This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesday's NHL slate features plenty of action, with 10 games on the schedule 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 two most obvious instances of an elite offense facing a vulnerable defense are the Penguins against Ottawa and the Maple Leafs in San Jose, but there are plenty of strong options to be found in other games as well, even with some top offensive performers likely to be limited by difficult matchups. Some other top sources of value figure to come from the Blackhawks (vs. Anaheim), Jets (vs. Buffalo) and Blues (at Rangers).
GOALIES
Robin Lehner ($8,400) stopped 32 of 34 shots in his Golden Knights debut after coming over from Chicago at the trade deadline, and the 2019 Vezina Trophy finalist gets a nice opportunity to deliver an even stronger performance at home against a Devils team that's scoring just 2.66 goals per game.
Corey Crawford ($8,200) has also benefited from the Lehner trade, as he's gotten into a groove now that he's back in a defined starting role for Chicago. He's stopped 74 of 78 shots en route to wins in each of his past two starts, and Crawford should keep the good times rolling at home against a Ducks team that ranks 29th offensively with 2.51 goals per game.
Semyon Varlamov ($8,100) has been victimized by a lack of goal support recently, but the Islanders' top netminder still sports an excellent 19-13-5 record, 2.55 GAA and .917 save percentage. He should benefit from a favorable matchup against a Canadiens team that ranks below average in goals per game (2.97) despite averaging the second-most shots (34.3).
While his floor against the high-powered Maple Leafs offense is extremely low, Martin Jones ($7,400) is an interesting low-cost GPP option given his recent success. Jones is 3-2-0 with just seven goals allowed in his past five starts, including shutout wins over Minnesota and Pittsburgh in that stretch. You'll rarely find a goalie who's this hot at such a low price.
VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS
Kevin Fiala ($6,300) has caught fire over the past 14 games, posting an 11-10-21 line. Don't expect him to slow down at home against a Predators team that ranks among the 10 most generous defensively and is playing its second game in as many nights.
For all of Jones' recent success, the Sharks netminder still has a 2.99 GAA and .897 save percentage on the season. Auston Matthews ($8,500) is more than capable of singlehandedly stunting the momentum Jones has built up of late, as the star Maple Leafs center is tied with Alex Ovechkin for second in the league in goals (45), two back of David Pastrnak's NHL-leading total.
Jason Zucker ($5,100) has a 5-2-7 line in 10 games since being traded to Pittsburgh, as he's benefiting from flanking Sidney Crosby. The former Wild winger has a great opportunity to build on his recent production as Pittsburgh looks to snap a six-game losing streak in a highly favorable matchup against a visiting Senators team that's surrendering 3.32 goals per game — third-most in the league.
Reilly Smith ($5,900) has a pair of two-goal games in his last five games and a 6-2-8 line over the past eight. Despite his recent goal binge — which has Smith up to a 27-25-52 line for the season — the Golden Knights winger can be had for under $6,000 against a Devils team that's allowing 3.23 goals per game.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Jets vs. Sabres
Mark Scheifele (C - $6,100), Kyle Connor (W - $6,500), Blake Wheeler (W - $5,600)
With injuries decimating the team's scoring depth, Winnipeg will rely heavily on the top line for offense against a Sabres team that's just 10-18-4 on the road. Scheifele leads the Jets with 70 points, followed by Connor with 67, while Wheeler's tied with Patrik Laine (foot) for third with 59. In the goal department, Connor and Scheifele flip-flop at the top with 33 and 28, respectively, while Wheeler ranks fifth on the team with 21.
Blackhawks vs. Ducks
Jonathan Toews (C - $6,000), Dominik Kubalik (W - $6,000), Brandon Saad (W - $5,000)
This line should find success against a Ducks team that's just 12-17-4 on the road. Toews has a 3-8-11 line in his last 10 games and a 17-39-56 line overall this season. Kubalik leads all rookies with 29 goals, 18 of which have come in his last 23 games. Saad has also picked up his scoring pace since returning from a month-long injury layoff in mid-January, lighting the lamp nine times in 17 games since that point.
Blues at Rangers
Robert Thomas (C - $3,700), David Perron (W - $4,700), Zach Sanford (W - $4,000)
The Rangers have crashed back down to earth after a strong 9-1-0 stretch, getting outscored 10-5 in consecutive losses to the Flyers since. This line is well positioned to add to New York's skid and can be acquired without a heavy monetary commitment. Perron leads the Blues in both goals (25) and points (60) through 66 games. Thomas owns a 10-30-40 line in 61 appearances and a 1-5-6 line in his last five, while Sanford has displayed a propensity for explosive performances with eight goals on 18 shots over his three best February performances and has a 15-14-29 line in 53 games on the season.
DEFENSEMEN
Kris Letang ($6,700) is in the middle of a quiet stretch, but his 14-27-41 line on the season suggests he won't be held firm for a long. This home matchup against the lowly Senators presents an excellent opportunity for a breakout performance from the slumping Penguins stud.
Tyson Barrie ($5,800) has three two-assist games in his last four and 24 points in his last 29. Already in the midst of a seventh consecutive season with at least 38 points, the Maple Leafs blueliner has some value against the defensively challenged Sharks, even though San Jose has been stingy against defensemen for the most part.
Shea Theodore ($6,200) keeps ending up here, but that's going to happen when you have 18 points in your last 19 games and three goals in the past four. The 24-year-old blueliner appears to have unlocked a new gear offensively, and he should keep rolling at home against the Devils.
Mattias Ekholm ($4,800) is overshadowed on Nashville's blue line, but he recorded an 8-36-44 line last season and is on a similar pace with an 8-25-33 line this year. He offers nice bang for the buck against a Wild team that's giving up the third-most fantasy points in the league to defensemen.
