AIM HIGH, BUY LOW  SHOOT HIGH, AIM LOW by YES  https://youtu.be/CNnKau1OLp4 As we reach the 10-game mark or thereabouts, time to take a look at the slow-starters.  For those poolies who drafted the players mentioned in this article, its decision time as to whether you want to drop, trade or stick with the underperforming.  I’ve separated the defensemen from the forwards into different tables but here are my BUY LOW candidates on the blue line, which I hope will help you make your decision easier; DEFENSEMEN  GAMES POINTS SOG +/- HITS Pietrangelo-STL 9 1 12 -6 19 Leddy-NYI 8 0 4 -4 13 Goligoski-ARZ 9 1 12 -6 3 Shattenkirk-NYR 9 2 21 -4 4 Hamilton-CAR 10 4 44 0 17 Theodore-LVS 10 2 30 -6 9 Miller,C-LVS 10 1 19 -2 13   Phaneuf-LAK 10 0 9 -7 19   Pulock,R-NYI 8 1 17 -3 9     As you can see form the table above, most of these defensemen are producing at less than career averages, so you should see a return to normal levels as the season progresses.  Especially when you look at players like Alex Pietrangelo and Nick Leddy where they play a prominent role in terms of minutes played plus playing on the top PP units.  Both players should get you at least 40 points over the remainder of the season (approx. 70 gms.).  Those would be my top 2 targets. The rest may be on your waiver wire because of their slow starts.  Most are depth defensemen at best but are consistent and are good in case of an injury to one of your top defensemen. I would put the likes of Kevin Shattenkirk & Dougie Hamilton above the remaining players as they have scoring pedigree and it looks like the NY Rangers are starting to score more and their power play is starting to gel, while the Carolina Hurricanes are scoring and winning, it is just taking the newcomer time to adjust to his new team. Rounding out the leftovers, Shea Theodore of the Las Vegas Golden Knights is a great selection especially for those in dynasty/keeper leagues as he is young and has been quite active but hasn’t been hitting the score sheet with just 2 points in 10 games played.  Another in the same category of Theodore is Ryan Pulock of the Islanders.  Both have potential but Theodore has more of a chance to contribute because of the presence of Leddy in New York sharing time with Pulock.  Along with Theodore’s team mate Colin Miller, Arizona Coyote Alex Goligoski and LA King Dion Phaneuf, these players should net you around 30-35 points over the next 70+ games.  Keep them on your list and maybe you can pry them away ...

AIM HIGH, BUY LOW https://youtu.be/CNnKau1OLp4 As we reach the 10-game mark or thereabouts, time to take a look at the slow-starters.  For those poolies who drafted the players mentioned in this article, its decision time as to whether you want to drop, trade or stick with the underperforming.  I’ve separated the defensemen from the forwards into different tables but here are my BUY LOW candidates on the blue line, which I hope will help you make your decision easier; DEFENSEMEN  GAMES POINTS SOG +/- HITS Pietrangelo-STL 9 1 12 -6 19 Leddy-NYI 8 0 4 -4 13 Goligoski-ARZ 9 1 12 -6 3 Shattenkirk-NYR 9 2 21 -4 4 Hamilton-CAR 10 4 44 0 17 Theodore-LVS 10 2 30 -6 9 Miller,C-LVS 10 1 19 -2 13   Phaneuf-LAK 10 0 9 -7 19   Pulock,R-NYI 8 1 17 -3 9     As you can see form the table above, most of these defensemen are producing at less than career averages, so you should see a return to normal levels as the season progresses.  Especially when you look at players like Alex Pietrangelo and Nick Leddy where they play a prominent role in terms of minutes played plus playing on the top PP units.  Both players should get you at least 40 points over the remainder of the season (approx. 70 gms.).  Those would be my top 2 targets. The rest may be on your waiver wire because of their slow starts.  Most are depth defensemen at best but are consistent and are good in case of an injury to one of your top defensemen. I would put the likes of Kevin Shattenkirk & Dougie Hamilton above the remaining players as they have scoring pedigree and it looks like the NY Rangers are starting to score more and their power play is starting to gel, while the Carolina Hurricanes are scoring and winning, it is just taking the newcomer time to adjust to his new team. Rounding out the leftovers, Shea Theodore of the Las Vegas Golden Knights is a great selection especially for those in dynasty/keeper leagues as he is young and has been quite active but hasn’t been hitting the score sheet with just 2 points in 10 games played.  Another in the same category of Theodore is Ryan Pulock of the Islanders.  Both have potential but Theodore has more of a chance to contribute because of the presence of Leddy in New York sharing time with Pulock.  Along with Theodore’s team mate Colin Miller, Arizona Coyote Alex Goligoski and LA King Dion Phaneuf, these players should net you around 30-35 points over the next 70+ games.  Keep them on your list and maybe you can pry them away cheap.   On to the forwards.  ...

SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE 10/21/2018 We are finally getting settled into the beginning of the NHL season and with that I bring you the first SMC of the year.   It looks like the Nashville Predators are on a mission and headed straight for the Stanley Cup final starting out 7-1-0.  Shutting out the Oilers and McDavid on their home ice is impressive. Auston Matthews is determined to prove he belongs right up when talking about Connor McDavid. Is it safe to say now that Nathan MacKinnon has arrived and that last year’s dominant season was not an aberration?  Of course, he’s got Mikko Rantanen as his line mate. So happy to see Patrice Bergeron return from his injury to start the season the way he played last year.  Would love to see career highs in points as he well deserves it.  Especially at his age, being 33 or thereabouts and all. Tampa Bay’s JT Miller looks to me like last year’s short stint with the Bolts after being traded wasn’t a fluke.  With the talent on that team I wouldn’t be surprised if every forward didn’t score 60 points this season.  We know it’s not going to happen but geez. Don’t believe for a second that Jaroslav Halak will be taking over #1 duties on the Boston Bruins from Tuukka Rask. It’s a long season. I love seeing the Vancouver Canucks be successful so early on in their post-Sedins era. What’s going on with the Panthers?  The Red Wings beat them for Pete’s sake. They need a goaltender.   Cory Schneider anyone?  Not going to happen.  Devils won’t trade him there that could possibly come back and bite them in their behinds. You know by the end of the season Sidney Crosby will be in the top 5-10 in league scoring. Alex DeBrincat is going to be a beast for years to come. When Brock Nelson is your most prolific shot-getter, you know you are in trouble.  Isles lost 4-1 to Sharks last night. Coach Phil Housley shakes up his lineup and Jeff Skinner gets a hattie on his return to Jack Eichel’s line.  Have to keep up with early season line changes, it helps. Took Alex Pietrangelo seven games to get his first point.  There may be an owner who has him that may want to cut bait.  Try to grab him. He’s so steady. Glad to see G Corey Crawford return to the Blackhawks lineup.  He is so important to their cause. And so underrated. Ottawa and Montreal aren’t playing too shabby so far this young NHL season.  Let’s give them another 10 games and re-evaluate. NY Rangers aren’t playing too badly.  Once they all get a good grasp of Coach Quinn’s style, and...

A lot of good matchups tonight with some struggling teams in Pittsburgh and Edmonton looking for their first wins while Montreal & Nashville look to remain unbeaten with games against the NY teams. We all know that the Penguins are ready to burst out in a big way with the amount of offensive talent they have but can they break thorugh against red-hot Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson?  Ottawa did play last night in Columbus and scored 7 goals.  That usally results in a lack of production the next game, so we shall see.  Dallas-Tampa Bay can be very explosive as well with both teams sporting some high octane talent up front.  RAY'S PICKS G: Roberto Luongo-FLA ($8,400) D: Alex Pietrangelo-STL ($5,500) D: Colton Parayko-STL ($3,000) LW: Jonathan Huberdeau-FLA ($5,000) LW: Jonathan Drouin-TB ($4,600) RW: Vladimir Tarasenko-STL ($8,200) RW: Phil Kessel-PIT ($7,900) C; Steven Stamkos-TB ($8,500) C: Teuvo Teravainen-CHI ($3,800)  

