Fantasy : East Forwards Part 1 : Five Minute Major

With the majority of point leaders being from the Eastern Conference, it only makes sense that we take a look at what forwards you should have on your roster from the Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast divisions.

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin- No one in the NHL has more goals (35) than everyone’s favorite man from Moscow. His 76 points make him one of the leagues top forwards and the best Cap by far.
Nicklas Backstrom- 23 goals in 55 games makes him the Caps top scoring center. 63 points puts him just behind Ovie for the team lead, and he’s by far the squad’s best skater.
Mike Knuble- While he only has 33 points (18+15), he makes up the rest of the first line with Ovechkin and Backstrom. You know he’ll finish with more than 50 points so start him if you’ve got him.
Alexander Semin- The anchor for Washington’s second line, Semin has racked up 55 points (25g+30a) through 46 games this season. His great stride through center allows plays to open up in front of him.
Thomas Fleischmann- Another life long Cap, Fleischmann has 39 points (17g+22a) on the season. He has great handling skills and good vision/play making ability.
Brooks Laich- Listed as a center, Laich has had success this season playing LW on the Caps’ second line. A natural helper, he’s registered 22 assists and 38 points.
Sleeper- Matt Bradley already has 17 points (8g+9a) on the season, which is closing in on his season high of 22 points when he played for the Sharks. Keep him on your radar.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby- Neck and neck with Ovechkin for the NHL’s scoring title, Crosby is on his way for another record season. With 34 goals and as many assists through 55 games, Sid the Kid has everything a great forward needs: speed, hands, vision and the ability to get the puck to the net.
Evgeni Malkin- The second line center has a team best 38 assists (57 points) and sits just behind Crosby as the team’s top point man. Malkin is a better skater than Crosby, but his second line status means less points.
Jordan Stall- Another great Stall brother, Jordan’s racked up 35 points (14g+21a) as the Pens third line center. Along with Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy (no, not Buffalo’s rookie phenom), the third line in Pittsburgh is one of the best in the league.
Bill Guerin- One of the longest tenured forwards in the NHL, the old-timer is one of the top scorers on Pittsburgh. With 16 goals and 35 points, Guerin’s experience is the most important thing for the young team from the Steel City.
Pascal Dupuis- This could potentially be Dupuis’ best season since his time with the Wild. With 23 points (12g+11a) through 55 games, he has great handle and is a smart, penalty free player.

New York Rangers

Marian Gaborik- Besides being the top power play man in the league, Gaborik has a team high 65 points (33g+32a) in 54 appearances at MSG this season. The Rangers have one of the best squads on paper, but Gaborik has a commanding lead in every category on the squad, including a +/- of plus-10.
Vinny Prospal- The center shows just how helpful he can be, racking up an impressive 30 assists. Not so impressive? Prospal has just nine goals in 49 games.
Brandon Dubinsky- 29 points (11g+18a) for this high-flying forward. Good hands but better play making ability.
Ryan Callahan- While he gets into penalty trouble (not as much as Avery), you want Callahan on your power play. 28 points (13g+15a) in 56 games is a bit disheartening, but don’t count him out.

Atlanta Thrashers

Ilya Kovalchuk- Stuck on a bad team for now, the high scoring forward has a team high 31 goals and 58 points through 48 games. Great handle and even better speed is Kovalchuks story. Trade for him now, he’ll be getting dealt in the next month or so, more than likely to Montreal or Buffalo where he’ll excel.
Maxim Afinogenov- What a difference a change of scenery can make, huh? With 17 goals and 43 points, it looks like Mad Max finally got his mojo back. One of the fastest forwards in the game, it would be crazy not to start him.
Nik Antropov- A goal slump has got him at just 42 points (13g+29a) this season, but that shouldn’t phase anything. He’s riding shotgun with Kovalchuk, so he’s bound to get a hot streak when division games start back up.
Rich Peverley- One of the best power play forwards in the league, Peverley has 17 goals and 42 points on the season. A great shooter, he is developing into a better player each season.
Sleepers: Evander Kane (3rd line rookie), Bryan Little (1st line) and Todd White (2nd line) are always great for fantasy points, especially new comer Kane.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Martin St. Louis- The winger has a team leading 59 points (16g+43a), but he should have more goals by this point in the season. He’s clutch, racking up four game winners this season, but he needs to produce more.
Steven Stamkos- A team leading 29 goals (56 points) from Steven Stamkos (who?) is the surprise story of Tampa this season. His 12 power play goals lead the team and he’s certainly one of the breakout players of this years NHL.
Vincent Lecavalier- Is he getting traded or isn’t he? Either way, he’s showing that he can produce points. With 14 goals and 38 assists through 54 games, Levacalier is one of the leagues fastest skaters and best shooters.
Alex Tanguay- A journeyman for the past few seasons, Tanguay is going where the money is and it shows in his numbers. With eight goals and 28 points, he should be doing better than he is. Despite all of this, don’t keep him off your roster. He’s a vet and there’s a reason Tampa wanted him so bad: he can make plays with his intense speed and ability to read plays.
Ryan Malone- Malone has always been a decent scorer, but this season he’s on a pace to top his charts. With 21 goals and 41 points, don’t be surprised if he finishes with 50-60 points.