SMC 2/4/2016 JIBBER JABBER!   Staying warm with a hot cup of Joe! The Groundhog came out the other day and said, “Who are these Las Vegas Golden Knights?”  And that there will be 6 more weeks of winter. And lots of hockey remaining. I love all the trade rumors we have had for the past 2-3 months but can we actually see some come to fruition for Pete’s sake? Really, who are these Las Vegas Golden Knights? This could be a playoff-less year for New York winter teams.  No Giants or Jets.  And it’s looking like the Rangers and islanders may not make it in either. I don’t count basketball, sorry. Super Bowl tonight.  Being from New York I hope both teams lose. Boston is still one, if not ‘the, hottest teams in the NHL right now.  Okay, Nashville too. Some good races for playoff positions this season.  I’m really expecting Anaheim to go off on a real hot streak soon. Will Winnipeg be Canada’s only hope for the playoffs this year?  Or can Calgary sneak into a spot? It will be strange not to see any NHLers in the Winer Olympics this year. Carter Hutton has been a nice surprise taking over for Jake Allen. What a shame Nathan MacKinnon got hurt!  He was finally having that season everyone has been waiting for the past few years. Arizona has loads of talented kids.  It’s just painful to watch right now.  I guess you can’t differentiate between Coyotes howling in the desert and the Arizona fans howling in disgust. I’m planning a trip to the Grand Canyon.  Anyone have any suggestions?  Send them in, thank you. It’s also nice to see Sean Couturier be a significant part of the Flyer’s offense this season. You should count on Brad Marchand getting suspended once or twice per season.  You know, like you would with injury-prone players. Some cold players out there.  As cold as it is outside.  Evander Kane, Anders Lee, Brandon Saad…. Players who should have a better second half; Mike Hoffman, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jason Spezza, Charlie Coyle, Cam Atkinson. Just to name a few possibilities of Buy-Low candidates. Have a great week, stay warm, and may all your fantasies come true!  

Some weekend updates…and I’m not Chevy Chase… McGinn-Demers Trade: The Florida Panthers shipped off veteran defenseman Jason Demers to the Arizona Coyotes and received LWer Jamie McGinn.  The Cats cleared about $12 million in cap space and added some grit.  Don’t expect much in terms of offense from the journeyman now on his 6th NHL team.  The Coyotes add another veteran defenseman to go along Niklas Hjalmarsson, acquired right before the NHL Entry Draft from Chicago, Alex Goligoski and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.  This gives the Arizona Coyotes a very solid core in front of Antti Raanta who will be taking over the reins as the starting goaltender in the desert.  The Coyotes are an improved team and should not be an NHL doormat anymore. Draft Guide Updated:  Look for the new Draft Guide file in your account.  All updates are highlighted in yellow, so they are easy to spot….Some updates…Evander Kane added to Buffalo Sabres team page and Forward Tiers as was Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks….All recent signings, David Pastrnak, Bryan Little, Nikita Zadorov to name just a few….Even the above trade has been updated in the Guide…Made a few forecast changes to Connor Brown and Oliver Bjorkstrand in particular as we curbed our enthusiasm for both talented wingers… EXCITING NEW FEATURE WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE ON THE DRAFT GUIDE PDF!!!  Open the Draft Guide and click on any Title in the Table of Contents and you will be brought directly to the page!  No more scrolling.  I am working on adding that feature for the individual Team Pages as well.  Hopefully will be done by tonight!  Check back every few days for updates as we continue to add and make updates throughout the pre-season. Ciao for now! Ray

Some weekend updates…and I’m not Chevy Chase… McGinn-Demers Trade: The Florida Panthers shipped off veteran defenseman Jason Demers to the Arizona Coyotes and received LWer Jamie McGinn.  The Cats cleared about $12 million in cap space and added some grit.  Don’t expect much in terms of offense from the journeyman now on his 6th NHL team.  The Coyotes add another veteran defenseman to go along Niklas Hjalmarsson, acquired right before the NHL Entry Draft from Chicago, Alex Goligoski and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.  This gives the Arizona Coyotes a very solid core in front of Antti Raanta who will be taking over the reins as the starting goaltender in the desert.  The Coyotes are an improved team and should not be an NHL doormat anymore. Draft Guide Updated:  look for the new Draft Guide file in your account.  All updates are highlighted in yellow, so they are easy to spot….Some updates…Evander Kane added to Buffalo Sabres team page and Forward Tiers as was Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks….All recent signings, David Pastrnak, Bryan Little, Nikita Zadorov to name just a few….Even the above trade has been updated in the Guide…Made a few forecast changes to Connor Brown and Oliver Bjorkstrand in particular as we curbed our enthusiasm for both talented wingers… Check back every few days for updates as we continue to add and make updates throughout the pre-season. Ciao for now! Ray

