Nikolaj Ehlers F, Winnipeg- The "Great Dane" is off to a quick start in his NHL career playing on Winnipeg's second line, collecting 3 points in 5 games. The youngster is a solid sleeper pick who could continue paying fantasy dividends given his top six status. Just beware of the rookie wall, but the elite ones often avoid hitting it. Could Nikolaj be one of them ?    Max Domi/Anthony Duclair F, Arizona- The young guns have taken hold of the offense early in Arizona as Max and Anthony are making the Coyote offense look much less putrid as expected. The duo have combined for 10 points over the first 5 games, making them very intriguing sleeper picks to consider. They hold more value in dynasty league formats but they could have 40-50 point upside this season.    Ales Hemsky F,  Dallas-Before you get too excited with the winger's point streak to start the season- 6 points in 5 games-, he is currently getting third line minutes and not getting big power-play time. However, Hemsky has the talent to be productive in the short term. It's a matter of time before injuries and inconsistencies start to creep up in his game.    Francois Beauchemin D, Colorado-Being partnered with Erik Johnson has done wonders early on for this vet's fantasy value as he has collected five assists in four games. With Tyson Barrie set to miss 3 games, expect Beauchemin to keep contributing for a little while longer. But make no mistake about it- his scoring will come to a screeching halt at some point soon.    Mike Smith G, Arizona- For those who were ready to proclaim Smith a fantasy stud as a scorching start, reality has already begun to set in. He has allowed 8 goals over the last two as he even he can't overcome a porous Arizona defense. With the offense coming mostly from up and coming youth, wins could be hard to come by. Having said that, Smith looks focused and could serve well as a goalie depth option in most fantasy formats. 

As we appreciate all that the holidays give us during this time of year, several highly regarded fantasy gifts have yet to reap dividends for their frustrated owners. There is one or two ways to move forward:1. label them as a "bust" and cut bait, or 2. buy low or hold on with the hope that their value will appreciate during the second half. A trendy sleeper pick in the late rounds was the late blooming Andrej Sekera who is coming off a monstrous breakout season for Carolina with 44 points. Off to a horrific first half with a paltry 14 points in 34 games, the 28-year old has benefitted of late due to John Michael Liles missing much time due to injury. Sekera has been getting top power-play minutes and could have a decent January if he maintains his top spot. My feeling is that the new coach will ride the "hot hand" on the primary power-play unit, so the skilled defender should be motivated to make his mark. Also of note, that Ryan Murphy has been recalled to the big team after excelling in the AHL with 17 points in 23 games. With Justin Faulk also in the picture, I would not rely on Sekera for more than a short-term boost to your fantasy blueline. A can't-miss blue chipper like Niklas Kronwall was drafted way before Sekera in all fantasy formats and has put up decent numbers(21 pts in 37 gms), but has been fading fast in December. After posting back to back 8-point months to start the season, Detroit's top blueliner saw his offensive production stall along with the whole team as he collected two points in his first 11 December games. However, three points in his last two games is an encouraging sign as a strong second half is on the horizon. I would absolutely try to snag the blueliner via a trade, as he will go a tear very soon. With three points in his last 12 games, Colorado's Tyson Barrie has seen his production taper greatly after an explosive first few months. Even though Erik Johnson does get his share of points, Barrie is their main offensive weapon on the blueline and should bust out of his funk soon. The Avalanche forwards have taken many nights off in the early going, but would you be shocked if McKinnon and Duchene lead a power surge over the second half? Barrie would be a huge beneficiary of a scoring revival in Colorado so hold onto him tightly. He has a legit shot at the 50-point mark. Parting Shot: With all the talk that Oliver-Ekman Larsson is not performing on an elite fantasy level, he has had the knack for scoring clutch goals this ...

Tonight's Rangers-Avalanche tilt at MSG should mark the return of defenseman Dan Boyle from his hand injury, providing a further boost for his fantasy owners. With a limited sample size of one game played as a New York Ranger, there is a bit of uncertainty on what offensive production to expect onward from the talented 38-year old. Putting aside his recent injuries, Boyle has been one of the NHL's elite fantasy defenders when healthy. His primary responsibility will be to revitalize a 21st ranked power-play clicking at an anemic rate of 14.3%. The Blueshirts were marginally better last season, ranking 15th at 18% but it's obvious why the former All-Star was brought on board. Their deficiencies with the man-advantage have been magnified by the absence of Ryan McDonagh, but he will be leaned on heavily to be a dominant scoring presence on the blue-line. Looking at his past scoring pedigree, Boyle has piled up big numbers in the past while playing with San Jose and Tampa Bay. Even though his offensive production has somewhat diminshed over the last two seasons, he has collected at least 50 points six times during his prolific career. More importantly, his status as a premier power-play quarterback still borders on elite, as he regularly puts up 20+ PP points year-in, year-out. With the need for coach Alain Vigneault to jump-start the power-play, you can expect Boyle to log huge minutes while playing with an above-average forward group, including the "hot" Rick Nash. My concerns would not have anything to do with point-production, rather with his ability to stay on the ice long enough to be fantasy worthy. If everything goes well tonight, Boyle owners could be significantly upgrading their defensive rosters for the next upcoming scoring period. Parting Shots: Cam Fowler returned for Anaheim after missing one game, scoring a goal and playing over 23:00 minutes. His fantasy value has taken a dip due to the emerence of Sami Vatanen, but he is still worthy of starting in most fantasy formats.. Keep your eye on Justin Faulk, as the 22-year old is in full "breakout" mode for Carolina.. Mark Giordano has taken the fantasy world by "storm", but young TJ Brodie continues to rack up impressive numbers for Calgary with 14 points in 17 games. 40+ points should be a lock.. Veteran Marek Zidlicky has been playing fantastic of late, collecting five points over the last six games for New Jersey. His recent streak has taken off some of the luster of rookie Damon Severson's ...