Sorry for the brief thoughts this week but as the season winds down, the time to track down fantasy gems is running out. However, I do have a few key points to make: Fantasy hockey will be getting back another elite defender as Kevin Shattenkirk will be returning to the Blues lineup on Saturday. Considering he had collected 40 points in 49 games and was quite arguably the defensive fantasy MVP at the time of injury, his return could really help owners during the final stretch run. Or could It? Alex Pietrangelo has begun to thrive on the power play so Shattenkirk's return could disrupt the former's scoring touch. However, it is more likely that Shattenkirk will be eased into the lineup to fully assure his best form for the postseason. The good thing is that while other d-men on playoff bound teams could be rested over the final few games, Shattenkirk will be getting substantial ice-time as an audition for the playoffs. I love him asa final week start.  It might be time to take Vancouver's Alex Edler seriously down the stretch as a relevant fantasy option, given that his scoring had increased simultaneously during the Canucks current playoff run. While currently on a four-game point streak, the 28-year old's overall offensive production is light years away from his career high of 49 points set in 2011-12. Last season, Edler represented one of the biggest fantasy busts on the blueline, totaling 22 points in 63 games. With new coach Willie Desjardins at the helm, things were supposed to change but here we are late in the season and he has 23 points in 66 games. It's pretty tough to trust starting him at this point but given the paucity of legitimate scoring blueliners left on the waiver wire, he could provide a decent boost at your 3rd or 4th spot.  That's all for this week. Enjoy the final few weeks, my fantasy friends!

Zidlicky flourishing in Detroit; The Hamburglar does it again; Talbot on his head; and more: No need for Jimmy Howard to bail out the Wings against the pens as petr mrazek subbed in with a 42-save doozy culminating in the 5-1 drubbing. Marek Zidlicky was the fantasy star of the match, scoring a goal and collecting two assists. Hope you have scooped him off the waiver wire as that window of opportunity should be slammed shut after that effort... Injury alert- Patrick Hornqvist was hurt in the third period and might not be available for this week. Monitor the situation..Cam Talbot continues his stellar goaltending in place of 'King Henrik, stopping  shots in the 2-1 win. One thing to take away from this game is how dangerous the line of Jagr-Barkov-Huberdeau was all night for Florida. The future Hall of Famer has helped the youngsters begin to realize their immense potential so maybe consider playing them down the stretch. Definitely keep them in mind come next year.  A fourth shutout for Jake Allen as the  St. Louis Blues held on for a 3-0 win in Dallas. Alex Pietrangelo dished out two assists to improve his numbers to five points over the last five games. With 38 points in 69 games, another 40+ point season awaits AP. Not bad for a season that many have viewed as a fantasy disappointment. There is no doubt that he took a back sets to Kevin Shattenkirk this year, but expect a huge rebound in 2015-16.  Braden Holtby posted his eight shutout of the season as the Washington Capitals bounced back froma recent slide to defeat the Boston bruins 2-0. Holtby rocks but so does Nicklas Backstrom who finished with two assists in the winning cause.. Andrew Hammond wins again for Ottawa as their drive for a wildcard spot continues. Craig Anderson who? You know what to do.. Great comeback by Anaheim as the Ducks used a four-goal third period to defeat Nashville 4-2. James Wisniewski picked up his first point in his new uniform..

