NHL Top 50

Here's a list of the best players in the new wide open National Hockey League... right now ...at least according to Wes Goldstein writing for CBS SportsLine.com.

This ain't your dad's NHL, folks. It's not even your older brother's.

Whether that's good or bad depends on your point of view, but there's no arguing the year-long lockout and resulting salary cap has changed the NHL's look and feel. Major annual roster shakeups are now a fact of life in all precincts, and those preaching the new-age wisdom of speed, offense and youth have taken on an air of genius.

The dynamics around the league have been altered so dramatically, last year's conference finals featured four teams that didn't make the playoffs in the previous season. It was a changing of the guard, not only among teams, but among players as well.

For most of the season, the leader boards around the league required a double take as a new generation of stars and potential stars emerged. That's what happens when two years' worth of draft classes arrive at the same time, and several younger, inexpensive players get their shots.

Of course there were some familiar faces making their presence felt, many of whom continue to be mainstays on any list of the NHL's best players.

Let's take a look at a few of Wes's picks...

#1



#17 A personal favorite of mine.




#50 Last, but definetly not least.



I think I would've moved him up some and dropped a few others.

For the complete list of Wes Goldstein's Top 50 NHL Players head over >>>>>> here.

I have a few quibbles, like I'm sure a lot of fans will with any list attempting to rank players. The major one for me is Wes leaving Martin St. Louis completely off this list. One season removed from league MVP and he doesn't even make the Top 50? Sorry Wes, that ain't right. He might not be Top 10, but Top 50, you bet.