This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's 12-game slate provides no shortage of options, both good and bad, for you to choose from. Here are some suggestions on how you might build your best lineup.
Goalie
John Gibson, ANH @ DET ($32)
The Red Wings' offense has been hot of late recording 3.80 goals per game in February, but it hasn't been because of their production on home ice -- in 29 games at Little Caesars Arena this season, Detroit has managed just a 2.55 goals per game average, making them the 27th ranked team in the league by that metric. That's good news for Gibson, who has managed a .958 save percentage over his last three starts.
Goalie to Avoid
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG vs. WAS ($38)
Hellebuyck's run of greatness throughout the campaign has finally started to falter, as the 24-year-old has allowed three goals or more in five of his last seven starts, showing a .907 save percentage over that span. Several of the poor performances have come against strong offenses and Washington certainly does not have a weak one either -- the Capitals come into Tuesday's game having scored three goals or more in each of the last seven contests.
[Join the free NHL Yahoo Cup. $10K in total prizes with weekly winners]
Center
Tomas Hertl, SJ vs. ARI ($16)
Hertl represents an excellent value at this low price point considering his present opportunity -- the Czech forward runs with Logan Couture both at even strength and on the power-play, a position that has allowed him to record nine points, including three with the man advantage, in the last 14 games. Hertl's matchup is also very advantageous considering the Coyotes' allow 3.52 goals per game on the road and will be playing their second game in as many nights.
Center to Avoid
Brayden Point, TB @ BUF ($20)
It's a bit strange to see Point's presence with the $20+ group of players since the young pivot hasn't done much of late to deserve that recognition. The 21-year-old has just three assists and an even rating in the last seven games and hasn't scored a goal since Jan. 25. Sure, the Buffalo defense is far from elite, but it's been showing signs of life lately, having allowed just two goals to the hot Bruins offense Saturday, amongst other accomplishments.
Wings
David Perron, VGK vs. CHI ($19)
A tumultuous season continues for the Blackhawks, as the team from Chicago has now allowed three goals or more in each of the six games they've played in February. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights continue to surge and Perron has played a large role in that success, as the veteran winger has 15 points in the last 12 games. The 29-year-old is a playmaker at even strength and on the power-play, so fire him up against one of Chicago's mediocre goalies.
Kyle Palmieri, NJ @ PHI ($18)
19 games of Palmieri's season was lost to injury, so it's often easy to dismiss all of the success he's had throughout the campaign. For instance, the New York native shows five goal, eight points, and a plus-5 rating through his last seven contests, one of which included a two-point performance against Philadelphia on Feb. 1. The Flyers' penalty kill is poor (74.6 percent) and Palmieri has recorded over half of his points with the man advantage.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Hockey contest or league today]
Wings to Avoid
Patrik Laine, WPG vs. WAS ($28)
In the 14 games since Jan. 5, Laine has managed seven goals, a respectable total. What's worrying about this, though, is that the young Finn has not recorded a single assist over that time period. It's great for the Jets that Laine specializes in sniping the puck, but for daily fantasy, this major inconsistency paired with his high price tag makes the boom-or-bust option quite undesirable.
Vladislav Namestnikov, TB @ BUF ($20)
Namestnikov is another player you can file into the inconsistency pile. Over the last 14 games, the Russian has accumulated just five points and a minus-3 rating, with 11 of those games seeing him record zero points. Like Point, Namestnikov's placement with the $20-plus players seems a bit out of of place and makes him an expensive option given the possibilities of what he can offer you Tuesday.
Defensemen
Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI vs. NJ ($22)
Gostisbehere has been playing some really stupendous hockey of late, racking up nine points, 16 shots on goal, and a plus-5 rating in the first six games of February, with the last figure being good enough to rank him fifth in the league amongst defensemen. Ghost has the added benefit of facing the Devils on Tuesday, a team that has lost it's last four games and is allowing 3.02 goals per game on average.
Nick Leddy, NYI vs. CLS ($19)
Leddy has quietly put together a five-game point streak since the start of February that has seen him record three goals and two assists. His hot hand, as well as his involvement in the power-play (3:25 of average ice time per game), makes him a nice play Tuesday, but it's also a nice perk that the Blue Jackets average 34.2 shots on goal per game, giving Leddy ample opportunity to record blocks.
Defensemen to Avoid
Erik Karlsson, OTT @ PIT ($25)
Karlsson's five points in the last 10 games is not ideal for a defenseman in his price range, but what's perhaps more troubling is the fact that he shows a minus-5 rating over that span and a minus-26 rating on the whole campaign. On Tuesday, the Senators' captain and his team face the Penguins, who have been one of the hottest teams offensively in the league, averaging 4.25 goals per game over their last eight.
Kris Letang, PIT vs. OTT ($24)
Despite the Penguins' recent successes, Letang's play has not picked up, as he shows a minus-5 rating with just two points and 10 shots on goal in his first five games of February. The Quebec native's ability to get burned in his own zone could potentially pose problems for his team and potential fantasy owners, especially with the potent Mark Stone having recently returned to the Ottawa lineup.