*** PRIME 120+ RANKINGS have been updated. Take a look at your favorite players and see where they are ranked in our RANKINGS Section in the right hand side of your home page. .*Ranger's goalie Henrik Lundqvist was the fantasy star of the night in MSG, snapping a three game skid with his 21-save shutout in 5-0 win over Montreal. Although his peripheral numbers are not what they used to be-2.51 GAA/ .914 SP- he can still be dominant in long stretches and is a solid no 1 fantasy option. It just seems other goalies have caught up.. Martin St. Louis led the offense with a goal and an assist, extending his point streak to four games. With 11 points in his last ten contests, he should be starting in all formats. *Jannik Hansen provided the bulk of Vancouvers offense in the 5-1 victory over Chicago, collecting a "hat trick". Not much fantasy value here, but goalie Ryan Miller continued to stake to claim to elite honors with another impressive effort, winning three of his last four starts. *For St. Louis, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo chipped on with two more assists, giving him four in last 2 games. He earned that he could heat up in a hurry, so target him I'm trade talks if you can. We think he is still getting to the 50.. *Ryan Kesler assisted on both goals in Anaheim's 2-1 win over Arizona, while goalie Federik Andersen was only beaten once in 26 shots. Mike Smith performed amirably in the Arizona crease, but the trend continues- Smith Keeps losing and Devan Dubnyk keeps winning. Something has to give here.. WHO'S HOT, WHO'S NOT Featured every week i nthe right margin======> Who's Hot as of 11/23 PLAYER               GP   G  A  +/-  PIM  SOG Steven Stamkos   8     6   4    3     4      21 Kris Versteeg       7      4   5    3     9      21 Jori Lehtera         7      4    5    5     0      19 Jaden Schwartz 7      2    7    4     0      16 Marian Hossa      7      1    8    2     0      18 Patrick Kane       7      4    5     1     0      22   Nick Bjugstad     6      5    3     5     0      19 Who's Not as of 11/23 PLAYER             GP   G   A    +/-   PIM  SOG Kris Letang         6      0   1    -2       6       22 Thomas Vanek   6     0    2    -2       0        9  Tomas Fleischmann 6 1 0     -1       0       8 Henrik Zetterberg 6   0   1    -4        0     20 Bryan Little         7      1   0     -2       0       9 Nail Yalupov       7      1   0     -4       0      17 Scott Hartnell     6     0    0     -3       6      16

Good morning! Sip it slowly and enjoy the day! That St. Louis line of Tarasenko-Lehtera-Schwartz continues to be amazing! Where did this Lehtera come from? You can't say leftfield as a hockey reference either. I think Alex Pietrangelo decided to wake up because Kevin Shattenkirk was getting all the attention. Ever since last year's playoff round, Montreal, and Carey Price, seem to have Boston's number. The Maple Leafs have really responded from that 9-2 shellacking from the Nashville Predators by winning 2 in a row. Buffalo has won 3 in a row! It must be because all the visiting teams must be awestruck by the amount of snow that they see when they arrive. Ovechkin tried his best with 8 SOG but couldn't put anything past Buffalo's Jhonas Enroth. Tyler Bozak just might break his career high of 49 points set last year. I might add, easily. With four goals in past 3 games and 5 in past 5, Tomas Tatar is heating up similar to what Gustav Nyquist did last season. I don't how much I'd want to play Tampa Bay this season; especially if I were a goalie. The Islanders taking both games of a home-and-home with Pittsburgh was no small feat. Jakub Voracek leads the NHL in points. I never would have thought that while Crosby is healthy, that he wouldn't be leading the league in scoring. Claude Giroux is coming after both of them! Some of these Florida Panthers are starting to heat up....Nick Bjugstad for instance. Hard to spell and pronounce. D-man John Klingberg has had some week for the Dallas Stars with 6 points in 7 games. Have you noticed that the Stars always have a rookie come up and light the league on fire? Alex Chiasson comes to mind. Antoine Roussel is another. Ride him while he's hot. The Stars won a couple at home now. Yay! Even with his 3-point night, you might be able to steal Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon from a fantasy owner who is disgruntled about his subpar (?) performance so far. I would make an offer before he gets to the elite level. Cory Schneider finally got the night off after 20-straight starts. Next start, Vancouver on Tuesday. Calgary is not going away this year. The Chicago Blackhawks smoked the Edmonton Oilers 7-1. The Arizona Coyotes won without Klinkhammer in the lineup. I kind of like the name Josh Jooris on Calgary. It sorta flows. Have a great week and may all your fantasies come true! Happy Thanksgiving!

