DFS: 5 Potential Early-Season NHL Bargains

Here are five players with low price tags who could yield great results in the early part of the season:

RW Michael Grabner, Toronto Maple Leafs

Grabner enters a forward situation in flux in Toronto. The Leafs swapped out Phil Kessel, arguably their most consistent offensive performer since the Mats Sundin years, and received very little win-now talent in return from Pittsburgh in the trade.

Someone has to score goals on this team, and head coach Mike Babcock will see first-hand who is going to be part of the nucleus moving forward.

In his first full season back in 2010-11, Grabner led the woeful Islanders with 34 goals, forming an exciting young first-line with 20-year-old John Tavares and Matt Moulson. Over the next four years, Grabner's production steadily dipped to a low of just eight goals last season.

If there were ever an opportunity for a one-time talented scorer to regain some panache, it's with Toronto, a team in desperate need of a spark. Grabner can play on the wing on units centered by Tyler Bozak or Nazem Kadri (another player in need of a bounce-back). Bozak isn't in the same stratosphere as Tavares but put up decent numbers as Kessel's center.

C Melker Karlsson, San Jose Sharks

After six seasons playing in Swedish domestic leagues, the 25-year-old Karlsson was called up from the AHL in mid-December and quickly found himself on the team's top line and power-play unit alongside Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. As Patrick Marleau can attest, playing with either of the two Joes can yield tremendous point totals.

Karlsson's role is up in the air with new head coach Peter DeBoer replacing Karlsson supporter Todd McLellan. That could mean Karlsson sees more time as a bottom-six player, but if he does see time with the team's few superstars, it will be worth penciling the Swede into your DFS lineup before his price rises to match his increased role.

After battling a preseason injury, Karlsson will not be on the roster for opening day but expect him to return to a contributing role once he returns to the Sharks.

C Ryan O'Reilly, Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres are not going to be challenging for the playoffs this season but if you pick and choose the right players you can still make money off of their few dependable skaters. Jack Eichel is the best example - but while he's expected to be a big performer on Buffalo's second line, his hype coming into his rookie year could mean an overinflated price.

O'Reilly, by comparison, should be underpriced. The 24-year-old has already played in 440 games and comes to Buffalo after several 50-point seasons in Colorado. There is hope that O'Reilly can help unlock the potential of winger Evander Kane and long-time Sabre Tyler Ennis; all three are entering their seventh pro seasons, and could take a big step forward together.

D T.J. Brodie, Calgary Flames

Captain Mark Giordano gets a lot of deserved credit for anchoring the Flames' blue-line and being one of the top offensive defensemen year after year. But that doesn't mean that DFS players should ignore his linemate Brodie.

Despite a shorter track record as a point-scorer, Brodie has found other ways to fill the stat sheet. Last season, Brodie ranked eighth in the NHL in blocked shots - and his own shot attempts are comparable to big-name players like Zdeno Chara, Andrei Markov and Dion Phaneuf.

For the price he will command relative to Giordano, Brodie will return an elite level of production receiving major ice time on Calgary's upstart squad.

RW Jaromir Jagr, Florida Panthers

The team's colors change but the name on the back of the jersey stays the same.

Jagr has relished being the unofficial mascot of the NHL, playing for five franchises since returning from the KHL in 2011. Florida is where many retirees go after long careers, but Jagr is still poised to be a major difference-maker for the Panthers well into his 40s.

In 20 games with Florida down the stretch last season, Jagr tallied 18 points. He's expected to play on the wing opposite of budding superstar Jonathan Huberdeau, centered by young Finn Aleksander Barkov.

Neither player was alive when Jagr won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992, so there shouldn't be too much performance anxiety. Doubt Jagr at your own risk; Father Time is undefeated but Jagr is putting up an incredible fight.