This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Hockey series.
Tuesday's NHL slate begins at 7:00 PM Eastern time and features five games. This is the last pre-All-Star break action for most of the players involved, and certain guys are primed to go into the break on a high note while others are best avoided here. Read on to see who falls into which category.
GOALIE
David Rittich, CGY vs. CAR ($30): With wins in six of his past seven starts, Rittich has pushed his season record to 18-4-4. Despite that stellar record, a 2.49 GAA and .917 save percentage, he can be had for just $30. If that wasn't reason enough to turn to Rittich here, he should also benefit from facing a Hurricanes team that allows goalies to pile up saves by leading the league in shots per game (35.8) while scoring the fifth-fewest goals per game (2.75).
GOALIE TO AVOID
Braden Holtby, WAS vs. SJ ($29): While the Capitals will be catching the Sharks on the second leg of a back-to-back, this battle of top-10 offenses figured to be a high-scoring affair. It's hard to trust Holtby to come out on top after he surrendered four goals on just 11 shots before being pulled Sunday in Chicago.
CENTER
Derek Stepan, ARI at OTT ($18): Stepan's riding a nice mini-hot streak with a goal, two assists, a plus-2 rating, seven shots and two blocks in the past two games. Considering he's still on pace for just 38 points after finish between 53 and 57 in each of the previous five seasons, Stepan can be expected to keep raising his level in the second half. He gets a golden opportunity to keep the recent good times rolling against a Senators team that's surrendering a league-high 3.76 goals per game.
CENTER TO AVOID
Frans Nielsen, DET at EDM ($17): Nielsen's not a particularly appealing option considering his average of 5.1 fantasy points per game is tied for worst among all centers that cost at least $17 and his goal Sunday snapped an 11-game drought in the category. If you insist on using a Detroit pivot, try to save up the extra $6 necessary to get Dylan Larkin.
WINGS
Josh Bailey, NYI at CHI ($17): Bailey stands out as a value play compared to his similarly priced teammates -- his average of 6.4 fantasy points per game is far superior to those of $15 winger Cal Clutterbuck (3.2) and $18 winger Jordan Eberle (4.9). He's also recorded a point in six of his past seven games, and Bailey's likely to get right back on the scoresheet against a Blackhawks team that's nipping at Ottawa's heels for worst defensive team in the league with 3.74 goals allowed per game.
T.J. Oshie, WAS vs. SJ ($21): Oshie benefits from playing in one of the league's most desirable roles. He shares the ice with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, both on Washington's top line and top power-play unit. That lineup placement has helped Oshie maintain a point-per game pace over the past seven, and he's primed for another strong effort against a Sharks team that's playing its second game in as many nights.
WINGS TO AVOID
Patrick Kane, CHI vs. NYI ($30): It's tempting to go with Kane given that he's scored over 34.0 fantasy points twice in his past three games, but it's prudent to resist that urge given the difficult matchup awaiting him here. The Islanders have morphed into the league's stingiest team, allowing a mere 2.42 goals per game. While Kane's capable of overcoming tough opponents, there are better ways to spend $30 in this slate.
Tom Wilson, WAS vs. SJ ($21): Wilson's in the midst of a brutal stretch, having scored fewer than zero fantasy points in each of his past four games while mustering just a goal and two assists over the last 11. His teammate Oshie is a much better value at $21.
DEFENSEMEN
Darnell Nurse, EDM vs. DET ($18): Nurse comes in on a three-game point drought, but he should get back on track against a Red Wings club that's getting outscored 3.30 to 2.80 on average this season. Despite the recent slump, he still has four goals and 17 points over the past 22 games, and Nurse has eclipsed 26 minutes of ice time in six of the last seven contests. We're talking about a clear-cut No. 1 defenseman in a favorable matchup who can be had for just $18.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI at OTT ($17): Ekman-Larsson's a high-risk, high-reward play with 26 points and a minus-16 rating, but this is a good time to deploy the talented Swede. In addition to struggling defensively in general, the Senators sport the league's third-worst penalty kill at 75.4 percent. Half of Ekman-Larsson's points this season have come on the power play, and he's averaging eight goals with the extra man over the past six campaigns. He won't face many more vulnerable penalty kills than this one, so lock OEL in here.
DEFENSEMEN TO AVOID
Jaccob Slavin, CAR at CGY ($18): Slavin is Carolina's most expensive blueliner, giving him the most downside relative to price in this difficult matchup. While he has a respectable 21 points through 48 games, Slavin's also the owner of an unsightly minus-13 rating. That rating's likely to decline even further against a Flames team that ranks second in the NHL with 3.74 goals per game.
Brent Seabrook, CHI vs. NYI ($17): Seabrook has four points in his past six games, but he preceded this decent stretch with an eight-game point drought. This matchup with the league's best defense is likely to be the start of another point drought for the veteran blueliner.
