This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
The NHL largely took Monday off to handle the trade deadline, but now Tuesday sees the league in full force with a whopping 13 games on the slate. Some players are in new places, while others have intriguing new teammates. Here are the guys to target, and to avoid, for your daily fantasy lineup.
GOALIE
Juuse Saros, NAS vs. OTT ($): Pekka Rinne is dealing with an illness right now, so he may not even be available Tuesday. On top of that, Saros has gotten the bulk of the starts recently, and he has a 2.33 GAA and .929 save percentage in his last eight games. The Senators were one of the only two teams that played Monday, and they were also active at the trade deadline, sending away guys like Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Ottawa was already only scoring 2.65 goals per game, and that isn't going to get better now.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG at WAS ($29): Hellebuyck has shouldered a hefty load for the Jets, as he's appeared in 52 games for a team that has allowed 32.7 shots on net per game and has the 25th-ranked penalty kill. The Capitals have scored 3.47 goals per contest, third most in the NHL. This will be a tough task for Hellebuyck on the road.
CENTER
Dylan Larkin, DET vs. NJD ($18): On a side note, I'm going to be at this game, because apparently I hate myself. While I'm there, I'll be watching Larkin, who has five points in his last three contests, giving him 45 points in 64 games. The Devils have a 3.55 GAA and have given up 34.9 shots on net per contest on the road, making this one of the rare matchups that looks good for Larkin and the Wings.
CENTER TO AVOID
Aleksander Barkov, FLA at ARI ($29): These are two fine cities to be a hockey fan of during the winter, but it has been hard for visiting teams in Arizona this year. The Coyotes have a 2.48 GAA at home, and Darcy Kuemper (2.17 GAA, .929 save percentage) was just recalled from his conditioning stint in the AHL. On top of that, 19 of Barkov's points have come with the extra man, and the Coyotes have the fifth-ranked penalty kill.
WING
Kyle Palmieri, NJD at DET ($17): Since returning from injury, Palmieri has 11 points in 13 games. This includes five power-play points, giving him 17 points with the extra man in 57 contests. There's no surprise there, as Palmieri has had at least 18 power-play points in each of his past four seasons. Meanwhile, the Wings have a 3.73 GAA and the 29th-ranked penalty kill. When bad teams play each other, it can pay off for DFS players.
Craig Smith, NAS vs. OTT ($17): The Predators have had issues offensively and have been shifting around their lineup, but Smith has been doing his best to keep the offense afloat. He's notched six goals in his last eight games, and he's third on the Preds this season with 157 shots on net. The Senators have a 3.34 GAA, and they are also one of only two teams on the road for the second game of a back-to-back Tuesday.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrick Kane, CHI at STL ($32): Call this fade crazy if you will, because Kane is having a tremendous season. However, he's also expensive, and there are 26 teams in action Tuesday. You have so many options available to you, many with great matchups. Kane, on the other hand, is facing a Blues team with a 2.29 GAA at home, and they have only allowed 27.4 shots on net per contest at home. That latter number is lowest in the NHL.
Evander Kane, SAN at PHI ($19): Did I choose Kane over, say, Timo Meier so I could recommend avoiding two guys with the last name Kane? Perhaps, but I'm down on the Sharks in total Tuesday. Injuries have decimated the San Jose roster, and the Flyers are formidable in Philly. In fact, the Flyers have a 2.07 GAA at home, lowest in the NHL.
DEFENSE
Colton Parayko, STL vs. CHI ($18): Parayko has been hot recently, tallying 11 points in his last 10 games. He's also usually quite active offensively, as he has 135 shots on goal in 56 contests. The Blackhawks have allowed a whopping 36.1 shots on net per game on the road, so Parayko could be busy Tuesday, and that could result in fantasy points for your lineup.
Mikhail Sergachev, TAM vs. TOR ($17): Sergachev has started 55.1 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, highest among Tampa defensemen. That's helped him score nine goals and add 21 assists in 62 games. Ten of those points have come with the extra man as well. As for the Leafs, they have a 3.27 GAA, bottom five in the NHL, and they also have the 25th-ranked penalty kill.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Neal Pionk, WPG at WAS ($19): Pionk has been a beast on the power play. He's notched 24 of his 42 points with the extra man. The problem here? Washington has the fourth-ranked penalty kill. This matchup does not bode well for Pionk.
Anthony DeAngelo, NYR at NYI ($17): What about a defenseman from Pionk's old team? DeAngelo is having a fine year, as he's scored 13 goals. However, that's the product of 10.7 percent shooting that is pretty hard to sustain for a defenseman. On that front, he only has one goal in his last 13 games. Now he's facing an Islanders team with a 2.66 GAA.
