My ISD format will take a new twist this season, highlighting five players who will moving in all directions on the fantasy front. Hope you enjoy: 1. Victor Hedman returned for the Lightning Tuesday night from an upper body injury and added two assists to his point totals, reaching six in six games. This fantasy stud doesn't get the elite treatment just yet because injuries always keep him from putting up monster numbers. He falls commonly behind the top 7-10 in many drafts but truth be told, he is only one of the handful of defenders that can lead all defensemen in scoring. His massive upside has been on display early on... BLUE CHIP STUD 2. With six points over his first 5 games, Swiss rearguard Roman Josi is quickly justifying his rising fantasy value based on a huge 55-point '15-16 campaign. In a few instances, he was taken before Shea Weber in drafts but early returns show that the gap is closing between the two. Weber is off to a good start with four points but this situation bears watching. I have a feeling the hard shooting Canadien will get the last laugh...  JUST ABOUT ELITE   3. I for one thought the 39-year old Dan Boyle would pull off a Jaromir Jagr and defy time for just a while longer while becoming fantasy relevant this season. It hasn't exactly panned out in the early going as Boyle has already been scratched for a game while just getting two points in six games. Reports are indicating that coach Alain Vigneault has not been satisfied with his play and that his role could further be diminished....   ON SWIFT DECLINE   4. Young Adam Larsson is starting to turn the corner as an NHL scoring defender, ending last night's game for the Devils in overtime with his second point of the night. He needs to be owned in all fantasy formats as he is coming off a mini-breakout season (24 pts/64 gms) and poised for bigger minutes in '15-16. There has been trade rumors, possibly with Columbus for winger Cam Atkinson but given the paucity of blue line scoring there, he could end up flourishing if that move would take place. Definitely on the rise...  SLEEPER ALERT   5. Calgary newcomer Dougie Hamilton is off to a slow start on his team, but he should be one targeted as a super buy low candidate. He managed to score his first goal and only point of the season on Saturday, but he seems ready to take off very soon. Coming off a 42-point season, the youngster had the taken the offensive reins on the powerplay alongside Mark Giordano and will have every ...

#5 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING The Lightning reached new heights last season as they finished 2 wins short of the Stanley Cup championship after losing to Chicago. Despite a very quiet offseason, these Bolts look well-equipped for another legitimate run at the title. The only major distraction that may get in the way is superstar Steven Stamkos being in a contract year and whether Steve Yzerman will be willing to ante up big for him while entering his prime. Regardless of that situation, they boast quite possibly the best second line in NHL, a Norris hopeful, and a blossoming star goalie. All the vital ingredients are there for sustained greatness. Goalies  Ben Bishop had his second straight standout season while posting a 40-13-5 record and emerging as an elite fantasy goalie option. Hot prospect Andrei Vasilevskiy has the ability to challenge him for more starts but his blood clot issues ell keep him out for about 2 months. So look for Big Ben to get off to a great start, but all Bishop owners need to handcuff him with the young backup. He's that good!   Defense Blue chipper Victor Hedman could have a Norris Trophy waiting in his path for '15-16 but needs to stay away from injury. Already owning a 55-point season on his resume, he scored 22 points in his first 28 games of '14-15 but ended up with 38 pts in just 56 games played. Look to snag him at a discount price as the elite blue liner will fall a bit due to his abbreviated season.  Don't overrate Anton Stralman who picked up 39 points mainly due to a bump in power-play minutes. His fantasy value rises when Hedman misses time. It's that simple... Jason Garrison is the real wild card here. His huge shot gets him on and off the power-play but his career high in points is a modest 33. Stiill, plus 30 in 3 of last 4 seasons is not too shabby. Well worth a late flier.   Forwards  In what world is 43 goals and 72 points not quite good enough? Well when you are Steven Stamkos and have never scored under a 89 point pace since your rookie year, alarm bells will ring after a significant point drop off last season. On the flip side, the Triplets line- Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov, and Ondrej Palat- combined for a NHL high 199 points. However, the talented trio won't be surprising anyone this time around and a slow start to the year could result in a line shake-up. All three are bound for a small regression except if one ends up on the Stamkos line. One thing is certain, SS is in his contract year and he will be ...

