This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's NHL slate features nine games and begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Certain players are primed to capitalize on favorable matchups while others are overpriced and should be avoided. Read on to see who falls into which category.
GOALIE
Darcy Kuemper, ARI at DET ($31): Kuemper will have to take on a larger role with Antti Raanta on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, but his numbers through seven appearances (2.58 GAA, .921 save percentage) suggest he should be up to the task. It helps that he'll face a Red Wings team that's averaging only 2.65 goals per game.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Keith Kinkaid, NJ vs. PIT ($37): Kinkaid's overpriced at $37, especially given his recent play and opponent here. He's allowed 18 goals in dropping four of his past five starts and will face a Penguins team that's scoring 3.40 goals per game.
CENTER
Mathew Barzal, NYI vs. VAN ($20): Barzal came up one point short of totaling 100 in his first 100 games, and he should only get better moving forward. Coach Barry Trotz has been featuring Barzal more than ever of late, as the speedster's averaging over 20 minutes of ice time over the past three games, skating at least 19:26 in each. That ice time should translate into results on the scoresheet against an injury-riddled Canucks club that's playing its second road game in as many nights.
CENTER TO AVOID
Kyle Turris, NSH at SJ ($18): There's little reason to grab Turris at $18 when just $1 more gets you Ryan Johansen, who averages 8.9 fantasy points to Turris' 6.1. The former Senators center can't be relied upon for consistent offensive production, having mustered no more than one shot on goal in seven of 16 games.
WINGS
Claude Giroux, PHI vs. FLA ($25): Giroux is as hot as anybody right now, with three goals, eight points and a plus-8 rating in the past three games. Expect him to keep rolling at home against a Panthers team that's giving up 3.07 goals per game and killing penalties at only 74.0 percent. If Giroux keeps playing like this, he won't cost just $25 much longer.
Patrick Marleau, TOR at LA ($16): Marleau finds himself in a nearly ideal fantasy spot, skating in a top-six role and on the top power-play unit for the talented Maple Leafs. He's parlayed that extensive role into points in four of the past five games, and the longtime Sharks forward will have a nice opportunity to add to that production against a familiar foe. The Kings are getting outscored 3.13 to 2.06 on average this season, so they're unlikely to offer much in the way of resistance.
WINGS TO AVOID
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, EDM vs. MON ($23): The results haven't been pretty for Nugent-Hopkins recently, as he's totaled minus-2.4 fantasy points in the past two games. Things are unlikely to get any better unless he's reunited with Connor McDavid at even strength rather than playing his natural center position on the second line.
Kyle Okposo, BUF vs. TB ($18): Neither Okposo's average output (5.2 fantasy points per game) nor his ice time (14:44) indicate that he's worth paying $18 for. Facing Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has a sparkling 2.29 GAA and .927 save percentage, only lowers Okposo's value further.
DEFENSEMEN
Keith Yandle, FLA at PHI ($22): Yandle has been one of the league's most effective power-play quarterbacks, with eight of his 15 points through 14 games coming on the man advantage. A Flyers penalty kill that ranks second-worst in the league at 70.5 percent -- and is a big part of why Philadelphia's allowing 3.53 goals per game overall -- will have a hard time keeping Yandle from producing further.
Jeff Petry, MON at EDM ($16): Petry's averaging a robust 24:08 of ice time, including a prominent power-play role that's led to five of his 13 points coming with the extra man. He has a golden opportunity to add to that total against Edmonton's 72.7-percent penalty kill, though owners should weigh that reward against the rating risk that comes with spending significant time defending an Oilers top line that features McDavid.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF vs. TB ($17): Ristolainen relies on power-play production to make up for poor defense at even strength -- four of his nine points have come with the extra man and his rating's already down to minus-11. A Lightning team that leads the league with 3.65 goals per game while killing penalties at 87.7 percent is perfectly set up to limit Ristolainen's strengths and punish his weaknesses.
Jamie Oleksiak, PIT at NJ ($18): Oleksiak's crashing back down to earth after an unsustainable start, with just 5.5 total fantasy points over his past four games. With no power-play role and a 20.0 shooting percentage still due to plummet towards Oleksiak's 7.5 percent career mark, he's still overpriced at $18.
