My wife and I will soon be making our Thanksgiving feast for our familly, so I will be somewhat brief in my remarks today. There were 10 games in the NHL last night, and I will highlight what we think were the most important events... Montreal beat the terrible Sabres 3-1, but Canadiens forward David Desharnais had a goal and an assist in the game, and while he has only 6 points on the season he has been reunited with Max Pacioretty and he may suprise you the rest of the year.  He led the team last night with 4:55 minutes of PP time.  He is getting top quality ice time... the Islanders continue to struggle as they lose to Winnipeg 3-2.  If it wasn't for John Tavares I don't know why anyone would go to an Islanders game.  He had a goal and an assist last night and he has 29 points in 25 games.  Elite forward. Andrew Ladd had a goal for the Jets and he has 20 points on the season...Ottawa beat Washington 6-4... and as usual Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson had a big game with 2 assists.  Karlsson has 26 points on the season, and this guy scores like he is a forward.  Ottawa forward Bobby Ryan had 2 goals, and he is having a great year with 24 points, but we would like to highlight Kyle Turris who had an assist for the Senators, and is having a solid season with 21 points. Grab him if you can. Marek the magnificent:  With Pekka Rinne out with an injury the Nashville Predators are relying more and more on young Marek Mazanec in goal, and he has not disappointed. Last night he had a shutout against Columbus with 19 saves.  This kid can play.  He is 5-3 on the year with a 2.01 goals against and a .935 save percentage.  Play him if you can. Boston is a no show:  The Boston Bruins decided decided to celebrate Thanksgiving early, as they did not show up for last night's game against Detroit.  There are games when you realize quickly that one of the teams are taking the game off.  Detroit 6 Boston 1.  With Pavel Datsyuk out, the Wings rely on Henrik Zetterberg for leadership, and he did not disappoint last night with a goal and an assist. He has 30 points on the season, and he is a top fantasy forward.  More interesting is youngster Gustav Nyquist who had a goal and an assist. Nyquist has 4 points in 4 games since being recalled from the minors.  He has a lot of skill, and is a up and comer.  Keep an eye on him. Head of the class:  Big night for Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman as he had 2 goals and an assist in last night's 4-2 victory over Philadelphia.  ...

During last night's game against Boston, Pittsburgh defender Kris Letang was apparently injured during the first period and left the contest, but did eventually return. In most instances, fantasy owners would be holding their breath, considering that Letang is arguably the elite fantasy option on defense these days. Prior to this season, he had accounted for 80 points in 86 games over a two-year span. Only Erik Karlsson of Ottawa stands in his way of being the clear-cut no. 1 offensive defenseman in the NHL. The story reads a bit differently in '13-14, as he has only recorded five points in 16 games. His offensive struggles have been made evident by his current six-game streak with no points and only three points for the entire month of November. His recent shortcomings have prompted Coach Dan Bylsma to promote defenseman Paul Martin to the top power-play, while dropping Letang to the second unit. Martin might be a nice player, but he doesn't possess half the skill of Letang, especially in terms of quarterbacking the power-play. He is more sound defensively and very adept in making the first pass, so the Penguins were electing to play it safe. Now, the word is that Martin sustained a lower-body injury during the overtime period last night, so he will likely miss time. He was having a solid season with 11 points in 23 games, so now the spotlight turns back on Letang. Will he turn it around soon? The answer is absolutely yes. With all of the Penguin's firepower healthy and starting to click, it's only a matter of time before Letang gets his share of points and starts to resemble the nearly point-per-game producer over the last 2 seasons. Parting Shots: Kevin Shattenkirk missed last night's game for St. Louis due to illness. He should be ready to go for their next game, so leave the rising defenseman in your starting lineups. With 16 points in 22 games, "Shats" is a legitimate elite fantasy option on defense.. James Wisniewski of Columbus returned to live action with a "bang", collecting 2 power-play assists. Start him with confidence, as he is off to a super start... Dustin Byfuglien has been erupting lately for Winnipeg, but where has Tobias Enstrom been? The diminutive Finn has been ice-cold with only 2 points in his last 18 games, but he should turn it around soon. Now is the time to "buy low" on him, while his fantasy value is low as possible.... Michael Del Zotto is back playing for the Rangers after being a healthy scratch for multiple games, but ...

