One of the hottest lines in the NHL right now combined for 10 points in last night's 7-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Thomas Vanek (3A), David Desharnais (G, A) and Max Pacioretty (3G, 2A) exploded after the Habs were down 3-0. These three are must starts in all fantasy leagues. Even without two of their biggest stars in the lineup, the Chicago Blackhawks, behind the Duncan Keith's 3 assists, were able to overcome the pesky Blue Jackets last night. Keith's numbers are very worthy of a second Norris Trophy (6-54-60 +20, 193 SOG, 26 PIM). Cory Schneider came up with a huge victory for the New Jersey Devils last night against Washington in regulation. The Capitals are a team that the Devils are fighting for that last playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.  Schneider has turned his game around after a bit of a slump just after the Olympics.  Look for the Devils to ride Schneider until they lock up a playoff spot or are eliminated.  Start Schneider with extreme confidence. What's up with Jonas Hiller? Last night's performance (13/17 SV) was not a way to instill confidence in your coaching staff as you team heads into the playoffs.  I believed that reliever Frederik Andersen deserved the start, especially after three quality wins in a row, but Hiller got the starting nod. Expect Andersen to see the majority of starts from here on out. You almost have to wish that the Calgary Flames were in the playoff hunt the way they have been playing over the month with an 11-8-0 record. Michael Cammalleri has 22 points over his last 19 games, so get him in your lineup.

Good morning, folks. I will be starting today's writing festivities only to be relieved by Mike, alias "Romer", very shortly. I figured that since my last DP title focused on the emergence of an up-and-coming fantasy star in the NHL, Gustav Nyquist, I would give him another "shout-out" since he doesn't know how to slow down. Two more goals for the budding center in Detroit's 4-2 defeat to Columbus, giving him 25 tallies in just 47 games. He looks to be the real deal for the remainder of the season and beyond. Don't be shocked if Nyquist delivers a huge 75+ point breakout season in '14-15. He is on the verge of greatness.. Our two "mad-hatters" of the evening were David Backes and Joe Pavelski, who each delivered "hat tricks" for their respective clubs. Backes has absolutely more fantasy value in multi-category leagues, while Pavelski has been a scoring machine with 37 goals and 71 points in 74 games. His time has arrived as an elite fantasy option in standard formats. The "Price Is Right" once again, as All-Star goalie Carey Price returned to action for Montreal in triumphant fashion by blanking the Buffalo Sabres. Get him in your lineup ASAP, as he will be looking to sharpen his skills prior to the Hab's playoff run. After not collecting a point for 8 straight games, Columbus defender James Wisniewski spear-headed the offense with three assists. With 42 points in 65 games, the "Wiz" has been fantasy gold for his owners this season. Keep your eye on Washington rookie Evgeni Kuznetsov who continues to impress with a clutch goal (his first NHL goal) for Washington in the waning moments of regulation against Los Angeles. If Niklas Backstrom misses some time, left the game with an upper body injury, the youngster might be in store for a more expanded offensive role for the remainder of the season. For those in need of defensive help, Toronto's Jake Gardiner has come alive in recent weeks. Another goal and an assist last night giving him 8 points in the last 10 games. Romer takes over. Phoenix right wing Shane Doan is not yet done at 37 years old as he had 2 assists last night and now has 43 points on the season with 20 goals. Not terrible, plus he has 4 points in his last 5 games. It was "Ovie" time for Washington as Alexander Ovechkin had 2 goals and an assist last night but the Capitals still lost to LA. Dustin Brown had a big night for the Kings with a goal and an assist, but please, he only has 25 points on the year. Right wing Colin McDonald had 2 ...

Good morning, folks. I will be starting today's writing festivities only to be relieved by Mike, alias "Romer", very shortly. I figured that since my last DP title focused on the emergence of an up-and-coming fantasy star in the NHL, Gustav Nyquist, I would give him another "shout-out" since he doesn't know how to slow down. Two more goals for the budding center in Detroit's 4-2 defeat to Columbus, giving him 25 tallies in just 47 games. He looks to be the real deal for the remainder of the season and beyond. Don't be shocked if Nyquist delivers a huge 75+ point breakout season in '14-15. He is on the verge of greatness.. Our two "mad-hatters" of the evening were David Backes and Joe Pavelski, who each delivered "hat tricks" for their respective clubs. Backes has absolutely more fantasy value in multi-category leagues, while Pavelski has been a scoring machine with 37 goals and 71 points in 74 games. His time has arrived as an elite fantasy option in standard formats. The "Price Is Right" once again, as All-Star goalie Carey Price returned to action for Montreal in triumphant fashion by blanking the Buffalo Sabres. Get him in your lineup ASAP, as he will be looking to sharpen his skills prior to the Hab's playoff run. After not collecting a point for 8 straight games, Columbus defender James Wisniewski spear-headed the offense with three assists. With 42 points in 65 games, the "Wiz" has been fantasy gold for his owners this season. Keep your eye on Washington rookie Evgeni Kuznetsov who continues to impress with a clutch goal (his first NHL goal) for Washington in the waning moments of regulation against Los Angeles. If Niklas Backstrom misses some time, left the game with an upper body injury, the youngster might be in store for a more expanded offensive role for the remainder of the season. For those in need of defensive help, Toronto's Jake Gardiner has come alive in recent weeks. Another goal and an assist last night giving him 8 points in the last 10 games. Romer takes over. Phoenix right wing Shane Doan is not yet done at 37 years old as he had 2 assists last night and now has 43 points on the season with 20 goals. Not terrible, plus he has 4 points in his last 5 games.  It was "Ovie" time for Washington as Alexander Ovechkin had 2 goals and an assist last night but the Capitals still lost to LA. Dustin Brown had a big night for the Kings with a goal and an assist, but please, he only has 25 points on the year. Right wing Colin McDonald had 2 ...

