This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate consists of 10 games after 7:00 p.m. EDT. Below, you'll find a breakdown of the action and suggested options for crafting an effective lineup.
SLATE PREVIEW
With a number of lopsided games between teams in the playoff hunt and those that aren't, Tuesday offers plenty of enticing options around which to build your lineup. The Maple Leafs against Philadelphia and Lightning versus Detroit are both overwhelming home favorites against bad defensive teams. Toronto's game has a slate-high over/under of 7.0 goals, while Tampa Bay's is one of four with an over/under of 6.5. Incidentally, the favorites from the remaining three such games also offer plenty of strong lineup building blocks. Those teams are the Wild in Montreal, Panthers visiting the Islanders and Canucks hosting the Senators.
GOALIES
Andrei Vasilevskiy, TB vs. DET ($8,500): Vasilevskiy has gone winless in his last five outings and got the hook in his previous start, but the struggling star goalie will have a nice opportunity to get back on track with the Red Wings in town. Detroit's 1-4-0 in its last five games, having lost the last two by a combined score of 10-1. If you stick with Vasilevskiy despite the recent struggles, you could be handsomely rewarded here.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. OTT ($8,200): Demko has been doing his best to drag the Canucks back into the playoff conversation, as he's won each of his last five starts and allowed more than two goals only once over that span. The standout goalie should keep rolling on home ice against a Senators team that's 2-4-1 in its last seven games and averaging just 2.70 goals this season.
Elvis Merzlikins, CLS at SJ ($7,600): Merzlikins has played well over his last five starts, notching three wins and allowing two or fewer goals three times despite thrice facing at least 38 shots. He's a nice value pick in net against a Sharks team that has dropped 10 consecutive games while scoring two or fewer goals in seven of those games.
Carey Price, MON vs. MIN ($7,100): If Price gets the nod for his second start of the season here, he'll have some nice upside at just $7,100. The fifth-ranked Wild offense presents a tough matchup, but Price will see plenty of volume if nothing else and has held plenty of prolific offenses at bay over the years. He's a high-risk, high-reward play.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
J.T. Miller, VAN vs. OTT ($7,500): Miller's 29-62-91 line in 74 games includes a 5-13-18 output in the past 13, as the engine that drives the Canucks' offense is showing no signs of slowing down. Every point is critical for the Canucks as they try to chase down the Kings and Golden Knights for the third spot in the Pacific Division, so don't expect Vancouver's offense to take its foot off the gas against an Ottawa team that's allowing 3.24 goals per game.
Vladimir Tarasenko, STL vs. BOS ($7,400): Tarasenko's arguably the hottest forward in the league, as he boasts an 8-6-14 line during his current five-game goal streak. The Bruins are far from an easy matchup, though Jeremy Swayman has been shaky lately in Boston's net and alternative goalie option Linus Ullmark (upper body) isn't traveling with the team. With the St. Louis crowd sure to be extra engaged against the team the Blues beat for the Stanley Cup in 2019, Tarasenko's primed to stay hot here.
Sam Reinhart, FLA at NYI ($5,600): Reinhart's arguably the hottest member of Florida's elite offense at the moment, with a 4-7-11 line during his current six-game point streak. For the season, he has a 28-48-76 line in 72 games, and players with that level of production can rarely be had for just $5,600. The Islanders have allowed four-plus goals in four of their last five games and have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, so there isn't much to fear from this matchup.
Phillip Danault, LA at ANH ($5,100): Danault has at least one point in eight of his last nine games and goals in each of the past three, yet the well-rounded center can still be had for just $5,100 in this matchup with a Ducks team that's coming off just its third win in the last 19 games. In addition to his offensive output, Danault's also an excellent defensive center and is one of the most reliable sources of blocked shots among forwards.
Frank Vatrano, NYR vs. WPG ($3,500): Vatrano has settled nicely into a top-line role with the Rangers, where his excellent shot and shoot-first mentality complement the playmaking of Mika Zibanejad and net-front presence of Chris Kreider. The trade acquisition from Florida has a 7-4-11 line and 40 shots through 16 games on Broadway, yet Vatrano can still be had for just $3,500 against a Jets team that's been outscored 13-5 in its last two games.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Flyers
Auston Matthews (C - $9,400), Mitch Marner (W - $8,800), Michael Bunting (W - $4,800)
Building around this trio has been an effective strategy for most of the season, and that should remain the case in this favorable matchup with a Flyers team that's allowing 3.61 goals per game, assuming Matthews is cleared to return from his undisclosed injury. If the league's leading goal scorer remains out, Marner — who has a 34-60-94 line — should still carry the offense while John Tavares slides up to the top line. Tavares is flirting with a point per game and would make for a strong play in that scenario, while Bunting could be harder to trust considering most of his production can be chalked up to his chemistry with Matthews and Marner specifically.
Lightning vs. Red Wings
Brayden Point (C - $6,700), Nikita Kucherov (W - $7,600), Nick Paul (W - $2,900)
The Lightning have been searching for a third player to stick on this line, and it's Paul's turn to get an opportunity alongside two of the league's best forwards. The timing is ideal for Paul, as he had a goal and an assist in his previous game and should build on that effort against a Red Wings team that's allowing the second-most goals per game (3.80). Point has a 27-28-55 line in 61 games, while Kucherov's at 18-33-51 in just 40 appearances, so they have both been productive. Meanwhile, Detroit has given up four-plus goals in four of its last five games and eight of 11.
Wild at Canadiens
Frederick Gaudreau (C - $3,400), Kevin Fiala (W - $5,500), Matthew Boldy (W - $4,600)
Price or no Price for Montreal, this line should provide excellent value against the league-worst Canadiens defense (3.86 goals allowed per game). Fiala has quietly put together a 6-6-12 line during his current six-game point streak, and he's approaching a point per game with a 29-44-73 output in 75 appearances. Boldy has at least one point in each of his last seven games played, and the rookie's at 14-20-34 through 40 NHL games. Frederick has delivered Johnny-like production of late, as Minnesota's Gaudreau boasts a 3-5-8 line during his current four-game point streak.
DEFENSEMEN
Brent Burns, SJ vs. CLS ($6,000): You can't blame Burns for San Jose's 10-game skid, as he has a respectable 3-5-8 line over that stretch while piling up multiple shots in all but two of those games and three-plus blocks five times. Considering the Blue Jackets are coming off a loss to lowly Anaheim, this is a great opportunity for the Sharks to get back in the win column, and Burns should lead the way against a Columbus team that's surrendering 3.68 goals per game.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. OTT ($5,200): Hughes' six points in the last three games have bumped his season total up to 59 in 70 games. Vancouver's top offensive players should continue to lead the way as the Canucks continue their climb towards a possible playoff spot, and Hughes is certainly one of those seeing as he ranks eighth among all NHL defensemen in points.
Mark Giordano, TOR vs. PHI ($4,600): Giordano has settled in nicely with the Maple Leafs, posting a 2-7-9 line in his last 10 games and a 1-3-4 output in the past two. Throw in his consistent contributions in shots and blocks, and it's hard not to like Giordano at $4,600 against the Flyers, even if Matthews doesn't make his return for Toronto.
Brandon Montour, FLA at NYI ($3,200): Montour's a strong bargain bin option on the blue line given his extensive involvement in Florida's league-best offense. With six helpers in his last five games, Montour's up to 34 points in 74 games overall, and his scoring pace has ticked up noticeably since Aaron Ekblad (lower body) went down a month ago.
