This article is part of our FantasyDraft NHL series.
It's a pretty busy Tuesday with nine games on the slate. Here are some players to consider…
GOALIE
Vegas Golden Knights, VGK vs. CAR ($15,900): The Golden Knights are 11-2-0 at home and have won four games in a row. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will be on the road for the second night of a back-to-back. This game will also mark the return of Marc-Andre Fleury, who had a .925 save percentage in four games before getting injured.
CENTER
Jonathan Toews, CHI vs. FLA ($13,100): The Panthers had a nice day defensively Monday, but before that game they had a 3.52 team GAA and had allowed 35.6 shots on net per contest. Plus, with Roberto Luongo hurt, James Reimer may have to play for the second night in a row. Toews has four points in his last five tilts, averaging 3:42 per game on the power play. Florida, meanwhile, has the 27th-ranked penalty kill.
Matt Duchene, OTT at BUF ($10,100): Duchene only has four points in 14 games with the Senators, but his shooting percentage is only 5.7 since the trade. That's bound to improve. He's also played 3:40 per game with the extra man, so he's getting good offensive opportunities. The Sabres have a 3.37 team GAA and have allowed 32.2 shots on net per contest. Maybe Tuesday is the day Duchene's luck will change.
WING
Artemi Panarin, CLM vs. EDM ($13,000): Panarin has started 64.9 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, the most of any Blue Jacket. He's tallied 26 points in 30 games, including 11 in his last seven. Edmonton's netminder, Laurent Brossoit, has a 3.27 GAA and a .887 save percentage, and the Oilers also have the league's worst penalty kill. Panarin has tallied six power-play points this year and has never had fewer than 17 in a season.
Jason Zucker, MIN vs. CGY ($12,200): Zucker's shooting percentage may be a bit high, but he's been hot with nine points over his last nine games. He's also getting significant power-play minutes for the first time in his career, averaging 2:13 with the extra man. The Flames have a 3.10 team GAA, and since the beginning of November, Mike Smith has a 2.97 GAA and a .907 save percentage. Calgary also has the 28th-ranked penalty kill.
Tanner Pearson, LOS at NJD ($9,100): Pearson has picked his play up recently, tallying seven points in his last six contests. Despite that, he still has an 8.1 shooting percentage, which is the lowest of his career. His play, or at least his luck, should continue to improve. The Devils have a 3.07 team GAA, but more notably they've allowed 33.9 shots on goal per tilt, which ranks in the NHL's bottom five.
DEFENSEMEN
Zach Werenski, CLM vs. EDM ($9,900): Werenski has registered 16 points through 30 games with 88 shots on net — including 36 in his last nine. As previously noted, Brossoit has a 3.27 GAA and a .887 save percentage, which bodes well for Werenski. The 20-year-old should also be able to take advantage of Edmonton's terrible penalty kill, as he notched 21 power-play points as a rookie.
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF vs. OTT ($9,300): While he may not have a goal yet, Ristolainen has put 60 shots on net through 21 games, so eventually he should light the lamp. He's also averaged 27:20 per game, and 3:49 on the power play. Ottawa has a team GAA of 3.36 and a league-worst team save percentage of .892.
