This article is part of our FanDuel NHL series.
After a fairly quiet day of NHL action (only one game Monday), Tuesday makes up for it with a whopping 13 games. That many teams can't play without there being some real enticing matchups. Here are some of the players and prices that really jump out:
GOALIE
Peter Budaj, LOS at COL ($7,700): OK, so this is a real play for value, but it's a good one. Budaj does not have a great track record in his career, but he does have a .914 save percentage this season. Despite losing Jonathan Quick early, the Kings are 12th in goals allowed per game. Meanwhile, the Avalanche are last in the league in goals scored, and Semyon Varlamov has been awful. Budaj doesn't need to stand on his head, and he's a steal if he wins.
CENTER
Eric Staal, MIN at CGY ($5,900): Calgary and Philadelphia are in a battle to be the first team to let in 60 goals this season. The Flames have gotten sketchy goaltending, especially from Brian Elliott. While Elliott has struggled with his new team, Staal has been solid, notching 13 points in 14 games. There's no reason to think that'll stop in this matchup.
Kyle Turris, OTT at PHI ($5,200): Philly's struggles to stop their opponents from scoring was just mentioned. Turris has seven goals, and while his shooting percentage is a little high, his power-play numbers are unexpectedly low, so both should regress toward the mean. Besides, it seems unlikely the Flyers will be the team to challenge Turris' shooting luck.
WING
Artemi Panarin, CHI at WPG ($7,000): There's been no sophomore slump for Panarin, who is playing more minutes (including more power-play time) and has 16 points in 16 games. If there were any doubts, he's quieted them. You know who hasn't silenced the naysayers? The Jets, when it comes to goal prevention. Panarin isn't cheap, but he's well worth the price.
Taylor Hall, NJD at DAL ($7,000): The Devils are still struggling to score goals, but Hall isn't. Hall has five of them, but more importantly has taken 60 shots on goal in 14 games. He's been an offensive dynamo, while both Dallas goalies have sub-.900 save percentages.
Tomas Hertl, SAN at CAR ($5,300): The 23-year-old is playing the most minutes of his career, including more than two a night on the power play. He has four goals and five assists in 15 games, while taking 35 shots on goal. Cam Ward's save percentage has eked over .900, but he's still earned his reputation as one of the worst starting goalies in the NHL. Hertl has a chance to be a real good value at this price.
Viktor Arvidsson, NAS at TOR ($4,500): If you are looking for a particularly cheap play, Arvidsson is an intriguing option. He's got nine points in 14 games, but he's playing more than two minutes more than in any previous season, and he's taken 40 shots on goal. This is clearly a player taking on a bigger role. Meanwhile, Toronto is a young team allowing 3.6 goals per game; it's a great matchup for Arvidsson.
DEFENSEMEN
Duncan Keith, CHI at WPG ($5,800): We don't need to rehash the facts about the Jets from earlier. As for Keith, he has 12 points in 16 games despite the fact he's scored zero goals on 38 shots. He's also playing more than four minutes a night on the power play. Keith is having a decent year, but it feels like it could be even better.
Dion Phaneuf, OTT at PHI ($4,300): Phaneuf is playing well despite only having four points. He's taken 38 shots on goal in 15 games, and he's playing more than 22 minutes a night. He's got a favorable offensive matchup against the Flyers, but Philly's potent offense could actually help his fantasy value as well. Phaneuf provides an added boost with 37 blocked shots, and he should have several opportunities to add to that total tonight.
