Joe Sakic is still chugging along...

Since the dawn of the “new” NHL, hockey has rather quickly progressed into more and more of a young man’s game. One need not look further than this year’s Hall of Fame class (Ron Francis, Mark Messier, Scott Stevens and Al MacInnis) for proof that more and more of the game’s elder statesmen are beginning to retire at a faster rate.

While it’s certainly true that players over the age of 35 are becoming rarer and rarer in the NHL, those that remain fall into two distinct categories: those who can still play and those who have perhaps outlived their usefulness as a player. For your fantasy team, drafting or holding a player over 35 years old can be both a blessing and a risk all at the same time. Some players, like Detroit goaltender Dominik Hasek, are such injury risks that many fantasy owners steer clear, but the rewards certainly are there for those who take the chance. Others, like Dallas’ Mike Modano, are showing that perhaps their high-flying days are done. Here’s a list of the over-35 players who can still have an impact, and those who should probably hang ‘em up.

Forever Young

Joe Sakic, COL - 38

Super Joe is still chugging along at the same rate he has for most of his career, and at 38 years old, doesn’t show any sign of slowing down yet. Sakic scored 100 points for the sixth time in his career last season, and is still scoring at a point-per-game clip this year. The Burnaby, B.C., native has made it known that he would like to play at least three more seasons including this year, and ultimately play in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. If Sakic does play three more years and continues to score at this pace, he could move as far up the all-time scoring list as fourth place. He could also break Steve Yzerman’s record of longest tenured captain (Yzerman served 20 years, Sakic currently has 18).

Rod Brind’Amour, CAR – 37

They don’t call him “Rod the Bod” for nothing. At 37, Brind’Amour is still one of the best conditioned athletes in the league, and continues to play like it. In addition to currently being on pace for a staggering 114 points this year, Brind’Amour also consistently plays over 20 minutes per game and is still regarded as the league’s most feared faceoff man. A multiple winner of the Selke Trophy, the Hurricanes captain knows how to play defence too, keeping Carolina a Stanley Cup favorite despite the less-than-impressive finish last season.

Nicklas Lidstrom, DET – 37

No player in the NHL has aged quite as gracefully as Lidstrom. The way the smooth Swede still plays the game, you’d never know he was pushing 40. Lidstrom has been regarded as the best blueliner in the hockey for over a decade, even with younger, stronger rearguards such as Chris Pronger and Dion Phaneuf in their primes. Lidstrom thinks the game better than anyone in the league, and as a result, has avoided major injury for most of his career, contributing to his longevity. Still with a feared shot from the point and a sick passing game, there’s no reason Lidstrom couldn’t win another few Norris Trophies before it’s all said and done.

Brendan Shanahan, NYR – 38

The NHL’s active goal leader started the season slow after recovering from a head injury, but has recently begun to pick up steam with five points in his last five games. Shanahan, a 40-goal scorer two seasons ago, may be finally starting to slow down, but it could be too early to tell if his mini-slump was a result of the injury. In any case, for the rough-and-tumble style of play that Shanahan employs, he’s lasted longer than most would. He is still one of the NHL’s most feared shooters on the power play, and may have a season or two left in him after this year, with an outside shot of becoming just the seventh player in league history to reach 700 goals.

Martin Brodeur, NJ – 35

It’s hard to imagine Brodeur as an old guy, but age waits for no man. The fact is, Brodeur is already 35 years old and entering the final stanza of his decorated career. With New Jersey no longer the defensive team that it was in years past, and lacking the offensive guns it once boasted (and stifled in the process), it has finally come time to see what Marty’s made of. Already in the young season, Brodeur has not gotten off to a stellar start, with just four victories in 12 tries. If this pace continues, Brodeur would finish with just 24 wins this season, snapping his record string of 11 straight 30+ win seasons. Is the Devils backstopper up to the challenge?

