The regular season is finally over but not without it's full share of drama on Saturday. Here is a brief recap plus our fantasy thoughts: *The New York Islanders will be heading to the playoffs, but they lose out twice last night. First, their 5-4 home SO loss guaranteed the Washington Capitals home ice advantage for their first round meeting. Second, John Tavares tallied a goal and an assist to widen his NHL point lead to three but Jamie Benn's 4-point effort later in the evening enabled him to capture the Art Ross Trophy and beat out JT 87-86 on the year. We viewed Benn as a point-per-game forward entering the 2015-16 season, but NOBODY saw this coming. Benn blossomed into an elite scorer when Tyler Seguin went down and continued to pour on the points in April, finishing with 13 points in his last five games. So who would take higher in next season's drafts; Tavares and Benn? Am still leaning toward JT but the Seguin/Benn combo could be the most prolific for many years to come. * The Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the playoffs, while the Boston Bruins fail to make it in after finishing with the President's Trophy in 2013-14. Mark Stone's two goals in the 3-1 win over Philadelphia gives him 26 on the season and makes him one to watch as a potential breakout player next year. Those Ottawa young guns on offense could turn some heads in the playoffs and beyond, so keep serious tabs on them... What to make of the Pen's? Don't overrate them in your playoff pools, given that they are likely one and done against the President Rangers.. What to make of the B's? Major changes possibly coming, with the only certainities of fantasy upper-tier status being Dougie Hamilton, Tuukka Rask, and Patrice Bergeron. * There are goaltending questions heading into the playoffs for Detroit and St. Louis, as veterans Jimmy Howard and Brian Elliott could be be usurped by upstarts Petr Mrazek and Jake Allen. Elliott was rock-solid between the pipes in their regular season finale victory over Minnesota while Mrazek blanked the Carolina Hurricanes to maintain their third place finish. Your guess is as good as mine, but am leaning toward the vets starting both of their respective Game 1's. * No time better than the present to predict the NHL's leading point-getter for the upcoming playoffs. Drum roll, please.. Am going with Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues. His team is poised to make serious noise in the post-season, as "Vladdy" returned after a brief ...

Here are a few fantasy thoughts regarding games last night affecting the playoff picture: Plenty of playoff implications during last night's full slate of NHL action, but no news bigger than the reigning Stanley Cup champions LA Kings getting eliminated from playoff contention after losing to Calgary 3-1. On the other hand, the Flames will be reaching the postseason for the first time in six years. Jiri Hudler added to his career-high in points with two goals and an assist, giving him 31 goals and 76 points in 78 games. Speaking of career highs, d-man Dennis Wideman reached 56 points with two assists in the game. From a fantasy perspective, both veterans will still garner considerable fantasy value in 2015-16, but my gut is telling me that both will be way overvalued on Draft Day. I would sell high in keeper leagues for sure if you can get back some decent future draft picks... Crushing defeat for the Boston Bruins in sunny Florida as the Panthers defeat the big bad "B's" 4-2. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov both tallied on the night while Jaromir Jagr chipped in with two assists. You all know how we feel about the potential dynamic duo of Huberdeau/Barkov, but signing Jagr for another season would bolster their chances of putting up huge numbers.. Adding to Boston's woes is that the Ottawa Senators blanked the New York Rangers 3-0 behind Andrew Hammond's 27-save effort and third shutout of the season. Despite the rookie going 19-1-2 with a 1.82 GAA and a .939 SP, I am yet totally sold on him as the "next coming" in the fantasy elite goalie category. Let's see how the off-season goes but I am reluctant to pencil him in as one of my keepers in dynasty leagues.. Is there a hotter goalie than Winnipeg's Ondrej Pavelec? Despite losing 1-0 to Colorado in the shoot-out, the Jets clinch a playoff berth behind the netminder's third straight shutout. After losing his job to rookie Michael Hutchinson early in the season, Pavelec has firmly entrenched himself as a solid no. 1 fantasy goalie option entering the playoffs on the highest of notes. Whether he can replicate his late-season success next season is another story as he has been incredibly inconsistent throughout his career.. Jake Allen is making the starting playoff goalie decision for the St. Louis Blues a very tough one after delivering a huge win over Chicago, wraopping up the division and clinching home-ice advantage over the first two rounds in the playoffs. Allen has allowed four goals over ...

