SUNDAY MORNING COFFEE: THE SHORE-SCHENN REDEMPTION...DEC 11, 2016 primepucks.com Sun 12/11/16 9:18 AM

SMC 12/11/2016   The Christmas Holiday season is fast approaching.  Time to get your wish list ready.  I am going to sprinkle some of my wishes in throughout today’s SMC as I tackle my mug of hot coffee. The afternoon Stars-Flyers game was pretty exciting.  Drew Shore (2G) and Brayden Schenn (3G) exchanged blows in a 4-2 Philly victory making it a true Shore-Schenn Redemption.  Justas good as the movie! At the top of my wish list is that Tyler Seguin goes off on one of his torrid scoring paces. And where has Jamie Benn been?  Alright, he has 24 points in 29 games but it feels like he’s been invisible this year. You know who wasn’t invisible last night?  Max Pacioretty (4G) and the Montreal Canadiens who put up a 10 spot against Colorado.  The Habs sure haven’t missed Alex Galchenyuk so much the past three games scoring 15 goals after losing 30-2 in OT against St. Louis since Glachenyuk went down to injury on Sunday. I hope Max Pax’s arms aren’t too tired for Monday’s tilt against Boston after taking 8 SOG against Colorado. Jason Spezza is having a rough +/- game this year.  The worst since his last season in Ottawa in 2013-14 when he was -26.  Will history repeat itself?  I hope not because I have him on my fantasy squad finally. My second wish is that the Stars align for some pretty awesome offensive statistics. I hope Jakub Voracek isn’t becoming one of those “every-other-year” players like Mike Ribeiro. I miss Rob Klinkhammer.  Let’s start a petition, “Bring Back the Hammer”.  Why not?  John Scott has retired. Drew Doughty was fired up in his matchup against Erik Karlsson Saturday afternoon. Is there something amiss in Beantown?  Yes.  It’s called a Patrice Bergeron slump. I think the B’s miss Loui Eriksson more than they are letting on. Kris Letang finally had a Kris Letang game with 3 assists and a +1 rating with 4 SOG.  Welcome back! Last Sunday I said, “One day Jonathan Drouin is going to start producing like a superstar.  I hope that day comes soon for his, and Tampa Bay’s sake.”  He’s got 3 goals in 2 games this week with 5 SOG.  I wonder if he read my article. Although it seems like the Florida Panthers are picking up their offense of late, they are still losing.  Perhaps another coaching change will do the trick.  You know, like doubling down on a bet. It appears the NY Islanders are starting to put it together.  I mean, they couldn’t have played any worse and they still didn’t fire their Head Coach Jack Capuano. The Columbus Blue Jackets ...

ADDEM: FORSBERG, RIBEIRO, SCHEIFELE primepucks.com Mon 3/7/16 2:09 PM

This week's premium waiver adds begin in Nashville where a scorching line of Filip Forsberg- Mike Ribeiro- Craig Smith have taken the NHL by storm. What's lucky for most fantasy owners is that 2/3 of this unit is readily available for scooping up. Ribeiro and Smith are both on 4-gam point streaks respectively, while scoring on a point per game clip over the last 15 contests. If you need goals, go with Smith. If you need assists, go with Ribeiro. These 2 should keep sizzling while rolling with Forsberg.  I am loving Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele lately as he has emerged as a main offensive weapon for the Jets after the loss of Andrew Ladd to trade and Bryan Little to injury. All the 21- year old had done has scored 6 goals over the last three games, including a hat trick on Saturday night. He might be a year or two away from a huge breakout, but he should flirt with a PPG clip over the last 20 games or so. 

DAILY PRIME - JANUARY 30, 2015: WHAT STOOD OUT primepucks.com Thu 1/29/15 10:53 PM

