Let’s face it, if you cut any of these players for any reason other than a catastrophic injury, then you should not be allowed to play fantasy hockey. I have left a few players off the list for various reasons. You can scroll down for my explanations.

Dany Heatley - In years Heatley has played at least 70 games, he’s scored over 40 goals. He’s as sure enough to score 40 as Bill Hicks is hilarious. All of Heatley’s offensive categories slipped last year and he missed 11 games due to injury, but still managed to score 41G and 41A with a +33. He didn’t show up in the SHP column last year, partially due to not getting any time on the penalty kill, but rest assured, this elite talent is something special and a top five pick. Expect old-fashioned Heatley numbers this year with 50 goals 100 points, +30 with 300+SOG. A slam dunk pick at 3-4.

Evgeni Malkin - Malkin has been nothing short of great in his first two years and tallied 47 goals last years to lead the Penguins to the finals last year. He really stepped up his game in the absence of Sidney Crosby last year and carried the Penguins offense for two months. Look for Evgeni, to score 45G , 55A ,70 PIMs with 300 SOG. Be confident in drafting Malkin with the 3rd or 4th pick, which is where he is going. He’s young and is one the most electric offense talents in the NHL.

Roberto Luongo - One of two goalies that deserves to be here. Roberto has average 39 wins over the last three years and his goals against in the 2.30 range in those two years. He’s good for roughly 6-7 shutouts and a save % of .920. Chalk it up, he’s a sure thing and his pre-draft ranking via Yahoo is 18, but I’ve seen him go as high as 5 in two goalie, 12 team leagues. He’s a workhorse and has played in no less than 72 games in the last 4 seasons.

Martin Broduer - The ageless wonder and the glue to my model car. This guy is by in large the yin to my yang and won a couple leagues for me last year. Yahoo has him sixth overall and he’s well worth it. With news out of Devils camp suggesting Marty will see a decrease in playing time to keep him fresh, one can only hope this helps his value than hurts. A fresh Marty is a good Marty. With 10 straight years of 37 wins or more, averaging 45 per year he’s bound to duplicate. While his shutouts took a slide from 12 two years ago to 4 last year, he will be in the 7-10 range with 40+ wins, a GAA of 2.20 and a save % in the .920′S. He went as early as 2 in a recent draft, ahead of Crosby. Draft Marty with confidence. He is projected to be a mid to late first rounder in 10 team leagues and earlier in 12 team 2 goalie leagues.

Jerome Iginla - With Tanguay gone, Iginla, along with Mr. Cuthbert, are the lone offensive stars on a defense oriented Flames team. Iginla is the man plain and simple. He does it all, score, fight and lead his team. They just don’t make em’ like Iggy. He’s coming off back-to-back 90 point seasons where he was a combined +39. Last year he posted 9 game winners with over 300 shots and 50 goals puts Jerome in the top five. With Sidney and Ovechkin gone at this time, it’s coin flipping time between him and 5 others. Let’s just hope the addition of Cammalleri helps and that Bertuzzi doesn’t put a hex on yet another team. Iginla is top five all the way. Draft with the utmost confidence for this superior NHL hockey talent.

Joe Thornton - Kinda an off-year by Super Joe standards last year. San Jose wasn’t scoring and Cheecho, Thornton’s go to guy two years ago, was bad—really bad. With Ron Wilson gone behind the bench, let’s hope Thornton has a more stable line to work with than the prior year. I think at one time last year Joe played with every player on his wing. Joe brings durability to any fantasy team, and totaled 82 games for the second consecutive year. He had his highest goal total in 5 years (29) and totaled 96 points. His plus minus was admirable at +16 and had his highest PIM total in 3 years (59). His point total was down by 18 points from the prior year, but you can count on Big Joe to compile over 100 points, +20, 5 game winners, 200 SOG and roughly 40 power play points. He plays in the Pacific and he’ll beat up on teams like Los Angeles and Phoenix and tends to step it up notch against the Pacific’s elite (Anaheim and Dallas) He’s a first rounder and has being taken from 4-12.

