When breaking down each division in the NHL, by default one has to be the worst. That honor once again falls to the Northwest Division which saw the Vancouver Canucks reach the Stanley Cup Finals while the other four teams missed the playoffs.
Will that happen again this season or can one of the other teams close the gap in the division?
1. Vancouver Canucks
How They Finished: 54-19-9 117 points 1st in Northwest, 1st in Western Conference. Lost in Stanley Cup Finals.
Additions:
Mike Duco (Florida) Byron Bitz (Florida) Alexander Sulzer (Florida) Andrew Ebbett (Phoenix) Marco Sturm (Washington) Mark Mancari (Buffalo)
Subtractions:
Christian Ehrhoff (Buffalo) Jeff Tambellini (Switzerland) Tanner Glass (Winnipeg) Raffi Torres (Phoenix) Rick Rypien (Deceased)
Why They'll Succeed:
They were the best team in the NHL last year and most of the key players are still with the Canucks.
Daniel Sedin was the leading score in the NHL with 104 points last year (41G, 63A) while brother Henrik finished 2nd on the team with 94 points (19G, 75A). Ryan Kesler also had a career year scoring 41 goals and was a finalist for the Selke Award.
The Canucks have one of the deepest teams in the NHL at every position. Injuries slowed them down in the playoffs but when healthy this may be the most talented team in the NHL.
Even with defenseman Christian Ehrhoff leaving for Buffalo the defense of the Canucks is still deep. Alex Edler, Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Bieskla, and Sami Salo all return with Keith Ballard, Aaron Rome, Ryan Parent, Andrew Alberts & Alexander Sulzer fighting for those final two spots on defense.
Why They'll Fail:
We aren't sure what to expect from Roberto Luongo in goal.
Last year Luongo was 38-15-7 with a GAA of 2.11, a save percentage of .928 and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
For as great of a season Luongo had, he did have his struggles in the playoffs. He was benched in Game 6 against Chicago after losing games 4 & 5. In the Stanley Cup Finals he was brilliant in Vancouver but struggled in Boston being replaced twice by Cory Schneider.
I'm interested to seeing how Luongo responds after coming so close to winning last year. He has the talent but does he have the mentality? Lucky for the Canucks they have a capable backup in Schneider they can turn to if needed.
Prediction:
Vancouver is still a great hockey club and coming close last year should only make them hungrier. They are by far the best team in the Northwest and should win the division easily.
2. Minnesota Wild
How They Finished: 39-35-8 86 points 3rd in Northwest, 12th in West. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Devon Setoguchi (San Jose) Dany Heatley (San Jose) Darroll Powe (Philadelphia) Jeff Taffe (Chicago) Mike Lundin (Tampa Bay)
Subtractions:
Brent Burns (San Jose) Martin Havlat (San Jose) James Sheppard (San Jose) Jose Theodore (Florida) Andrew Brunette (Chicago) Chuck Kobasew (Colorado) Cam Barker (Edmonton) Antti Miettinen (KHL) John Madden (Free Agent)
Why They'll Succeed:
They actually have a pair of wings to go with Mikko Koivu. Last year Koivu was paired on the top line with Brunette & Miettinen. This year he will have Setoguchi & Heatley playing with him a significant upgrade.
The additions of Setoguchi & Heatley will give the Wild a better balance of forwards up front. 3rd line players can now be 3rd line players instead of trying to fill spots on the 1st & 2nd lines.
The Wild also bring in a new coach in Mike Yeo who replaces Todd Richards. Yeo led the Wild's AHL affiliate Houston to the Calder Cup finals last year. He should bring an edge & a level of intensity to a Wild team that seem to be lacking passion at times last season.
Why They'll Fail:
To get Setoguchi the Wild had to trade their only all-star, Brent Burns.
It was the right move for the Wild, Burns was going into the final year of his contract with no guarantee he was going to re-sign. Minnesota had a lot of depth on defense but not a lot at forward which is why I believe this was a good trade.
That being said the depth on defense will be tested. Marek Zidlicky, Nick Schultz, Clayton Stoner & Greg Zanon all return as regulars with Jared Spurgeon, Marco Scandella, Justin Falk, Drew Bagnall & Mike Lundin competing for the final couple spots on defense.
Minnesota may score a lot of goals but they also may give up a lot of scoring chances. That's where Nicklas Backstrom comes in. Backstrom was 22-23-5 last year with a GAA of 2.66 and a save percentage of .916. With a defense that's in transition playing in front of him Backstrom will have to play better.
Prediction:
A lot of people are predicting the Wild to struggle again this season. Truthfully I think they are a lot better than people give them credit for. They were in the playoff picture until the middle of March last year.
While I don't know if they are better overall I know they are better in the areas they needed to improve and they play in the right division for them. If they can hang around until April the final playoff spot in the West isn't out of the question.
3. Calgary Flames
How They Finished: 41-29-12 94 points 2nd in Northwest, 9th in West. Missed playoffs.
Additions:
Chris Butler (Buffalo) Jordan Henry (Florida) Pierre-Luc Leblond-Letourneau (New Jersey) Lee Stempniak (Phoenix) Clay Wilson (Florida) Scott Hannan (Washington)
Subtractions:
Ales Kotalik (Buffalo) Robyn Regehr (Buffalo) Daymond Langkow (Phoenix) Adam Pardy (Dallas) Fredrik Modin (Retired) Steve Staios (Free Agent)
Why They Succeed:
There is a sense of urgency in Calgary. The Flames have missed the playoffs the last two seasons and the core of this team is getting older. In any other division I think the Flames would struggle to be a playoff team but in the Northwest they have a chance.
Jarome Iginla led the Flames in scoring with 86 points (43G, 43A) To put in perspective how impressive Iginla was for Calgary last year only three other Flames reached the 20 goal mark, Rene Bourque (27), Curtis Glencross (24), and Alex Tanguay (22).
The Flames also still have one of the premier goaltenders in the NHL in Miikka Kiprusoff. Kiprusoff was 37-24-6 with a GAA of 2.63 and a save percentage of .906. As long as Kiprusoff is in net the Flames will have a chance to compete.
Why They'll Fail:
The Flames convinced Robyn Regehr to waive his no trade clause so they could send him & Ales Kotalik to Buffalo for Chris Butler. As I write this I have no idea how this deal makes Calgary better. I do like the Flames addition of Scott Hannan and I expect him to fill Regehr's role on the blueline.
The other thing I don't like about Calgary is Olli Jokinen on their roster. I know he is a personal whipping boy among hockey writers but the fact remains, No team has ever started a season with Olli Jokinen on the roster and made the playoffs. I don't see any reason why that will change this year.
Prediction:
Hate to break it to you Flames fans but your window has closed. One thing you do have going for you is Jay Feaster as GM. He'll do a good job helping the Flames become competitive once again but it won't be this season as Calgary misses the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row.
4. Colorado Avalanche
How They Finished: 30-44-8 68 points 4th in Northwest, 14th in Western Conference. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Seymon Varlamov (Washington) Jan Hedja (Columbus) Jean-Sebastian Giguere (Toronto) Chuck Kobasew (Minnesota) Patrick Rissmiller (Florida) Shane O'Brien (Nashville)
Subtractions:
John Michael Liles (Toronto) Peter Budaj (Montreal) Tomas Fleischmann (Florida) Brian Elliott (St. Louis) Philippe Dupuis (Toronto) Adam Foote (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
Seymon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere were brought in to replace Brian Elliott and Peter Budaj in goal and that move alone should make Colorado better.
Varlamov had been the starting goalie in Washington but failed to ever claim the job as his own. With Varlamov it always seem like he was the better option by default. He'll have less pressure in Colorado to perform than in Washington.
On defense Colorado made a bold trade last year acquiring Erik Johnson from St. Louis last year in exchange for Chris Stewart. So far it looks like the Blues have gotten the better end of the deal but starting a full season in Colorado Johnson should be a lot better this season.
Why They'll Fail:
The Avalanche are a young hockey club.
Matt Duchene was their leading scorer with 67 points (27G, 40A) with Paul Statsny finishing 2nd on the team with 57 points (22G, 35A). These are two of the young players the Avalanche are building around.
However it is going to take more than these two for the Avalanche to compete and Colorado just doesn't have those players on their roster.
While the additions of Varmalov & Giguere make Colorado better in goal the Avalanche gave up a league high 287 goals. That number should go down this season but not enough to make a difference.
Prediction:
Looking at Colorado's roster most of the players are scheduled to be restricted or unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. It looks like their playoff appearance two years ago was an aberration with the rebuilding continuing this season. At least they won't finish last.
5. Edmonton Oilers
How They Finished: 25-45-12 62 points. 5th in Northwest, 15th in West. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Ryan Smyth (Edmonton) Andy Sutton (Anaheim) Ben Eager (San Jose) Eric Belanger (Phoenix) Cam Barker (Minnesota) Darcy Hordichuk (Florida)
Subtractions:
Colin Fraser (Los Angeles) Kurtis Foster (Anaheim) Andrew Cogliano (Anaheim) Jim Vandermeer (San Jose) Sheldon Souray (Dallas) Alex Giroux (Columbus) Zach Stortini (Nashville) J.F. Jacques (Anaheim) Jeff Deslauries (Anaheim)
Why They'll Succeed:
The young talent on this team has another year under it's belt. Yes they are still a ways away from competing for a playoff spot but the core of players is shaping up nicely.
Adding Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the likes of Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Magnus Paajarvi, & Sam Gagner gives the Oilers two solid lines that will develop in due time.
Another reason for Oiler fans to smile is Ryan Smyth is coming home. Traded away at the deadline in 2007 the Oilers have struggled since he left. While Smyth isn't the same player he was five years ago the fact he wanted to play in Edmonton should make Oiler fans happy.
Why They'll Fail:
The Oilers may look good at forward but they still need to upgrade in defense and goal.
Nikolai Khabibulin is looking to bounce back from a rough season that saw him deal with injuries and off-ice issues. At 38 his best days are behind him. The best the Oilers can hope for is that his play keeps them in games giving them a chance to win.
On defense the Oilers gave up 260 which was the 3rd worst in the NHL. The additions of Cam Barker & Andy Sutton on defense is not going to solve that problem.
Prediction:
The return of Ryan Smyth will provide a ray of sunshine on what looks to be another down year in Edmonton. The Oilers hope his leadership will rub off on the young kids moving forward.
While the Oilers look pretty good up front there is still a lot of work to do on the back end. They won't make the playoffs this year but if things break right they might not be the worst team in the league. Things can only get better in Edmonton.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
CENTRAL DIVISION PREVIEW
Last year the Detroit Red Wings won the Central Division title, their 9th in 10 seasons. The way most people look at this is the Red Wings are the class of a weak division. The truth is the dominance by Detroit has forced the other four teams in the division to step up their game. Because of that the Central Division might be the toughest division in the NHL this season.
Is it still Detroit's division to lose or can one of the other teams knock them off the top? Here's my break down of the Central Division?
1. Detroit Red Wings
How They Finished: 47-25-10 104 points 1st in Central, 3rd in West. Lost in 2nd Round to San Jose.
Additions:
Mike Commodore (Columbus) Ian White (San Jose) Chris Connor (Pittsburgh) Ty Conklin (St. Louis)
Subtractions:
Derek Meech (Winnipeg) Mike Modano (Retired) Kris Draper (Retired) Chris Osgood (Retired) Brian Ralfalski (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
Nicklas Lidstrom returns for a 20th season.
No one player in the NHL means more to his team than Lidstrom does to Detroit. Even at 41, he skates and plays like he's 21. His presence on the blueline keeps Detroit as one of the top teams in the West.
The Red Wings also have a good group of forwards that can score. Henrik Zetteberg finished as their leading scorer with 80 points (24G, 56A). Johan Franzen led the team in goals with 28 while Dan Cleary finished 2nd with a career high 26.