After having arrived at the quarter-mark of the '13-14 season, it's time hand out our fantasy awards for defenseman who have made the biggest impact so far- for better or for worse! Remember that there are still close to 60 games to be played, so take our thoughts for what they are worth. Several key defensemen have failed to live up to their normal fantasy hype, while others have come out of nowhere to deliver the goods. Let's take a look at the four winners of our key categories: MOST VALUABLE DEFENSEMAN: Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Here is the bottom line when it comes to Karlsson- since the '10-11 season, the high-flying blueliner has recorded 112 points in 118 games, meaning that he is basically a point-per-game performer at this point in time. Despite struggling to find his form early in the year, Karlsson has recorded 20 points in 20 games overall and leads all NHL d-men in scoring. Considering that the Sen's best forward Jason Spezza has not played up to his lofty expectations and their power-play is ranked in the bottom third of the league at 16.1%, there is still a bit of upside to Karlsson's numbers. He might be able to best his previous career-high of 78 points if things fall in the right place for the underachieving Ottawa squad. Honorable Mention: 1)P.K. Subban, 2)Oliver-Ekman Larsson, 3)Alex Pietrangelo LEAST VALUABLE DEFENSEMAN: Michael Del Zotto, NYR Much more was expected of the talented Del Zotto for this season, especially since offensive-minded Alain Vigneault took over the reins as the new coach for the New York Rangers. The talented 23-year old, oozing with offensive ability, could never live up to his potential under previous coach John Tortorella, frequently finding himself in the "dog house" for his defensive shortcomings. Even a breakout 41-point season in ‘11'12 couldn't prevent MDZ from having his ice-time drastically limited and falling out of favor with the coaching staff. The new coach was supposed to bring the best out of the d-man, but so far, to the dismay of his fantasy owners, there has been more of the same. Through 16 games, he has collected just four points and has barely made an impression on the power-play, recording only one assist. He is slated to be a healthy scratch again tonight against Boston, which does not bode well for his future offensive production in '13-14. He is way too skilled not to get another opportunity to play big minutes, so maybe stashing him on the bench is your best bet. Honorable ...

UPDATE: The Buffalo Sabres have fired Head Coach Ron Rolston and brought back none other than former Sabres coach, Ted Nolan. Along with bringing back Nolan, Buffalo announced that Pat LaFontaine will be joining the franchise as President of Hockey Operations.  I had mentioned a few weeks ago in my Sunday Morning Coffee that coaching changes were needed again in Buffalo. Good luck to the new staff. In last night's contest between two of the "Best In The West", Oliver-Ekman Larsson scored the overtime game-winner for the Phoenix Coyotes in their 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year old is making plenty of fantasy noise in his fourth season, as he looks to be breaking out in a big way. With a goal and an assist, the rising Swede now has 15 points in 19 games, "knocking on the door" of the fantasy elite defenseman in the NHL. Last season, he scored at a .50 point-per-game clip with 24 points in 48 games, but he seems to have taken his game to a higher level in the early stages of the '13-14 season so far. His rise to stardom looks eerily similar to the path taken by fellow countryman Erik Karlsson, who wasn't exactly surrounded by elite starpower either. Forget about the fact that Ekman-Larsson plays for a presumed defensive-minded team, the Coyotes actually resemble a very competent offensive squad this year, so look for him to make a strong push for top-five defensemen scoring honors. Anyone Better Than "AO"? Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin ended the game in grand style, scoring the OT game-winner in Washington's come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Columbus. With Steven Stamkos out indefinitely after breaking his tibia, "Ovie" should coast toward winning the Maurice Richard Trophy for most goals in the season. He has replicated his '13 Hart Trophy form so far, collecting 14 goals and 24 points in 17 games. With the possible exception of Sidney Crosby, he is the elite fantasy forward to own. Anderson Or Lehner? Despite Robin Lehner leading the Ottawa Senators to four straight wins and capturing Player Of The Week honors, Craig Anderson was back in the net to face the Philadelphia Flyers. The results were less favorable to say the least, as he gave up 5 goals on 31 shots in the 5-0 blowout loss. Anderson is 4-5-0 on the season with a 3.30 GAA and .906 SP. Meanwhile, Lehner posted a 3-0 record last week with a 1.33 GAA and .958 SP. The youngster has allowed two or fewer goals in six of eight starts, so he has been the far better option in goal ...