WHAT STOOD OUT The goaltending was in high gear last night between Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist as Price continued his mastery over the Rangers with the 1-0 shutout over the Blueshirts. Look for more performances like this for the remainder of the season from both goaltenders as both teams are favorites to go far in the playoffs.... If you haven't noticed, the Boston Bruins are streaking up the standings of late, winning 7 of their last 9 as Tuukka Rask is rounding into form. Good idea to get Milan Lucic, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci in your starting lineups as they will provide most of the offense. Perhaps you can take a chance on Reilly Smith who had a goal and 2 assists in the win and now has a 3-game scoring streak.... In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Winnipeg Center Mathieu Perreault had 2 goals to continue his magical season for the Jets. Since the beginning of November, all Perreault has done is go 13-10-23 in 22 games.  The injury right before the All-Star hasn't slowed him down.  Grab him if he's still available on the waiver wire. Tampa Bay Center Cedric Paquette was a Red Wing killer with a hat trick last night. The Lightning have all sorts of talent to choose from when it comes to scoring but Paquette shouldn't be considered one of them at the moment unless the team sustains some injuries....Also of note was rookie Jonathan Drouin chipping in with 2 assists in the victory. That's 3 points in last 2 games and 7 points in 10 January games. Perhaps he is starting to feel comfortable at the NHL level.  Great things lie ahead for Drouin but it may not come until next season.... Another big night for the Dallas "D" as John Kingberg(1G/1A) and Trevor Daley(1G/2A) combined for five points in the road triumph over Ottawa. While held off the scoreboard, Alex Goligoski rang up five SOG. It's become apparent that the rookie Klingberg has surpassed both on the power-play depth chart but their point totals are almost flat-out even during the month of January.(7 for Klingberg/Daley, 6 for Goligoski). All three share modest fantasy value moving forward, but I would expect for the 22-year old Swede to be the superior offensive contributor amongst the Star's blueline during the second half... Zach Parise's game-winning goal in the 1-0 Minny win over Calgary was his 6th in his last sixth games. After coming up empty in three contests after returning to the Wild line-up, the American sniper is looking fully loaded for a strong finish. Not many ...

DAILY PRIME - JANUARY 5, 2014: FANTASY FIVE primepucks.com Mon 1/5/15 5:41 AM

* Andre Burakovsky- The 19-year old paid huge dividends after being promoted to Washington's top line, scoring the game-winning goal in the 4-3 win over Florida. Whenever a talented youngster has the opportunity to strut his stuff alongside Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, he needs to be on all fantasy radars. Monitor this situation as the young Burakovsky could be worth a flier if he can exhibit chemistry with the two superstars. **Brandon Dubinsky- The Columbus center has been very injury prone this season, but his two goals in the win over Colorado gives him nine points in 11 games. A big second half could be coming for a healthy Dubinsky who is more than a capable offensive performer and is essential the heartbeat of this team. If available on the waiver wire, you would be wise to snatch him up. ***Patrick Sharp- After collecting the game-winning goal and an assist during the 6-5 triumph over Dallas, the premier left winger has been flourishing with nine points in his last seven games. The injury rust has been totally shaken off, so fantasy owners should bank on Sharp being an elite fantasy option moving forward. If you can snag him via a trade, I would give it a shot. ****Mike Ribeiro- What a comeback season thus far for the underrated Ribeiro, as he has delivered legitimate first-line center play for the rising Predators. His three assists improves his numbers to seven points in his last five games and 18 in the last 16 overall. Start him if you have him- he has PPG potential the rest of the way. *****Tyler Johnson- 43 points in 40 games- are you kidding me? With two goals in the road win over Ottawa, the second-year center has clearly overshadowed Steven Stamkos but expect a statistical correction during the second half. That being said, Johnson is the real deal and 70-75 points should be a safe bet for arguably the biggest fantasy surprise of the 2014-15 season.

ADD'EM:RIBEIRO A HOT PRED primepucks.com Sun 12/7/14 8:12 PM

Mike Ribeiro C, Nashville- The 34-year old has found life on the Predator's top line an easy transition in comparison to his tumultuous season with Arizona last year. With 22 points in 26 games and 9 in his last ten, Ribeiro has clicked with Neal and Forsberg from Day one. While he is on pace to close in on his career-high of 83 points, he will probably fall short and be a reliable 65-70 point center moving forward. Aaron Ekblad D, Florida- What else is there to say about Florida's 18-year old prodigy who has collected 17 points in 26 games. The defenseman has flashed the ability to have a Tyler Myers type of rookie season, when he captured the Calder Trophy with a 48-point campaign. Ekblad's supporting cast is made up of mostly young talented forwards who are still far from producing consistently, so expect many peaks and valleys in his scoring production. Huge keeper league upside though.. Brandon Saad LW, Chicago- The 22-year old has been thriving on the top Chicago line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa, but he could lose his spot this week with Patrick Sharp returning. With five points in his last four games, Saad has been one of better Blackhawk forwards, so he is worth a gamble. Plus playing for a contract! A little risk-reward here, but has legit 60-point upside if playing in the top-six. Nick Leddy D, NYI- Coming off a two-assist performance on Saturday, the 23-year old is benefitting from injuries to the top three blueliners on the Island. Yeah, Lubomir Visnovsky might be back this week, but can you really trust him? Take a flier on Leddy if you need defense, considerig he has been on the top power-play unit with John Tavares and company. Michael Hutchinson G, Winnipeg- In the case of the youngster, he has produced far superior numbers than the starter Ondrej Pavelec (1.62 to 2.30 GAA/.942 to .915SP) while owning an impressive 5-1-2 mark. Pavelec has gone cold many times and been yanked from no.1 duty, so with the team playing so well, maybe Hutch has the chance to usurp the starting job at some point. If your goaltending is struggling, keeb tabs on this guy.

