Derick Brassard, Mark Stone and Alex Burrows make for an intriguing stack tonight against the Coyotes. Who else should you look to stack in NHL DFS?

ADD’EM 1/8/2017 CALL OF THE WILD PENGUINS? Here we are at the midpoint of the season, so it’s all downhill from here.  And we all know what happens when we reach the crest that is the halfway mark?  The season starts to pick up speed as we near the playoffs, with teams fighting harder, playing harder and faster to earn a right to play in the dance come April.  And what players usually pick up their game?  Mostly veterans who have been there before and knows what it takes to get there.  You can sprinkle in a few rookies who may be given the opportunity to play on the same line as the team’s superstar, but chemistry has to be explosive from the start. So who does PrimePucks™ think you should focus on for the upcoming period?  Let’s take a look and see who’s available.  Teams that have played the most games through Saturday, January 7th are the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, NY Rangers, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets with 42.  There are 5 teams with the least amount of games played with 38 and they are Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators and the NY Islanders. Taking a look at the 5 teams with the least amount of games played, Pittsburgh (3.5 goals per game) and Columbus (3.42 GPG) have scored the most amount of goals with 133 & 130 respectively.  Minnesota (3.18 GPG) has 121 goals and rounds out the 3 teams who have been very productive in the least amount of games played.  Ottawa is the least productive of the 5 with a 2.47 GPG average. We spoke about Columbus in last week’s article, so let’s look at the Pittsburgh Penguins.  We all know how explosive the Penguins can be and there are a few forwards available.  Conor Sheary, last year’s playoff sensation, is owned by just 33.0% even though he plays on a line with Sid the Kid.  Chris Kunitz is getting up there in age and is only owned by 23.6% and can be that veteran who gets his second wind and gets his motor running with the playoffs coming into view. Defensively, Ian Cole (26.3%) and Trevor Daley (27.2%), although not offensive stalwarts, can provide some intermittent production along with good +/- numbers. Minnesota has a well-rounded scoring offense but there are some pretty good options still available.  Mikael Granlund has been pretty productive of late with 11 points in past 8 games and is owned by just 63.3%.  Looking for a player with more experience, then Mikko Koivu, at 68.6% owned, could be your man.  Jason Pominville is ...

NHL IN 30/2016: PART 5 (OTT, PHI, PIT, STL, SJ) OTTAWA I think you are going to see a more high-powered offensive game coming out of Ottawa this season with Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Bobby Ryan and the rest of the forwards lighting up the lamp quite frequently.  And when you have the game’s most explosive defenseman joining in on the offense, the Senators will be a handful for any team.  It just may all come down to which Craig Anderson they will get in goal.  Will it be the game-changing, highlight reel Anderson, or the mediocre Anderson who has been disappointing from time to time. PLAYOFFS: I WOULD LIKE TO SAY YES, BUT NO   PHILADELPHIA The Flyers roster remained status quo throughout the off-season without any real additions or subtractions so it may be a good thing as the team ran off a late charge last season and into the playoffs only to lose to the Washington Capitals in six games.  The big boys will have to be the key cogs once again with Shayne Gostibehere, last year’s sensational rookie defenseman, supplying the offense.  But in the tight Metropolitan Division, they will need the goaltending duo of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth to backstop the team into the playoffs. PLAYOFFS: MAYBE WIH SOME LUCK   PITTSBURGH When you win the Stanley Cup the way the Penguins did last year, one would be hard-pressed to not say yes to return engagement to the playoffs.  Some writers, myself included, had the Penguins missing the playoffs and if it were not for the hot play of rookie goaltender, Matt Murray, the Pens might have been in a slight rebuilding stage this past off-season.  They have Sid the Kid, Geno, Kessel and Hornqvist to lead the offense and Letang on the backend but Murray will be tending to a minor injury and miss several weeks at the beginning of the season, but they still have the Flower, Marc-Andre Fleury, so they should form a solid duo in net and that should be enough to get them back for another run at Lord Stanley’s Cup. PLAYOFFS: YES   ST. LOUIS They have been perennial regular season masters but when it comes playoff time, they seem to not have enough left in the tank to get very far.  That was until last year when they fell to San Jose in the Conference Finals. So playoff progress has been made but will have to do it without the likes of David Backes, who left via free agency.  The team does not lack offense that’s for sure when you have Tarasenko, Schwartz, and Steen among others leading the way and when you have the type of ...