UPDATE: The Buffalo Sabres have fired Head Coach Ron Rolston and brought back none other than former Sabres coach, Ted Nolan. Along with bringing back Nolan, Buffalo announced that Pat LaFontaine will be joining the franchise as President of Hockey Operations.  I had mentioned a few weeks ago in my Sunday Morning Coffee that coaching changes were needed again in Buffalo. Good luck to the new staff. In last night's contest between two of the "Best In The West", Oliver-Ekman Larsson scored the overtime game-winner for the Phoenix Coyotes in their 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year old is making plenty of fantasy noise in his fourth season, as he looks to be breaking out in a big way. With a goal and an assist, the rising Swede now has 15 points in 19 games, "knocking on the door" of the fantasy elite defenseman in the NHL. Last season, he scored at a .50 point-per-game clip with 24 points in 48 games, but he seems to have taken his game to a higher level in the early stages of the '13-14 season so far. His rise to stardom looks eerily similar to the path taken by fellow countryman Erik Karlsson, who wasn't exactly surrounded by elite starpower either. Forget about the fact that Ekman-Larsson plays for a presumed defensive-minded team, the Coyotes actually resemble a very competent offensive squad this year, so look for him to make a strong push for top-five defensemen scoring honors. Anyone Better Than "AO"? Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin ended the game in grand style, scoring the OT game-winner in Washington's come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Columbus. With Steven Stamkos out indefinitely after breaking his tibia, "Ovie" should coast toward winning the Maurice Richard Trophy for most goals in the season. He has replicated his '13 Hart Trophy form so far, collecting 14 goals and 24 points in 17 games. With the possible exception of Sidney Crosby, he is the elite fantasy forward to own. Anderson Or Lehner? Despite Robin Lehner leading the Ottawa Senators to four straight wins and capturing Player Of The Week honors, Craig Anderson was back in the net to face the Philadelphia Flyers. The results were less favorable to say the least, as he gave up 5 goals on 31 shots in the 5-0 blowout loss. Anderson is 4-5-0 on the season with a 3.30 GAA and .906 SP. Meanwhile, Lehner posted a 3-0 record last week with a 1.33 GAA and .958 SP. The youngster has allowed two or fewer goals in six of eight starts, so he has been the far better option in goal ...

In last night's contest between two of the "Best In The West", Oliver-Ekman Larsson scored the overtime game-winner for the Phoenix Coyotes in their 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year old is making plenty of fantasy noise in his fourth season, as he looks to be breaking out in a big way. With a goal and an assist, the rising Swede now has 15 points in 19 games, "knocking on the door" of the fantasy elite defenseman in the NHL. Last season, he scored at a .50 point-per-game clip with 24 points in 48 games, but he seems to have taken his game to a higher level in the early stages of the '13-14 season so far. His rise to stardom looks eerily similar to the path taken by fellow countryman Erik Karlsson, who wasn't exactly surrounded by elite starpower either. Forget about the fact that Ekman-Larsson plays for a presumed defensive-minded team, the Coyotes actually resemble a very competent offensive squad this year, so look for him to make a strong push for top-five defensemen scoring honors. Anyone Better Than "AO"? Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin ended the game in grand style, scoring the OT game-winner in Washington's come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Columbus. With Steven Stamkos out indefinitely after breaking his tibia, "Ovie" should coast toward winning the Maurice Richard Trophy for most goals in the season. He has replicated his '13 Hart Trophy form so far, collecting 14 goals and 24 points in 17 games. With the possible exception of Sidney Crosby, he is the elite fantasy forward to own. Anderson Or Lehner? Despite Robin Lehner leading the Ottawa Senators to four straight wins and capturing Player Of The Week honors, Craig Anderson was back in the net to face the Philadelphia Flyers. The results were less favorable to say the least, as he gave up 5 goals on 31 shots in the 5-0 blowout loss. Anderson is 4-5-0 on the season with a 3.30 GAA and .906 SP. Meanwhile, Lehner posted a 3-0 record last week with a 1.33 GAA and .958 SP. The youngster has allowed two or fewer goals in six of eight starts, so he has been the far better option in goal for the Sens thus far. Anderson owners need to snag Lehner ASAP if he is still available, because he will make a strong play for the permanent starting job very soon- if not already. More Fantasy Game Notes: Ryan Miller was a world-beater in the crease last night for the Buffalo Sabres, turning away 43 of 45 shots in the Sabres 3-2 SO win over the Los Angeles Kings. Man, when he eventually gets traded...

