This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
In between the holidays, a great way to spend your time is immersed in the NHL season. Well, unless you're a Red Wings fan. There's a busy slate Tuesday with 10 games on the schedule. Here are the guys I would target, and avoid, for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Thatcher Demko, VAN vs. OTT ($30): Jacob Markstrom has taken a personal leave of absence, so Demko will be getting the start. He hasn't been great, but this matchup at home is a great spot for the young netminder -- this is a Senators team that has only managed 2.56 goals and 29.9 shots on net per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Thomas Greiss, NYI at MON ($37): Greiss has been feeling a bit ill and got dizzy in his last game, but he's expected to be able to play in this one. This is a game where his team will be on the second night of a back-to-back, though. Montreal has been bad defensively, but it has also put 35.0 shots on goal per contest, which is highest in the NHL.
CENTER
Sean Couturier, PHI vs. TOR ($21): After back-to-back 76-point seasons, Couturier has 21 points in 27 games this year. His power-play production is down a bit, but he still has five points with the extra man, and this is a good matchup on that front. The Maple Leafs have struggled on the penalty kill, and they also have a 3.21 GAA.
CENTER TO AVOID
Sebastian Aho, CAR at BOS ($26): Aho has picked things up after a slow start, looking like the guy who emerged as one of the league's best players last season. That being said, this is a tough matchup for anybody. The Bruins have a 2.26 GAA, lowest in the NHL, and Tuukka Rask has a 2.04 GAA and .933 save percentage.
WING
Mark Stone, VGK at NJD ($24): The Golden Knights are on the road for the second night of a back-to-back, but the Devils are also on a back-to-back so the disadvantage is slimmer for Stone. This is still a matchup worth targeting though, because MacKenzie Blackwood has a 3.12 GAA and .898 save percentage. Also, just as importantly, Stone has 24 points in 29 games, including 10 with the extra man.
Calle Jarnkrok, NAS vs. TAM ($14): Jarnkrok has been surprisingly good this year, as he has nine goals and eight assists through 26 games. He's also getting more active offensively, as he's put 60 shots on goal. Right now, with Viktor Arvidsson hurt, Jarnkrok is also on Nashville's top line. You'd think Tampa would have turned it around defensively by now, but instead they have a 3.29 GAA and have allowed 33.3 shots on net per contest.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrik Laine, WPG vs. DAL ($25): Laine is still sporting unexpectedly poor shooting of 8.9 percent, which is why the sniper has only eight goals so far. He's starting to turn it around, but he might be unable to add to that goal total in this one. Ben Bishop has been one of the best goalies in the NHL for a few years, and he has a 2.20 GAA and .928 save percentage this season.
William Nylander, TOR at PHI ($20): Mitch Marner is out, but Nylander is doing his best to try and pick up the slack. He has 11 goals through 28 games thanks to 13.6 percent shooting, which is a bit higher than his career rate. Despite some struggles in net, the Flyers still have a 2.70 GAA. That's because they have only allowed 29.3 shots on net per game and have a top-five penalty kill.
DEFENSE
Jared Spurgeon, MIN at FLA ($18): Spurgeon and Ryan Suter play together both on Minnesota's top pairing and its top power-play unit. They both have three goals and 13 assists, but Spurgeon has six points in his last five games. Also, he's shooting at a 5.9 percent rate, which is actually quite a bit lower than his career number. Speaking of guys with numbers worse than the norm, Sergei Bobrovsky has a 3.48 GAA and .884 save percentage.
Quinn Hughes, VAN vs. OTT ($17): It's Quinn, not his brother Jack, who feels like a favorite to win the Calder this year. The Canucks defenseman has been racking up assists, as he has 21 in 27 games, including 12 on the power play. Ottawa has a 3.07 GAA, which is actually better than expected. However, that's been fueled by a .917 save percentage from Anders Nilsson, compared to a career .908 save percentage.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Torey Krug, BOS vs. CAR ($22): Krug has been his usual productive self, especially on the power play. However, Carolina has a top-10 penalty kill, and Krug also only has one power-play point in his last six games. On top of that, the Hurricanes have a 2.81 GAA, largely because they've only given up 28.6 shots on net per contest.
Seth Jones, CLM vs. ARI ($19): Jones has played well recently, and he's been a good producer offensively in the past. However, he seems primed to run into the buzzsaw that is Darcy Kuemper this season. Arizona's top goalie has a 1.97 GAA and .935 save percentage. It will be hard for Jones to pay off for you in your lineup.
