This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's nine-game slate features three matchups seen in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, led by an Eastern Conference semifinals rematch between the Capitals and Rangers with first place in the Metropolitan Division at stake. Teams in the logjam around the .500 mark in the standings will be searching for valuable regulation wins to create some separation.
There aren't any obvious David and Goliath situations to invest in heavily Tuesday unless you view a middling San Jose team against the somewhat-rejuvenated Blue Jackets as a major mismatch. The parity just makes finding good value plays that much harder, so it's extra important to uncover the hidden gems that the average DFS player might miss. A few of the top value plays will be in a great position to contribute despite extremely low prices, allowing you to fill out the rest of your lineup with the high-priced studs of your choice.
GOALIE
Anders Nilsson, EDM vs. PHI ($23) - Nilsson is available for the incredibly low price of $23 because he surrendered six goals to the Capitals on just 17 shots in his last start. The Flyers aren't nearly as scary an opponent as Washington, and Nilsson actually had a fantastic 1.98 GAA and .953 save percentage in two appearances prior to Friday's debacle. The Swede should revert back to at least decent form, and playing Nilsson opens myriad lineup possibilities due to the savings he offers compared to most viable goaltending options.
Goalie to avoid:
Tuukka Rask, BOS vs. DAL ($27) - Deploying the goaltender facing the second-highest scoring team in the NHL is not a winning strategy. Rask is still operating at a depressed price despite allowing just one goal over his last two appearances, but the risk outweighs the reward even if the Finnish goaltender has truly returned to form.
CENTER
Connor McDavid, EDM vs. PHI ($20) - Sticking with the Oilers, McDavid is another good value play Tuesday. The October Rookie of the Month has been a point-per-game player through 12 games, and he has an excellent chance of at least maintaining that pace against a Flyers team that sports an ugly minus-8 goal differential despite a .500 record. Even those who wanted to take a wait-and-see approach with the crown jewel of the 2015 draft should admit that his scoring ability makes him easily worth $20.
Center to Avoid:
Kyle Turris, OTT at MON ($24) - Turris is riding a three-game goal streak, but extending it at the Bell Centre will prove to be a tough task even with Carey Price out. The Senators will be without first-line winger Mark Stone due to suspension, so the Canadiens will focus even more than usual on stopping Turris.
Oscar Lindberg, NYR vs. WSH ($19) - Lindberg has predictably slowed after registering four goals in the season's first three games. There's nothing wrong with his 5-2-7 line through 11 games and plus-6 rating, it's just hard to justify spending $19 on a center who only plays 12:21 per game.
WING
Jarome Iginla, COL vs. CGY ($21) - The Flames have surrendered a league-high 50 goals already, and Calgary's former captain is a good bet to add to their defensive woes in this one. Iginla is skating on Colorado's top line with young phenom Nathan MacKinnon, and the 38-year-old has a solid eight points through 11 games. Iginla has been especially hot lately, with five points and 17 shots on goal in his last five games after posting just three and nine, respectively, in the season's first six games. Expect him to keep the fire burning Tuesday.
Joonas Donskoi, SJS vs. CBJ ($12) - Donskoi plays first-line minutes alongside Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski in San Jose. While he hasn't paid massive dividends in this role yet, Donskoi still has a plus-3 rating mostly due to his linemates' proficiency, and a home date with the cellar-dwelling Blue Jackets is as good an opportunity as ever for the 23-year-old rookie to break out. It's hard to find a better value at the minimum price.
Wings to Avoid:
Alex Ovechkin, WSH at NYR ($30) - The last time Ovechkin stepped foot in Madison Square Garden he guaranteed a Game 7 victory, and let's just say he's no Mark Messier. Ovechkin has managed to shake off last season's playoff disappointment nicely with a blazing start to the 2015-16 campaign, but his price is an astronomical $30 as a result. That's too much to pay for a winger on the road against a goaltender with a 1.87 GAA.
Lee Stempniak, NJD at NYI ($18) - Stempniak plays first-line minutes in New Jersey, and has exceeded expectations with eight points through 11 games, but it's hard to expect him to keep it up considering he hasn't broken 40 points since the 2009-10 campaign. The Islanders are a challenging opponent to face on the road, meaning most available in Stempniak's price range rate better in both matchup and NHL track record.
DEFENSEMEN
T.J. Brodie, CGY at COL ($17) - Brodie has skated to a plus-one rating in his three games despite Calgary's woeful start, and is still flying under the radar even with his strong output since returning from a hand injury. The 25-year-old picked up his first two points of the season in Saturday's win at Edmonton, and his 41-point campaign from last season demonstrates that Brodie is more than capable of chipping in some occasional offense. Grab Brodie while he's hot, because he won't be available at $17 for long if he maintains his recent level of play.
Travis Hamonic, NYI vs. NJD ($16) - Hamonic's stats won't blow you away, but his extended playing time on a talented offensive team in the Islanders will start to pay off eventually. The 25-year-old defenseman leads the Isles in ice time at 23:47 per game, and most players with 24 shots on goal have found the back of the net by now. The Devils have been decent, but they are hardly the type of opponent that should scare you away from using a player, so $16 is an excellent value for Hamonic in this situation.
Defenseman to Avoid:
John Carlson, WSH at NYR ($25) - The talented defenseman is pointless in his last three games, but is still just $1 off the top price for his position despite his tricky matchup against a Rangers team that's 5-1-1 at Madison Square Garden. Carlson has five power-play points through 10 games, but his effectiveness with the man advantage may be limited as New York unsurprisingly boasts a top-10 penalty kill at 87.9 percent. Just like teammate Alex Ovechkin, Carlson can never be called a bad investment, but there are smarter ways to spend top dollar Tuesday.