Another busy night in the NHL as there were 9 games played. A suprising number of them went either to overtime or the shootout, six out of the nine.  It shows how difficult it is to win in the league this day.  Dallas suprised the Bruins with a 3-2 win in a shootout.  Stars left wing Jamie Benn had a goal for the Stars and he has a 5-9-14 record on the year in 15 games played. We view Benn as a point per game player.  Boston defenseman Torey Krug had a goal, and he has 5 goals and 8 points on the season. Krug played 4:35 minutes last night on the power play for Boston, so they love him there.  Pick him up if you can.  Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen was strong in net for Dallas with 34 saves. Now that he is healthy again he is a solid goalie pick...The Capitals are beginning to heat up again like they did last year.  Right wing Alexander Ovechkin returned from missing several games with 2 PP goals and an assist. Get him right back into your lineup. Capitals center Niklas Backstrom had a big night with 3 assists. Backstrom has 19 points on the season in 15 games.  I wish he had scored like this last year when I owned him.  Center Marcus Johansson scored his first goal of the season for Washington, but he does have 11 points this year. He is a good pickup if available in your pool.  New York forwards Kyle Okposo and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist, and Okposo is finally having a breakout year with 19 points and a plus 7. Karlsson the king: In one of the games that were not close Ottawa beat the tumbling Blue Jackets 4-1. Senators' defenseman Erik Karlsson had 2 goals and he is scoring like a forward with 17 points in 15 games. Karlsson is the best fantasy defenseman in the NHL.  Ottawa center Jason Spezza had 2 assists, and as long as he stays healthy he is an elite fantasy forward. He has 16 points in 14 games this year. The interesting player for Ottawa is young forward Kyle Turris. Turris is quietly having a solid season with 15 points in 15 games.  While he has only 2 goals scored, he is quietly racking up assists.  Get him if you can. Steen is still a dream: St. Louis beat Montreal 3-2 in a shootout last night. Blues forward Alexander Steen scored a goal again. He has 13 goals in 13 games played, and 19 points.  It is hard to believe that he will keep this pace going.  St. Louis forward Chris Stewart had a goal and he seems to be waking up a bit. He did have 64 points one season a few years ago.  He has only 5 points on the season, but he ...

Another busy night in the NHL as there were 9 games played. A suprising number of them went either to overtime or the shootout, six out of the nine.  It shows how difficult it is to win in the league this day.  Dallas suprised the Bruins with a 3-2 win in a shootout.  Stars left wing Jamie Benn had a goal for the Stars and he has a 5-9-14 record on the year in 15 games played. We view Benn as a point per game player.  Boston defenseman Torey Krug had a goal, and he has 5 goals and 8 points on the season. Krug played 4:35 minutes last night on the power play for Boston, so they love him there.  Pick him up if you can.  Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen was strong in net for Dallas with 34 saves. Now that he is healthy again he is a solid goalie pick...The Capitals are beginning to heat up again like they did last year.  Right wing Alexander Ovechkin returned from missing several games with 2 PP goals and an assist. Get him right back into your lineup. Capitals center Niklas Backstrom had a big night with 3 assists. Backstrom has 19 points on the season in 15 games.  I wish he had scored like this last year when I owned him.  Center Marcus Johansson scored his first goal of the season for Washington, but he does have 11 points this year. He is a good pickup if available in your pool.  New York forwards Kyle Okposo and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist, and Okposo is finally having a breakout year with 19 points and a plus 7. Karlsson the king: In one of the games that were not close Ottawa beat the tumbling Blue Jackets 4-1. Senators' defenseman Erik Karlsson had 2 goals and he is scoring like a forward with 17 points in 15 games. Karlsson is the best fantasy defenseman in the NHL.  Ottawa center Jason Spezza had 2 assists, and as long as he stays healthy he is an elite fantasy forward. He has 16 points in 14 games this year. The interesting player for Ottawa is young forward Kyle Turris. Turris is quietly having a solid season with 15 points in 15 games.  While he has only 2 goals scored, he is quietly racking up assists.  Get him if you can. Steen is still a dream: St. Louis beat Montreal 3-2 in a shootout last night. Blues forward Alexander Steen scored a goal again. He has 13 goals in 13 games played, and 19 points.  It is hard to believe that he will keep this pace going.  St. Louis forward Chris Stewart had a goal and he seems to be waking up a bit. He did have 64 points one season a few years ago.  He has only 5 points on the season, but he ...