W. W. O. R. D. (What would our Ray do?) HOCKEY MADNESS The NCAA basketball tournament doesn’t have dibs on March madness you know.  The NHL has plenty of their madness going around as teams fight and claw for every point just to make it to the big dance, The Spring Fever! Okay, that was futile attempt to be creative with a catchy title I admit, but you do have to recognize that as a fantasy hockey poolie who is battling for some sort of championship or playoff victory, the last few weeks of the regular season can be a nail-biting and hair-pulling experience. In one of the pools that I am involved in, my team has been floundering near the bottom of the pack for most of the season, mostly due to sub-par performances from the likes of Ryan Johansen, Pekka Rinne and Taylor Hall, along with Frederik Andersen losing the starter’s job to John Gibson who wasn’t even in the opening day lineup.  Oh, And Jaden Schwartz, who I expected big things from this season, going down for half the season, things weren’t looking too good.  But with some shrewd pickups and the return to form of some of those draft picks, my team has sprung from last place to 6th, just over 50 points back of 3rd place with 3 weeks to go.  With a little luck, a break here and a break there, and some players getting extremely hot, there is a possibility that I can make up even more ground in these dying days of the regular NHL season. So what can I do to improve my team?  This morning I quickly jumped on picking up goaltender Brian Elliott of the St. Louis Blues who is back earlier from his injury than expected.  I had dropped a few weeks back thinking he was done for the season.  Elliott has shown he can get extremely hot and post a few shutouts in a short period of time. Along with Pekka Rinne rounding into top form, my team, the Pekka Heads, can make up some seriously ground. On the defensive end, Arizona’s Michael Stone has produced in the absence of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and perhaps will still benefit once OEL returns to the lineup, which should be any day now.  But stranger things have happened and you never know if the Coyotes decide to just shut down OEL for the rest of the season for fear of risking a more serious injury.  I was surprised to see him sitting there since OEL had been sidelined for a few games already.  I was glad I looked on the waiver wire.  Another defenseman who was sitting out on the wire, and may still be, was Anaheim’s Hampus Lindholm.  Now Lindholm was disappointing ...

First of all, Happy Easter to all celebrating and a festive Palm sunday to my Christian Orthodox faithful. Second, I will include a few thoughts solely based on fantasy implications at it's quite apparent that most of the NHL drama is centered onplayoff implications. For those still in fantasy contention, this last week will be a pivotal one for sure but be sure to read our latest ISD and ADD'EM for last-second waiver-wire recommendations that can help. Because of the nature of this hectic day, I will add a few thoughts throughout the day: The Blue Jackets are for real, but injuries derailed a huge coming out party for them in 2014-15. Sergei Bobrovsky has won 8 straight and could be next year's Pekka Rinne if Columbus can stay relatively healthy. Nick Foligno's hat trick gave him 67 points on the season, turning in of fantasy's biggest surprise efforts. He should stay close to those numbers next season... Ryan Johansen will be a blue-chip stud, probably warranting an early round pick while Cam Atkinson has huge sleeper potential as a breakout candidate. Don't buy too much into Scott Hartnell's 25-goal, 55-point season as he is bound to regress as the young guns move up. Needless to say, plenty to gush about regarding Columbus fantasy appeal moving forward    Steven Stamkos snapped a seven-game skid with no goals, scoring twice and adding an assist in the 4-0 rout of Tampa Bay. While Alex Ovechkin is getting all the love as the NHL's premier sniper, let's not overlook what a fantasy game changer Stamkos always is. His 42 goals could have been much closer to 50+ if not for a super secondary scoring this season, led by one Tyler Johnson. Stamkos should still be drafted top two in all fantasy formats come next September... We have been used to Keith Yandle and Oliver-Ekman Larsson benefiting from each other in the scoring department but both have continued just fine on separate teams. While it took Yandle a while to get acclimated to playing on the Blueshirts, his offensive production has picked up in a big way. He collected a goal and an assist in the 6-1 win over the Devils, giving him 8 points in the last 8 games. Meanwhile, all OEL has done is score two more goals last night to improve his total to a career-high 23. Both should be elite fantasy options on the blueline next season... More to come later...

