RW Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche

Rantanen's quality rookie campaign is being grossly overlooked due to the Avalanche's horrible season as a team and the trade rumors continuously circling C Matt Duchene, RW Jarome Iginla and LW Gabriel Landeskog. Rantanen has racked up 14 goals and 29 points through 53 contests with 10 of those points coming on the man advantage.

While Iginla is sure to be gone ahead of 2017-18, the Avalanche might continue to peddle the services of Duchene and Landeskog throughout the offseason. The loss of any of the three will open up more minutes within the top-six forward group and on the power play for Rantanen.

C Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers

Konecny's own recent knee injury and C Sean Couturier's knee injury earlier this season have tempered Konecny's productivity, but he has still amassed 22 points in 51 games. He has primarily played out of a top-six role on the left side of the second line, and he has racked up three goals and four points in limited power-play usage. The Flyers will have the vast majority of their forwards return for 2017-18, but Konecny has already secured his spot in the top six.

D Ivan Provorov, Philadelphia Flyers

Unlike Konecny, Provorov should see a significantly increased role next season. Ds Mark Streit and Michael Del Zotto are set to become unrestricted free agents, with Shayne Gostisbehere entering the restricted phase. Provorov is already playing 21:38 per game, mostly on the second pairing at 5v5. He has 24 points through 59 games, with just four assists on the power play. He'll be a first-pairing defender next season.

C Pavel Zacha, New Jersey Devils

The Devils have C Adam Henrique signed for two more seasons and C Travis Zajac locked up through the 2020-21 season, both at reasonable cap hits of $4 and $5.75 million, respectively. This could keep the 19-year-old Zacha in a third-line role for another season. His most common linemates at 5v5 this year have been C Jacob Josefson and RW Stefan Noesen, both of whom are RFAs at year end.

With RW P.A. Parenteau a UFA in the summer, Zacha could switch to a top-six winger.

G Jusse Saros, Nashville Predators

Saros sports a 6-5-3 record through 12 starts and 14 appearances for the Predators. He owns a .929 save percentage and a 2.22 goals against average, posting one shutout. His usage is increasing, as he has fully surpassed G Marek Mazanec as the backup to Pekka Rinne, making four starts in each of the past three months.

With Nashville able to protect just one goaltender in the upcoming expansion draft, they could potentially say goodbye to Rinne's $7 million cap hit, or allow Saros to become the future starting goaltender of the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, Jan. 17 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):

Dynamic Duos

• C Auston Matthews (72K) & RW Connor Brown (27K), Maple Leafs (vs. Sabres): The Maple Leafs had an off day Monday while the Sabres played in one the NHL's early games on the holiday afternoon. Toronto will have the added benefit of last change, allowing Matthews to be deployed in the best situations and subsequently take advantage of Buffalo's lack of depth up front and on the back end.

• LW Chris Kreider (60K) & C Derek Stepan (56K), Rangers (vs. Stars): The Stars visited the Sabres on Monday afternoon, dropping a 4-1 decision. LW Jamie Benn's 16:26 of ice time was his lowest total in three games back from injury. New York's first line owns a Corsi For rating of 55.75 percent in over 250 minutes together. Kreider has registered four shots on goal in three of his past four games.

• LW Artemi Panarin (59K) & RW Patrick Kane (87K), Blackhawks (at Avalanche): Always a popular play, Panarin and Kane are in excellent position to reach their respective ceilings Tuesday. Colorado's 58.85 shot attempts faced per 60 minutes ranks as the sixth-worst total in the league. Colorado lacks a defense pairing capable of handling Chicago's top two stars.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET - Pekka Rinne (75K), Predators (at Canucks): Rinne stopped 57 of 60 shots while picking up consecutive wins, including Nashville's 2-1 overtime victory over the Canucks last Tuesday. Vancouver's 1.99 Expected Goals For per 60 minutes on home ice ranks 29th in the NHL, as does its 48.99 shot attempts.

• BARGAIN - Mike Condon (83K), Senators (at Blues): The Blues lack any discernible home-ice advantage this season, as they rank 28th in Expected Goals For per 60 minutes at just 2.15. Condon allowed four goals on 27 shots in his most recent game, but he had allowed just one goal in two of his three previous starts.

• FADE - Anders Nilsson (103K), Sabres (at Maple Leafs): Nilsson is expected to draw in for G Robin Lehner for the second half of Buffalo's back-to-back. He allowed eight goals on 66 total shots on goal while making consecutive starts in place of Lehner last Thursday and Friday. He's utterly unworthy of such a lofty salary.