Other Players Keeping Up the Pace

Mathieu Schneider, ANA – 38
Sergei Zubov, DAL – 37
Dominik Hasek, DET – 42
Jaromir Jagr, NYR – 35
Keith Tkachuk, STL – 35
Mats Sundin, TOR - 36

Grumpy Old Men

Sergei Fedorov, CLB – 37

Fedorov’s career took a definitive nosedive the moment he set foot in Columbus. The former 50-goal scorer and Hart Trophy winner has yet to register even 50 points in a season while wearing a Blue Jackets jersey, and is on pace for another 46 points this year. Fedorov used to be one of the most prolific skaters in all of hockey, but injuries have taken a bit of a toll on the forward in recent years and he has been forced out of the No. 1 center role in Columbus by younger talent. Fedorov still does have a solid defensive presence, however, and is still used by coach Ken Hitchcock in a number of scenarios, but the three-time Stanley Cup winner may not be a top-line talent any longer.

Mike Modano, DAL – 37

Nothing was more agonizing this hockey season than watching Modano struggle in his attempt to pass former great Phil Housley for most all-time points by an American-born player. The Livonia, Mich., native was just six points back of Housley to start the season, and needed 15 games to accomplish the feat. Modano, once one of the most dangerous offensive threats in the league, has slowed considerably in the last two seasons, and looks to be on his last legs. Of course, it’s hard to say how much of the blame should be placed on the Dallas Stars, who haven’t exactly surrounded Modano with top-level talent in recent years, but there once was a time when Modano was all they needed.

Jeremy Roenick, SJ – 37

Another 37-year-old centre, Roenick’s career was all but done last offseason. In fact, it was done at one point – at least that’s what we all thought. But JR had one more trick up his sleeve, signing a one-year deal with the powerhouse San Jose Sharks, giving him not only a chance at 500 goals (he currently has 499), but also his first Stanley Cup. Having averaged just 25 points the last two seasons, no one expected Roenick to really make much of an offensive impact, but the fast-talking Boston, Mass., native is having a better season than the aforementioned Modano, and looks like a lock to get No. 500. Still, comparatively speaking, he’s not the JR of old.

Rob Blake, LA – 37

Like the players listed before him, Blake’s career seems to be in its twilight. After spending several years among the NHL’s best blueliners, Blake’s return to Los Angeles after a five-year stay in Colorado proved to be the final catalyst for his ultimate breakdown. Although he still managed to score 14 goals last year for the Kings, Blake is no longer the Norris Trophy threat he was in the past, and has turned himself into a marginal fantasy defenseman at best. Instead of providing the scoring punch from the back end like he’s used to, Blake’s new tasks include facilitating the education of LA’s next budding defensive star, Jack Johnson.

Other Players Past Their Primes

Glen Murray, BOS – 35
Chris Chelios, DET – 45 (as long as he keeps playing, we’ll keep remembering that he once won two Norris Trophies)
Gary Roberts, PIT – 41
Doug Weight, STL – 36
Owen Nolan, CGY – 35
Jozef Stumpel, FLA – 35

Here’s how our fantasy picks from last week turned out:

LW – Ryan Malone, PIT: 2 goals, 0 assists, -3, 2 PIMs, 1 PPG, 16 shots
C – John Madden, NJ: 1 goal, 0 assists, +1, 1 SHG, 4 shots, 29 faceoff wins
RW – Patrick Kane, CHI: 0 goals, 1 assist, +2, 2 PIMs, 5 shots
D – Brian Pothier, WSH: 0 goals, 0 assists, -1, 6 PIMs, 13 shots
G – Tim Thomas, BOS: 1-1-2, .935 SV% (131 of 140), 2.25 GAA (9 goals allowed in 4 games)

…and here are your new candidates…

LW – RJ Umberger, PHI
C – Eric Belanger, MIN
RW – Ryan Kesler, VAN
D – Ron Hainsey, CLB
G – Tomas Vokoun, FLA