Fantasy picks: Islanders should continue to roll

Each day this season, NHL.com's fantasy staff will provide daily picks for DraftKings NHL contests. This list of targets includes expensive and value options at each position to help you build a winning roster.
NOTE: This lineup is for four-game Sunday contests and does not include the New York Rangers-Detroit Red Wings game at 12:30 p.m. ET or the Boston Bruins-Pittsburgh Penguins game at 3 p.m. ET.

C - John Tavares, NYI ($6,900)
Tavares is the most expensive center in the contest and it's easy to see why. The New York Islanders captain has three multigoal games in his past four, including two performances of at least 10.0 DraftKings points. He has eight goals in his past 10 games and is even playing and producing shorthanded now, an added bonus. Tavares had his first career shorthanded goal in a 3-0 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. He has 28 points in 35 career games against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Islanders opponent Sunday.
C - Kyle Turris, OTT ($5,400)
Turris quietly has a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists) for the Ottawa Senators, and has 16 goals and 16 assists in 43 games this season. It's no surprise the Senators have won two straight games and four of five, coinciding with his point streak. He's averaging 3.8 DraftKings points in his past 10 games and has even chipped in with blocks recently; Turris has seven blocks in his past seven games and has a goal this season against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

W - Nino Niederreiter, MIN ($5,000)
The Minnesota Wild have won 18 of 21 games prior to Saturday and Niederreiter is one of several Wild players who have enjoyed a great season so far. He has five goals in five games and nine points in 10 games. For $5,000, he's worth starting, especially against the Nashville Predators, whom he has played twice this season and has averaged 3.5 DraftKings points in those games.
W - Filip Forsberg, NSH ($5,600)
Forsberg has had an up-and-down season, but ranks second on Nashville with 29 points (12 goals). He has four goals in his past 10 games. He isn't on the same pace as the past two seasons when he had at least 26 goals and 63 points, but he remains the biggest offensive threat on the Predators. You know he's good for two or three SOG per game, and one or two points also isn't out of the possibility.
W - Artemi Panarin, CHI ($6,700)
The 2015-16 Calder Trophy winner is tied for the third-most expensive wing in the contest and is averaging slightly less than a point per game (43 points in 48 games). The Chicago Blackhawks have six wins in eight games and are always an offensive threat. Although he only has five points in 10 games, Panarin is averaging 3.4 DraftKings points per game this season and has good splits; he has 22 points at home and 21 on the road. Chicago will host the Vancouver Canucks.
D - Ryan Ellis, NSH ($4,400)
Ellis has eight goals this season, including three in the past four games. He has stepped it up in the absence of defensemen Roman Josi and P.K. Subban. Even with Subban returning Friday, Ellis had a goal, four SOG, two blocks and a shootout goal (6.2 DraftKings points) against the Edmonton Oilers. He also has five blocks in two games and 73 this season.
D - Dion Phaneuf, OTT ($4,100)
Phaneuf is past his prime but has had a fantasy impact both offensively and defensively at different points this season. He has six goals and 18 points in 43 games (four points in his past 10), and is inching closer to 100 SOG and 100 blocks (Phaneuf has 93 SOG and 88 blocks). At $4,100, he's ranked 15th among defenseman in price but tied for fifth in DraftKings points per game (3.1).
G - Thomas Greiss, NYI ($7,600)
Greiss has two shutouts in his past two starts, so it's worth riding the hot hand. He's been locked in since allowing seven goals on 43 shots in a 7-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 14. Greiss is 6-2-2 in his past 10 starts, and has a solid 2.30 GAA and .927 SV%. He's the No. 1 for the Islanders with Jaroslav Halak being sent to the American Hockey League, and for the most part, Greiss has looked as good as he did for most of last season.

UTIL - Scott Hartnell, CBJ ($4,100)
Hartnell may not be the first Columbus Blue Jackets forward that comes to mind when you think of offense (Brandon Saad, Cam Atkinson, etc.) but his price makes him worth taking in this contest. He entered Saturday with 11 goals and 26 points in 44 games, and has at least 2.0 DraftKings points in four of his past seven games. Hartnell also averages almost a block per game on the road (Columbus plays in Ottawa on Sunday). He's a low-risk, high-reward player for this matchup.
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