Friday, September 30, 2011

Season Preview-Southeast Division

1. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Last Season: 48-23-11, 107 points. 1st in Conference (1st in Div.) Lost in Conference Semifinal vs. TBL
Key Gains: Ryan Potulny, Tomas Vokoun, Roman Hamrlik, Joel Ward, Jeff Halpern, Troy Brouwer, Christian Hanson
Key Losses: Boyd Gordon, Marco Sturm, Semyon Varlamov, Matt Bradley, Brian Willsie, Jason Arnott, Eric Fehr, Tyler Sloan, Scott Hannan
Coach: Bruce Boudreau
Forward Lines: 1. Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Semin
                         2. Jason Chimera, Brooks Laich, Mike Knuble
                         3. Troy Brouwer, Jeff Halpern, Joel Ward
                         4. Mathieu Perreault, Marcus Johansson, Matt Hendricks
Defensive Pairings: 1. Mike Green, Tom Poti
                                2. Roman Hamrlik, Dennis Wideman
                                3. Karl Alzner, John Carlson
Goalie Tandem: Tomas Vokoun, Michal Neuvirth
Analysis: After a late-season surge to the top of the Conference, the Caps were swept in the second round by the Lightning for another disappointingly early exit. This year, they mean business as they've added tons of experience. Tomas Vokoun is an aging former all-star, who has put together remarkably solid seasons recently considering he played with Florida and she be more than stable in between the pipes. Roman Hamrlik will bring a veteran presence and defensive prowess to a relatively young and offensively-focused defensive corps. Up front, the Caps are far deeper, with former Captain jeff Halpern returning, and most importantly, some strong playoff-minded additions on the wings in Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer. Brouwer was a member of the 2010 Cup team in Chicago and Joel Ward had a goal-scoring explosion this past offseason, helping the Predators reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Ovechkin and Backstrom are expected to have bounce back seasons, and Semin is in the final year of his contract,, making this team frighteningly good in all three facets of the game. I believe that this year they will finally silence their critics and win the Cup.


2. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Last Season: 46-25-11, 103 points. 5th in Conference (2nd in Div) Lost in Conference Final vs. BOS
Key Gains: Matt Gilroy, Tom Pyatt, Bruno Gervais, Mathieu Garon, Ryan Shannon
Key Losses: Sean Bergenheim, Simon Gagne, Randy Jones, Mike Smith, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Cedrick Desjardins, Mike Ludin, Matt Smaby
Coach: Guy Boucher
Forward Lines: 1. Steve Downie, Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis
                         2. Ryan Malone, Vincent Lecavalier, Teddy Purcell
                         3. Adam Hall, Dominic Moore, Ryan Shannon
                         4. Blair Jones, Nate Thompson, Dana Tyrell
Defensive Pairings: 1. Eric Brewer, Victor Hedman
                                2. Brett Clark, Marc-Andre Bergeron
                                3. Pavel Kubina, Mattias Ohlund
Goalie Tandem: Dwayne Roloson, Mathieu Garon
Analysis: After a very strong season that led them within one goal of the Stanley Cup finals, the Lightning remain relatively intact. While they didn;t bring in much, they didn;t lose much either outside of strong playoff performer Sean Bergenheim and the oft-injured Simon Gagne. With Gagne gone, expect Purcell to move onto Lecavalier's line and continue to see his production rise. The Lightning are very deep, and very talented, so the only question is how much gas does Dwayne Roloson have left in the tank?

