This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
It's one of the busiest Tuesdays ever with 13 games on the docket, divided into four different slates. There will be plenty of options available, so picking the right matchups will be important. With Sunday's light slate and no games on Monday, all teams in action should have had ample rest. It'll also give a chance for some injured players, such as Florida's Aleksander Barkov or Anthony Duclair, and others who can clear COVID protocols, such as Carolina's Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo, to return to the lineup.
GOALIES
Braden Holtby, DAL vs. STL ($8,500): It's Holtby and Jake Oettinger going forward now that Anton Khudobin was waived Monday, and this is a great matchup for the Stars because they're at home. The Blues will be shorthanded once again even though minor-league call-ups Dakota Joshua and Nathan Walker have been excellent. The Stars will likely be without Roope Hintz, but they've always managed to make it work on home ice where they are 9-2-1.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. BUF ($8,300): Blake Wheeler's absence will be for an extended period, but that shouldn't take much wind out of the Jets' offense. They should be able to provide plenty of goal support against one of the league's worst teams in net, so even if Hellebuyck isn't sharp, he should still be able to earn the win. The Jets have won four of their past six meetings.
Sergei Bobrovsky, FLA vs. OTT ($8,000): Maybe it's because the Sens offense is humming right now, but this seems like a pretty sure bet for a win. Even without Aleksander Barkov, the Panthers have more talent and depth at nearly every position, and Bobrovsky's strong play has really flown under the radar this season. The Sens are averaging just 2.45 goals on the road, 10th-worst in the league.
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. CBJ ($7,400): Demko will be a popular pick and rightfully so after earning first star honors last week with four wins and a shutout. The Canucks are unbeaten under Bruce Boudreau and certainly trending up, while the Jackets have lost six of their past eight and expected starter Elvis Merzlikins' play has tailed off a little bit.
Cam Talbot, MIN vs. CAR ($7,300): This will be an interesting matchup and the Canes' goalies are slightly favored at $7,700, but note the Wild are one of the best teams at home in the league, and the Canes announced on Monday that Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis will be placed in COVID protocol, so more could follow. Note Talbot's performances on the road have been better, but the Wild's offense has been better at home; either way, it seems like the situation is ripe for a Minnesota win.
James Reimer, SJ vs. SEA ($7,200): Reimer's been one of the best stories this season and won three games in a row. The Kraken offense shouldn't pose much of a challenge for a team that's been pretty good at limiting goals, and their goaltending remains a big problem since neither Philipp Grubauer nor Chris Driedger look like starting material.
Mackenzie Blackwood, NJ at PHI ($7,100): It's a matchup between two bad teams, but one of them has to come out the winner. The Flyers may have won two straight, but they still don't look that much better than they did before. Mike Yeo isn't really known for coming in and making drastic changes right away, and the Flyers have already lost twice to the Devils this season. It could be a high-scoring game but Blackwood might be able to provide a cheap win.
VALUE PLAYS
Morgan Frost, PHI vs. NJ ($3,600): Frost will play on the wing on a line with Claude Giroux and Cam Atkinson, giving him a chance to play with the team's best scorers and hopefully take advantage of his playmaking ability. The drawback with Frost is that his ice time remains limited because his usage depends on matchups and the situation.
Radek Faksa, DAL vs. STL ($4,000): If Roope Hintz is out of the lineup, look for Faksa to skate with Jason Robertson on his wing. That gives Faksa a nice offensive boost because Robertson is probably their best shooter, though Michael Raffl on the other wing is a bit of a black hole. The Blues will likely go with Charlie Lindgren in net, who is unbeaten in three games with a .947 Sv%, a hot streak that should end sooner or later.
Alex Newhook, COL vs. NYR ($4,400): Newhook is centering the second line with Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog out of the lineup, and it's looked pretty good so far with Logan O'Connor and Valeri Nichushkin on his wings, who have combined for 12 goals this season. Newhook alone has six already, and the Avs get to play on home ice against a Rangers team without the services of Igor Shesterkin.
Ondrej Kase, TOR vs. COL ($4,800): Kase will a popular name for a while as the newest member of Auston Matthews and Michael Bunting's line. Kase is on a four-game point streak with three goals and two assists, and certainly doesn't mind shooting the puck. He'll have to leave most of those to Matthews, but simply playing on the same line should at least allow Kase to pick up more helpers than usual.
LINE STACKS
Golden Knights at Bruins
Chandler Stephenson (C - $6,000), Mark Stone (W - $7,600), Max Pacioretty (W - $10,300)
Pacioretty makes this an expensive stack, but he truly has been one of the league's best since his return with a six-game goal streak. He's arguably the best high-volume shooter in the league, and both Stone and Stephenson seem undervalued at this price. The Bruins have maintained a reputation for being a very good two-way team, but their play has not been consistent and rank a pedestrian 18th in fewest goals against per game at home.
Penguins vs. Canadiens
Sidney Crosby (C - $7,200), Kasperi Kapanen (W - $4,000), Evan Rodrigues (W - $5,700)
If the Knights stack is the best expensive bet, then the Pens stack is the best value bet. Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust are both hurt, which means Rodrigues, who has been very good filling in the top six this season, and Kapanen, who just snapped a five-game goal drought, get bumped up. Crosby has routinely dominated the Habs since his rookie season, and already has four points against them in two games this season.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. CBJ ($6,000): Hughes has been a machine for the Canucks and arguably their best player this season, but the added value is that both Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson are scoring goals again. That's going to continue to make a huge difference for the Canucks, who are now 4-0-0 under Bruce Boudreau. An added bonus is that the Canucks PK has been much more aggressive since he took over, and there's also a chance he lets Hughes kills penalties.
Neal Pionk, WPG vs. BUF ($4,600): Pionk has served his suspension and seems to have also recovered from his concussion after skating at practice on Monday. Prior to his absence, Pionk was arguably the Jets' most important defenseman, and he'll be returning to his role as the top power-play quarterback against a lottery-bound team. This could be a fantastic value play.
Keith Yandle, PHI vs. NJ ($4,400): It's noteworthy Yandle has five helpers in five games, and he gets a matchup against a team that's allowing over three goals per game. The Devils PK also ranks 21st, which should favor Yandle even more. With so many elite defensemen available who can put up points, Yandle could be a very sneaky play.
