The Top 15 Right Wingers in the National Hockey League

I have decided to do a top 15 players list for each position. The entire player's career will be looked at with more emphasis put on how they have played in the last two or three years.

Now that the NHL entry draft and Free Agent frenzy are behind us, the next three months are the most painful time of year for hockey fans around the world. I mean, what better time to do this than now, right?
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1. Jarome Iginla

2008-09 Stats: 82 GP 35 G 54 A 89 P

Career Stats: 942 GP 409 G 442 A 851 P

The ultimate team player, Iginla is the captain of the Calgary Flames for good reason. He sticks up for his teammates by fighting anybody who dares to hand out cheap shots to other players on the Flames, and he is very physical.

However, Iginla's best attribute is his ability to score goals. He is a two-time winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy for most goals during the season, and he is closing in on 500-career goals. He also changed his game this year to play more of a playmaking role, dishing the puck to Michael Cammalleri.

2. Marian Hossa

2008-09 Stats: 74 GP 40 G 31 A 71 P

Career Stats: 775 GP 339 G 380 A 719 P

Hossa is well-known throughout the league for his blazing speed and ability to score goals no matter what situation he is in. His defensive play is very underrated, and I consider him one of the best two-way players in the game.

Hossa is still looking for his first Stanley Cup Championship after losing back-to-back finals. He has a pretty good chance to do just that with his new team, the Chicago Black Hawks.

3. Martin St. Louis

2008-09 Stats: 82 GP 30 G 50 A 80 P

Career Stats: 690 GP 238 G 347 A 585 P

Always told that he was too small to play in the NHL, St. Louis has flourished in Tampa Bay after the Calgary Flames gave up on him. He has continued to put up impressive numbers after winning the Art Ross Trophy, Lester B. Pearson award, Hart Memorial Trophy, and Stanley Cup in the 2003-04 season.

St. Louis has six straight 20-plus goal seasons and five seasons of over 30 goals. He is also a great playmaker, proven by the fact that he has put up over 50 assists in four of the last five seasons.

4. Daniel Alfredsson

2008-09 Stats: 79 GP 24 G 50 A 74 P

Career Stats: 932 GP 355 G 566 A 921 P

Another player who was not highly thought of when he was younger, Alfredsson did not get drafted until the age of 21 and did not make the NHL until he was 23-years-old.

Alfredsson has proved all his doubters wrong by becoming one of the most consistent players in the NHL for the last eight years and by becoming the captain of the Ottawa Senators.

5. Martin Havlat

2008-09 Stats: 81 GP 29 G 48 A 77 P

Career Stats: 470 GP 169 G 227 A 396 P

The talent was always there, but many wondered if Havlat could ever stay healthy. He did exactly that, and he put up 30 goals and nearly a point per game, showing people that he is a great player.

Havlat also put together a very impressive playoff performance, leading the Black Hawks to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1996.

6. Corey Perry

2008-09 Stats: 78 GP 32 G 40 A 72 P

Career Stats: 286 GP 91 G 104 A 195 P

Perry really broke out this season, going from 54 to 72 points and notching his first career 30-goal season. Perry also had a great playoff campaign, combining with Ryan Getlaf and Jonas Hiller to lead the Ducks within one game of the conference final.

7. Shane Doan

2008-09 Stats: 82 GP 31 G 42 A 73 P

Career Stats: 965 GP 258 G 365 A 623 P

A very underrated player, Doan has been toiling with the Winnipeg/Phoenix franchise since his rookie season in 1995-96. Doan can put up points as well as play a physical/grinding game.

He is a very consistent performer and deserves to play for a better franchise then the Coyotes, as he won`t be getting a shot at the Stanley Cup anytime soon if he stays in Phoenix.

8. Patrick Kane

2008-09 Stats: 80 GP 25 G 45 A 70 P

Career Stats: 162 GP 46 G 96 A 142 P

Another player on the list that is extremely small, Kane tips the scales at just over 160 pounds, but his shiftiness allows him to be a successful scorer in the NHL at the young age of 20.

Kane also proved that he can be a big playoff performer with 9 goals in 16 playoffs games this year. Kane has the ability to move up this list because of his young age.

9. Jason Pominville

2008-09 Stats: 82 GP 20 G 46 A 66 P

Career Stats: 304 GP 99 G 145 A 244 P

Pominville has great on-ice vision and offensive creativity. He also can beat defenders one-on-one and is equally adept at finishing off plays or setting up his line mates.

Pominville is another of many young players on these top 15 lists, as he is just 26-years-old, giving Buffalo a young player they can rely on for many years to come.

10. David Backes

2008-09 Stats: 82 GP 31 G 23 A 54 P

Career Stats: 203 GP 54 G 54 A 108 P

David Backes really developed well last year, notching his first 30-goal season. Backes is one of the many young guns emerging on a talented St. Louis Blues squad.

He has size, hockey sense, a nose for the net, and plenty of grit and determination. He can play both center or wing and will get even better as he rounds out his game.

11. Ales Hemsky

2008-09 Stats: 72 GP 23 G 43 A 66 P

Career Stats: 421 GP 93 G 238 A 331 P

A very talented player, Hemsky has not been able to put it all together yet in order to realize his full potential. He still is a near point-per-game player, and he has great playmaking skills. If he would shoot more, he could be a 30 goal scorer.

He has great instincts and excellent offensive creativity. He also owns an effortless skating stride and incredible puck skills. Possesses outstanding playmaking ability.

12. Jamie Langenbrunner

2008-09 Stats: 81 GP 29 G 40 A 69 P

Career Stats: 884 GP 209 G 336 A 545 P

Langenbrunner went above and beyond this year, scoring a career high 29 goals at the age of 33. His 69 points was also a career high, and he has proved to people that he is a consistent player over these past four seasons.

He has the wheels to be an offensive threat and is versatile enough in all aspects of the game to play wherever needed. He leads by example and is a great captain for the New Jersey Devils.

13. Bobby Ryan

2008-09 Stats: 64 GP 31 G 26 A 57 P

Career Stats: 87 GP 36 G 31 A 67 P

Bobby Ryan tore the league up this year as a 21-year-old rookie and might have won the Calder Trophy, if he had been able to play the full season with the Anaheim Ducks.

Bobby Ryan possesses great size, outstanding scoring prowess and a wealth of poise. He is very capable of setting up linemates from the wing position, and he will most certainly move up the list after a couple more seasons.

14. Brian Gionta

2008-09 Stats: 81 GP 20 G 40 A 60 P

Career Stats: 473 GP 152 G 160 A 312 P

The smallest player on the list at 5'7", Gionta put up 48 goals in the first season after the lockout, but has regressed the past three years falling to 25, 22, and then 20 this year. Hopefully being reunited with Scott Gomez will get him scoring more again.

Gionta has excellent speed and acceleration and plays with loads of feistiness and energy. He shows excellent offensive upside and two-way ability. He also possesses nifty skills and instincts around an opposing net.

15. Brad Boyes

2008-09 Stats: 82 GP 33 G 39 A 72 P

Career Stats: 328 GP 119 G 133 A 252 P

Boyes has developed into a great goal-scorer during his short NHL career, but his lack of a good defensive game is holding him back and the reason he is so low on this list.

Boyes has excellent hockey sense and a sniper's mentality, and he also owns playmaking qualities and has a deft touch around the net.