As we appreciate all that the holidays give us during this time of year, several highly regarded fantasy gifts have yet to reap dividends for their frustrated owners. There is one or two ways to move forward:1. label them as a "bust" and cut bait, or 2. buy low or hold on with the hope that their value will appreciate during the second half. A trendy sleeper pick in the late rounds was the late blooming Andrej Sekera who is coming off a monstrous breakout season for Carolina with 44 points. Off to a horrific first half with a paltry 14 points in 34 games, the 28-year old has benefitted of late due to John Michael Liles missing much time due to injury. Sekera has been getting top power-play minutes and could have a decent January if he maintains his top spot. My feeling is that the new coach will ride the "hot hand" on the primary power-play unit, so the skilled defender should be motivated to make his mark. Also of note, that Ryan Murphy has been recalled to the big team after excelling in the AHL with 17 points in 23 games. With Justin Faulk also in the picture, I would not rely on Sekera for more than a short-term boost to your fantasy blueline. A can't-miss blue chipper like Niklas Kronwall was drafted way before Sekera in all fantasy formats and has put up decent numbers(21 pts in 37 gms), but has been fading fast in December. After posting back to back 8-point months to start the season, Detroit's top blueliner saw his offensive production stall along with the whole team as he collected two points in his first 11 December games. However, three points in his last two games is an encouraging sign as a strong second half is on the horizon. I would absolutely try to snag the blueliner via a trade, as he will go a tear very soon. With three points in his last 12 games, Colorado's Tyson Barrie has seen his production taper greatly after an explosive first few months. Even though Erik Johnson does get his share of points, Barrie is their main offensive weapon on the blueline and should bust out of his funk soon. The Avalanche forwards have taken many nights off in the early going, but would you be shocked if McKinnon and Duchene lead a power surge over the second half? Barrie would be a huge beneficiary of a scoring revival in Colorado so hold onto him tightly. He has a legit shot at the 50-point mark. Parting Shot: With all the talk that Oliver-Ekman Larsson is not performing on an elite fantasy level, he has had the knack for scoring clutch goals this ...

RINNE ROLLS ON & JOHNNY BE GOOD! You may not have noticed but the Washington Capitals have won 3 in a row and 7 of last 9 with Braden Holtby raising his record to 15-7-5 after beating the Ottawa Senators 2-1. Caps C Nicklas Backstrom continued his hot hand with a power play goal that stood up as the game-winner. That's 9 points in last 5 games putting him on the "Niiiiice" list....Continue to start Holtby as the team is getting acclimated to Head Coach Barry Trotz' system.... Nashville stays close to the top of the Western Conference with a pedestrian 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets who have stumbled a little by losing 2 of last 3 but can't blame the Jackets as Pekka Rinne has been the NHL's best goaltender this season. Rinne leads the NHL with 22 wins and he also has a 1.84 GAA and a .934 SP.  Wow!...Craig Smith, one of our sleeper picks in the 2014-2015 PrimePucks™ Fantasy hockey Draft Guide may be heating up as he has 4 points in last 2 games. With just 19 points in 32 games, I may need a little more confirmation that he can be consistent from here on out.... Jimmy Hayes, all through my brain! Hayes helped the Florida Panthers squeak past the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in a shootout with 2 goals.  There are probably better options on the waiver wire but keep an eye on him.  You never know..... The Vancouver Canucks beat up on the Arizona Coyotes 7-1. It was the usual suspects for Vancouver with the Sedin twins getting 2 points each and Alex Burrows netting 2. There had been so much promise for Burrows but he never lived up to the hype but has settled in as a good support forward...Oliver Ekman-Larsson is getting hot with a power play goal, giving him 6 points in 9 December games.... Frederik Andersen and the Anaheim Ducks managed to put an end to the San Jose Sharks 5-game winning streak but it took overtime to do the trick. It was Andersen's 19th win on the year so continue to ride the young Duck net minder... And we saved the best for last as Johnny Gaudreau, aka Johnny Hockey, helped the Calgary Flames beat Los Angeles 4-3 in overtime. With the Flames trailing the LA Kings 3-0 near the end of the 2nd period, Gaudreau kicked it into gear and scored his first NHL hat trick before the Flames capped the comeback with a Mark Giordano game-winner in OT. The Flames scored 4 unanswered goals to end their 8-game losing streak.

