The playoffs are without question the most exciting part of the NHL season, but the postseason can also be a critical time for fantasy hockey players. The NHL playoffs are a perfect time to start scouting players for next fantasy season and trying to unearth a few hidden gems to fill out your roster with on draft day. For this reason we will be looking at some post-season players and determining where they fit in on your draft board.

Jonathan Cheechoo, RW, SJ (23g-14a-37pts) – It was a disappointing season for the San Jose Sharks. They entered the 2007-08 season as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders and still believed themselves to be just that as they entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately for the Sharks and their fans, the boys in teal flamed out in the second round yet again and are left looking for answers. One of the biggest disappointments for the Sharks this season was the play of winger Jonathan Cheechoo. After leading the NHL in goals with 57 just two seasons ago, Cheechoo found the back of the net just 23 times in the 2007-08 regular season. That was the lowest single season goal total for Cheechoo since he managed just nine goals as a rookie. Cheechoo appeared to be getting his game back on track in the second half of the regular season, but he faltered again in the playoffs, scoring only eight points (4g and 4a) in 13 postseason games. There is no doubt that Cheechoo will be a relevant figure in fantasy circles as long as he continues to skate on a line with Joe Thornton, but he is not nearly as valuable an asset as he was just a year ago.

Daniel Girardi, D, NYR (10g-18a-28pts) – The New York Rangers are blessed with a bumper crop of young, talented defensemen. Rookie Marc Staal received the most attention this season among their promising group of blue liners, but the guy fantasy owners may want to pay close attention to is Daniel Girardi. Girardi was one of only two Rangers defensemen to register more than 20 points or double-digit goals during the regular season, and those numbers only stand to improve as he matures as a player at the NHL level. Girardi's numbers this season were far from earth shattering, but his inevitable improvement combined with the Rangers' need to generate more offense from their defensive corps means that Girardi could be in position for a breakout season in 2008-09. Given the opportunity, Girardi could realistically respond with a 15-goal, 40-point season for the Rangers.

Patrick Marleau, C, SJ (19g-29a-48pts) – San Jose captain Patrick Marleau may go down as the poster boy for the Sharks' disappointing year. After averaging more than a point per game in the previous two seasons, Marleau posted a meager 48 points in 2007-08 to go along with his team-worst (-19) rating. Marleau's underwhelming regular season carried over into the postseason where he was very inconsistent and at times seemed unable to reach the intensity level needed to succeed in the playoffs. Those intangibles don't mean much to most fantasy owners, but there are some hard numbers with Marleau that should. Only twice in his career has Marleau exceeded 30 goals or 60 points in a single season. Granted, both of those seasons were in the last three years, but if his numbers start to drift back towards his career averages, fantasy owners may want to think twice about adding Marleau to their squad.

Tomas Plekanec, C, MON (29g-40a-69pts) – The Montreal Canadiens were one of the NHL's pleasant surprises this season and that success carried over into the fantasy hockey world. One of the quiet contributors to the rejuvenation in Montreal was center Tomas Plekanec. Plekanec continued a pattern of steady improvement in his performance and finished second on the team in points (69) and goals (29). Plekanec is now entering what are generally the prime years of an NHL player's career and that should lead to another year of career-high numbers for the Czech-born Plekanec. There is no reason to expect Montreal to change their high flying style next season, and they should continue to have one of the top power-plays in the NHL. What that should mean for Plekanec and fantasy owners is a season of 30-plus goals and 80-plus points. Plekanec has the potential to develop into a very strong number two fantasy center for the next few seasons.

Carey Price, G, MON (24-12-3, 2.56 GAA, .920 SV% with 3 SO) – It was a difficult postseason for Carey Price as he struggled to maintain a level of consistency in net and at times seemed unable to deal with the pressure of the playoffs. In other words, he was a 20-year-old goalie facing the first postseason action of his young NHL career. Fantasy owners should concern themselves not with Price's playoff performance, but should focus on the success he enjoyed during the regular season. Price had a very successful freshman campaign as he was thrust into the number one goalie position for Montreal, and he responded by leading the Habs to a division title and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite his playoff shortcomings, Price will enter next season as the starting netminder on one of the top teams in the East. That should translate to a 40-win season for the young Vancouver native, and his other stats should follow suit as Price tries to establish himself as a top ten fantasy goalie.

Paul Stastny, C, COL (24g-47a-71pts) – After an impressive rookie season in 2006-07, Paul Stastny stepped up in his second season and proved that he is ready to be the cornerstone of an Avalanche team that is looking to forge a new identity as players like Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg near the end of their storied careers. What that means to fantasy owners is that Stastny is in a position to be the focal point of the Avalanche attack, which could see him kick off a string off 100-point seasons as soon as 2008-09. Stastny has all the talent in the world, so one of the biggest questions surrounding him in the coming seasons will be if the Avalanche are able to provide him with a supporting cast that is capable of taking advantage of his offensive abilities. If the Avalanche front office can surround Stastny with enough offensive weapons, he could develop into one of the top offensive centers in the game.