This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Happy Valentine's Day! I, for one, love the fact there are nine NHL games on the docket for Tuesday. Here are the players I recommend for your DFS lineups, as well as some players I would avoid like the worst chocolate in the box.
GOALIE
Vitek Vanecek, NJD at CLM ($37): Vanecek has a .916 save percentage, which is the best of his career. However, his 2.32 GAA is also bolstered by the Devils' defense only allowing 28.5 shots on net per contest. The Blue Jackets don't really do anything well, and that includes having averaged 2.53 goals per game, 30th in the NHL.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Jake Oettinger, DAL vs. BOS ($39): Oettinger has been as good as any goalie in the NHL, but this matchup will put his 2.22 GAA to the test. The Bruins have averaged 3.67 goals and 33.3 shots on net per contest, so if Oettinger has strong numbers Tuesday, he will have really earned them. I don't want to bet on that happening at this salary.
CENTER
Max Domi, CHI at MON ($16): Domi had the best campaign of his career with the Canadiens, but this is shaping up to be his second-best season at the very least. The 27-year-old has 14 goals and 21 assists through 51 games, and he's averaged 3:17 per contest on the power play. The Canadiens have the 30th-ranked penalty kill, and they also have a 3.66 GAA.
CENTER TO AVOID
Roope Hintz, DAL vs. BOS ($28): Hintz's shooting percentage has improved every season of his career, but a 19.5 shooting percentage is pretty lofty, and might be hard to sustain. Also, the Stars have the second-lowest GAA in the NHL at 2.54, while the Bruins are first at…212. Yeah, Boston is dominating defensively, especially when Linus Ullmark and his .937 save percentage are in net. The Bruins also have the top penalty kill, and 16 of Hintz's 49 points have come with the extra man.
WING
Pavel Buchnevich, STL vs. FLA ($19): Talk about returning with gusto. In his first game back from injury, Buchnevich picked up three assists. Florida is on the second leg of a back-to-back, and Spencer Knight will likely be in goal. Not only does night have a .906 save percentage, but this would be his first game in over a month.
Kyle Palmieri, NYI vs. OTT ($15): Since returning from injury, Palmieri has seven points in eight games. The addition of Bo Horvat didn't mess things up either, as he is still on Brock Nelson's wing on the second line. Ottawa is on the road for the second leg of a back-to-back, but also in dire goaltending circumstances. Kevin Mandolese, ostensibly the fourth-string goalie, may make his NHL debut.
WINGS TO AVOID
Alex DeBrincat, OTT at NYI ($20): As I was just noting, the Senators are on the second leg of a back-to-back. That's good for Palmieri, but bad for DeBrincat. It also doesn't bode well that Ilya Sorokin will likely be tending goal for the Islanders, and he has a 2.41 GAA and .923 save percentage.
Artturi Lehkonen, COL vs. TAM ($19): Lehkonen seen him minutes soar this season – he's averaged 21:31 per game in ice time – and his 34 points in 48 games show that the Avalanche have gotten the production they'd like from a first-line wing. On the other hand, he has zero points in his last five games. Andrei Vasilevskiy has a .919 save percentage this season, but a .924 save percentage in his last 10 starts.
DEFENSE
Dougie Hamilton, NJD at CLM ($30): Yes, it's great that Hamilton has 14 points during a seven-game point streak. However, I am as enticed by his 186 shots on net through 52 outings. The Blue Jackets have a 3.83 GAA, lofty to be sure, but also have allowed 35.0 shots on goal per game.
Noah Dobson, NYI vs. OTT ($17): Dobson has gotten into the groove since the break. In four games he has five points. I had to get another bite at the apple of this matchup. After all, a goalie who was a backup in the AHL will likely be making his NHL debut for the Senators on Tuesday.
DEFENSE TO AVOID
Thomas Chabot, OTT at NYI ($19): I've talked about the Senators being on the second leg of a back-to-back and Sorokin's .923 save percentage, so let me throw something else into the mix. The Islanders have a top-five penalty kill, and Chabot has notched 15 of his 29 points with the extra man.
Vince Dunn, SEA at WPG ($17): Dunn's career year has personally benefited me on the fantasy front several times over, but I am eschewing him Tuesday. Connor Hellebucyk has a 2.41 GAA and .924 save percentage, and the Jets have the second-ranked penalty kill as well. Dunn's career year has been bolstered by 10 points on the power play.