• CONTRARIAN - Roberto Luongo (84K), Panthers (at Flames): Luongo allowed four goals in 41 shots by the New York Islanders in his most recent start, two days after holding the same opponent to just one goal on 30 shots. He has faced no less than 28 SOG in each of his past nine full games. Florida's worsening defense provides a high floor and high ceiling for their backstop.

Bargain Plays

• LW Brock McGinn (25K), Hurricanes (at Blue Jackets): McGinn has been on quite the run of late, scoring four goals in his past three games. More reliably, he has been credited with three SOG in each of the three games picking up three assists with a plus-five rating. He doesn't receive time on the power play, but is locked into a second-line role at 5v5.

• RW Pavel Buchnevich (27K), Rangers (vs. Stars): Buchnevich has picked up an assist in each of his two games since returning from an injury which had him sidelined since mid-November. The Rangers are also expected to have C Mika Zibanejad back in Tuesday's lineup; he has been out since mid-November as well. The two will form the second line with RW Rick Nash.

• D Nikita Zaitsev (29K), Maple Leafs (vs. Sabres): Zaitsev has played at least 22 minutes in each of his past nine games, reaching a high of 25:46. He plays on the top 5v5 pairing beside Morgan Rielly, but he doesn't participate on either power-play unit.

Top Fades

• C Nathan MacKinnon (66K), Avalanche (vs. Blackhawks): MacKinnon has two goals in his past three games, but he had two or fewer SOG in three of his last four. Similarly to his team as a whole, MacKinnon has been more productive on the road this season, picking up four more points in one fewer game.

• LW Taylor Hall (61K), Devils (at Wild): Hall has scored a goal in each of his past two games, racking up 10 SOG in the process. He'll face a Wild team ranking in the top third of the league with just 53.06 shot attempts allowed per 60 minutes. G Devan Dubnyk will further lower Hall's likelihood of continuing his streak.

• D John Klingberg (44K), Stars (at Rangers): Klingberg played 24:56 in Monday's loss to the Sabres, tallying just two SOG and failing to pick up a point. He had four goals and four assists in six previous January games but the points came on just 11 SOG. His floor is too low at a high salary.

Contrarian Options

• RW James Neal (56K), Predators (at Canucks): Neal has been held point-less in his first two games back from injury, playing a high of just 17:19 in ice time. He also recorded just a single shot in each game. He is met with another favorable matchup Tuesday, and his role should grow after another two days of rest.

• LW Brandon Saad (62K), Blue Jackets (vs. Hurricanes): Saad has just one goal and zero assists in January. He has been held without a shot on goal in two games and has just three in his past two outings. He should regain his production in a matchup against Hurricanes G Cam Ward, who has a save percentage of just .906 on the road.

• C Mitchell Marner (55K), Maple Leafs (vs. Sabres): Marner has six assists in his past three games, but he has gone four games without a goal and had no shots in each of his past two. The Sabres will do all they can to have D Rasmus Ristolainen face Matthews' line, leaving Marner to face weaker defensive coverage.

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, November 15:

Triple Threat

• C Travis Konecny (38K), RW Jakub Voracek (71K), D Shayne Gostisbehere (51K), Flyers (vs. Senators): The Senators have the fifth-worst Corsi For rating in 5v5 situations, at 47.56 percent. The Flyers own a possession rate of 52.60 as a team. The second line of Konecny, Voracek and C Sean Couturier start and finish over 33 percent of all 5v5 shifts in the offensive end.

• LW Johnny Gaudreau (59K), C Sean Monahan (43K), RW Troy Brouwer (35K), Flames (at Wild): While the third member of the Flames' top line has been interchangeable this season, Gaudreau and Monahan are being used strictly in the highest-upside situations. They're starting over 54 percent of shifts in the offensive end and have a Zone-Finish Ratio of 55.56 percent, per Corsica.Hockey.

• LW Nick Ritchie (28K), C Ryan Getzlaf (80K), RW Corey Perry (79K), Ducks (vs. Oilers): Ritchie's still-bargain salary allows for the combination of Getzlaf and Perry. The three have played 22.38 percent of Anaheim's 5v5 minutes, and they've started 46.21 percent of their shifts in the offensive end. They'll avoid the Oilers' Connor McDavid line.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET - Martin Jones (100K), Sharks (at Hurricanes): Jones has allowed a total of three goals in his past three games, with all of them coming on the road. The Hurricanes are scoring 2.64 goals per game - the exact same as their expected goals for. They average over 30 shots on goal per home game, providing Jones with the necessary saves total.

