Brian Burke – The worst kept secret in hockey, might officially come to an end soon. Brian Burke has left his post as general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, for personal reasons, which will clear his path to Toronto. Burke led the Ducks to a cup in a couple years back and has long been rumored for the vacant Maple Leaf job. The reason Burke wanted out of Anaheim is simple he has family on the east coast and the travel has just become to much for him and his family. Brian didn’t just quit on the Ducks, he informed them he wouldn’t sign an extension past this season and they decided to go in another direction. The rebuilding Maple Leafs have been linked to Burke ever since they fired John Ferguson Jr as there GM last season. It will take a week or two for all the papers to be signed and for Burke to be able to negotiate with another team. That team will be Toronto and I don’t see any way he doesn’t become the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is going to be fun, the outspoken Burke and the media in Toronto should be entertaining to say the least. Whether you think Burke is the right man for the Maple Leaf job or not, you have to hope that if he takes the job, they will give him the power to build the team as he chooses. Toronto needs some stability and direction and Burke will give them that. Hire him Toronto, give him what he wants and the time to get this franchise heading in the right direction.

Senators forward Jarkko Ruutu has been suspended for two games for an elbow the other night against the Canadiens.

Brendan Shanahan - Well, a future Hall of Famer looks to be returning to the NHL soon. His destination is yet to be determined and the rumors are swirling. Brendan would like to stay close to New York where his family is, but it won’t be with the Rangers. That would make it seem like he will either sign in New Jersey or Philadelphia. I don’t know if these are the best places for Shanny to play, Philadelphia is already very deep up front and New Jersey plays a defense first system. Brendan has done a lot of things in this league and I think he still has the ability to put the puck in the net. He can help a power play and give some veteran leadership in a locker room. I would like to see Shanahan go to a younger team and help them get to the next level, Chicago would be perfect. If Brendan wants to win a cup this year, how about adding some depth to the forward lines in Pittsburgh or provide some leadership in Buffalo. Where ever he goes I am glad he is going to come back, he is one of my favorite players and the league is better with him. For my money I think he will sign somewhere close to New York, but if he keeps his options open, most teams in the league would love to have a guy like Shanny on there team.

Columbus Blue Jackets activated Pascal Leclaire off the injured reserve and is expected between the pipes soon. Pascal got off to a bad start this year, but he is one of the best young goalies in the league, who has shown the ability to get shutouts and lead the Jackets to wins.

Alexander Semin still leads the league in three major categories, goals (13), points (27) and plus /  minus ( +17). Everyone already new Semin has the ability to be a top notch player in this league, he is now just starting to perform on a nightly basis. He keeps this pace up he will be the MVP at seasons end.

Tampa Bay Lightning – There are some major problems with this team, and not the ones everyone expected they would have pre season. I for one never thought this team would have no trouble scoring goals with guys like Lecavalier, St Louis, Malone, Prospal and Stamkos. This team has managed just 31 goals in 15 games so far, just over two a game, by far the worst production in the league. There is way to much talent here to be this bad, the big question is why? Well, I don’t really know, but they have done a lot of line juggling and made a lot of changes before the year. Basically this is an entirely new dressing room and it is possible the team just hasn’t gelled. I for one thought the Lightning would play a lot of high scoring games this season, and defense would be there problem ultimately. Fixing this problem will not be easy, the last thing you want to do is disrupt that room again and move more players in and out. The coach is also new this season, and the owners and the general manager. The best thing I could suggest here is be patient, and wait and see if this group of guys can work it out, but I doubt they will be.

The NHL is in full swing, and there are great games every night. It is that time of year when gossip gets around and people search for things to talk about. If you like to keep up with the rumors that’s fine, just take it with a “grain of salt” and wait and see what happens. Gossip and rumors are all for entertainment purposes, enjoy the product on the ice.

Rick Dipietro - The Islanders put a lot of faith in Dipietro signing him to a massive contract, the problem is he keeps getting hurt. Dipietro had knee surgery and he is expected to miss 4 – 6 weeks. Rick only made three starts this year and failed to pick up a win, which no doubt has irritated fantasy owners out there. My suggestion is to get rid of Dipietro depending on how many IR spots you have on your roster. The Islanders are not very good, and even if Dipietro has a successful comeback he might not be worth a roster spot for the next 6 weeks. Hopefully Rick comes back, is healthy and can lead the Islanders to some wins. My advice is to drop him and try and pick him up in 5 weeks or so, or just draft him again next year.

Corey Perry - Perry like many of his Duck teammates got off to a slow start, but has been on fire recently. After recording 3 points in his first 8 games, Perry and the Ducks caught fire and in the next 5 Corey increased his totals in 15 points. Hopefully you had patience with Perry and kept him on your roster. Historically Perry is a great fantasy player with goals, power play points and penalty minutes. My suggestion is to keep Perry unless you get blown away by a deal, you could trade him his value might never be higher then it is right now. If you are going to trade Perry make sure you trade high and get a top 15 player in return. Perry and the Ducks are off and running and his numbers should remain good for the rest of the year.

