Busy day in the NHL yesterday as there were 13 games played. Chicago and Winnipeg kicked things off with a matinee game in Winnipeg.  Not much of a match as the Blackhawks cruise past the Jets 5-1.  Chicago defenseman Nick Leddy had a good game with a goal and an assist. Leddy now has 8 points in 14 games played, and on this team he is a marginal 4th defenseman option.  Corey Crawford had 26 saves for the win in goal running his record to 8-2-2.  With Chicago's defense Crawford is a top goalie option.  Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec continues to struggle as he allowed 4 goals on only 14 shots and was pulled from the game. With only 4 wins on the season he is not even a decent 2nd goalie option...Go with Getzlaf!  Ryan Getzlaf had a nice game in Anaheim's 6-3 win over the hapless Sabres.  Getzlaf had a goal and 2 assists in the game, and he has 16 points in 15 games.  His partner in crime Corey Perry had 2 goals giving him 8 on the season. Both are elite scorers.  Jonas Hiller got the win in goal although he only made 14 saves. With Viktor Fasth still out with a LBI expect Hiller to get a lot of starts in the short term. Buffalo forwrd Matt Moulson had 2 assists and he is demonstrating that he can play well for any team. He has 13 points this season and he is a solid number 5 forward. Bishop is king: Tampa Bay beat St. Louis last night 4-2 and the star of the game was Lightning goalie Ben Bishop who had 27 saves. Bishop now has a 9-2 record with a 2:15 goals against and a .925 save percentage.  He is the main reason for Tampa's turn around from last season.  Young Tampa forward Alex Killorn had a goal and 2 assists, and he is thriving while playing on a line with Stamkos and St. Louis. He has 12 points in 14 games this season, and playing with those 2 he should be fantasy worthy.  Grab him if you can.  Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had a power play goal for the Blues, and with 12 points in 12 game he is scoring like a forward. Top defenseman.  Jaroslav Halak gave up all 4 goals on 25 shots, making the Blues goaltending situation even murkier. Where in the world is Claude Giroux? The Flyers beat the Devils 1-0 in a game matching two teams that struggle to score. Ray Emery got the shutout for Philadelphia, but he only had to make 14 saves. Emery is still the backup to Steve Mason, so don't get too excited about last night's performance. The interesting thing was Flyer forward Claude Giroux had goose eggs again next to his name, and he has yet to score a goal...

With all the talk surfacing on Thomas Vanek immediately being placed on the top Islander's scoring line with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo upon arrival, many fantasy owners expected immediate results. Well, it doesn't happen that way folks. In their 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers, both he and JT were held off the scoreboard while he registered only one SOG. Chemistry doesn't happen overnight, so fantasy owners need to be patient. Tavares and Matt Moulson had developed a great bond as linemates, so now he needs to adjust to a quicker and more physical winger on his left side. It might take a few games, but there is huge upside to this union between elite center and a winger on the cusp of elite status. Get your hands on either player if you can, as their true fantasy value as a duo has not been realized yet. Big Nights for Toews and Kessel: In Chicago, the Blackhawks rallied behind Jonathan Toews' four-point effort in defeating Ottawa 6-5 after trailing by two goals. While the captain was mired in a small scoring drought, his third career regular season "hat trick" and assist brings his totals to 13 points in 13 games. While his intangibles are immeasurable in terms of his overall contributions to his team, he is basically a point-per-game player in fantasy. He will have his huge nights, but his upside does not compare to the elite scoring forwards of the game, like Phil Kessel. Yes, "Phil The Thrill" does not belong in the Top Five fantasy club yet, but he could be there soon. In Toronto's 5-0 romp of Edmonton, the speedy winger scored two goals and 2 assists, despite missing his regular center Tyler Bozak. No problem with chemistry as Nazem Kadri (2A) has moved up effortlessly to provide a solid 1-2 scoring punch on the top line. With 10 points in the last 4 games, Kessel is now tied for second in NHL scoring with 18 points. Roll with him all season, as he is poised for a huge breakout. Goalie Power: James Reimer continues to be amazing between the Toronto pipes, saving all 43 shots against the offensively gifted Oilers. With a 4-0 record, 1.99 GAA, and .949 SP, the goaltending controversy between him and Jonathan Bernier as the long-term solution in goal for the Leafs has not dissipated by the slightest. Expect the two to play long stretches of games when they are hot, but assuming Bernier would be their starter in the playoffs seems a bit premature. Let's see how this plays out..Mike Smith stopped 41 of 42 shots in the Coyotes 2-1 victory over the ...

