We wrap up the meaty part of the 2008-09 RotoRob NHL Draft Kit with Mike’s selections of players you might want to think twice about before drafting. Going forward, look for us to cover fantasy-relevant news and notes from around NHL camps and pre-season action as we head towards the new season.

When considering which players to be cautious with, keep in mind the overall context of the pick. You’re going to see a whole mix here: top-tier superstars, offensive defensemen, starting goalies, and more. It’s important to remember that just because someone is on this list, it doesn’t mean they’re necessarily a bad pick if they’re available. Buyer beware simply means that said player may not be the best pick for whatever reason (injury, bad team, coaching problems, etc.) when compared to the players in his immediate talent group.

For example, my No. 1 buyer beware is Ilya Kovalchuk. I’ll give the exact reason below, but needless to say, if you can claim Kovalchuk in the mid-rounds when players like Patrick Sharp are being selected, go get him.

With that disclaimer, here we go.

1. Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers: Yes, he broke 50 goals again. Yes, he was the heart of the Thrashers. Yes, he’s young and immensly gifted and really, really wants to win. But if you look at the bulk of where Kovalchuk did his damage, it was with Marian Hossa in the lineup. Jason Williams and Colby Armstrong aren’t chopped liver but they are not the same calibre player as Hossa. One guy can only do so much, so don’t look for Kovy to repeat his 50+ goals unless another Thrasher really breaks out.

2. Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild: Gaborik returns for another season under Minnesota’s stifling defensive scheme — this time, without Brian Rolston or Pavol Demitra. Take away the Wild’s best centre and Gaborik’s offensively gifted buddy and you’ve got the heavy burden of a franchise laying on the shoulders of one guy. Make that one injury-prone guy (more than 50 lost games in the past three seasons).

3. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens: Sophomore slumps happen, and it doesn’t mean you won’t move on to a Hall of Fame career. Will Price improve in his second year or will he struggle with consistency like Carolina’s Cam Ward? Hope for the best, but expect the worst with Price — and that means understand that there’s a real chance he may not be a consistent dynamite goalie…yet.

4. Johan Franzen, Detroit Red Wings: Franzen was all the rage in the playoffs, putting up goals at a ridiculous pace when he was healthy. Will he score at this second-half/playoff clip? No, he won’t. Thirty goals is a reasonable expectation for this second coming of Tomas Holmstrom. Bypass the hype and only take Franzen in the mid rounds.

5. Alexei Kovalev, Montreal Canadiens: Just a little while ago, Hab fans wanted to lynch Kovalev (or at least pour melted cheese curds and scalding hot gravy all over him). One 84-point campaign later and suddenly the guy is the toast of the town. The two seasons prior to that, Kovalev put up 65 and 47 points, respectively. At age 35, it’s much more likely that Kovalev will regress from his stunning rebound.

6. Wade Redden, New York Rangers: Despite his new Manhattan digs, Redden remains the same player he was in Ottawa the past two seasons: nervous, unsure, and prone to bad turnovers and poor decisions. Put it this way — look at all of the offensive talent he had to work with in Ottawa and his numbers still declined despite the fact that he’s on the good side of 30. It won’t come much easier on a Jaromir Jagr-less Ranger squad.

7. Mark Streit, New York Islanders: Here’s an abberation for you — Streit’s once-in-a-lifetime season of 62 points came at age 29. Coincidentally, it came on a squad where everything just came together. Now the blueliner is going to a New York Islander team that has a bunch of over-the-hill veterans. There’s no doubt that Streit’s points will drop. The question is: how much?

8. Chris Drury, New York Rangers: Despite his monster contract, Drury really has never been a massive scorer. A lot of people forget that. He’s a solid lock for 55 to 65 points and some good playoff numbers (and even that didn’t quite work last season), but now that the Rangers have less talent up front, the puck won’t go in the net any easier for Mr. Little League World Series. (Sorry, Chris…just had to get that one in there.)

9. Bryan McCabe, Florida Panthers: When we did our defenseman cheat sheet, an irate reader (probably one of those crazed Leaf fans who think the team will be a legitimate contender this year) called us out for excluding McCabe. Well, McCabe’s spirit may be rejuvenated by the Florida sun — hey, he did waive a no-trade to go to a…non-playoff team? — but his roster won’t necessarily be better. Sure, he’ll play with Jay Bouwmeester but his power play partner in Leafland was Tomas Kaberle. And as bad as the Leafs were last season, it’s not out of the question to wonder if McCabe’s forwards will be worse this season.

10. Pavol Demitra, Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver’s one true hope in adding some offensive punch came with an aging and injury-prone Demitra. You can pencil him in as the right wing on the Sedin line, but factor in these two items: The Canucks lose what secondary punch they had with Markus Naslund’s departure and they already play a tight defensive style. Things are looking down, not up, for Mr. Demitra.

