ADD’EM 3/4/2017  P IS FOR PREVIOUSLY Time is winding down on the 2016-2017 NHL season and if you are still in the hunt in your fantasy league’s standings, then we have some good news for you as according to ESPN leagues, there are quite a few players still available that will help your squad challenge until the very end. Some of the players we are going to mention have been talked about in recent articles, but to my surprise, these players are still widely available.  All have been offensive contributors over the past 2-3 weeks and deserve a spot in your fantasy lineup if those that are occupying those spots aren’t living up to the task.  Last week we mentioned W Richard Panik (52.8%) of the Chicago Blackhawks and D Jake Gardiner (58.1%) of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Panik has 5 points in last 5 games not including Saturday night against Nashville while Gardiner has been quiet over the last 3, he has been the best offensive option on the waiver wire of late.  Panik has been on an ADD’EM hot streak with 3 straight appearances.  A few fresh faces on the rise of late are Mathieu Perreault (15.1%) of the Winnipeg Jets with 9 points in last 5 games, Radim Vrbata (48.6%) of Arizona Coyotes with 9 points in last 8 games and Travis Zajac (34.1%) of the New Jersey Devils.  Vrbata has been mentioned before on ADD’EM but Perreault is making his season debut.  Last season if you recall, Perreault was having himself quite a fantasy season, but this season has been limited to just 48 games.  Zajac has been clicking with Kyle Palmieri of late providing the Devils with some decent scoring.  Zajac has shown stretches of a point-per-game production throughout his career but hasn’t been as consistent as fantasy owners would like. One other name that begins with a P, Tanner Pearson (39.9%) of the LA Kings, has been starting to break out recently with 8 points in last 8 and 14 points in last 13 with an even split in contribution between goals and assists.  Playing with Jeff Carter can get you those results. With the playoffs approaching and the players starting to bear down into the home stretch, scoop up those that are on the upswing and hope that they continue to produce for at least another week while in your fantasy lineup. Good luck this week!

ADD’EM: CRAZY EIGHTS After the All-Star break, fantasy teams look for those players who can push their team over the top in their chase for the championship.  Sifting through the waiver wire can produce some gems if you weed carefully. Players on teams fighting for a playoff spot are more desirable than those who are already destined to participate in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.  PrimePucks™ will take a look at 8 players who can possibly enhance your team’s efforts down the homestretch. Let’s start with 2 players who can produce better than a point-per-game but are known for getting injured quite easily.  Winnipeg’s Bryan Little (55.4%) and ex-Winnipeg and current Buffalo Sabre Evander Kane (42.8%) are owned by quite a few fantasy clubs who are holding on with the hope that these players can reach their true potential as they help their respective NHL clubs fight for a playoff spot.  Little has already been injured this season and has played in only 29 games but has 26 points split evenly between goals and assists.  Little would be a constant inclusion in your fantasy lineup as he is a point-per-game candidate but, along with Kane, need to ward off the injury demon.  Kane on the other hand is an enigma as he possesses sick offensive skills but has never fully shown those on a consistent basis, causing his fantasy owners to continually pull their hair in frustration. The Sabre has also battled injury this year and has played in only 37 games.  With Jack Eichel back from an early season injury and the Sabres desperate to reach the post-season, perhaps some much-needed chemistry will occur and all that potential comes pouring out.  Enjoy their production while healthy but be ready with a backup plan just in case. PLAYER TEAM ESPN  % OWNED GAMES   PLAYED     ACTUAL NHL STATS (PTS/GL) PRIMEPUCKS™ FORECAST (PTS/GL) B. LITTLE WPG 55.4 29 26/13 50/18 E. KANE BUF 42.8 37 23/14 44/17 A.BURAKOVSKY WAS 24.5 46 27/10 56/24 R. VRBATA ARZ 26.0 48 34/11 39/18 J. ZUCKER MIN 34.7 48 33/14 29/12 J. BAILEY NYI 18.1 47 32/8 36/14 A.LEE NYI 24.8 46 25/17 48/22 V. FILPPULA TB 20.3 48 32/7 36/10   One of the up-and-coming stars is getting red-hot at the right time after a very slow start to the season.  Andre Burakovsky (24.5%) of the Washington Capitals is often overlooked as he plays behind Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, TJ Oshie, Justin Williams and Evgeny Kuznetsov, to name a few, but the budding star has been on fire since his sit down a few weeks back.  With 12 ...

Radim Vrbata is coming off a huge game, but his steady floor makes him a target tonight. Who else should you roster?

