NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, December 31

NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, December 31

This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.

Tuesday has 13 games scheduled, but to play in a classic DraftKings DFS format, you will either enter a two-game early slate or a nine-game evening slate. As a result, we have to exclude Montreal's visit to Vegas at 3:00 p.m. ET and the Winter Classic between St. Louis and Chicago at 5:00 p.m. ET. Competing in those matches will require a Showdown format registration. All game lines and odds below come courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. 

SLATE PREVIEW 

New Jersey (at Anaheim), Edmonton (vs. Utah), Carolina (at Columbus) and Dallas (vs. Buffalo) are the biggest favorites on the Moneyline. Toronto (vs. NY Islanders) and Washington (vs. Boston) are the favorites for the early slate. The over/under for the Penguins-Red Wings, Hurricanes-Blue Jackets and Hockey Club-Oilers matchups is 6.5 goals. The Predators-Wild, Canucks-Flames and Islanders-Maple Leafs contests anticipate 5.5 goals. 

GOALIES 

Jacob Markstrom, NJD at ANA ($8,300): Markstrom has allowed only five goals on 106 shots during his six-game winning spree. He made 24 saves in a 6-2 win over Anaheim on October 27th. Markstrom should get the nod after Jake Allen played in Saturday's loss to Carolina. 

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF at DAL ($6,900): Luukkonen is a risky value option for Tuesday's slate. He has stopped 77 out of 82 shots during his three-game winning streak. The 25-year-old netminder made 28 saves in a 4-2 win over Dallas on October 22nd.  

VALUE PLAYS/ONE-OFFS 

Leon Draisaitl, EDM vs. UTA ($8,500): Draisaitl has nine goals and 14 assists over his 11-game point spree. He has nine power-play points (four goals, five assists) and 40 shots during that stretch. Draisaitl had a goal on five shots and one assist in a 4-3 overtime win over Utah on November 29th.

William Nylander, TOR vs. NYI ($7,700): Nylander's eight-game point streak ended in Saturday's loss to Washington, but he's a good bet to return to the scoresheet on Tuesday afternoon. The 28-year-old netted two goals on seven shots in a 6-3 loss to the Islanders on December 21st. Nylander has six goals, seven assists and 33 shots in his last nine appearances. 

Macklin Celebrini, SJS vs. PHI ($7,200): Celebrini has four goals, 12 points and 30 shots in nine games going into Tuesday night's action. He has three goals and five points on the man advantage during that span. 

Lucas Raymond, DET vs. PIT ($6,300): Raymond has two goals, one assist and five shots in his last two appearances. He has amassed five markers and 13 points in 11 previous contests versus Pittsburgh, including three helpers and three shots in two games this season. Raymond has produced 23 points in 20 home matches this season. 

Bo Horvat, NYI at TOR ($5,200): Horvat has five goals and 10 points in his last 10 outings. He has registered three goals and five points in his past four meetings with the Maple Leafs. Horvat has plenty of bang for the buck upside for Tuesday's afternoon action. 

Jack Roslovic, CAR at CBJ ($4,100): Roslovic has three goals on nine shots and three assists over his four-game point spree. He has one goal on five shots in two games against Columbus this campaign, making him a worthwhile selection for his value potential. 

Michael Bunting, PIT at DET ($3,900): Bunting has seven goals and 14 points across his last 13 appearances, including four goals on eight shots and one assist during his three-game point streak. He has six goals and 15 points in 13 previous meetings versus Detroit, giving him additional upside for the later slate. 

FORWARD LINE STACKS 

Devils at Ducks 

Jack Hughes (C - $8,800), Jesper Bratt (W - $7,000), Ondrej Palat (W - $3,200) 

Hughes has compiled four goals on 33 shots and seven assists in his past eight outings. Palat has five goals, 15 shots and eight points in nine contests going into Tuesday night's action. Bratt has been held off the scoresheet once in his last nine contests, collecting one goal and nine helpers. 

New Jersey's top line should remain hot against the Ducks on Tuesday. Anaheim has surrendered the second-most shots per game (31.9) this season.  

Flyers at Sharks 

Scott Laughton (W - $2,900), Morgan Frost (C - $4,300), Matvei Michkov (W - $5,200) 

Laughton has one goal on 13 shots and six assists over his last six appearances, including one goal and four helpers during his three-game point streak. Frost has three goals, five points and seven shots in five contests entering Tuesday's slate. Michkov ended his season-long seven-game pointless skid with one goal and one assist in Sunday's 5-4 loss to Los Angeles. 

Philadelphia's second line has plenty of bang for the buck potential versus the Sharks on Tuesday. San Jose has allowed the fourth-most goals per game (3.54) and the most shots per game (32.6) in 2024-25. 

DEFENSEMEN 

Moritz Seider, DET vs. PIT ($6,200): Seider has two goals on 18 shots and seven points in his past nine games. He has three helpers, six shots and 16 blocks in his last four outings. Seider's category coverage makes him an intriguing option for Tuesday's slate. 

Mason Lohrei, BOS at WSH ($2,600): Lohrei has collected four assists in his last six matches. He has three helpers (two on the power play), three shots and five blocks in his past four appearances, which includes one assist, two shots and three blocks against Washington on December 23rd. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Corey Abbott plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: armchair_gm, DraftKings: thenext1, Yahoo: Why.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Corey Abbott
Corey Abbott is an avid sports fan who has been writing fantasy hockey for 15-plus years.
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