In this week's Eastern Edge, we'll discuss Ondrej Kase and Oliver Wahlstrom, two players riding hot streaks, who also happen to be available in most fantasy leagues. Check out Dobber's Frozen Tools for a league-wide look at who's hot and who's not!

Ondrej Kase

The 26-year-old winger has 11 points in his last 13 outings, shaking off a slow start that saw him post just two points in his first 13 games. Kase's improved production may be fueled by the increased role he's seen during Mitch Marner's absence. Marner has been sidelined for the past five games due to a shoulder injury. During this stretch, Kase has skated 17 minutes a night, seeing 42% of Toronto's total power-play time. In recent games, he's been deployed on the team's star-studded top unit, sharing the ice with John Tavares, William Nylander, Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly. Kase has made the most of this new deployment, posting five points in five games, with two of those points being scored on the power play. Before Marner got injured, Kase was averaging 13 minutes a night and didn't really have a role with the man advantage.

Although Marner's absence opened up a spot in Toronto's top-six, Kase didn't see much even-strength action with the team's superstars early on. For the most part, he skated beside his usual center David Kampf, flanked by one of Nick Ritchie or Pierre Engvall. However, Kase's fortune has improved lately as he skated beside Matthews and Michael Bunting in the team's last game. Based on line combinations from Monday's practice, it looks like he'll stay with Bunting and Matthews to start Tuesday's game against the Oilers.

Now, I know I've been running with the narrative that Kase's recent output is a product of Marner's absence. And while there's certainly some truth to that, it's worth mentioning that Kase had six points in eight games before Marner got injured. He was starting to find a rhythm while Marner was still in the lineup, so it's possible he's still able to produce once Marner returns. However, I don't think this level of offense is sustainable if and when he gets relegated to his previous depth role. To make things even more concerning, Ilya Mikheyev – who hasn't played yet this season because of a broken thumb – is expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday night. I think Mikheyev has the potential to fill the role that Kase currently holds, so Kase isn't guaranteed to stay in his current favorable situation. 

As I write this, Kase is still available in 82% of Yahoo Leagues. If you need a winger who can put up points and shots in the short term, Kase seems like a good option at a low cost. A best-case scenario might include snagging him from the waiver wire, riding this hot streak and selling high before his production drops off – presumably around the time Marner returns.

Oliver Wahlstrom

The 21-year-old winger is starting to flaunt the offensive ability that got him selected 11^th overall in the 2018 draft. He managed just five points in his first 18 appearances of the season but caught fire recently with eight points in his last five games. Notably, four of those points came with the man advantage. Wahlstrom has been on the ice for 67% of New York's total power-play time during this five-game hot streak, a significant increase from the 42% share he held prior. Wahlstrom's offensive ability give the Islanders a more dangerous PP unit, boosting the fantasy value of other players on the roster. For example, Mathew Barzal – who hasn't been a huge power-play producer in recent years – has five points with the man advantage in his last five games.

Although Wahlstrom's role with the man advantage has increased recently, his overall ice time remains underwhelming at 13 minutes a night. That simply isn't enough opportunity to sustain the level of production he's put up on this current hot streak. Now, he's still young, so it's possible we see him rewarded with more ice time as he continues to develop and improve his play. However, it's important to keep in mind that coach Barry Trotz emphasizes a team-first, defensively oriented style – seldom celebrating individual scoring success. When asked about Wahlstrom's meager ice time, Trotz said he wanted the young winger to show continued focus on both sides of the puck. After a tough start to the year, the Islanders find themselves sitting at the bottom of their division, 11 points out of a playoff spot. They have some games in hand and seem to believe they can turn things around and work their way back into the race. Given this mentality, Trotz will likely lean on players he trusts at both ends of the ice as every point is vital going forward. I don't expect Wahlstrom will be given much room to learn and make mistakes, so I wouldn't count on his ice time increasing significantly as the year progresses. All this is to say I'm not optimistic about Wahlstrom's fantasy value in one-year leagues. While he still has a lot of potential in dynasty formats, I wonder whether his offensive ceiling remains limited as long as he's a part of Trotz's Islanders.