With the fantasy hockey season winding down, managers in keeper leagues need to start considering players to bring over to the 2009-2010 season. This is the second segment in a multi-part series exploring keeper options for keeper leagues.

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Simon Gagne | Philadelphia Flyers
Gagne is a rock solid option at left winger for any keeper squad. The Flyers have one of the best offensive upsides of any team in the NHL and will only get better over the next couple of seasons. Gagne’s offensive output should remain on par with this season in 2009-2010 and with Philadelphia being relatively thin on the left side, he shouldn’t be challenged for that top line role. The only thing to keep in mind for managers debating on Gagne is that he has a serious history of concussions in his hockey career and could be a liability if he gets his clock cleaned one more time. He’s capable of hitting the 80+ point plateau next season if he remains healthy and it’s certainly a sound strategy to get players from good teams, however it might not be a bad idea to have an insurance policy at left wing in case something does happen.

Alexander Semin | Washington Capitals
One more season of healthy, high octane hockey and Alexander Semin should merit top tier status in fantasy keeper formats. Semin is a solid option at left wing for the time being and has a bright NHL future ahead of him. He’ll be a serious power play threat when Ovechkin and Backstrom are on their game next season and is valuable during the season as he could be given duel-eligibility in prominent fantasy hockey services again next season.

Michael Cammalleri | Calgary Flames
Cams may have found a system in Calgary that he can really succeed in but it’s unclear right now whether or not he’ll be back with the team next season. He’s due for a contract and will certainly look to make a little more coming off one of the most productive seasons of his NHL career. It’s hard to neglect Cammalleri as a solid left wing option for keeper leagues, however, keep in mind that he has been somewhat inconsistent in his career up to this point and has proven to be somewhat injury prone. He is a dynamite talent and certainly deserves a shot but it would be wise for managers taking a chance on Cams to have an insurance policy at left wing next season just in case something happens. If he stays in Calgary, he’ll have the best opportunity to repeat this year’s performance with Iggy and Olli by his side.

Thomas Vanek | Buffalo Sabres
Another performance like this year’s and Thomas Vanek will move up into the upper-echelon of left wingers. An unfortunate jaw injury took him out of action for several weeks but he should return to form next season with the potential to put up 70-80 points with significant time on the power play. He’s a solid long term option as the Sabres should shake up their lineup in the off-season to bring in players with an offensive upside.

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Alexander Frolov | Los Angeles Kings
There is something about Alexander Frolov that has him flying under the radar quite a bit in fantasy leagues. Los Angeles is a franchise that’s going to turn some heads in the next year or two with elite defensive prospects and top notch offensive players. Frolov is a nice option to have at left wing with a great upside. Next year is a contract year for him, so hopefully expect to see an improved performance on this season.

Patrik Elias | New Jersey Devils
Some managers may overlook Patrik Elias for more youthful options at left wing. Truth be told, Elias is only 33 years old and has played some of the best hockey of his career this season. Try not to over-emphasize youth in keeper leagues as seasoned veterans like Elias are out-producing the young guns in many facets of the game. Elias has 4-5 more good years in him and with New Jersey finally showing an offensive upside to their play, it could be a productive stretch for fantasy owners.

Scott Hartnell | Philadelphia Flyers
Putting Hartnell on this particular list could certainly draw some criticism from fantasy hockey enthusiasts. Many may argue that it’s too soon to consider him a rock solid option for keeper leagues with so many well-known and flashy options out there. The appeal to Hartnell this high in deep keeper leagues is that he is one of the most well-rounded fantasy players in fantasy hockey. He has career highs this season in a Flyer system that will be rock solid for the next several seasons; he’s producing on the power play; he’s a shorthanded threat; he has the opportunity to amass a great +/- rating; and he’s willing to take a penalty or two. Sometimes it’s not the flash of the name that wins fantasy championships. It’s players like Scott Hartnell, Milan Lucic and David Backes that satisfy a ton of categories which leave fantasy opponents stunned in the process.

Saucerpass is currently running a keeper league series uncovering different levels of players at all 5 positions. We have already looked at goaltenders and their keepability and will continue to breakdown every position until we’ve covered most options for next season:

Keeper Left Wingers for 2009-2010

Top Tier Left Wingers

Keeper Goaltenders for 2009-2010

Top Tier Goaltenders
Solid Goaltenders
Servicable Goaltenders
Questionable Goaltenders (Part 1)
Questionable Goaltenders (Part 2)