It’s a busy Tuesday in the NHL! April is right around the corner, but for now, let’s focus on the 10 NHL games taking place Tuesday. Here are some players to target, and to avoid, for your DFS lineups.
GOALIE
Igor Shesterkin, NYR vs. CLM ($29): Shesterkin isn’t going to win another Vezina, but don’t dismiss a 2.55 GAA and .914 save percentage. This is also a matchup the Russian should be able to handle with ease. The Blue Jackets have averaged 2.71 goals per game, 29th in the NHL.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Frederik Andersen, CAR vs. TAM ($34): Andersen has a 2.45 GAA, but with a .904 save percentage. The Hurricanes have helped him out by allowing the fewest shots on net per contest. Tampa Bay has averaged 3.38 goals per game, 10th in the NHL, and it has guys like Steven Stamkos who typically have no issue putting pucks on net. If Andersen is busier than usual, he could be in trouble.
CENTER
Pierre-Luc Dubois, WPG at SAN ($20): Dubois has been engaged since returning from injury, tallying three points and 17 shots on net in five games. He has a point in the first two games of the Jets’ California swing, and now he gets a Sharks team with a 3.84 GAA.
CENTER TO AVOID
Nazem Kadri, CGY vs. LOS ($15): Kadri has a goal in each of his last two games, but prior to that he went 16 games without a goal. He’s also dropped down to the third line and has averaged 13:56 in ice time over his last seven outings. The Kings only allowed 27.8 shots on net per contest, and because of this Pheonix Copley has a 2.72 GAA, above average this season.
WING
Vladimir Tarasenko, NYR vs. CLM ($20): Since joining the Rangers, Tarasenko has 14 points in 22 games. He’s also put 47 shots on net. The Blue Jackets have a 3.94 GAA and have allowed 35.2 shots on goal per contest, so this is one of the best matchups a player can get.
Ivan Barbashev, VGK vs. EDM ($16): Another former Blue! Since joining the Golden Knights, Barbashev has actually gotten more minutes, having averaged 17:49 in ice time. That’s helped him notch 10 points in 14 contests. The Oilers are on the second leg of a back-to-back Tuesday, and even if Stuart Skinner is likely to be in net, his 2.93 GAA and .909 save percentage are not exactly good.
WINGS TO AVOID
Johnny Gaudreau, CLM at NYR ($19): Gaudreau has 67 points in 70 games, though with only 18 goals after having 40 last season with the Flames. The Rangers rank fourth in GAA, and Shesterkin has a 2.55 GAA even though his .914 save percentage is low for him. While New York “only” ranks 12th on the penalty kill, Gaudreau has managed a mere three power-play goals this season.
Alexander Barabanov, SAN vs. WPG ($12): Barabanov is seeing a ton of minutes, especially on the power play, and that has helped him notch 47 points in 68 games. Connor Hellebuyck has picked things up after a slide, though, as he has a 2.37 GAA and .914 save percentage over his last eight starts. The Jets also have a top-five penalty kill, so the fact Barabanov has averaged 3:08 per game on the power play over his last 15 outings is less encouraging.
DEFENSE
Kris Letang, PIT at DET ($21): Letang doesn’t have a point in his last six games, but he’s put 19 shots on net in that time. He’s stayed active, and he does have 34 points in 55 outings. It has already been announced Alex Nedeljkovic is getting the start for Detroit, and he has an .898 save percentage over the last two seasons.
Tony DeAngelo, PHI vs. MON ($21): We’ve gotten the full DeAngelo experience this season, but as long as he’s on the top power-play unit, he has DFS upside. The defenseman has two power-play points in six games since getting suspended, and he has 17 power-play points in total. Montreal has a bottom-five penalty kill, and it is also on the second leg of a back-to-back Monday.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Mikhail Sergachev, TAM at CAR ($20): I didn’t end up specifically fading any Predators, even though they face the Bruins, because the key Preds are all hurt at the moment anyway. Sergachev is healthy in Tampa, but he is facing a tricky matchup. Specifically, while he has 15 points over his last 14 games, seven of them have come on the power play. Carolina has the second-ranked penalty kill, so this is not a good matchup for a guy who has been reliant on having the man advantage.
Seth Jones, CHI vs. DAL ($13): Jones ended a point drought in his last game, but I don’t think that he is about to build any momentum. Jake Oettinger has a 2.50 GAA and .917 save percentage, and the Stars also have the third-ranked penalty kill. Jones has picked up almost one-third of his points on the power play.
