Spearheaded by a talented young core and the superb goaltending of Frederik Andersen, the Maple Leafs are turning into a player in the East. Can they make the playoffs?

Frederik Andersen offers a ton of upside tonight against the Flyers. Who else should be on your radar in DFS?

Frederik Andersen is in a great spot tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. Which other NHL players should be on your radar for Wednesday's DFS contests?

SMC 1/15/2017 HEATING UP! Lazing on a cold Sunday morning in January with my hot cup of coffee and lots of hockey to talk about! Hottest teams right now in the coldest part of the season; Washington, Minnesota and Toronto.  Didn’t think TO would be this competitive this quickly. The Matthews Effect! You know, the Islanders can still make a run of this for a playoff spot.  Remember the Ottawa Senators from a few years back?  But it looks almost impossible, but it will be fun to watch if it happens. Boston has played a lot of games and are sitting in a playoff spot right now but…. Patrice Bergeron is starting to put it together with 6 points in last 6 games and 8 in 9.  I hope you followed my advice from a few weeks ago. Philly is spiraling out of playoff position going 2-6-2 in last ten.  This is usually the time of year that the team starts to excel.  Oh well. After that horrific start to the season, Torey Krug is heating up. This Pastrnak kid is having a season, isn’t he? The PrimePucks™ Draft Guide had him for 58 points….might have been a little conservative with that number, but maybe not. Nashville squeaked one out versus Colorado on Saturday afternoon.  Don’t know what that says about either team.  Are the Predators that bad or are the Avalanche improving? I think one can never expect Ryan Johansen to be the beast that we all expected him to be.  He has only had that one good year and that was a year when everyone gave up hope that he would develop into an NHL star. The Rangers and Canadiens showed their explosive offenses in the 5-4 Hab win on Saturday.  I was happy to see Alex Galchenyuk back in the lineup.  He’s hitting his prime! Is the King losing some sparkle on his crown?  Henrik Lundqvist doesn’t seem to have that mystique anymore. Curtis McElhinney won his first start in Toronto after being picked up on waivers the other day.  He turned in a stellar performance with 35 saves and A .946 SP.  I don’t think Frederik Andersen has anything to worry about though. Detroit returned from that 7-game road trip and rocked the Joe beating the tired Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3.  The Pens were playing their fifth game in 8 nights, but the Red Wings will take a boost of confidence being back home. Poor Kris Letang just can’t stay relatively injury-free. Sidney Crosby hasn’t had a goal in 5 games.  What is going on Sid?  Just kidding.  He does have 4 assists in that span. Six different scorers in that PIT-DET game for the Red Wings.  Are the Florida Panthers ...

BTP: CUFFS ARE BACK IN STYLE, HANDCUFFS THAT IS We are just about at the midpoint of the NHL season and most of you poolies know whether you have a decent shot at making your league’s playoffs or securing a top money slot.  Those that are vying for any possible award come season’s end has a legitimate #1 goaltender on their squad or two decent ones.   Going into the second half and down the stretch, you will need to secure those positions in order to stay in contention just in case your # 1 or elite net minder goes down to injury.  PrimePucks™ will be taking a look at what goalkeepers you should have on your bench as a handcuff in case your starter is lost for any period of time. JACOB MARKSTROM – Steve already mentioned how he feels about this once can’t-miss Florida Panther prospect in this week’s ADD’EM, and I am just reiterating that it looks like the talented young goaltender is finally finding his stride in the NHL. Vancouver Canuck starter Ryan Miller has been plagued with injuries lately and it is a good idea to pick up Markstrom off waivers, if still available, because if Mille falters and the Canucks trying o lock in a playoff spot, they may have no choice but to go with Markstrom if he continues his hot play. JOHN GIBSON/FREDERIK ANDERSEN – Heading into the 2015-2016 NHL Season, it sure looked like Andersen had the lock on the #1 role with Gibson being assigned to the AHL and management stating that he was there to get the experience.  Well, a rough start by the Anaheim Ducks and the minor injury to Andersen opened the door for the Ducks to call up Gibson and he is playing like he doesn’t plan on heading back.  Gibson is 8-4-2 with a 1.63 GAA and a .932 SP with 4 shutouts.  It appears he is the #1 goaltender in Anaheim but it is a good idea to grab Andersen if available but young goaltenders do struggle at times. Although Gibson doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.  With the Ducks in a playoff spot now after a horrendous start, look for the team to ride the hot hand. ANDREJ VASILEVSKIY – We all know that Ben Bishop has been stellar in net so far this season for the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 2.06 GAA and a .925 SP but his record is just 15-12-3.  That is more of an indication of the play of the team in front of him, so expect the wins to start piling up now that the team is getting back to healthy.  Vasilevskiy started the season with an injury and has had a rough time getting into NHL game shape but make no mistake of the talent this ...