Here are a few fantasy thoughts regarding games last night affecting the playoff picture: Plenty of playoff implications during last night's full slate of NHL action, but no news bigger than the reigning Stanley Cup champions LA Kings getting eliminated from playoff contention after losing to Calgary 3-1. On the other hand, the Flames will be reaching the postseason for the first time in six years. Jiri Hudler added to his career-high in points with two goals and an assist, giving him 31 goals and 76 points in 78 games. Speaking of career highs, d-man Dennis Wideman reached 56 points with two assists in the game. From a fantasy perspective, both veterans will still garner considerable fantasy value in 2015-16, but my gut is telling me that both will be way overvalued on Draft Day. I would sell high in keeper leagues for sure if you can get back some decent future draft picks... Crushing defeat for the Boston Bruins in sunny Florida as the Panthers defeat the big bad "B's" 4-2. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov both tallied on the night while Jaromir Jagr chipped in with two assists. You all know how we feel about the potential dynamic duo of Huberdeau/Barkov, but signing Jagr for another season would bolster their chances of putting up huge numbers.. Adding to Boston's woes is that the Ottawa Senators blanked the New York Rangers 3-0 behind Andrew Hammond's 27-save effort and third shutout of the season. Despite the rookie going 19-1-2 with a 1.82 GAA and a .939 SP, I am yet totally sold on him as the "next coming" in the fantasy elite goalie category. Let's see how the off-season goes but I am reluctant to pencil him in as one of my keepers in dynasty leagues.. Is there a hotter goalie than Winnipeg's Ondrej Pavelec? Despite losing 1-0 to Colorado in the shoot-out, the Jets clinch a playoff berth behind the netminder's third straight shutout. After losing his job to rookie Michael Hutchinson early in the season, Pavelec has firmly entrenched himself as a solid no. 1 fantasy goalie option entering the playoffs on the highest of notes. Whether he can replicate his late-season success next season is another story as he has been incredibly inconsistent throughout his career.. Jake Allen is making the starting playoff goalie decision for the St. Louis Blues a very tough one after delivering a huge win over Chicago, wraopping up the divisuion and clinching home-ice advantage over the first two rounds in the playoffs. Allen has allowed four goals over ...

Toronto and Philly playing spoiler; Caps are in: Plenty of spoiler alerts to go around as the Philadelphia Flyers handed the Pittsburgh Penguins a costly loss, winning 4-1 for their eighth straight time against them. Goalie Steve Mason was a monster in goal, saving 49 of 50 shots. The Penguin's  offense has struggled, but start your key Pens for the final week as all three games will matter and help determine their playoff fate. Evgeni Malkin has returned from injury, so he looks good to go.. Ottawa had a chance to pull within one of the Detroit Red Wings for the last playoff spot with a victory, but could only manage one point in the shootout loss against Toronto. Keep Andrew Hammond in your fantasy crease, as he will likely make all the starts in what amounts to a "win every game" scenario to have a shot for the playoffs. Read today's ADD'EM as we focus on which Ottawa forwards you should consider starting for the final stretch run... Washington clinched a playoff berth after beating the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 and Ottawa losing to the Leafs. Get your key Wings in your fantasy lineups while keep in mind that some key Caps could be rested for a game as they are oficially in the postseason... Jake Allen played a heck of a game as the St. Louis Blues held off Chicago 2-1. Impressive considering no Vladimir Tarasenko or Alex Steen, but fantasy owners need to check their status before considering starting them for the final week. Iffy proposition at best...

Penguins find it hard to win, Senators march closer to a playoff spot, Sabres beat Bruins... Pittsburgh has been finding it hard to come by wins of late as they have lost 4 of their last 5, the latest a 2-0 shutout by Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils.  Playing without two of their offensive stars, the Penguins did put 35 shots on goal but couldn’t manage to put one past Schneider.  Schneider is one of the best NHL goaltenders but hasn’t been getting the support this year.  Perhaps next year will be a huge turnaround for both him and the Devils….. Ottawa came up with a huge win in Carolina by beating the Hurricanes -1 in overtime.  Rookie Mark Stone provided the game-winner while defenseman Erik Karlsson was huge assisting on both Sens goals.  Depending on how the roster shapes up over the summer, Stone may play a bigger part in the Senators offense next season.  The win keeps the pressure on both Boston and Washington in the Eastern Conference for the wild card spot, as Boston lost to Buffalo in the shootout 2-1, so the Sens make up a point.…. Montreal managed to tie the New York Rangers atop the Eastern Conference with a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers, hurting the Cats chances of reaching a playoff position.  It was Dustin Tokarski’s turn in net for the Habs and he didn’t disappoint with a 41-save effort in the victory.  With the way the Panthers have been playing all season long and the amount of young talent they have on board and gaining experience, they should be taken more seriously come draft time in September/October… A huge night for captain Jonathan Toews as his two goals and two assists helped Chicago cruise by the New York Islanders 4-1. Chicago's JT has accelerated his scoring pace since Patrick Kane went down, notching ten points in eight games. For the Isles, their JT has not picked up a point in three games. Don't fret, Tavares owners. He will rebound soon.. Matt Dumba's overtime goal gave the Minnesota Wild the 3-2 win over Nashville as Devan Dubnyk keeps maintaining his lofty perch as the NHL's hottest fantasy goalie. Defenseman Roman Josi continues his breakout season for Nashville with two goals in the losing effort.. Fantasy owners need to pay attention to Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec who picked up another huge win, this time making 38 saves against a sliding Sharks squad. He has started two straight games for the first time in forever. The rookie Michael Hutchinson has faltered late so it might be time for Winnipeg to ...

