Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Edmonton Oilers are in a great spot tonight. Who else should you put in your NHL DFS lineups?

As per Mark Spector for Sportsnet, he believes that Edmonton's RNH could be reaching elite territory as a center in 2015-16. He points out to several key stats that bode well for Hopkin's further fantasy breakout in his fifth year. His 20:38 minutes per game last season were second only to John Tavares amongst all NHL forwards. Also, 22 of his 24 goals were at even-strength, surpassing the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. Perhaps you have heard of them? Even though he is coming off two straight 56-point seasons, very few fantasy owners would even dare to mention RNH with those guys when it comes to fantasy relevance. However, it's time to take notice as the present situation in Edmonton can be ripe for the former no. 1 overall pick in 2011 to take another step forward. With the Connor McDavid era about to be ushered in, there is the likelihood that the Oiler offense will boast two dangerous lines for the first time in forever. Hopkins clicked with Jordan Eberle down the stretch in '14-15, collecting 27 points in his last 31 games. New coach Todd McLellan would be wise to keep that duo intact while lining up the ultra-talented tandem of Taylor Hall and McDavid. If the latter can develop quick chemistry and stay healthy, that should free RNH and Eberle from the opposing team's top defensive pairing on many given nights. There are a few "ifs" involved in painting the perfect picture of a RNH huge breakout next season, but he should be able to build on his strong '14-15 second half given he stays healthy and plays 70+ games. ’15-16 PRIMEPUCKS FANTASY FORECAST: 78 GP/ 67 PTS

Dubnyk continues to keep WIld rolling, Young Blue Jackets may be next season's fashion, and young Oilers remain hot Not a good time to go a losing streak but as Calgary has done all year, they should bounce back after losing 4-2 to the Minnesota Wild and make things interesting.  They just happened to go against one of the hottest goaltenders in the NHL in Devan Dubnyk last night, which is still pretty strange coming out of my mouth after all this time.  It’s just one of those years…. Columbus continues to play strong even though they are out of the playoff hunt with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks but don’t forget about this team next year as they should be one of the better bounce back teams of 2015-2016 as they get healthy and mature with their young core of talent. They should stack up on a lot of ammo for their cannon with the likes of Ryan Johansen, Boone Jenner, Nick Foligno, Cam Atkinson, Alex Wennberg, David Savard and more on their way like Kerby Rychel and Marko Dano… Edmonton blanked the enigmatic Dallas Stars 4-0 behind Richard Bachman’s 29-save effort.  The win the first of the season for Bachman and it came against his former team, who are the most Jekyll and Hyde team of the season.  Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins continue to stay hot with a goal and assists respectively so continue to ride these two down the stretch as the Oil are playing well with nothing on the line.  Wait ‘til next year…hopefully!

Hammond keeps hitting right notes, Kings keeping the heat on, Wild & Jets win again! Ottawa continues their amazing run with a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks catapulting them into the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, wresting it away from the Boston Bruins.  Senators Goaltender Andrew Hammond (14-0-1) is just having an incredible run as he still hasn’t lost in regulation.  Simply remarkable!...Mika Zibanejad (2G). Bobby Ryan (3A) and Mike Hoffman (G, 2A) were the offensive providers tonight as the whole roster takes turns being involved in the offense.  Now that they have risen so high, can they maintain the intensity for the last 10 game?... A couple of 3-1 contests last night as LA defeated the New Jersey Devils and the Chicago Blackhawks bested the Carolina Hurricanes.  For LA, Anze Kopitar (G, 2A) and Marian Gaborik (2A) seem to be heating up as they try to climb into playoff position as the season is winding down.  For Kopitar, that’s 5 points in last 3 and 9 points overall in 11 March games.  With just 57 points in 69 games, Kopitar should bounce back to his usual 70-points next season.  Gaborik isn’t built for the rigors of an 82-game NHL season, so don’t expect him to return to his glory days as 70+ point player anymore.  He does have 41 points in 59 games played but won’t get near a point-per-game pace anymore…The Blackhawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the first period and made it stick as Corey Crawford turned aside 43 of 44 SOG for his 30th win on the season.  That’s 4 seasons of 30+ wins on last 5 which includes the shortened 48-game Lockout season where he was on pace for 30+ wins if it was a regular full season…. Devan Dubnyk continues to play large in net as he keeps on winning with a 2-1 win over Toronto.  Surging Thomas Vanek had a hand in both Minnesota goals, an assist on the first goal and the game-winner in the 3rd.  Dubnyk’s bid for a shutout was spoiled by Jake Gardiner (his 4th) with just under 7 minutes to play in regulation…. Jamie Benn (2G, 1A) had a night and it was sorely needed as the Buffalo Sabres gave the Dallas Stars all they could handle last night but the Stars prevailed in the end, 4-3. Sabres’ goalie Anders Lindback (35/39 SV) returned to his former team and did all he could but fell short at the end.  Dallas is still in the hunt for that last playoff spot but time is running out… Calgary helped their cause with a solid 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche keeping the Kings 2 points behind them ...