2015 PRIMEPUCKS™ STANLEY CUP FINALS PREVIEW CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS vs. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING: The Lightning find themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2004, and for the second time in their 22-year history.  They got to the Finals with a tremendous showing against the President Trophy-winning New York Rangers, beating the Blueshirts twice by identical scores of 2-0 at Madison Square Garden in Games 5 & 7.  By virtue of their record, the Bolts will have home-ice advantage throughout the Finals, something that they lacked against the Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens but still managed to get to the Cup Finals. The Lightning did an extraordinary thing by beating Hart Trophy candidate and Vezina-winner Carey Price and defeating an almost invincible “elimination-game” specialist Henrik Lundqvist in back-to-back rounds and find themselves with a shot at Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Tampa Bay has done it with both offense and defense as they have been able to mix up their game plans to fit the need on any particular night.  The offense has been led by Tyler Johnson who leads the playoffs with 21 points and has been just a marvel on the ice.  Line mates Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat have formed an imposing threat at any given time so expect them to continue to give their next opponent some cause for concern.   Steven Stamkos seems to have awakened against the Rangers from his early playoff slump and along with Alex Killorn, gives the Lightning two very potent lines.  Valtteri Filppula, J.T. Brown & Ryan Callahan gives the team the veteran leadership and toughness it needs. The defense is led by Victor Hedman who skates very well for a big man and can take control of a game at the drop of a hat.  One blue liner who gets overlooked is Anton Stralman who has played extremely well on the backend to shore up the defense in front of goalie Ben Bishop.  If you remember, Stralman was a main cog in the Rangers defense in last year’s Cup run.  Tampa is glad to have him on their team.   Matt Carle, Andrej Sustr and Braydon Coburn complete the defensive corps. Goaltender Bishop has looked shaky at times but is an imposing figure in net as he stands 6’ 7” and takes up a lot of area for snipers to aim at.  Going to the net is the only way to get through him and the Chicago Blackhawks should note how the Rangers were able to exploit that is some of their playoff games and when they Tampa Defense locked down, he was impossible to score against.  The Lightning ...

Blue Jackets showcasing for next season, Bruins put down Cats, OV gets 50 Two teams trying to finish out the season on high notes, the New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets battled to a 3-2 Columbus win.  Players like Mike Cammalleri and Nick Foligno improved on their goal scoring with both reaching 27 on the season so far.  Cammalleri showed what he is capable of when healthy and Foligno displayed that he has arrived in the NHL.  Ryan Johansen had 2 assists on the night and with the Jackets starting to gain some experience, they should be better off next year as long as they don’t get hit with so many injuries like this year…. Alex Ovechkin reached 50 goals for the 6th time in his career and is in contention for the scoring title as well as the goal-scoring trophy with 77 points, just 2 points behind leader Sidney Crosby.  Oh, and the Capitals beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2, not only solidifying their hold on one of the wild card slots, but also chasing the NY Islanders for third place in the division…. The Florida Panthers gave it their best shot but the Boston Bruins came away with a 3-2 regulation win, putting the Cats 6 points behind the Bruins for that last wild card slot.  As impressive as the young Panthers have been this year, it was the young talent of the Bruins that provided the spark in the 3rd period as David Pastrnak (G, A) and Ryan Spooner (2A) showed what is to come in their NHL careers in this pressure-packed game…. The King is Back! Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 32 of 34 shots to gain his first victory since returning from injury, helping down the Winnipeg Jets 3-2. Cam Talbot had quite the fantasy run but his starts will be limited over the last two weeks as Lundqvist gets back to elite level... The struggling Toronto Maple Leafs win their second straight contest, prevailing 3-1 over a Tampa Bay squad coming off a huge win of their own over Montreal. Nazem Kadri led the way with a goal and an assist while goalie James Reimer saved 40 shots for the Leafs. Of fantasy consequence, Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and forward Tyler Johnson missed the game due to injuries.. Albeit a light night in terms of shot faced, Ottawa's Andrew Hammond was back in fine form after saving 16 of 17 shots to preserve the 2-1 SO win over Detroit. The rookie looks good to go for his fantasy owners as Craig Anderson has not delivered in the clutch thus far. For Detroit, Petr Mrazek was solid again and will be getting the next start against Boston...

