ADD'EM: IT'S A BLUE PERIOD, JACKET REQUIRED primepucks.com Mon 1/2/17 4:53 PM

ADD’EM: IT'S A BLUE PERIOD, JACKET REQUIRED First off, Happy New Year everyone!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and ready to take on all that 2017 has to offer.  I’m excited to be back after a nice break, spending time in the Bahamas with my family, but now it’s time to get down to business. As we turn the page on the calendar, there are quite a few names still available in ESPN that kind of surprised me, as I am sure they will surprise you.  Speaking of surprises, the biggest surprise so far in this NHL season has been the Columbus Blue Jackets.  In first place of the Metropolitan Division at this juncture of the season, it is time to start believing in the Blue Jackets.  Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is the key to this team as long as he stays healthy, he will continue to lead the team, but there are a few forwards that remain available but that window may be closing fast.  Columbus has played the fewest amount of games so far with 35 so there are of man games to be had out there.  Players like Nick Foligno (86.6%), Brandon Saad (85.5%), Alex Wennberg (79.1%), Sam Gagner (69.8%), Scott Hartnell (53.2%), and even Cam Atkinson at 88.9% raises an eyebrow as to their availability.   Most of the aforementioned players are playing at a point-per-game clip and with the way the team is focused, if you can get a hold of 1 or 2 of these players, don’t hesitate to start them.  Even on defense Seth Jones remains available at 72.1% and has 16 points in just 29 games, missing some due to a minor injury but has 5 points in past 7 games. All sport a positive +/- number as well, so you know Head Coach John Tortorella has them playing together. If you have the contrarian way of looking at things and want to shy away from the hottest team in the first half, then perhaps the New York Islanders are the team you want to stock up on.  With a horrible first half, the Isles seem to be righting the ship of late with 4 wins in last 5 games.  Having only played 36 games so far, there are plenty of games left for the players to boost their NHL totals.  Josh Bailey (16.9%), Anders Lee (29.4%), Ryan Strome (2.4%), Andrew Ladd (30.9%), Brock Nelson (19.6%) are the forwards who have the talent to pick up their games for the stretch run playing with Captain John Tavares.  In the past 6 games, all the above forwards have scored close to a PPG level with Nelson getting 4, Strome and Ladd getting 5, and then Lee with6 and Bailey 7.  On defense, Dennis Seidenberg (16.8%) ...

ADDEM: FANTASY HOTBED IN COLUMBUS primepucks.com Tue 2/2/16 2:04 PM

  Brandon Dubinsky Simply put, the top unit anchored by Dubinsky had been tearing it up for the Columbus squad. The only word of caution regarding Dubie is that usually his torrid scoring streaks come to an abrupt halt due to injuries and he fails to live up to the previous hype. But he can absolutely help all fantasy teams right now...   Cam Atkinson I have been raving  this guy as a potential 30-goal sniper for quite awhile now,  so my endorsement comes with a grain of salt. He has clicked big time with Dubinsky and an excellent All Star effort could be a prelude to a big second half. Roll with him while he is streaking..   Shane Doan The 39-year old has turned the clock back a bit with a decent first half showing, collecting 27 points in 40 games. His 55- point pace has been numbers he hasn't seen since 2010-11. Do I fully trust him? Not really, that used to be his norm so maybe he can keep it up for the Coyotes.    Shea Theodore  Cam Fowler might before returning tonight but the young Theodore had been a pleasant surprise on Anaheim's top power play unit. Not sure how that will affect Theodore's fantasy value but his recent stretch should have earned him a shot to keep playing on special teams. Seems very reminiscent to the Gostisbehere situation in Philly and we all know how that's turning out. Take a flier on Shea.    Joonas Korpisalo It all looked very futile for the Columbus goaltending Situation whn Sergei Bobrovsky went down to another injury, but the young Finn has been brilliant in the veterans absence. Let's see, 4 wins over the last 6 games while allowing just 10 goals is not too shabby! All Bobrovsky owners should own Korpisalo as he shown signs of being the real deal. 

