There are always players whose high salary makes fantasy general managers wary in cap leagues, and with good reason. Last week, we looked at the top 10 worst contracts. These players burn fantasy GMs with their horrible contracts.

But they also give some other players a bad name. Some NHLers are unfairly ostracized in fantasy circles because of their high salaries, but smart general managers know these players still have plenty of value. You just need to look past the cap hit.

Here are the top 10 players to not shy away from because of their cap hit.

10. Justin Abdelkader 

The 30-year-old is making $4.25 million for the next six years and there are plenty of people who think that is a gross overpayment. This year was awful for Abdelkader but you need to look further back in his career to see his true value. In the 2014-15 and 2015-16 season, Abdelkader averaged 77 games, 21 goals, 22 assists, 96 PIM, 14 power play points, 155 shots and 180 hits. He’s easily worth his contract if he can get back to those levels.

9. Dion Phaneuf

Plenty of fantasy GMs like to put Phaneuf at the top of their overpaid list ($7 million per year for the next four years) even though he’s still a valuable contributor in some fantasy leagues. He had 16 power play points this past year and was credited with 132 hits and 156 blocked shots. Only eight other defensemen had at least 150 shots and 130 blocked shots this past season.

8. Ryan Suter

There’s a lot to like about Suter’s game, but that contract turns off a lot of fantasy general managers as he is making about $7.5 million for the next seven years. I’m in one cap league that has a crazy scoring system, and Suter was the 19th best defenseman in our league in fantasy points per game this past year. Suter has only missed a total of five games in the past five seasons and is the Wild’s top defenseman. Someday that contract will be ugly, but that day has not yet come.

7. Roberto Luongo

Talking to many poolies, you would think Luongo had the worst goaltender contract in the league. Sure, the length of the contract is awful and there’s the cap recapture penalty if he retires early. But that doesn’t impact your fantasy squad. Luo is getting $5.33 million for the next five years, but it was just two years ago that he finished fourth in Vezina voting and received some love for the Hart. Luongo has the 16^th highest cap hit in the league and at worst is an average goalie.

6. Milan Lucic

There’s been a lot of talk about Lucic’s contract ever since he signed it last summer. Many say that he won’t be worth it in a few years. But for now, he is definitely worth his $6 million per year contract. He can still get 20 goals and 50 points, plus contribute on the power play and deliver 200-plus hits. And let’s not forget his penchant for penalty minutes. Until he starts to slip, don’t fall for the hype that he’s overpaid.

5. Ryan O’Reilly

I love O’Reilly in pools that count faceoff wins. I try grab earlier than I should because I know how valuable he is. He is grossly underrated even though he makes $7.5 million a year. This past season, O’Reilly had 20 goals and 55 points despite missing 10 games. He racked up 24 points with the man advantage and had 1,039 faceoff wins (second-highest in the league).

4. Henrik Zetterberg

Many think Zetterberg is somewhat washed up and not worth the $6.1 million he will be making for the next four years, but don’t count the 36-year-old out. Zetterberg was one of the lone bright spots of an awful squad in Detroit this year. His 68 points was fifth highest among left wingers (he has dual eligibility in most leagues, but NHL.com lists him as a LW) and tied for 25th overall. His 705 faceoff wins was 25th highest in the league (excellent numbers for player who can slot in as a left winger). He was a plus-15 on a squad that had only two other players higher than plus-three. That $6.1 million is almost a bargain.

3. Ryan Kesler

I will admit I’ve been strongly against Kesler’s contract when he first signed it as it will eventually come back to bite the team. He’s making almost $6.9 million for the next five years, but from a fantasy perspective, Kesler has been earning his money. In the past two seasons with the Ducks, he’s averaged 22 goals, 34 assists, 81 PIM, 18 PPP, 175 shots, 157 hits and 84 blocked shots. He’s also one of the best in the leagues in winning faceoffs.

2. Patrick Kane

Kane, along with teammate Jonathan Toews, are still the highest paid players in the league. But unlike Toews, Kane is fantasy productive. I’m in a fantasy league where our cap hit is a few million more than the NHL cap hit. But Kane was traded three times in the past calendar year in that league, and not because of his cap hit, but because of his offense. Until he starts producing less, he’s going to be well worth the money in fantasy circles.

1. Corey Perry

It is very tempting to put Perry on a top-10 worst contracts list, and I’m sure his contract will be awful soon as he’s still paid to make $8.625 million for the next four years. But despite declining point totals, Perry is still worth to be taken in the second round in most formats. Perry was the 20^th-best player in Yahoo head-to-head and roto categories this past year. That’s still excellent value for his contract.