Daily Fantasy Hockey 2015: NHL DraftKings Studs and Duds for March 24

It is going to be hard to follow up Monday's compelling NHL action that saw the Ottawa Senators slide into the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot, but Tuesday has the potential to be huge for a couple of teams still vying for a playoff spot.

There are eight games on the docket, and many feature compelling storylines with postseason implications. 

The Florida Panthers will look to continue their push toward the playoffs against their state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the New York Rangers will look to earn a victory that could help put a damper on the Los Angeles Kings' playoff dreams.

As always, there is a $50,000 salary cap to abide by, and you will have to invest your space wisely. You can't always bank on picking up big names because they have a "bargain" price tag, because some things are always too good to be true. With that in mind, here are your studs and duds for action on March 24.

Studs

Position	Player	Price	Notable Stats
W	Jaden Schwartz	$5,600	8 points, 4.1 FPPG in last 10 GP
W	Ondrej Palat	$5,900	Top SAT REL forward on TBL, 12 points in last 10 GP
D	Sami Vatanen	$4,300	17 of 36 points have come on the power play.
G	Eddie Lack	$7,400	1-0-0, 1.98 GAA, .929 Sv% and 6.2 FPPG vs. WPG

Forwards:  Jaden Schwartz ($5,600), Ondrej Palat ($5,900)

Stat	Total	Team Rank
Goals	24	3rd
Points	55	3rd
P/GP AVG	0.83	3rd

The St. Louis Blues are sitting near the top of the standings because of the amazing play of key youngsters. Jaden Schwartz is a 22-year-old winger having a marvelous season, and he's tallied eight points over his last 10 games while averaging 4.1 fantasy points per game. 

Schwartz has been a pretty consistent player this season, and that is because he likes to shoot the puck. He's recorded 28 shots on goal over his last 10 games, and with a shooting percentage of 14.6 percent, he has made the most of his opportunities this season.

Stat	Rate	Team Rank
SAT REL%	3.1%	2nd
SAT %	55.86 %	2nd
Points Per 60	2.92	3rd

Ondrej Palat is another young star who has done a good job leading the way this season. The Tampa Bay Lightning stud has an astounding 12 points in his last 10 games and a fantasy points-per-game average of 4.2.

In addition to that, Palat has been a positive possession player, and he ranks second on the team in SAT REL percentage. In short, Palat has a great price tag, he's been a consistent producer offensively, and his ability to drive possession has been very valuable.

Defense: Sami Vatanen ($4,300) 

It has been said that defense wins championships, and finding value on the blue line is important if you want to be a successful fantasy hockey general manager.

Sami Vatanen had been playing remarkable hockey before he went down with a lower-body injury in February, and he's picked up where he last left off. Since returning to the lineup, the Ducks defender has logged over 21 minutes a game, and he's tallied two points and maintained a 3.5 fantasy points-per-game average. 

Vatanen's prowess on the power play—17 of his 36 points have come while the Ducks are at least a man up—should come in handy on Tuesday, because the Columbus Blue Jackets are the third-most penalized team in the NHL this season.

Goalie: Eddie Lack ($7,400)

The Vancouver Canucks have played a lot better for Willie Desjardins than they did for John Tortorella, and they've had to get by without top netminder Ryan Miller for the last few weeks.

Eddie Lack has been amazing between the pipes in relief, and he's 6-2-1 with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. In addition to that, Lack was nearly unbeatable versus Winnipeg earlier this season, and he stopped 26 of 28 shots in a Canucks victory. He is one of the cheapest goaltenders in play on Tuesday, and he could end up being one of the best available bargains.

Duds

Position	Player	Price	Infamous Stat
W	Rick Nash	$7,600	2 Goals in last 10 GP
W	Kyle Okposo	$5,700	1 Point in last 5 GP
D	Shea Weber	$6,700	2 Points in last 10 GP, -5 Rating

Forwards: Kyle Okposo ($5,700), Rick Nash ($7,600)

Some DK players might consider scooping up Kyle Okposo at the lowly rate of $5,700, and they will pat themselves on the back for finding an unbelievable bargain. While Okposo is a talented player, don't fall into this classic trap.

He's priced low for a reason, and that's because he has one point in his last five games. The Islanders winger hasn't been the same since returning from an eye injury, and it would be in your best interest to avoid selecting him.

Scott Levy/Getty Images

Rick Nash has been the Rangers' best forward this season, but he isn't worth picking up for Tuesday. The star winger just snapped a five-game pointless streak, and he only has two goals in his last 10 games.

He is contributing in other areas and does have a 3.7 fantasy points-per-game average over his last 10, but he isn't worth such a sizable investment given that his goal scoring appears to have dried up. Do yourself a favor and avoid Nash, because for his price tag you can probably find two players of better combined value.

Defense: Shea Weber ($6,700)

Shea Weber is the second-most expensive defenseman in play on Tuesday, but he's not even remotely worth $6,700. Weber has only two points in his last 10 games, a lowly fantasy points-per-game average of 2.4 and a minus-five rating.  

Player	Price	Points in Last 10 GP	FPPG
Shea Weber	$6,700	2	2.4
Victor Hedman	$5,400	8	3.7
Alex Pietrangelo	$5,400	8	3.2

Spending $6,700 on a player like Weber would be a colossal mistake, especially when you could pick up someone like Alex Pietrangelo for $1,300 less.

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DraftKings stats and details per its official site. Outside statistics via Hockey-Reference, ESPN Hockey and NHL.com