• BARGAIN - Roberto Luongo (75K), Panthers (at Canadiens): Luongo has allowed at least three goals in each of his three road games this season. He draws a Montreal team ranking 21st in team Corsi For percentage at 5v5. The Canadiens do average 8.33 Scoring Chances For per 60 minutes of 5v5, but their 3.31 goals for per game is well above expected.

• FADE - Corey Crawford (98K), Blackhawks (at Jets): The Jets have drawn a league-leading 66 power-play opportunities, converting on 16.7 percent. The Blackhawks have been shorthanded a reasonable 51 times, but they have the league's worst penalty kill at a paltry 66.7 percent.

• CONTRARIAN - Craig Anderson (94K), Senators (at Flyers): Anderson is sure to see a pile of shots in a tough road test in Philadelphia, but he has made 30 or more saves in all but three of his starts this season. The high save total consistently boosts his ceiling.

Bargain Plays

• C Artem Anisimov (28K), Blackhawks (at Jets): Anisimov has gone without a point in consecutive games for the first time since the first two games of the season. His low salary offers an excellent chance to gain exposure to the much more expensive pair of RW Patrick Kane and LW Artemi Panarin.

• D Jacob Trouba (25K), Jets (vs. Blackhawks): Trouba sees time on the Jet's second power-play unit. The plush matchup for the special teams unit makes it a prime spot to find value in any player who'll see time. Trouba has totaled five SOG in his first two games of the year.

• RW Sven Andrighetto (25K), Canadiens (vs. Panthers): Andrighetto is being given an excellent opportunity since rejoining the Canadiens. He is skating on the second line at 5v5, with C Tomas Plekanec and RW Brendan Gallagher. He has totaled five SOG in three games but has failed to record a point. The Canadiens are among the biggest favorites of the night.

Top Fades

• LW Henrik Zetterberg (58K), Red Wings (vs. Lightning): Zetterberg has failed to record a shot on goal in two of his past four games, despite topping 17 minutes in each outing. His 17:12 of ice time in his most recent game was his lowest total since the second game of the season. Fade him against top goaltender Ben Bishop.

• RW Kyle Palmieri (58K), Devils (at Stars): Palmieri snapped a nine-game goal-less drought Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. He has totaled 10 SOG in his past three games, and he topped 18 minutes of ice time for the first two times this season in his past two games. Still, he is on a Devils second line starting just 23.33 of their 5v5 shifts in the offensive end.

• D Tyson Barrie (46K), Avalanche (vs. Kings): Barrie will have his hands full against the top line of the Kings. It is the only line worth fearing. While they've struggled to consistently score, the Kings do own excellent possession metrics, likely pinning Barrie in his own zone for much of his time on ice.

Contrarian Options

• C Radek Faksa (36K), Stars (vs. Devils): Faksa has replaced C Tyler Seguin on the Stars' top line, alongside LW Jamie Benn. He still doesn't see much power-play time, but the increased opportunity at 5v5 with one of the league's top goal scorers offers all the potential he needs to return value at an adequate cost.

• RW Blake Wheeler (66K), Jets (vs. Blackhawks): The emergence of C Mark Scheifele and LW Patrik Laine has allowed the Jets to address their depth issues by moving Ws Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers to the second line with C Nicolas Petan. The move caps Wheeler's ceiling, but he remains on the top power-play unit.

• D Sami Vatanen (42K), Ducks (vs. Oilers): Used primarily in offensve situations, Vatanen has topped 20 minutes in four straight games and in seven of his past eight. He has just one assist during the time span, but the Ducks' offense has been inconsistent as a whole. Still, they've scored four or more goals in three of their past five games.

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Sunday, November 13:

Triple Threat

• C David Krejci (45K), RW David Backes (40K), D Torey Krug (36K), Bruins (at Avalanche): No trio in the NHL plays a larger percentage of 5v5 time together than the Bruins' second line. Krejci, Backes and C Ryan Spooner play 23.73 percent of all 5v5 minutes together as a unit. With Spooner and Krejci listed at the same position, Krug offers the pivot.

• LW Brad Marchand (54K), C Patrice Bergeron (49K), RW David Pastrnak (56K), Bruins (at Avalanche): The Bruins' top line ranks third in TOI percentage, per Corsica.Hockey, at 23.37 percent. Colorado's possession metrics have made a noticeable improvement under new head coach Jared Bednar this season, but they still allow three goals per game.

