All the talk from Toronto has surrounded no.1 overall pick Austin Matthew's awe inspiring four-goal rookie debut, but fantasy owners should also take chances on teammates William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Both figure to be available in most leagues while Austin is long gone. Nylander played extended minutes during the second half of last season and now has exhbited sublime chemistry with Mathews on the third line. If these two keep peaking, their third line label will no doubt change. Meanwhile, Marner has played with JVR and Tyler Bozak, scoring his first goal on Saturday and firing 10 shots over two games. I am excited about the offensive potential these Leafs have to offer moving forward, so pay attention to these possible valuable waiver targets...Jonathan Marchessault was brought to Florida in the offseason for offensive depth purposes but an injury to Jonathan Huberdeau has the young forward playing on the top line. Two games in and four points later, JM is suddenly on everyone's fantasy radar. He always had ton of upside but was buried on the Tampa Bay depth chart. Now he has landed in the right spot but his fantasy worth could depend on how well he continues to mesh with Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr. If you are a Huberdeau owner, maybe snag him as a temporary handcuff. Zach Werenski highlights a strong group of young defenders looking to grab the fantasy spotlight early on. Coach Tortorella is playing the talented Michigan product on the top unit with Seth Jones and the move has already paid quick dividends with him notching 2 power play points over first 2 games. While it may be too soon to annoint the youngster this season's Shane Gostisbehere, he is coming in with huge expectations and maybe worth an early season pickup.... 27-year old Finnish League veteran Yohann Aahavitu might be an NHL first-timer but has huge offensive potential playing for the New Jersey Devils. He has started the season quarterbacking their top power-play unit, so watch ghim closely. His emergence would cut into Damon Severson's potential fantasy value.  In the wake of Jonathan Quick's serious injury, fantasy owners should be quick to pick up Jeff Zatkoff. I am not sure he will last as their starter so keep your eye out on recently released Ondrej Pavelec.There has been some speculation that the Kings are interested in adding the veteran which would obviously upgrade him in the fantasy department. it would be interesting to see how well Pavelec would fare on a ...

Aleksander Barkov The 20-year old center is a star in the making and has flourished on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Jaromir Jagr. Having scored 23 points in 29 games, the skilled Swede ahold be in line for a 65-70 point year with more to come in the near future. The window is quickly closing to get this Panther, so act fast if he is still on the waiver wire.    Jacob Markstrom Take a chance on this young goalie as he has played exceptionally well in the Vancouver crease with Ryan Miller out due to injury.  How about 3-0-1 with a 1.93 GAA. Once touted as the no 1 goaltending prospect outside of the NHL, Markstrom is starting to realize his vast potential. With miller not playing up to his elite form, it's possible that the Swede steals more starts even when he is healthy. He is worth the risk.    Ryan Spooner   With David Krejci out week to week, Spooner is getting time on the second line and top pp unit. Considering how well he did last season in the same spot, he is worth a short term flier. He has three points over the last two games and could be close to a point-per-game scorer during Krejci's absence.    Nazem Kadri   Don't look now but this Leaf has nine points over his last games and has clicked well with Leo Komarov on the second line. Kadri has clearly regressed after his '13-14 50-point season but has the goods to deliver at a much higher scoring pace. I would give him a shot but he needs to be more consistent if he is to become a legit fantasy impact player.    Jonathan Bernier   In this case, the hopes pin on the underachieving goalie building off two straight stellar starts over elite clubs( Pitt, St Louis) and solidifying the Leafs goal while Reimer recovers from a groin injury. One or two things will happen- Bernier finds his game or he loses fantasy relevance for the long term. This one is a pure crap shoot at this point but I do find his recent performances very encouraging.   