DAILY PRIME - NOVEMBER 1, 2014: WINGS BEAT DINGED KINGS primepucks.com Sat 11/1/14 8:12 AM

The trio of Pavel Datsyuk (2G, A), Henrik Zetterberg (2A) and Gustav Nyquist (2 PPG, A) proved to be too much for the LA Kings as they combined for 8 points in the 5-2 win. Tomas Tatar also scored showing that the changing of the guard in Detroit is well underway... Jimmy Howard is playing like a man possessed as he is putting last year's off-year behind him, posting a line of 5-1-2 with a 1.97 GAA and .929 SP, making him one of the top goaltenders so far this year. This could be his best year yet.... The injuries are starting to take their toll on the Columbus Blue Jackets as they dropped to 4-6-0 after a 7-1-0 pre-season. Ryan Johansen and Cam Atkinson are their main offensive weapons up front but until players like Sergei Bobrovsky, James Wisniewski, Boone Jenner and Artem Anisimov return to the lineup, it will be tough sledding.... Anaheim's Frederik Andersen raised his record to 7-1-0 with a 2-1 overtime win against Dallas on the road. It was a big win for the Ducks, and especially Andersen who seems to be in a sharing situation with rookie John Gibson even though his numbers are worthy of a no. 1 status. It appears that this will be a platoon situation as they don't want either young goaltender to ride the pine for too long, with both needing to play to get into any rhythm. Calgary 4-Nashville 3:  Some things to bring out of this contest is that Nashville's James Neal is getting comfortable playing alongside Mike Ribeiro & Company as he potted 2 goals last night, giving him 7 on the year....Calgary's T.J. Brodie scored his 4th goal of the year giving him 9 points in 12 games, already matching last year's goal production. Brodie is the real deal....At 4-2-1 with a 1.82. GAA and .941 SP, Jonas Hiller is going to make playing the Flames very tough this year.....Both Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan had a goal and an assist apiece against Nashville showing that Calgary has a bright future in front of them, and if they can just prove to be a bit more consistent, that future can be later this year.

ADD'EM: PLENTY OF "D" TO GO AROUND primepucks.com Mon 10/27/14 5:18 AM

There are a few repeat customers in this week's column, but we focus on defensemen, young and old, that can help your teams. It's never easy to get your hands on blueliners with 35-40 point upside, so pay special attention to the few that we highlight this week: Dougie Hamilton D, Boston Bruins: Zdeno Charas loss with his injury is Hamiltons gain in terms of getting more valuable ice time on pp. Dougie responded with a big game agsinst the Leafs, notching one goal and two assists. Expected to carry the defense with "Big Z" out, look for the uber-talented rearguard to grow considerably as a consistent scoring option during the next 4-6 weeks. The young Hamilton was highly touted as a proven scorer upon being draftef by Boston, and now should have his chance to showcase his skills in his 3rd year. His dynasty upside is huge.. David Desharnais C, Montreal: Poor David often gets overlooked as a valuable fantasy asset but the fact remains that he is top line centre of the Habs and is on a roll with four points in the last four games. One of these years, the stars will align and Desharnais will have a big PPG season but for now, use him while he is hot. It doesn't help his long term numbers when he is playing with one of streakiest wingers around in Max Pacioretty. 55-60 points should be a safe bet,making him a solid 4th or 5th fantasy forward. Lubomir Visnovsky D, NYI: Don't look now but after a hot start, Johnny Boychuk has fizzled out a bit for the islanders. It sounds like perfect timing for the return of offensive defenseman Visnovsky, who collected a goal and an assist in last game against Lightning. The fact that he played more than 20 minutes including 2:39 on the primary power play unit- tops on the team, means that he is working his way back up as the teams top scoring option on the blueline. He's worth a waiver wire grab but be prepared to replace him if he gets hurt. Ride him while he is healthy as he has top ten upside, but he has been very brittle in recent years. Mike Ribeiro C, Nashville: The veteran pivot makes our list again for a second straight week as fantasy hockey owners have yet to fully embrace him in all leagues. He had his 4-game point streak snapped Saturday night, but his chemistry with James Neal is building with every passing game. Ribeiro is a proven scorer on every level and he looks very comfortable in Coach Laviolette's offensive system. This should be the last we mention of him as his ownership in all fantasy formats should...