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 ...

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 ...

Here is a brief insight on which players you should be targeting off the final-week waiver wire: Instead of naming a few players that could help out, it's better to think of which teams should you target. In the Eastern Conference, Boston and Ottawa are two teams playing meaningful hockey this upcoming week with plenty of playoff implications, and for both, a few contributors can be had on the waiver wire The Bruins have key veterans like Bergeron and Krejci who are must starts this week, but Milan Lucic has been playing with two youngsters who should be on your fantasy radar if available-Ryan Spooner and David Pastrnak. The future looks bright for Boston with these two developing quicker then expected thanks to key forward injuries this season. Keep in mind that if the B's clinch a playoff berth earlier in the week, bot Spooner and Pastrnak will get s few extra minutes while some vets will be rested. Regardless of how the scenario play out, either young gun makes for a strong start this week. Forwards Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman have been key cogs to a balanced offensive attack that has propelled the Senators into the playoff mix. The recent resurgence of center Mika Zibenajad also makes him a a decent candidate for a spot start. Their SO loss to Toronto basically puts them in a must-win situation the rest of the way, so look for these possible waiver targets to contribute to the scoring column. On defense, Patrice Wiercioch has been finishing the season strong so he could be a serviceable fantasy option if you desperate on the blue-line. In the Western Conference, Sean Monahan still might be available while "Johnny Hockey" Gaudreau is probably off the board. The Flames are surging and these two along with veteran Jiri Hudler are a huge reason why. Do not forget defenseman Kris Russell if still on the waiver-wire, as he has essentially replaced Mark Giordano's offensive production. Another team fighting for it's postseason life, Winnipeg, had Matthieu Perreault back from injury and based on his three assist effort against Vancouver, he might pay huge dividends as a last week starter. Mark Scheifele had been heating up as well latest acquisition Drew Stafford. If you are in need of defense, Tyler Myers could be a huge steal given that the suspended Dustin Byfuglien and injured Tobias Enstrom will miss a few games.  These are just a few thoughts, but plenty of more luck will be required. Give it your best shot folks,and hope you end up on top.

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 ...

Marchand on fire; plenty of Senators to consider; Zidlicky back on fantasy map: Brad Marchand RW, Boston- The pesky winger has been on quite the goal-scoring streak for the Bruins, scoring five goals over the last four games. While the B's rely on a four line approach, Marchand has heated up since the loss of a David Krejci and looks poised for another strong week ahead. With four games on the upcoming slate, take advantage of him while on his scoring binge.  Mark Stone RW, Ottawa- It's no coincidence that many Senators have surged up the fantasy rankings during the teams torrid winning stretch, but the young winger has found his scoring touch lately. With 2 multiple point outings in his last three, Stone has clicked with Kyle Turris on the second line. He is worth adding while the duo keeps racking up the points.  Mike Hoffman LW, Ottawa- We recommended Hoffman last week and he responded with 3 points in four games. His ownership is quickly rising, but he could still had in most leagues. The young sharp-shooter is definitely worth a shot, especially with how well the Senator's offense has been producing. Marek Zidlicky D, Detroit- The veteran rearguard has been penciled in a power play specialist for the Wings, which given that their have the best unit in NHL, is not bad for fantasy purposes. He already has made his mark with two power-play goals this week, including the overtime game winner over the Rangers. Zidlicky still has game left, so take advantage of his new digs and pick him up if you still can. Andrew Hammond G, Ottawa- I am sticking the "Hamburglar" here, as his stat-line reads as following during his unreal NHL stint so far: 7-0-1, 1.43 GAA, and .954 SP. Craig Anderson had his turn last night and although he made 42 saves, he did give up four goals. In other words, it's Hammond or bust for now in Ottawa. Use him while he is absolutely lights-out.