Keep in mind Detroit best forward, Pavel Datsyuk, only played in 56 games last season and finished with 3rd on the team & 2nd among forwards with 59 points (23G, 36A)
Why They'll Fail:
The Red Wings had four players retire from their roster with three of them playing a prominent role on their Stanley Cup winning teams.
The retirements of Kris Draper (Four Cups) and Chris Osgood (Three Cups) were not a complete surprise. The retirement of Brian Rafalski (One Cup) was.
The task of replacing these three players will be handled by Darren Helm (Draper) Ty Conklin (Osgood) and Ian White (Rafalski)
Helm has become a regular in the last couple years while Conklin has proved himself to be a serviceable backup in the NHL. Replacing Rafalski on defense will be a little tougher.
White has had solid numbers in his career but has never shown he can be more than a number four defenseman in the NHL. The Wings are hoping that will change in Detroit & he can fill Rafalski's role.
Another concern for Red Wings fans is Jimmy Howard in goal.
Personally I like Howard in goal and I think he is going to be fine but a lot of Red Wings fans do not feel the same way. Howard doesn't give off the confidence other goaltenders do that they can steal a series. Until he does that or win a Stanley Cup he will continue to have his doubters.
Prediction:
With the four retirements the depth of the Red Wings took a big hit. Fortunately GM Ken Holland has been preparing for this the last couple years. The players mentioned above should have no problem replacing Rafalski, Draper, & Osgood.
As always with Lidstrom on the roster the Central Division is Detroit's to lose.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
How They Finished: 44-29-9 97 points 3rd in Central, 8th in West. Lost in 1st Round to Vancouver.
Additions:
Rostislav Olesz (Florida) Steve Montador (Buffalo) Jamal Mayers (San Jose) Andrew Brunette (Minnesota) Sean O'Donnell (Philadelphia) Dan Carcillo (Philadelphia) Sami Lepisto (Columbus) Brandon Segal (Dallas)
Subtractions:
Troy Brouwer (Washington) Brian Campbell (Florida) Tomas Kopecky (Florida) Jake Dowell (Dallas) Marty Turco (Free Agent) Chris Campoli (Free Agent)
Why They'll Succeed:
The core players for the Blackhawks are back for another season.
Johnathan Toews (32G, 44A) Patrick Kane (27G, 46A) & Patrick Sharp (34G, 37A) all reached the 70 point mark last season while Marian Hossa finished with 65 points (25G, 32A) all four will be counted on once again to lead the way in scoring.
In goal Corey Crawford was able to seize the job in net away from Marty Turco & never let go. Crawford finished with a record of 33-18-6 with a GAA of 2.30 and a save percentage of .917. Having him in net for a full season should only make the Blackhawks better. Of course it helps when you have one of the best defensive pairing playing in front of you.
The core of defenseman is led by Duncan Keith (7G, 38A) & Brent Seabrook (9G, 39A) Both players had down years by their standards and should bounce back strong this season.
Why They'll Fail:
The Blackhawks depth has taken a hit the last couple years because of the Salary Cap and they are still replacing players.
One of the biggest losses was Brian Campbell on defense. Campbell took a lot of grief for not living up to his contract but he finished with 5 goals & 22 assists and was a team best +28 on the ice. Chicago is hoping either Niklas Hjalmarsson or Nick Leddy can fill the void.
While the top two lines seem to be set there continues to be turnover on the bottom two lines. Andrew Brunette, Jamal Mayers & Dan Carcillo are each going to get their chance to play a role on the 3rd line.
I like the addition of Brunette, a smart hockey player and Mayers, a hard nose hockey player. I don't like the addition of Carcillo who seems to lead the league in stupidity. He is always a good bet to take a dumb penalty at the worst time.
Prediction:
Chicago is the biggest threat to Detroit in the Central Division and should be battling them for the top spot. In the end I expect them to finish 2nd and clinch a playoff spot.
3. Nashville Predators
How They Finished: 44-27-11 99 points 2nd in Central, 5th in West. Lost in 2nd Round to Vancouver.
Additions:
Brett Lebda (Toronto) Niclas Bergfors (Florida) Zach Stortini (Edmonton) Kyle Wilson (Columbus) Jack Hillen (NY Islanders) Tyler Sloan (Washington)
Subtractions:
Joel Ward (Washington) Matthew Lombardi (Toronto) Cody Franson (Toronto) Marcel Goc (Florida) Steve Sullivan (Pittsburgh) Shane O'Brien (Colorado)
Why They'll Succeed:
Last year the Predators finished 3rd in goals allowed with 190. That was due to Pekka Rinne in net and the presence of Shea Weber & Ryan Suter on defense.
Rinne was a Vezina Trophy finalist, was 33-22-9 with a GAA of 2.12 and a save percentage of .930. Weber finished tied for 2nd on the team in scoring with 48 points (16G, 32A) while Ryan Suter was team high +20 on the ice.
Another reason Nashville will be successful is because of coach Barry Trotz. Year in & Year out Trotz seems to get the most out of his roster. With Jacques Lemaire now retired Trotz might be the best coach in the NHL.
Why They'll Fail:
Somebody has to score for Nashville. Last year Sergei Kostitsyn (23G, 27A) & Martin Erat (17G, 33A) reached the 50 point mark while Patric Hornqvist (21G, 27A) was tied for 2nd with Shea Weber with 48 points.
While those are solid numbers they also are numbers you find from secondary scorers on championship rosters. Offensive numbers like that will keep you near the playoff bubble.
Having Mike Fisher for a full season will help but one thing to keep an eye on is who replaces Joel Ward and Steve Sullivan. Ward had 10 goals in the regular season but scored 7 in the playoffs. Sullivan has battled injuries the last couple years but was a productive player on the ice when he played.
Prediction:
The Predators are a hard team to play against. If their defense can take control of the game they will succeed. If they get in a shootout they are going to have their problems winning games. My guess is they will hover around the playoff bubble once again and find their way into the post-season.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
How They Finished: 34-35-13 81 points 5th in Central, 13th in West. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Jeff Carter (Philadelphia) James Wisniewski (Montreal) Radek Martinek (NY Islanders) Vinny Prospal (NY Rangers)
Subtractions:
Jakub Voracek (Philadelphia) Nikita Filatov (Ottawa) Scottie Upshall (Florida) Mathieu Garon (Montreal) Mike Commodore (Detroit) Jan Hedja (Colorado) Kyle Wilson (Nashville) Sami Lepisto (Chicago) Andrew Murray (San Jose) Ethan Moreau (Los Angeles)
Why They'll Succeed:
Columbus finally has the center they have been looking for.
Jeff Carter comes over from Philadelphia where he finished last season with 66 points (36G, 30A) He should fit nicely playing along side Rick Nash who led the Jackets in scoring with 66 points (32G, 34A)
The addition of Prospal gives Columbus a forward who can play the center or wing. Prospal is looking to bounce back after playing in only 29 games last season. If healthy he'll be a nice addition to the 2nd line.
On defense James Wisniewski gives Columbus a puck moving defenseman that can score. Wisniewski finished last season with 51 points (10G, 41A) playing for the Islanders & Montreal. His 51 points will be a welcome addition to the blueline.
Why They'll Fail:
Because the rest of the defense isn't that good.
Fedor Tyutin had the highest point total among defenseman with 27 (7G, 20A). What's worse is he was a team low -12 on the ice. Their best defenseman in terms of plus/minus, Sami Lepisto (+10) left as a free agent for Chicago.
The other question for Columbus is which Steve Mason are they getting. Are they getting the Steve Mason that won the Calder trophy in 2009 and led Columbus to their 1st ever playoff berth or are they getting the one that has underachieved the last couple seasons?
Prediction:
I like what the Blue Jackets have done up front by getting Carter to play with Nash. Those two are going to be fun to watch. However Columbus has a lot of work to do on the back end of their team.
Whether they get a playoff berth or not depends on the play of Mason. Playing in the Central Division makes it a more difficult path. I think Columbus is on the outside looking in.
5. St. Louis Blues
How They Finished: 38-33-11 87 points 4th in Central, 11th in West. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Elliott (Colorado) Kent Huskins (San Jose) Brett Sterling (Pittsburgh) Scott Nichol (San Jose) Jason Arnott (Washington) Jamie Langenbrunner (Dallas) Johnathan Cheechoo (AHL)
Subtractions:
Cam Janssen (New Jersey) Ty Conklin (Detroit) Paul Kariya (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
The Blues battled a lot of injuries last season. By the time they were healthy they were playing catch up just missing out on a playoff spot.
One thing that will help is having Chris Stewart for a full season. Stewart came over in a trade from Colorado and finished as the 2nd leading scorer on the Blues with 28 goals & 25 assists. He'll fit nicely along side David Backes who led the team in scoring with 62 points (31G, 31A) and was a team high +32 on ice.
Jaroslav Halak returns in goal and looks to recapture his form in the 2010 playoffs. Halak was 27-21-7 with a GAA of 2.48 and a save percentage of .910. He should be a lot better in year two for St. Louis.
Why They'll Fail:
To get Stewart last year it cost St. Louis Erik Johnson. While Johnson has yet to live up to the standards of a number one draft his void on defense still has to be filled.
Alex Pieterangelo (11G, 32A) and Kevin Shattenkirk (9G, 34A) each had 43 points with Pieterangelo a +18 on the ice. While those were nice seasons I want to see each player do it again before I buy in.
Prediction:
The Blues did have a lot of roster turnover this off-season as a result of the injuries last year. Their depth may be better but I don't see any of their additions making a huge impact. My guess is the Blues miss the playoffs once again.
Is it still Detroit's division to lose or can one of the other teams knock them off the top? Here's my break down of the Central Division?
1. Detroit Red Wings
How They Finished: 47-25-10 104 points 1st in Central, 3rd in West. Lost in 2nd Round to San Jose.
Additions:
Mike Commodore (Columbus) Ian White (San Jose) Chris Connor (Pittsburgh) Ty Conklin (St. Louis)
Subtractions:
Derek Meech (Winnipeg) Mike Modano (Retired) Kris Draper (Retired) Chris Osgood (Retired) Brian Ralfalski (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
Nicklas Lidstrom returns for a 20th season.
No one player in the NHL means more to his team than Lidstrom does to Detroit. Even at 41, he skates and plays like he's 21. His presence on the blueline keeps Detroit as one of the top teams in the West.
The Red Wings also have a good group of forwards that can score. Henrik Zetteberg finished as their leading scorer with 80 points (24G, 56A). Johan Franzen led the team in goals with 28 while Dan Cleary finished 2nd with a career high 26.
Keep in mind Detroit best forward, Pavel Datsyuk, only played in 56 games last season and finished with 3rd on the team & 2nd among forwards with 59 points (23G, 36A)
Why They'll Fail:
The Red Wings had four players retire from their roster with three of them playing a prominent role on their Stanley Cup winning teams.
The retirements of Kris Draper (Four Cups) and Chris Osgood (Three Cups) were not a complete surprise. The retirement of Brian Rafalski (One Cup) was.
The task of replacing these three players will be handled by Darren Helm (Draper) Ty Conklin (Osgood) and Ian White (Rafalski)
Helm has become a regular in the last couple years while Conklin has proved himself to be a serviceable backup in the NHL. Replacing Rafalski on defense will be a little tougher.
White has had solid numbers in his career but has never shown he can be more than a number four defenseman in the NHL. The Wings are hoping that will change in Detroit & he can fill Rafalski's role.
Another concern for Red Wings fans is Jimmy Howard in goal.
Personally I like Howard in goal and I think he is going to be fine but a lot of Red Wings fans do not feel the same way. Howard doesn't give off the confidence other goaltenders do that they can steal a series. Until he does that or win a Stanley Cup he will continue to have his doubters.
