OCTOBER 15, 2017 Hockey is back!  And so is Sunday Morning Coffee!  With just over a week into the season and already things seems to be turned upside-down more than usual. Vegas as more wins (3) than Montreal and the NY Rangers combined (2). Los Angeles is one of only 2 undefeated team at 3-0-1.  There is a Dustin Brown renaissance it seems. You just knew that Kings G Jonathan Quick was going to rebound this year. The other undefeated team is the Ottawa Senators and they have started the season without their #1 star in defenseman Erik Karlsson.  Go figure! New Jersey and Colorado at or near the top of their respective divisions?  WTF? Isn’t it so crazy that Backstrom, Kuznetsov and Ovechkin are off to such sizzling hot starts as all three sit atop the NHL point-leaders board? The Capital defense is going to be a thorn in their side this year it seems. OV having back-to-back hat trick games is not so surprising but getting them in two straight periods is amazing! Don’t you just hate it when guys you have pegged for big seasons get injured in the like the first game or week of the season practically derailing your chances in fantasy hockey?  Guys like Charlie Coyle or Nino Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund or Robby Fabbri.  Just doesn’t seem right. Wow, three of those are Minnesota Wild players.   If you have depth on your bench, get them and ride the second half wave. I think we need to move on with all these Matt Duchene and Alex Galchenyuk rumors and stories about getting traded.  I have had enough about hearing their teams mishandling or mistreating them.  Either stick them in favorable positions to succeed or move on and trade them. I think Auston Matthews already has like 12 game-winning goals in his 1+ year of NHL existence.  It sure seems like it if he isn’t at that number yet. I had to pinch myself when I saw all those high-scoring box scores over the first 5-6 days of the season.  It looks like we are back to our normal scoring ways. Well, it didn’t take long for Anaheim goalie John Gibson to suffer an injury.  Come on now!  Is this a joke or what with the way he always gets injured? If somehow, some way Vladislav Namestnikov is available in your fantasy league, scoop him up right away as he is playing on Tampa bay’s first line and first PP unit.  I knew Brandon Saad was going to be a beast this year that’s why I traded for him in one dynasty league and drafted him in 2 others.  Love it when a plan works out. Dan Girardi had 5 SOG last night ...

ADD’EM: RED-HOT & FLAME-BROILED 12/11/2016 One of the coldest teams to start the season, the Calgary Flames, are now one of the hottest with an 8-1-1 over their last 10 games and it all began with a switch in starting goaltenders from Brian Elliott to Chad Johnson.  Elliott struggled to find the game he had in St. Louis, so until he does, the Flames will ride the hot hand of Johnson.  Chad still can be had as he is owned by 62% of Yahoo fantasy leagues, but time may be running out.  With only 2 games on the slate in this upcoming week, this could be the last chance to grab the hot Calgary net minder. There are still a few decent Flame forwards available on the waiver wire in Sam Bennett and Michael Backlund, owned by 30-25% of Yahoo leagues.  Bennett’s line reads 2-3-5 while Backlund goes with a 2-4-6, both in 8 games played.  Troy Brouwer isn’t tickling anyone’s fancy, owned by just 19%, but does have 4 points over those same 8 games.  Rookie sensation Matthew Tkachuk (15%) seems to have found his rhythm and has 1 goal to go along with 5 assists but has 22 PIMs to remind us of the toughness his father brought to the game.  Remember, the Flames only have 2 games on their schedule for the upcoming week. On the defensive side of the coin for Calgary, T. J. Brodie is owned in 47% but his +/- is killing fantasy owners that remain holders.  Ride him out on the bench until he corrects his ways, or find other available options if scanning the WW.  Ian Cole of Pittsburgh, never known for his offensive prowess,  has 7 points in past 7 games and may just get points by association playing anywhere near Crosby and/or Malkin and the rest of that high-powered offense.  Andrej Sekera is another d-man flying under the radar but he is playing on the top PP unit with Connor McDavid and that is all you should need to know to go pick him up straightaway. He is only owned in 21% of Fantasy leagues. Other forward options are Andrew Shaw (29% ownership) of Montreal who just may see an increase of responsibility with Alex Galchenyuk being sidelined for the next 6-8 weeks.  Keeping with the Canadiens, Tomas Plekanec (50%) has seemed lost this year trying to replicate last season’s numbers but again, this opportunity just may be the spark he needs.  Two young guns making the most of their latest opportunities, Robby Fabbri (36%) has been struggling in the first past of this season but over the last two games he has picked up his production and now has 4 goals and 3 assists over ...