This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's 10-game slate allows for a nearly endless array of lineup possibilities, as the busy schedule means there's no shortage of viable strategies to use in both cash games and GPP formats. The Devils, Flyers, Wild, Stars and Panthers have home games against some of the league's bottom feeders, making them good candidates to contribute multiple players to successful lineups.
It's still a little too early to say who's truly breaking out and who's just enjoying some luck out of the gate, but we now have a large enough sample to start giving meaningful weight to players' early season performances. That said, a few players have played quite well without having the results to show for it, and finding those players is the key to truly maximizing value.
GOALIE
Petr Mrazek, DET vs. CAR ($30) - Mrazek has an excellent matchup at home against a Hurricanes team that has only scored 14 times in eight games this season, and he'll be hungry to take advantage. Jimmy Howard has been the better of the two Detroit goaltenders, so Mrazek knows he needs to raise his level to maintain consistent playing time. At just $30, the 23-year-old Czech should deliver great bang for the buck with some of the top options facing much trickier opponents.
Goalie to Avoid:
Jonathan Quick, LAK at WPG ($34) - Quick is riding a four-game winning streak after getting bailed out by the replay booth on a "save" against Connor McDavid and the Oilers in the final seconds, but making it five in a row should prove difficult against Winnipeg. The Jets have scored nine times in their last two games, and the raucous MTS Centre is never a comfortable environment for opposing goaltenders.
CENTER
Claude Giroux, PHI vs. BUF ($23) - Giroux has been better than a point-per-game player in his last five seasons, so there's no need to panic over his slow start. Tuesday's game against the Sabres offers a great chance for him to get back on track, as Buffalo's top defensive pairing of Josh Gorges and Rasmus Ristolainen just don't have the talent that some of the NHL's other top defenders do, while goaltender Chad Johnson is an average-at-best backup thrust into a starting role due to injury. With the Flyers favored at home, their captain is also a solid bet to contribute in plus/minus to go with his scoring output.
Center to Avoid:
Brandon Sutter, VAN vs. MON ($19) - Sutter is off to a fast start with six points through eight games, but $19 is too high a price to pay for a center who has never eclipsed 40 points in seven previous NHL seasons, especially going against arguably the league's top goaltender in Carey Price.
WING
Adam Henrique, NJD vs. CBJ ($20) - It only took the Blue Jackets two games under new coach John Tortorella to pick up their first win of the season, but they still rank last in the NHL with 40 goals allowed in just nine games played. Henrique is playing big minutes, and he's quietly amassed six goals in eight games. Don't expect Columbus to slow New Jersey's top line.
Jonathan Huberdeau, FLA vs. COL ($19) - Huberdeau picked up two assists in his last game, as he might finally be snapping out of his early season funk. Florida's first-line left wing is still goalless, but it's better to get him at a depressed price now than wait until after his production and cost have normalized. Huberdeau's line as a whole has been lighting the lamp plenty, and Jaromir Jagr is about 10 years too old to maintain his current 60-goal pace, making the 22-year-old Huberdeau a good bet to start picking up the slack soon.
Wings to Avoid:
Brendan Gallagher, MON at VAN ($24) - Gallagher's a good player, but his price is ridiculously high. The winger's point-per-game pace and plus-8 rating through nine games are not sustainable in just 16:14 per game, plus the Canadiens as a team are bound to come back to earth sometime soon.
Nick Foligno, CBJ at NJD ($20) - Maybe 2014-15 was just a fluke. Foligno has just five points through nine games after posting 73 a season ago, and it's possible he's reverting back to the 40-point player he was for his first seven years in the NHL. Couple his lack of production with a horrendous minus-9 rating, and it's difficult to defend spending $20 on him.
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan Suter, MIN vs. EDM ($17) - Suter is having a superb season so far, with six assists, 16 shots and 17 blocks in eight games. The only blemish on his resume is a minus-3 rating, but that stat should fix itself soon enough since he plays on a decent Minnesota squad. The Oilers have given up six more goals than they've scored, making Suter a strong candidate for a great all-around performance when he faces them Tuesday.
Tyler Myers, WPG vs. LAK ($15) - Myers has just two points in eight games so far, but that's sure to change soon considering the offensive-minded blueliner is playing more than 21 minutes per game and has already fired 21 shots on net. With the Winnipeg offense scorching hot, it's only a matter of time before Myers starts contributing in a big way. The 2010 Calder Trophy winner is too talented to ignore at his current price.
Defensemen to Avoid:
Michael Del Zotto, PHI vs. BUF ($18) - Some may think Del Zotto is a good value play in this situation because he's still seeing plenty of ice time despite his lack of production. That line of thought makes sense in theory, but you clearly haven't seen him play if you think this way. Del Zotto has been a mess in his own end, and Buffalo has the offensive talent to make him pay for the mistakes he's sure to commit.
