This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Tuesdays tend to be among the busiest nights of the week for hockey and this one is no exception. We have 10 games ahead of us, so let's sift through them and highlight what I believe are tonight's best plays.
SLATE PREVIEW
Tonight will feature the first game since Maple Leafs winger William Nylander signed his eight-year, $92 million contract. That's more than he would have likely secured over the summer, but he drove up his value by scoring 21 goals and 54 points through 37 outings this year.
What's stood out the most about Nylander in 2023-24 is his consistency. He's been held off the scoresheet just four times all campaign. To put that into perspective, Nikita Kucherov, who leads the league's scoring race, has gone pointless on eight occasions this season.
Nylander is naturally going to come under increased scrutiny with his cap hit set to nearly double once this contract begins in 2024-25, but if he continues to perform as he has this year, his salary will be well warranted.
GOALIES
Stuart Skinner, EDM at CHI ($8,400): Skinner's overall numbers -- he has a 2.76 GAA and an .898 save percentage in 27 outings this year -- are still poor due to his horrendous start, but he's been one of the league's top goaltenders from Nov. 24 onward, posting a 12-2-0 record, 2.00 GAA and .926 save percentage in 14 games during that stretch. Skinner should continue to dominate against the struggling and injured Blackhawks, who will be missing their top player in Connor Bedard.
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. CLM ($8,300): With almost half the campaign in the books, Hellebuyck is a frontrunner for the Vezina Trophy with his 20-6-3 record, 2.27 GAA and .921 save percentage in 29 appearances in 2023-24. He's allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last six contests, saving 155 of 165 shots (.939 save percentage) in that span.
Cam Talbot, LAK at TBL ($7,500): This might be trying to be a bit too fancy, but Talbot is having a fantastic campaign with a 14-9-3 record, 2.17 GAA and .923 save percentage in 26 appearances, so the opportunity to select him at that price is tempting. Sure, it is against the Lightning, but Tampa Bay has an underwhelming 19-17-5 record and ranks a middling 14th offensively this year (3.24 goals per game), so this isn't an entirely unfavorable matchup.
VALUE PLAYS
Trevor Zegras, ANA at NAS ($4,600): Zegras scored twice in Anaheim's 3-2 loss to Detroit on Sunday. It helped that Troy Terry returned from an upper-body injury Sunday, giving him a fantastic player to play alongside. Both forwards have run into injury troubles this season, but the duo should remain together on the top line and first power-play unit as long as they remain healthy.
Casey Mittelstadt, BUF vs. SEA ($4,500): Mittelstadt has 11 goals and 33 points in 40 games, making him a strong contributor for his price. He's been particularly productive lately, supplying five goals and 11 points over his last 10 appearances. The downside is he has just four points with the man advantage this year, but Mittelstadt is serving on the top power-play unit, so the 25-year-old is in a position to improve in that regard.
Jake DeBrusk, BOS at ARI ($3,800): DeBrusk has been great recently, providing four goals and eight points over his last seven games. It helps that he's playing on the second line and second power-play unit (four of his last eight points were recorded with the man advantage), which is somewhat rare to find at that price.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Panthers at Blues
Sam Bennett (C - $4,400), Carter Verhaeghe (W - $6,500), Matthew Tkachuk (W - $6,400)
Be careful when it comes to selecting Bennett, who is slated to be a game-time call due to an upper-body injury. Even if he can't play, though Verhaeghe and Tkachuk are worth grabbing.
Verhaeghe is on a five-game multi-point streak in which he's collected six goals and five assists and Tkachuk's been similarly effective, providing three goals and 11 points over the same stretch. Both are priced extremely well for what they've brought to the table recently.
With Bennett's status in question, I recommend considering Sam Reinhart ($7,400) instead. Reinhart is a somewhat pricy alternative, but he's been scoring at an absurd rate, finding the back of the net 11 times over his last nine appearances.
Oilers at Blackhawks
Connor McDavid (C - $9,600), Zach Hyman (W - $8,000), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (W - $5,800)
Edmonton's top line is typically a good choice, but it's an even better selection against the Blackhawks, who rank 31st defensively with 3.75 goals allowed per game.
Meanwhile, McDavid has recorded at least a point in 19 of his last 20 outings, contributing 10 goals and 41(!) points in that stretch. Hyman hasn't been as consistent, but he's certainly rolling at the moment with seven goals and 10 points over his past six outings. Rounding out the line, Nugent-Hopkins provides solid value for his cost, entering tonight with 11 goals and 37 points in 36 games.
Maple Leafs vs. Sharks
John Tavares (C - $7,200), William Nylander (W - $8,700), Tyler Bertuzzi (W - $3,400)
I'm looking for a strong game out of Nylander immediately following his contract extension. It helps that he'll be up against the Sharks, who rank last defensively with 4.03 goals allowed per game and have lost 11 straight, and that the winger is red hot, scoring eight goals and 24 points over his last 14 appearances.
There's no question Nylander is the highlight of the unit, but Bertuzzi can provide solid value at his price point and has done so recently with four assists over his last three outings.
Tavares hasn't been particularly hot lately, but the 33-year-old is having another productive campaign -- through 37 games, he has 12 goals and 34 points, including 10 points with the man advantage.
DEFENSEMEN
Evan Bouchard, EDM at CHI ($6,900): Bouchard collected another three helpers in Edmonton's 3-1 win over Ottawa on Saturday, bringing him up to nine goals and 39 points through 36 outings this season. He's tied for third in the defensemen scoring race and ranks second among blueliners in power-play points (19).
Aaron Ekblad, FLA at STL ($3,800): Ekblad got off to a slow start with four assists in his first 16 contests following his return from a shoulder injury. He's heating up, though, providing a goal and five points in his last six outings, including two helpers with the man advantage.
Hampus Lindholm, BOS at ARI ($3,300): As is typically the case for players at this price point, Lindholm is only worth selecting situationally, but this is a solid time to consider him. He's registered six assists -- two on the power play -- over his last five appearances.