Johnson left Sunday's game in the third period and did not return, but he was on the ice on Monday and will be in the lineup on Tuesday. This is good news for the Avalanche as their captain is showing no ill-effects of the injury he sustained last night. He has one goal and two assists in nine games this season.

In his return after a brief conditioning stint in the AHL, Anaheim G John Gibson had an easy go of it against the Columbus Blue Jackets, turning aside 16 of 17 SOG for his first win of the season. With the stellar play of Frederik Andersen so far this year, it looks like Gibson will get spot starts unless Andersen begins to falter. Everything looks to be in Andersen's favor, but one never knows how quickly the hand of fate delivers.  Corey Perry continues his torrid start with a goal and an assist but if somehow D Sami Vatanen is still available in your league, snatch him up ASAP as he had a goal and an assist, both on the power play. Cam Fowler seems to be the forgotten offensive d-man in Anaheim although he did also notch an assist on the power play and now has 5 points in 8 games... Edmonton rattled off their third win in a row as they blasted the Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 at Rexall Place. It appears there is no fantasy-worthy options in Carolina but as the top talent returns to the lineup, the production should improve.  Jeff Skinner broke the ice in his third game back since opening the season on the injury list, so look for his numbers and the rest of the Canes to get quite better as C Eric Staal is close to returning as well. Without either of those in the lineup, the Canes have been horrible as they have gone winless.  Some good "buy-low" options in Carolina.... Speaking of being lost, Edmonton's Jordan Eberle broke out in a big way last night with 2 goals and an assist, the first goal a thing of beauty as he and Tayler Hall had a nice give-and-go to break Eberle free. Those who were a bit disgruntled can breathe a sigh of relief as Eberle should be a big part of that Oil offense.... You knew sooner or later that the Colorado Avalanche offense was going to break out as they scored 7 goals against the visiting Vancouver Canucks. The return of starter Semyon Varlamov didn't hurt either as the team seemed to play much better with their no. 1 back in the crease. Matt Duchene (G, 2A), Jarome Iginla (2G, A) and Tyson Barrie (3A) all had a 3-point night while Erik Johnson had a goal and an assist. Perhaps the Colorado Rocky air was just the right elixir.  Put your Avs back in the lineup pronto.  Take me home country roads.... The talent of the Tampa Bay Lightning, especially starter Ben Bishop (40/42 SVS), was just too much for the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Pavelec was chased after giving up 4 through 2 periods and his numbers are clearly not what the team ...

Trades galores during the time leading up to the 2014 NHL Entry Draft with plenty of fantasy implications, so let's Vancouver traded away arguably the most overhyped fantasy d-man in Jason Garrison as part of a package deal to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the 2014 50th overall pick. All in all, great pickup for the Bolts' but the man with the big shot should not be expected to be a huge fantasy upgrade over Matt Carle and obviously not on the same level as rising star Victor Hedman. He matched a career high of 33 points last season, so we see him again in the 30-35 pt. range provided he stays healthy."Heart and Soul" guy Ryan Kesler has many intangibles to his game, but the oft-injured center has plenty of offensive punch. His trade to Anaheim fetched Nick Bonino, Luca Sbisa, 24th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and a 3rd round selection for the Vancouver Canucks. Finally, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will have another scoring trio that can take some offensive pressure off them, as Kesler should be the second-line center. Expect him to possibly replace Bonino on the top power-play unit, further enhancing his fantasy value. Only three full seasons removed from back-to-back 70+ point campaigns and 40 goals in 10-11', Kesler should be viewed as a solid fantasy rebound candidate in 14-15'. Recent injury woes could keep him from being drafted too high, which could work in your favor if he is still laying around in the middle rounds of your drafts.Big trade out of Pittsburgh, as new GM Jim Rutherford moved former 40-goal scorer James Neal to Nashville for Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling. From a fantasy perspective, Neal takes a huge hit in fantasy value as he just wnt from playing with either Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby to either Colin Wilson or Mike Fisher. Geez! Not known for creating his own offense, Neal will have a tough time getting back to point-per-game scoring status. On the other hand, Hornqvist has done a nice job scoring for the Preds despite the lack of high-end talent around him, recording goal totals of 30 and 27 over the last three seasons. He should be more consistent playing with elite forwards in Pittsburgh, so 30-35 goals should be a lock with 40-goal upside if he can stay in the top six. Intriguing fantasy upside with Hornqvist, so keep him on your radar.As expected, defenseman Aaron Ekblad was drafted first by the Florida Panthers making him the first d-man taken with the first overall pick since Erik Johnson ...