Prediction:
With the four retirements the depth of the Red Wings took a big hit. Fortunately GM Ken Holland has been preparing for this the last couple years. The players mentioned above should have no problem replacing Rafalski, Draper, & Osgood.
As always with Lidstrom on the roster the Central Division is Detroit's to lose.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
How They Finished: 44-29-9 97 points 3rd in Central, 8th in West. Lost in 1st Round to Vancouver.
Additions:
Rostislav Olesz (Florida) Steve Montador (Buffalo) Jamal Mayers (San Jose) Andrew Brunette (Minnesota) Sean O'Donnell (Philadelphia) Dan Carcillo (Philadelphia) Sami Lepisto (Columbus) Brandon Segal (Dallas)
Subtractions:
Troy Brouwer (Washington) Brian Campbell (Florida) Tomas Kopecky (Florida) Jake Dowell (Dallas) Marty Turco (Free Agent) Chris Campoli (Free Agent)
Why They'll Succeed:
The core players for the Blackhawks are back for another season.
Johnathan Toews (32G, 44A) Patrick Kane (27G, 46A) & Patrick Sharp (34G, 37A) all reached the 70 point mark last season while Marian Hossa finished with 65 points (25G, 32A) all four will be counted on once again to lead the way in scoring.
In goal Corey Crawford was able to seize the job in net away from Marty Turco & never let go. Crawford finished with a record of 33-18-6 with a GAA of 2.30 and a save percentage of .917. Having him in net for a full season should only make the Blackhawks better. Of course it helps when you have one of the best defensive pairing playing in front of you.
The core of defenseman is led by Duncan Keith (7G, 38A) & Brent Seabrook (9G, 39A) Both players had down years by their standards and should bounce back strong this season.
Why They'll Fail:
The Blackhawks depth has taken a hit the last couple years because of the Salary Cap and they are still replacing players.
One of the biggest losses was Brian Campbell on defense. Campbell took a lot of grief for not living up to his contract but he finished with 5 goals & 22 assists and was a team best +28 on the ice. Chicago is hoping either Niklas Hjalmarsson or Nick Leddy can fill the void.
While the top two lines seem to be set there continues to be turnover on the bottom two lines. Andrew Brunette, Jamal Mayers & Dan Carcillo are each going to get their chance to play a role on the 3rd line.
I like the addition of Brunette, a smart hockey player and Mayers, a hard nose hockey player. I don't like the addition of Carcillo who seems to lead the league in stupidity. He is always a good bet to take a dumb penalty at the worst time.
Prediction:
Chicago is the biggest threat to Detroit in the Central Division and should be battling them for the top spot. In the end I expect them to finish 2nd and clinch a playoff spot.
3. Nashville Predators
How They Finished: 44-27-11 99 points 2nd in Central, 5th in West. Lost in 2nd Round to Vancouver.
Additions:
Brett Lebda (Toronto) Niclas Bergfors (Florida) Zach Stortini (Edmonton) Kyle Wilson (Columbus) Jack Hillen (NY Islanders) Tyler Sloan (Washington)
Subtractions:
Joel Ward (Washington) Matthew Lombardi (Toronto) Cody Franson (Toronto) Marcel Goc (Florida) Steve Sullivan (Pittsburgh) Shane O'Brien (Colorado)
Why They'll Succeed:
Last year the Predators finished 3rd in goals allowed with 190. That was due to Pekka Rinne in net and the presence of Shea Weber & Ryan Suter on defense.
Rinne was a Vezina Trophy finalist, was 33-22-9 with a GAA of 2.12 and a save percentage of .930. Weber finished tied for 2nd on the team in scoring with 48 points (16G, 32A) while Ryan Suter was team high +20 on the ice.
Another reason Nashville will be successful is because of coach Barry Trotz. Year in & Year out Trotz seems to get the most out of his roster. With Jacques Lemaire now retired Trotz might be the best coach in the NHL.
Why They'll Fail:
Somebody has to score for Nashville. Last year Sergei Kostitsyn (23G, 27A) & Martin Erat (17G, 33A) reached the 50 point mark while Patric Hornqvist (21G, 27A) was tied for 2nd with Shea Weber with 48 points.
While those are solid numbers they also are numbers you find from secondary scorers on championship rosters. Offensive numbers like that will keep you near the playoff bubble.
Having Mike Fisher for a full season will help but one thing to keep an eye on is who replaces Joel Ward and Steve Sullivan. Ward had 10 goals in the regular season but scored 7 in the playoffs. Sullivan has battled injuries the last couple years but was a productive player on the ice when he played.
Prediction:
The Predators are a hard team to play against. If their defense can take control of the game they will succeed. If they get in a shootout they are going to have their problems winning games. My guess is they will hover around the playoff bubble once again and find their way into the post-season.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
How They Finished: 34-35-13 81 points 5th in Central, 13th in West. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Jeff Carter (Philadelphia) James Wisniewski (Montreal) Radek Martinek (NY Islanders) Vinny Prospal (NY Rangers)
Subtractions:
Jakub Voracek (Philadelphia) Nikita Filatov (Ottawa) Scottie Upshall (Florida) Mathieu Garon (Montreal) Mike Commodore (Detroit) Jan Hedja (Colorado) Kyle Wilson (Nashville) Sami Lepisto (Chicago) Andrew Murray (San Jose) Ethan Moreau (Los Angeles)
Why They'll Succeed:
Columbus finally has the center they have been looking for.
Jeff Carter comes over from Philadelphia where he finished last season with 66 points (36G, 30A) He should fit nicely playing along side Rick Nash who led the Jackets in scoring with 66 points (32G, 34A)
The addition of Prospal gives Columbus a forward who can play the center or wing. Prospal is looking to bounce back after playing in only 29 games last season. If healthy he'll be a nice addition to the 2nd line.
On defense James Wisniewski gives Columbus a puck moving defenseman that can score. Wisniewski finished last season with 51 points (10G, 41A) playing for the Islanders & Montreal. His 51 points will be a welcome addition to the blueline.
Why They'll Fail:
Because the rest of the defense isn't that good.
Fedor Tyutin had the highest point total among defenseman with 27 (7G, 20A). What's worse is he was a team low -12 on the ice. Their best defenseman in terms of plus/minus, Sami Lepisto (+10) left as a free agent for Chicago.
The other question for Columbus is which Steve Mason are they getting. Are they getting the Steve Mason that won the Calder trophy in 2009 and led Columbus to their 1st ever playoff berth or are they getting the one that has underachieved the last couple seasons?
Prediction:
I like what the Blue Jackets have done up front by getting Carter to play with Nash. Those two are going to be fun to watch. However Columbus has a lot of work to do on the back end of their team.
Whether they get a playoff berth or not depends on the play of Mason. Playing in the Central Division makes it a more difficult path. I think Columbus is on the outside looking in.
5. St. Louis Blues
How They Finished: 38-33-11 87 points 4th in Central, 11th in West. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Elliott (Colorado) Kent Huskins (San Jose) Brett Sterling (Pittsburgh) Scott Nichol (San Jose) Jason Arnott (Washington) Jamie Langenbrunner (Dallas) Johnathan Cheechoo (AHL)
Subtractions:
Cam Janssen (New Jersey) Ty Conklin (Detroit) Paul Kariya (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
The Blues battled a lot of injuries last season. By the time they were healthy they were playing catch up just missing out on a playoff spot.
One thing that will help is having Chris Stewart for a full season. Stewart came over in a trade from Colorado and finished as the 2nd leading scorer on the Blues with 28 goals & 25 assists. He'll fit nicely along side David Backes who led the team in scoring with 62 points (31G, 31A) and was a team high +32 on ice.
Jaroslav Halak returns in goal and looks to recapture his form in the 2010 playoffs. Halak was 27-21-7 with a GAA of 2.48 and a save percentage of .910. He should be a lot better in year two for St. Louis.
Why They'll Fail:
To get Stewart last year it cost St. Louis Erik Johnson. While Johnson has yet to live up to the standards of a number one draft his void on defense still has to be filled.
Alex Pieterangelo (11G, 32A) and Kevin Shattenkirk (9G, 34A) each had 43 points with Pieterangelo a +18 on the ice. While those were nice seasons I want to see each player do it again before I buy in.
Prediction:
The Blues did have a lot of roster turnover this off-season as a result of the injuries last year. Their depth may be better but I don't see any of their additions making a huge impact. My guess is the Blues miss the playoffs once again.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
SOUTHEAST DIVISION PREVIEW
The Southeast Division looks a lot different this year.
For the last few seasons Washington has been the elite team in the division but with Tampa Bay's run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year the Lightning looks to be the biggest threat to the Capitals.
The other big change is the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg to become the 2nd coming of the Jets. Granted the only thing Winnipeg is southeast of in the NHL is Edmonton but they are in the Southeast for only one more season until realignment takes place.
How will these three teams along with Carolina & Florida fare this season. Let's break it down.
1. Washington Capitals:
How They Finished: 48-23-11 107 points 1st in Southeast, 1st in East. Lost in 2nd Round to Tampa Bay.
Additions:
Troy Brouwer (Chicago) Jeff Halpern (Montreal) Joel Ward (Nashville) Roman Hamrlik (Montreal) Ryan Potulny (Ottawa) Tomas Vokoun (Florida)
Subtractions:
Marco Sturm (Vancouver) Matt Bradley (Florida) Eric Fehr (Winnipeg) Seymon Varlamov (Colorado) Boyd Gordon (Phoenix) Jason Arnott (St. Louis) Scott Hannan (Calgary) Brian Willsie (Montreal) Tyler Sloan (Nashville)
Why They'll Succeed:
They are still the most talented team in the division. Alex Ovechkin once again made his case for the best player in the NHL finishing with 85 points (32G, 53A)
Ovechkin leads a group of forwards that features Alexander Semin (28 Goals) Mike Knuble (24 goals) & Nicklas Backstrom (18 goals) that has no problem finding the back of the net.
Another reason the Capitals should succeed is because the core of players that helped lead Hershey to Calder Cup titles in 2009 & 2010 are starting to play a prominent role on the current roster.
Why They'll Fail:
Last year the Capitals finished 15-4-1 down the stretch without defenseman Mike Green. When Green returned Washington struggled and were swept in the 2nd round by Tampa Bay.
This is not coincidental.
Green is a talented defenseman that is a threat to score whenever he touches the puck. He is also a liability on defense. After watching Washington last spring I'm starting to believe they will never win with Green in the lineup.
Another move they made this off-season was signing Tomas Vokoun to play goal instead of Michal Neuvirth. I liked what I saw out of Neuvirth & thought he deserved a chance to earn the job as starting goaltender. The Capitals decided to sign a goalie has decent stats but has never won a post-season series & hasn't played in the playoffs since 2007.
Prediction:
They still have the most talent of any team in the division. Tampa Bay may have swept them last post-season but the Capitals are still a better team over an 82 game schedule. Washington should win 5th straight division title.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
How They Finished: 46-25-11 103 points. 2nd in Southeast, 5th in East. Lost in Conference Finals to Boston.
Additions:
Bruno Gervais (NY Islanders) Mathieu Garon (Montreal) Matt Gilroy (NY Rangers) Tom Pyatt (Montreal) Ryan Shannon (Ottawa)
Subtractions:
Marc-Andre Pouliot (Phoenix) Sean Bergenheim (Florida) Mike Smith (Phoenix) Simon Gagne (Los Angeles) Randy Jones (Winnipeg) Mike Lundin (Minnesota) Matt Smaby (Anaheim)
Why They'll Succeed:
It's starts at the top with their management.
