This article is part of our DraftKings NHL series.
The darling of the past week was definitely Louis Domingue, who shut out the Predators on Saturday, returning a potentially contest-winning point total at a minimal cap hit.
While Jason Zucker flamed out, Alexander Wennberg and Nick Leddy had a few nice nights, but neither matched the value of Domingue's early-week run.
Another tidbit worth rehashing from last week is the dominance of Braden Holtby and Jonathan Quick. Holtby won his three starts with five goals against, while Quick lost 1-0 in a shootout and won his second start of the week.
Sticking in net, Corey Crawford is up to seven straight wins, and Chicago sports a nine-game winning streak.
Goaltending still rules, and especially in cash games, locking in a reliable tender in a plus matchup is encouraged.
Forwards
W: Andre Burakovsky, Washington Capitals, $3,000
The two-assist showings in back-to-back games are an obvious tell, but the underlying statistical dominance with linemates Evgeny Kuznetsov and Justin Williams was impressive -- especially Thursday.
Burakovsky posted a 58.3 CorsiFor percentage against Ottawa on Sunday and a 72.2 CF% Thursday against Vancouver. Over the past two seasons, he and Kuznetsov have scored 3.13 goals per 60 minutes, too.
Don't forget, either, that Burakovsky exploded out of the gate as a rookie with 12 points -- three assists -- through his first 15 games last season. The talent and offensive upside is undeniable, and with a few laps around the league behind him, look for a strong second half from the sophomore.
W: Ondrej Palat, Tampa Bay Lightning, $3,900
Tampa Bay has struggled offensively for much of the season, and the fact that Palat has been limited to just 23 games this season has been a factor. He only played four-full games in all of November and December, after all.
The result is a target-worthy salary, and now, Palat is running alongside Steven Stamkos and Vladislav Namestnikov at even strength. While Palat has played far more on Tyler Johnson's flank, his numbers at five-on-five with Stamkos are actually better. Palat and Stamkos have a 3.74 goals per 60 minutes and a 56.5 CorsiFor percentage dating back to 2013.
Additionally, Tampa Bay has four straight home games over the next week and no back-to-back tests. The Lightning have won three straight outings, and they're also healthy for the first time in a while. Look for a strong week from the Bolts and Palat.
Defensemen
Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers, $4,800
While he'll never be as valuable in the virtual game, McDonagh's fantasy prospects are trending up with a soft upcoming schedule into next week. After tough dates with Philadelphia and Washington this weekend, the Rangers draw Vancouver, Carolina, Ottawa, Buffalo and New Jersey.
McDonagh is a high-floor option because of his huge minutes and peripheral contributions. He has averaged 1.74 shots and 1.88 blocked shots per game for the season, and the rearguard also sees power-play time.
Following a slow first month of the season, he has 19 points -- five goals -- through his last 29 games, including three assists in the last three. Take a wait-and-see approach this weekend in the hopes that McDonagh's price drops for the juicy matchups down the line.
Goaltender
Calvin Pickard, Colorado Avalanche, $6,100
Pickard was gifted a cushy matchup Thursday against the Devils, and he delivered a shutout, turning away all 27 shots. He's also performed at a high level whenever called upon, dating back to last season's .932 save percentage through 16 games.
It's difficult to project Pickard's usage going forward. However, he did grab the starting nod Thursday and helped provide a spark. Ostensible top netminder Semyon Varlamov has allowed 14 goals through his past four games with a .881 save percentage, potentially opening the door for Pickard to take the reins for a stretch.
Colorado has Columbus, Winnipeg and Buffalo upcoming; should Pickard start any of those games, he's at worst a GPP flier. This is a talented goalie, and Colorado is 13-6-2 dating back to the beginning of December.