With all the talk surfacing on Thomas Vanek immediately being placed on the top Islander's scoring line with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo upon arrival, many fantasy owners expected immediate results. Well, it doesn't happen that way folks. In their 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers, both he and JT were held off the scoreboard while he registered only one SOG. Chemistry doesn't happen overnight, so fantasy owners need to be patient. Tavares and Matt Moulson had developed a great bond as linemates, so now he needs to adjust to a quicker and more physical winger on his left side. It might take a few games, but there is huge upside to this union between elite center and a winger on the cusp of elite status. Get your hands on either player if you can, as their true fantasy value as a duo has not been realized yet. Big Nights for Toews and Kessel: In Chicago, the Blackhawks rallied behind Jonathan Toews' four-point effort in defeating Ottawa 6-5 after trailing by two goals. While the captain was mired in a small scoring drought, his third career regular season "hat trick" and assist brings his totals to 13 points in 13 games. While his intangibles are immeasurable in terms of his overall contributions to his team, he is basically a point-per-game player in fantasy. He will have his huge nights, but his upside does not compare to the elite scoring forwards of the game, like Phil Kessel. Yes, "Phil The Thrill" does not belong in the Top Five fantasy club yet, but he could be there soon. In Toronto's 5-0 romp of Edmonton, the speedy winger scored two goals and 2 assists, despite missing his regular center Tyler Bozak. No problem with chemistry as Nazem Kadri (2A) has moved up effortlessly to provide a solid 1-2 scoring punch on the top line. With 10 points in the last 4 games, Kessel is now tied for second in NHL scoring with 18 points. Roll with him all season, as he is poised for a huge breakout. Goalie Power: James Reimer continues to be amazing between the Toronto pipes, saving all 43 shots against the offensively gifted Oilers. With a 4-0 record, 1.99 GAA, and .949 SP, the goaltending controversy between him and Jonathan Bernier as the long-term solution in goal for the Leafs has not dissipated by the slightest. Expect the two to play long stretches of games when they are hot, but assuming Bernier would be their starter in the playoffs seems a bit premature. Let's see how this plays out..Mike Smith stopped 41 of 42 shots in the Coyotes 2-1 victory over the ...

I have my coffee and ready to roll. What happened to Joey Crabb? Where did he go? A wild shootout in the desert yesterday afternoon.  I didn't know the Coyotes had it in them.  Oilers, yes.  Coyotes, no. RNH has rebounded nicely after last year's lost season. Rob Klinkhammer is more of a wrestling name than a hockey name. It's shame he didn't score in that Edmonton/Phoenix game. That's three games in a row with 6 SOG for David Perron. What a devil! Speaking of the devil, New Jersey pulled an unlikely upset of the Boston Bruins last night. Or was it old-timers day as Jarome Iginla (G, 2A), Jaromir Jagr (2A), Marek Zidlicky (G) & Martin Brodeur (W) all were prominent figures in the game. Give them the day off today, pleeease! Big shutdown night as Crosby and Ovechkin were both held without a point with Stamkos & Malkin only 1 assist each. That Phil Kessel is something else. Logan Couture is heating up for what should be a career year. Antti Niemi and Tuukka Rask will surely battle until the very last day for top goaltender honors, barring injury of course. Carey Price was terrific in net again last night, but his team couldn't gain any momentum in the game. Once Pacioretty returns, Price will get on a winning streak if he continues to play this way. Jimmy Howard has been struggling since his return from injury. He's lost 4 in a row.  Try to grab him on the cheap. There are only 8 teams with a record under .500 in the NHL. Johan Franzen had 7 SOG in the game against the Rangers; showing that he's not so stubborn to shoot the puck after two straight games with none. Top shooter on the Rangers? Anton Stralman. Yikes. Patrick Roy has done an amazing job in Colorado so far. Let's see how long this lasts. The Sabres just can't score. Perhaps they need to change coaches again. Poor Thomas Vanek. The Philadelphia Flyers are turning it around and Steve Mason is finally getting the wins that he deserves.   It helps that everyone is back in the lineup too. These young Islanders are looking good so far this year: Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. You know besides JT & Matt Moulson. Nielsen is tied for third in league scoring.  Just thought you'd like to know that. I think Lecavalier likes playing in Philly. What do you think? Standings are finally forming into what they should be except I have to do a double take each time I see the Avalanche at the top of the Central. I definitely did not expect to see a 2-1 Shootout game in the Winnipeg/Dallas game. There are too ...