With a good core of players already in place GM Steve Yzerman did an excellent job adding the necessary pieces & coach Guy Boucher pushed all the right buttons leading Tampa Bay back to the conference finals. Another year of experience will only make them better.
Martin St. Louis played like a Hart Trophy candidate (31G, 68A) and Steven Stamkos (45G, 46A) put his name in the same category as Sidney Crosby & Alex Ovechkin. Big seasons are expected from both of them once again.
On defense Victor Hedman continues to develop into a top notch defenseman & the additions of Matt Gilroy & Bruno Gervais gives the Lightning quality depth on defense.
Why They'll Fail:
Let me just start by saying I thought Dwayne Roloson was awesome last year in the post-season finishing 10-6 with a GAA of 2.51 and a save percentage on .924.
However he also started to get tired near the end of the playoff run. He turns 42 years old and the Lightning will not be able to ride him all season like they did in the playoffs.
With Mike Smith now in Phoenix backup duties fall to Mathieu Garon who comes over from Montreal. He'll have to play well in games when Roloson has the night off.
Prediction:
I really like how the Tampa Bay roster is built. If the can find the right balance for when to play Roloson so they don't burn him out the Lightning could contend for the division crown.
They won't surprise anyone like they did last year but a 2nd place finish in the Southeast should be enough to get them back to the playoffs.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
How They Finished: 40-31-11 91 points 3rd in Southeast, 9th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Boucher (Philadelphia) Tim Brent (Toronto) Alexei Ponikarovsky (Los Angeles) Anthony Stewart (Atlanta) Tomas Kaberle (Boston)
Subtractions:
Joe Corvo (Boston) Erik Cole (Montreal)
Why They'll Succeed:
They just missed out on a playoff spot last year. Tomas Kaberle is an offensive presence on the blueline and will fill the void left by Joe Corvo going to Boston.
Eric Staal had another great season finishing with 33 goals & 43 assists. Jeff Skinner had a great rookie campaign finishing 2nd on the team with 31 goals. At 19 years old he should only get better.
Cam Ward went 37-26-10 in net finishing with GAA of 2.56 and a save percentage of .923. With Brian Boucher backing him up Ward won't have to be asked to play in every game for Carolina.
Why They'll Fail:
While the Hurricanes were able to replace Corvo the question of who will replace Erik Cole remains to be seen.
Alexei Ponikarovsky has the skills but only scored 5 goals last season. Anthony Stewart has the grit up front but only scored 14 goals last season. Both will have their work cut out for them trying to replace Cole.
On defense Carolina only had one defenseman (Jay Harrison) finish plus last year in plus/minus. Even with the addition of Kaberle I don't see that improving.
Prediction:
Carolina is the ultimate hit or miss team. They either get in the playoffs and go on a run or they miss the post-season.
In an improving Southeast Division the Hurricanes stayed pretty neutral with their roster. They'll be in the hunt but unless they make a deal during the season or one of the other playoff teams from last year stumble the Hurricanes will miss the playoffs again.
4. Florida Panthers
How They Finished: 30-40-12 72 points 5th in Southeast, 15th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Campbell (Chicago) Tomas Kopecky (Chicago) Kris Versteeg (Philadelphia) Scottie Upshall (Columbus) Jose Theodore (Minnesota) Ed Jovanovski (Phoenix) Tomas Fleischmann (Colorado) Marcel Goc (Nashville) Sean Bergenheim (Tampa Bay) Matt Bradley (Washington)
Subtractions:
Rostislav Olesz (Chicago) Marty Reasoner (NY Islanders) Darcy Hordichuk (Edmonton) Tomas Vokoun (Washington) Niclas Bergfors (Nashville) Alexander Sulzer (Nashville) Patrick Rissmiller (NY Rangers) Byron Bitz (Vancouver) Cory Stillman (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
When you haven't made the playoffs in 11 seasons any change is welcomed.
The Panthers did just that bringing in 10 new players some of whom have been successful in previous stops. The infusion of new talent does bring a little bit of a buzz to South Florida and should make the Panthers competitive.
Why They'll Fail:
We don't know what kind of chemistry this team is going to have. Of all the players they brought in the only one to make a big impact in the NHL is Jose Theodore who won a Vezina & Hart Trophy in 2002.
Ed Jovanovski's career is winding down and isn't the same defenseman he was when the Panthers drafted him. Brian Campbell has never lived up to the contract he signed in Chicago. Sean Bergenheim (14G, 15A) is trying to repeat the career year he had in Tampa while Kris Versteeg is looking to bounce back from a forgettable season in Toronto & Philadelphia.
Prediction:
The Panthers needed to do something. They were becoming the most irrelevant team in the NHL. The transactions gives them a little buzz going into the season but we don't know what to expect.
I have them finishing 4th in the division & missing the playoffs but if they start strong anything is possible.
5. Winnipeg Jets
How They Finished: 34-36-12 80 points 4th in Southeast, 12th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Eric Fehr (Washington) Derek Meech (Detroit) Tanner Glass (Vancouver) Randy Jones (Tampa Bay) Kyle Wellwood (San Jose)
Subtractions:
Radek Dvorak (Dallas) Anthony Stewart (Carolina) Eric Boulton (New Jersey)
Why They'll Succeed:
When they were in Atlanta, I thought the Jets had a nice core of young players that were close to making an impact. Now that the franchise is in Winnipeg and playing in front of 15,000 passionate hockey fans every night the energy level will be insane. That can only inspire the players on the ice.
Why They'll Fail:
They are still the Atlanta Thrashers.
Just because you move the franchise doesn't mean things are going to get better right away. The downside of finally playing in front of 15,000 rabid hockey fans is there is a honeymoon period. The Jets could play bad hockey this whole season and hardly anybody in Winnipeg will care.
Another concern is Dustin Byfuglien. Not the fact he was arrested in the off-season for operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol (BWI) People make mistakes, that problem will work itself out.
What concerns me is that Byfuglien weighs 286 pounds going into the season. Weighing that much while trying to defend against the likes of Ovechkin, Stamkos, St. Louis & Staal is very difficult to do.
Prediction:
Teams that usually move from one city to another struggle their 1st season in it's new market. (Colorado is the exception to the rule) But that doesn't matter here. Hockey is back in Winnipeg and that's all the fans care about. I'll say 5th in the division for now with better days ahead.
For the last few seasons Washington has been the elite team in the division but with Tampa Bay's run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year the Lightning looks to be the biggest threat to the Capitals.
The other big change is the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg to become the 2nd coming of the Jets. Granted the only thing Winnipeg is southeast of in the NHL is Edmonton but they are in the Southeast for only one more season until realignment takes place.
How will these three teams along with Carolina & Florida fare this season. Let's break it down.
1. Washington Capitals:
How They Finished: 48-23-11 107 points 1st in Southeast, 1st in East. Lost in 2nd Round to Tampa Bay.
Additions:
Troy Brouwer (Chicago) Jeff Halpern (Montreal) Joel Ward (Nashville) Roman Hamrlik (Montreal) Ryan Potulny (Ottawa) Tomas Vokoun (Florida)
Subtractions:
Marco Sturm (Vancouver) Matt Bradley (Florida) Eric Fehr (Winnipeg) Seymon Varlamov (Colorado) Boyd Gordon (Phoenix) Jason Arnott (St. Louis) Scott Hannan (Calgary) Brian Willsie (Montreal) Tyler Sloan (Nashville)
Why They'll Succeed:
They are still the most talented team in the division. Alex Ovechkin once again made his case for the best player in the NHL finishing with 85 points (32G, 53A)
Ovechkin leads a group of forwards that features Alexander Semin (28 Goals) Mike Knuble (24 goals) & Nicklas Backstrom (18 goals) that has no problem finding the back of the net.
Another reason the Capitals should succeed is because the core of players that helped lead Hershey to Calder Cup titles in 2009 & 2010 are starting to play a prominent role on the current roster.
Why They'll Fail:
Last year the Capitals finished 15-4-1 down the stretch without defenseman Mike Green. When Green returned Washington struggled and were swept in the 2nd round by Tampa Bay.
This is not coincidental.
Green is a talented defenseman that is a threat to score whenever he touches the puck. He is also a liability on defense. After watching Washington last spring I'm starting to believe they will never win with Green in the lineup.
Another move they made this off-season was signing Tomas Vokoun to play goal instead of Michal Neuvirth. I liked what I saw out of Neuvirth & thought he deserved a chance to earn the job as starting goaltender. The Capitals decided to sign a goalie has decent stats but has never won a post-season series & hasn't played in the playoffs since 2007.
Prediction:
They still have the most talent of any team in the division. Tampa Bay may have swept them last post-season but the Capitals are still a better team over an 82 game schedule. Washington should win 5th straight division title.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
How They Finished: 46-25-11 103 points. 2nd in Southeast, 5th in East. Lost in Conference Finals to Boston.
Additions:
Bruno Gervais (NY Islanders) Mathieu Garon (Montreal) Matt Gilroy (NY Rangers) Tom Pyatt (Montreal) Ryan Shannon (Ottawa)
Subtractions:
Marc-Andre Pouliot (Phoenix) Sean Bergenheim (Florida) Mike Smith (Phoenix) Simon Gagne (Los Angeles) Randy Jones (Winnipeg) Mike Lundin (Minnesota) Matt Smaby (Anaheim)
Why They'll Succeed:
It's starts at the top with their management.
With a good core of players already in place GM Steve Yzerman did an excellent job adding the necessary pieces & coach Guy Boucher pushed all the right buttons leading Tampa Bay back to the conference finals. Another year of experience will only make them better.
Martin St. Louis played like a Hart Trophy candidate (31G, 68A) and Steven Stamkos (45G, 46A) put his name in the same category as Sidney Crosby & Alex Ovechkin. Big seasons are expected from both of them once again.
On defense Victor Hedman continues to develop into a top notch defenseman & the additions of Matt Gilroy & Bruno Gervais gives the Lightning quality depth on defense.
Why They'll Fail:
Let me just start by saying I thought Dwayne Roloson was awesome last year in the post-season finishing 10-6 with a GAA of 2.51 and a save percentage on .924.
However he also started to get tired near the end of the playoff run. He turns 42 years old and the Lightning will not be able to ride him all season like they did in the playoffs.
With Mike Smith now in Phoenix backup duties fall to Mathieu Garon who comes over from Montreal. He'll have to play well in games when Roloson has the night off.
Prediction:
I really like how the Tampa Bay roster is built. If the can find the right balance for when to play Roloson so they don't burn him out the Lightning could contend for the division crown.
They won't surprise anyone like they did last year but a 2nd place finish in the Southeast should be enough to get them back to the playoffs.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
How They Finished: 40-31-11 91 points 3rd in Southeast, 9th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Boucher (Philadelphia) Tim Brent (Toronto) Alexei Ponikarovsky (Los Angeles) Anthony Stewart (Atlanta) Tomas Kaberle (Boston)
Subtractions:
Joe Corvo (Boston) Erik Cole (Montreal)
Why They'll Succeed:
They just missed out on a playoff spot last year. Tomas Kaberle is an offensive presence on the blueline and will fill the void left by Joe Corvo going to Boston.
Eric Staal had another great season finishing with 33 goals & 43 assists. Jeff Skinner had a great rookie campaign finishing 2nd on the team with 31 goals. At 19 years old he should only get better.
Cam Ward went 37-26-10 in net finishing with GAA of 2.56 and a save percentage of .923. With Brian Boucher backing him up Ward won't have to be asked to play in every game for Carolina.
Why They'll Fail:
While the Hurricanes were able to replace Corvo the question of who will replace Erik Cole remains to be seen.
Alexei Ponikarovsky has the skills but only scored 5 goals last season. Anthony Stewart has the grit up front but only scored 14 goals last season. Both will have their work cut out for them trying to replace Cole.
