NHL Top 10 Candidates: First-Time 40 Goal Scorers

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There are many great goal scorers in the NHL who have yet to reach the 40 goal plateau, and many that have come real close. I look at the 40 goal plateau as the mark where a player can finally call themselves a true goal scorer. It's almost like the 50 goal mark in the 80's.

I made up a list of 10 candidates I believe are the best choices to be the ones who will break the 40 goal barrier for the first time in their careers.

Honorable mentions will be at the end.

10. Devin Setoguchi (San Jose Sharks)

Devin will be entering his third NHL season. He scored a career high and surprising 31 goals last season. Devin is projected to play on the top line alongside Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley this season. If it wasn't for the arrival of goal hogging Dany Heatley, Devin would have cracked the top five in this list, but he's still a great candidate because of his upside, where he will be playing and the skilled players he will be playing with.

Chance: 50 percent

9. Michael Cammalleri (Montreal Canadiens)

Michael will be playing his first season in Montreal along with a bunch of other new faces that have joined the team over the summer. Mike fell short of 40 goals last season by one goal. He is a two-time 30+ goal scorer. Mike will undoubtedly be the go-to guy on Montreal's first line and on the power play because of his lethal shot. It's not about Mike's skill in this equation, it's all about how well he can blend with his new teammates.

Chance: 60 percent

8. Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)

Jonathan will be entering only his third NHL season. The 21 year-old Captain is getting better by miles every season. He reached the 30 goal plateau last year for the first time in his career with a total of 34 goals. Jon's potential is going nowhere but up, so to see Jon score six more goals this season compared to last is not expecting too much.

Chance: 70 percent

7. Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks)

Bobby was an early surprise rookie sensation last season. He scored 31 goals in only 64 games with the Ducks. He is big and dominant on the ice, and his goal scoring instincts are among the best the Western Conference has to offer. Bobby should see more ice time this season as well as more games. It can only mean he will improve on his totals from last season.

Chance: 75 percent

6. Jason Spezza (Ottawa Senators)

Jason has scored 30+ goals for three straight seasons. His highest total coming back in both '06-'07 and '07-'08 with 34 goals. Now with Dany Heatley out of the picture in Ottawa, Jason will be expected to step up and score more goals for his team. Also keep in mind Jason is one of the Canadian players fighting for a bottom half Olympic spot, so look at that at his extra motivation.

Chance: 75 percent

5. Olli Jokinen (Calgary Flames)

Olli has flirted with several 40 goal seasons. His closest coming back in '06-'07 when he scored 39 goals. Olli has scored over 35 goals in a season three times as well as one 34 goal season. He has yet to play a full year with the Flames, but he was not out of place scoring eight goals in 19 games in his short time with the club. Olli is also in a contract year, so expect big things from him this season.

Chance: 75 percent

4. Corey Perry (Anaheim Ducks)

Corey Perry finished the last couple of weeks last season on a goal scoring tear. He scored 11 goals in his last 13 games. He also tallied eight goals in 13 playoff games. Because of his slow start to the regular season, he only finished with a total of 32 goals on the season last year. Corey should have no major problems breaking the 40 goal plateau this coming season as long as he avoids another early slump and stays healthy.

Chance: 75 percent

3. Johan Franzen (Detroit Red Wings)

The last year and a half including the playoffs, Johan has been a goal scoring machine for the Red Wings. He scored 34 goals in 71 games of the regular season last year, and 12 goals in 23 playoff games. Now with Marian Hossa no longer in Detroit, Franzen will get his well earned top line position alongside one of the best play makers, Pavel Datsyuk, on a regular basis, so expect him to produce a great amount of goals.

Chance: 85 percent

2. Alexander Semin (Washington Capitals)

If Semin stayed healthy last season, he would have easily broken the 40 goal barrier, (similar to two seasons ago when he scored 38 goals in 77 games). Last season, he scored 34 goals in only 62 games played which was a 45+ goal pace had he played in all 82 games. Assuming Semin stays healthy this time around, he should have no problems hitting the 40 goal mark for the first time in his career.

Chance: 85 percent

1. Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Crosby was very unlucky in his rookie season four years ago when he came the closest in his career to scoring 40 goals when he notched 39. He has scored over 30 goals every season except in his knee injury season when he played in only 53 games scoring 24 goals. If the playoffs and how well he finished the regular season last year are any indication as to Crosby's goal scoring ability in the near future, he should easily break the 40 goal barrier.

Chance: 95 percent