Bargain Plays - Paul Stands to Benefit From Teammate in Doghouse

Here are the top NHL sleeper picks for Tuesday, March 8:

LW Nick Paul, Senators (at Hurricanes)

Paul is the likely beneficiary of LW Mike Hoffman's prolonged slump and recent falling out with head coach Dave Cameron. Hoffman will start Tuesday's game on Ottawa's fourth line, and he won't be included on either power-play unit. This opens up a top-six role for Paul.

Paul hasn't produced a point in any of his past four games, but he had scored two goals in the previous three games. Before going without a shot in Sunday's game against the Dallas Stars, he had recorded five SOG in his previous two games. He stands to benefit from playing with superior linemates while still coming at the minimum salary.

C Riley Sheahan, Red Wings (at Blue Jackets)

Sheahan is the riskiest option on Detroit's second line, but he stands to benefit from playing in between RW Gustav Nyquist and LW Tomas Tatar. Sheahan's gone without a shot in two of his past four games, but he's still scored once on five shots and picked up one assist.

The Blue Jackets are coming off a 6-0 loss on Saturday, their second consecutive game allowing at least three goals. Their possession rates have been plummeting over the last two weeks, making Detroit a heavy favorite Tuesday night. Sheahan gives exposure to the offense at a low cost.

D Thomas Hickey, Islanders (vs. Penguins)

Hickey has one goal and three assists while recording points in three consecutive games entering Tuesday. He's tallied only two shots on goal over that stretch, but he did play over 23 minutes in his most recent outing.

He's playing second-pair minutes alongside D Travis Hamonic. He's a skilled enough passer, and the Islanders have enough talented forwards that Hickey doesn't need to rely on shots. He comes with a low floor, but the upside is there if he can pick up a couple of assists.