This version of SMC is coming to you from Wells, Maine where it's really cold but the coffee is really good! I've been telling you that Boston has been getting their act together. Don't let last night's hiccup against Columbus discourage you.  They are back. T-Rask is back to being his dominant self. Ryan Johansen looks like you ‘will' be the centerpiece for the Jackets after all. It has been a pleasure to see him rise to new levels. Once Milan Lucic gets a head of steam, watch out! I think Philly's season is practically over, but they still had to beat Buffalo last night. It will take a miracle for the Flyers to make the playoffs.  That's a shame considering the seasons that Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek are having. I had to take a week of lessons on how to both pronounce and spell this Buffalo Sabres name because I think Zemgus Girgensons is going to be a good one in a very short time. The Toronto Maple Leafs went 0-4 on their mostly West Coast road trip scoring only 1 goal. I wonder if they left their sticks in TO?   They'll probably be glad to be home, but they have 5 of their next 7 on the road.  David Backes has 16 points in last 9 games. Say what?!?!?!  He's a good fantasy player in all categories but this prolific of a scorer? The Islanders are going to have to work on their defense if they want to go deep into the playoffs. Are John Tavares and Kyle Okposo going to tear up the NHL from here on out? I think JT has been saving it up for the stretch run. I truly believe that. This Montreal Canadiens team is scary. Carolina beat Ottawa in a "does anyone really care" matchup. Eric Staal should not be disappearing in some games. He's just too good for that. What happens to Jeff Skinner? Sometimes he looks like a world-beater and then you don't hear from him for months. I mean besides the oft-times that he's injured. Too many top goalies getting injured of late. Or is it a plot to keep them out of the All-Star game?  My conspiracy theory for the week. Tomas Tatar has 20 goals already. What have I been watching to not realize he was having this good of a season? That 5-2 loss to Detroit really showed how much Pekka Rinne is perhaps the best net minder in the NHL right now. If anyone can have a huge second half that has been pretty much non-existent, it's Nathan MacKinnon, he's that talented. For a minute I thought Victor Hedman got injured again when I saw Anton Stralman's line in the box score. 1G, 1A, -1, 1 SOG, 1 BS, 2 HT, and the most power play ...

Luck Of The Buff When star defensemen have dual eligibility, even when playing forward, there isn't a better bonus for their fantasy owners. However, in the case of Winnipeg's Dustin Byfuglien, he started the season on a forward line and lost his defensive eligibility in most fantasy leagues, a very rare occurrence. What should a fantasy owner do in dynasty league formats where keeping him to play as a 2nd or 3rd line winger and possibly have a 50-pt ceiling significantly reduces his value relative to his position? Such was the case of Brent Burns who played winger on the San Jose top line last season and collected 48 pts in 69 games. That represented close to elite point totals for a defender, but nothing more than depth forward for most fantasy teams. The difference with Burns was that the decision was made in the off-season to switch him back on defense. Fantasy owners drafted accordingly and the shrewd ones took him relatively high in most drafts. With Byfuglien, he was generally categorized during the draft process as a forward, so many keeper league owners bailed on him and his average-draft position took a steep hit in standard formats. However, much to the joy of those who drafted him late, he was shifted back to defense on December 6th largely due to the team being ravaged by injuries to the blue line. Then it happened... Prior to the move, Byfuglien had amassed 28 points in 44 games. Ever since getting back his defensive spot, he has a crazy 17 points in 18 games. Since now he has dual eligibility at both forward and defense, fantasy owners have been granted an elite fantasy option on D without ever having to make a move. So for those fortunate enough to be in this situation expect there to be some chatter about him possibly going back to forward especially since Tobias Enstrom and Zach Bogosian are back healthy. But I wouldn't bet on it. Players like Burns and Byfuglien thrive while playing big minutes and limiting their TOI to 14-15 minutes a game reduces their general effectiveness. Reap the rewards of this huge holiday gift. Parting Shots: A horrific stretch for the Minnesota Wild just got worse with the news that Ryan Suter was suspended for two games for an elbow thrown at Steve Downie of Pittsburgh. An elite fantasy defenseman the majority of the time, he has struggled mightily with one assist over the past ten games. I would try to buy low on Suter while his market value is at his absolute lowest....Anton Stralman is a solid short-term...

