NHL Veterans Having the Best Seasons of Their Careers in 2016-17

Every year, the NHL game gets faster and younger, and the league's veterans include fewer and fewer role players. The impact veterans, the ones who make the big cap dollars, have gobbled up much of the overall dollars, and teams have been forced to fill in secondary roles with youngsters and less-proven NHL players.

All of which contributes to a smaller pool of veteran talents each season in the NHL. Inside that group of veterans, below the impact group, lies a key number of players on each team who play complementary roles as checkers, penalty killers and depth players.

Among that group of players, we are seeing several across the league flourishing in new roles. Most of these men are being asked to fill in for injured stars or phenoms on skill lines or prominent pairings. Some of these players are likely headed for massive pay increases this coming summer, so this list is also an early list of outstanding free-agent talent for the coming summer.

Here are seven NHL veterans enjoying career seasons in 2016-17.

Andrew Cogliano, LW, Anaheim Ducks

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Past success: Andrew Cogliano of the Anaheim Ducks hit the ground running once he turned pro in 2007-08. As a young player for the Edmonton Oilers, he showed exceptional speed and clear offensive potential.

Present numbers: Cogliano's offense appears to be established, he is capable of 30 to 40 points a season and should be in the high end of that range this season. The big item is his emerging as a quality possession player and two-way forward. At the present time, he ranks inside the top three forwards in the NHL in Corsi Relative to Team—the possession number via Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

What the future may hold: Cogliano may be eligible for the Selke Trophy—awarded to the league's top defensive forward—if he continues to show this level of ability. His range of skills makes him more valuable, and that may be reflected in his next contract.

Cam Atkinson, RW, Columbus Blue Jackets

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Past success: Cam Atkinson of the Columbus Blue Jackets arrived in the NHL to stay during the 2012-13 season and has been a consistent offensive contributor since. He reached the 20-goal plateau in his first full season and has attained that level in each of his subsequent years with the Blue Jackets.

Present numbers: The 27-year-old is now in his sixth season and this looks like it is going to be a monster. Just 40 games into the year, Atkinson has already reached 20 goals and has 40 points. If he stays healthy, it would appear he will easily surpass his career highs of 27 goals and 53 points.

What the future may hold: Atkinson is scoring almost half of his points on the power play and is among the top 10 in points so far in 2016-17 because of it. He has one more year on his current contract and could be in for a giant payday if he continues to deliver at current pace.

Sam Gagner, C, Columbus Blue Jackets

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Past success: Sam Gagner of the Columbus Blue Jackets began his NHL career as the next great hope for the Edmonton Oilers. That was in 2007, when they chose Gagner No. 6 overall and he came right to the NHL. He scored 49 points as a rookie but was unable to establish himself as a top-six forward despite solid offense. He was eventually traded and began the journeyman portion of his career.

Present numbers: The Blue Jackets brought in Gagner as a fourth-line forward, giving him little responsibility in terms of opposition. The club also gave him substantial power-play time, and the results are fantastic. Halfway through the season, he has reached the 30-point plateau and should pass 50 points later in the year.

What the future may hold: Gagner is on an inexpensive contract but that number will skyrocket this summer if he continues to score at current levels. The difficulty for Gagner comes in his current usage—it is unusual to be a fourth-line forward who gets a lot of power-play time. He may be wise to take less money and stay in Columbus, where they have unlocked his abilities and given him room to flourish in the NHL.

Cam Talbot, G, Edmonton Oilers

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Past success: Cam Talbot of the Edmonton Oilers established himself as a viable goalie with the New York Rangers in the early part of the decade. Although undrafted, he signed with the Rangers and worked up through the minor league system, eventually emerging as a solid backup to starter Henrik Lundqvist.

Present numbers: Talbot is part of the emergence of the modern Oilers, and he is among the league leaders in several categories, including goalie wins. He has been a big part of the Oilers' success this season.

What the future may hold: Edmonton is an up-and-coming team and should be a strong contender for the rest of this decade. The heart of the team is Connor McDavid, but the goalie needs to be bona fide and Talbot appears to be the answer in net for the Oilers.

Devan Dubnyk, G, Minnesota Wild

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Past success: Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild might be the best goaltender in the NHL this season. His journey to this year began as an Edmonton Oilers' prospect and a long audition period before establishing himself in the NHL. After struggling with a truly horrible Oilers team, he was sent away and wandered through several organizations. He found solid footing with the Arizona Coyotes, who dealt him to the Wild just as his career began to blossom. 

Present numbers: Dubnyk is among the NHL's leading goalies in all major categories and should get some Vezina Trophy consideration at the end of the season.

What the future may hold: Dubnyk is signed long term, so the only real question is in regard to winning the Stanley Cup. Minnesota loves hockey as much as anyone, but an NHL championship has eluded both state teams, the North Stars and the Wild. That could change in the next few seasons, with Dubnyk playing a major part in the success of the team.

Alexander Radulov, RW, Montreal Canadiens

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Past success: Alexander Radulov of the Montreal Canadiens was an impact player for the Nashville Predators for two seasons beginning in 2006. After the 2007-08 season—a year in which Radulov posted 26 goals and 58 points for Nashville—he bolted to the Kontinental Hockey League and spent most of the following eight seasons as an impact player in the Russian league.

Present numbers: The 30-year old winger is having a fantastic season with Montreal and is clearly a top-flight offensive option. His 32 points this year have him inside the top 40 scorers in the NHL in 2016-17. 

What the future may hold: Radulov recognized the risk teams would be taking in signing him, so he agreed to a reasonable one-year deal with the Canadiens. As the season rolls along, that risky move by Radulov is looking like a stroke of genius, as he is likely to cash in during free agency this summer.

Brent Burns, D, San Jose Sharks

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Past success: Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks has delivered one of the most interesting careers in the modern game. Drafted by the Minnesota Wild as a defenseman, then moved to forward and then back again, he has been a stalwart at both positions and a difference-maker all down the line.

Present numbers: Burns is on pace to score 30 goals from the blue line, an extremely rare feat. He is also delivering quality play defensively and helping in possession—as shown by Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.

What the future may hold: Burns is 31 and has played in more than 800 NHL games, making his career peak—and this appears to be it—unusually late. Burns is a unique player in the game's history, so predicting his career path is difficult, as it has been since his arrival.