Senators rule,, Dubnyk should be dubbed King and the Pens march on Ottawa sits just 3 points behind Boston for the last Wild Card position in the East after beating the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 as Andrew Hammond once again turned in a solid performance after letting in 2 first period goals.  This time it was Mark Stone (GWG, A) and Mika Zibanejad (tying G) providing the offensive support for the rookie goaltender as the Senators are getting offense throughout their lineup, so get your Sens in your fantasy starting lineup as well…. Devan Dubnyk continues to amaze with another solid performance as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 stopping 37 of 38 SOG as the Wild are just 2 points behind Chicago for that third spot in the Central Division.  Minnesota can make some noise come playoff time as they are one of the hottest teams since acquiring Dubnyk with an 18-3-2 record. Phenomenal!... Calgary is doing all they can to solidify their first playoff spot in 6 years as the came back from being down 2-0 to Detroit and scored 5 unanswered goals.  Jiri Hudler (2G) and Sean Monahan (G, A) led the charge and have been on a roll of late, so don’t hesitate to start these two Flames… The Pittsburgh Penguins offense is surging of late as they have scroed 4 or 5 goals in their last 8 wins while going and are 8-4-1 over the last 13 games...Patric Hornqvist has found offensive paradise in Pittsburgh playing alongside superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  2 more goals last night gives him 21 on the season and if it weren't for his absence due to injury for a few weeks, he would definitely have 30 by now.  Continue to play all your Penguins as teh season winds down.

Winnipeg sleeper alert; Ottawa goalie makes good in first start; Carter and Toffoli keep rolling; and more.. Quick thoughts on Mathieu Perreault's long-term injury- A huge blow to the Winnipeg Jets given his offensive production over the last two months and his power-play work. However, you can't help to think that his injury might have opened the door for Drew Stafford to be a key contributor in their top-six and possibly on the top power-play. I have owned the enigmatic winger in many leagues and his ability to get streaky is second to none. If you are in desperate need of forward help, keep tight tabs on Stafford... Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan was held off the score sheet in the 4-2 win over Montreal but expect Ryan to get right back on track in the next contest against Florida on Saturday….What was really impressive was rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond in just his 3rd NHL game and fist NHL start defeated the Montreal Canadiens.  That’s something he can brag to his kids about….Mark Stone, an UNDER THE RAYDAR feature in January had a goal and 2 assists and is having a fine rookie season with 14 goals and 22 assists.  A good candidate for keeper leagues…. It was what you would expect from a Detroit-Chicago matchup this late in the season as the Red Wings toughed out a 3-2 win in a shootout.  You need to watch the moves both Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar made in the shootout.  Makes you wonder what a Stanley Cup Finals matchup between these two teams…. Mikko Koivu played hero for the Wild with his overtime tally to seal the 3-2 win in Calgary. His four points in his last four games has him again on the cusp of fantasy relevance but his overall offensive output has fallen short of expectations. Speaking of overachiever, Devan Dubnyk continues to summon his inner Patrick Roy and stonewall every opponent as he saved 35 of 37 shots. His stellar play since being traded to Minny is the single most reason why the Wild are in playoff contention and also a huge late-season boost for many fantasy owners.. Amidst one of his famous hot streaks, Jeff Carter scored two goals to lead the Kings to their six straight victory in Colorado. Another forward you should target in your leagues is Tyler Toffoli who also picked up two points and has registered 11 points in his last 10 games. If available, grab him ASAP as his partnership with JC is flourishing at the moment and carrying the King's offense.. I feel way more comfortable as a Ben Bishop owner, given how well he played in ...