This article is part of our FantasyAces NHL series.
Connor McDavid and Jordan Eberle have combined for a 3.91 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 this season, and until their prices become too steep to force your hand in lineup assembly, it isn't out of the question to roll them out in all favorable matchups.
Sure, the sample size is small, but McDavid is egregiously underpriced currently and targeting them both allows the wiggle room to load in another two -- or more -- star players.
The Joe Thornton-Joe Pavelski stack is my parlay with McDavid-Eberle, but there are many other options if you aren't feeling the bite.
Player Recommendations
G: Cam Talbot, EDM vs. TOR ($7,300): This is a matchup and value lean for a bounce-back showing following three consecutive losses for Talbot. Prior to the hiccups, he registered a .938 save percentage through his previous 16 starts, and Toronto is dealing with a laundry list of issues. The Maple Leafs have a handful of injuries, just shipped out their captain, and have averaged just 2.07 goals per road game this season, not to mention scoring just 10 goals over their past five games.
C: Connor McDavid, EDM at OTT ($5,150): Toronto has allowed 15 goals through its past four games, and until McDavid is priced among the elite players in the league, he's a lineup lock in favorable matchups. He's averaged more than a point per game this season, yet amazingly, he also has a 95.3 PDO.
C: Joe Thornton, SJ vs. CGY ($5,250): With at least one point in 21 of his past 23 games and 30 points -- eight goals -- during the span, Thornton is a screaming value with a 16-year track record. Add his 11 power-play points, 43 shots and plus-13 rating during the recent hot stretch, and he's also covering the peripheral categories. It helps that Calgary allows 3.04 goals per road game.
W: Jordan Eberle, EDM at OTT ($4,900): Picking on the Maple Leafs is the trend here, and Eberle has benefited significantly from flanking McDavid. In the five games since McDavid's return, Eberle has four goals, six points and 16 shots on net, though that includes two pointless showings.
W: Jakub Voracek, PHI vs. BUF ($5,050): Back-to-back duds against the Ducks and Capitals shouldn't carry much weight, as Voracek is those two daunting matchups removed from a dominant six-game run. During that stretch, he returned three goals, eight helpers, 20 shots on net and five power-play points while averaging 21:22 of ice time.
W: Joe Pavelski, SJ vs. CGY ($5,650): Over the past three seasons, Pavelski has maintained a 16.5 shooting percentage, so look for him to return to the goal column after failing to score in each of his past four games while registering 14 shots on net. He has tallied a respectable three helpers during the goal drought, though, and he does have a healthy point-per-game return this season, after all.
W: Mikhail Grigorenko, COL at OTT ($3,250): An excellent source of savings, Grigorenko has been skating on the No. 1 line with Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene. The opportunity paired with his low salary makes him a viable option alone, but he'll also grab a strong matchup with the Sens playing their second game in two nights and allowing 3.2 goals per game through their past 10 outings.
D: Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI vs. BUF ($4,100): Another slam-dunk discount, Gostisbehere is sporting a nine-game point streak with 12 total points and 24 shots on net. Perhaps even more intriguing, though, is that he's averaged 23:37 over his past three outings, which is a huge boost in ice time. The Sabres have also lost three straight and allowed 15 goals in their last five games.
D: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, SJ vs. CGY ($4,300): A high-floor option due to his cross-category contributions, Vlasic has also totaled 17 points through his past 20 games with 37 shots on net, 49 blocked shots and a plus-6 rating. Security with upside at a reasonable cost doesn't come along daily.