Gibson Rocks, Hawks and  Rangers round two and 2 hot Oilers Anaheim goalie John Gibson is starting to put his game together which Is bad news for the teams in the Western Conference. With last nights 3-2 win over crosstown rival Los Angeles Kings, Gibson has now now won 6 of his last 7 starts and has not given up more than 2 goals in any of his 6 victories. The rookie has arrived and it looks like he is here to stay…. If these two teams reach the Stanley Cup Finals, don't expect much scoring as they have battled twice this season with each team coming away with a 1-0 win on the other’s home ice. I'm sure ex-Ranger Brad Richards was happy to get the goal against his former team. The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers are prepping for the playoffs and last nights tight battle was proof that they both plan to go a long way again this season. What a playoff series these two teams would make…. Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle each had a point in last nights 4-3 shootout loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets keeping their hot streaks alive. RNH now has 12 points in 8 March games while Eberle has an 6-game point streak going. Polices had been waiting all season for this kind of production which fantasy owners can only hope will carry into next season.

Some hot Oilers, Caps get needed 2 points, Quick stonewalls Coyotes The Washington Capitals got a much needed 2 points as they try to stave off playoff hopefuls Ottawa and Florida.  It took a shootout but regardless the extra point gives them some breathing room. Alex Ovechkin had 9 shots on goal but buffalo managed to keep him off the score sheet.  Defenseman Matt Niskanen showed some signs of life with 2 assists giving him just 23 points on the season which is afar cry from last year’s career season with Pittsburgh. Keep those Caps in your lineup as they try to establish a favorable playoff spot as they are just 2 points behind the Penguins for third in the Metropolitan Division... In what could be a preview for a potential playoff matchup, Tampa Bay controlled the game against thee I treat Canadiens 4-2 which tied the teams atop the Atlantic Division and just 2 points behind Eastern Conference leader the New York Rangers.  Steven Stamkos had 2 goals and an assist giving him 39 goals on the year and with a good hot spurt could reach the 50 mark… In a contest between two sad Canadian teams, the Edmonton Oilers behind red-hot Jordan Eberle (G, 2A) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2A) defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 behind Ben Scrivens 28-save effort. If you missed the first period then you missed all the scoring.  Scrivens had extra incentive as he was playing against his old team.  The Oil may be safe bets to put in your fantasy lineup the rest of the way as they seem to be playing looser with the pressure off… Jonathan Quick was the story against Arizona as the Kings won by a score of 1-0 although Coyote goalie Mike Smith put on a stellar performance stopping 34 SOG.  Smith has been playing a bit better lately but the team is so devoid of offense, he's not getting any help, never mind wins.  

Ottawa stays close, looking at Columbus’ future, Dubnyk loses and some hot Flames. Boston has done well to keep some distance between them and the two teams chasing them for the last wild card spot in the East but Ottawa is keeping the pressure on as they have gone 8-1-1 and are just 5 points behind with 15 games left in the regular season.  Ottawa beat a tough Islanders team by a score of 2-1 with Andrew Hammond providing stellar goaltending one more.  They need to continue to ride the hot hand of Hammond until they are eliminated as they are winning with him in net…. Believe it or not, Dallas still has a shot in the West at a wild card spot and with Tyler Seguin back, if they can go on a bi of a hot streak, they just might be able to sneak in.  They now have won 5 of their last 6 by beating the Washington Capitals last night by a score of 4-2.  Seguin just makes that Stars team so much better and he ended up with the game-winning power play goal in the 2nd period….With defensemen John Klingberg and Trevor Daley still out due to injury, Alex Goligoski (PPA) is getting a boatload of time so continue to put Gogo in your fantasy lineup…. Poolies got a good look at the future of the Columbus blue Jackets last night as they beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 in a shootout.  Rookies Mark Dano (G, A) and Alex Wennberg (2A) had two point nights and should be counted on more heading into next season.  They should complement rising stars Nick Foligno and Ryan Johansen to make this team a playoff contender if goalie Sergei Bobrovsky can remain healthy for a season.  Bobrovsky didn’t have one of his better games but he was playing on back-to-back night….One of the hottest players in the NHL right now is Oiler Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who had another 2 assists last night to give him 11 points in past 8 games.  I hope he isn’t the type of player who plays better when things aren’t on the line because he is loaded with talent….Jordan Eberle is another Oiler who has been on fire of late with a goal and an assists last night giving him 8 points in last 4 games and 31 total points in 31 games since the turn of the calendar. The Flames keep rising and have gone 6-3-1 in past ten games.  Last night they beat a sinking Toronto Maple Leaf team 6-3 with Sean Monahan & Johnny “Hockey” Gaudreau having –point nights each.  Monahan has really raised the level of his game of late with 9 points in past 6 games after a 10-point February.  Get him in your starting lineup as he is becoming one ...