Kyle Okposo- NY Islanders, RW (Owned in 38.7% of ESPN leagues) It's the third consecutive week that Okposo has made our list, which basically means that most fantasy owners have not bought into the hype yet. Well, it might be time as the underachieving winger has cashed in on his first line duties for the Islanders with 8 points in the last 6 games, including three multi-point efforts in the last four. Playing with John Tavares has its' privileges, but their new-found chemistry should result in a breakout season for Okposo. Hopefully, he stays on the no. 1 line, but considering how well he has fit in with Tavares and Moulson, he should be picked up in all fantasy formats. Mark Arcobello- Edmonton , LW-C (Owned in 15.2% of ESPN leagues) Because of a flood of injuries to key Oiler forwards at the onset of the season, the 25-year old has made the big team and has delivered thus far with 8 points in 9 games. He is proving that his 68-point season in the AHL last year was no fluke, playing with the likes of Hopkins, Eberle, and Hall for the Oklahoma City Barons during the lockout. He has been mostly penciled on the 2nd line with Eberle and Ryan Smyth, but should remain a fixture in the top-six while Sam Gagner and now, Taylor Hall heal up and return to the line-up. Arcobello should be a solid short-term fix for your fantasy forward crop, as long as he stays on a scoring line for the Oilers. Tim Thomas- Florida, G (Owned in 25.5% of ESPN leagues) "Timmy T" is giving the Florida Panthers a nice boost in goal after returning from short-term injury. In his last two starts, Thomas nearly earned the win against his former team, the Boston Bruins with a 37-save effort and then stymied the Wild after stopping 30 of 31 shots for a 2-1 SO win. Granted, Florida is not a good team just yet and his 3.36 GAA/.901 SP is reflective of their overall shortcomings, but look for his numbers to improve as the season moves on. Don't be surprised if the former Vezina winner ends up as a decent no. 2 fantasy goalie option by the end of the season. Sami Salo- Tampa Bay, D (Owned in 46.4% of ESPN leagues) The 39-year old Finn has always shown the ability to put up points, but is notoriously prone to injuries. So far this season, Salo has taken over as the power-play quarterback for the high-scoring Tampa Bay Lightning, collecting five points in 7 games. You can't count on him to stay healthy for too long, but he is definitely a decent stopgap for fantasy teams that have a few ...