Every first Tuesday of the month, my column will give the top ten fantasy performers on defense over the last 15 days; a valuable tool in assessing who needs to be in your starting line-ups pronto. Many unassuming fantasy owners are inclined to just focus on overall point production when making personnel decisions, which is never an accurate measure of how well the player is performing. However, it's imperative to have the ability to distinguish between who will continue to provide consistent scoring and who will "fizzle out". FANTASY TOP DEFENSEMEN- LAST 15 DAYS Keith Yandle     1G--8A--1PPG--5PPAErik Karlsson     2G--7A--3PPAOliver-Ekman Larsson     1G--5A--1PPG--3PPA--1GWGAlex Pietrangelo     4G--2A--2PPG--1PPADuncan Keith     6A--4PPAKris Russell     2G--4A--1GWGKris Letang     2G--1A--2PPG--1PPA--1GWGJames Wisniewski     1G--5A--2PPATorey Krug     3G--1A--2PPG--1PPADennis Wideman     6APlayer Notes: Erik Karlsson's fantasy edge is in full effect now that he looks fully recovered from his near season-ending injury in ‘13. The Ottawa Senator has collected 7 pts. in the last 4 games, raising his season totals to 15 in 14 games. He remains the elite fantasy defenseman to own, considering he has the ability to score at a point per game pace and, maybe for the exception of Kris Letang on Pittsburgh, clearly rises above the rest of the league....We are finally seeing the real version of Alex Pietrangelo, who is one of the better fantasy blue liners but who didn't play up to his potential for the Blues in last year's lockout-shortened season. A quick start this year, where he registered 12 points in 12 games, should assure him the likelihood of reaching 50 for the first time in his brief NHL career....26-year old Kris Russell of the Calgary Flames has been red hot as he has gobbled up all the minutes that were reserved for Captain Mark Giordano. With five points in the last four games, he should be starting in many fantasy formats as he is currently capitalizing on the opportunity, but expect a huge drop off at some point. T.J. Brodie will remain on his heels for power-play time....The question remains whether Boston's playoff sensation from last season's Stanley Cup run, Torey Krug, can be a consistent source of point production for fantasy owners. The answer is yes, as long as he's providing a spark on the top power play unit which has been ailing the last few years....Welcome back to the Top 10 James Wisniewski! Injuries have held him back since he ...

The New York Isles acquired Thomas Vanek from Buffalo in exchange for Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014, and a second-round pick in 2015. From a fantasy perspective, the big winner is Vanek, who is a two-time 40-goal scorer, but has lacked overall consistency in point production mainly because of never playing with a star center. Sure, Derek Roy had a few good seasons, but the opportunity to line up with John Tavares can transform him into a 50-goal sniper. If he and JT can find some chemistry, both of their fantasy values can rise to elite levels. It may take some time, but JT is finally getting the help he needs to potentially get to 100-point territory. It could happen this season or next. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the big fantasy loser is undoubtedly Matt Moulson. The perfect example of a star by association, he has scored over 30 goals in the last three full seasons, but the question remains whether he can accomplish that scoring feat without JT. His fantasy value will take a massive hit as he moves to a Buffalo team devoid of any starpower. He figures to get top minutes, but his point production will be adversely affected by his less offensive surroundings. Fantasy Game Notes: The two fantasy stars of the evening were backup goaltenders Richard Bachman of Edmonton (47 saves in 2-1 SO loss in LA) and Alex Stalock of San Jose (38 saves in 5-2 win in Ottawa). Maybe Bachman will get a few more starts considering the anemic state of goaltending for the struggling Oilers.. Ottawa's Erik Karlsson is back to elite fantasy mode, collecting a goal and an assist, raising his season totals to ten points in 11 games.. Corey Perry scored the game-winner and added an assist for the Anaheim Ducks in the 4-3 road win over Columbus. With 13 points in 12 games, the streaky forward is off to a much better start than last season, making a run at 80+ points way more likely. Start him with confidence.