All 6 games in the NHL last night were decided by one goal, with half of them decided by a shootout and another won in overtime. Playoff season is arriving! Ryan McDonagh was nothing short of fabulous last night as the sleepy Rangers pulled out an important two points against the Phoenix Coyotes. All the emerging defenseman did was add two assists and scored the game-winner in overtime.  With those 3 points, McDonagh eclipsed the 40 point plateau and is obliterating his previous high of 32 a few years back.  At 24 years of age, McDonagh has room to grow still and can be comparable to Chicago's Duncan Keith. Mike Smith has been spectacular in net of late and so has Henrik Lundqvist.  The two elite net minders turned their seasons around after the Olympic break and last night was proof.  Unfortunately, Smith went down to a lower-body injury (LBI) and may be lost for some time.  Not good for the Yotes who are battling for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Thomas Greiss will man the net in the meantime and has decent metrics at 2.38 GAA and a .924 SP. Grab him if you need goaltender help. The Rangers celebrated Lundqvist's franchise record for victories (302) last night at the Garden and after a shaky start, kept the Rangers in the game long enough for the McDonagh theatrics.  It wasn't one of his best games in that he only faced 21 shots on goal, but it he was good when the team needed him.  Congrats Henrik on your record! Peter Budaj got the surprise start against the Boston Bruins last night instead of Carey Price. Budaj stopped 28 of 29 SOG and raised his record against Boston this season to 2-1-0.  Coach had his reasons and it paid off.  Don't worry Price owners.  Carey is still the Number 1 in Montreal! Erik Karlsson continues to show why he is the elite defenseman in the NHL. He helped the Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa bay Lightning last night with a goal and 2 assists.  What else is there to say? An important win in Big D last night as Kari Lehtonen backstopped the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets; especially with Phoenix losing in OT to the Rangers. Lehts stopped 32 of 33 SOG and earned his 27th win on the season. A few more games like that and the Stars will be shining come playoff time. If you throw out that 6-game losing streak in the middle of November, the "rebuilding" Calgary Flames just might be battling for that last playoff spot along with Phoenix and Dallas. Don't expect Calgary to be an easy stop of ...

All 6 games in the NHL last night were decided by one goal, with half of them decided by a shootout and another won in overtime. Playoff season is arriving! Ryan McDonagh was nothing short of fabulous last night as the sleepy Rangers pulled out an important two points against the Phoenix Coyotes. All the emerging defenseman did was add two assists and scored the game-winner in overtime.  With those 3 points, McDonagh eclipsed the 40 point plateau and is obliterating his previous high of 32 a few years back.  At 24 years of age, McDonagh has room to grow still and can be comparable to Chicago's Duncan Keith. Mike Smith has been spectacular in net of late and so has Henrik Lundqvist.  The two elite net minders turned their seasons around after the Olympic break and last night was proof.  Unfortunately, Smith went down to a lower-body injury (LBI) and may be lost for some time.  Not good for the Yotes who are battling for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Thomas Greiss will man the net in the meantime and has decent metrics at 2.38 GAA and a .924 SP. Grab him if you need goaltender help. The Rangers celebrated Lundqvist's franchise record for victories (302) last night at the Garden and after a shaky start, kept the Rangers in the game long enough for the McDonagh theatrics.  It wasn't one of his best games in that he only faced 21 shots on goal, but it he was good when the team needed him.  Congrats Henrik on your record! Peter Budaj got the surprise start against the Boston Bruins last night instead of Carey Price. Budaj stopped 28 of 29 SOG and raised his record against Boston this season to 2-1-0.  Coach had his reasons and it paid off.  Don't worry Price owners.  Carey is still the Number 1 in Montreal! Erik Karlsson continues to show why he is the elite defenseman in the NHL. He helped the Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa bay Lightning last night with a goal and 2 assists.  What else is there to say? An important win in Big D last night as Kari Lehtonen backstopped the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets; especially with Phoenix losing in OT to the Rangers. Lehts stopped 32 of 33 SOG and earned his 27th win on the season. A few more games like that and the Stars will be shining come playoff time. If you throw out that 6-game losing streak in the middle of November, the "rebuilding" Calgary Flames just might be battling for that last playoff spot along with Phoenix and Dallas. Don't expect Calgary to be an easy stop of ...