Steven Stamkos, C, Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa’s first-round pick (first overall) is supposed to be NHL-ready, and he’s receiving particular praise for his shot and skating The Lightning are suddenly very deep so Stamkos won’t have the pressure of carrying the team, but he’s expected to garner second-line minutes and even some PP time.

Kyle Okposo, RW, New York Islanders: Okposo has been rushed up to the NHL because the Islanders have so little talent. He played a few games at the NHL level last season and didn’t look out of place at all, potting five points in nine contests. But the Islanders really want him to succeed, so he should get lots of opportunities this season, especially now that rookie-hating head coach Ted Nolan has left the Island. The organization fully expects Okposo to receive regular playing time and to contribute immediately; take your cues from them.

Zach Bogosian, D, Atlanta Thrashers: The Thrashers signed the defenseman to a three-year deal with the goal of moving him into the defensive rotation right away. The word is he was the best defenseman at the NHL Prospects Tournament. Bogosian, the third overall pick in this year’s entry draft, is a huge Bobby Orr fan, which should tell you something about his style of play, however, asking someone who just turned 18 to have an immediate impact as an NHL defenceman may be a bit much.

Nikita Filatov, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets: Columbus asked him to stop playing exhibition games with his Russian club, which seems a strong indication the Blue Jackets are ready to drop him into the NHL as soon as possible. First, of course, he’ll have to get over a hairline fracture in his fibula, an injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined another couple of weeks. He may not miss the beginning of the season, fortunately.

Kyle Turris, C, Phoenix Coyotes: Don’t be fooled by his one point in a three-game call-up last season. He’s a sleeper pick with a lot of upside and he’s expected to play on the second line in Phoenix, which means plenty of minutes.

Nikolai Kulemin, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs: With the Leafs in hardcore rebuilding mode, it seems to make sense the 2006 second-round pick will make the team. Kulemin’s alleged speed might make for a good pairing with Jason Blake. If nothing else, at least Kulemin has superstar Evgeni Malkin’s endorsement.

Artem Anisimov, C New York Rangers: The Rangers’ 2006 second-round pick has long been rumoured to be NHL-ready. He put up 43 points in the AHL last season and with the Rangers shockingly short of snipers, he could find his way onto the opening day roster. The only concern about him seems to be his weight — he’s 6′4″, but just 200 pounds — and the team would like to see him fill out before he’s ready to handle the rigours of NHL duty. This is a player to watch very closely in training camp, as his play will dictate whether he forces his way onto the roster or not.

Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings: The Kings gave their 2008 first-round (second overall) pick a three-year entry-level contract, meaning they probably intend to play the 18-year-old defenseman. Unlike a lot of NHL rookies who desperately try to put on the weight, Doughty has been shedding pounds to make himself more mobile. As long as he gets off to a decent start in camp, he should make the opening day roster for LA.

Alex Pietrangelo, D, St. Louis Blues: The St. Louis Blues defenseman is supposed to be NHL-ready. The first-round (fourth overall) pick is also supposed to have a bit of a scoring touch, although who knows how that will translate to the NHL level. He just signed a three-year contract with the Blues, though, so at least the paperwork is all set. If it’s any indication, Pietrangelo looked very good at the NHL Prospects Camp, logging two assists on Tuesday.

T.J. Oshie, C, St. Louis Blues: The 2005 first-round pick (24th overall) is expected to make the Blues this training camp. The center is supposed to have a lot of talent, but the Blues have a history of moving rookies in and out of position and on and off lines, so it could be a rough adjustment. The early results at the NHL Prospects Camp have been promising, as Oshie potted a pair of goals Tuesday.

We’ve finished the cheat sheets for the 2008-09 RotoRob NHL Draft Kit, and now we’re into a series of lists. Today, Mike pipes in with his Sleeper picks for the upcoming season.

Once the big guns are drafted, things get a little muddy — and depending on how many people are in your fantasy league, you might be stretching to find diamonds in the third-line rough. Here’s a list of ten guys to keep an eye on when you’re filling your mid- and late-round holes. Keep in mind that they cover various positions and areas of depth; however, they all share one thing: they’ll probably be overlooked by a lot of people.

Jason Williams, Atlanta Thrashers: Before getting injured last season, Williams was a ppivotal part of the Chicago power play. However, it’s not too surprising he was allowed to walk with Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and the Hawks’ young defense needing new contracts in the next few seasons. In Atlanta, he’ll be scoring option No. 2 next to Ilya Kovalchuk — that means plenty of power play time to try to push the Thrashers
over the hump.

Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks: By the time Pavelski’s season came to a close, he’d worked his way on to a permanent second-line spot and power play time — and he responded by scoring big goals at clutch times. A smart player with tenacity and great vision, Pavelski could quietly break the 25-goal mark this season.

Brendan Morrison, Anaheim Ducks: With whispers of Teemu Selanne’s imminent return, the world suddenly became much brighter for Morrison. Hard to believe that just a few years ago he centred the best line in hockey with Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi. Since then, injuries and a defensive system have hampered Morrison. Still, he’s a skilled passer who should rediscover his touch feeding Selanne.

Kyle Turris, Phoenix Coyotes: Last year, Phoenix rookie Peter Mueller had people talking about the Coyotes’ bright future. Turris, a former first rounder, will step into the lineup with less pressure than Mueller (the addition of Olli Jokinen helps), but with every opportunity to succeed. Talented and shifty, Turris is an early Calder candidate and a 60-point campaign is a reasonable projection.

David Booth, Florida Panthers: Booth came out of nowhere last season to be one of the few bright spots in a very up-and-down season in the land of 4 p.m. dinner specials. With Jokinen gone, 23-year-old Booth will be given more ice time and special teams time. Someone’s gotta score in Florida, and if it’s not Nathan Horton or Stephen Weiss, it’ll probably be Booth.

R.J. Umberger, Columbus Blue Jackets: Is Umberger a top-line centre? We’re about to find out. In Philadelphia, Umberger showed flashes of great play (especially in the playoffs against the Habs) while being lost in a wash of forward talent. In Columbus, he’ll centre Rick Nash with the hopes that he provides some scoring balance and has a career season.

Pascal Dupuis, Pittsburgh Penguins: The other deadline acquisition in Pittsburgh, Dupuis found great chemistry with Sidney Crosby. If you play well with the league’s best player, why change a thing? Despite his third-line skillset, Dupuis will be given every opportunity to thrive alongside Sid the Kid.

Chris Mason, St. Louis Blues: Last year, Manny Legace played his way on to the all-star team. Will this season be any different? Mason’s arrival in St. Louis gives the No. 1 goalie position some healthy competition. After being left for dead by Nashville, Mason should be given a chance to reclaim a starting role.

Ruslan Fedotenko, Pittsburgh Penguins: Consider Fedotenko to be Ryan Malone-light. Fedotenko has had some great seasons and some awful seasons, but he was at his best when used alongside Tampa’s top wingers. Fedotenko will most likely ride shotgun to Evgeni Malkin, so he’ll get his share of points by default.

Olaf Kolzig, Tampa Bay Lightning: While Tampa’s crazy management is giving Mike Smith every opportunity to shine, Kolzig’s role is to be goalie 1B/mentor/backup. That means that if Smith caves under the pressure — as has happened in Tampa Bay lately — Kolzig will be given the reins to be a No. 1 goalie again. At his best, Kolzig will get in 40 to 50 games.

1. Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings: Sure, he’s playing with a Stanley Cup hangover. Sure he’s 38 years old. But there’s simply no other defenseman in the league who puts up numbers like Lidstrom. It’s almost like his Detroit teammates think the goal won’t count unless Lidstrom’s stick touches the puck before they shoot.

2. Dion Phaneuf, Calgary Flames: The Calgary blueliner has consistently put up solid numbers since his rookie year and he’s worth taking high if for no other reason than that. But there’s also the feeling that Phaneuf has yet to reach his full potential and is about to have a truly explosive season. His fourth NHL season could be that big one.

3. Mike Green, Washington Capitals: If you yearn for true anonymity, play on an NHL team with Alexander Ovechkin. No one will give you a second look. Green is coming off a tremendous season where he managed to put up 56 points as he seemingly discovered his inner Lidstrom. Green is young and improving and plays on a team with one of the NHL’s most exciting players.

4. Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins: During Boston’s surprise run to the Stanley Cup playoffs and near upset of Montreal in the first round, no one really talked about Chara having the best offensive season of his career. While Boston didn’t do much to get better during the offseason, there’s no reason to think Chara’s numbers will wane.

5. Chris Pronger, Anaheim Ducks: Pronger put up 43 points for the Ducks last season and that’s an off-year for him. He may be a lot of things, but the guy puts up numbers. Just watch your knees around him.

6. Sergei Gonchar, Pittsburgh Penguins: Since Gonchar entered the NHL in the 1990s, he’s done nothing but look for the offensive play. He’s thriving in the Pittsburgh system which puts a premium on defensemen either dishing or shooting the puck from the point.

7. Dan Boyle, San Jose Sharks: If there were fantasy points for a strange year, Boyle would probably lead all players. A freak injury forced him to miss much of last season. During the offseason, he was suddenly traded after signing a long-term deal in Tampa. Boyle is horrible defensively, but he’s an offensive machine. He’s going to kill you with his +/- (mostly -), but at the end of the season, you’ll be glad you kept him.