DAILY PRIME- OCTOBER 24, 2014: FANTASY FALLOUT OVER CHARA INJURY primepucks.com Fri 10/24/14 5:53 AM

We need to start our column today with the news that monster defenseman Zdeno Chara hurt his knee last night during the first period of Boston's 3-2 loss to the Islanders and will miss 4-6 weeks. An obvious huge blow to the Bruins and to Chara fantasy owners, but he was off to a slow start with 3 points in 9 games and has seen his offensive production decline in recent years. The torch will fully be passed to Torey Krug offensively, as he will continue to be the Bruin's most prolific scorer on the blue-line and their undisputed power-play quarterback. The door is now open for Dougie Hamilton to gain a more prominent role and add a few more minutes to his normal TOI totals. He will be relied upon more for his two-way defending than Krug, making him more valuable to the Bruins than fantasy owners. That being said, expect an uptick in Hamilton's production as he could get more time on the primary power-play unit. Anyway you look at it, its a win-win for Krug and Hamilton owners. James Neal exploded for Nashville in their 3-2 triumph over Chicago, leading the way with a "hat trick". The 27-year old has now potted five goals in the last four games and is gaining plenty of chemistry playing alongside pivot Mike Ribeiro. Under coach Peter Laviolette's more wide-open offensive scheme, Nashville forwards are far more fantasy relevant and Neal should be the main beneficiary of that. He has the natural abilities of an elite goal-scorer, bagging 40 goals for Pittsburgh in 2011. While his point-per-game totals as a Penguin will be hard to match as a Predator, Neal should be a lock for 30+ goals and 60+ points. There were many goalie highlights on a busy Thursday night, none more news-worthy than Ryan Miller's return to St. Louis. The former Blue who was essentially discarded after one season of unfilled expectations, was the star of the game as he stopped 31 of 32 shots to help Vancouver to a 4-1 victory over St. Louis. He now hold a 4-1 record on the season, but his peripherals are not as strong as they need to be with a 2.71 GAA and a .906 SP. Lock him in as a decent no. 2 fantasy goalie option, but he seems to have firmly lost the grasp on elite status. He was super motivated to show off the Blues, but how does he respond in his next outing? Probably a bit of a letdown.. The shutout "king" of the night was Jonathan Quick (no pun intended) as he stopped all 29 shots he faced in the 2-0 win over Buffalo. He has been dominant over his last four starts, collecting ...

DAILY PRIME- OCTOBER 22, 2014: KESSEL NO MATCH ON THE ISLAND primepucks.com Wed 10/22/14 4:00 AM

On a night where superstar John Tavares entered the Leafs-Islanders tilt as one of the NHL's most prolific scorers early on, it was Phil Kessel who took center stage on Long Island. His big-game performance, where he dominated the Isle's with two goals and an assist truly showed why he is one of the league's most feared snipers. As a fantasy asset, his value lies in his ability to score points in bunches, as all eight points on the season were scored in just three of his seven games. That's what you get with Kessel so despite feeling frustrated about a few score-less outings in a row, always keep him in your starting line-up. You will be sorry if you didn't.. Speaking of streaking (It rhymes!), 25-year old Logan Couture continues to awake from an early slumber, scoring two goals for San Jose in their 5-3 defeat to the Boston Bruins. After registering one point in his first four games, the talented winger has rolled up five points in the last three games and has the ability to put up career numbers if he can stay healthy. Last season, Couture racked up 27 points in his first 26 games so a point-per-game scoring clip is well within his means. Start him with confidence but treat him like Kessel- his scoring streaks will greatly outweigh a few dry spells in terms of overall fantasy production. The Jonathan Drouin watch has officially begun, as the prized 19-year old collected his first NHL point, an assist, in the Lightning's 2-1 triumph over Calgary. In just his second game, the youngster played over 19 minutes while sharing top-line duties with Steven Stamkos. A 2-on-nothing opportunity in overtime almost gave the young Drouin a taste of scoring his first NHL goal, but was foiled by Karri Ramo. The early returns suggest a quick ascension up the fantasy charts for Drouin, so watch him carefully over the next few games. The return of David Krejci to the Boston Bruins has restored his place as a solid fantasy center, but what has it meant to the overall fantasy value of the "B's"? In his last four games, the crafty pivot has racked up two goals and four assists, while also helping to ignite the previously dormant Milan Lucic who has five assists in the last three. During the last four games of Krejci's point streak, the Boston offense has scored 16 goals for an average of 4-per-game. After a putrid start, it looks safe to start your key Boston skaters as the forward corps looks much more formidable with Krejci back in the picture. Mike Ribeiro crafted a ...

Signing: The Predators have signed Mike Ribeiro to a one-year, $1.0... dailyfaceoff.com Tue 7/15/14 2:56 PM

Ribeiro, 34, was bought out by the Coyotes after scoring 16 goals with 31 assists and a minus-13 rating in 80 games. Ribeiro has been known to have some behavioural issues in the locker room, but the Predators take very little risk on the crafty centre by signing him to a cheap, one-year contract.