Reto Berra, Colorado- It's quite simple here as the incumbent starter Semyon Varlamov is hurt again but has been mediocre at best- 3.26 GAA/.890 SP, while Berra is on fire- 1.58 GAA/.948 SP. Start him while he is amidst his hot streak but at the very least, he is a proven mandatory handcuff for Varlamov owners. Berra has fantasy value now but he will slow down.   Boone Jenner, Columbus- Looking like another favorite of new coach John Tortorella, the feisty forward had collected 7 points in nine games. This top-six fixture still has huge upside so his fantasy trajectory is ever climbing. We would like to get more top-line minutes with Ryan Johansen, but he seems to be one of the cornerstone Blue Jackets moving forward.   Jannik Hansen, Vancouver- Getting that too line gig with the Sedin twins merits plenty of fantasy consideration, given how many points they can get in bunches. Hansen has seven points over the last 7 games although a four point outburst in Columbus definitely skews the numbers a bit. He also replaced Radim Vrbata in the top pp unit but the questions remains in how long will this last. I say it's worth taking a chance and finding out.    Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo- The blossoming defender is coming of age in his second year and must be owned in all fantasy formats. Just keep in mind that his offensive production will be more a product of streaky play rather than consistency that will come with more experience. He has been an anchor on the top power-play unit so you know his upside should keep improving.   Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota- This blueliner might not be on Minny's top power-play unit, but he's made some serious fantasy noise by posting 11 points in his first 16 games. His career high is 26 points but only managed to play 65 games that year. He often gets banged up due to his diminutive size but has legit 30-35 point upside if he can stay healthy. He is probably your best option for blue liners sitting on the waiver wire right now.

Tampa's young guns do the scoring, Tarasenko injured, Hossa leads the way for Hawks It was the Tampa Bay youngsters that provided all the offense that Ben Bishop would need, but we do have to say that Bishop helped his own cause with 2 assists on the night.  The regulation win brought the Bolts to within one point of the team they defeated, the Montreal Canadiens in the Atlantic Division.  Vladislav Namestnikov had 2 goals and Nikita Kucherov and Jonathan Drouin both had goals as the Lightning edged the Habs 5-3.  The future looks very promising for Tampa Bay as they have a stockpile of young talent to be competitive for years to come…. Vladimir Tarasenko took a mid-ice hit in the third period and left the game against the Vancouver Canucks last night.  He did not return.  Let’s hope for his sake, and the Blues’ that the injury isn’t serious and that the team was just being cautious.  Radim Vrbata scored his 31st and added an assist in the 4-1 road win for the Canucks and he has had himself a great season up in Vancouver.  Playing with the likes of Henrik and Daniel Sedin can do wonders for your confidence and game.  Eddie Lack is now 9-4-2 after taking over for the injured Ryan Miller… Two of the NHL’s powerhouses over the past few years took the ice in Chicago last night with the Blackhawks prevailing over the Los Angeles Kings 4-1.  Marian Hossa (G, A) has been playing well of late and should be able to crack the 60 point mark once again, but his 70+ scoring days are over it seems.  But keep in mind that Hossa is still a clutch playoff performer and a tremendous asset to have down the stretch as he has 11 points in last 13 games. A huge second-period staked the Calgary Flames to a lead that they never relinquished,defeating the Dallas Stars 5-3. Another monster effort by the NHL's hottest scorer in March, Jiri Hudler, who collected a goal and an assist for a lofty total of 23 points in the last 15 games. A mid-season scoring drought resulted in him being dropped by many fantasy teams but the few who kept him are laughing last now. Career highs across the board for Hudler... Not much to say about our other two games of little playoff consequence other than both road dogs, Buffalo and Edmonton, prevailed 4-1 over Arizona and Colorado. Still think the Avalanche could bounce back nicely next season as a top-five fantasy juggernaut but much depends on the growth of Nathan McKinnon in Year 3 and a comeback of sorts for Matt Duchene. Those two fuel the ...

