This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's nine-game slate features many of the league's best exchanging blows as the season winds down. Read on for some tips on where to find the best values for your daily lineup.
Goalie
Tuukka Rask, BOS @ TB ($29)
It's usually intimidating to trot out any goalie against the formidable Lightning, but the squad from Tampa Bay has lost four of its last five, including two in a row on home ice, one of which was against Rask and the Bruins on Thursday. The Finnish goalie has three wins already this season against the Lightning and has won four straight contests while allowing six goals total over that span, giving him excellent value at this price tag.
Goalie to Avoid
Keith Kinkaid, NJ vs. NYR ($33)
Kinkaid's sterling 5-0-1 record over the last six contests shows a completely dominant run, but a look below the surface shows that the 28-year-old keeper has allowed three goals or more in four of those games, leading to an unpolished .926 save percentage over that span. The Rangers have not given up despite missing the playoffs, recording 23 goals total over their last six games, and Kinkaid allowed five to them the last time he faced them.
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Center
Pierre-Luc Dubois, CLS vs. DET ($18)
Dubois continues to be a major factor for the Blue Jackets as they jostle for playoff positioning, notching four goals over the last two contests and adding four assists in the three games prior. This furious string of scoring could very well continue Tuesday against a Detroit squad that has allowed 3.07 points per game to centers over the last four weeks and holds little motivation to play well after another exclusion from the playoffs.
Center to Avoid
Aleksander Barkov, FLA vs. NSH ($27)
Barkov is not playing at the level you'd expect for a center priced this high, as he has not scored a goal since March 19, recording just six assists and a minus-1 rating in the eight games since then. That's not great value, but what makes this even less appealing is that the Predators have been one of the most stout teams on the road, allowing just 2.44 goals per game, the lowest mark in the league.
Wings
David Pastrnak, BOS @ TB ($26)
Pastrnak has been a driving force for this surging Bruins team, racking up 14 points and nine goals, including four with the man advantage, in the last 11 contests. Tuesday's matchup could be especially advantageous for the young Czech national considering he has already recorded four points against the Lightning, a team that has been poor on the penalty kill recently, killing off just 69.6 percent in March.
Craig Smith, NSH @ FLA ($17)
While he hasn't recorded any power-play points of late, Smith is still enjoying his elevated role in the offense that includes power-play presence, having notched four points in the last three contests and a plus-5 rating in the last four. The Madison, Wisconsin native will have a good chance to get on the board against a Florida squad that allows 2.92 goals per game on home ice.
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Wings to Avoid
Johnny Gaudreau, CGY vs. ARI ($28)
The Coyotes had to wait until they were eliminated from playoff contention to play their best hockey of the season but they're definitely doing it now, having won five of their last eight and allowing just 2.53 goals per game in March. Gaudreau, on the other hand, has been ice cold recently, accumulating just one point and a hideous minus-10 rating in his last last five contests.
Alexander Radulov, DAL @ SJ ($23)
Tuesday's contest could present some issues for Radulov and his team who are now looking from the outside at the playoff picture -- the Russian playmaker has recorded just an assist and a minus-3 rating against the Sharks this season. San Jose has been defensively stout across the board of late, allowing 2.60 goals per game and killing off 88.6 percent of its penalties in March, setting up the power-play minded Radulov for failure Tuesday.
Defensemen
Dustin Byfuglien, WPG @ MON ($23)
With the Jets locked into the number two spot in the Central Division, Byfuglien was given the night off for the Jets' win over the Senators on Monday night, meaning he'll be fully rested for a Tuesday meeting in Montreal. That's great news for Byfuglien and those who draft him, as he's been excellent with the man advantage lately, recording three power-play points in his last seven games, and the Canadiens have been very poor on the penalty kill lately.
Ivan Provorov, PHI @ NYI ($19)
The Islanders have been an absolute sieve when it comes to opposing defensemen this season, as they allow a league-high 2.70 points per game to the position this season. This should very much play into the hand of the offensively potent Provorov, who has five points and a plus-6 rating in the last three contests and who has two goals and two assists against the Islanders already this season.
Defensemen to Avoid
Victor Hedman, TB vs. BOS ($27)
It's not that Hedman isn't a great fantasy defenseman -- the numbers will clearly indicate otherwise -- it's just that Tuesday's matchup could pose some problems for him. Discounting his last game versus Boston where he put up a goal and an assist, the Swedish blueliner has recorded no points, two shots on goal, and a minus-1 rating in two other games against the Bruins, who are maintaining their reputation of stymying defensemen.
Esa Lindell, DAL @ SJ ($19)
Lindell's meager production down the stretch has made him an unenviable option for daily purposes -- the Finnish d-man has posted just three points, 26 shots on goal, and a minus-3 rating in his last 23 contests. Especially considering the Sharks allow just 1.71 points per game to defensemen this season, at this Tuesday listing price and even lower, you'll be able to find a more guaranteed source of production.
