This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate features no shortage of action, with nine games on tap 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
The Bruins' strong start is likely to continue at home against Florida, while the Ducks (versus Detroit), Wild (in Los Angeles) and Oilers (in San Jose) are all primed to capitalize against bottom-five defenses out West. While Sidney Crosby (lower body) and Mika Zibanejad (upper body) won't be there to enjoy it, there should be plenty of open ice and scoring chances in the Rangers-Penguins game.
GOALIES
John Gibson ($8,400) often has to stand on his head for his team to have a chance, but his Ducks will actually be favored at home against a Red Wings team that's scoring the fewest goals per game (2.21) and allowing the second-most (3.79). The star goalie has a 2.80 GAA and .915 save percentage, and those numbers should improve by the time he's through with this one.
Jordan Binnington ($8,200) continues to take the league by storm with a 9-2-3 record, 2.39 GAA and .922 save percentage. His dominance should continue against a tired Coyotes team that's playing its second game in as many nights and ranks below league average in goals per game.
Pavel Francouz ($7,500) has won his last two starts and is coming off a 39-save performance in a 4-2 triumph over Columbus. With the Avalanche having recaptured their strong form and Philipp Grubauer still sidelined by a lower-body injury, Francouz is an enticing affordable option against Winnipeg's bottom-10 offense.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
David Pastrnak ($8,300) has earned his spot as the most expensive skater in this slate. He leads the league with 15 goals and is tied for second with 30 points. A Panthers team that's allowing 3.53 goals per game will have a hard time slowing Pastrnak down.
Bryan Rust ($5,000) is unlikely to be impacted too much by Crosby's absence, as he's been skating primarily on Evgeni Malkin's wing. Rust dealt with an injury of his own to begin the year, but he's marked the scoresheet in every game since his return, with a 5-2-7 line. He should keep producing against a Rangers team that's yielding 3.33 goals per game.
Sticking in the Penguins-Rangers game, Ryan Strome ($5,600) has thrived on the top line in Zibanejad's absence, and he's been producing for a while now, with five goals and 11 assists in his last 13 games.
Anze Kopitar ($6,000) has carried Los Angeles' offense with 16 points through 17 games while none of his teammates have mustered more than 10. The top-line center remains affordable despite that success and a favorable matchup against a Wild team that's tied with Florida for fifth-worst defensively at 3.53 goals allowed per game.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Wild at Kings
Eric Staal (C - $5,000), Jason Zucker (W - $4,300), Mats Zuccarello (W - $4,000)
Minnesota's top line is set to provide tremendous bang for the buck against a Kings team that's allowing a league-high 3.88 goals per game. Staal has come alive after a slow start, delivering six goals and 13 points in his last 10 games. Zucker has also produced better of late with seven points in his last seven games, while Zuccarello has three goals and three assists in his last six. All three of these forwards have cracked the 60-point mark in their respective careers, so this line is capable of sustaining its strong recent play.
Oilers at Sharks
Connor McDavid (C - $8,100), Leon Draisaitl (W - $8,000) Zack Kassian (W - $4,600)
This line frequently makes into this section, as it contains the league's leading scorer in Draisaitl (34 points) and the guy tied with Pastrnak for second in McDavid. They're both primed for multi-point efforts against a Sharks team that's giving up 3.56 goals per game, and Edmonton's pair of superstars will bring the affordable Kassian along for the ride.
Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets
Phillip Danault (C - $4,900), Jonathan Drouin (W - $5,600), Brendan Gallagher (W - $7,200)
Drouin and Gallagher are tied for the team lead with seven goals apiece. The former also leads Montreal with 15 points, while the latter leads in shots with 62. Danault has chipped in with a 5-5-10 line through 17 games, and Montreal's top line shouldn't have trouble generating chances against a Columbus team that's been outscored 58-40 through 17 games.
DEFENSEMEN
Matt Grzelcyk ($3,000) is expected to quarterback Boston's star-studded top power-play unit in Torey Krug's (upper body) absence. The Bruins are converting at a league-best, 29.8 percent rate with the extra man, so that role has a high chance of paying off.
Colorado's Cale Makar ($5,200) continues to deliver tremendous production relative to his middling valuation, and the rookie defenseman's only getting better. He's at a point-per-game pace through 17, including three goals, two assists and 11 shots in the last two games alone. Makar's role on the top power-play unit makes him especially appealing against a Jets penalty kill that's operating at just 73.0 percent — the league's fourth-most generous mark.
Another power-play quarterback ready to produce against a poor penalty kill is Columbus' Zach Werenski ($4,900) against Montreal's 72.2 percent unit. If the Blue Jackets are going to pull the upset, Werenski should be a key part of that equation. Of his 135 points through 254 career games, 48 have come on the power play.
Adam Fox ($3,900) has a four-game point streak going for the Rangers. The rookie defenseman is seeing time on the power play, and he's quickly turning into a consistent source of offense from the blue line despite his affordability.
