This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
There's no shortage of NHL action Tuesday, with 10 games on tap after 7:00 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players stand out from the pack as options to target and which ones are best avoided at their respective valuations.
GOALIE
Matt Murray, PIT vs. FLA ($28): Murray has five wins in his past eight starts, holding three of those opponents to just a single goal each. Even with the Penguins beat up on the blue line, Murray has a great opportunity to outperform his $28 valuation at home against a Panthers team that's just 12-14-5 on the road this season.
GOALIE TO AVOID
Pekka Rinne, NSH vs. MIN ($33): While backup Juuse Saros helped the Predators beat the Wild in a shootout Sunday, Minnesota's still 5-0-1 in its past six games. Rinne's surrendered 10 goals on 78 shots (.872 save percentage) over his last three starts while winning only one, and reversing his ugly recent form won't be easy against this hot opponent.
CENTER
Anze Kopitar, LA vs. MON ($17): The Kings haven't given fantasy owners much to cheer about this season, but Kopitar at $17 is too good a bargain to pass up. His average of 6.6 fantasy points is just 0.2 behind Kevin Hayes for tops among centers that cost $17 or less, and Kopitar's been hot recently with four points in his last two games. A Canadiens team that could be without starting netminder Carey Price, who's dealing with the flu, will have a hard time slowing Kopitar down here.
CENTER TO AVOID
Steven Stamkos, TB vs. WPG ($31): Stamkos has gone six games without a goal, attempting more than two shots in only one of those contests. Couple that poor recent form with his injury scare in Tampa Bay's last game, and it's hard to justify picking Stamkos over many of the alternatives from Tampa Bay's stacked roster. For example, Brayden Point can be had at the same price and averages 10.4 fantasy points to Stamkos' 9.9.
WINGS
Andrew Ladd, NYI vs. OTT ($15): Ladd hasn't wasted any time getting up to full speed since returning to the lineup after missing over three months due to a lower-body injury. He's racked up an assist in all three games since returning and couldn't handpick a better matchup to try to extend that streak. The visiting Senators have been by far the worst defensive road team in the league, allowing an eye-popping 4.39 goals per game.
Jamie Benn, DAL vs. NYR ($21): Like Ladd, Benn wasted no time in his return from injury, though his was much less serious. After being sidelined for two games with an upper-body injury, Benn came back with a vengeance Saturday against the Blues, shredding St. Louis' previously red-hot defense with a hat trick. The 2015 Art Ross Trophy winner has a great opportunity to build on that performance in this home meeting with a Rangers team that's been the league's second-worst defensive road team, besting only the Senators with 4.00 goals allowed per game.
WINGS TO AVOID
Micheal Ferland, CAR at BOS ($17): It's going to be tough for Ferland to live up to his $17 valuation given his lack of playing time and the tough opposition. Ferland's averaging just 14:30 of ice time, and he's come up short of that modest mark in 12 of the past 13 games. As for the Bruins, only the Islanders give up fewer goals per game than Boston's 2.43.
Patrik Laine, WPG at TB ($23): Tampa Bay's primed to limit Laine's strengths while capitalizing on his weaknesses. Fourteen of his 29 goals this season have come on the power play, but adding to that total will be tough against the Lightning's league-best penalty kill (86.0 percent). Meanwhile, Tampa Bay's top-ranked offense (3.82 goals per game) is capable of putting a major hurting on Laine's minus-19 rating.
DEFENSEMEN
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI vs. ANH ($18): Ekman-Larsson took a maintenance day at Monday's practice, but assuming he's healthy enough to play, OEL is a can't-miss option against the lowly Ducks. The offensively gifted blueliner has crafted a five-game point streak coming into this one, stuffing the stat sheet with two goals, five assists, three power-play points, a plus-6 rating and 11 shots. He should stay hot against an Anaheim team with a league-worst minus-59 goal differential.
Torey Krug, BOS vs. CAR ($21): Krug's done his best work at home, playing at a point-per-game pace over 29 contests at TD Garden while mustering only 17 points in 25 road games. His offensive upside is tremendous for a $21 blueliner, making Krug worth targeting even against a hot Hurricanes team.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Thomas Chabot, OTT at NYI ($19): Chabot's offensive game disappeared along with Ottawa's top forwards prior to the trade deadline -- he has just a single assist to go with a dreadful minus-13 rating over the past seven games. His floor remains low due to his defensive struggles, while Chabot is unlikely to find his offensive game against the league's stingiest defensive team (2.34 goals allowed per game).
Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR at DAL ($18): With the Rangers looking to give the youth more run down the stretch, Shattenkirk's likely to have his role limited, just as he did in scoring minus-2.0 fantasy points over 13:56 of ice time in Sunday's shootout loss to the Capitals. There's little reason to look Shattenkirk's way when teammate Tony DeAngelo can be had for $2 less despite posting 10 assists in his past 10 games.