SMC 11-22-2015 Good morning everyone!  The cold, crisp air of autumn has finally arrived making a hot cup of coffee taste even better. Lots of non-scoring on Saturday night with 5 shutouts in 11 games. Rangers’ Rick Nash with a hat trick!  You just knew he was due to break out sooner or later. Flyers are playing for the top pick in the June 2016 NHL Entry Draft it seems. I can see Big Z being traded from the Boston Bruins by the trade deadline.  Loui Eriksson before that. Maybe all that Ben Bishop needed was to play the NY Rangers to get his season on track. Tampa has had a lot of injuries and everyone will tend to forget about them this year and they will get healthy, make the playoffs and be a threat with all the talent they possess. That Jaromir Jagr never seems to get old.  5 shots on goal last night against the Rangers and he even scored a goal. Aleksander Barkov is back from injury and has 2 goals and an assist in 3 games back. The Pittsburgh Penguins have problems and if they don’t shore up their defense, they may miss the playoffs.  I don’t think Sidney Crosby will like that very much. San Jose’s D-man Brent Burns had 7 SOG last night against the Pens.  Who does he think he is, Alex Ovechkin? Kessel, Hornqvist, and Letang had 5 SOG or more and Sid the Kid and Malkin only had one apiece.  That’s not gonna cut it. Washington scored 7 goals last night against Colorado in only 32 SOG.  The Avalanche’s goaltending is not as good as previously thought. Columbus and Anaheim slowly but surely creeping back up the standings. The race for the President’s Cup will be very interesting this year. I think everyone can forget about St. Louis defenseman Colton Parayko now that Kevin Shattenkirk is back from injury and in mid-season form already. I am thinking that Detroit Red Wing Teemu Pulkkinen can start to put up some decent numbers now that the team is sorta back to full staff.  Plus he is playing with Tomas Tatar and Brad Richards. What is going on with Jonathan Drouin? This goaltending sharing policy on Dallas is killing fantasy players but doing wonders for the actual team. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are an insane scoring duo!  I didn’t need to tell you that, did I? One would’ve thought that the way the Minnesota Wild were playing of late that they would’ve been the team that was shutout on Saturday and not Nashville. Ryan Suter is having himself a year, isn’t he? It’s nice to see the Sedin twins have a game like they did against Chicago every once in a...

SMC 11-8-2015 If anyone hasn’t noticed yet, the Buffalo Sabres are going to be a tough opponent this year. Especially once Robin Lehner returns and gets into mid-season form. Rasmus Ristolainen is going to be a force for the Sabres power play someday soon. Along with Jake Eichel and Sam Reinhart amongst others, this team will be quite competitive for some time. The LA Kings seem to be on a mission this year which doesn’t bode well for the Western Conference. The window of opportunity of getting any Anaheim Duck player on the cheap is quickly closing with the 4-game winning streak.  They dug themselves a bit of a hole but they are the team who can overcome that in a hurry. Anze Kopitar is going for the CY Young award this season with 5 goals and an assist at this point in the season. Panther fans are still waiting for that late season magic displayed last year with the arrival of Jaromir Jagr.  Growing pains with young talent will always be the case no matter what. Tyler Toffoli with 7 points in past 6 games has arrived.  Mike Condon is almost a splitting image of Carey Price, but not really. Who would’ve thought that the Philadelphia Flyers were going to shut out the mighty Winnipeg Jets?  And can Michal Neuvirth get a win without shutting out the other team?  All three of his wins have come by shutout. Toronto keeps losing but they are playing better.  Just looks bad seeing all those red ‘L’s in a row. Nazem Kadri with 7 SOG still couldn’t beat out Mr. SOG Alex Ovechkin who had 8. Kris Versteeg is leading the Carolina Hurricanes in points with 10.  Shame on you Eric Staal. St. Louis has started Jake Allen 6 games in a row and he has won 5 of those.  Looks like he is ready for full-time #1 duties. Remember Magnus Paajarvi?  He played last night for the Blues.  That’s the second game he has played this season. This Colton Parayko is something else.  Scored on the PP even though Kevin Shattenkirk returned to the lineup last night. Since Filip Forsberg isn’t grabbing the headlines like he did last year, some owners may think he doesn’t have it this season, but he still has 8 points in 13 games.  One good streak and he is on his way.  Buy low? No Parise?  No Problem says Devan Dubnyk.  Just let me go back in time to a year ago and play like I know I can; a 1-0 shutout of the Tampa Bay Lightning. No small feat. I think Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov is ready to break out. The NY Rangers know what they had in their grasps last year and are determined to get back ...