RINNE ROLLS ON & JOHNNY B. GOOD! You may not have noticed but the Washington Capitals have won 3 in a row and 7 of last 9 with Braden Holtby raising his record to 15-7-5 after beating the Ottawa Senators 2-1. Caps C Nicklas Backstrom continued his hot hand with a power play goal that stood up as the game-winner. That's 9 points in last 5 games putting him on the "Niiiiice" list....Continue to start Holtby as the team is getting acclimated to Head Coach Barry Trotz' system.... Nashville stays close to the top of the Western Conference with a pedestrian 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets who have stumbled a little by losing 2 of last 3 but can't blame the Jackets as Pekka Rinne has been the NHL's best goaltender this season. Rinne leads the NHL with 22 wins and he also has a 1.84 GAA and a .934 SP.  Wow!...Craig Smith, one of our sleeper picks in the 2014-2015 PrimePucks™ Fantasy hockey Draft Guide may be heating up as he has 4 points in last 2 games. With just 19 points in 32 games, I may need a little more confirmation that he can be consistent from here on out.... Jimmy Hayes, all through my brain! Hayes helped the Florida Panthers squeak past the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in a shootout with 2 goals.  There are probably better options on the waiver wire but keep an eye on him.  You never know..... The Vancouver Canucks beat up on the Arizona Coyotes 7-1. It was the usual suspects for Vancouver with the Sedin twins getting 2 points each and Alex Burrows netting 2. There had been so much promise for Burrows but he never lived up to the hype but has settled in as a good support forward...Oliver Ekman-Larsson is getting hot with a power play goal, giving him 6 points in 9 December games.... Frederik Andersen and the Anaheim Ducks managed to put an end to the San Jose Sharks 5-game winning streak but it took overtime to do the trick. It was Andersen's 19th win on the year so continue to ride the young Duck net minder... And we saved the best for last as Johnny Gaudreau, aka Johnny Hockey, helped the Calgary Flames beat Los Angeles 4-3 in overtime. With the Flames trailing the LA Kings 3-0 near the end of the 2nd period, Gaudreau kicked it into gear and scored his first NHL hat trick before the Flames capped the comeback with a Mark Giordano game-winner in OT. The Flames scored 4 unanswered goals to end their 8-game losing streak.

On Tuesday night, the talented Oliver-Ekman Larsson delivered a clutch performance for Arizona when he scored the game-winning goal against Edmonton with 0.3 seconds left. With five points in his last seven games, we are starting to see OEL heat up after his pedestrian start to the season had many fantasy owners frustrated. We all have been expecting him to turn in his first 50+ point campaign this year as he ascends to the top-five of fantasy defensemen, but it has yet to be the case so far. However, with a modest total of 15 points in his first 31 games, is he headed toward being a total fantasy disappointment or should he be ranked high amongst "buy-low" options? Looking closer at OEL's numbers, the 23-year old started off the season blazing with 7 points in 9 games but struggled mightily in November with three points for the whole month. As he catches "fire" again after his lengthy slump, all you need to do is check out his "ups and downs"during his breakout season in 2013-14: 18 pts in his first 26 games(October/November) followed by 4 points in 13 games (December). He ended the second half with 19 pts. in the last 34 games, showing the ability to restore his game to elite status in no time. I would definitely take a chance on acquiring him via trade from fantasy owners that have given up on him for this year. He can still be a difference-maker in one-year leagues, but he is a lock to be an elite performer for dynasty squads.. Parting Shots: The roller-coaster ride for Jacob Trouba owners continue- he has sustained a serious upper-body injury that will keep him out until February. This could not come at a worst time for the rising youngster who was benefitting from a depleted defense corps in Winnipeg. Trouba's injury should assure that Dustin Byfuglien will stay on defense for awhile.. Damon Severson will be out for 4-5 weeks due to a hairline fracture in his ankle. The 20-year old has seen his point total shrink after a strong start for New Jersey but he looks to be a decent option in keeper leagues..

On Tuesday night, the talented Oliver-Ekman Larsson delivered a clutch performance for Arizona when he scored the game-winning goal against Edmonton with 0.3 seconds left. With five points in his last seven games, we are starting to see OEL heat up after his pedestrian start to the season had many fantasy owners frustrated. We all have been expecting him to turn in his first 50+ point campaign this year as he ascends to the top-five of fantasy defensemen, but it has yet to be the case so far. However, with a modestal total of 15 points in his first 31 games, is he headed toward being a total fantasy disappointment or should he be ranked high amongst "buy-low" options? Looking closer at OEL's numbers, the 23-year old started off the season blazing with 7 points in 9 games but struggled mightily in November with three points for the whole month. As he catches "fire" again after lengthy slump, all you need to do is check out his "ups and downs"during his breakout season in 2013-14: 18 pts in his first 26 games(October/November) followed by 4 points in 13 games (December). He ended the second half with 19 pts. in the last 34 games, showing the ability to restore his game to elite status in no time. I would definitely take a chance on acquiring him via trade from fantasy owners that have given up on him for this year. He can still be a difference-maker in one-year leagues, but he is a lock to be an elite performer for dynasty squads.. Parting Shots: The roller-coaster ride for Jacob Trouba owners continue- he has sustained a serious upper-body injury that will keep him out until February. This could not come at a worst time for the rising youngster who was benefitting from a depleted defense corps in Winnipeg. Trouba's injury should assure that Dustin Byfuglien will stay on defense for awhile.. Damon Severson will be out for 4-5 weeks due to a hairline fracture in his ankle. The 20-year old has seen his point total shrink after a strong start for New Jersey but he looks to be a decent option in keeper leagues..