Look for a BETWEEN THE PIPES article every week on PrimePucks! BTP: KEEPING THE FAITH There is nothing more frustrating than one of the top players you selected in your fantasy pool gets off to a slow start, and that especially holds true if that player is a goaltender.  Top goaltenders are consistent point-getters as they usually get close to 40 wins and have good metrics along with pitching in a few shutouts along the way.  But what happens when your #1 goalkeeper gets off to a slow start? Let’s take a look at a few NHL goaltenders that have done just that; gotten off to a slow start. FREDERIK ANDERSEN: ANAHEIM DUCKS – Everyone’s pick to win not only the Western Conference but the Stanley Cup as well, the Anaheim Ducks have gotten off to such a slow start winning just 1 game in their first 6.  Usually a team’s slow start could be attributed to poor defense or a shaky goaltender.  Well, that is not the case with the Ducks as their #1 goaltender Frederik Andersen has been nothing short of spectacular so far in the early going.  Sporting a 0-2-1 record, Andersen has seen backup Anton Khudobin steal a few starts as the team won their first game with Khudobin in the crease.  However, Andersen has incredible metrics with a 1.56 GAA and a .947 SP.  For those who own the Great Dane net minder, keep him in your starting lineup as the wins will start to come in bunches as the team gets their offense into 2nd gear.  For those who are need of a true number 1 goalie, perhaps this is a good time to grab a starting goalie from a team that is supposed to compete for the Stanley Cup from a disgruntled fantasy owner.  Don’t wait until it’s too late because you know the Ducks will start winning.   SERGEI BOBROVSKY: COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – When you are as high on a team as we are with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the team is supposed to highly competitive, is a huge disappointment that the team gets off to a 0-8-0 start and they fire their head coach after 7 games to start the season.  The team now has to get accustomed to the new head coach and his style while trying to keep themselves relevant and get back into the playoff hunt.  Funny to say that only after 8 games, but the Jackets can’t dig themselves any deeper. IF any team can rebound from such a poor start it is the Columbus Blue Jackets who had to overcome numerous injuries to key players last season and had a tremendous run in the second half only to come up short as they ran out of season. I know Bobrovsky has...

#6 ANAHEIM This team is built for now.  The Ducks were thisclose to making a Stanley Cup Finals appearance only to be outdone by eventual champs, the Chicago Blackhawks, who came back from being down 3 games t0 2.  Their top pairing of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry is as good as any in the NHL so a few tweaks were made to the balance of the team.  Out go Emerson Etem, Matt Beleskey, Kyle Palmieri, rental Tomas Fleischmann, & defenseman Francois Beauchemin, Brought in were Kevin Bieksa to rejoin his good friend Ryan Kesler to solidify their young defense, speedy forwards Carl Hagelin, Chris Stewart and veteran Shawn Horcoff.  Anton Khudobin was brought in to give goalie sensation John Gibson a stint in the AHL to develop his game a little more. Can this be the right formula to get the Ducks back to the Stanley Cup Finals?  GOALIES In just his second NHL season, the Ducks put their faith in Frederik Andersen and the young net minder didn’t disappoint.  His metrics were just about average but that’s all this high-powered team needed to get to the post-season and make a legitimate run for the Cup.  Gibson was supposed to challenge the Great Dane goalkeeper but sustained an injury that left Andersen to man the crease.  The team has decided to let Gibson play a full year in the AHL this season and not rush him thereby signing Khudobin as the backup.  Look for Andersen to post similar numbers as the Ducks again should challenge for best overall record. 2014-2015                      GP      GAA       W        L        OTL       SP Frederik Andersen         57         2.38       35       12         5         .914   DEFENSE When you look at the Ducks defense, you don’t really see that superstar name like Keith, Doughty, or Karlsson but they do manage to play into Boudreau’s system well.  Perhaps this season we will see a true superstar in the making in either Sami Vatanen or Hampus Lindholm. Either of which could have a breakout season.  Cam Fowler and newly acquired Bieksa round out the top 4 with Simon Despres & Clayton Stoner filling in the top 6.  The top 5 d-men possess scoring abilities which makes their defense tough to guard against. FORWARDS Getzlaf & Perry go hand-in-hand like peanut butter and jelly.  Expect more greatness from the duo while young RW Jakob Silfverberg should be taking the next step and surpass Kesler as the third best scoring option on the team.  Hagelin was brought in for his sheer speed and his good hands.  Expect a similar role as ...