On defense Carolina only had one defenseman (Jay Harrison) finish plus last year in plus/minus. Even with the addition of Kaberle I don't see that improving.
Prediction:
Carolina is the ultimate hit or miss team. They either get in the playoffs and go on a run or they miss the post-season.
In an improving Southeast Division the Hurricanes stayed pretty neutral with their roster. They'll be in the hunt but unless they make a deal during the season or one of the other playoff teams from last year stumble the Hurricanes will miss the playoffs again.
4. Florida Panthers
How They Finished: 30-40-12 72 points 5th in Southeast, 15th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Campbell (Chicago) Tomas Kopecky (Chicago) Kris Versteeg (Philadelphia) Scottie Upshall (Columbus) Jose Theodore (Minnesota) Ed Jovanovski (Phoenix) Tomas Fleischmann (Colorado) Marcel Goc (Nashville) Sean Bergenheim (Tampa Bay) Matt Bradley (Washington)
Subtractions:
Rostislav Olesz (Chicago) Marty Reasoner (NY Islanders) Darcy Hordichuk (Edmonton) Tomas Vokoun (Washington) Niclas Bergfors (Nashville) Alexander Sulzer (Nashville) Patrick Rissmiller (NY Rangers) Byron Bitz (Vancouver) Cory Stillman (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
When you haven't made the playoffs in 11 seasons any change is welcomed.
The Panthers did just that bringing in 10 new players some of whom have been successful in previous stops. The infusion of new talent does bring a little bit of a buzz to South Florida and should make the Panthers competitive.
Why They'll Fail:
We don't know what kind of chemistry this team is going to have. Of all the players they brought in the only one to make a big impact in the NHL is Jose Theodore who won a Vezina & Hart Trophy in 2002.
Ed Jovanovski's career is winding down and isn't the same defenseman he was when the Panthers drafted him. Brian Campbell has never lived up to the contract he signed in Chicago. Sean Bergenheim (14G, 15A) is trying to repeat the career year he had in Tampa while Kris Versteeg is looking to bounce back from a forgettable season in Toronto & Philadelphia.
Prediction:
The Panthers needed to do something. They were becoming the most irrelevant team in the NHL. The transactions gives them a little buzz going into the season but we don't know what to expect.
I have them finishing 4th in the division & missing the playoffs but if they start strong anything is possible.
5. Winnipeg Jets
How They Finished: 34-36-12 80 points 4th in Southeast, 12th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Eric Fehr (Washington) Derek Meech (Detroit) Tanner Glass (Vancouver) Randy Jones (Tampa Bay) Kyle Wellwood (San Jose)
Subtractions:
Radek Dvorak (Dallas) Anthony Stewart (Carolina) Eric Boulton (New Jersey)
Why They'll Succeed:
When they were in Atlanta, I thought the Jets had a nice core of young players that were close to making an impact. Now that the franchise is in Winnipeg and playing in front of 15,000 passionate hockey fans every night the energy level will be insane. That can only inspire the players on the ice.
Why They'll Fail:
They are still the Atlanta Thrashers.
Just because you move the franchise doesn't mean things are going to get better right away. The downside of finally playing in front of 15,000 rabid hockey fans is there is a honeymoon period. The Jets could play bad hockey this whole season and hardly anybody in Winnipeg will care.
Another concern is Dustin Byfuglien. Not the fact he was arrested in the off-season for operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol (BWI) People make mistakes, that problem will work itself out.
What concerns me is that Byfuglien weighs 286 pounds going into the season. Weighing that much while trying to defend against the likes of Ovechkin, Stamkos, St. Louis & Staal is very difficult to do.
Prediction:
Teams that usually move from one city to another struggle their 1st season in it's new market. (Colorado is the exception to the rule) But that doesn't matter here. Hockey is back in Winnipeg and that's all the fans care about. I'll say 5th in the division for now with better days ahead.
Monday, September 19, 2011
NORTHEAST DIVISION PREVIEW
The NHL went to a six division format in 1998. Since that time only one division failed to have a Stanley Cup winner, the Northeast Division.
That changed last season when the Boston Bruins defeated Vancouver in seven games to win their 1st Stanley Cup in 39 years. Will they be able to repeat? Or will one of the other teams in the Northeast be able to knock them off their perch?
1. Boston Bruins
How They Finished: 46-25-11 103 points 1st in Northeast, 3rd in East. Won Stanley Cup.
Additions:
Benoit Pouliot (Montreal) Joe Corvo (Carolina)
Subtractions:
Tomas Kaberle (Carolina) Michael Ryder (Dallas) Mark Recchi (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
The core of players that won the Stanley Cup last summer returns this season.
Milan Lucic (30G, 32A) David Krecji (13G, 49A) Patrice Bergeron ( 22G, 35A) & Nathan Horton (26G, 27A) were the top four scorers for Boston last season and all are back with the team.
Zdeno Chara remains an intimidating presence on the blueline and Tim Thomas showed everyone last year why his name should be named among the top goaltenders finishing 35-11-7 with a GAA of 2.00 and a save percentage of .938.
Why They'll Fail:
Last year the Bruins won the Stanley Cup even though their power play was anemic throughout the entire Stanley Cup playoffs. I don't expect it to be a problem but it is something that bears worth watching.
A bigger concern is a couple of key players dealing with concussions, Nathan Horton & Marc Savard.
Horton suffered a concussion in Game 3 when he was leveled in the offensive zone by Aaron Rome. Horton ended up missing the rest of the finals. He should be OK for the start of the season but with a concussion you never know.
The same can't be said for Savard. He suffered a Grade 2 concussion back in March of 2010 and has been battling the effects of that since then. He has played since that injury but for his health has been shut down for the upcoming season.
Prediction:
The Bruins overcame a lot in the last couple years before winning the Stanley Cup. They have the talent to do it again but it's going to be hard for them to repeat with everyone gunning for them. They should however be good enough to win the division once again.
2. Buffalo Sabres
How They Finished: 43-29-10 96 points. 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East. Lost in 1st Round to Philadelphia.
Additions:
Ales Kotalik (Calgary) Robyn Regehr (Calgary) Christian Ehrhoff (Vancouver) Ville Leino (Philadelphia)
Subtractions:
Tim Connolly (Toronto) Chris Butler (Calgary) Mark Mancari (Vancouver) Rob Niedermayer (Switzerland) Patrick Lalime (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have a new owner that's committed to winning.
The Sabres got off to a horrible start last season and looked like they were going to miss the playoffs. Then on February 11th Terry Pegula purchased the team and overnight it was a different culture.
Pegula reaffirmed that commitment by signing Ville Leino this off-season to a 6 year contract worth 27 million. Whether he can live up to that contract over 82 games remains to be seen but after watching him in the playoffs that last two seasons (10G, 16A) I understand why Buffalo made that commitment.
Leino will join forwards Thomas Vanek (32G, 41A) Brad Boyes (17G, 38A) Drew Stafford (31G, 21A) & Jason Pominville (22G, 30A) all of whom reached the 50 point plateau last season. Also returning for the Sabres is Derek Roy who missed the 2nd half of the season with a knee injury. When healthy Roy is a 60 point player.
On defense the Sabres are led by Tyler Myers who regressed a little from his Calder winning performance in 2010 finishing with 10 goals, 27 assists and a rating of 0 in plus/minus.
Myers is joined on defense this year by Christian Ehrhoff & Robyn Regehr. Ehrhoff reached the 50 point plateau (14G, 36A) for the 1st time last season and gives the Sabres another puck moving defenseman that can score from the blueline. Regehr is a rugged defenseman that will add some snarl to the blueline for Buffalo.
In goal once again is Ryan Miller who has been good every season since joining the Sabres in 2006. Last season Miller was 34-22-8 with a GAA of 2.59 and a save percentage of .916.
Why They'll Fail:
There is a lot of expectations on the Sabres this season. It's one thing to pour a lot of money into a roster. It's another to produce at a high level to match those expectations.
Last season when the Sabres got off to a slow start rumors were swirling that head coach Lindy Ruff & GM Darcy Regier's jobs might be in jeopardy. The talent is there on the roster where that shouldn't happen again but if it does there is no guarantee that Pegula will be patient with both of them.
Prediction:
I really like the additions Buffalo has made and I like the makeup of these players. They may not be the most talented team in the NHL but they are going to be very difficult to play against. I think they finish 2nd in the division but it wouldn't surprise me if they win the Northeast.
3. Montreal Canadiens
How They Finished: 44-30-8 96 points. 2nd in Northeast, 6th in East. Lost in 1st round to Boston.
Additions:
Erik Cole (Carolina) Peter Budaj (Colorado) Nathan Lawson (Montreal) Brian Willsie (Washington) Jeff Woywitka (Dallas)
Subtractions:
Jeff Halpern (Washington) Roman Hamrlik (Washington) Benoit Pouliot (Boston) Alex Auld (Ottawa) Alexandre Picard (Pittsburgh) Tom Pyatt (Tampa Bay) Brent Sopel (KHL) James Wisniewski (Columbus) Mathieu Carle (Anaheim)
Why They'll Succeed:
The young core of core of players in Montreal are starting to mature.
Carey Price, who has been criticized by many in his career, had his best pro season last year finishing 38-28-6 with a GAA of 2.35 & a save percentage of .923, all career bests.
On the blueline, P.K. Subban is starting to come into his own. He finished last year with 38 points (14G, 24A) with nine of those goals coming on the Power Play. I watched him last year score a hat trick against Minnesota and walked out of the arena thinking it was one of the best individual performances I've seen.
Up front, Erik Cole comes from Carolina to add some grit & put a body in front of the net. He joins a group of forwards led by Tomas Plekanec (22G, 35A) who was Montreal's leading scorer last year and Brian Gionta who led Montreal in goals with 29.
Why They'll Fail:
After Subban the Canadiens are thin on the blueline.
Wisniewski and Hamrlik have left the team, leaving Jaroslav Spacek (1G, 15A) as their 2nd leading scorer on defense. Andrei Markov returns after only playing in seven games last year due to a knee injury. If he can stay healthy his presence should increase the scoring on defense.
Up front one problem for Montreal has been scoring goals in front of the net. The addition of Cole up front will help but the Canadiens still don't have a lot of size. They will need Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, Andrei Kostitsyn & Plekanec to find the back of the net & get the puck through traffic.
Prediction:
Montreal won the 1st two games against Boston last season were an overtime goal away from eliminating the Bruins. The question for me is whether Price & Subban can pick up where they left off.
For me the Canadiens are a bubble team when it comes to the playoffs and right now I think they are in as the 8th seed.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
How They Finished: 37-34-11 85 points 4th in Northeast, 10th in East. Missed playoffs.
Additions:
John Michael Liles (Colorado) Matthew Lombardi (Nashville) Cody Franson (Nashville) Tim Connolly (Buffalo)
Subtractions:
Brett Lebda (Nashville) Jean-Sebastian Giguere (Colorado) Tim Brent (Carolina) Fredrik Sjostrom (Swedish Elite League)
Why They'll Succeed:
They finished strong last year going 10-7-2 and just missing the playoffs. One of the reasons was the emergence of James Reimer in goal. Reimer played in 27 games last season going 20-10-5 with a GAA of 2.60 & a save percentage of .921. His play gave Toronto enough confidence they let J.S. Giguere leave as a free agent.
It helps when you have a good group of defenseman playing in front of a young goalie. The Maple Leafs have that led by Dion Phaneuf, Luke Schenn & Mike Komisarek. The addition of John-Michael Liles gives them a rotation four deep that can match up with the top two scoring lines of any team in the NHL.
Why They'll Fail:
This is still a one line team when it comes to scoring.
Phil Kessel was their leading scorer with 64 points (32G, 32A) and Clarke MacArthur had a career year with 21 goals and 41 assists. Whether he can do it again remains to be seen.
