This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
For the final day of the month, there are just two games scheduled and neither of them is an early start. Toronto will host LA at 8:00 p.m. ET followed by the Predators playing in Vancouver, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET.
SLATE PREVIEW
All four teams are rested going into Tuesday's action and will have Wednesday off, so we might end up seeing every squad deploy its starting goaltender tonight. Who Toronto's No. 1 is at this point is open for debate, though. Joseph Woll, who is expected to be in net, wouldn't have been regarded as the Maple Leafs' starter going into the campaign, but he's outplayed Ilya Samsonov to the point where he's seriously challenging for the top gig.
GOALIES
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. NAS ($8,400): Demko dealt with injury issues last season, and even when he was healthy, he left plenty to be desired with his 14-14-4 record, 3.16 GAA and .901 save percentage in 32 outings. By contrast, Demko has looked great in 2023-24, posting a 1.91 GAA and a .936 save percentage in five contests. He's also coming off a 22-save shutout versus St. Louis on Friday, so the 27-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down. Nashville has struggled offensively, averaging 2.88 goals per game, so this could be another strong start for Demko.
Joseph Woll, TOR vs. LAK ($8,000): As mentioned above, Woll has challenged Samsonov for the starting gig by posting a 3-1-0 record, 1.33 GAA and .961 save percentage in four contests. Granted, it's a small sample size, which is especially important to keep in mind with a goaltender as inexperienced as Woll. At the least, though, he's worth taking a chance on tonight while he's hot.
VALUE PLAYS
Andrei Kuzmenko, VAN vs. NAS ($5,100): For a player who scored 39 goals and 74 points in 81 contests, Kuzmenko is really well-priced. His two goals and six points in eight contests this season might not be jaw-dropping numbers, but it's certainly not bad enough to cause panic. Kuzmenko is also a mainstay on Vancouver's top power-play unit and is averaging 4:20 of ice time with the man advantage.
Phil Di Giuseppe, VAN vs. NAS ($3,900): Di Giuseppe has never been a major offensive contributor -- his career high in points is 17, set in 2015-16 -- but he's going through a strong patch, scoring two goals and three points over his last four contests. On another night, that hot streak might not be enough to warrant grabbing him, but with Tuesday's schedule being this light, there aren't a lot of great value options out there, making Di Giuseppe worth the risk.
FORWARD LINE STACKS
Maple Leafs vs. Kings
John Tavares (C – $9,500), William Nylander (W - $9,900), Tyler Bertuzzi (W - $5,400)
Nylander will bring his season-opening eight-game point streak into tonight's action. He's recorded six goals and six assists in that span. He set a new career high in 2022-23 with 87 points in 82 outings, and Nylander might surpass it this year, especially as he looks to strengthen his negotiating position while playing through the final campaign of his six-year, $45 million contract.
His regular linemate, Tavares, has been similarly effective, contributing four goals and 11 points through eight appearances this season. Bertuzzi has just two goals and an assist in 2023-24, but two of those points have come in his last three contests, so he seems to be heating up.
Predators at Canucks
Thomas Novak (C - $4,800), Luke Evangelista (W - $4,500), Kiefer Sherwood (W - $3,600)
I don't love recommending both a starting goaltender and an opposing forward line, but there's only so much to choose from tonight. Besides, while I do expect Demko to have a strong night, Nashville's second line is cheap enough to still be worth taking a chance on.
Novak in particular is worthy of consideration. He's going into this contest riding a three-game scoring streak and has four goals and six points in eight contests this season. Evangelista is hot too, contributing a goal and five points over his last four outings.
DEFENSEMEN
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. NAS ($6,500): I've mentioned that there are thin pickings tonight, but Hughes would be a strong choice regardless. He has three goals and eight points in eight games this season, and the 24-year-old is a strong candidate to finish the campaign with 70-plus points, provided he stays healthy.
Filip Hronek, VAN vs. NAS ($5,000): After contributing seven assists through eight contests, Hronek is easy to recommend. The 25-year-old blueliner has been particularly effective recently, collecting four helpers over the span of his active three-game point streak.