* Superstar Evgeni Malkin returned to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing six games, paying immediate fantasy dividends with two assists. Also back was Patrick Hornqvist, which is great news for his fantasy owners. However, the injury to defenseman Kris Letang after a Shane Doan hit does a take bite out of the Pen's power-play and would have an adverse effect on the team's overall scoring over the last two weeks of the regular season. We will update you with info on Letang's status when we get it.. *To put it mildly, Henrik Lundqvist was rusty upon his return to the Ranger's crease the Boston Bruins beat him four times in the 4-2 win. With the B's really needing the W to stay in the playoff hunt, "King Henrik" was in a tough spot after the long layoff but Cam Talbot will be in net Sunday afternoon against Washington. With his starting days numbered for the rest of this campaign, I would expect a great start from Talbot as he looks to go out with a bang.. *Goalie Devan Dubnyk continues to be the NHL's top fantasy surprise of the year, prevailing once again as the Minnesota Wild down the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Thats 35 straight starts and counting for the breakout net minder who has registered 26 wins during this prolific stretch. Mikko Koivu collected two goals and an assist, giving him six points over the last five games. Give him serious starting consideration for the upcoming week.. *There was a Toronto revival at least for one night, as Toronto's top line of Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel-James van Riemsdyk dominated the stat sheet with a combined 10 points. The trio were fantasy duds for much of the season, but maybe, just maybe, this super effort perks them up for the last few games.. *Huge shutout effort by Detroit's Petr Mrazek in the 4-0 win over the Lightning, temporarily delaying their late-season slide but is a change in goal in order for the Wings? With Jimmy Howard struggling mightily, you can expect Mrazek to be starting on Sunday against the Isles. If he wins again, he might be worth starting next week as the Wings should ride the "hot" hand... *Frederik Andersen has taken the Anaheim starting job back from young John Gibson, turning aside 29 saves for his second straight win over tough Eastern conference opponents on the road. Having said that, one bad effort and coach Boudreau can easily turn back to Gibson as his playoff guy, so the Duck's goalie situation is far from settled.. *Tyler Seguin finished with a goal and an assist in the Dallas 4-...

* Superstar Evgeni Malkin returned to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing six games, paying immediate fantasy dividends with two assists. Also back was Patrick Hornqvist, which is great news for his fantasy owners. However, the injury to defenseman Kris Letang after a Shane Doan hit does a take bite out of the Pen's power-play and would have an adverse effect on the team's overall scoring over the last two weeks of the regular season. We will update you with info on Letang's status when we get it.. *To put it mildly, Henrik Lundqvist was rusty upon his return to the Ranger's crease the Boston Bruins beat him four times in the 4-2 win. With the B's really needing the W to stay in the playoff hunt, "King Henrik" was in a tough spot after the long layoff but Cam Talbot will be in net Sunday afternoon against Washington. With his starting days numbered for the rest of this campaign, I would expect a great start from Talbot as he looks to go out with a bang.. *Goalie Devan Dubnyk continues to be the NHL's top fantasy surprise of the year, prevailing once again as the Minnesota Wild down the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Thats 35 straight starts and counting for the breakout net minder who has registered 26 wins during this prolific stretch. Mikko Koivu collected two goals and an assist, giving him six points over the last five games. Give him serious starting consideration for the upcoming week.. *There was a Toronto revival at least for one night, as Toronto's top line of Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel-James van Riemsdyk dominated the stat sheet with a combined 10 points. The trio were fantasy duds for much of the season, but maybe, just maybe, this super effort perks them up for the last few games.. *Huge shutout effort by Detroit's Petr Mrazek in the 4-0 win over the Lightning, temporarily delaying their late-season slide but is a change in goal in order for the Wings? With Jimmy Howard struggling mightily, you can expect Mrazek to be starting on Sunday against the Isles. If he wins again, he might be worth starting next week as the Wings should ride the "hot" hand... *Frederik Andersen has taken the Anaheim starting job back from young John Gibson, turning aside 29 saves for his second straight win over tough Eastern conference opponents on the road. Having said that, one bad effort and coach Boudreau can easily turn back to Gibson as his playoff guy, so the Duck's goalie situation is far from settled.. *Tyler Seguin finished with a goal and an assist in the Dallas 4-...

Bernier gives Devils fire, Lightning ground Red Wings, Ducks paddle on The days are getting longer and he games are getting tighter as the season draws nearer the playoffs.  In last night’s Devils-Sabres game, won by the Devils by a score of 3-1, there wasn’t much to talk about except Steve Bernier’s rise in fantasy value as he has taken over for the departed Jaromir Jagr in terms of production with 2 goals giving him 8 points in 8 March games.  I’d only play him if I were in desperation mode and no other options were available…. It was just three short weeks ago that the Detroit Red Wings were challenging for not only the top spot in the Atlantic division, but also the top spot in the Eastern Conference but March came in like a lion for Detroit as a they have lost 6 of 9 games to fall out of those competitions.  They are still firmly entrenched in a playoff spot and it is better to go through ha slump before the playoffs start so I’m sure the Red Wings will turn things around soon.  Pavel Datsyuk missed his second straight game and was sorely missed as the Red Wings could only muster 1 goal again without their talented Center.  I was a close game until Tampa Bay’s Alex Killorn broke the tie with just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation.  Steven Stamkos added his 40th with an empty-netter to seal the 3-1 victory.  The lightning are still in the race for the Eastern Conference title & President’s Cup trophy…. Anaheim kept their hopes alive for the overall lead in NHL points as they edged the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in overtime as Corey Perry got the game-winner, his 29th.  It was all defense as the Ducks took a 1-0 lead into the third period until a burst of scoring saw the Avs take a 2-1 lead with two goals in a two-minute span before the Ducks tied it less than two minutes after.  Frederik Andersen got the start for Anaheim after John Gibson started the last four.  Look for the rookie Gibson to be in net versus the Rangers on Sunday.