This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
Tuesday is as busy as it can get with all 32 teams set to play. The action will begin earlier than normal – three games are set to start between 6-7 p.m. ET – and won't conclude until Vegas hosts the Kings at the unusually late start time of 11:00 p.m. ET. With so many games, the number of options can be overwhelming, so here are my recommendations to help you narrow things down.
SLATE PREVIEW
As you'd expect, FanDuel is offering a variety of options. You can play a DFS slate comprising all 16 games, and you also have the choice of a slate compromising of just the 13 contests starting at 7 p.m. ET or later. If you're looking for something smaller, other offerings include (but aren't limited to) the three starts from 6-6:45 p.m. ET, a four-game Express slate comprising of the 8-8:45 p.m. ET games and an After Hours slate featuring the two clashes beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET or later.
I'm going to judge players from all 16 games on the docket, but I'll go out of my way to ensure I'm featuring players from a variety of start times in an attempt to make sure there's something for everyone.
GOALIES
Igor Shesterkin, NYR at MON ($8,900): Shesterkin is showing why he deserves to be the highest-paid goaltender in the league with his next contract. The 28-year-old has started the season with a 3-0-1 record, 1.97 GAA and .935 save percentage across four appearances. Montreal has unsurprisingly gotten off to a mediocre start, going 2-3-1 with 2.67 goals per game thus far.
Kevin Lankinen, VAN at CHI ($8,200): Lankinen is on a roll, opening the campaign with a 2-0-1 record, 1.28 GAA and .953 save percentage in three starts. The rebuilding Blackhawks rank 27th offensively with 2.50 goals per game, so this is an ideal situation for Lankinen to extend his hot streak.
Frederik Andersen, CAR at EDM ($7,500): Normally I wouldn't consider going against Edmonton's offense, but the Oilers have averaged just two goals per game through six clashes this year. Meanwhile, Andersen has saved 44 out of 47 shots (.936 save percentage) over his two starts while the Hurricanes defense has been the tightest in the league, allowing just 23.5 shots per game. Combine that all with Andersen being extremely cheap for a goaltender, and it adds up to one of the rare times I'll recommend a netminder facing Edmonton.
Charlie Lindgren, WAS at PHI ($7,500): Another discount option. Lindgren had a rough season debut, allowing four goals on 32 shots en route to a 5-3 loss to New Jersey on Oct. 12, but he rebounded Thursday, stopping 22 out of 24 shots to earn a 3-2 win over Dallas. He'll aim to build off that against the Flyers, who are tied for 28th offensively with 2.40 goals per game.
VALUE PLAYS
Stefan Noesen, NJD vs. TBL ($4,700): Noesen has two goals and eight points through eight outings, which is fantastic production for a player in this price range. It won't last, but you might as well grab the 31-year-old while he's on a roll. It helps that the Lightning will be tired – this will be their third game in four days.
Jake Neighbours, STL vs. WPG ($4,500): Neighbours will look to stay hot after scoring two goals and three points across his past two outings. Winnipeg is 5-0-0, so it's not the easiest adversary by a long shot, but the Jets have played four of those first five games at home. This contest will kick off a three-game road trip, so we'll see how Winnipeg responds.
Reilly Smith, NYR at MON ($4,400): Smith has gotten off to a solid start, scoring a goal and four points through five appearances. It helps that he's seeing time alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad at even strength.
Chandler Stephenson, SEA vs. COL ($4,100): Stephenson will enter tonight's action on a three-game scoring streak in which he's recorded a goal and four points. Colorado isn't a bad team, but its goaltending still has something to prove after the Avalanche have allowed 4.83 goals per game through six outings this year.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Kings at Golden Knights
Anze Kopitar (C - $7,800), Quinton Byfield (C - $6,000), Adrian Kempe (W - $7,700)
Kopitar is looking to hit the 70-point mark for the third straight campaign, and there's a good chance he'll get there. He's off to a fantastic start with three goals and eight points across six outings. Kempe has done well too, supplying three goals and six points over six appearances.
Byfield has been more of a mixed bag with three assists through the Kings' first six games but just one point across his past four appearances. It also complicates things that he's listed as a center while being projected to serve as a winger. Consider Kevin Fiala (W - $7,500) over Byfield if you have the budget. Fiala has supplied four goals and five points in six outings, and he's playing with Kopitar and Kempe on the first power-play unit, so that trio should see time together, even if they're projected to be separated during 5-on-5 play.
Either way, this is a favorable matchup for the Kings' forwards after Vegas allowed at least three goals in five of its opening six games, including 12 goals across its past three.
Flames vs. Penguins
Martin Pospisil (C - $5,400), Jonathan Huberdeau (W - $5,200), Anthony Mantha (W - $4,800)
Pittsburgh's defense has been a nightmare. Tristan Jarry understandably took the blame for his terrible start to the campaign – he has a 5.45 GAA and a .836 save percentage through three appearances. The issue doesn't end with Jarry, as evidenced by when Joel Blomqvist or the now-healthy Alex Nedeljkovic are in net. Pittsburgh ranks dead last with 4.27 xGA/60, according to MoneyPuck. While the goaltending hasn't been good, the team has put the netminders in a near-impossible situation.
Enter the Flames with one of the best value lines in the league. After two disappointing campaigns with the Flames, Huberdeau might be able to recapture some of his former glory after providing three goals and six points through five appearances. Pospisil and Mantha have also done well, supplying five and four points, respectively. The trio has quieted offensively in recent games, but given their low cost and the struggles of their adversary, I think this is still a good time to grab them.
Rangers at Canadiens
Vincent Trocheck (C - $8,400), Artemi Panarin (W - $8,900), Alexis Lafreniere (W - $6,600)
By contrast, if you can afford the best, the Rangers have a worthy contender for that title. Panarin has been unreal, contributing six goals and 12 points across five appearances this year while Vincent Trocheck (two goals, seven points) and Alexis Lafreniere (three goals, six points) have done their part to keep this line rolling.
Keep an eye on Lafreniere's situation, though, because he's day-to-day with an upper-body injury. If he doesn't play Tuesday, Kaapo Kakko (W - $3,700) might move up to the Panarin line.
DEFENSEMEN
Cale Makar, COL at SEA ($8,500): Colorado's early start has been far from perfect, but Makar's production has been as good as ever. He's already accumulated two goals and 12 points through six outings. Makar's expensive, but worth it, even on a night where the alternatives are vast.
John Carlson, WAS at PHI ($6,600): Carlson entered the campaign on a four-game scoring streak, recording a goal and five points across that stretch. He's 34 years old, but it doesn't seem like Father Time has caught up with him yet. It wouldn't be shocking to see him surpass the 50-point milestone for the second straight campaign.
Jake Sanderson, OTT at UTA ($6,300): It's still early, but it's looking like Sanderson could take a significant step forward this year. After recording a career-high 38 points in 79 outings last campaign, the 22-year-old already has a goal and seven points through five appearances this season. The power play has been a key part of his production, accounting for six points thus far.
Shayne Gostisbehere, CAR at EDM ($5,800): Gostisbehere has found the back of the net in each of his past three games. He's a power-play specialist and two of those goals have come with the man advantage. It's encouraging that he's on the top power-play unit despite the presence of Brent Burns.