It has been a wild ride for fantasy owners early on this season, as many of the elite defensemen have not kicked into high gear yet. While the under-the-radar tandem of Mark Giordano and TJ Brodie are skyrocketing up the ranks, names like Subban, Weber, and Pietrangelo have or almost fallen outside the top ten. With all this uncertainty settling in with some of our better known defensemen, it's easy to forget how truly great Victor Hedman is becoming as a scoring machine and arguably the best fantasy d-man in the NHL. Yes, I said it! Arguably the best, but with an early injury derailing his opportunity to immediately prove that his 55-point 2013-14 was no fluke, he is almost a forgotten man. I received e-mails regarding various trades that Hedman was involved in while he was injured, and to say that I was flabbergasted was an understatement. It's human nature that leads to fantasy owner having a percieved lower value of injured players, only because they are reaping ZERO dividends while sitting on the bench. But let's not forget that he finished fourth last season in d-men scoring for the entire NHL, so to expect him to fall flat in his absolute prime while playing with the likes of Steven Stamkos and an emerging core of talented forwards is irrational. As we stand today, Hedman has collected 13 points in his first 11 games to lead all NHL defensemen with a 1.18 Pts/G and higher than his awesome country-mate Erik Karlsson. Whether he surpasses him or not as a fantasy option is yet to be known, but I could tell you one thing.. elite defensemen should not be tradeable unless it's for way more value. So when I heard that Hedman had been traded for Jaroslav Halak in one of my fantasy leagues, I asked myself if I would ever trade Karlsson for the same deal. My answer is a resounding no, but most fantasy owners wouldn't. The real problem is that Hedman is not universally considered in Karlsson's category yet. The way things are going, that perception will be changing real soon.. Parting Shots: Mike Green will be returning for Washington Thursday night, hoping to get back to what was turning out to a huge bounce-back season. He has recorded 3 goals and 9 assists in his first 19 games. Having been sidelined since Nov. 22, expect some rust early on, but he should be activated immediately... Zdeno Chara will again be paired with Dougie Hamilton when he makes his return tonight. Many signs of steady decline are showing for "Big Z", but he is still a reliable no.3 ...

Tampa Bay seems unbeatable now that they have D-man Victor Hedman (3A) back in the lineup. I'm sure the NY Rangers are glad that they don't have to face the Lightning anymore after losing all three matchups against the Bolts, the latest a 6-3 drubbing on home ice.  The Lightning broke open a 3-3 game with 3 in the 3rd period showcasing their well-rounded talent up and down the lineup. This team isn't all about Steven Stamkos and Ben Bishop as evidenced by their young talent producing lately. Brett Connolly scored two goals, including the game-winner, and Tyler Johnson also scored twice and added an assist. Johnson is a must-start while Connolly may be worth a shot in deeper leagues as the 2 points were the RWer's first points in past 7 games.....Bishop has now won 8 straight against the Blueshirts to remain unbeaten against them.... The Columbus Blue Jackets may be happy that November has ended as they started off December with a solid 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers halting a six-game losing streak. Sergei Bobrovsky had his best game in a while stopping 24 of 25 SOG for the win after losing 5 straight. The Jackets go as Bobrovsky goes, and while the team may have been stricken with a lot of injuries early on, if Bobber gets going, this team can be dangerous.... P.K. Subban helped Montreal keep pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning atop the Eastern Conference as he scored a goal and added an assist in defeating Patrick Roy's Colorado Avalanche. Fantasy fans are waiting for the talented defenseman to step up his game as he has been producing below expectations.  With the start of a new month, perhaps his game will start to click... Edmonton continues to flounder at the bottom of the Western Conference, and like the Philadelphia Flyers, change is coming. Arizona's Mike Smith returned to the net for the Coyotes and played as solid game to pick up his first win after 7 straight losses. He will need to string together a few good games to regain confidence among poolies with beating the Oilers a step in the right direction....Someone named Tobias Rieder scored 2 shorthanded goals at the start of the 2nd period to turn the game around. No need to rush to pick Rieder up as he sees limited action, but Rieder has shown the ability to score in the minors but you can find more reliable forward depth out there..... Anaheim G Frederik Andersen (32/34 SV) snapped a modest 2-game losing streak with a solid performance against the Boston Bruins allowing the Ducks to ...