• LW Chris Kreider (45K), C Mika Zibanejad (44K), RW Mats Zuccarello (39K), Rangers (at Oilers): While the trio has cooled down slightly, their Corsi For percentage of 51.82 is the best of any Rangers trio with at least 50 minutes played together at 5v5. They average 68.75 percent of all scoring chances while on the ice.

Bargain Plays

• LW Jimmy Vesey (26K), Rangers (at Oilers): Vesey has finally started shooting more frequently, tallying three shots on goal in each of his past two games. It translated to his seventh goal of the season Saturday, against the Calgary Flames. The Rangers have a short distance to travel for the second game in as many days.

• RW Mikko Rantanen (29K), Avalanche (vs. Bruins): Rantanen has multiple shots on goal in each of his eight games this season. He scored his first goal of his NHL career Friday, against the Winnipeg Jets. The Bruins are likely to start backup G Zane McIntyre, presenting a much better opportunity than the red-hot Tuukka Rask.

• D Brian Campbell (25K), Blackhawks (vs. Canadiens): Campbell scored his second goal of the season Friday, though it came on just one SOG. He hasn't recorded multiple SOG in a game since Oct. 22, when he tallied four in back-to-back games. He did play 20:03 Friday night, and he remains a focal point of a largely inexperienced second power-play unit.

Top Fades

• C Leon Draisaitl (46K), Oilers (vs. Rangers): Draisaitl has recorded multiple SOG in just one of six November games. He has just one goal and one assist in the month. He has been below 50 percent possession in both Corsi and Scoring Chances For at 5v5 this season. The Oilers have been outscored 9-6 when he's been on the ice.

• LW Max Pacioretty (64K), Canadiens (at Blackhawks): Pacioretty hasn't tallied more than two SOG in four consecutive games. He had his ice time limited in Saturday's 5-0 victory, but he'll be playing a rested Blackhawks team on the second half of his team's back-to-back. The Canadiens won't be able to rely on G Carey Price.

• D Shea Weber (43K), Canadiens (at Blackhawks): Weber has played more minutes in the second of half of each of Montreal's two back-to-backs this season, and like Pacioretty, he was awarded more rest than usual in Saturday's lopsided win. Still, while the Blackhawks aren't as deep as usual, Weber's ice time will come against their best forwards.

Contrarian Options

• C Nathan MacKinnon (66K), Avalanche (vs. Bruins): MacKinnon has just one goal and an assist in November, but he has four or more SOG in four of the six games, including each of his past three outings. He logged a season-high 23:46 in ice time Friday, picking up a power-play assist. He'll face a tired Bruins team and a backup goaltender Sunday.

• LW J.T. Miller (37K), Rangers (at Oilers): Miller's ice time has dropped since the calendar flipped from October to November, but he hasn't played less than 14 minutes in a game. He has two goals and three assists in the month, and the Rangers have a strong advantage in the battle of third lines.

• RW Jarome Iginla (38K), Avalanche (vs. Bruins): Iginla has been dropped to the Avalanche's third line, but it offers promise in a matchup against his former team, as he'll be able to avoid the Bruins' top two lines. He has been well below his typical SOG pace, but this is a good spot for his breakout game of the season.

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, November 10:

Triple Threat

• C Mark Scheifele (74K), RW Patrik Laine (49K), D Dustin Byfuglien (61K), Jets (at Coyotes): Laine scored his second hat trick of the season in his most recent outing, and he now leads the league goals with 11 through 14 games. He has been given a long overdue promotion back to the Jets' top line, adding to Scheifele's upside. Byfuglien's minute totals continue to warrant fantasy consideration.

• LW Andrew Cogliano (36K), C Ryan Kesler (48K), RW Jakob Silfverberg (42K), Ducks (at Hurricanes): The Ducks and Hurricanes each feature strong top lines in terms of possession numbers. The Ducks have the superior second trio, with these three owning a Zone-Finish Ratio of 52.27, per Corsica.Hockey. The three finish 37.40 percent of all shifts in the offensive end of the ice.

• LW Brad Marchand (73K), C Patrice Bergeron (59K), RW David Pastrnak (64K), Bruins (vs. Blue Jackets): The Blue Jackets allow the fifth-most scoring chances against per 60 minutes of 5v5, at 10.07. Their 3.00 Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes ranks as the second-highest in the league. Load up on a Bruins top line which has combined for 32 points on the season.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET - Connor Hellebuyck (90K), Jets (at Coyotes): With the offense likely to provide him the goal support necessary for the win, Hellebuyck comes with a high floor. Arizona is getting just 7.03 scoring chances per 60 minutes of 5v5 and have the fifth-lowest xGF60 in the league.

