SMC 2/9/2020 First off, I’d like to apologize for not writing in so long.  But now that the holidays are past us as, well as the All-Star break, it’s time to get back on the horse so to speak. Now is the time for you to evaluate your fantasy team and either make a run for the championship or build for next year if you are involved in any type of dynasty league. First half slumping veterans are a good play in the second half after the All-Star break as they know the importance of these games for their playoff contending teams.  Players such as Blake Wheeler, Taylor Hall, Jakub Voracek, Ilya Kovalchuk ( I can’t believe I said his name here!), Jamie Benn etc.  Trading away potential prospects and mid-round picks may be worth it if your team has a legitimate chance. On the other side of the coin is to trade those same players mentioned above for high-level, near-NHL-ready prospects and high draft picks returns as you build for next year and beyond. I recently made trades for Sebastian Aho, Blake Wheeler, Jakub Voracek, Steven Stamkos a few weeks back but had to give up a lot for Stammer. Starting to pay dividends! Patrik Laine with his 8th NHL hat trick last night.  He was an assist machine early this season but the goals are coming now! NY Rangers blew their slim playoff hopes with that regulation loss to a reeling Buffalo Sabres team on home ice the other night.  Let the rebuild continue. How about those Montreal Canadiens making a push for playoff significance? Can Ilya lead them to the promised land? Elvis is in the building! Elvis is in every building lately with his 5 shutouts in last 9 games. Shades of Patrick “the Dream” Lalime and Brian Boucher’s string of 5 consecutive shutouts. He's already known on a first-name basis! The LA Kings are really bad.  The LA Suc-Kings!  Sorry, just making a joke.  I’m sure they will turn that team around in the next year or two. I think the SJ Sharks are waking up just a tad too late. I cannot believe how the Minnesota Wild have turned their season around after that horrendous start and making themselves playoff contenders. Arizona needs Darcy Kuemper back in net and quick if they want to stay in the playoff picture. Adin Hill is not he answer and Antti Raanta got hurt yet again the other night. Are the NJ Devils sabotaging their chances of another 1st overall pick with Mackenzie Blackwood posting consecutive shutouts and winning 3 of past 6 games? Nick Suzuki scoring with more consistency over the past 7 games. ...

Jakub Voracek has an appealing price-tag tonight taking on the Penguins. Who else should you target in your DFS contests?

Sean Couturier and linemate Jakub Voracek have a favorable matchup tonight against the Capitals. Who else should you stack in NHL DFS on this three-game slate?

Jakub Voracek has big upside in a great spot against the Rangers. Who else should be on your fantasy radar tonight?

Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek make for a great stack in tournaments tonight.

Jakub Voracek has both a high floor and great upside tonight against Colorado. Who else should you target in DFS?

Jakub Voracek is in a great spot in what should be an uptempo game against the Maple Leafs. Who else should be on your DFS radar?

Jakub Voracek is in a great spot tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. Which other players should you target for NHL DFS?

PHILADELPHIA It was hard to believe that the Philadelphia Flyers did not make the playoffs last season after the incredible season Jakub Voracek enjoyed amassing 81 points in a career year.  And you couldn’t place blame on goaltender Steve Mason who enjoyed one of his better overall seasons in bet with a 2.25 GAA and A .928 SP, which were actually better than his rookie season in Columbus when he was nominated for the Vezina trophy eventually awarded to Tim Thomas.  Part of the blame could be on Claude Giroux who had just a so-so season with 71 points.  Giroux needs to be his dominating self and post in the 90-point range for this team to be successful.  Even a patchwork defense held their own with young journeyman defenseman Michael Del Zotto and veteran Mark Streit finding their offensive games again.  So what was the reason behind such an average season?  Perhaps it was that the team just didn’t mesh with Head Coach Craig Berube.  Well, Berube is gone now and stepping into his shoes is a rookie head coach in Dave Hakstol, who implements a similar style but perhaps with a little more emphasis on speed and quicker transition.  GOALIES When a team misses the playoffs, a lot of the blame gets placed on the goaltender.  Mason had struggles early in his career after a spectacular rookie season under Ken Hitchcock in Columbus but faltered quickly in his sophomore year and just couldn’t find that magic again.  After a few average seasons as a Blue Jacket, the Flyers traded for Mason, giving up their own struggling net minder in Sergei Bobrovsky.  Mason regained his confidence with a 4-2-0 record and a 1.90 GAA and a .944 SP in his brief stretch at the end of the 2012-2013 season after being acquired.  His metrics as a Philadelphia goaltender are   2012-2015         GP       GAA     W         L          T          SP Steve Mason     119       2.36     55        38         18         .923 So you can see his numbers are a bit above average for a goaltender and if the Flyers can get that type of performance again and the team tightens up and wins more of their fair share of 1-goal games that they lost early last season, better times await.  Michal Neuvirth was brought in to back up Mason, getting a little younger in that department by letting Ray Emery walk.  Neuvirth is another underrated goaltender who does well with stopping high-percentage shots down low and will be capable to fill in if and when Mason goes down to injury.  Don't let Mason slip too far as ...

Rangers clinch President’s Trophy & gain home-ice advantage throughout playoffs, Senators still alive with dramatic win over the Penguins The NY Rangers and New Jersey Devils played a feisty game but it was the Rangers who prevailed and claimed the President’s Cup to gain home ice advantage throughout the playoffs as far as they go.  Kevin Hayes continues to show poise and patience with the puck and was the catalyst with a goal and 2 assists, one of those on the power play.  Hayes look like he can be a tremendous force on the Rangers for years to come….Defenseman Keith Yandle, with an assist, now has 9 assists in the last ten games as he gets acclimated to the Rangers style of play.  Yandle was always an offensive force but now playing with a more talented team in the New York, his fantasy value should skyrocket next year playing a full season with the Rangers…. It is amazing that with a talent such as Claude Giroux leading your team and his line mate Jakub Voracek in contention for the scoring title that the Philadelphia Flyers aren’t in the hunt for a playoff position, but having a suspect defense with the loss of Kimmo Timonen at the beginning of the season really put the Flyers behind the 8-ball.  If they address their defensive woes during the off-season, they will back contending next year for sure… Giroux came out flying and scored two first-period goals and the Flyers hung on to beat the New York Islanders 5-4 after letting the Isles tie the game late in the 3rd period.  Brayden Schenn scored with 3 seconds remaining to save face for the Flyers after blowing a 2-goal lead with just under 2 minutes remaining.  We had been high on Schenn to start the year and he has not lived up to our expectations until recently where he has scored 7 points in last 4 games.  Maybe next season…Voracek assisted on both Giroux goals to stay close to Crosby in the scoring race…. You can just tell how much Pavel Datsyuk means to this Detroit Red Wings team as he was a game-time decision because of a recurring nagging injury but he toughed it out and played getting the game-winning goal and an assist in the 3-2 win over Carolina.  Yes he’ll be 37 before the start of next season, but if he can stay relatively healthy for close to a full season, he will get you a point-per-game if not more…Oh yeah, and Detroit clinched a playoff spot with the win... Sidney Crosby feeling the heat, scored 10 seconds into the game and added an assist to hold onto the lead in the NHL ...