8. Brian Rafalski, Detroit Red Wings: The smooth-skating American doesn’t get enough respect, but he’s fit into Detroit’s system perfectly.

9. Brian Campbell, Chicago Blackhawks: One of Chicago’s big free-agent signings, Campbell should continue to be a point machine, even playing on a very young team.

10. Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens: Perhaps it’s not fair to say that any reasonably offensive defenseman will thrive in Montreal’s system, but it sure seems that way. Markov should contribute to benefit from his time on the powerplay.

11. Wade Redden, New York Rangers: He’s coming off a disappointing season, even though he finished with more points than the year before. He’s going to a team (the Rangers) that doesn’t seem to have any snipers. People are calling him a human bomb. Don’t believe the lack of hype. Redden is a solid defenseman going to a team that gives it pointmen more than enough opportunities to score.

12. Dennis Wideman, Boston Bruins: He’s coming off a career season that saw him accumulate 13 goals (nine on the powerplay) and 23 assists. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him hit 50 points next season.

13. Ed Jovanovski, Phoenix Coyotes: Admittedly, I have a bit of a soft spot for Jovanovski from his Vancouver days when his breakout passes often spurred the relentless Canuck attack. Those days are long gone, but even playing on some awful Phoenix teams, he’s managed to consistently maintain his offensive game.

14. Lubomir Visnovsky, Edmonton Oilers: Visnovsky’s hardly a household name, but if he’s as productive in Edmonton as he was in LA, he should be a nice addition to your roster.

15. Jay Bouwmeester, Florida Panthers: Bouwmeester is a fantastic defenseman trapped on a horrible team. He puts up points, but not as many as he should. He’s worth taking, though, because (a) he’s playing for a free-agent contract next season; and (b) he might get traded out of Florida to a good team. Both factors make him worth considering.

16. Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Ducks: Sure, he messed up a lot of people’s fantasy rosters last season by waiting so long to unretire, but you have to love how refreshed he looked when he finally came back. Niedermayer will be back in Anaheim this season, so there’s no drama — just points.

17. Marek Zidlicky, Minnesota Wild: He’s now playing in Minnesota where no one scores. Either he’ll fill the chasm or his offensive game will wither. Since the Wild are trying to get Marian Gaborik to stay, I’m betting we’ll see a slightly more open game for Zidlicky to jump into.

18. Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs: A lot of fantasy experts tell you to avoid any Maple Leaf at all costs, but if you have space for a defenseman and Kaberle is still around, I think there’s a high probability of another strong season from him.

19. Kimmo Timonen, Philadelphia Flyers: His numbers dipped a bit after joining the Flyers, but they should rebound next season as the Flyers reworked their defense to be much quicker and more mobile.

20. Mark Streit, New York Islanders: His 62-point campaign last season is viewed more as a fluke than anything else, and while I don’t think he’ll put up numbers like that for the Islanders, he should rack up a decent amount of points, especially given that New York has no powerplay quarterback.

21. Brent Burns Minnesota Wild: His 15 goals for the Wild are like scoring 30 for another team.

22. Michal Rozsival, New York Rangers: Last season saw Rozsival discover the joys of shooting the puck, rather than passing to Jaromir Jagr. This year, dishing to Jagr isn’t even an option.

23. Mathieu Schneider, Anaheim Ducks: He’s a top two defenseman on a team where he’s ostensibly the third (or even fourth) d-man. Once Anaheim trades him, his numbers should improve.

24. Joe Corvo, Carolina Hurricanes: His 48 points last season is tough to ignore.

25. John-Michael Liles, Colorado Avalanche: Thirty-two points last season isn’t bad, but I think this is the year he gets comfortable taking more offensive risks.

Others to Consider

Adrian Aucoin, Calgary Flames
Ryan Whitney, Pittsburgh Penguins
Tobias Enstrom, Atlanta Thrashers

Judging goaltending is a tricky task because so much of what makes a great fantasy goalie depends on a league’s specific statistics. For example, if you’re going solely by wins, you’ll be looking at sure things with starts and a strong team in front of the netminder. However, if you get individual points for each save, a goalie who gets bombarded is a smart pick rather than pure number of wins.

That being said, the following list isn’t a reflection on who is the best goalie in the NHL. Truth be told, you could argue for any number of goalies, but their performance is dependent upon the roster in front of them — in some cases (hello, Rick DiPietro), you’re stuck with a not-too-impressive squad that drags down a goalie’s numbers. This list takes wins and saves into equal consideration for a (hopefully) best-of-both-worlds guideline, all looking at the context of past performance, age, and number of starts they’re likely to get. The one thing that you can always, always, always prioritize is number of starts. Goalies doing a rotation system won’t garner as much fantasy value in any league as an Evgeni Nabokov or Martin Brodeur.