• BARGAIN - Antti Niemi (81K), Stars (at Flames): Niemi is prone to disastrous outings in any sort of matchup, but he draws a Flames team averaging just 6.64 scoring chances per 60. Niemi has allowed at least three goals in four of his past five starts, but Calgary is averaging just 2.50 goals per game on the season.

• FADE - Ben Bishop (117K), Lightning (vs. Islanders): Better options than Bishop exist with a nearly full slate of games on Thursday's schedule. He has been much improved to start November, after a disastrous October, but he faces a tough Islanders team averaging 10.19 scoring chances per 60.

• CONTRARIAN - Martin Jones (93K), Sharks (at Panthers): The Panthers are averaging a lofty 2.69 goals per game, but they're getting just 5.72 scoring chances per 60, the lowest average in the league. Their 2.13 xGF60 is the second-lowest figure in the league and represents a drastic decline.

Bargain Plays

• C Rickard Rakell (25K), Ducks (at Hurricanes): Rakell has had a tremendous start to his season after a delayed debut. He has four goals and three assists through five games, while averaging over three shots on goal per outing. His 17:15 in ice time thus far is on pace for a career high. He is playing on the right side of pass-first C Antoine Vermette at both 5v5 and on the power play.

• LW Mikkel Boedker (27K), Sharks (at Panthers): Boedker began the season on the Sharks' second line, saw a brief promotion to the top trio and now skates on L3. He has just two goals and zero assists on the season, averaging little over one SOG per game. Still, the Sharks' depth has him skating with LW Patrick Marleau and C Tomas Hertl as one of the league's top third lines.

• D Marc-Edouard Vlasic (26K),Sharks (at Panthers): Vlasic is averaging well over 21 minutes in ice time, skating with what can be considered the league's deepest, if not best, 12-man forward group. His own offensive production is down from a year ago, but he's a reliable source of hits, PIMs and blocks.

Top Fades

• RW Vladimir Tarasenko (76K), Blues (at Predators): The Predators are allowing just 7.26 scoring chances per 60, capping the upside of the Blues. Tarasenko remains their best player and the best target from the team but there are similarly-priced stars available with more appealing matchups.

• C Evgeni Malkin (74K), Penguins (vs. Wild): The Wild allow over 31 shots on goal per 60 minutes of 5v5, but they limit opponents to just 6.81 scoring chances per 60. He registered a season-high five SOG in the Penguins' most recent game, but he had two or fewer shots in each of the previous four games.

• LW Brandon Saad (58K), Blue Jackets (at Bruins): Saad had a big game Wednesday night, but he has a much tougher matchup Thursday as the second half of the back-to-back. His line will also match up against the Bruins' elite top trio and the best defensive tandem.

Contrarian Options

• RW Gustav Nyquist (60K), Red Wings (vs. Canucks): Nyquist has been tossed around the Red Wings' lineup, from the third line to the top line and back again. He has produced every step of the way, totaling three goals and nine points through 14 games with nearly two SOG per game. He hosts a Vancouver team allowing 3.43 goals per game on the road.

• D Roman Josi (49K), Predators (vs. Blues): Priced similarly to teammate P.K. Subban once again, Josi's lower profile keeps him the contrarian. It's not an overly appealing matchup against the Blues stout defensive system, but the Predators have scored no less than two goals in any of their past four games.

• LW Carl Hagelin (34K), Penguins (vs. Wild): The Wild limit opponent scoring chances better than all but two other teams at 5v5, but any offense the Penguins do generate should come from the Sidney Crosby line. Hagelin has recently been promoted to the left side of the line. While his production is slightly below last year's pace, he still has 21 SOG in 13 games.

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Saturday, October 15:

Triple Threat

• LW Mikkel Boedker (25K), C Logan Couture (75K), RW Joonas Donskoi (25K), Sharks (at Blue Jackets): The Sharks ranked third in the league in goals for per road game last season at 2.98. They opened this year with a lackluster 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, but the Blue Jackets' defensive system is much worse. Couture's wingers make his salary affordable.

• C Derick Brassard (48K), RW Bobby Ryan (47K), D Erik Karlsson (85K), Senators (vs. Canadiens): Ryan and Brassard each had a goal and an assist in the Senators' season-opening victory. Karlsson one-upped them, adding a second assist for a three-point game. The Sens' second line should avoid the shut-down of defense of Canadiens D Shea Weber.

