Three weeks after the opening night puck drop, the NHL offers up a seven-game slate containing several intriguing matchups, including a rematch between Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay that will be played in PPG Paints Arena instead of south Florida. Calgary and New Jersey are both exceeding expectations with winning records, while Minnesota and Vancouver headline the three late games on Tuesday night. In a stark contrast from last season, Colorado and Vegas both find themselves desperate for a win after disappointing starts.
Here are a few players to target when constructing lineups that will cash out during Tuesday’s seven-game slate.
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Recommended Plays: DraftKings
DraftKings maximum salary is set at $50,000
Elias Lindholm (C – CGY): $6,500
Elias Lindholm is a big reason why Calgary has a winning record, currently riding a five-game point streak that should continue rolling forward against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. Over the weekend, Lindholm picked up his first hat trick of the season and has scored at least one goal in four of five games played. He is likely to face New Jersey Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood (G – NJ), who allowed four goals in his only start this season. Factor in the roughly 20 minutes average time on ice and playing on the Flames’ top powerplay unit, and the salary is more than justified. Spend up to acquire one of the hottest players in the league to elevate your lineups into the green on Tuesday night.
Kasperi Kapanen (RW – PIT): $4,400
Pittsburgh has somehow managed to navigate an injured first-line to currently sit in the middle of the Metropolitan Division with a 3-0-2 record. The return of Jake Guentzel (LW – PIT) certainly helps fill the void at Center where Sidney Crosby (C – PIT) normally plays, while Kasperi Kapanen quietly produces points on the opposite wing. The 25-year old is coming off of a two-point game where he chipped in on two assists, adding three shots on goal. Kapanen is due for goal regression against a Tampa Bay Lightning squad that has a goal differential of -10, as he is expected to face Andrei Vasilevskiy (G – TB), who has allowed a 3.12 GAA in five starts this season. Insert Kapanen at a solid value with a sub-$5,000 salary and watch the points pile up in one of the slate’s more exciting contests.
Erik Karlsson (D – SJ): $4,900
Buy the dip on Erik Karlsson’s salary. He was unable to extend his point streak against Boston on Sunday but still managed to get three shots on goal and averaged over 22 minutes of time on ice. Blocked shots are also worth 1.3 points on DraftKings, slightly under the 1.5 points awarded per shot on goal. Karlsson carries a high floor and the upside for a high ceiling against the Nashville Predators, who have a minus-two goal differential thanks to poor play from Predators goaltender, Juuse Saros (G – NSH). Plug Karlsson into lineups at a discount and watch the points pile up.
Tristan Jarry ( G- PIT): $7,200
The 26-year old netminder for the Pittsburgh Penguins has looked impressive in his four starts this season, going 3-0-1 with a .943 save percentage and 1.47 GAA. Jarry has looked much more confident in the crease than he did during the last postseason, meaning that he should be able to transfer this momentum against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are struggling to produce offense with only 16 goals through six games. He’s a very affordable goaltender to roster, which allows you to target blue-chip skaters that cost a substantial amount to insert into lineups. Remember, a win is six points on DraftKings, which is more than an assist. Don’t let Tampa Bay’s title run from last season discourage you from adding Jarry, as he is playing great and has a strong supporting cast,
Recommended Plays: FanDuel
FanDuel maximum salary is set at $55,000
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C – WPG): $5,000
Pierre-Luc Dubois doesn’t generate high volume with his shots on goal but he has still managed to yield multi-point outings in each of his last two games. The 23-year old has at least a point in four of five games this season and gets a favorable matchup against Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson (G – ANA). After a hot start that pushed the Ducks out to 2-0, Gibson has surrendered four goals in each of his last two starts, including last Thursday where Dubois began his multi-point streak. The price is right and skating on the second powerplay unit for an underrated Winnipeg Jets team will provide additional opportunities for Dubois in the offensive zone on Tuesday night.
Kyle Connor (LW – WPG): $8,100
Stacking linemates is a great strategy, especially on a team like Winnipeg. If you opt to take a discounted rate on Pierre Luc-Dubois, pairing him up with Kyle Connor is a potent combination for a high point total in DFS lineups. The 24-year old has been on absolute fire, which is reflected in his $8,100 salary, however, he’s too good to pass up. Connor has three consecutive games with multiple points and has scored five goals and three assists during this span. One of these games happened against Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson, who is expected to be in the crease for the Ducks on Tuesday night. Winnipeg is the heavy betting favorite and will be led by Connor all night long, making him a must-start prospect despite the high price tag.
Kevin Shattenkirk (D – ANA): $4,800
Shattenkirk is one of the veteran defensemen for Anaheim but don’t let his age deceive you. The 32-year old had his worst game of the season against Minnesota over the weekend but did produce an assist and three shots on goal during their matchup against Winnipeg last week. He isn’t shy in the offensive zone, as Shattenkirk has three goals and three assists this season, including at least one blocked shot in every game. He is an all-around solid player on both ends of the ice and earns additional time on ice due to his role on the Ducks’ second powerplay unit. Rostering a third-line defenseman is not how many fantasy managers expect to win, yet Shattenkirk is good enough to defy these stereotypes and labels. He’s a savvy veteran who still has the juice in the offensive zone, meaning he is a quality addition to Tuesday lineups.
James Reimer (G – SJ): $6,900
San Jose will deploy James Reimer in the net on the road against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. The veteran netminder has only surrendered one goal in his lone start this season but did fill in against Boston, saving all 20 shots that he faced. Nashville doesn’t have the strongest offense, as they have a plus-minus goal differential of -2, meaning Reimer could very well be in line to yield his first shutout as a starter this season. It also helps to have a talented offense, which the Sharks most certainly do, as they have scored 19 goals compared to allowing only 11. It’s incredible that Reimer has such a low salary. Take advantage of it and plug Reimer into lineups in a plus-matchup.
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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
