Get out the forks!

... because there are a few grumpy veterans who might need one stuck in their back.

Aging is one of the few things we can count on (besides death, government's cheating the masses, and taxation), and it always hits NHL veterans hard. One minute, they are rockin the clock with goals left and right, and the next minute they become about as effective as a 3-year old dish rag.

There are a few vets that I didn't expect to decline quite so quickly ...

GLEN MURRAY - BOSTON

He's had his injury problems, but he's usually been a dependable goal scorer. After putting up 28 goals and 45 points in 58 games last season, he's declined to just 1 goal and 6 assists in 17 games. He's still getting his shots on goal, but they aren't going in for him. I still think he can hit the 20 goal plateau if he stays healthy.

DOUG WEIGHT - ST. LOUIS

While the Blues have started well, Doug Weight has not. Just 3 assists (no goals) in 15 games for the crafty centerman pretty much spells the end of his useful life. D00d had 59 points last season, so why in the hell is he suddenly doing so poorly?

PATRICK MARLEAU - SAN JOSE SHARKS

The dude is a few months younger than me, so there will be no fork sticking this time. However, why is a guy this skilled putting up just 11 points in 20 games after a point-a-game pace the previous two? Laziness, injury? I don't follow the Sharks closely enough to know

Well, he's got 6 points in the last 3 games, and may finally have shaken off whatever has ailed him. Before that outburst, he had just 5 points in 17 games... one week can sure change a lot :)

PATRIK ELIAS - NEW JERSEY DEVILS

9 points and an awful team-worst -7 in 18 games is unlike Elias, who is supposed to be the big star in Joisey. Is this a team thing? Hardly ... d00d is 6th on his own team in points, which is 5 slots below where he ought to be.

In November, Elias has just 2 points in 7 games ... so he's really in the deepest funk he's ever been in.

MICHAL HANDZUS - LOS ANGELES KINGS

Michal, Michal, what the hell? He's supposed to be a defensive stalwart, yet is -7 (2nd worst on the Kings), and has just 4 points in 18 games. Yes, he had more points last year in 8 games than he has all of this season.

Perhaps he's not as well recovered from his injuries as he'd have us believe. From what little I've seen of the Kings, Handzus just looks like he's aged about 10 years in 1 week.

I'd expect Elias and Marleau to turn it around for sure. They are young and have been getting their shots on goal. Murray may be able to salvage a decent season .. Handzus? He's got a long way to travel back to where he used to be (if he can ever, given his myriad of injuries) and Weight looks like he's pretty much finished.