DAILY ROTO LINEUP: 10/16/15 primepucks.com Fri 10/16/15 10:16 AM

  A nightmarish start for Columbus has them at 0-4 but what better way to temporarily right the ship than by facing the more woeful Maple Leafs at home. Get the key Blue Jackets in your lineup as this one can get lopsided in favor of the home squad. Ryan Johansen and Brandon Saad offer great bang for the buck plus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky needs a solid start in the worst way.I have no problem laying out the big bucks for one of the few certainties on defense, Brent Burns at New Jersey. Love Blake Wheeler to come up big in Winnipegs home opener even though I am feeling a Calgary upset. Steve's Picks- Draft Kings   C Ryan Johansen, Columbus C Dylan Larkin, Detroit  W Justin Abdelkader, Detroit W Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg W Patrick Marleau, San Jose  D Brent Burns, San Jose  D Alex Edler, Vancouver G Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus  U Brandon Saad,Columbus    RAY'S PICKS- Fan Duel   G: Jimmy Howard-DET ($8,800) D: Hampus Lindholm-ANA ($4,000) D: Mike Green-DET ($5,000) C: Henrik Zetterberg-DET ($7,100) C: Joe Thornton-SJ ($5,500) LW: Brandon Saad-CBS ($5,300) LW: Justin Abdelkader-DET ($4,800) RW: Nick Foligno-CBS ($6,500) RW: Joe Pavelski-SJ ($7,800)

NHL IN 30: SWEET SIXTEEN-PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 2015-2016 primepucks.com Wed 9/23/15 8:15 PM

PHILADELPHIA It was hard to believe that the Philadelphia Flyers did not make the playoffs last season after the incredible season Jakub Voracek enjoyed amassing 81 points in a career year.  And you couldn’t place blame on goaltender Steve Mason who enjoyed one of his better overall seasons in bet with a 2.25 GAA and A .928 SP, which were actually better than his rookie season in Columbus when he was nominated for the Vezina trophy eventually awarded to Tim Thomas.  Part of the blame could be on Claude Giroux who had just a so-so season with 71 points.  Giroux needs to be his dominating self and post in the 90-point range for this team to be successful.  Even a patchwork defense held their own with young journeyman defenseman Michael Del Zotto and veteran Mark Streit finding their offensive games again.  So what was the reason behind such an average season?  Perhaps it was that the team just didn’t mesh with Head Coach Craig Berube.  Well, Berube is gone now and stepping into his shoes is a rookie head coach in Dave Hakstol, who implements a similar style but perhaps with a little more emphasis on speed and quicker transition.  GOALIES When a team misses the playoffs, a lot of the blame gets placed on the goaltender.  Mason had struggles early in his career after a spectacular rookie season under Ken Hitchcock in Columbus but faltered quickly in his sophomore year and just couldn’t find that magic again.  After a few average seasons as a Blue Jacket, the Flyers traded for Mason, giving up their own struggling net minder in Sergei Bobrovsky.  Mason regained his confidence with a 4-2-0 record and a 1.90 GAA and a .944 SP in his brief stretch at the end of the 2012-2013 season after being acquired.  His metrics as a Philadelphia goaltender are   2012-2015         GP       GAA     W         L          T          SP Steve Mason     119       2.36     55        38         18         .923 So you can see his numbers are a bit above average for a goaltender and if the Flyers can get that type of performance again and the team tightens up and wins more of their fair share of 1-goal games that they lost early last season, better times await.  Michal Neuvirth was brought in to back up Mason, getting a little younger in that department by letting Ray Emery walk.  Neuvirth is another underrated goaltender who does well with stopping high-percentage shots down low and will be capable to fill in if and when Mason goes down to injury.  Don't let Mason slip too far as ...

DAILY PRIME: A FEW SURPRISES COMING OUR WAY IN 2015-2016 primepucks.com Thu 8/13/15 8:59 PM

Every year it seems like there is a surprise team or two that make and miss the playoff season.  Last year the Calgary Flames were dancing come April and the Colorado Avalanche on the outside looking in after being the surprise team the year earlier.  In the Eastern Conference everyone thought that the Boston bruins were a lock for the playoffs but somehow Ottawa pushed past them with a great late-season surge.  So who will be this year’s surprises?  For one, we are very high on the Columbus Blue Jackets to not only make the playoffs but possibly contend for the President’s Trophy.  Who is out, you ask?  We think it could be a toss-up between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Conference is just that tight this year.  It is also a possibility that both teams may miss the playoffs with the Florida Panthers sneaking in a la 2014-2015 Ottawa. Columbus, if you recall, were inundated with injuries at the beginning of last season and took a long time to recover and start to win again.  They were 16-2-2 in their last twenty games and you know they will be itching to show that they are for real in the East.  With a Vezina winner in net in Sergei Bobrovsky and the emergence of Center Ryan Johansen and Defenseman David Savard, the Jackets are ready to shoot the cannon, and often.  Florida also had a late-season surge and all because of Jaromir Jagr coming to the team and showing youngsters Jonathan Huberdeau and company how to win.  With Jagr signing up again to stay in sunny F-L-A, expect good things from the Dale Tallon built team.  A lot will have to go right for the Cats to make the playoffs, but they do have a world-class goalkeeper in Roberto Luongo manning the crease.  Things will be exciting in Miami this winter. The one constant that you can always rely on is change and you can expect a little bit of change in 2015-2016 when April rolls around.

