Each day during the 2015-16 season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will identify one player at each position worth owning in DraftKings daily fantasy hockey contests. Based on factors including but not limited to matchups, line combinations, power-play usage, statistical coverage and recent production, we'll provide you with lower-priced options that can help you build a winning lineup.

NOTE: These picks include players from the eight-game night schedule only, beginning at 7 p.m. ET. This does not include players from the 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET games.

Henrik Sedin, C, Vancouver Canucks

DraftKings price: $5,000

Sedin should be a nightly staple in all DraftKings lineups because of his affordable price and consistent play this season. The veteran center has points in 15 of the past 18 games with six goals and 16 assists over that span. Sedin has a good chance to continue his strong play at home against the Boston Bruins (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, NESN) with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) and 14 shots on goal in 11 games played at Rogers Arena.

Each day during the 2015-16 season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will identify one player at each position worth owning in DraftKings daily fantasy hockey contests. Based on factors including but not limited to matchups, line combinations, power-play usage, statistical coverage and recent production, we'll provide you with lower-priced options that can help you build a winning lineup.

Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks

DraftKings price: $4,400

Thornton is second to Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr in NHL career assists among active players with 901 in 1,285 games and, at age 36, is showing no signs of slowing down. Projected to again be the center for 40-goal scorer Joe Pavelski, Thornton can chip in with a few assists on any given night at either regular strength or on the power play. The hulking center has fared well against the Los Angeles Kings, the Sharks' opponent Wednesday, with 64 points (13g, 51a) in 70 games.

The following five players can provide value as additions to your respective teams if you have a roster spot free or can afford dropping someone in favor of getting a boost in categories that you may be lacking:

NHL leading-scorer Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks is out for the rest of the regular season after fracturing his left clavicle Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. This news is tough for Blackhawks fans, but fantasy owners are in a bind because the fantasy playoffs are just around the corner.

It is impossible to find a forward on your waiver wire with the production of Kane, but the following players could help ease the burden in shallow or deep fantasy leagues:

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin, NHL.com's majority pick for overall fantasy MVP at midseason, will miss 3-6 weeks with a knee injury after being hit by Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov on Friday.

Seguin had 29 goals, 59 points, 22 power-play points and 225 shots on goal through 55 games, but temporary replacements from the waiver wire must now be considered.

Here are some forwards available in Yahoo fantasy leagues who can help until Seguin returns:

With the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline on March 2 a few weeks away, the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres set the tone Wednesday with a blockbuster trade that should have fantasy owners taking note.

The NHL players moving were injured forward Evander Kane and defenseman Zach Bogosian from the Jets to the Sabres for defenseman Tyler Myers and forward Drew Stafford. Myers (owned in 11 percent of Yahoo leagues) is the biggest winner, fantasy-wise, with the relocation to a stronger Winnipeg team, but anyone with Kane (owned in 51 percent of Yahoo leagues) on their roster in a keeper league should see the opportunity for him to possibly play with top 2015 NHL Draft prospects Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel as a big plus for next season.

The St. Louis Blues announced Monday that defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk will have abdominal surgery within the next seven to 10 days and will be week-to-week following the procedure. If all goes well, fantasy owners should have the NHL leader in assists (32) and power-play points (22) among defensemen back for the fantasy playoffs. But capable fill-in options must be considered in the interim.

There are a few defensemen who could be available that cover the same categories Shattenkirk (a majority pick by NHL.com fantasy staff as the top fantasy defenseman at the midseason) would but on a smaller scale. Most should be available in smaller leagues, but a few players included likely can be had in larger leagues as well:

When fantasy owners drafted Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry, they got a one-of-a-kind player, incapable of being sufficiently replaced by any single forward off the waiver wire. Perry leaves his fantasy owners with a huge gap to fill as his tremendous contribution in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, penalty minutes and shots on goal will be dormant with the Ducks announcing Tuesday that Perry will miss three to four weeks with a knee sprain.

In what is the equivalent of trying to catch a great white shark with a bent paper clip attached to a string of dental floss, the following right wings can be picked up in larger and smaller Yahoo fantasy hockey leagues, with hopes that they can lighten the heavy burden created by Perry's absence.

When defenseman Johnny Boychuk was traded from the Boston Bruins to the New York Islanders prior to the start of the 2014-15 season, fantasy hockey team owners saw an opportunity to increase their offensive and power-play numbers and started steadily adding Boychuk to their respective rosters. The payoff has been huge with Boychuk remaining in the top 10 among defensemen in assists (12) and power-play points (eight) this season. But with Boychuk and defensive teammate Lubomir Visnovsky being placed on injured reserve Wednesday, it’s time for fantasy owners to start digging for that next diamond in the rough.

Since Boychuk has been one of the bigger surprises this season and Visnovsky hasn’t done much since returning from an upper-body injury Oct. 23, the gap between those players and those available on the waiver wire isn’t tremendous.

The following players are suitable replacement options, each with different availability to account for larger and smaller leagues.

Choosing Dallas Stars forward Valeri Nichushkin in fantasy drafts came with a big risk, but Yahoo owners selected the 10th pick of the 2013 NHL Draft in 48 percent of leagues despite hip and groin problems that hampered the 19-year-old since training camp.

Now that Nichushkin will have hip surgery and is expected to miss four months, fantasy owners now must find a long-term replacement for a player thatNHL.com Fantasy Insider Matt Cubeta named his top sleeper pick this season.

Whether in a deeper league or one with 12 teams or fewer, the following forwards should help strengthen your lineup as replacements for Nichushkin, who had no points and two shots on goal in four games this season: