (29) and points (49) through 54 games.
Pierre-Luc Dubois ($5,800) is on pace for a second consecutive season over 60 points with a 17-25-42 line through 53 games, and the third overall selection from the 2016 draft has a 2-6-8 line over an active four-game point streak. Columbus' first-line center is primed to keep rolling against a Panthers team that's finishing up a back-to-back set and ranks among the 10 worst defensively.
Elias Lindholm ($5,300) leads the Flames with 22 goals and is just three points behind Matthew Tkachuk's team lead with 39. Despite that success, the Swedish center is priced below three forward alternatives on his team for this highly favorable matchup against a slumping Sharks team that's surrendering 3.32 goals per game.
Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto ($3,400) could prove to be a tremendous against-the-grain value in Arizona based on recent trends. The diminutive 21-year-old is thriving on a line with league points leader Leon Draisaitl, with a 3-2-5 line over an active four-game point streak and 5-5-10 line in 11 games overall this season. Meanwhile, the Coyotes are winless in their last five games and have won only once in their last nine.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Capitals vs. Kings
Nicklas Backstrom (C - $6,400), Alex Ovechkin (W - $8,500), Tom Wilson (W - $5,100)
Washington has lost two consecutive home games in regulation for the first time all season, so the Capitals will be eager to get back on track at Capital One Arena. A visit from a Kings team that's just 8-17-4 on the road presents the perfect opportunity to do so, and Washington's top line is likely to lead the charge. Ovechkin's 37 goals have him one behind league leader David Pastrnak, and Ovie has 11 goals in his last six games. Backstrom's on pace to fall short of 70 points for the first time in seven years due to missed time, but his 40 points in 45 appearances still translate to a 73-point pace over 82 games. Wilson has a 3-4-7 line in his last seven games and is tracking toward the best offensive season of his career, with a 16-21-37 line through 52 games.
Blackhawks at Wild
Kirby Dach (C - $3,800), Patrick Kane (W - $8,000), Brandon Saad (W - $4,600)
Kane is the best player on the Blackhawks, and his linemates have heated up recently, putting this trio in position to succeed against a Wild team that's allowing the third-most goals per game in the league (3.33). Dach is flashing the skills that prompted Chicago to select him third overall in 2019 with a goal and three assists over an active three-game point streak, while Saad has scored seven goals in his last eight games. Kane comes into this one riding a 12-game point streak, and he's top-10 league-wide in both goals (25) and points (65).
Senators vs. Ducks
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C - $4,800), Brady Tkachuk (W - $6,200), Connor Brown (W - $4,400)
A look at these teams' home/road splits reveals that the Senators could be in line to provide some under-appreciated value here. Ottawa's actually a respectable 12-9-5 on home ice, while Anaheim's road record is a putrid 9-16-2. The Senators have a cluster of six players with 29-34 points, and this top line is comprised of three of those guys. Pageau's 20-12-32 line has him one goal and two points behind Anthony Duclair's team-leading totals. Brown has 33 points, including a 3-5-8 line over his past seven games. Tkachuk has delivered a 15-14-29 line through 52 games despite a reduction in shooting percentage from 10.3 as a rookie to 7.9 this season.
DEFENSEMEN
Special teams will be key in the battle of bottom-five penalty kills between the Jets and Predators, and both sides are led in power-play points by a defenseman. It's not surprising to see Roman Josi ($8,000) topping that category for Nashville, as his 17 points with the extra man have him at least six clear of every teammate. Few would have guessed that Neal Pionk ($4,400) would be leading Winnipeg in power-play points at this stage given all of the team's talent up front, but that's exactly the case given his 18 points on the man advantage.
Cale Makar ($5,900) is another defenseman who excels on the power play and should benefit from facing a vulnerable penalty kill. Buffalo has been stingy against opposing blueliners, but Colorado's outstanding rookie has 15 power-play points among his 37 through 42 games and should exploit the Sabres' 74.5 percent penalty kill, which ranks sixth-worst in the league.
Jaccob Slavin ($4,900) is stepping up offensively with Dougie Hamilton sidelined by a fractured fibula, with an assist in each of his last three games. The Hurricanes blueliner has some against-the-grain value in St. Louis, as the reigning champs are going through a rough patch that's seen the Blues win only once in their last six games.
