Here are the top contrarian picks for NHL's slate on Sunday, January 10:
G Semyon Varlamov, Avalanche (at Blackhawks)
Varlamov doesn't have a whole lot going for him on Sunday. The Blackhawks have scored the third-most goals in the Western Conference, he's on the road, and he allowed four goals to Chicago on New Year's Eve.
It should be enough to push ownership down. Despite a shaky performance against Nashville, Varlamov is riding a three-game win streak. He allowed only a single goal to the Kings on 31 shots. Two nights later, he allowed three on 38 to the Blues.
C Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings (at Ducks)
It's not quite how it used to be, but Zetterberg still has 30 points in 41 games. The biggest knock is that John Gibson, the opposing goaltender, has been playing excellent hockey most of the season, though he has a sub-.900 save percentage over his last two starts.
He doesn't shoot enough - zero shots over his last two - but the last time he did, it went in. Expect an assist, but don't be surprised if he also finds twine.
W Zach Parise, Wild (vs. Devils)
At his salary, Parise will rarely return value even if he ends up on the score sheet. He needs to tally a pair of points to be worth the roster spot, so he will always be a touch on the risky side. But, when you get nights like Tuesday in Columbus where he pulled through with a hat trick, he shows that he is priced like this for a reason.
Otherwise, Parise has been scuffling. He has only three other points over his last 10 games. Cory Schneider has been one of the steadier goaltenders around, but he is coming off a four-goal affair against Boston and is traveling. He's also allowed three or more goals in four of his last ten starts, but also has two shutouts over that time. But when a player with Parise's scoring ability is poised to be rostered in a low percentage of lineups, he's worth the risk.
D Erik Karlsson, Senators (at Capitals)
As good as he is - see: the best - it's hard to justify paying the salary he commands at defense. Because hockey's trends are far more inconsistent than other DFS sports, you can't simply count on ice time, though he gets a lot of it. Karlsson just does more with his ice time than most. He has 45 points through 42 games. He's just about the surest bet at the position.
It is a lot to invest, but when many others are much more likely to put up zeros, Karlsson won't let you down. Expect the price to scare people away.