Morning! Not a good week for defensemen in the NHL as quite a few well-known and prominent d-men went down from being hit from behind; Dan Boyle, Niklas Kronwall and Lubomir Visnovsky. I thought this hybrid icing was supposed to prevent all this? Nothing like playing against the Rangers to bring out the best in the Devils, who finally got their first win last night. Okay, so each team now has a win and regulation loss except the San Jose Sharks. You just might have seen this year's Stanley Cup matchup when Vancouver played Pittsburgh Saturday afternoon. I think it's safe to say that Sidney Crosby is heating up as he has averaged 3 points per game over the last 4 games. RNH is definitely having a bounce back season. He may have more points already than he did all of last year.   It just seems like it, doesn't it? Let's hope that Taylor Hall's knee injury isn't that serious. I like that they sent a message to Nail Yakupov by sitting him a few games. You just have to love that Colorado Avalanche team and the way Head Coach Patrick Roy has them playing. He has practically raised G Semyon Varlamov from the dead. Every once in a while Ryan Miller throws in a stinker of a game just like every goaltender, but for the most part this season, he has played fairly well. Too bad the Sabres can't score. This year's #1 overall draft selection C Nathan MacKinnon is off to a fine star with 7 points in his first 8 games. No surprise that both goals for the Nashville Predators last night came from the sticks of defensemen Shea Weber and Seth Jones. Get used to that. Brendan Gallagher is not letting the sophomore jinx play in his head as he took 9 SOG and scored the lone goal in Montreal's loss to the Preds. T-Rask showed Ben Bishop who's the boss as he blanked the Bolts last night. The B's finally offered some support by scoring 5 goals in that contest. I think Minnesota is glad to be done with visiting the Sunshine State teams now that they have lost both games there. Kyle Okposo just may have that breakout year that everyone has been waiting for. So far, and we're not even 10 games into the season, but Carolina is playing a lot better than I had thought they would. Caps Goalie Braden Holtby is starting to round into form after a shaky start to the season. I believe Chicago is really serious about winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. And they can do it. The Sharks have scored 39 goals so far. The next team is Toronto with 30.  Philly and the Rangers have scored the least ...

Kyle Okposo- NY Islanders, RW (Owned in 5.1% of ESPN leagues) We told you to grab him last week, as he has skated full-time with John Tavares and Matt Moulson on the Isle's first line. He has responded with a three-game scoring streak, collecting a goal and three assists during that span. With the second line of Nielson-Bailey-Grabner clicking, don't expect Okposo to be moved off the top unit anytime soon. This should translate to a career season for the normally underachieving winger, so get your hands on him before it's too late. Cam Atkinson- Columbus, RW (Owned in 1.7% of ESPN leagues) Three points in the last three games, including 8 SOG in the last two has Atkinson rising up the waiver wire charts, but the good news is that he is still available in over 97% of ESPN fantasy leagues. Because Columbus is not known for their offensive prowess, most fantasy owners don't react quickly to picking up Blue Jacket forwards. We urge you to ignore that trend, considering Atkinson has been a prolific scorer on every level and now has shown instant chemistry with Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky on the team's top line. Alex Chiasson- San Jose, LW (Owned in 5.1% of ESPN leagues) In the case of the 23-year old, the offensive numbers surely speak for themselves, as he continued right where he left off last season by scoring 3 goals and two assists in 4 games for the Dallas Stars. While he plays on the second line, he has been getting some looks with Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn on the power-play. He currently has 9 goals in 11 career games, so you could do a lot worse than rolling with this guy as your fifth or sixth forward option on your fantasy teams. He represents a great short-term option that could end up paying off the entire season. Sean Monahan- Calgary, C (Owned in 25.5% of ESPN leagues) After scoring goals in four straight games, including the game-winner against the Devils, the 19-year old rookie has been on fire for Calgary. The 6th overall pick of the '13 NHL Entry Draft has tremendous offensive upside, but I don't think many insiders expected such a hot start to his NHL career. Although he has been playing predominantly on the third line, Coach Hartley has been utilizing him in key situations, showing huge faith in the first-year pivot. While he is bound to slow down, Monahan is looking like a lock to make the team past the nine-game mark. He is definitely worth a gamble, considering that his dynasty league upside is sky-high. Instant impact...

