With the dog days of winter about to give way to the stretch drive for all your fantasy pools, maybe you're looking to make a blockbuster deal or two that may put you over the top.
Whether it was Gretzky setting up Kurri, Oates dishing to Hull or, these days, Crosby passing to Malkin, setup men have made life a whole lot easier for the NHL's elite and, at times, no-so-elite, to ply their trade.
This is wide open for debate, like everything in the fantasy world, but I'm giving you the scoop on who I consider to be the best playmakers around today:
10. Patrick Kane, Chicago
For a kid as unproven as Kane, he can certainly set them up with the best of them. The future of the Blackhawks looks solid, at long last some would say, with Kane and fellow rookie sensation Jonathan Toews set to make Chicago a force to be reckoned with in the next few years. A case could also be made for the likes of Paul Stastny, Martin St. Louis and Ryan Getzlaf, among others, but I'm giving Kane the nod.
9. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver
Maybe a surprise for some but Sedin is rounding into form as one of the premier setup men in the game today. Henrik and Daniel are quietly becoming one of the best 1-2 combinations league-wide and Henrik, who as of Jan. 9th leads the ‘Nucks in both points and assists, is more than shouldering his share of the load.
8. Scott Gomez, NY Rangers
After hitting the lottery by signing with the Rangers last summer, Gomez, by most accounts, didn't exactly sprint out of the gate in Manhattan. He has since hit his groove and is proving to be worth the money the Rangers gave him when they rolled the Brink's truck to the back door of Madison Square Garden last July.
7. Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay
Sure, this may be considered a sexy pick, but Lecavalier is the complete package. He should remain in the Hart and Art Ross races right up until the final week of the season, and his 35 assists is proof Lecavalier is more than just a finisher.
6. Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit
Almost a no-brainer, Lidstrom tends to get overlooked simply because he is a defenseman. Wrong. Quarterbacking one of the most talented teams in the league, Lidstrom sees a lot of ice time and has a knack for clicking on that perfect pass when it looks like it has been taken away. When you are fourth in the league in assists while patrolling the blueline, nothing else needs to be said. Will go down as one of the best ever. How's that for obvious?
5. Jason Spezza, Ottawa
Yeah, I know, anyone can rack up the points playing with Alfredsson and Heatley, but this guy can do some amazing things with the puck. Spezza has been a long-term project in Ottawa, but he has finally found the superstar ranks. If you need further proof as to his playmaking abilities, look no further than his pre-season overtime assist against the Leafs a few months back.
4. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
Like Spezza, Datsyuk certainly isn't hampered playing with the likes of Zetterberg and Lidstrom, but he would put up great numbers anywhere. When Zetterberg went down with an injury lately, Datsyuk held down the fort until he returned. Could you imagine if Sundin wound up in Motown and hooked up with Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom on the power play? Yikes.
3. Marc Savard, Boston
When Savard was in Atlanta, people argued his numbers were padded by playing with Ilya Kovalchuk. Maybe so, but his 34 assists on a less-talented Bruins team shows the nay-sayers were wrong. That in itself is enough for me to put Savard in the number three spot.
2. Joe Thornton, San Jose
Nothing more needs to be said. Sure, Thornton, as of today, isn't even in the top eight in terms of assists, but things are not always as they seem. Anyone who can turn Jonathan Cheechoo into a 56-goal scorer gets my vote as one of the best set-up men in the NHL.
1. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Surprise, surprise. Some will argue with this choice, of course, but Sid the Kid leads the league in assists. If you were heading into Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final and could have a setup man for one night, ask Ilya Kovalchuk, Jarome Iginla or Alex Ovehkin who they would want feeding them. I'd bet the farm it would be #87. Period.