You can probably expect the Blues to contend once again for the Western Conference title as Head Coach Ken Hitchcock will have his team ready and raring to go come opening night. They signed free agent C Paul Stastny to strengthen their team down the middle and decided to give Brian Elliott the chance to backstop the team on a full time basis. Will the subtractions and additions be enough to make it to the Cup Finals?  That's why they play the game. GOALIES There is no denying that Elliott possesses the talent to be a number 1 goaltender in the NHL, but it took a while for a team to finally give him that chance. All he has done while playing under Hitchcock is post GAA of 1.56, 2.28 and 1.96, so you can see he deserves the opportunity to carry the load.  The team has put so much faith in Elliott, that they let Jaroslav Halak walk and gave the backup role to Jake Allen. You too should put your faith in Elliott to carry your fantasy hockey team this season.  After all, he has performed consistently over the past few years. DEFENSE The Blues possess two solid offensive d-men in Alex Pietrangelo and Kevin Shattenkirk, both capable of being any team's number 1 blueliner. They are so similar that you can call them 1A and 1B and both are entering their prime years at 24 and 25 respectively.  Jay Bouwmeester has been a nice addition the over the past two years and should contribute as well as provide solid defense in front of Elliott and Allen. Jordan Leopold and Carl Gunnarsson, coming over from Toronto in June, give the Blues solid, veteran depth on the back end. FORWARDS St. Louis can drive the fantasy poolie crazy with their depth of forwards and how Hitchcock rotates his lines so they stay fresh. One line will be hot for a 2-week stretch and then it's a different line taking over the offensive responsibilities, thereby keeping other teams on their heels.  Players like David Backes, T.J. Oshie, Jaden Schwartz, Alexander Steen, and Vladimir Tarasenko would be counted on more so on other teams than they are in Hitchcock's system, but it's this system that keeps all the forwards fresh throughout the long season. The addition of Stastny reinforces that depth and makes all the forwards legitimate candidates to get 50+ points across the board.  Steen had himself a career year where he eclipsed his previous high of 51 in 2010-2011 with St. Louis by 11 points. Perhaps a pullback to the 50+ range is more appropriate.  Also factoring into that equation might be...

As we enter the third day of free agency, most of the coveted UFA's have been signed and whisked away by the highest bidder, including defenseman Matt Niskanen. He was signed by Washington to the tune of a 7-year/$40.25M deal. However, I need to issue a word of caution to all fantasy owners who think that such a financially lucrative signing automatically signals Niskanen's ascent to the upper echelon of fantasy d-men. While it does appear he is entering a very fantasy-friendly situation with Alex Ovechkin's Capitals, there are clears signs to make fantasy pundits pause. As I was glancing through Niskanen's career stats, I did notice that the 27-year old clearly had his breakout campaign last season with Pittsburgh. His 46 points ranked 12th in the NHL, with a huge assist to Kris Letang who missed a bunch of games due to several ailments. Prior to his prolific campaign, Niskanen had only surpassed 30 points once and 20 points three times in six full seasons. Not much of a past scoring pedigree to draw upon, but maybe, just maybe his monster season is a sign of things to come. Well, I decided to look at the career stats of the 11 defensemen that ranked ahead of him in points last season, and noticed something very interesting. Here is the list of each defenseman and in which full season (over 40 games) in their career did they collect 40+ pts. For example, it took the great Alex Pietrangelo his first full year on the job to surpass the 40-point mark. In comparison, Niskanen accomplished the feat for the first time in his seventh season. Let's see how the rest of the top 11 fared: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa            2nd yr. Duncan Keith, Chicago           4th yr. Shea Weber, Nashville            2nd yr. Dustin Byfuglien, Winnipeg     4th yr. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay    5th yr. PK Subban, Montreal             4th yr. Keith Yandle, Phoenix            3rd yr. James Wisniewski, Columbus 5th yr. Niklas Kronwall, Detroit          3rd yr. Mark Giordano, Calgary         4th yr. With the exception of Hedman and Wisniewski, the rest of the d-men had their classic breakout season within four years of the start of their NHL career. The fact that Niskanen had his "coming out" party in Year 7 raises a red flag for myself. Also, he had been a member of the Penguins for three years prior, so obviously something just clicked last season. Maybe the dreaded contract year which brings the best out of so many chronic underachievers. I was also alarmed by the fact that he ...