SMC 3-29-2015 The regular season is winding down but the high octane playoffs will be starting shortly.  Mmmmm, mmmm good! It looks to me that the Nashville offense is back along with Pekka Rinne’s form.  They will be tough to beat come playoff time. Filip Forsberg has had dome year with 59 points in 76 games.  Amazing!  Must be something in the name. Henrik Lundqvist returned to action and got smacked early by Boston but then settled in.  Don’t you worry, Henrik will soon be hearing his name loudly shouted at MSG.  Hen-Rik!  Hen-Rik! There is no doubt that David Krejci just makes this team gel, even though he didn’t get a point in yesterday afternoon’s game versus the Rangers. The NY Islanders have had a great season but had really faded in the last 10 games or so.  Regardless of what happens from here on out, they have had a successful last season at Nassau Coliseum. Look out Brooklyn, the Islanders are coming! For being in the top 10 in NHL scoring at this point in the season, Evgeni Malkin and Claude Giroux have been the quietest members of this club all year. With 3 points yesterday, I guess Sidney Crosby wants the scoring crown. It will be weird not seeing the San Jose Sharks in the playoffs this year.  Changes they are a-comin! With Kris Letang possibly being out the remainder of the regular season and perhaps the playoffs, we will get to get a good look at rookie defenseman Derrick Pouliot.  Pouliot definitely has a bright future ahead. Detroit’s Petr Mrazek blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 and looks like he will get a very serious look next season to become the regular starter in Hockeytown. That Ottawa-Toronto game last night was so good.  I can’t wait for next Sunday’s rematch. Toronto finally woke up with the season almost over. You just have to love Montreal’s chances this year. I keep saying this but Columbus should be really good next year.  They have built the right way lately and it will all start to come together. Devan Dubnyk continues to amaze me with his play this year.  He hasn’t stopped or slowed down one bit. Poor Buffalo.  This season can’t end soon enough for them. Radim Vrbata reached the 30-goal mark with 2 goals last night.  Were there any doubts as he was lined up with the Sedin twins for most of the year? Have a great week ahead and may all your fantasies come true!

Hartnell's hattie, Ducks struggle on road trip, Isles & Wild battle The Anaheim Ducks have struggled at the beginning of their 5-game road trip with their second straight loss, this time losing 5-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Ducks managed to get off to a 2-0 lead but the Jackets battled back with Scott Hartnell getting a hat trick.  Ryan Johansen had a goal and an assist in the victory and the duo reminds me when Hartnell had that career season playing alongside Claude Giroux when in Philadelphia.  Perhaps Hartnell will continue his productive play until the end of the season…. The St. Louis Blues beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in overtime as they managed to keep Sidney Crosby off the score sheet.  The Pens have been struggling of late in the scoring department but have the guns once everyone is in full health.  So expect the scoring to return when the likes of Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist return to the lineup….. Jonathan Quick (34/36 Sv) and the Los Angeles Kings took control of the game after Mats Zuccarello scored just 51 seconds into the match, never letting the Rangers get back into the match.  Quick was excellent in the win that pitted last season’s Stanley Cup finalists against one another.  LA is battling to gain a playoff position while the Rangers are looking to perhaps have a shot at the President’s Cup… The Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders fought to a 2-1 shootout win by the Wild as both goaltenders, Jaroslav Halak and Devan Dubnyk, continued on with their career years.  Kudos to both net minders on a remarkable season… Roberto Luongo not so sharp in Florida's pivotal match-up with Tampa Bay as rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy outplayed the veteran, turning aside 36 shots in the 4-3 win... No Pavel Datsyuk, no win for the Red Wings as they suffered the ultimate let-down game, dropping a 5-4 home decision to Arizona.. After being a lock for Calder Trophy honors for most of the season, Nashville's Filip Forsberg has not enjoyed a prolific month of March: four points in 11 games. Perhaps last night's overtime winner against the Hab's gets him going again. His fantasy value is far more certain for next season, where he could easily rank amongst the top15-20 fantasy forwards. Love him for 2015-16 and beyond... For those who drafted Radim Vrbata on the speculation that playing with the Sedin twins has it's perks, it's all coming together late in the season. His three points in the 5-2 triumph over Winnipeg improved his numbers to ...

