We previewed the season at eDraft with our top five picks on the right wing. Top to bottom, it’s a pretty solid list given how the first quarter of the season has played out. Here are our preseason ranks on the right flank:
5. Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers
4. Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
2. Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers
1. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers
I’ll remove Claude Giroux from the equation because he has spent more time at center this season. Giroux is listed at C,RW so he qualifies in both spots, but we’ve already ranked him in the center redraft.
In our eDraft “do-over” here is how your right wings rank through the first four weeks of the season.
5. Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Forget the fact that the “Finnish Flash” is now 42, Teemu Selanne seems to just keep going. The Anaheim Ducks have gotten off to a fast start and Selanne seems to be right in the middle of it. With all the talent on the Anaheim roster people seem to have forgotten that Selanne is still a premier scoring threat. He has started the season with four goals and 10 assists in the Ducks’ first 12 games.
4. Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils
After playing in the KHL during the NHL lockout earlier this year, Ilya Kovalchuk seems to have completed his leadership development training. Kovy was hailed as one of the laziest players in the league early in his playing days with Atlanta and even his first couple of years with New Jersey. He has turned over a new leaf in recent years and actually plays defense now. Becoming a more complete player has translated well to the stat sheet too. The Russian sniper has lit the lamp five times with six assists in 13 contests.
3. Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks
No one except maybe Marian Hossa expected the Chicago right wing to start the season this way. When last we saw Hossa, he was being scraped off the United Center ice after being blindsided by Raffi Torres. After several months of recovering from concussion symptoms Hossa returned to the ice and seems to be in mid-season form already. Hossa has hit the twine six times and assisted on six others through 13 games with Chicago.
2. David Clarkson, New Jersey Devils
The task of replacing the captain in New Jersey doesn’t seem so daunting with the crop of players that have stepped up for the Devils. With ageless Martin Brodeur holding down the back end in net, New Jersey has had several players step up in the scoring department. David Clarkson has emerged as a legitimate goal scorer after beginning his career in an enforcer’s role. He has nine goals and 15 points through 13 games.
1. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
After another off-season where Kane made headlines for all the wrong reasons, the mercurial right wing has been the top option on the right side to start the season. With nine goals and 11 assists in Chicago’s first 13 games Kane is in second place in the NHL scoring race.