This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
Welcome to the debut article of our FantasyAces NHL coverage. My plan is to give you a winning lineup for FantasyAces every Tuesday and Friday.
Here are my recommendations for Tuesday:
C - John Tavares, $6000 – Any time you can fit the NHL's leading scorer into your lineup, you go with him. The Isles are mired in a three game losing streak and have a tough matchup against the Blackhawks, but Tavares remains a good bet, as he shows up best for the biggest of games. He is wired to be a difference maker. He, too, is on a three-game scoreless streak, which was preceded by seven points in three games. He gets back on the beam tonight.
W - Alex Steen, $5600 – This baby-faced sniper has ramped up his scoring pace in the second half of the season, and he's fast approaching a career-high scoring total. He is a key team leader and a fixture on the club's power play. At 31, he knows what it takes to get mentally prepared for the final weeks of the regular season and the approaching playoffs. Steen is a responsible two-way player. This week, he goes out west to the Canadian prairies, where he was born and raised. This trip will have some extra importance for him. That starts tonight in Calgary.
W - Brendan Gallagher, $4850 – After a tough loss last night, the Habs will need to lean on their emotional leaders. That's where this diminutive buzz saw fits in as Montreal visits the Panthers. He will need to be at his best to help his mates dust themselves off and try to gain a big two points on the road Tuesday night. It won't be hard to find him. He will be his usual fearless self and throw his body around to bother the Panthers, as well as camp out in front of their net on the power play.
W - Ryan Strome, $4500 – This former first-round draft pick has enjoyed a terrific sophomore season and currently leads the Isles with a +19 rating, a testament to his maturity (despite being only 21) and his responsibility at both ends of the ice. He's third on the club in scoring and has been getting a regular shift on the Isles' potent power play. He's not afraid to go to the dirty areas and grind it out for puck possession. That will be a key in Chicago on Tuesday.
W - Bobby Ryan, $5150 – The emergence of a second scoring line has taken some of the offensive pressure off the Senators most notorious forward. He is playing much more free and easy now that he knows he doesn't need to think about scoring three goals every game. Ryan has been a steady producer all year long, but he enters action tonight mired in a five-game scoreless drought. The Sens have won four of those games anyway. He gets off that slide with a nice matchup against lowly Carolina.
D - Matt Dumba, $3350 – They say defense is the position with the longest learning curve in the NHL. Well, Dumba's only 20-years old, but the Wild's former first-round pick of the 2012 Draft is showing signs of development. Dumba has taken on a heavier workload, averaging 19 minutes per game in March, with a regular spot on the club's first power play unit. It's only a matter of time before his offensive skills find their way to the score sheet on a regular basis. That's the next step for his growth.
D - Justin Braun $3350 – Amid the controversy that has surrounded the Sharks, Braun has compiled a career-best 21 points. He is a fixture among the top defense pairings for San Jose, and he's earning upwards of 24-25 minutes of playing time in recent outings. He is shedding his penchant for being a defensive minded blueliner, with shots on goal in six straight games. His ability to move the puck to a talented group of forwards has padded his offensive totals.
Flex - Patrice Bergeron, $5350 – While a knee injury has sidelined David Krejci, the Bruins' other offensive centerman, Patrice Bergeron, has picked up the slack and leads the B's with 48 points on the season. He is producing despite seeing the best defensive forwards in opposing lineups every night. Tuesday, he merits consideration in your lineup because he has a favorable matchup against the cellar-dwelling Sabres.
Goalie - Dan Ellis, $6500 – Ellis has filled in admirably while the Panthers have been without their top two goalies on the depth chart. He's posted a 3-1-1 record with an impressive 1.95 goals-against average while making five straight starts, making him the main reason why this team has not thrown in the towel on their fading playoff hopes. Tuesday, Ellis and his Florida mates hope to catch Montreal flat-footed on the second of back-to-back games for the Habs.
Paul Bruno has been writing about the fantasy sports scene for several years and is an accredited member of the sports media in Toronto for over 20 years. You are invited to send your feedback and you can follow him on Twitter (statsman22) or listen to him on www.120sports.com.