1. Evgeni Nabokov, SJ: Will new Shark coach Todd McLellan ride Nabokov as hard as Ron Wilson did? He should — and probably will. Nabokov is simply one of those goalies that gets better the more he plays, so starting 75+ games again is reasonable. His blueline improved and the team’s young offense hopefully has matured into an even stronger unit. On paper, Nabokov has all of the right things going for him.

2. Martin Brodeur, NJ: It’s hard to peg Brodeur as No. 2 in anything — especially when he’s coming off a Vezina-winning campaign and has numbers arguably equal to or better than Nabokov — but if you compare New Jersey’s and San Jose’s rosters, it’s just sensible to say that San Jose is better. Because of that, Brodeur slips to the second slot on this list.

3. Marty Turco, DAL: With goalie-in-waiting Mike Smith jettisoned to Tampa Bay, Turco and the defensively stingy Dallas Stars should continue to roll. Turco played about two-thirds of the games last season, but that number should increase with Smith gone; Dallas’s strong defense protects Turco from getting worn out from a constant barrage of shots.

4. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR: King Henrik has been in Vezina consideration ever since he broke into the league a few years back. This year’s Ranger team will look significantly different from previous seasons, and there’s no telling whether Coach Tom Renney will be guiding a better or worse offense with Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev in play. The acquisition of Wade Redden doesn’t necessarily help the defensive side of things, but Lundqvist has carried the team when necessary in the past.

5. Roberto Luongo, VAN: Luongo, the iron man of goalies, would be the clear-cut No. 1 here if his team didn’t lack so much offense. Even if Mats Sundin goes to Vancouver, Luongo will still be involved in a lot of 2-1 games. Luongo plays just about every game and stops a ton of shots; the only question mark is how much he’ll help you in the wins column.

6. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT: Is it too early to anoint the new kid as an elite goalie? Fleury’s post-injury numbers last season certainly looked nice, and he’s got the chops to keep them up. He’s also got a great team in front of him that has bought into Coach Michel Therrien’s defensive scheme. Fleury comes with two question marks: how many games will he play if he’s totally healthy and will the high-ankle sprain from last season affect him at all? Since Ty Conklin’s off to Detroit, the Pens will most likely look to Fleury for 70+ starts.

7. Miikka Kiprusoff, CAL: Consider last year’s Kiprusoff numbers an aberration — Kipper shouldn’t have a GAA over 2.60 (or 2.50, for that matter) this upcoming year. The Flames shifted a few pieces around up front, and there’s no telling if the likes of Todd Bertuzzi and Mike Cammalleri will effectively give Jarome Iginla up-front help. Kiprusoff could be in the same boat as Luongo — that is, lots of saves in a lot of close decisions.

8. Jean-Sebastian Giguere, ANA: With fewer distractions than last season, the Ducks should get off to a smoother start and that means less of a burden on Giguere. It’s hard to argue against his stats or Anaheim’s roster despite the question mark of how much secondary scoring the team will have. The bottom line is that Giguere should put up similar numbers to last year, if not better.

9. Martin Biron, PHA: What a rebound season for the Flyers, and Biron’s first season as a true starter didn’t disappoint. What’s changed? Not too much, though the potential for another prolonged slump is there simply because the Flyers are still in a bit of a transition.

10. Ryan Miller, BUF: Hey, you can’t argue with a guy who’s got his own energy drink commercial, right? Well, it’s not all rosy in Buffalo and a lot of it has to do with the questions up front. Put it this way: Miller’s individual stats should hold steady, but his wins will be dependent more on players like Derek Roy and Drew Stafford rather than his own talent.

11. Niklas Backstrom, MIN: What can you say about Backstrom? He’s the ultimate safe bet for second-tier goalies — his stats are great, but not Vezina-worthy, his team plays a suffocating defensive style, and his offensive support is passable but not overwhelming. Minnesota’s style of play produces consistent (some say robotic) effort from top to bottom, so you’re fairly safe in selecting Backstrom after the bigger names have gone.

12. Chris Osgood, DET: Even though Osgood still looks like a teenager, he’s in his mid-30s — and there’s a reason why Detroit GM Ken Holland picked up Conklin as a safety net. Still, you can’t argue with Osgood’s numbers or the strength of the Detroit roster. There’s a chance that Coach Mike Babcock can ride Osgood for 65+ games, but the more sensible choice is to ease off his workload a little bit and have him share the pipes with Conklin.

