This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
Report card time!
It was another mixed bag. Martin Hanzal and Cam Fowler went scoreless with modest counting stat help, while Jaden Schwartz showed well with two nice outings. Joonas Korpisalo won back-to-back starts, and he was especially impressive Thursday with a 25-save win over the Devils.
Here are this week's value leans, with a pair of sneaky plays boasting a high floor and a duo poised for a bounce-back return.
C: Brandon Dubinsky, Columbus Blue Jackets, $4,800
This is a high-floor option with a splash of contrarian appeal. Dubinsky has returned 21 points -- eight goals -- through his past 24 games, including three goals and four helpers over his past eight outings. All the while, he's playing more than 19 minutes per night.
Because the daily community isn't bullish on Columbus, Dubinsky's ownership remains low, improving his value in tournaments. His role is rock-solid, too. Head coach John Tortorella has leaned on Dubinsky as his No. 1 pivot since taking over.
A favorable schedule doesn't exactly go hand in hand with Columbus, hence the against-the-grain mentions, but a return to Madison Square Garden and a date with the Oilers are intriguing spots.
W: Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings, $5,900
A two-helper showing last time out helped, but Toffoli is a goal scorer struggling to find the back of the net. Through his past 16 games and 48 shots, Toffoli has just two goals, which checks out at a 4.2 shooting percentage.
The streaky scorer has already deposited nine goals in nine games early this season, and then he registered another 10 tallies in the column through 12 games during a run between late December and mid-January – red-hot runs that imply a change of fortunes is ahead.
A pair of tape-measuring matchups against Anaheim isn't ideal, but the Kings also have plus matchups with Buffalo, Montreal and Vancouver on deck. Additionally, his return to playing with Jeff Carter in all situations stands to help Toffoli. The duo has combined for 3.82 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five over the past two seasons, after all.
D: Andrej Sustr, Tampa Bay Lightning, $2,700
We're always looking for sources of savings, and Sustr is a perfect example. The 6-foot-7 rearguard is slowing climbing the depth chart and has played north of 20 minutes in consecutive games entering Friday, providing cross-category returns that warrant the ice-time boost.
Through his past seven games, Sustr has four helpers, five shots on net and eight blocked shots. Modest, sure, but with his role increasing and Tampa Bay playing its best hockey of the season, where else can you find a decent floor among the basement-dwelling salaries?
You shouldn't fret upcoming road dates with Boston, Toronto and Ottawa, either, especially with the Lightning rolling along in a 15-5 stretch. At just 4.4 percent of the cap, the lineup flexibility is more attractive than anything, and Sustr has the upside to return plus value and then some with a scoresheet appearance.
G: Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild, $7,300
This recommendation has long legs, as Minnesota has a juicy schedule through its next 10 games. Dates with Colorado, Toronto, Buffalo, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, New Jersey and Carolina are all on deck, and the scoring funk that plagued the Wild has evaporated under John Torchetti.
Dubnyk is currently a touch banged up after an on-ice collision with Flyers winger Jakub Voracek on Thursday, but a potential injury aside, everything checks out aces for a strong month-long run for Minnesota and its No. 1 goalie. Should Dubnyk miss time, Darcy Kuemper ($7,200) is capable enough to hold the fort and offers similar upside.
The Wild were reeling through an uncharacteristic and unsustainable scoring drought prior to Mike Yeo's firing, and business has picked up since the shakeup behind the bench. Don't forget about Dubnyk's finish to last season -- 25-8-2 with a .939 save percentage and four shutouts.