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..

Ever since his emergence in the 2010 NHL playoffs, teams have been waiting for Jaroslav Halak to return to that level.  In the first round of those playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens were down 3 games to 1 against the Washington Capitals but Halak’s brilliant goaltending propelled the Habs into the second round.  Washington had the best overall record in the NHL and were predicted to go deep into the playoffs, so Halak emerged as the unlikely hero noted for his 53-save performance in Game 6.  That display of talent carried over against the potent Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. The Pens are always dangerous with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at the top of their lineup but Halak stood tall and the Canadiens took the series 4-3 and advanced to face the Philadelphia Flyers where the magical run ended in 5 games. The Slovakian goaltender held a lot of promise and had been given a chance in Montreal but with the uber-talented Carey Price waiting in the wings, it was no surprise when the Canadiens elected to trade Halak to the St. Louis Blues and go with Price.  Halak eventually signed a 4-year deal shortly after free agency started.  Halak’s four seasons in St. Louis were marked with hot and cold periods as he battled with Brian Elliott for playing time.  His term was also marred with injuries so he never could find his consistency.  The blues had to make a decision as Jake Allen was waiting in the wings for playing time. With Elliott having signed a three0year deal, the writing was on the wall for Halak.  They eventually traded him to Buffalo who turned around and dealt him to Washington where they were having goaltending issues.  After his brief stint in Washington, the Caps traded him to the New York Islanders in May of 2014 to not lose him for nothing.  Halak signed a 4-year deal a few weeks after being acquired and the Islanders couldn’t be happier.  His 31 wins already have eclipsed his previous high of 27 set with S. Louis in 2010-2011.  His play has added stability to the Islanders goaltending and should easily reach the 40-win plateau.  Not playing under Ken Hitchcock’s defensive scheme, his metrics of 2.48 GAA and .910 SP are average at best, but he has proven that he can carry a team in the playoffs, which is what the Islanders are banking on.  Keep on riding the hot Islander net minder as this is turning into a career year for the 29-year old. POST MARKS:  WATCH IN AWE—Two young and talented net minders with a bright future ...

Let's start off by giving big-time kudos to Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for posting his 8th shutout of the season in Calgary, surpassing the previous team record of seven set by Tom Barrasso. Say what you want but MAF is fantasy gold during the regular season and a trip away from home could be what cures the previously ailing Penguins. Sidney Crosby and David Perron combined for four points last night, and next in line to click tonight could be Evgeni Malkin and Patrick Hornqvist. You get the sense that their offense is about to get it going.. Ryan Johansen led the offensive barrage for Columbus against a tired St. Louis squad, collecting a goal and two assists in the 7-1 home rout. 48 points in 50 games is about right for the future PPG stud. Love him now and love him more in keeper leagues. Brian Elliott was bombasted in net but don't get cute and write him off. Like I said before, Elliott represents the NOW and Jake Allen the FUTURE for the Blue's goaltending situation. James Wisniewski left the game with a lower-body injury. Damn, this guy would be an elite option on defense every season if not for always dealing with injuries.. You should have known that Jonathan Toews and his Blackhawks would not lose a fourth straight against the Jets this season while playing before his hometown crowd. The captain was held in check but Mr. Patrick Kane supplied all the necessary firepower with a goal and the primary assist on Brandon Saad's overtime goal. Michael Hutchinson played admirably in defeat but he has been saddled with four straight losses and the team overall with six. With all the Evander Kane turmoil and a losing mentality settling in, maybe it's best to avoid the Winnipeg goaltending option altogether until they show signs of turning it around... The rise of Corey Schneider to the elite fantasy ranks is happening right before our eyes as the New Jersey Devils are suddenly hot. After the 4-1 win over Toronto, he has evened out his record at 19-19-5 while owning a 2.30 GAA and a .929 SP. He will be sitting down tonight as Keith Kinkaid will face the unenviable task of playing a Montreal team still fuming from consecutive losses to Arizona and Buffalo... If you need help on defense in deeper formats, take a flier on Jersey's Adam Larsson who collected two assists and now has eight points in his last 12 contests. Huge upside but has yet to take off. Worth a waiver-wire gamble..

