Dustin Brown (5,875,000)

In points-only leagues, forget about it. Brown still has 50-point upside but at this point is far too risky with that huge contract. However, if your league counts hits and shots there is a chance that he could still be a decent guy to own if you can fit his salary in your payroll. This determination is very league-specific though and requires more research for your setting. Proceed with caution.

Bobby Ryan (5,100,000)

In one-year leagues Ryan should be owned in all formats. His disappointing 48 points from last year is the absolute worst you can expect from him and he has the upside to produce some very impressive numbers. On the flip side, his keeper-league value could take a major hit soon because he is in the final year of his current contract. If he has a big year and cashes in on the free agent market, his new cost could get out of hand. If he gets off to a strong start, you may want to look into trading him for a similar player that is not due for a new deal.

Ondrej Pavelec (3,900,000)

The only questionable entry in the list as an actual bounce-back candidate is Pavelec, who has only been above the .906 mark once in his career. Not much of a bounce-back if he has been borderline awful the majority of the time. The silver lining is that his cap hit ranks 20^th among goaltenders so he is not a complete albatross. Still, the production has simply not been there at any point. You may want to gamble on a cheaper guy with a better history or just pay up and grab one of the upper-tier starters.

Sergei Gonchar (5,000,000)

Despite turning into a fantasy liability last year, there is a bit of hope with Gonchar. He had a strong year back in 2012-13 and has been an excellent point-producer over the years. Unfortunately, at $5 million there is simply too much risk even on an improving Stars team. There are simply too many alternatives out there that cost less to own and will probably out-produce the veteran blueliner anyway.

Alexander Edler (5,000,000)

From a points-only perspective, Edler should be considered high-risk due to his large cap hit. He provides better value than Gonchar considering he is still less than 30 years old and has many productive years left. His value is maximized in multi-category though where his combination of points, hits, blocks, PPP and shots on goal still make him a decent buy as long as he can improve offensively and regulate his plus-minus.

Braden Holtby (1,850,000)

Holtby is another goalie that has some uncertainties heading into this season but unlike Pavelec is dirt cheap and has a great statistical history at the NHL level. A bounce-back campaign could put him at the top of the heap in terms of bang for the buck. With most starters costing more than $4 million, you should move Holtby up several spots in your draft ranking.