Brendan Shanahan and Mats Sundin – Rumors are swirling that these veterans are about to return to the NHL. Shanahan is not the player he once was, but depending on where he goes can be productive. If you need shots and power play points, this might be the time to pick up Shanny and take a flyer that he might return. As for Sundin its hard to predict what is going to happen here, but Mats is still a point a game player. Sundin still deserves a roster spot in any fantasy league and depending on where he goes might be a real free agent steal. If you are struggling and need some offensive help take a chance with one of these veterans, what do you have to lose.

Martin Brodeur - Brodeur left the game early Saturday with an apparent elbow injury. He has already been ruled out of Monday night’s game and the full details have not been given. Don’t panic, you need to wait and see what the extent of the injury is. Martin is one of the most durable players in the NHL and hopefully the injury isn’t to serious. Keep your eye on the news, if Brodeur is out for an extended period of time, you will need to pick up a short period replacement.

Alexander Ovechkin is expected to return from Russia for this weeks games. You can hear the sigh of relief from all the fantasy owners out there, and hopefully OV will come back at the top of his game.

Sell High - Every year there are players who get off to great starts and fantasy owners have an opportunity to sell them while there stock is high. By sell I mean trade and get a higher valued player or more talented. The key to this is figuring out which players will keep the numbers going and which ones will fall of the leader boards. Mikko Koivu, has a career high 54 points and is on pace for more then 100 this year. Koivu has been playing great, but it might be a good time to sell while the value is high. Devin Setoguchi , is a second year player with the Sharks averaging a point a game, Filip Kuba has a career high 37 points and is on pace to smash that by getting more then a point a game. As for goalies Tim Thomas and Nikolai Khabibulin are off to great starts and might be able to get some good value. The key to making these kind of deals is trying to figure out whether these numbers will continue. If you can trade these guys for more proven performers do it, while you can.

Buy Low - On the flip side there is always players who get off to slow starts and fantasy owners will give up on them. The biggest case of this so far is Marty Turco, goalie in Dallas. With a save percentage of .837, Marty is definitely off to a horrible start. His numbers will improve as he has a career save percentage of .911 and is one of the most consistent goalies in the league. Forwards you should look at are Derek Roy from Buffalo, Martin St Louis from Tampa, Jonathon Toews from Chicago and RJ Umberger in Columbus. These guys are all of to slow starts and there numbers have no where to go but up.

Fantasy hockey is good for the game, it allows fans to educate themselves and become fans of the entire league not just one team. No matter what your strategy is or what kind of league your in, if you can ride players hot streaks and get great players at low value you will do well in your pool. Have fun, do your homework and enjoy the NHL.

Mats Sundin - Mats has been the story all off season, no one knows what he is thinking. Mats got plenty of offers to play this year, but hasn’t been able to decide whether or not he wants to play. He got contract offers from a lot of teams, including a massive 2 year $20 million offer from Vancouver. My thoughts are that Sundin is torn he wants to play in Toronto, but he also wants to play for a contender which Toronto is not. Mats is a 17 year NHL veteran, playing in 1305 games and recording 1321 points. He played the last 13 years in Toronto, he was there team captain and became possibly the best player to ever wear the blue and white. The question with Sundin is not whether he can play, its whether he wants to play. Last season Mats recorded 32 goals and 78 points in Toronto, and would be a welcomed addition to most teams in the league. The thought is that if Sundin comes back he will want to play for a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Early in the off season there were rumors of him going to Montreal, New York or Detroit. All those teams now don’t have cap space and would have to make a move to be able to afford the big center. I honestly don’t have a feeling about what Mats might do, all I know is that he will take his time and make a decision that will best fit him. Mats is a great player and if he wants to play he will get his chance, but I think he might retire.

Brendan Shanahan - Shanahan is a future Hall of Fame player and he has no where to play right now. All off season it was thought that he would return to the Rangers, but when they only offered him a tryout he moved on. Brendan is a 21 year NHL vet and has played in more then 1400 career games. He has 650 career goals and has scored more then 50 in a season twice. Brendan was a pure sniper throughout his career, he may not score 50 anymore, but he could easily put up 25 goals in today’s game. He has been a playoff performer over the years with 131 playoff points and three Stanley Cups in Detroit. I think Shanahan would be perfect for a young team that is on the cusp of winning. He could provide great leadership and add some offensive depth to most teams. If Brendan is willing to take less money I am sure he will play this year. No doubt he wanted to play in New York, but I think he would be better suited for Phoenix, Washington or Chicago. He can still play and I hope we all get the chance to see him play again.

Peter Forsberg - This seems to be a topic of conversation every year, but Forsberg still hasn’t retired. Injuries have always been his problem, but when he is healthy he can still be one of the best players in the league. He hasn’t played more then 70 games in a year since 2002-2003 and know one really knows how healthy he is now. He came back late last year and played 16 games (regular and playoffs) with Colorado and recorded 19 points. Signing Forsberg would be a big risk for any team, but he has proven when healthy he can still be a point a game player or better in this league. I don’t really see Forsberg coming back any time soon, if he comes back I think it will be in the new year and for the Avalanche. This will be a risk reward signing if some takes a chance on him and a franchise will have to see if he is worth the cap hit. Forsberg is a future Hall of Famer and if he comes back I hope he is healthy and back to the Forsberg of old.