All 6 games in the NHL last night were decided by one goal, with half of them decided by a shootout and another won in overtime. Playoff season is arriving! Ryan McDonagh was nothing short of fabulous last night as the sleepy Rangers pulled out an important two points against the Phoenix Coyotes. All the emerging defenseman did was add two assists and scored the game-winner in overtime.  With those 3 points, McDonagh eclipsed the 40 point plateau and is obliterating his previous high of 32 a few years back.  At 24 years of age, McDonagh has room to grow still and can be comparable to Chicago's Duncan Keith. Mike Smith has been spectacular in net of late and so has Henrik Lundqvist.  The two elite net minders turned their seasons around after the Olympic break and last night was proof.  Unfortunately, Smith went down to a lower-body injury (LBI) and may be lost for some time.  Not good for the Yotes who are battling for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Thomas Greiss will man the net in the meantime and has decent metrics at 2.38 GAA and a .924 SP. Grab him if you need goaltender help. The Rangers celebrated Lundqvist's franchise record for victories (302) last night at the Garden and after a shaky start, kept the Rangers in the game long enough for the McDonagh theatrics.  It wasn't one of his best games in that he only faced 21 shots on goal, but it he was good when the team needed him.  Congrats Henrik on your record! Peter Budaj got the surprise start against the Boston Bruins last night instead of Carey Price. Budaj stopped 28 of 29 SOG and raised his record against Boston this season to 2-1-0.  Coach had his reasons and it paid off.  Don't worry Price owners.  Carey is still the Number 1 in Montreal! Erik Karlsson continues to show why he is the elite defenseman in the NHL. He helped the Ottawa Senators upset the Tampa bay Lightning last night with a goal and 2 assists.  What else is there to say? An important win in Big D last night as Kari Lehtonen backstopped the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets; especially with Phoenix losing in OT to the Rangers. Lehts stopped 32 of 33 SOG and earned his 27th win on the season. A few more games like that and the Stars will be shining come playoff time. If you throw out that 6-game losing streak in the middle of November, the "rebuilding" Calgary Flames just might be battling for that last playoff spot along with Phoenix and Dallas. Don't expect Calgary to be an easy stop of ...

Keith missed Thursday's game with an illness but will slide back in tonight. Use him as you normally would.

Keith missed Thursday's contest and Saturday's practice because of the flu but is still expected to suit up tomorrow vs. the Jets. This is great news for Keith's fantasy owners who are in need of a late Sunday surge. Monitor his status during the morning skate for confirmation of his return.

Keith has three goals and 43 assists in 52 games this season and is on pace to be a Norris Trophy finalist. Consider Keith day-to-day.

As of 1/6/14: Top Ten Fantasy Defensemen Over the Last 15 days Ryan Suter, Min             7GP--5G--4A--2PPG--1PPA Team USA's best two-way rearguard was just named the third star of the week, leading all NHL defensemen with four goals and six points in three games. His "hat trick" against Washington was the first by a NHL blueliner in over three years. How good has he been? He has only been held off the score sheet once in his last 12 games. Duncan Keith, Chi          7GP--0G--10A--2PPA For those fantasy owners thinking to "sell high" at some point on Keith, think again. Chicago's electrifying d-man leads all NHL defensemen with 42 points, including a staggering 17 points in his last 13 contests. The Norris Trophy front-runner has been an absolute assist machine for the high-octane Blackhawks, and despite his low goal totals, he has been scoring at close to a point-per-game pace all season. Start him with extreme confidence. Kevin Shattenkirk, StL    6GP--2G--4A--2PPG--2PPA With at least a point in 8 of his last 9 games, the prolific blueliner has 6 goals and 31 points in 40 games for the St. Louis Blues. After starting his NHL career with consecutive 43-point seasons, his numbers took a dip in his third year (23 points/48 games). Now in Year 4, typically the "breakout" season for many d-men, Shattenkirk has taken his game to new heights and now looks poised to surpass the 50-point mark for the first time. Brent Seabrook, Chi       7GP--2G--5A--1PPG--1PPA Quite honestly one of Team Canada's biggest snubs for the upcoming Olympic team, this sensational two-way defender has flourished alongside Duncan Keith as Chicago's top pairing and has rung up plenty of points despite secondary power-play time. With 31 points in 45 games, Seabrook stands to set career-highs in point production, but keep in mind that he has only surpassed 40+ points (48/'10-11) once in his eight-year NHL career. I would have pegged him for a decent "sell-high" fantasy option, but maybe being left off the initial Canadian Olympic roster will serve as huge motivation for him to continue his "hot" scoring. Hold onto him. Keith Yandle, Pho           6GP--2G--4A--1PPA  Speaking of Olympic snubs, this slick American defenseman is perennially among the league leaders in d-men scoring. With 28 points in 41 games, Yandle played an extremely spirited game immediately following the bad news of his omission from Team USA, playing over 30 minutes, firing 7 shots on goal and even getting into a few...