Jason Spezza - Health, health and more health. Jason, please stay healthy and win a scoring title as we all know you can. Spezza is coming off his healthiest year in 3 years, where he played 76 games. Last years campaign saw Spezza score 34G and 58A. He also posted his second highest PIM total in his career and posted his highest SOG and plus minus ever. Spezza is going in the back of the first round, early second round and have seen him go as high as 8 and as low as 15. Draft him with confidence, he’s almost guaranteed to get injured, but also score 85-100 points. We only hope Hartzburg doesn’t tweak the big line much and keeps Alffy or Heatley with Spezza. Regardless, he’s a top tier center man and COULD very well lead the league in scoring.

Rick Nash - Nash is young, talented and has potential as far as the eyes can see. Nash did it all last year. He complied over 300 SOG, scored 38 goals, set a career best in PIMS, had four SHP and managed to say +2, his first time in the positive for his career in an 80 game season. He’s currently going in the end of the second round in 10-12 team leagues. Look for Nash to be around a PPG, score some SHP, have over 300 shots on goal and score around 45 goals this year. This will be his year to hit possibly—–dare I say 50 goals. He’s a steal in the third round, which is where you might get him.

Alexander Ovechkin - Alexander the Great is the best sniper in the league. In leagues where SOG are a category, Alex can single-handily win you the category, not to mention power play points and goals. He is one of only roughly two or three players that will get you a guaranteed 50+ goals and might get closer to 70 this year. Washington has improved every year with Ovechkin and they are poised to win with Alex leading the way. Alex had a career -17 rating going into last year, but shun the Alex doesn’t play defense speculation, by posting a +28. He should be the first pick in all formats hands down. Crosby lovers can argue this, but double digit game winners, 60+ plus goals, over 40 power-play points and a whopping 400+ shots get him the nod at the top of the heap.

Vinny Lecavalier - Vinny let’s step it up a notch. You’re the franchise player as seen in the dumping  of over-rated Brad Richards on Dallas and you have a good young talent in Stamkos centering you (hopefully). Last year Vinny had a good year, his stats across the board 40G, 52A, 318 SOG, 4 SHP and 89 PIMS (second highest). Yes his points were down from the prior 100 point campaign, but he still put up 92 points and doubled his PIMs from the prior year. The problem with Vinny last year was that he played for a terrible team, so terrible, that they got the first pick in the draft. Count on Vinny dropping to the mid-second round and going around pick 15. He’ll be right around there all year long. Vinny’s line should look something like 40 G, 50 A, 60 PIMs, 5 SHP and 300+ SOG.

Ryan Getzlaf - A star has been born in Getzlaf. He is one of a 4 center men included in this list. Getzlaf’s fantasy value is one of epic stature. At 23, this former 1st round pick (17 overall) was in the top 5 Yahoo player rankings at the end of the year. He compiled 82 points in 77 games 24G and 58A, with over 90 PIMS to boot. He also owned a plus minus of +32 to go with 38 power play points. He is one of if not the only true power forward/centermen in the game next to that of Joe Thornton, that can put up these epic numbers. Getzlaf should be a mid-second round pick going in the 15-20 pick range and might fall due to lack of exposure. He will put up top 10 numbers guaranteed. If you can get him in that 15-20 range, snatch him up and watch him out perform many of the first round talent. Dude is good…really good.

Sidney Crosby - We don’t need to spend too much time on Sidney Crosby, because if you are a hockey fan and reading this, then you should know he is the best play-maker in the game and is being drafted between 1-3 in every draft. He”ll amass 35G, 70A, +20, 40 PPP and over 250 SOG. He’ll end up being ranked 1 or 2 at the end of the season guaranteed (barring injury). Draft Sid the Kid with confidence, he’s a Cusak (Sure Thing).