Forsberg, Shanahan and Sundin might all be in the Hall of Fame some day and they are free agents. They will get more and more pressure to sign as the year goes on and teams will look for veterans to help lead a team on a Cup run. Other big names vets like Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka have chosen to sign in Russia and play for more money then they would get in the NHL. A veteran player can be the difference in a run for the Stanley Cup, a vet who has been there can have a calming influence on teams. Some of the older guys have found jobs, but usually for small contracts. Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Gary Roberts and Rob Blake all found good fits and hope they will be able to retire in there own terms. As you get toward your 40’s NHL players have new choices to make. For these guys its not about money, its about being in a spot where they are comfortable and have a chance to win.

#5 Jaromir Jagr - Jagr was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins 5th overall in 1990 and went on to team up with Mario Lemieux and become one of the most feared duos in NHL history. With 1,599 career points Jagr sits second in career scoring at his position. His best year was in 1995-1996 when he scored 62 goals and recorded 149 points. Jaromir won the Art Ross as the leagues top scorer five times and won the Hart as league MVP in 1999. A nine time all star, Jagr played his career with three franchises the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitols and the New York Rangers. Playing in 169 career playoff games Jagr recorded 77 goals and 181 points, he won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh. Along with great goaltending by Dominic Hasek, Jagr led his Czech Republic team to Olympic gold in 1998. There is no question that Jagr was one of the flashiest and most dynamic players of his generation and he belongs on this list.

#4 Mike Bossy – With the 15th overall choice in the 1977 NHL entry draft the New York Islanders selected Mike Bossy.  Bossy didn’t disappoint winning the Calder as top rookie in the league in 1978, recording 91 points in his first campaign. Bossy was part of the great Islanders dynasty, winning the Conn Smythe in 1982 as MVP of the playoffs. He recorded an amazing 160 points in only 129 career playoff games. Mikes career was cut short by injury and only played 752 regular season games, but he did record 1,126 points. Bossy never averaged less then a point a game in a single season, and quickly became one of the most consistent players in NHL history. In 10 NHL seasons Bossy recorded 100 plus points and 50 goals 7 times. If injuries hadn’t cut his years short Bossy way have been the best Right Winger of all time.

#3 Guy Lafleur – Lafleur was fast and dynamic every time he set foot on the ice. He was a legend at the famed Montreal Forum and a fan favorite all across the province of Quebec. Guy recorded six straight 100 points seasons between 1975 -1980 and was widely considered the best player in the league. 560 goals and 1,353 over his career that ranks him 5th among right wingers in NHL history. He led the league in scoring three times and won the Hart as league MVP twice in 1977 and 1978. While leading Montreal to the Cup, Guy won the Conn Smythe recording 26 points in just 14 games. Arguable his best season was in 1976-1977 when he scored 136 points while being an amazing plus 89. Lafleur was one of the, if not the best player of the 70’s and is easily one of the best right wingers in National Hockey League history.

#2 Maurice Richard - Guy Lafleur was a legend in Montreal, Maurice “The Rocket” Richard was God like. “The Rocket” was the definition of a sniper, he became the first NHL’er to ever score 50 goals in a single season in 1944-1945. Richard was a first team all star eight times and won the Hart Trophy in 1947. Maurice played in 13 straight all star games between 1947 and 1959 proving that he was one of the best players around. “The Rocket” was the first player to record 500 career goals, ending with 544 and retired as leagues top point getter with 965 points. He was also a tough player, not afraid to get into the mix, he had more then 100 penalty minutes in a single season five times. “The Rockets” numbers don’t look like that much compared to the numbers players are putting up today, but it was a different game in his generation. He was the best player in the original six era and he led Canadians to a lot of Stanley Cups.

#1 Gordie Howe - “Mr. Hockey”, Gordie Howe is a living hockey legend. He was the picture of longevity, he loved the game and played as long as he physically could. He played 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings between 1946 and 1971. He wasn’t done there he played six seasons in the WHA, and returned to the NHL along side his sons in the 1979-1980 season. Gordie played professional hockey in five decades, he completed this feat by dressing for one game with the Detroit Vipers (IHL) in 1997-1998. Howe retired from the NHL as the leader in both goals and points with 801 goals and 1,049 points. He led the league in scoring six times and was the MVP six times. In 1968-1969 Howe recorded 100 points for the first time, 44 goals and 59 assists and may have been his best season. Mr. Hockey was tough and not scared to get in a fight and throw his weight around. Interesting fact about Gordie is that he could use both hands and shoot both left and right handed. Gordie Howe represents hockey with great pride and passion and in many ways is the best thing to ever happen to the game, “Mr. Hockey” is a legend.

As stated earlier the right wing position is the deepest in all of hockey. Players like Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Lanny McDonald and Mike Gartner could have easily made this list. The right wing position has hall of famers from all generations and eras. It is hard to compare the players from the 50’s to the players of today, but it is fun to look at. Whether it is Gordie Howe’s longevity or Jaromir Jagr’s pure talent these men are all NHL legends.