To help with the scoring the Leafs acquired Matthew Lombardi from Nashville and Tim Connolly from Buffalo.
Lombardi played in only two games last year due to a concussion. This coming after a career year with Phoenix in 2010. (19G, 34A)
Connolly (13G, 29A) has also battled concussion issues in the past. If both players can stay healthy it gives the Leafs the depth at forward they have lacked the last few seasons.
Prediction:
Ron Wilson's job is on the line this season. Toronto is one of two teams (Florida) that haven't made the playoffs since the lockout. If they can pick up where they left off last season with Connolly & Lombardi staying healthy the Leafs should contend for that final playoff spot.
But I have to see it happen before I can buy in. Right now I have them missing the playoffs for the 7th year in a row.
5. Ottawa Senators
How They Finished: 32-40-10 74 points 5th in Northeast, 13th in East. Missed playoffs.
Additions:
Nikita Filatov (Columbus) Alex Auld (Montreal) Zenon Konopka (NY Islanders) Mike McKenna (New Jersey)
Subtractions:
Ryan Shannon (Tampa Bay) Curtis McIlheney (Phoenix)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have a new coach in Paul MacLean who comes over from Detroit. I'm sure MacLean will implement some of the things that were done in Detroit with the Senators. If you are going to copy any team in the NHL the Red Wings are a good team to model.
Daniel Alfredsson (14G, 17A) & Jason Spezza (21G, 36A) are back & healthy with Sergei Gonchar (7G, 20A) and Erik Karlsson (13G, 32A) on the blueline giving the Senators a puck moving presence.
Why They'll Fail:
They didn't do much to improve a team that was 13th in the East last year. There isn't a lot of depth on the scoring lines. Filatov and Milan Michalek have talent but neither one has played to his full potential. The Senators are hoping one of those two can fill out the other spot on the top line with Heatley & Spezza.
Craig Anderson will take his place in what has seemed to be a revolving door in goal in Ottawa. Anderson was 24-20-4 in 49 games with Colorado & Ottawa with a GAA of 2.83 and a save percentage of .913. My guess is he is holding the spot until a better option shows up.
Prediction:
Going into last season I wondered if Ottawa's playoff appearance in 2010 was an aberration. It was.
The Senators are rebuilding and a lot of the young talent are going to get a chance to show they belong in the NHL. There are going to be growing pains this season with the Senators finishing last in the Northeast and near the bottom in the Eastern Conference
That changed last season when the Boston Bruins defeated Vancouver in seven games to win their 1st Stanley Cup in 39 years. Will they be able to repeat? Or will one of the other teams in the Northeast be able to knock them off their perch?
1. Boston Bruins
How They Finished: 46-25-11 103 points 1st in Northeast, 3rd in East. Won Stanley Cup.
Additions:
Benoit Pouliot (Montreal) Joe Corvo (Carolina)
Subtractions:
Tomas Kaberle (Carolina) Michael Ryder (Dallas) Mark Recchi (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
The core of players that won the Stanley Cup last summer returns this season.
Milan Lucic (30G, 32A) David Krecji (13G, 49A) Patrice Bergeron ( 22G, 35A) & Nathan Horton (26G, 27A) were the top four scorers for Boston last season and all are back with the team.
Zdeno Chara remains an intimidating presence on the blueline and Tim Thomas showed everyone last year why his name should be named among the top goaltenders finishing 35-11-7 with a GAA of 2.00 and a save percentage of .938.
Why They'll Fail:
Last year the Bruins won the Stanley Cup even though their power play was anemic throughout the entire Stanley Cup playoffs. I don't expect it to be a problem but it is something that bears worth watching.
A bigger concern is a couple of key players dealing with concussions, Nathan Horton & Marc Savard.
Horton suffered a concussion in Game 3 when he was leveled in the offensive zone by Aaron Rome. Horton ended up missing the rest of the finals. He should be OK for the start of the season but with a concussion you never know.
The same can't be said for Savard. He suffered a Grade 2 concussion back in March of 2010 and has been battling the effects of that since then. He has played since that injury but for his health has been shut down for the upcoming season.
Prediction:
The Bruins overcame a lot in the last couple years before winning the Stanley Cup. They have the talent to do it again but it's going to be hard for them to repeat with everyone gunning for them. They should however be good enough to win the division once again.
2. Buffalo Sabres
How They Finished: 43-29-10 96 points. 3rd in Northeast, 7th in East. Lost in 1st Round to Philadelphia.
Additions:
Ales Kotalik (Calgary) Robyn Regehr (Calgary) Christian Ehrhoff (Vancouver) Ville Leino (Philadelphia)
Subtractions:
Tim Connolly (Toronto) Chris Butler (Calgary) Mark Mancari (Vancouver) Rob Niedermayer (Switzerland) Patrick Lalime (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have a new owner that's committed to winning.
The Sabres got off to a horrible start last season and looked like they were going to miss the playoffs. Then on February 11th Terry Pegula purchased the team and overnight it was a different culture.
Pegula reaffirmed that commitment by signing Ville Leino this off-season to a 6 year contract worth 27 million. Whether he can live up to that contract over 82 games remains to be seen but after watching him in the playoffs that last two seasons (10G, 16A) I understand why Buffalo made that commitment.
Leino will join forwards Thomas Vanek (32G, 41A) Brad Boyes (17G, 38A) Drew Stafford (31G, 21A) & Jason Pominville (22G, 30A) all of whom reached the 50 point plateau last season. Also returning for the Sabres is Derek Roy who missed the 2nd half of the season with a knee injury. When healthy Roy is a 60 point player.
On defense the Sabres are led by Tyler Myers who regressed a little from his Calder winning performance in 2010 finishing with 10 goals, 27 assists and a rating of 0 in plus/minus.
Myers is joined on defense this year by Christian Ehrhoff & Robyn Regehr. Ehrhoff reached the 50 point plateau (14G, 36A) for the 1st time last season and gives the Sabres another puck moving defenseman that can score from the blueline. Regehr is a rugged defenseman that will add some snarl to the blueline for Buffalo.
In goal once again is Ryan Miller who has been good every season since joining the Sabres in 2006. Last season Miller was 34-22-8 with a GAA of 2.59 and a save percentage of .916.
Why They'll Fail:
There is a lot of expectations on the Sabres this season. It's one thing to pour a lot of money into a roster. It's another to produce at a high level to match those expectations.
Last season when the Sabres got off to a slow start rumors were swirling that head coach Lindy Ruff & GM Darcy Regier's jobs might be in jeopardy. The talent is there on the roster where that shouldn't happen again but if it does there is no guarantee that Pegula will be patient with both of them.
Prediction:
I really like the additions Buffalo has made and I like the makeup of these players. They may not be the most talented team in the NHL but they are going to be very difficult to play against. I think they finish 2nd in the division but it wouldn't surprise me if they win the Northeast.
3. Montreal Canadiens
How They Finished: 44-30-8 96 points. 2nd in Northeast, 6th in East. Lost in 1st round to Boston.
Additions:
Erik Cole (Carolina) Peter Budaj (Colorado) Nathan Lawson (Montreal) Brian Willsie (Washington) Jeff Woywitka (Dallas)
Subtractions:
Jeff Halpern (Washington) Roman Hamrlik (Washington) Benoit Pouliot (Boston) Alex Auld (Ottawa) Alexandre Picard (Pittsburgh) Tom Pyatt (Tampa Bay) Brent Sopel (KHL) James Wisniewski (Columbus) Mathieu Carle (Anaheim)
Why They'll Succeed:
The young core of core of players in Montreal are starting to mature.
Carey Price, who has been criticized by many in his career, had his best pro season last year finishing 38-28-6 with a GAA of 2.35 & a save percentage of .923, all career bests.
On the blueline, P.K. Subban is starting to come into his own. He finished last year with 38 points (14G, 24A) with nine of those goals coming on the Power Play. I watched him last year score a hat trick against Minnesota and walked out of the arena thinking it was one of the best individual performances I've seen.
Up front, Erik Cole comes from Carolina to add some grit & put a body in front of the net. He joins a group of forwards led by Tomas Plekanec (22G, 35A) who was Montreal's leading scorer last year and Brian Gionta who led Montreal in goals with 29.
Why They'll Fail:
After Subban the Canadiens are thin on the blueline.
Wisniewski and Hamrlik have left the team, leaving Jaroslav Spacek (1G, 15A) as their 2nd leading scorer on defense. Andrei Markov returns after only playing in seven games last year due to a knee injury. If he can stay healthy his presence should increase the scoring on defense.
Up front one problem for Montreal has been scoring goals in front of the net. The addition of Cole up front will help but the Canadiens still don't have a lot of size. They will need Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, Andrei Kostitsyn & Plekanec to find the back of the net & get the puck through traffic.
Prediction:
Montreal won the 1st two games against Boston last season were an overtime goal away from eliminating the Bruins. The question for me is whether Price & Subban can pick up where they left off.
For me the Canadiens are a bubble team when it comes to the playoffs and right now I think they are in as the 8th seed.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
How They Finished: 37-34-11 85 points 4th in Northeast, 10th in East. Missed playoffs.
Additions:
John Michael Liles (Colorado) Matthew Lombardi (Nashville) Cody Franson (Nashville) Tim Connolly (Buffalo)
Subtractions:
Brett Lebda (Nashville) Jean-Sebastian Giguere (Colorado) Tim Brent (Carolina) Fredrik Sjostrom (Swedish Elite League)
Why They'll Succeed:
They finished strong last year going 10-7-2 and just missing the playoffs. One of the reasons was the emergence of James Reimer in goal. Reimer played in 27 games last season going 20-10-5 with a GAA of 2.60 & a save percentage of .921. His play gave Toronto enough confidence they let J.S. Giguere leave as a free agent.
It helps when you have a good group of defenseman playing in front of a young goalie. The Maple Leafs have that led by Dion Phaneuf, Luke Schenn & Mike Komisarek. The addition of John-Michael Liles gives them a rotation four deep that can match up with the top two scoring lines of any team in the NHL.
Why They'll Fail:
This is still a one line team when it comes to scoring.
Phil Kessel was their leading scorer with 64 points (32G, 32A) and Clarke MacArthur had a career year with 21 goals and 41 assists. Whether he can do it again remains to be seen.
To help with the scoring the Leafs acquired Matthew Lombardi from Nashville and Tim Connolly from Buffalo.
Lombardi played in only two games last year due to a concussion. This coming after a career year with Phoenix in 2010. (19G, 34A)
Connolly (13G, 29A) has also battled concussion issues in the past. If both players can stay healthy it gives the Leafs the depth at forward they have lacked the last few seasons.
Prediction:
Ron Wilson's job is on the line this season. Toronto is one of two teams (Florida) that haven't made the playoffs since the lockout. If they can pick up where they left off last season with Connolly & Lombardi staying healthy the Leafs should contend for that final playoff spot.
But I have to see it happen before I can buy in. Right now I have them missing the playoffs for the 7th year in a row.
5. Ottawa Senators
How They Finished: 32-40-10 74 points 5th in Northeast, 13th in East. Missed playoffs.
Additions:
Nikita Filatov (Columbus) Alex Auld (Montreal) Zenon Konopka (NY Islanders) Mike McKenna (New Jersey)
Subtractions:
Ryan Shannon (Tampa Bay) Curtis McIlheney (Phoenix)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have a new coach in Paul MacLean who comes over from Detroit. I'm sure MacLean will implement some of the things that were done in Detroit with the Senators. If you are going to copy any team in the NHL the Red Wings are a good team to model.
Daniel Alfredsson (14G, 17A) & Jason Spezza (21G, 36A) are back & healthy with Sergei Gonchar (7G, 20A) and Erik Karlsson (13G, 32A) on the blueline giving the Senators a puck moving presence.