The Minnesota Wild roll by the St. Louis Blues 6-3, as Brian Elliott was pulled after giving up four goals. Thomas Vanek scored a goal, extending his point streak to seven games. His late season scoring surge is good enough reason to get him in your starting lineups... Is there a better line going in the NHL than the Gaudreau-Hudler- Monahan unit for the Calgary Flames? In another big spot, the trio have combined for five points but the team fell short in overtime after Rene Bourque buried the game-winner. Start all three as thay are providing the bulk of Calgary's offense during their hot streak... Carey Price for MVP? It's looking more and more likely as he keeps churning out suberb efforts in the crease, this gtime posting his second straight shutout and blanking the San Jose Sharks...   Jonathan Quick kept the Los Angeles Kings in the match with 36 saves, but Radim Vrbata spearheaded the Canuck's offense with the go-ahead goal in the third period plus an assist. He has been heating up so give him an extended look as Vancouver pushes hard for a playoff spot.  Boston blows another opportunity to extend their point lead over Florida as Roberto Luongo outlasted Tuukka Rask in the shootout to give the panthers the 2-1 win. In two games back, "Bobby Lou" looks every bit the solid fantasy goalie that he was during his peak years in Vancouver...  Jaroslav Halak is back starting for the Islanders after missing two games and his presence along with the return of defenseman Nick Leddy helped lead them to a 3-0 win over New Jersey. Kyle Okposo scored his 16th goal of the season, slowly shaking off his injury rust and getting ready for a strong finish. Get him in your starting lineups..   Kyle Turris continued his hot play with the game winning goal and Andrew Hammond won his sixth straight start for Ottawa as the Senators defeated their provinciakl rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3. Defenseman Erik Karlsson finished the match with a goal and an assist. He is definitely paying fantasy dividends now for those owners who drafted him in the early rounds.. The goaltending enigma known as Kari Lehtonen was spectacular in net after he posted his fifth shutout of the season in the 4-0 drubbing of Chicago. Jason Spezza picked up a goal and  an assist while Alex Goligoski notched two helpers. Give "Gogo" the starting nod this upcoming week if you own him as he is on a serious scoring roll to finish the season.. What a return for Taylor Hall as he assisted on ...

Starting with the late-night thriller between Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, Marc-Andre Fleury withstood a 31-shot barrage to hold on for his ninth shutout of the season. Patrick Hornqvist provided the game-winner in overtime, improving his goal to seven over the last seven games. After a mid-season dip in offensive production, the former Nashville winger has resumed his early-season scoring ways where he was one of the hottest fantasy assets with 25 points in his first 23 games. With all their key forwards healthy for the stretch run, look for Hornqvist to close the season on a point-per-game pace and back to fantasy must-start status.. Speaking of streaking, Vancouver's Radim Vrbata scored two goals to extend his point-streak to four games. Even though fantasy owners rather him play on the top line with the Sedin twins, the winger has delivered a team-leading 25 goals and still gets primary power-play time. If you have him on your bench, it might be time to start him while the Canucks push hard for a playoff spot. With Eddie Lack manning the crease instead of the injured Ryan Miller, there will be a stronger focus on the offense carrying the team.. Let's just re-name John Tavares Art Ross as the Islanders star continues to lead the NHL in scoring with another dominant effort, a goal and two assists in South Florida. With Kyle Okposo nearing a return, there has been plenty of debate on how the top line will look when he gets back. For my money, Anders Lee has more than earned his spot alongside JT so he should stay put. A Tavares-Okposo-Lee unit would reap huge fantasy dividends for all three... Big news in Dallas as Tyler Seguin returned to action last night, not missing a beat with two goals in the 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Jason Spezza's fantasy value once again takes a slight hit as he returns back to second-line center duties but he remains a fixture on the no. 1 power-play unit. Breakout defenseman John Kingberg left the contest with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. With Trevor Daley also out, this could be the best and only time to start Alex Goligoski who has been a bitter fantasy disappointment. He could string together a decent stretch of games with those two out. Consider playing him.. The Leafs were beaten down by the St. Louis Blues, as Vladimir Tarasenko plus Jaden Schwartz and TJ Oshie each collected a goal and an assist.One fact remains true- Phil Kessel is definitely unstarteable in all fantasy formats, while Tarasenko has ...

While this year's verson did not get the media hype of past year's, the New Year Day Winter Classic between Chicago and Washington was as spectacularly done and as well played as any other. The home team ended up on top thanks to a late game tally by Troy Brouwer and superb goaltending by Braden Holtby (33/35 saves). Alex Ovechkin was easily the most dangerous forward on the ice, causing havoc with every shift and resulting in a dominant two-point effort. For Chicago, Patrick Sharp was also a "beast", scoring a power-play goal and racking up 10 SOG. Kris Versteeg left the game due to a hand injury and according to Chicago coach Joel Quenneville, "will be out for awhile". Last night's 3-2 win for the Kings over the Canucks featured three unanswered tallies for the road team in the third period. Of fantasy conswquence, winger Radim Vrbata paced the Canucks in the losing effort with a goal and an assist, raising his totals to 28 points in 34 games. With five points in his last five games, the streaky winger should be able to surpass his career-high of 62 points with the Sedin twins as his line-mates. Start him as a solid no.4/5 fantasy forward option..