Alright, it’s time for the NHL to get back to business as usual. There are 11 games Tuesday, and they all start at 7 p.m. EST or later. The holiday season is behind us, but hockey season continues. Here are the players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Juuse Saros, NAS vs. MON ($35): This is a matchup between two of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL, so don’t expect many goals. Saros is definitely the better starting goalie in this matchup, though. He has a .916 save percentage this season, and a .928 save percentage over his last 12 games. Maybe the Finn won’t get much in the way of goal support, but he may not need it.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Darcy Kuemper, WAS vs. BUF ($33): Kuemper has delivered what was hoped for by the Capitals when they signed him, at least when he’s been healthy. The veteran goalie has a 2.48 GAA and .920 save percentage. However, the Sabres offer a difficult matchup, as they actually lead the NHL at 3.91 goals per game. You have so many goaltending options, there is no need to risk going with Kuemper.
CENTER
Brock Nelson, NYI at VAN ($20): Last year Nelson tallied 37 goals, with 11 coming on the power play. This year three of his 15 goals have come with the extra man, but he also has seven assists on that front. Why does that matter so much? Because the Canucks have the league’s worst penalty kill for the second season running.
CENTER TO AVOID
Anze Kopitar, LOS vs. DAL ($18): I wouldn’t say that Kopitar has fallen off at 35, as he has 29 points in 40 games, but he has zero points in his last five, and zero goals in his last nine. Jake Oettinger is making things rough for opposing players even when they aren’t cold, as he has a 2.36 GAA and .921 save percentage.
WING
Drake Batherson, OTT vs. CLM ($19): Quietly, it seems that Batherson has become a point-a-game player. The fact he was held to 46 games last season may mean you overlooked his 44 points, and this year he has 35 points in 37 games. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have a 3.91 GAA, second highest in the NHL.
Carter Verhaeghe, FLA vs. ARI ($18): Pucks hit the net against the Coyotes. Arizona has allowed 34.6 shots on goal per game, third most in the NHL. Verhaghe has tallied 108 shots on net through 37 games, and he’s notched 18 goals in the process.
WINGS TO AVOID
Chris Kreider, NYR vs. CAR ($23): Kreider was never likely to replicate his 52 goals from last season, and the fact his shooting has fallen from 20.2 percent to 13.5 percent is not surprising. Getting any shots on net is tough enough as is against the Hurricanes, who have allowed a league-low 26.3 shots per game.
Pavel Buchnevich, STL at TOR ($23): Injuries have hit the Blues, and regression could hit Buchnevich’s 20.7 percent shooting soon enough. Toronto has a 2.54 GAA, second lowest in the NHL, and has only allowed 28.4 shots on net per contest as well.
DEFENSE
Tyson Barrie, EDM vs. SEA ($21): Barrie has always been a power-play weapon, and this year he’s averaged 3:20 per game with the extra man and notched 19 points on that front. Tuesday plays right into his skill set, as the Kraken have the 31st-ranked penalty kill.
Noah Dobson, NYI at VAN ($19): I mentioned the Canucks have the league’s worst penalty kill, and Dobson has nine power-play points for the record, but Vancouver has more issues defensively than that. All in all, the Orcas have a 3.81 GAA and has allowed 32.5 shots on net per contest. Dobson has emerged as a prolific shooter of the puck, and he’s put 110 shots on goal in only 38 games this year.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Brent Burns, CAR at NYR ($24): The Rangers are in the top 10 in shots on net allowed per game, which limits the appeal of a defenseman like Burns, who tends to generate a lot of shots. On top of that, Igor Shesterkin looked like his Vezina-winning self in December, posting a 2.14 GAA and .927 save percentage in 11 appearances.
Drew Doughty, LOS vs. DAL ($17): Doughty’s 2.7 percent shooting will likely improve, but he only has two goals this year, both on the power play. In fact, 11 of his 21 points have come with the extra man. Well, the Stars have the fourth-ranked penalty kill, so that doesn’t bode well for Doughty.