Why They'll Fail:
They didn't do much to improve a team that was 13th in the East last year. There isn't a lot of depth on the scoring lines. Filatov and Milan Michalek have talent but neither one has played to his full potential. The Senators are hoping one of those two can fill out the other spot on the top line with Heatley & Spezza.
Craig Anderson will take his place in what has seemed to be a revolving door in goal in Ottawa. Anderson was 24-20-4 in 49 games with Colorado & Ottawa with a GAA of 2.83 and a save percentage of .913. My guess is he is holding the spot until a better option shows up.
Prediction:
Going into last season I wondered if Ottawa's playoff appearance in 2010 was an aberration. It was.
The Senators are rebuilding and a lot of the young talent are going to get a chance to show they belong in the NHL. There are going to be growing pains this season with the Senators finishing last in the Northeast and near the bottom in the Eastern Conference
Saturday, September 17, 2011
ATLANTIC DIVISION PREVIEW
Summer is coming to an end and with Fall just around the corner that can mean only one thing....
HOCKEY'S BACK!!!!
When we last saw each other The Boston Bruins were raising the Stanley Cup & the Minnesota Wild were hosting the NHL draft. A lot has happened in the last couple months so the best way to get caught up is breaking down each team by divisions. We will start today in the Atlantic.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
How They Finished: 49-25-8 106 points 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East. Lost to Tampa Bay in 1st Round.
Additions:
Steve Sullivan (Nashville), Alex Picard (Montreal), Steve MacIntyre (Edmonton), Jason Williams (Dallas), Richard Park (Switzerland)
Subtractions:
Mike Rupp (NY Rangers), Max Talbot (Philadelphia), Eric Godard (Dallas), Andrew Hutchinson (KHL), Alexei Kovalev (KHL)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have the best 1-2 punch in the game with Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin when both are healthy. After Crosby & Malkin went down with injuries the Penguins proved they could still compete going 15-10-4 down the stretch.
The Penguins have a deep group of forwards up front. Crosby did lead the team in goals with 32 before missing the rest of the season with a concussion. Chris Kunitz, (23) James Neal (22) & Tyler Kennedy (21) helped fill the void in goal scoring by each reaching the 20 goal plateau last year.
On defense Kris Letang had a career year with 50 points (8G, 42A) and Paul Martin had 24 points (3G, 21A) in his 1st season in Pittsburgh. As a group Penguins defenseman finished last year +35 while the team finished a +28.
In goal, Marc-Andre Fleury bounced back from a shaky 09-10 season going 36-20-5 with a GAA of 2.32 & a save percentage of .918. Simply put his play down the stretch is why Pittsburgh was able to finish 4th in the East.
Why they'll fail:
It comes down to the health of Crosby & Malkin.
Crosby has been out with concussion like symptoms since January 5th. He did hold a press conference last week and says he does expect to play this season but there is no timetable for his return.
Malkin is returning this season from a torn ACL & MCL. He should be ready to go at the start of the season but his status bears watching to see how well he can skate coming off the injury.
Prediction:
With Crosby & Malkin in the lineup I think Pittsburgh is the best team in the NHL and the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. Without them they are still a very good hockey club.
I'm betting on Malkin skating well & Crosby returning sooner than later & the Penguins winning the Atlantic Division.
2. New York Rangers:
How They Finished: 44-33-5 93 points 3rd in Atlantic, 8th in East.
Lost in 1st Round to Washington.
Additions:
Mike Rupp (Pittsburgh), Brad Richards (Dallas)
Subtractions:
Chris Drury (Retired), Matt Gilroy (Tampa Bay), Vinny Prospal (Columbus), Alex Frolov (KHL) Derek Boogaard (death)
Why They'll Succeed:
The Rangers got the best free agent on the market in Brad Richards.
Yes, I am aware the Rangers & free agency is very hit & miss. (most of the time on the miss side) But I am also aware of what Brad Richards has done playing for John Tortorella. Richards finished last year with 77 points (28G, 49A) His presence on the Rangers makes them a better team and finally gives Marian Gaborik the center he has been looking for.
Speaking of Gaborik he was one of five Rangers to break the 20 goal mark last season. Brandon Dubinsky led the Rangers in goals with 24 followed by new captain Ryan Callahan with 23. Gaborik had 22 goals with Derek Stepan & Brian Boyle each adding 21 goals for the blueshirts.
The Rangers also boast a blueline that finished +48 last season with three players scoring over 25 points. Dan Giraldi led New York with 31 (4G, 27 A) followed by Marc Staal (7G, 22A) & Bryan McCabe (7G, 21A).
Another reason New York should be successful is because of Henrik Lundqvist in net. Lundqvist had his best season in net since 07-08 finishing 36-27-5 with a GAA of 2.28 and a save percentage of .923.
Why They'll Fail:
Because for as good as the Rangers roster is they never seem to live up to expectations. Either a free agent doesn't live up to standards, a key player gets hurt or a player regresses after having a great season. I don't foresee any of these things happening at this moment but it bears watching.
The Rangers also suffered a tragic loss this summer with the passing of Derek Boogaard. While he was never going to win a Rocket Richard Trophy he was an intimidating presence off the ice & a great personality off the ice. a role like that is going to be very tough to fill.
Prediction:
One of the New York papers this past week said the Rangers now resemble a John Tortorella type of team. If they can mirror his personality & intensity behind the bench big things could be in store for New York.
Right now I have the Rangers finishing 2nd but if Crosby & Malkin are out for any period of time the Atlantic Division could belong to the Rangers.
3. Philadelphia Flyers:
47-23-12 106 points, 1st in Atlantic, 2nd in East. Lost to Boston in 2nd Round.
Additions:
Jaromir Jagr (KHL) Max Talbot (Pittsburgh) Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix) Jakub Voracek (Columbus) Wayne Simmonds (Los Angeles) Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles) Andreas Lilja (Anaheim)
Subtractions:
Mike Richards (Los Angeles) Jeff Carter (Columbus) Darroll Powe (Minnesota) Kris Versteeg (Florida) Sean O'Donnell (Chicago) Dan Carcillo (Chicago) Brian Boucher (Carolina) Ville Leino (Buffalo) Nikolai Zherdev (KHL)
Why They'll Succeed:
The emergence of Claude Giroux and James Van Riemsdyk makes them the cornerstones up front for Philadelphia. Giroux led the Flyers in scoring last season with 76 points (25G, 51A) & Van Riemsdyk finished with 40 points (21G, 19A) in his 1st season a regular.
They are joined up front by Danny Briere (34G, 34A) & Scott Hartnall (24G, 25A) with Jagr, Simmonds, & Voracek expected to contribute.
On defense Chris Pronger continues to be an imposing presence on the blueline despite missing 32 games last season with an injury. After being the "De-facto" captain the last couple seasons he has been given the "C" this season. Love him or hate him he knows what it takes to win.
While They'll Fail:
There was a lot of turnover for a team that finished 2nd in the East last year.
Jeff Carter led the team in goals last season with 36 but was moved to Columbus while team captain Mike Richards was traded to Los Angeles.
They are many reasons we can speculate as to why both were moved but their cap space was used to sign Ilya Bryzgalov in goal.
Bryzgalov was 36-20-10 with a GAA of 2.48 & a save percentage of .921. He is definitely an upgrade over what Philadelphia had in goal the last two seasons but has looked unspectacular in his last five playoff games against Detroit.
While the Flyers did get points from the blueline last season they did not get a lot of goals. Andrej Mezaros led Philly with 8 followed by Kimmo Timonen with 6. With 3 of their top 5 scorers from last season playing elsewhere the blueline will need to help with the scoring.
Prediction:
The makeover of the Flyers roster is pretty amazing considering where they were a year ago. While they did upgrade in some areas I'm not sure they are better.
It will be hard to replace the production of Richards and Carter up front. If Bryzgalov struggles early on he will hear it from the Philly faithful. That's something he didn't have to deal with in Phoenix.
The Flyers are still a good team but with all the roster changes I think they take a step back this season. They will still make the playoffs but I'm not expecting home ice in the 1st round.
4. New Jersey Devils:
How They Finished: 38-39-5 81 points, 4th in Atlantic, 11th in East. Missed Playoffs
Additions:
Cam Janssen (St. Louis) Maxim Noreau (Minnesota) Eric Boulton (Atlanta) Peter Harrold (Los Angeles) Stephane Veilleaux (Switzerland)
Subtractions:
David McIntyre (Minnesota) Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (Calgary) Brian Rolston (NY Islanders) Mike McKenna (Ottawa) Colin White (San Jose)
Why They'll Succeed:
After missing most of last season with a knee injury Zach Parise returns to the lineup. Parise led the devils in goals scored the previous four season before last years injury. Without him the Devils finished dead last in goals scored with 171.
Ilya Kovalchuk led the Devils in goals with 31, his lowest total since his rookie year in 01-02. I expect both players to bounce back and have better years.
In goal the Devils still have Martin Brodeur. Brodeur played in only 56 games and was 23-26-3 last year with a GAA of 2.45 and a save percentage of .903. I expect him to also bounce back and play a lot better this season.
Why They'll Fail:
You can start with their play on the blueline.
When you lose the likes of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermeyer, Brian Rafalski & Paul Martin on the blueline there is going to be a significant drop off in talent. That looks to be happening here.
Andy Greene led all defenseman with 23 points (4G, 19A) he also was a -23 on the ice. Henrik Tallender was 2nd with 16 points (5G, 11A) but finished -6. Their other big signing last year, Anton Volchenkov did finish +3 but only had 8 points from the blueline.
Up front the only other forward to break the 20 goal mark was Patrik Elias who had 21. Travis Zajac (13), Danius Zubrus (13), & David Clarkson (12) were the only other players to reach double digits in goals.
Prediction:
The days of the Devils being an elite team seem to be over. After getting off to a horrible start last year John MacLean was fired with Jacques Lemaire taking over on an interim basis. The Devils played better under Lemaire but failed to make the post-season.
Lemaire retired once again and now the Devils are lead by Pete DeBoer who coached the Florida Panthers the last three seasons. While his record was less than spectacular with the Panthers I'll give DeBoer a pass as a lot of coaches haven't been successful in Florida.
However the Devils seem to be in transition. Their is enough talent on the roster to contend for a playoff spot but playing in the Atlantic will be too much of a challenge to overcome. I have the Devils missing the post-season for the 2nd year in a row.
5. New York Islanders:
How They Finished: 30-39-13 72 points 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Rolston (New Jersey) Marty Reasoner (Florida)
Subtractions:
Trent Hunter (Los Angeles) Bruno Gervais (Tampa Bay) Zenon Konopka (Ottawa) Radek Martinek (Columbus) Nathan Lawson (Montreal) Jack Hillen (Nashville) Doug Weight (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
The young players are going to continue to get better.
John Tarvares led the Islanders with 67 points (29G, 38A) He's only going to continue to get better. Michael Grabner had a career year leading New York with 34 goals and Matt Moulson had a 2nd straight year reaching the 30 goal mark, finishing with 31. Throw in a healthy Kyle Okposo and you a have a young group of forwards that can put the puck in the net.
Why They'll Fail:
They aren't that good on the blueline.
Andrew MacDonald had a nice season for the Islanders finishing with 27 points (4G, 23A) and +9 on the ice. Travis Hamonic had a good rookie season with 26 points (5G, 21A) and +4 rating.
After that the next four spots on defense are up for grabs. Bruno Gervais, Jack Hillen & Radek Martinek have all left the team. Mark Streit's return will help but it will still leave three spots open for the taking.
Rick DiPietro is still in net for the Islanders but whether he can make it through a whole season healthy remains to be seen. He played in 26 games last year which was the most since 07-08 when he played in 63 games.