• LW Jamie Benn (41K), C Tyler Seguin (42K), D John Klingberg (33K): This typically dynamic trio combined for just a single assist in the Stars' first game of the season, a game in which the team totaled four goals. The disappointing season debut has resulted in drastically reduced salaries for their second game. Load up whenever you have this chance.

Goalie Breakdown

• TARGET - Steve Mason, Flyers (at Coyotes): Mason was surprisingly not given the start in the Flyers' season opener, as G Michal Neuvirth started and picked up a victory on the road, against the Los Angeles Kings. Mason draws the second half of the double-header, in Arizona. He posted a .928 save percentage over a 26 game stretch from Jan. 1 to Apr. 2 last season.

• BARGAIN - Chad Johnson, Flames (at Canucks): G Brian Elliott has started the Flames' first two games of the season, each against the Edmonton Oilers. He allowed a total of 10 goals on 55 shots, and he's likely to give way to Johnson for the second half of Calgary's double header. Johnson had a .920 SV% in 45 games with the Buffalo Sabres last year.

• FADE - Frederik Andersen, Maple Leafs (vs. Bruins): Andersen is unlikely to draw much attention after surrendering five goals on 30 shots to the Senators in the season opener, but he needs to be excluded from all types of lineups. The Bruins' offense torched the Blue Jackets for six goals while on the road in their season opener.

• CONTRARIAN - Cory Schneider, Devils (at Lightning): The Devils' offense spoiled an excellent season debut from Schneider, in which he allowed just two goals on 34 shots by the Florida Panthers. He's in tough once again to be credited with a victory, but he's sure to face a high volume of shots, and he'll rack up a high save total.

Bargain Plays

• C Derek Stepan (26K), Rangers (at Blues): Stepan's 16:03 of ice time in Game 1 was less than he has ever averaged over a full NHL season. He's still the first-line center at 5v5 and on the second power-play unit. The Blues have an excellent defensive system, but they're likely to start to backup G Carter Hutton. Stepan registered five SOG in his first game.

• LW Tomas Tatar (25K), Red Wings (at Panthers): Tatar registered a minus-2 rating in the Red Wings' first game of the year, but he did tally two shots on goal in his 14:26 of ice time. He is skating on the left side of C Dylan Larkin at 5v5, setting him up for success if he can stick in the spot.

• RW Jiri Hudler (25K), Stars (at Avalanche): Hudler offers some of the cheapest exposure to an already discounted Stars offense. He didn't register a shot in 14:39 in the season opener, but he'll stick on the right side of C Jason Spezza at 5v5 while switching to the left side of the second power-play unit.

Top Fades

• C Mark Scheifele (64K), Jets (at Wild): With teammate Bryan Little sidelined by injury, the Jets center depth will be tested. Until a second line emerges as an offensive threat, the top trio, centered by Scheifele, will face the league's top defenders on a nightly basis. This mean he'll draw Wild D Ryan Suter Saturday night, capping his upside.

• D Seth Jones (51K), Blue Jackets (vs. Sharks): Jones registered a goal and an assist in the first game of the season, but he took just two shots in over 23 minutes. The offensive part of his game still hasn't developed to a reliable level and low shot counts give him a low floor. The Sharks' defense is much better than that of the Bruins.

• LW Artemi Panarin (48K), Blackhawks (vs. Predators): A reliable option in any daily fantasy format last season, Panarin has totaled just three SOG in the Blackhawks' first two games. He's averaging over 20 minutes, but Chicago's busy early-season schedule could have a negative impact in the second half of a back-to-back.

Contrarian Options

• C Nicklas Backstrom (77K), Capitals (vs. Islanders): Many considered Backstrom to have lost value by his "demotion" off the top line beside LW Alex Ovechkin. In the Capitals' season opener, Backstrom picked up two assists and recorded five SOG, something he did just once all of last season.

• LW Alexander Steen (60K), Blues (vs. Rangers): Most daily fantasy owners are automatically attracted to the Vladimir Tarasenko of St. Louis, but Steen has three points of his own through two games, totaling seven shots on goal. He's also averaging over 20 minutes per game. Don't fear Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist.

• D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (46K), Coyotes (vs. Flyers): Saturday's high-profile defensemen include the likes of Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, P.K. Subban and Roman Josi. Ekman-Larsson is likely to be overshadowed, despite his lower salary. He is likely to factor into much of the offense generated by the Coyotes this season.

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