13. Carey Price, MON: Considering how good Montreal looks on paper, why is Price ranked so low? It’s more of a cautious outlook. Considering his youth and relative inexperience, it’s not that far-fetched to think that the rigours of a full NHL season might take its physical toll on him. Sure, there’s a chance that Price could play 70 games, but it sounds more reasonable that the Montreal brass will pace out his season to see how he reacts. If you’re willing to take a chance on a young guy (or if you’re in a keeper league), move Price up by ten spots. Otherwise, consider this the Jim Carey caution statement.

14. Tomas Vokoun, FLA: Who’s gonna score in Panther-land? That’s a good question, but Vokoun put up great numbers even though his teammates didn’t. Florida strengthened its defense, which will mean that Vokoun won’t be facing 500+ shots per night again — a good thing in keeping his overall health and sanity, but a bad thing if you got points for each save that he made. Will he win a lot of games? Vokoun is in a similar situation as Kiprusoff or Luongo, just not as good.

15. Cam Ward, CAR: This guy won the Conn Smyth trophy? Really? Ward hasn’t necessarily been a bad goalie since that Cup-winning season, he’s just been terribly inconsistent. Carolina’s record hasn’t accurately reflected the team’s potential (injuries shouldn’t be an excuse, but they definitely factored in last season), but if Ward had just one or two games where he hadn’t let in a soft goal, the Canes would have won the division. A healthy Carolina forward and defense corps will help, but Ward’s got to find his groove if he wants to be recognized as an elite goalie rather than a flash in the pan.

Others to Consider

Jose Theodore, WAS
Ilya Bryzgalov, PHO
Cristobal Huet, CHI (assuming Nikolai Khabibulan is dealt soon)
Manny Fernandez, BOS

1. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals: Were you expecting anybody else to be here? Sidney Crosby gets all the love, but Ovechkin carried the Capitals on his massive shoulders.

2. Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings: One school of thought says Detroit might have too many superstars, but Zetterberg’s grit and ability to play with just about anybody should pretty much guarantee another season of 90-odd points.

3. Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers: Awful team, fantastic player, lots of points.

4. Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators: Heatley had a great regular season despite missing 11 games. He could easily hit 90 points this season.

5. Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks: He lost Markus Naslund, but he still has his brother. Sedin is nothing if not consistent, and if he somehow finds himself on a line with Mats Sundin? He could easily put up 90 points.

6. Rick Nash, Columbus Blue Jackets: Like Kovalchuk, a great player on a lousy team. The general consensus is that having R.J. Umberger as his centre will allow Nash to put up even more than last season’s 69 points. Umberger’s no Sidney Crosby, but he should be serviceable enough to take the pressure off Nash having to do everything himself, which will let Nash focus on scoring.

7. Alexander Frolov, Los Angeles Kings: His 67-point campaign last season was actually a bit of a dip from the season before. Slowly, ever so slowly, the Kings are becoming a more cohesive team, and Frolov should benefit from that.

8. Kristian Huselius, Columbus Blue Jackets: Huselius had 25 goals and 41 assists in Calgary last season. While he’ll be behind Nash on the Columbus depth-chart next season, he should see plenty of chances to score. The gamble is he’ll lose some assists, but pick up more goals.

9. Thomas Vanek, Buffalo Sabres: Vanek didn’t have a great season, presumably because he was freaked out about being the first successful Sabre ever to get a decent contract extension. He settled down toward the end of the season and that should carry over into the upcoming one.

10. Alex Tanguay, Montreal Canadiens: A truly underrated player who saw his numbers dip in Calgary because of his two-way versatility. Playing in Montreal, he’ll have plenty of chances for offense and probably won’t have a ton of defensive responsibilities. The only question is if Tanguay remembers how to score.

11. Ray Whitney, Carolina Hurricanes: He’s coming off ankle surgery, but assuming that’s fully healed, he should provide plenty of offense for the Hurricanes.

12. Marco Sturm, Boston Bruins: He flirted with a 30-goal, 30-assist season last season and while he didn’t hit that mark, he still managed to lead the Bruins in goals. Sturm’s not a very exciting player, but he’s usually good for anything from 40 to 50 points a season.

13. Markus Naslund, New York Rangers: He’s old and he’s not coming off a great season, but how can you not put up decent numbers playing on the Rangers’ top line with Scott Gomez as your centre? Naslund is getting a fresh start on a huge stage as the Rangers reinvent themselves. If that’s not good for 60 to 70 points, I don’t know what is.

14. Andrew Brunette, Minnesota Wild: His time with the Avalanche was often marked by inconsistency, but he’s back with the Wild where he should find himself playing with Marian Gaborik (for as long as Gaborik stays in Minnesota). This should help Brunette to step up his play and find some game-to-game consistency.

15. Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils: He should really be an honorable mention, but I just can’t believe he’s as awful as he played last season. It didn’t help that he spent some time at centre and was bounced around New Jersey’s lines. I can’t help but think that pride will force Elias into a strong upcoming season, though.

