The most cost effective players of this early fantasy season.

The key to winning a salary cap league is getting the most points for the money that you allocate to your players. Most teams will be hovering near the salary cap ceiling. In order to get ahead of those teams you have to spend money more wisely than they do. With that in mind, here are the players who offer the best value so far this year in points-only leagues prior to Wednesday night’s games, courtesy of Cap Geek’s Bargain Hunter feature.

Mark Arcobello (EDM)

The latest flavor of the week has been getting a lot of attention around here, including an in-depth article from Dobber himself. While his long-term future remains uncertain, his recent play has certainly earned him an extended look in the NHL.

Arcobello's production last year in the AHL was excellent – 68 points in 74 games – so there is precedence of point production. In medium-to-deep-sized points-only leagues he makes a good cheap option for the final roster position. That said, Arcobello holds even more value in multi-category leagues. His peripheral stat highlights include 22 shots on goal, 22 hits, five blocked shots, 80 faceoffs won and a 53.7% success rate on draws.

In the end, there is risk surrounding Arcobello. He is way undersized and already 25 years old so he will have to continue proving himself to maintain his roster spot. But fantasy hockey is about numbers and, so far, the numbers he has produced are fantasy-relevant. At the low price of $600,000 the risk is minimal. Worst case he goes back to being waiver wire material and you move on to the next flavor of the week.

Mike Santorelli (VAN)

All it took was a move to the opposite coast for Santorelli to rediscover his scoring touch. After putting up 20 goals and 41 points with Florida back in 2010-11, he put up a combined 11 goals and 14 points the last two seasons. This year he has already lit the lamp four times while adding three assists. His line combination chart at even strength is very revealing:

Playing regularly with the Sedin twins will make any player better. The good news is that Santorelli is taking full advantage of his opportunity. The better he plays now, the more he improves his odds of seeing more time on the top unit once the injured Alex Burrows returns to the lineup.

Like Arcobello, Santorelli also has an appeal in multi-category leagues. His points along with a plus-4 rating, 23 shots on goal, two game-winning goals, 11 blocked shots, 52 faceoffs won and a 65.8% faceoff efficiency make him a well-balanced asset based on his production in this young campaign.

Nathan Gerbe (CAR)

After years of teasing us with a potential breakout around the corner, Gerbe is once again teasing us with a strong start in Carolina. His six points after nine games ranks third on the club. With the Hurricanes thin in depth up front, Gerbe will get every chance to prove that he belongs over the long haul. So far he has delivered and in fantasy hockey he is currently one of the top points-only league bargains.

Unlike Arcobello and Santorelli, Gerbe has limited value in multi-category leagues. Beyond goals, assists, power-play points and shots on goal he is not really a factor. If your league has those categories and few or no others, he will still be a valuable player to own.

Rob Klinkhammer (PHX)

Klinkhammer has quietly put up very impressive numbers. In limited action over the last two years he has posted nine goals, eight assists, a plus-15 rating, 52 shots on net and 90 hits in 32 total contests. The impressive run follows some excellent production at the AHL level over the years including 44 points in 53 games for Portland last year before earning a promotion to Phoenix.

Given his low ice time of less than 11 minutes per game, the offensive production will likely slow down as time goes on. But even in a limited depth role he can still be an effective all-around fantasy player.  In any event, it appears that Klinkhammer has arrived as a full-time NHL player for the foreseeable future.

Mathieu Perreault (ANH)

A couple weeks ago Perreault was the odd man out in Washington. The Ducks acquired him for next to nothing and the rest is history. Despite a modest 14 minutes of ice time per game, Perreault has made a great first impression on his new team with nine points. That puts him tied for the team lead with a pair of star forwards in Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.

Despite no power-play points, Perreault is still getting extended power play minutes which should help maintain a good scoring clip moving forward. Regarding linemates, his line combination chart is shown below. Perreault has anchored the team’s second line and his most frequent linemates, Teemu Selanne and Jakob Silfverberg, have also enjoyed hot starts.

Perreault’s fantasy situation is not much different from Santorelli. Both are highly-talented and have a history of putting up points in the NHL. Their respective situations also provide excellent opportunities to continue producing. In Perreault’s case he could be a long-term fixture as the team’s second centerman.

Previously in Capped:

Backing Up

The Fantasy Implications of the Latest Contracts Signed