My ISD format will take a new twist this season, highlighting five players who will moving in all directions on the fantasy front. Hope you enjoy: 1. Victor Hedman returned for the Lightning Tuesday night from an upper body injury and added two assists to his point totals, reaching six in six games. This fantasy stud doesn't get the elite treatment just yet because injuries always keep him from putting up monster numbers. He falls commonly behind the top 7-10 in many drafts but truth be told, he is only one of the handful of defenders that can lead all defensemen in scoring. His massive upside has been on display early on... BLUE CHIP STUD 2. With six points over his first 5 games, Swiss rearguard Roman Josi is quickly justifying his rising fantasy value based on a huge 55-point '15-16 campaign. In a few instances, he was taken before Shea Weber in drafts but early returns show that the gap is closing between the two. Weber is off to a good start with four points but this situation bears watching. I have a feeling the hard shooting Canadien will get the last laugh...  JUST ABOUT ELITE   3. I for one thought the 39-year old Dan Boyle would pull off a Jaromir Jagr and defy time for just a while longer while becoming fantasy relevant this season. It hasn't exactly panned out in the early going as Boyle has already been scratched for a game while just getting two points in six games. Reports are indicating that coach Alain Vigneault has not been satisfied with his play and that his role could further be diminished....   ON SWIFT DECLINE   4. Young Adam Larsson is starting to turn the corner as an NHL scoring defender, ending last night's game for the Devils in overtime with his second point of the night. He needs to be owned in all fantasy formats as he is coming off a mini-breakout season (24 pts/64 gms) and poised for bigger minutes in '15-16. There has been trade rumors, possibly with Columbus for winger Cam Atkinson but given the paucity of blue line scoring there, he could end up flourishing if that move would take place. Definitely on the rise...  SLEEPER ALERT   5. Calgary newcomer Dougie Hamilton is off to a slow start on his team, but he should be one targeted as a super buy low candidate. He managed to score his first goal and only point of the season on Saturday, but he seems ready to take off very soon. Coming off a 42-point season, the youngster had the taken the offensive reins on the powerplay alongside Mark Giordano and will have every ...

SMC-10/18/2015   We are just over a week into the NHL season and there are already some interesting developments.  News at 11.  Eleven a.m. that is. What is going on with the Columbus Blue Jackets?  At 0-5-0 there may be no leash left of Head Coach Todd Richards. With Captain Pacioretty at the helm, this Montreal team may never lose a game this season by the looks of them. Is it true?  David Krejci is leading the league in scoring? The team doesn’t look that good otherwise Henrik Zetterberg is right there with Krejci.  Some old salts keeping pace with youngsters like Jamie Benn, last year’s scoring champ. Good starts by Winnipeg will go a long way towards the end of the season when they are fighting for the last few playoff spots. At the bottom of the league, and I know it’s early, but Anaheim doesn’t belong in the group with Edmonton, New Jersey, Boston and Buffalo. The Pittsburgh Penguins offense will be awesome once it gets going, but they need to shore up their defense or it will just be a good show to watch with no substance. Looking at that Jaromir Jagr go!  He doesn’t have far to go now playing in Florida when he indeed decides to retire. Funny how the Sharks got stranded by a team called the Islanders who gave them their first loss. The Capitals, now with Nicklas Backstrom back, should be firing on all cylinders in no time. If the Blue Jackets ever get this, whatever ‘this” is, straightened out, they will be tough to play against. Tyler Ennis had 7 SOG last night against Tampa Bay.  He’s going to be a good fantasy forward this season now that he has some talent surrounding him. I really thought Florida was going to beat Dallas last night but they faltered in the third period.  This young Panthers team still has a bit to learn about winning. Sorry for the short post this weekend.  Not feeling so well today.  May all your fantasies come true this week!