DAILY PRIME - APRIL 9, 2015: BOBBER ENROTH & HOLTBY POST SHUTOUTS primepucks.com Thu 4/9/15 8:39 AM

Columbus getting ready for next year, Boston is in trouble, and a three-way tie for the scoring title Columbus continues to prove that if it weren’t for the early season injury woes, they would be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs.  The Blue Jackets blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-0 as the season for both teams is quickly winding down.  Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside all 35 shots for his 29th victory and just his 2nd shutout on the season.  Look for a huge year for the former Vezina trophy winner next season…. It was another home team shutout as the Washington Capitals blanked the Boston Bruins 3-0 and leaves the door wide open for the Ottawa Senators who seemed destined to reach the post season.  Braden Holtby earned his 41st win and 9th shutout on the year making it an incredible turnaround from last season where he only had 23 wins in 48 games.  Under Head Coach Barry Trotz, Holtby’s game has flourished and will only get better in the ensuing years…. Jonas Enroth made it three on a match as he shutout the Anaheim Ducks 4-0.  What is more impressive is that Jamie Benn with 3 assists is ties at the top of the NHL scoring race with John Tavares and Sidney Crosby with 83 points. It's a shame that not one player will break the century mark. 

DAILY PRIME - APRIL 7, 2015: STEPAN DELIVERS THE GOODS primepucks.com Tue 4/7/15 8:05 AM

Columbus putting on quite an audition for next fantasy season, Rangers getting stronger, and the Jets keep soaring The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres are playing out their respective disappointing seasons and it may be a few years before either team can be considered legitimate contenders.  They will still have some fantasy relevant players but you will have to put up with some not-so-good plus/minus stats.  On the Canes you have must-start players like Eric Staal and Justin Faulk and an injury-prone Jeff Skinner, but there isn’t much help coming from the youngster although Elias Lindholm has shown flashes of greatness from time to time….Tyler Ennis looks to be sure thing for next season and Zach Bogosian may be fantasy relevant in his new home up in upstate New York but all may rest upon how last year’s Number 1 pick Sam Reinhart plays in camp along with young talent like Johan Larsson and company…Too many things have to happen for wither of these teams to be making a huge jump up in the standings…. The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to show that this season was not meant to be but that they will be a force to be reckoned with for next year.  Sergei Bobrovsky played outstanding in the 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers and it appears he is ready to perform at his Vezina-winning ways once again.  Grab Bobber high in next season’s fantasy draft….Derek Stepan may have missed the beginning of the season but he sure is enjoying quite an end to this season as he propelled the Rangers to their 51st win on the season capping the comeback victory with the tying goal with less than 30 seconds remaining and then the game-winning goal in OT.  The Ranges are not letting up and seem to be getting stronger as they near the playoffs….Henrik Lundqvist made quite a few outstanding saves in this game and appears to be in mid-season form.  Go long with the Rangers in the playoffs!... The Jets are doing everything they can to lock down a playoff spot and they sure helped themselves by blanking the Minnesota Wild 2-0 behind Ondrej Pavelec's 32 saves.  The win puts them a point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings in the wild card race as the Kings lost to Vancouver, another team trying to lock down a playoff berth, 2-1 in a shootout.  What a race we have in the Western Conference!  Calgary was idle last night... In a game with no implications except for possibly the scoring title saw Dallas clobber the Sharks 5-1 with Jamie Benn (2G, A) climbing to within one point...

DAILY PRIME - APRIL 5, 2015: SUNDAY THOUGHTS primepucks.com Sun 4/5/15 8:33 AM

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...

