Fantasy : East Forwards Part 3 : Five Minute Major

Carolina Hurricanes

Eric Staal- another great Stall brother, Eric has 20 goals and a team high 50 points. Penalties have been a bit of an issue this season, but he’s made up for it by being unbelievable on the power play (10g) and blasting opposing goalies with a team high 199 shots.
Jussi Jokinen- 23 goals and 49 points make Jokinen Carolina’s number two leading scorer. His first line status means more goals, especially on the power play (8g). Speed is what the Finn is all about, but don’t expect him to shy away from the boards- he’s a physical player as well as an offensive dynamo.
Ray Whitney- Whitney has always been a great producer, and this year is no exception. With 19 goals and 48 points already, he’s sure to have another high scoring season. He’s been around for more than a decade and rarely dips below fifty points.
Notables: Brandon Sutter, Tuomo Ruutu and Sergei Samsonov are three more of Carolina’s top scorers. Not bad choices, but they’re not having productive seasons right now.

New York Islanders

Kyle Okposo- with 13 goals and 40 points this season, Okposo leads his squad offensively. In just his second full NHL season, he’s one of the best wings on a very young squad. His size is a major factor in his success, and while he’s still learning the game, he already has a great grasp on the pros.
Matt Moulson- another of the Isles young guns, Moulson has exploded into the hockey world similar to his rookie team mates Okposo and John Tavares. His 22 goals make him the lead scorer in Long Island and the top Left Winger (sorry Tavares fans, but Moulson is the better player).
John Tavares- last season’s OHL scoring king, Tavares has had to adapt quickly to the NHL. Lucky for him, he has. 17 goals and as many assists through 62 games, the rookie phenom is tearing it up. He’s the teams all around best player, despite being a freshman.
Rob Schremp- overlooked in Edmonton, Schremp came to the Islanders with a final hope to see some ice time. On top of being the squads best puck handler, the guy can make plays happen. The third line center for now, he’s got 6 goals (4 on the PP) and 21 points through 40 games. Absolutely nasty in the shoot out.
Notables: Frans Nielsen has been lucky enough to be paired with Okposo and Moulson/Tavares. Expect his numbers to rise.

Boston Bruins

Patrice Begeron- the best player on a shabby 2010 Bruins squad, Bergeron has 12 goals and 37 points through 54 games. He’s got a good handle and can put the puck where it needs to be, but his line mates are iffy at best.
Marc Savard- yikes! What has happened to Savard this season!? Only nine goals and 31 points? CHARA is better than that…
Marco Sturm- The first line’s left winger, Sturm leads Boston with 18 goals.
Mark Recchi- not many players are as effective on the power play as Recchi. He has eight goals with the man advantage and four more to boot. His 30 points is unlike him, but Blake Wheeler (31pts) took his spot on the first line.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Let’s face it. The squad’s best offensive weapon is a defenseman (Tomas Kaberle)
Alexei Ponikarovsky- He’s got a great shot up close and always has the top shelf in his sights. With 19 goals and 41 points through 61 games, he’s the best forward on a slumping Leafs squad.
Phil Kessel- who knows what he was thinking when he left Boston, but the fact is the Leafs got a whole lot better with the addition of Kessel. Unfortunately, he’s one of the only good forwards on the team. He has a heads-up type of play about him, and always reads through defenses to see his line mates- just look at his 20 assists. His 21 lamp lighters lead the Leafs.
Lee Stempniak- the second line winger has 14 goals and 29 points in 2010. He’s about to eclipse his point total from last season; keep an eye on him.

Florida Panthers

Stephen Weiss- always the consistent player, Weiss has a team leading 21 goals and 48 points. He topped out at 61 points last season, but there’s still over a month left. He’ll go on a torrent, so start him.
Nathan Horton- with more points than his last season total, Horton is the squad’s grinder. He didn’t get his 17 goals and 46 points from laying low. He’s always in the middle of the action and, whenever possible, screening opposing goaltenders. 6 power play goals put him just behind Weiss, who has 8.
Steven Reinprecht- the second line center is one of the squad’s best skaters. He can burn defenders, similar to Max Afinogenov, and can be impossible to contain at times. New to the Eastern Conference this season, he’s racked up 33 points (13g+20a) through 61 games. He has a solid chance to have a career season in 2010, so keep him on your radar.
Michael Frolik- the NHL sophomore has been on a dry spell, but he’ll top out with more points than he did last season. 13 goals and 32 points make him the team’s fourth best offensive weapon, but his third line status is holding back his potential.