3. CAROLINA HURRICANES
Last Season: 40-31-11, 91 points. 9th in Conference (3rd in Div.) Did not qualify for playoffs. 
Key Gains: Anthony Stewart, Brian Boucher, Tim Brent, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Tomas Kaberle
Key Losses: Erik Cole, Joe Corvo
Coach: Paul Maurice
Forward Lines: 1. Jussi Jokinen, Eric Staal, Tuomo Ruutu
                         2. Chad LaRose, Jeff Skinner, Anthony Stewart
                         3. Alexei Ponikarovsky, Brandon Sutter, Patrick Dwyer
                         4. Jiri Tlusty, Tim Brent, Zac Dalpe
Defensive Pairings: 1. Tomas Kaberle, Joni Pitkanen
                                2. Tim Gleason, Bryan Allen
                                3. Jay Harrison, Jamie McBain
Goalie Tandem: Cam Ward, Brian Boucher
Analysis: Like the Dallas Stars, the Canes were one game away from making the postseason, which means there wasn't much to fix. However, they didn't do much to push themselves any farther ahead. Kaberle for Corvo was a pretty even trade off. Ponikarovsky had a very disappointing season last year with the Kings, and he and Stewart likely will not be able to make up for the loss of Erik Cole. The Canes have little depth outside of the center position, and a middle of the road defense in front of a streaky goalie in Cam Ward. The Canes could certainly do well enough to make the playoffs, but I find it more likely that they disappoint again this year.

4. FLORIDA PANTHERS
Last Season: 30-40-12, 72 points. 15th in Conference (5th in Div.) Did not qualify for playoffs.
Key Gains: Sean Bergenheim, Marcel Goc, Ed Jovanovski, Scottie Upshall, Jose Theodore, Tomas Fleischmann, Nolan Yonkman, Matt Bradley, Brian Campbell, Tomas Kopecky, Kris Versteeg, Angelo Esposito
Key Losses: Tomas Vokoun, Niclas Bergfors, Marty Reasoner, Darcy Hordichuk, Clay Wilson, Rostislav Olesz, Byron Bitz
Coach: Kevin Dineen
Forward Lines: 1. David Booth, Stephen Weiss, Kris Versteeg
                         2. Tomas Fleischmann, Mike Santorelli, Scottie Upshall
                         3. Sean Bergenheim, Jonathan Huberdeau, Evgeny Dadonov
                         4. Tomas Kopecky, Marcel Goc, Jack Skille
Defensive Pairings: 1. Ed Jovanovski, Brian Campbell
                                2. Dmitry Kulikov, Erik Gudbranson
                                3. Keaton Ellerby, Jason Garrision
Goalie Tandem: Jose Theodore, Scott Clemmensen
Analysis: The salary cap floor did wonders for the Panthers this offseason. Forced to spend, Dale Tallon brought in a ridiculous number of players, and the Panthers are eons ahead of where they were last year, with a ton of depth and young talent. The only problem is, deep as they are, they have no real big scorers. All of their forwards are of a similar skill. Expect the Panthers offense to be scoring-by-committee, unless of course the new found depth behind them finally pushes David Booth and Stepehn Weiss int 30-35 goal scorers. With high-valed veterans in Jovanoski and Campbell added on the back end, youngsters like Kulikov and Gudbranson will have great mentors. Jose Theodore is always a question in net, but Scott Clemmensen has proven both in Florida and New Jersey that he can be very solid in relief stints. The Panthers likely aren't quite playoff ready yet. But they could definitely surprise.

5. WINNIPEG JETS
Last Season: 34-36-12, 80 points. 12th in Conference (4th in Div.) Did not qualify for playoffs.
Key Gains: Tanner Glass, Randy Jones, Derek Meech, Eric Fehr, Kenndal McArdle, Jason Jaffray, Kyle Wellwood
Key Losses: Anthony Stewart, Radek Dvorak, Angelo Esposito, Eric Boulton
Coach: Claude Noel
Forward Lines: 1. Andrew Ladd, Nikolai Antropov, Blake Wheeler
                         2. Evander Kane, Alex Burmistrov, Bryan Little
                         3. Chris Thorburn, Kyle Wellwood, Eric Fehr
                         4. Tanner Glass, Jim Slater, Tim Stapleton
Defensive Pairings: 1. Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom
                                2. Zach Bogosian, Mark Stuart
                                3. Johnny Oduya, Ron Hainsey
Goalie Tandem: Ondrej Pavelec, Chris Mason
Analysis: For all the hype surrounding hockey being back in Winnipeg, this is likely to be a disappointing season for the former Thrashers. They added no big names this offseason and look to have a very similar season to last year, except the rising Panthers should finish ahead of them. They have plenty of young talent on the first two lines, but after that, their offense is not at all impressive. They have a solid defense, but Ondrej Pavelec is very streaky in goal. Expect the Jets to win a lot of games at the beginning on pure adrenaline. After that, they will fall back to earth and start losing a lot more games.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Season Preview-Central Division

This is without a doubt the closest division to call. Whereas last year, 4 out of 5 teams in the Pacific Division made the playoffs, with Dallas missing by one game, expect this year's logjam to be here in the Central. Each team has their strengths and weaknesses, but each one of these teams has the potential to clinch a playoff berth.