Every year it seems like there is a surprise team or two that make and miss the playoff season.  Last year the Calgary Flames were dancing come April and the Colorado Avalanche on the outside looking in after being the surprise team the year earlier.  In the Eastern Conference everyone thought that the Boston bruins were a lock for the playoffs but somehow Ottawa pushed past them with a great late-season surge.  So who will be this year’s surprises?  For one, we are very high on the Columbus Blue Jackets to not only make the playoffs but possibly contend for the President’s Trophy.  Who is out, you ask?  We think it could be a toss-up between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Conference is just that tight this year.  It is also a possibility that both teams may miss the playoffs with the Florida Panthers sneaking in a la 2014-2015 Ottawa. Columbus, if you recall, were inundated with injuries at the beginning of last season and took a long time to recover and start to win again.  They were 16-2-2 in their last twenty games and you know they will be itching to show that they are for real in the East.  With a Vezina winner in net in Sergei Bobrovsky and the emergence of Center Ryan Johansen and Defenseman David Savard, the Jackets are ready to shoot the cannon, and often.  Florida also had a late-season surge and all because of Jaromir Jagr coming to the team and showing youngsters Jonathan Huberdeau and company how to win.  With Jagr signing up again to stay in sunny F-L-A, expect good things from the Dale Tallon built team.  A lot will have to go right for the Cats to make the playoffs, but they do have a world-class goalkeeper in Roberto Luongo manning the crease.  Things will be exciting in Miami this winter. The one constant that you can always rely on is change and you can expect a little bit of change in 2015-2016 when April rolls around.

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 ...

Columbus stays hot; King Henrik back to normal; Price who? and more; *The New York Islanders blew a two-goal lead in the third period as they fall to a streaking Columbus team, 4-3. Sergei Bobrovsky has been a late-season fantasy stud in goal as Columbus has won eight straight games. Read our IN STEVE'S DEFENSE column later in the day as we focus on two-defensemen from these teams that could be productive fantasy options during the pivotal and final week... *In a head-to-head match-up of arguably the top Hart Trophy contenders, Alex Ovechkin carried the Washington Capitals past Montreal's Carey Price with a superb two-goal effort. Defensemen John Carlson and PK Subban had huge nights with three points apiece... *Huge win for the Ottawa Senators as they outlast the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in OT as Patrice Wiercioch sneaked one past past Ben Bishop late in the extra fame. After a tough start against the Rangers, Ottawa goalie Andrew Hammond is dialed in again, turning aside 29 shots for his second straight win and 16th in 18 starts. Keep him rolling as the Sen's are fighting for a playoff spot.. A late Boston rally thwarted the Detroit Red Wings as the Bruins keep their three point lead over the Senators for the final wildcard spot.. *The 6-1 Florida rout of Carolina included more offensive fireworks from young guns Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov who combined for four points. They have been solid fantasy starting forward options ever  since the Jaromir Jagr trade to Florida... *Even without the great Vladimir Tarasenko, the St. Louis Blues clinched a playoff berth with the 4-1 triumph over Calgary. Jaden Schwartz, Jori Lehtera, and Patrick Berglund (remember him??) all notched two points in what was a true team win over the Flames... *Henrik Lundqvist fantasy owners who are in contention for their fantasy hockey crowns are at least going down the wire with their prized goalie playing back on an elite level after missing time to his injury. The 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild was his second straight super effort after his so-so debut return in the loss to Bolston. Start "King Henrik" with confidence.. Marian Gaborik led the King's offensive explosion in the 8-2 drubbing of Edmonton, snapping a three-game shid with no points with two goals and an assist. The talented Slovakian forward has been a fantasy disappointment for most of the season, but look for a strong finish as "Gabby" could be a playoff beast if the Kings sneak in...