DAILY PRIME - APRIL 3, 2015: WHAT STOOD OUT primepucks.com Fri 4/3/15 9:03 AM

Columbus stays hot; King Henrik back to normal; Price who? and more; *The New York Islanders blew a two-goal lead in the third period as they fall to a streaking Columbus team, 4-3. Sergei Bobrovsky has been a late-season fantasy stud in goal as Columbus has won eight straight games. Read our IN STEVE'S DEFENSE column later in the day as we focus on two-defensemen from these teams that could be productive fantasy options during the pivotal and final week... *In a head-to-head match-up of arguably the top Hart Trophy contenders, Alex Ovechkin carried the Washington Capitals past Montreal's Carey Price with a superb two-goal effort. Defensemen John Carlson and PK Subban had huge nights with three points apiece... *Huge win for the Ottawa Senators as they outlast the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in OT as Patrice Wiercioch sneaked one past past Ben Bishop late in the extra fame. After a tough start against the Rangers, Ottawa goalie Andrew Hammond is dialed in again, turning aside 29 shots for his second straight win and 16th in 18 starts. Keep him rolling as the Sen's are fighting for a playoff spot.. A late Boston rally thwarted the Detroit Red Wings as the Bruins keep their three point lead over the Senators for the final wildcard spot.. *The 6-1 Florida rout of Carolina included more offensive fireworks from young guns Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov who combined for four points. They have been solid fantasy starting forward options ever  since the Jaromir Jagr trade to Florida... *Even without the great Vladimir Tarasenko, the St. Louis Blues clinched a playoff berth with the 4-1 triumph over Calgary. Jaden Schwartz, Jori Lehtera, and Patrick Berglund (remember him??) all notched two points in what was a true team win over the Flames... *Henrik Lundqvist fantasy owners who are in contention for their fantasy hockey crowns are at least going down the wire with their prized goalie playing back on an elite level after missing time to his injury. The 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild was his second straight super effort after his so-so debut return in the loss to Bolston. Start "King Henrik" with confidence.. Marian Gaborik led the King's offensive explosion in the 8-2 drubbing of Edmonton, snapping a three-game shid with no points with two goals and an assist. The talented Slovakian forward has been a fantasy disappointment for most of the season, but look for a strong finish as "Gabby" could be a playoff beast if the Kings sneak in...

DAILY PRIME - MARCH 29, 2015: SUNDAY FANTASY HEADLINES primepucks.com Sun 3/29/15 7:13 AM

* Superstar Evgeni Malkin returned to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing six games, paying immediate fantasy dividends with two assists. Also back was Patrick Hornqvist, which is great news for his fantasy owners. However, the injury to defenseman Kris Letang after a Shane Doan hit does a take bite out of the Pen's power-play and would have an adverse effect on the team's overall scoring over the last two weeks of the regular season. We will update you with info on Letang's status when we get it.. *To put it mildly, Henrik Lundqvist was rusty upon his return to the Ranger's crease the Boston Bruins beat him four times in the 4-2 win. With the B's really needing the W to stay in the playoff hunt, "King Henrik" was in a tough spot after the long layoff but Cam Talbot will be in net Sunday afternoon against Washington. With his starting days numbered for the rest of this campaign, I would expect a great start from Talbot as he looks to go out with a bang.. *Goalie Devan Dubnyk continues to be the NHL's top fantasy surprise of the year, prevailing once again as the Minnesota Wild down the Los Angeles Kings 4-1. Thats 35 straight starts and counting for the breakout net minder who has registered 26 wins during this prolific stretch. Mikko Koivu collected two goals and an assist, giving him six points over the last five games. Give him serious starting consideration for the upcoming week.. *There was a Toronto revival at least for one night, as Toronto's top line of Tyler Bozak-Phil Kessel-James van Riemsdyk dominated the stat sheet with a combined 10 points. The trio were fantasy duds for much of the season, but maybe, just maybe, this super effort perks them up for the last few games.. *Huge shutout effort by Detroit's Petr Mrazek in the 4-0 win over the Lightning, temporarily delaying their late-season slide but is a change in goal in order for the Wings? With Jimmy Howard struggling mightily, you can expect Mrazek to be starting on Sunday against the Isles. If he wins again, he might be worth starting next week as the Wings should ride the "hot" hand... *Frederik Andersen has taken the Anaheim starting job back from young John Gibson, turning aside 29 saves for his second straight win over tough Eastern conference opponents on the road. Having said that, one bad effort and coach Boudreau can easily turn back to Gibson as his playoff guy, so the Duck's goalie situation is far from settled.. *Tyler Seguin finished with a goal and an assist in the Dallas 4-...