Others to Consider
Brenden Morrow, Dallas Stars
Cory Stillman, Florida Panthers
Paul Kariya, St. Louis Blues
Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks

1. Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames: Perhaps the best player in the game, Iginla does it all, from killing penalties to running the offense. But in terms of fantasy, all you need to know is he’s easily good for 90 points.

2. Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators: Eighty-nine points in 70 games isn’t bad, especially when you consider Alfredsson plays with puck hogs Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley. Expect more of the same.

3. Alexei Kovalev, Montreal Canadiens: Kovalev’s career has been defined by maddening moments of inconsistency. But since he landed in Montreal, he’s done nothing but score with no signs of cooling down. Alex Tanguay will take some of the pressure off Kovalev while perhaps giving him even more scoring chances.

4. Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild: Gaborik wants out of Minnesota because he doesn’t feel it’s a very good team. He’s in the last year of his contract, so he’s playing for either a trade or a new deal. Either way, he’ll continue to perform.

5. Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning: His 83 points last season actually represented a down year for him, as did his -23 plus-minus ranking. But with a new coach and a reinvented team, St. Louis should return to his point-accumulating self. It’s a new day in Tampa.

6. Jason Pominville, Buffalo Sabres: Like virtually all of the Sabres, Pominville seemed to have trouble adjusting to life without Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, but that didn’t stop him from scoring 27 goals with 53 assists. Pominville is the big man in Buffalo and he’s growing into the role. If the Sabres don’t get him signed long-term, he’ll be playing for a free agent deal, making him even more productive.

7. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks: Kane’s 21 goals and 51 assists would represent a great NHL season for a vet, but the fact that it was his rookie year makes it even more special. As Chicago improved itself in the offseason, some pressure is off Kane and he should have room to grow in his second season.

8. J.P. Dumont, Nashville Predators: Dumont’s averaged close to 70 points per season in his last two seasons with Nashville. Expect more of the same.

9. Marian Hossa, Detroit Red Wings: Hossa will be playing with a lot of talent in Detroit, but something tells me he got used to that during his time in Pittsburgh. The only question mark is if Detroit is getting the hungry Hossa from the Penguins or the underperforming, timid superstar from Atlanta. Given the paycut Hossa took to join the Wings, I’m guessing it’s the former.

10. Ales Hemsky, Edmonton Oilers: Seventy-one points in 74 games? Hemsky isn’t glamorous, but he’ll get the job done for your fantasy team.

11. Petr Sykora, Pittsburgh Penguins: With Marian Hossa gone, Sykora will have to fill the void in Pittsburgh. Sykora’s had time to build up chemistry with both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin so he should be expected to have another strong season.

12. Nikolai Zherdev, New York Rangers: Brought to the Rangers to fill the Jaromir Jagr void, Zherdev is expected to spend time on the top line with Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund. It seems like it would be hard not to put up points playing with those guys.

13. Brian Rolston, New Jersey Devils: The Devils, led by coach Brent Sutter, continue to try to reinvent themselves as a more uptempo, less trapping team. Rolston, who’s coming from a stifling, system-driven offense in Minnesota, should find more scoring opportunities. The big question is how he’ll play with a much longer leash.

14. Nathan Horton, Florida Panthers: Just about the only nice thing about being a member of the Panthers is that you don’t have to compete with anyone for scoring chances (well, that and the Miami beach bunnies, of course). With Olli Jokinen playing in Phoenix, Horton is pretty much the entire Panther offense. His 2007-08 totals of 27 goals and 35 assists will surely increase, because if he’s not scoring or passing, no one else on the team is.

15. Jaromir Jagr, Avangard Omsk: What?! You’re not also in a KHL fantasy pool? Come on! Get with the times.

Others to Consider
Martin Erat, Nashville Predators
Radim Vrbata, Phoenix Coyotes
Shane Doan, Phoenix Coyotes
Brian Gionta, New Jersey Devils

Please note that while different fantasy leagues may shift players around from wing to centre and vice versa, all players on this list were listed at centre as per Yahoo!

1. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: Duh. After Crosby’s stellar playoff performance, there’s not too much more to say about him. Can his magical passing revive Miroslav Satan’s goal-scoring ability? I’m guessing so, as Satan has more natural talent than Crosby’s non-Marian Hossa linemates from last season. Don’t forget that Sid the Kid also shares power play time with Evgeni Malkin.

2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins: Malkin’s Crosby-less trial-by-fire last season was a resounding success. What to do for an encore? Ryan Malone is replaced with Ruslan Fedotenko, but Malkin’s chemistry with Petr Sykora should remain strong. Like Crosby, Malkin still has years before he gets to his physical peak.

3. Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks: Consider this — Thornton’s usual linemate Jonathan Cheechoo was recovering from double-sports hernia surgery for two-thirds of the season and Big Joe still led the league in assists. A healthy Cheechoo, a more offensive blueline, and a new coach with an offensive mindset should mean that Thornton eclipses 100 points again — and very likely the 30-goal barrier (he had 29 last year) for the first time as a Shark.

4. Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning: Lecavalier’s season was short-circuited by the Lightning’s total collapse. The Bolts are much stronger up front, meaning that Lecavalier can focus on producing with linemates Martin St. Louis and Vaclav Prospal (along with creating shorthanded situations with St. Louis) without worrying about being the only offensive threat on the team.

5. Jason Spezza, Ottawa Senators: Poor Spezza. Even though he consistently has 90-point seasons, he’s constantly criticized for not being better. After coaching him at the World Championships, Ken Hitchcock noted that Spezza has maxxed out his natural skills and needs structure to be better. New Coach Craig Hartsburg might be the right person to take Spezza to the next level.

6. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings: Is it a bad thing to have too many quality players? The Red Wings not only kept their team together, they added Marian Hossa to the mix. Early lines show that Coach Mike Babcock is sticking with the Datsyuk/Henrik Zetterberg/Tomas Holmstrom combination while Hossa will flank Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula. Will that mark a decrease in special teams time for Datsyuk? With so many options, look for his point totals to stay around where they were last year — a stellar 97 — but not increase too much.

7. Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes: For a long time, Staal has had Erik Cole riding shotgun. With Cole shipped out to Edmonton, that tandem is no more. However, Staal was a force after team captain Rod Brind’Amour went down last season, almost single-handedly willing the Hurricanes into a playoff spot. Look for Staal to push back towards elite status rather than the 70-80 point area he’s been in for the past couple of seasons.

8. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks: The torch has officially been passed to Getzlaf and teammate Corey Perry; even if Teemu Selanne comes back, it’s really now the Getzlaf/Perry era in Anaheim. There’s no telling how much second-line support Getzlaf will have, but he still put up strong numbers even during the Scott Niedermayer-Selanne-less part of last season. Getzlaf should eclipse the 30-goal mark for the first time in his young career.

9. Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers: Say hello to the new face of the Flyers — or as many Philly fans like to think, the second coming of Bobby Clarke. Richards definitely has a long ways to go in order to live up to that, but he’s still trending upwards. And, unlike teammate Daniel Briere, Richards is more adept at producing points in all situations.

10. Marc Savard, Boston Bruins: Savard just keeps quietly putting up the points. While he’d certainly have more if he still had Ilya Kovalchuk on his wing, Savard’s second season in Beantown was still successful. If Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic have breakout seasons, look for Savard’s passing to be the catalyst for that.

11. Olli Jokinen, Phoenix Coyotes: For years, Olli Jokinen kept producing points despite revolving linemates and the frustratingly slow development of Stephen Weiss and Nathan Horton. Now Jokinen has proven scorer Shane Doan on his wing; at the same time, the young Coyotes are developing enough that they’ve got the secondary scoring to alleviate some pressure from the top unit. Look for Jokinen to eclipse his point totals from Florida.

12. Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche: Regardless of Joe Sakic’s return, Stastny is now the main man in Colorado. While the team was ravaged by injuries, Stastny continued to put up points — that is, until he was hit by his own injuries. With a refreshed Avalanche lineup, look for Stastny to continue to get better. And with Sakic officially back, Stastny should have an even better year and the Avs should have two solid lines as they look to rebound. Somewhere, Peter Forsberg’s foot is hurting in jealousy.

13. Mike Ribeiro, Dallas Stars: Left for dead in Montreal, Ribeiro found new life in Dallas by meshing with captain Brenden Morrow. Morrow’s bull-in-a-China-shop work on the boards and in front of the net are the perfect fit for Ribeiro’s slick puck control and deft passing skills.

14. Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals: Is Backstrom ready to be a 90-point guy yet? The up-and-coming Capitals have enough talent to mix-and-match Backstrom’s wing slot. There’s always the fear of a sophomore slump, but don’t expect Backstrom to disappear from the map; expect a slight improvement over his 69 points and hope for an 80-point campaign.

15. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings: Kopitar skates with the puck on a string and little help from a frustrating Kings’ team. If Kopitar played for the Rangers or Leafs, he’d be getting a ton of press but he skates with little fanfare in L.A. other than from the Kings’ die-hard fanbase. Still, the young King forwards will continue to develop as a team, meaning that they should all progressively get better, Kopitar included.

Others to Consider

Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks
Derek Roy, Buffalo Sabres
Scott Gomez, New York Rangers