It was a sort of homecoming for three ex-Rangers to Madison Square Garden as the Tampa Bay Lightning, behind G Ben Bishop, defeated the New York Rangers 5-1, making Bishop a perfect 6-0-0 lifetime against them with a 0.93 GAA and a .967 SP.  Outstanding!.... Ryan Callahan has been enjoying life playing alongside Steven Stamkos and plated 2 goals last night including what turned out to be the game-winner. If Callahan is in any way available, he should be picked up and inserted in your lineup as long as he remains healthy and on that line. Stamkos had a goal and 2 assists while Valtteri Filppula, Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat each chipped in with 2 assists. All of these Lightning players should be in your starting lineup as they are heating up even without the services of D Victor Hedman, who should be back in early December.....The only piece of good news to come from the Rangers side of this outcome was that Martin St. Louis scored his 7th goal on the year, this one on the power play.  St. Louis now has 6 goals and 8 total points in 9 November games. His play has improved as the injured Rangers have returned to the lineup, so keep him in your lineup.

PRIME PERFORMERS 11/7: 1. Vladamir Tarasenko- His monstrous breakout continues, as the Russian sniper scored a goal and added a power-play assist in the Blues 4-3 duke over New Jersey. 2. Dougie Hamilton- The Boston d-man has been slow to arrive as an elite fantasy blueliner, but his big night- three assists- is an encouraging sign for fantasy owners. With Zdeno Chara out of the line-up, look for Dougie to make a permanent mark. 3. Mark Giordano- Another two points and a five-game point streak for Calgary's most valuable fantasy asset, as Giordano is firmly entrenched as a legitimate no. 1 defenseman in all fantasy formats. QUICK FANTASY BITS * The Vancouver Canucks keep up their winning ways behind goalie Ryan Miller, who turned aside 34 of 36 shots in their 3-2 road win over San Jose.That's seven straight victories for the streaking American, including a 2.21 GAA and .917 SP. He is "hot" as anyone in the crease these days.. Former Arizona sniper Radim Vrbata continues to make a decent living alongside the Sedin twins, notching a goal, his 14th point in as many games... * Who thought the New York Islanders would pull out two straight road victories over Anaheim and LA? Not I, as they hold on to win another low-scoring affair, a 2-1 SO over the Kings. Another rather uneventful game by fantasy standards, even though Brock Nelson stays relevant with assists in both games with each coming on the power-play. * With Semyon Varlamov having the night off, Reto Berra secured a home win for the Avalanche over Toronto, stopping 35 of 38 shots. Matt Duchene scored his 4th goal of the season to snap his 3-game scoreless skid and raising his totals to 8 points in his last 10 games. He is beginning to come on, which means a torrid scoring streak is coming. Duchene owners take note.. Cody Franson picked up two assists for the Leafs. With points in two straight, he should be on your fantasy radar. * Another game for Kari Lehtonen that he was outplayed at home, this time to Pekka Rinne who picked up his 4th straight road win in Nashville's 3-2 triumph in Dallas. His numbers now stand at an impressive 8-2-1, 1.89 GAA, and .932 SP. As for Lehtonen, he hasn't nearly rewarded his fantasy owners as much, losing five straight starts.. Rookie Filip Forsberg remains hot for the Predators, notching his fifth goal of the season and 13th point in 13 games. The 20-year old looks like the real deal. * Pittsburgh defeats the Winnipeg Jets on the road in a relatively high scoring ...