This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
SLATE PREVIEW
After a three-day break the NHL returns to its usual busy Tuesday schedule with 11 games. The Sabres-Blue Jackets matchup has been postponed since Buffalo has been hit with a snowstorm that is affecting travel. All teams in action should be well-rested but note the Bruins, Knights, Penguins and Flames will open the week with a back-to-back.
The Hurricanes come back from the break with a league-high eight-game winning streak, followed by the Caps, Bruins, Sabres and Avs, all whom have won four in a row.
GOALIES
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR vs. CHI ($8,500): The Canes started Antti Raanta in their back-to-back before the break because Kochetkov wasn't 100 percent healthy, but it seemed like a minor injury and the extra rest should make Kochetkov available. Raanta is a good choice, too, but Kochetkov's been the better goalie all season. The Hawks are statistically the worst team in the league and have beaten the Canes only three times since 2017.
Alexandar Georgiev, COL at ARI ($8,300): The Coyotes had some trouble scoring before going into the break, mustering no more than two goals in each of their past four games. The Avs have won four straight with Georgiev in net and they've kept their opponents to just one goal or less in three of those matchups. The Coyotes are overpowered in this matchup, and while Georgiev should get an easy win, the drawback is he's unlikely to get much work, which means fewer saves.
Tristan Jarry, PIT vs. NYI ($7,600): This is pretty good value for Jarry, who's quietly been one of the top 10 fantasy goalies this season. This is a tough matchup for the two hated rivals, but the Isles may be shorthanded without center Brock Nelson, who left Friday's game with an injury. He has been one of their best offensive players this season.
Spencer Martin, VAN vs. SJ ($6,800): The Canucks offense is humming along nicely and they're be gunning for their third straight win and seventh win 11 games. Martin's numbers aren't very good but he's got a winning record (10-5-1) because of the good goal support he gets. The matches have been close, but in their two previous meetings this season the Canucks have won both games by a combined score of 10-8.
VALUE PLAYS
Lane Pederson, VAN vs. SJ ($3,200): Playing on Elias Pettersson's line has worked out so well for the Canucks that they've elected to keep Pederson in that spot on his right wing. The career minor leaguer still has trouble getting top-six minutes, and he likely never will, but as long as Pettersson is on the ice with him, Pederson has some fantasy value. He scored two points on Pettersson's five-point night and added two shots and a blocked shot against the Oilers in his most recent game.
Ivan Barbashev, STL vs. TOR ($4,300): If Jordan Kyrou remains unavailable, Barbashev is a good value play because he'll be the recipient of some of those minutes. Though he's not playing on a line with any of the Blues' more talented scorers, Barbashev does get to play on the top unit on a power play that ranks 12th in the league. Penalty killing has not been the Leafs' strong suit this season, ranking only 15th. Brandon Saad ($4,000) is also a good value play with his role on PP2.
J.T. Compher, COL at ARI ($5,000): Compher's still a value play due to his role on the top line, and he plays a ton of minutes and fires a lot of shots on net. He scored a goal in his last game and so far in December is averaging over 23 minutes per contest. His scoring rate this month – nine points in 12 games – has never been higher this season.
LINE STACKS
Penguins vs. Islanders
Sidney Crosby (C - $9,600), Jake Guentzel (W - $8,000), Rickard Rakell (W - $6,400)
It really doesn't matter who's in net for the Isles; Crosby absolutely tears them apart. It'll be the first meeting against each other this season, with Crosby scoring 128 points in 78 career games in his career, including six points in three games last season. Both Guentzel and Rakell have been relatively quiet, but they are also very high-ceiling options due to their shooting rates and exposure to Crosby.
Hurricanes vs. Blackhawks
Sebastian Aho (C - $8,100), Seth Jarvis (W - $5,200), Teuvo Teravainen (W - $5,200)
It's an underwhelming line based on point production, but they should be more productive than usual. Even with Aho's return, Paul Stastny has remained on a line with Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov, but Aho's clearly the No. 1 pivot. Teravainen has been underwhelming this season but he's scored four points in his past five games, including both of his goals this season, which shows that maybe things are perking up for him; Teravainen's got one of the lowest on-ice shooting percentages even though he's been dominating puck possession all season, and his latest offensive surge might be a sign of bigger things to come.
DEFENSEMEN
Erik Karlsson, SJ at VAN ($7,800): The Canucks have trouble defending and getting out of their zone, which is music to Karlsson's years. He has a chance to extend his point streak to 10 games, and he's coming off a four-point effort. There are plenty of big-name defensemen in action Tuesday but Karlsson draws a good matchup.
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK at LA ($6,900): You don't always have to reach for the top to get an elite PP QB. Pietrangelo's on a four-game point streak with a goal and four assists, and the Kings have had trouble keeping the puck out of their net all season. Though Daniil Miromanov has contributed, expect Pietrangelo to get the majority of those PP minutes.