Flames never quit; Young guns answer the bell in Carolina; Goalie battle in Chi-town; and more: In a wild affair in Carolina, the Edmonton Oilers jumped out to a 3-goal lead before the hurricanes scored 6 unanswered goals. Elias Lindholm scored three goals and two assists while Eric Staal collected four points of his own. Their output was slightly superior to Ryan Nugent Hopkins(3G) and Jordan Eberle (3A) who provided most of the Oilers offense in this one. Lindholm holds the most promising long term upside, but it's way too early to give up on RNH. A healthy Taylor Hall next year could help him get to the next level. Am less confident of Eberle being more than 30-goal, 60- point producer unless he changes uniforms in the near future.... Huge win for Boston as they sweep the weekend set to strenghen their hold on the 8th playoff spot. Brad Marchand scored another goal, his fifth in four games and is heating up for the stretch run. He could be a worthwhile fantasy addition during his hot streak.... The Devils top the struggling Flyers who were hard pressed to compete after blowing that heartbreaking game Saturday afternoon to Boston. Not much to say here other than MDZ missed the game due to injury and could be sitting for a few, so monitor his situation before setting your weekly lineups. That's if you even needed to play him... A wild game in Ottawa, as the Flames fought back after a third-period four-goal deficit to force overtime. The Senators prevailed in the shootout but no doubt will turn back to Andrew Hammond for Tuesday's contest. As for the Flames, Kris Russell(2G) has turned it up since the Mark Giordano injury. Possibly a sneaky good short-term pickup.. So much for Semyon Varlamov tanking today in Minny after his huge shutout effort yesterday. However, he did leave the game in the third period after suffering an injury, opening the door for a late Wild comeback that ultimately fell short.  Gabriel Landeskog is on quite the roll, collecting 7 points over the last 5 games. Jarome Iginla is also heating up again after a few quiet games. Look for these two to up the ante a bit with Nathan MacKinnon out for the remainder of the season. The Rangers survive a heck of a goaltending duel between Cam Talbot and Chicago's Corey Crawford, winning in OT 1-0 thanks to Derick Brassard's game-winner. What can you say about Talbot as a short-term fantasy beast during Henrik Lundqvist's absence-10-2-3! That a boy...

While I am a bit skeptical of Ryan Callahan continuing his strong play for the Lightning for the long-term, he is being utilized in a very fantasy-friendly fashion so far. The feisty winger collected two more assists last night in the SO win over Detroit, giving him 11 points in 10 games. Playing alongside Steven Stamkos could result in career numbers if he can stay healthy, but I am loving the supreme dose of power-play time that he has been receiving, Five of his 11 points have come on the man-advantage, so you need to start Callahan right now as he has been sizzling.. Winger Gustav Nyquist will have to wake up for Detroit and take a permanent step forward if the Red Wings are going to withstand the latest injury to Pavel Datsyuk. Good sign for fantasy owners as he responded last night with a goal and an assist. 11 points in 14 games, but young Gustav is on a 40-goal pace to start the year.. Despite losing three of his previous four starts, Chicago goalie Corey Crawford has been "money" for his fantasy owners in the early going. After stopping 32 of 34 shots in the 5-2 triumph over San Jose, his peripheral stats are now 1.75 GAA and .932 SP. Even with Taylor Hall out, Ryan-Nugent Hopkins has been remarkably consistent for the Edmonton Oilers, gathering points in 8 of his last ten games. RNH was the fantasy star of the night in the Oiler's road win at MSG, collecting a goal and an assist. Look for his numbers to soar by mid-season with Hall back in the line-up and the chemistry fully intact.

The highly anticipated NHL debut of Tampa Bay winger Jonathan Drouin took place in Edmonton last night, as Alex Killorn's morning skate injury resulted in his last-minute addition to the line-up. The 2013 third overall pick played over 16 minutes and did register a shot, but the night belonged to Taylor Hall and company, as the Oilers seized their first win of the season with the 3-2 triumph. The star winger scored on a penalty shot and added a helper, while his pivot Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored his first goal of the season for the game-winner in the third period. Head coach Dallas Eakins reunited the Hall-Eberle-Hopkins unit, paying off handsomely as they combined for four points while keeping the opposing Steven Stamkos line off the scoresheet. If the trio could stay intact, then you possibly see RNH and Jordan Eberle reach the fantasy level that they are so capable of.. RW Ryan Callahan left the game for the Lightning in the second period and did not return.