First of all, is there a hotter top line in the NHL than Alex Steen-TJ Oshie-David Backes? The trio combined for five points in last night's 3-0 blanking of the Toronto Maple Leafs, improving their point totals to 49 in the last 11 games. Seriously? Proving to all fantasy owners that he is the "real deal" after his breakthrough 2013-14 season, Steen is currently riding point-streaks in goals and points, 5 and 9 respectively... Another shutout for Brian Elliott and another step closer to fantasy elite status. Jake Allen represents the future in the crease for the Blues, but Elliott is clearly the "now". Start him with confidence... Fantasy performer of the night- clearly Tomas Plekanec, who helped roll the Metroplitan Division leading Islanders with a four point effort. A "heart and soul" Hab who can draw some comparison to Boston's Patrice Bergeron mainly because of his superior two-way play, but is no more than a seviceable depth forward option in most fantasy formats. Awesome game nonetheless.. Two more points in a losing cause for John Tavares, giving him five points over the last two games and 13 over the last 10. JT has accelerated the scoring since the beginning of the calendar year, so superstar production seems likely for the second half... Columbus snapped a four-game losing skid with the road win at Boston, but fantasy phenom Ryan Johansen kept a 13-game point streak alive with another goal and an assist. This guy is looking like an early round draft selection come next September as he is downright dynamite... Two great buy-low options to consider at the forward position- Nathan MacKinnon and Jason Spezza. The former was expected to take a huge leap in Year 2 for Colorado, but has fizzled during the first half of the season. However, MacKinnon has shown signs of late including a late 3rd period equalizer last night against the Lightning. The latter continues to plug away as six points over the last eight games is encouraging for his typical second half outburst. Consider this- Spezza centers the second line alongside Erik Cole who is starting to heat up. Plus, he is a mainstay on the top power-play unit with All-World Tyler Seguin and the underrated Jamie Benn. This team will light the lamp plenty in the second half. Love Spezza moving forward... Dubie,Dubie,Dubie-where are you? In Minnesota, that's where! The former Arizona Coyote Devan Dubnyk continues to inject some life into his new team as the goalie led the Wild to a 3-1 win and only has...

As enter the final stanza of an exciting 2014 for the NHL, a few thing things stood out from last night. First, Brian Elliott showed no rust in his first game back from injury in the St. Louis crease. Despite losing the match to Nashville, his 44 saves is a strong indication that he is ready to re-claim his starting spot. With no disrespect intended to future HOFer Martin Brodeur and young Jake Allen, it's been Elliott with the dazzling numbers- 1.90 GAA and .931 SP. He should continue to receive the majority of starts moving forward, but it's probably more like a 60/40 split... Second, the Florida Panthers have become extremely competitive and it all starts in goal with veteran Roberto Luongo. His fantasy value has actually improved since his move from Vancouver, as he has compiled a 14-7-7 record with a 2.31 GAA and a .923 SP on the upstart Florida team. He turned aside 33 of 34 shots in the 2-1 loss to Montreal, but fantasy owners should not shy away from the Sunshine State. Youngsters Nick Bjugstad and Aaron Ekblad continue to improve, indicating bright fantasy futures for both in the years ahead... Shea Weber is again playing like one of the fantasy elite on defense, scoring two huge goals to raise his point total to ten over the last ten games. He was off to a somewhat slow start, but the dominant defender is a lock for top-five fantasy status moving forward... The Edmonton Oilers snapped a nine-game losing streak in the 2-1 win over the Kings, but make no mistake about it- they are still REAL bad. Even superstar Taylor Hall has performed way below fantasy expectations because of the utter debacle going on in the City of Champions. Maybe buy low on Hall and RNH, but the situation does not offer much hope for a huge turnaround in the second half...