The Islanders acquired Al Montoya in February to back up DiPietro. With DiPietro's history of injuries I expect Montoya to get a lot of playing time in net.
Prediction:
The Islanders have a lot of issues off & on the ice and seem to be constantly rebuilding.
The good news for Islanders fans is there is a nice foundation of players to build upon. The bad news is there isn't enough of them right now. Expect the Islanders to finish last in the Atlantic and miss the playoffs for the 5th year in a row.
HOCKEY'S BACK!!!!
When we last saw each other The Boston Bruins were raising the Stanley Cup & the Minnesota Wild were hosting the NHL draft. A lot has happened in the last couple months so the best way to get caught up is breaking down each team by divisions. We will start today in the Atlantic.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
How They Finished: 49-25-8 106 points 2nd in Atlantic, 4th in East. Lost to Tampa Bay in 1st Round.
Additions:
Steve Sullivan (Nashville), Alex Picard (Montreal), Steve MacIntyre (Edmonton), Jason Williams (Dallas), Richard Park (Switzerland)
Subtractions:
Mike Rupp (NY Rangers), Max Talbot (Philadelphia), Eric Godard (Dallas), Andrew Hutchinson (KHL), Alexei Kovalev (KHL)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have the best 1-2 punch in the game with Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin when both are healthy. After Crosby & Malkin went down with injuries the Penguins proved they could still compete going 15-10-4 down the stretch.
The Penguins have a deep group of forwards up front. Crosby did lead the team in goals with 32 before missing the rest of the season with a concussion. Chris Kunitz, (23) James Neal (22) & Tyler Kennedy (21) helped fill the void in goal scoring by each reaching the 20 goal plateau last year.
On defense Kris Letang had a career year with 50 points (8G, 42A) and Paul Martin had 24 points (3G, 21A) in his 1st season in Pittsburgh. As a group Penguins defenseman finished last year +35 while the team finished a +28.
In goal, Marc-Andre Fleury bounced back from a shaky 09-10 season going 36-20-5 with a GAA of 2.32 & a save percentage of .918. Simply put his play down the stretch is why Pittsburgh was able to finish 4th in the East.
Why they'll fail:
It comes down to the health of Crosby & Malkin.
Crosby has been out with concussion like symptoms since January 5th. He did hold a press conference last week and says he does expect to play this season but there is no timetable for his return.
Malkin is returning this season from a torn ACL & MCL. He should be ready to go at the start of the season but his status bears watching to see how well he can skate coming off the injury.
Prediction:
With Crosby & Malkin in the lineup I think Pittsburgh is the best team in the NHL and the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. Without them they are still a very good hockey club.
I'm betting on Malkin skating well & Crosby returning sooner than later & the Penguins winning the Atlantic Division.
2. New York Rangers:
How They Finished: 44-33-5 93 points 3rd in Atlantic, 8th in East.
Lost in 1st Round to Washington.
Additions:
Mike Rupp (Pittsburgh), Brad Richards (Dallas)
Subtractions:
Chris Drury (Retired), Matt Gilroy (Tampa Bay), Vinny Prospal (Columbus), Alex Frolov (KHL) Derek Boogaard (death)
Why They'll Succeed:
The Rangers got the best free agent on the market in Brad Richards.
Yes, I am aware the Rangers & free agency is very hit & miss. (most of the time on the miss side) But I am also aware of what Brad Richards has done playing for John Tortorella. Richards finished last year with 77 points (28G, 49A) His presence on the Rangers makes them a better team and finally gives Marian Gaborik the center he has been looking for.
Speaking of Gaborik he was one of five Rangers to break the 20 goal mark last season. Brandon Dubinsky led the Rangers in goals with 24 followed by new captain Ryan Callahan with 23. Gaborik had 22 goals with Derek Stepan & Brian Boyle each adding 21 goals for the blueshirts.
The Rangers also boast a blueline that finished +48 last season with three players scoring over 25 points. Dan Giraldi led New York with 31 (4G, 27 A) followed by Marc Staal (7G, 22A) & Bryan McCabe (7G, 21A).
Another reason New York should be successful is because of Henrik Lundqvist in net. Lundqvist had his best season in net since 07-08 finishing 36-27-5 with a GAA of 2.28 and a save percentage of .923.
Why They'll Fail:
Because for as good as the Rangers roster is they never seem to live up to expectations. Either a free agent doesn't live up to standards, a key player gets hurt or a player regresses after having a great season. I don't foresee any of these things happening at this moment but it bears watching.
The Rangers also suffered a tragic loss this summer with the passing of Derek Boogaard. While he was never going to win a Rocket Richard Trophy he was an intimidating presence off the ice & a great personality off the ice. a role like that is going to be very tough to fill.
Prediction:
One of the New York papers this past week said the Rangers now resemble a John Tortorella type of team. If they can mirror his personality & intensity behind the bench big things could be in store for New York.
Right now I have the Rangers finishing 2nd but if Crosby & Malkin are out for any period of time the Atlantic Division could belong to the Rangers.
3. Philadelphia Flyers:
47-23-12 106 points, 1st in Atlantic, 2nd in East. Lost to Boston in 2nd Round.
Additions:
Jaromir Jagr (KHL) Max Talbot (Pittsburgh) Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix) Jakub Voracek (Columbus) Wayne Simmonds (Los Angeles) Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles) Andreas Lilja (Anaheim)
Subtractions:
Mike Richards (Los Angeles) Jeff Carter (Columbus) Darroll Powe (Minnesota) Kris Versteeg (Florida) Sean O'Donnell (Chicago) Dan Carcillo (Chicago) Brian Boucher (Carolina) Ville Leino (Buffalo) Nikolai Zherdev (KHL)
Why They'll Succeed:
The emergence of Claude Giroux and James Van Riemsdyk makes them the cornerstones up front for Philadelphia. Giroux led the Flyers in scoring last season with 76 points (25G, 51A) & Van Riemsdyk finished with 40 points (21G, 19A) in his 1st season a regular.
They are joined up front by Danny Briere (34G, 34A) & Scott Hartnall (24G, 25A) with Jagr, Simmonds, & Voracek expected to contribute.
On defense Chris Pronger continues to be an imposing presence on the blueline despite missing 32 games last season with an injury. After being the "De-facto" captain the last couple seasons he has been given the "C" this season. Love him or hate him he knows what it takes to win.
While They'll Fail:
There was a lot of turnover for a team that finished 2nd in the East last year.
Jeff Carter led the team in goals last season with 36 but was moved to Columbus while team captain Mike Richards was traded to Los Angeles.
They are many reasons we can speculate as to why both were moved but their cap space was used to sign Ilya Bryzgalov in goal.
Bryzgalov was 36-20-10 with a GAA of 2.48 & a save percentage of .921. He is definitely an upgrade over what Philadelphia had in goal the last two seasons but has looked unspectacular in his last five playoff games against Detroit.
While the Flyers did get points from the blueline last season they did not get a lot of goals. Andrej Mezaros led Philly with 8 followed by Kimmo Timonen with 6. With 3 of their top 5 scorers from last season playing elsewhere the blueline will need to help with the scoring.
Prediction:
The makeover of the Flyers roster is pretty amazing considering where they were a year ago. While they did upgrade in some areas I'm not sure they are better.
It will be hard to replace the production of Richards and Carter up front. If Bryzgalov struggles early on he will hear it from the Philly faithful. That's something he didn't have to deal with in Phoenix.
The Flyers are still a good team but with all the roster changes I think they take a step back this season. They will still make the playoffs but I'm not expecting home ice in the 1st round.
4. New Jersey Devils:
How They Finished: 38-39-5 81 points, 4th in Atlantic, 11th in East. Missed Playoffs
Additions:
Cam Janssen (St. Louis) Maxim Noreau (Minnesota) Eric Boulton (Atlanta) Peter Harrold (Los Angeles) Stephane Veilleaux (Switzerland)
Subtractions:
David McIntyre (Minnesota) Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (Calgary) Brian Rolston (NY Islanders) Mike McKenna (Ottawa) Colin White (San Jose)
Why They'll Succeed:
After missing most of last season with a knee injury Zach Parise returns to the lineup. Parise led the devils in goals scored the previous four season before last years injury. Without him the Devils finished dead last in goals scored with 171.
Ilya Kovalchuk led the Devils in goals with 31, his lowest total since his rookie year in 01-02. I expect both players to bounce back and have better years.
In goal the Devils still have Martin Brodeur. Brodeur played in only 56 games and was 23-26-3 last year with a GAA of 2.45 and a save percentage of .903. I expect him to also bounce back and play a lot better this season.
Why They'll Fail:
You can start with their play on the blueline.
When you lose the likes of Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermeyer, Brian Rafalski & Paul Martin on the blueline there is going to be a significant drop off in talent. That looks to be happening here.
Andy Greene led all defenseman with 23 points (4G, 19A) he also was a -23 on the ice. Henrik Tallender was 2nd with 16 points (5G, 11A) but finished -6. Their other big signing last year, Anton Volchenkov did finish +3 but only had 8 points from the blueline.
Up front the only other forward to break the 20 goal mark was Patrik Elias who had 21. Travis Zajac (13), Danius Zubrus (13), & David Clarkson (12) were the only other players to reach double digits in goals.
Prediction:
The days of the Devils being an elite team seem to be over. After getting off to a horrible start last year John MacLean was fired with Jacques Lemaire taking over on an interim basis. The Devils played better under Lemaire but failed to make the post-season.
Lemaire retired once again and now the Devils are lead by Pete DeBoer who coached the Florida Panthers the last three seasons. While his record was less than spectacular with the Panthers I'll give DeBoer a pass as a lot of coaches haven't been successful in Florida.
However the Devils seem to be in transition. Their is enough talent on the roster to contend for a playoff spot but playing in the Atlantic will be too much of a challenge to overcome. I have the Devils missing the post-season for the 2nd year in a row.
5. New York Islanders:
How They Finished: 30-39-13 72 points 5th in Atlantic, 14th in East. Missed Playoffs.
Additions:
Brian Rolston (New Jersey) Marty Reasoner (Florida)
Subtractions:
Trent Hunter (Los Angeles) Bruno Gervais (Tampa Bay) Zenon Konopka (Ottawa) Radek Martinek (Columbus) Nathan Lawson (Montreal) Jack Hillen (Nashville) Doug Weight (Retired)
Why They'll Succeed:
The young players are going to continue to get better.
John Tarvares led the Islanders with 67 points (29G, 38A) He's only going to continue to get better. Michael Grabner had a career year leading New York with 34 goals and Matt Moulson had a 2nd straight year reaching the 30 goal mark, finishing with 31. Throw in a healthy Kyle Okposo and you a have a young group of forwards that can put the puck in the net.
Why They'll Fail:
They aren't that good on the blueline.
Andrew MacDonald had a nice season for the Islanders finishing with 27 points (4G, 23A) and +9 on the ice. Travis Hamonic had a good rookie season with 26 points (5G, 21A) and +4 rating.
After that the next four spots on defense are up for grabs. Bruno Gervais, Jack Hillen & Radek Martinek have all left the team. Mark Streit's return will help but it will still leave three spots open for the taking.
Rick DiPietro is still in net for the Islanders but whether he can make it through a whole season healthy remains to be seen. He played in 26 games last year which was the most since 07-08 when he played in 63 games.
The Islanders acquired Al Montoya in February to back up DiPietro. With DiPietro's history of injuries I expect Montoya to get a lot of playing time in net.
Prediction:
The Islanders have a lot of issues off & on the ice and seem to be constantly rebuilding.
The good news for Islanders fans is there is a nice foundation of players to build upon. The bad news is there isn't enough of them right now. Expect the Islanders to finish last in the Atlantic and miss the playoffs for the 5th year in a row.
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