This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
Here are my recommendations on FantasyAces for Tuesday's games.
Center
Derek Stepan ($4,900) –The Rangers are streaking to the finish line and need one more win to lock up the No. 1 seed in the East. Stepan has led the charge over their current stretch of four wins in a row, but he has paced the Blueshirts longer than that with nine points and a plus-7 rating in his last eight games. The Rangers mauled the Devils last week and should have no trouble with the return match on Tuesday.
Wingers
Mark Stone ($4,600) – The young stars of the Senators have played key roles in a strong second half, but none more than Stone. He has been on such a long stretch of productivity that he is now in the conversation for rookie of the year with 59 points and a plus-16 rating in 77 games. He's been even better of late with eight points in his last seven starts.
Blake Wheeler ($5,250) – The big winger has been a solid fantasy producer all season, with 26 goals, 61 points, a plus-26 rating and 73 PIMs. However, he's been especially good over the last six games, scoring four goals (two on the power play) while averaging three shots on goal per game.
T.J. Oshie ($5,250) – The Blues are in a tight race for the Central division title and have been without top playmaker, Alexander Steen, for the last five games. Oshie, more known as a sniper, has picked up some of that slack by picking up five assists in his last six games. He is also a safe bet to log plenty of time on the power play against the Jets in what should be a physical affair.
Drew Stafford ($3,950 – We have noted the transformation of Stafford back into a clutch scorer since he joined the Jets at the trade deadline. He has consistently produced a number of key plays to fuel Winnipeg's offense and is not the least bit overwhelmed by the importance of the remaining games. He has four points and 14 shots on goal in his last six games.
Defensemen
Dennis Wideman ($5,000) – For much of the season, Wideman has been overshadowed by other defensemen in Calgary, but he has quietly set career-highs with 15 goals and 37 assists. He has tended to score in bunches, with 13 multi-point games this season, and has two such efforts in his last three appearances. He gets another favorable matchup against lowly Arizona tonight.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson ($4,850) – The fact that his team has struggled all year and that his former running mate, Keith Yandle, was dealt away at the trade deadline, has not deterred Ekman-Larsson from continuing to lead the team in scoring. In fact, he leads all defensemen with 23 goals and is one point shy of his career best (44). Even though he has no hope of postseason action, he is finishing with a hot streak of three goals and seven points in his last seven games.
Flex
Lance Bouma ($3,950) – Bouma is continuing to be a huge contributor to Calgary's offensive surge in recent weeks. He has three goals and three assists in his last seven games, and he's put three shots on goal in five of them. He is a new and consistent threat for the Flames and is now playing upwards of 15-16 minutes per game.
Goaltender
Jonas Hiller ($7,200) – The Flames may be without Karri Ramo the rest of the way because of a leg injury, which means that they will sink or swim with Hiller. The facts show that Hiller has made 50 appearances and was expected to take the starting assignment for any playoff games, despite spitting time with Ramo in recent weeks. The Flames have been employing a win-and-you're-in approach with the two goalies. Hiller has won three of his last four starts and should be a heavy favorite as Calgary hosts the Arizona on Tuesday.