Kyle Okposo- NY Islanders, RW (Owned in 5.1% of ESPN leagues) On Long Island, fantasy relevance is directly tied with who will have the opportunity to play right wing on John Tavares' line. After his strong showing in the playoffs, Isles' Head Coach Jack Capuano feels that Kyle Okposo is ready for the opportunity. Why not? He has tantalized the team brass with brief moments of offensive brilliance, but has yet to develop any sort of consistency. He set a career high with 52 points in '09-10, but his point production has regressed over the next three seasons. In the scenario that he clicks with Tavares and Moulson, 65-70 points is a definite possibility. If you have room on your bench, the "boom or bust" forward is worth a fantasy flier. Cam Atkinson- Columbus , RW (Owned in 1.7% of ESPN leagues) With the news that the talented Columbus winger has been promoted to the top line with Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky, he needs to be on your fantasy radar. His shoot-out game winner on Saturday night was a thing of beauty, and reflective of 30-goal, 60-point potential if he gets a chance to shine for the Blue Jackets. We have been high on him for few years now, but he needs to stay healthy. If he develops chemistry with Gaborik, watch out ! Thomas Hertl- San Jose, LW (Owned in 5.1% of ESPN leagues) The rookie so far has not looked out of place on the top line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns for San Jose, scoring two goals and one assists in his first two games. The trio meshed well in training camp, carrying their success into the regular season. Just as is the case with most rookies, the youngster is a risky fantasy proposition moving forward but his stock is on the rise if he keeps getting primary minutes. He does have proven scoring pedigree, as he scored 18 goals and 30 points as a 19-year old in the Czech League last season. Marc Staal- NY Rangers, D (Owned in 42.2% of ESPN leagues) You might get lucky with this one, given that the New York Rangers have only played one game and not everybody knows about the expanded role that Coach Alain Vigneault has in store for the ultra-talented defenseman. Close to fully recovered from his eye injury, Staal played a team-high 25:40 in their 4-1 loss to Phoenix, including scoring the lone goal on the power-play. The 26-year old is set to quarterback the top PP unit, which should translate to career numbers for the Ranger's d-man. He is a mandatory pickup in all fantasy formats. For more on Staal, read our latest...

Okposo has been on John Tavares and Matt Moulson's right wing before and disappointed. Each time he earns that spot, big things are expected out of him, but the truth is it has not happened yet. Maybe this time it will, but were not banking on it.

Pavel Datsyuk seems to be on a mission and with the way he's been playing so far in the pre-season he could finish in the top ten in scoring this year. Perhaps being in the Eastern Conference and having less travel time will improve all the Red Wing's numbers....Another mission statement, this one by Ryan Miller, who is out to prove that he belongs among the top goaltenders in the league. Don't write him off as this team could be underestimated....Who is Brayden McNabb? Sabre fans will know but perhaps the rest of the fantasy world doesn't.  The 22 year old defenseman had a goal and two assists in last night's win over the Hurricanes.  He played well with LW Johan Larsson, who had 2 goals and an assist in the game, but don't expect them to be major contributors this year. Keep them in mind though for the future perhaps...Two names that won't be voted off the Island if they produce are RW Kyle Okposo and C Josh Bailey. The former had 2 assists last night and the latter had 2 short-handed goals.  These 2 paired up and have shown some chemistry.  Don't forget them on draft day as the Islanders will be a much improved team this year....With all eyes on this year's top draft pick Jonathan Drouin, it was Brett Connolly who posted 2 goals in last night's game. Don't forget about this 46-goal scorer in the WHL in 2010-2011 and who also scored 31 goals in the AHL last year...Toronto Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri is proving that he will continue with the work effort he displayed last season by potting his 2nd goal of the pre-season. Big Signing:The Edmonton Oilers continue to lock up their young talent to long-term contracts. This time they inked C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with a 7-year extension meaning RNH joins taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle who have signed long-term contracts with the club. Now the young guns can concentrate on hockey for the next 6-7 years.  Nugent-Hopkins had a disappointing 24 points in 40 games last year but was hindered by a shoulder injury and is now rehabbing from off-season surgery on that shoulder. Don't miss out on the latest ROMIE HITS THE POST. Romie focuses on two intriguing situations unfolding in Florida and New Jersey.  Check it out here. ***ATTENTION FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE COMMISSIONERS*** If you are the commissioner of an upcoming fantasy hockey league and will be holding a draft soon,  PrimePucks has some goodies for you to distribute to your league members.  Look even better to your league members by giving them free stuff.  Who doesn't...