Marian Gaborik continues to built a strong rapport with star center Anze Kopitar, scoring two goals and an assist in the Los Angeles King's 3-0 win over Edmonton. The oft-injured winger, who has been inconsistent at best during his previous stints in New York and Columbus, has found his new home more enjoyable as he has piled up 15 points in 15 games as a King. Currently on a 3-game point streak, Gaborik has points in 8 of last 9 games and should continue his strong offensive push in the playoffs. I had my doubts if "Gabby" can rekindle his past magic while playing for the defensive-minded Darryl Sutter, but his sublime chemistry with Kopitar seems way more than just a temporary set-up. If he does sign with the Kings long-term during the summer, expect close to 70-75 point production with 30+goal potential year-in, year-out. As a Gaborik fantasy owner, I am liking this fit.. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne has endured his share of "ups and downs" this season while battling a hip injury, but his fantasy owners are definitely reaping the rewards now. Better late than never, Rinne posted a 29-save shutout over playoff hopeful Phoenix and now has 3 straight wins where he allowed just five goals over that span. His injury has kept him to starting just 23 games, but his recent string of quality outings is more of a sneak preview of what is to come for him and his fantasy owners in '14-15. He should be back to top-five goalie status, so draft him accordingly. What about Tyson Barrie in Colorado? The word is out that the 21-year old defenseman has arrived as an reliable fantasy option, scoring the game-winning goal in the Avalanche's 4-2 victory over Vancouver. With 38 points in 63 games, Barrie has began to realize his vast offensive potential under new coach Patrick Roy, a trend which should continue next season and beyond. We all love to ride the Erik Johnson bandwagon every so often, but this kid is going to be the undispute power-play quarterback of the future for Colorado. Considering all that young firepower in their forward ranks, Barrie should be a lock for 45+ points next season, so dont let him slip too far in your drafts. I love this guy.. So much for Semyon Varlamov buckling to the pressure of playing for a goalie "god" in Patrick Roy, as the Colorado back-stopper has delivered a season for the "ages" with a 41-14-6 record, 2.41 GAA and a .927 SP. Remarkably consistent at home and away throughout the year, the enigmatic Varlamov has emerged as an ...

Marian Gaborik continues to built a strong rapport with star center Anze Kopitar, scoring two goals and an assist in the Los Angeles King's 3-0 win over Edmonton. The oft-injured winger, who has been inconsistent at best during his previous stints in New York and Columbus, has found his new home more enjoyable as he has piled up 15 points in 15 games as a King. Currently on a 3-game point streak, Gaborik has points in 8 of last 9 games and should continue his strong offensive push in the playoffs. I had my doubts if "Gabby" can rekindle his past magic while playing for the defensive-minded Darryl Sutter, but his sublime chemistry with Kopitar seems way more than just a temporary set-up. If he does sign with the Kings long-term during the summer, expect close to 70-75 point production with 30+goal potential year-in, year-out. As a Gaborik fantasy owner, I am liking this fit.. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne has endured his share of "ups and downs" this season while battling a hip injury, but his fantasy owners are definitely reaping the rewards now. Better late than never, Rinne posted a 29-save shutout over playoff hopeful Phoenix and now has 3 straight wins where he allowed just five goals over that span. His injury has kept him to starting just 23 games, but his recent string of quality outings is more of a sneak preview of what is to come for him and his fantasy owners in '14-15. He should be back to top-five goalie status, so draft him accordingly. What about Tyson Barrie in Colorado? The word is out that the 21-year old defenseman has arrived as an reliable fantasy option, scoring the game-winning goal in the Avalanche's 4-2 victory over Vancouver. With 38 points in 63 games, Barrie has began to realize his vast offensive potential under new coach Patrick Roy, a trend which should continue next season and beyond. We all love to ride the Erik Johnson bandwagon every so often, but this kid is going to be the undispute power-play quarterback of the future for Colorado. Considering all that young firepower in their forward ranks, Barrie should be a lock for 45+ points next season, so dont let him slip too far in your drafts. I love this guy.. So much for Semyon Varlamov buckling to the pressure of playing for a goalie "god" in Patrick Roy, as the Colorado back-stopper has delivered a season for the "ages" with a 41-14-6 record, 2.41 GAA and a .927 SP. Remarkably consistent at home and away throughout the year, the enigmatic Varlamov has emerged as an ...

Johnson missed the game-day skate this morning and will be a game-time decision for the Avalanche tonight. Johnson has really picked up his play as of late, so his absence would be greatly felt on the Avs' blueline. Nate Guenin would slide into the lineup if Johnson is unable to go.

Johnson has finished serving his two-game suspension he recieved for his slash on Frans Nielsen before the Olympic break. Johnson has seven goals and 17 assists (24 points) in 58 games this season.