Last week we looked at players who were performing well below where they were drafted.  This week we will look at ten players who are performing well above their average draft slot.

1.       Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings: 14G, 19A +6 in 25 games.  With superstar Centers like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Pavel Datsyuk, and Joe Thornton on top of everyone’s draft list it’s easy to see why Kopitar might have slipped further down your draft.  The fact that the Kings were expected to be another season or two away from contention couldn’t have helped any either, but free agent addition Ryan Smyth has seemed to bring both the Kings and Kopitar’s game to the next level.

Decision:  Buy

2.       Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: 15G 11A +4 in 22 games.  In a re-draft league, Stamkos is the kind of draft pick that can win it for you.  Sure he was a former number one selection of the Lightning, but 23 goals and 46 points in his rookie season didn’t do much to elevate his draft status coming into this season.  If he is on your team you were probably able to draft him in the later rounds and are enjoying what may be the first of many good years for Stamkos.

Decision:  Buy

3.       Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks: 13G, 11A, +4 in 23 games.  When it comes to the Sedin brothers, Henrik has always been looked at as the less talented of the duo, and more of a playmaker to his brother’s finishing ability, but one Daniel went out with a broken foot, Henrik has taken it upon himself to put the puck in the net for the Canucks and he is currently on pace to almost triple his career high in goals.  Daniel returned to the Canucks lineup this week and one does wonder if Henrik will once again resume that setup role or continue to shoot the puck?

Decision:  Sell

4.       Ryan Smyth, Los Angeles Kings:  9G 14A +5 in 22 games.  It’s not just the fact that Smyth is on pace for over 30 goals that is impressive but that he is becoming a mentor for many of the Kings young forwards and Smyth himself seems to be revitalized by playing with this young and upcoming team.  Anze Kopitar is having a career season with the veteran Smyth on his wing, and they were both working very well with one another.  Of course Smyth is now out for about a month with an upper body injury and it’s fair to be concerned it his play will pick up from where it left off.

Decision:  Sell

5.       Michael Cammallerri, Montreal Canadiens:  12G, 9A, +10 in 25 games.  Cammallerri picked his contract year to have a career season as he scored 39 goals with the Flames in 2008-09, so there were naturally some concerns that he wouldn’t be able to repeat such a season this year.  Well he has proved his critics wrong by picking up from where he left off even though he no longer has superstar Jarome Iginla playing on his line.

Decision:  Sell

6.       Vaclav Prospal, New York Rangers:  6G, 18A, +6 in 24 games.  All of you who thought Prospal would be on a point a game pace at this point in the season please raise your hand.  That being said, Prospal was a shrewd signing by the Rangers as Prospal’s best season have come when he has played under Coach John Tortorella’s system in Tampa Bay.

Decision:  Sell

7.       Matt Moulson, New York Islanders:  11G, 8A, +6 in 25 games.  Moulson wasn’t even supposed to start the season with the Islanders but rather with Bridgeport of the AHL, but his hot pre-season earned him a spot on the roster.  Not only has he earned that spot, but he is playing on the top line with number one overall draft pick John Tavares so playing time will not be something he has to beg for. 

Decision:  Sell

8.       Ray Emery, Philadelphia Flyers:  11-6-1, 2.57 GAA, 91 SV%.  There is very little doubt that Philadelphia is one of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference.  They have the offense with Daniel Briere, Simon Gagne, and Mike Richards.  They have the defense with Chris Pronger, Braydon Coburn, and Kimmo Timmonen.  The question is, do they have the Goalie in Emery?  In October that answer was yes, but in November that answer is no.  The Flyers know they are a Stanley Cup Contender and since they are a veteran team, they also know that their window of opportunity will not last forever.  If they don’t think Emery is the man to take them to the promise land, they will go out and find that Goalie that will before the trading deadline.

Decision:  Sell

9.       Cristobal Huet, Chicago Blackhawks:  12-4-1, 2.15 GAA, 90.9 SV%.  Almost everything I wrote about Ray Emery I could write about Huet, just insert players like Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa, Kris Versteeg, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Brian Campbell, and Cam Barker.  The difference is while in October Huet was terrible and there were even rumors that he might lose his starting job to Antti Niemi, in November he has left no doubt that he can be the Goalie to take the Blackhawks back to the Stanley Cup.

Decision:  Buy

10.   Ryan Miller, Buffalo Sabres:  12-4-2, 1.98 GAA, 93 SV%.  Miller has always been an above average Goalie, but in the first quarter of this season he has taken his play to the next level.  Perhaps he is staking his claim to be Team USAs starting Goalie in the upcoming Olympics.  Perhaps he knows in order for the Sabres to make the playoffs he will have to lead them there as they just don’t have the offense to overcome any mistakes.

Decision:  Sell