This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Welcome to the show, Connor Hellebuyck.
The Winnipeg youngster should own the crease going forward, and he'll continue to be a strong value play on DraftKings. Those who took the initial risk were rewarded handsomely, especially Wednesday.
Pavel Datsyuk finally put together a game Thursday, and Michael Stone started the week hot. Add Duncan Keith (five-game point streak with seven total), and it was a solid turnout, at least outside of Kevin Hayes failing to build any momentum.
Here are this week's leans, which are largely inspired by a number of line changes.
Forwards
C: Jori Lehtera, STL ($3,700)
The Blues are juggling their lines, and Lehtera is expected to shift to the wing and play with Paul Stastny and Vladimir Tarasenko. Remember, Lehtera and Tarasenko played well together last season and posted a five-on-five 3.56 goals per 60 minutes when sharing the ice.
In limited time this season, the Lehtera-Tarasenko duo has been even better, with a 3.81 GF/60 at 5-on-5, which is significantly better than Lehtera's marks with any other St. Louis forward.
The Blues also have a favorable upcoming schedule, especially their upcoming three home games against Toronto, Arizona and Philadelphia.
C: Brandon Pirri, FLA ($4,100)
It looked like Pirri was going to have a tough time returning to the 20-goal club this season, but jumping up to the No. 1 line stands to help. He has 21 shots on goal over his past five games, scoring two goals while averaging 15:55 minutes of ice per outing.
Pirri boasts a high floor, and playing with Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov atop the depth chart makes his salary more attractive. The next three games aren't daunting, either, with Columbus, New Jersey and Ottawa on tap.
W: Teuvo Teravainen, CHI ($3,800)
Finally, Joel Quenneville went to Marian Hossa-Jonathan Toews-Teravainen in game action Thursday. It was a talking point, which irritated me greatly during the latest episode of my Daily Fantasy Hockey Edge podcast.
With Toews and Hossa reunited and Teravainen riding shotgun, the third wheel presents huge value at his current cap hit. Teravainen showed well in early November with a six-game stretch in which he returned six points, but an upper-body injury curbed his run and caused him to miss over a week of action.
Assuming Quenneville continues to roll out Teravainen with Hossa and Toews, the youngest member of the line stands to return to being an excellent source of cap relief at DraftKings. The Blackhawks have three home games over the next week, which also helps.
Defensemen
Dan Boyle, NYR ($3,100)
The Rangers have lost five of their last six games, and there are some things to figure out. Perhaps, a home date with the Senators and a three-game road trip through Western Canada will help.
Enter Boyle who has seen an increased role over the past three games -- 22:55 minutes per outing -- with Kevin Klein on the shelf. And while Boyle has just an assist, five shots and six blocked shots during the span, he checks out as a viable source of cap relief in the favorable upcoming matchups.
Additionally, Boyle is receiving looks on the No. 1 power-play unit.
Goaltender
Jhonas Enroth, LA ($7,200)
Los Angeles has a pair of back-to-back games over the next week and change, so expect Enroth to make at least two starts. Potential outing against Tampa Bay on Sunday and Buffalo a week from Saturday are intriguing.
Enroth has been spectacular in limited duty this season with a 3-1 record, a .962 save percentage and a 1.17 GAA through five appearances, and the Kings are allowing the second-fewest goals in the league (2.08).
His cap hit is in the grey area, too, so rarely will he be the cheapest option, which is good for GPP contests because Enroth will likely carry low ownership percentages.