1. DETROIT RED WINGS
Last Season: 47-25-10, 104 points. 3rd in Conference (1st in Div.) Lost in Conference Semifinals to SJS
Key gains: Ian White, Mike Commodore, Ty Conklin, Chris Conner
Key losses: Andreas Lilja, Brian Rafalski, Kris Draper, Mike Modano, Chris Osgood
Coach: Mike Babcock
Forward Lines: 1. Tomas Holmstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen
                         2. Todd Bertuzzi, Henrik Zetterberg, Danny Cleary
                         3. Patrick Eaves, Jiri Hudler, Valteri Filppula
                         4. Drew Miller, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader
Defensive Pairs: 1. Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall
                           2. Brad Stuart, Jonathan Ericsson
                           3.  Ian White*, Mike Commodore*
Goalie Tandem: Jimmy Howard, Ty Conklin*
Analysis: Despite the retirement of Brian Rafalski, the Wings are still as strong and deep as ever. They replaced Rafalski and Ruslan Salei with Ian White and Mike Commodore and remain totally intact up front. Expect their offense and defense to dominate opponents as always. Their one question mark remains the same: goaltending. Jimmy Howard is still an unproven goalie. He has moments of brilliance but is overall inconsistent. The team in front of him is good enough to win whether he plays well or not, but, as we saw with the Flyers last postseason, his play will become a much larger factor at crunch time.

2. NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Last Season: 44-27-11, 99 points. 5th in Conference (2nd in Div.) Lost in Conferece Semifinal to VAN
Key gains: Niclas Bergfors, Brett Lebda, Kyle Wilson, Zack Stortini, Jack Hillen, Tyler Sloan
Key losses: Marcel Goc, Steve Sullivan, Joel Ward, Mark Dekanich, Cody Franson, Matthew Lombardi, Shane O'Brien
Coach: Barry Trotz
Forward Lines: 1. Sergei Kostitsyn, David Legwand, Martin Erat
                         2. Blake Geoffrion, Mike Fisher, Patric Hornqvist
                         3. Matt Halischuk, Colin Wilson, Niclas Bergfors*
                         4. Nick Spaling, Cal O'Reilly, Jordin Tootoo
Defensive Pairs: 1. Shea Weber, Ryan Suter
                           2. Kevin Klein, Jonathon Blum
                           3. Jack Hillen*, Ryan Ellis
Goalie Tandem: Pekka Rinne, Anders Lindback
Analysis: The Predators definitely lost more than they gained this summer, and the trade of Cody Franson and Matt Lombardi for Brett Lebda still has me scratching my head. Despite these facts, they are still a very solid team and their strong defense in front of the tremendous Pekka Rinne should keep them in games. Their offense is still filled with nothing but middle of the road talent, but they shouldn't have to score many goals to win games.

3. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Last Season: 44-29-9, 97 points. 8th in Conference (3rd in Div.) Lost in Conference Quarterfinal to VAN
Key gains: Daniel Carcillo, Sean O'Donnell, Jamal Mayers, Andrew Brunette, Rostislav Olesz, Steve Montador, Sami Lepisto
Key losses: Jake Dowell, Troy Brouwer, Brian Campbell, Tomas Kopecky
Coach: Joel Quenneville
Forward Lines: 1. Michal Frolik, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane
                         2. Andrew Brunette*, Patrick Sharp, Marian Hossa
                         3. Bryan Bickell, Dave Bolland, Viktor Stalberg
                         4. Rostislav Olesz*, Ben Smith, Jamal Mayers*
Defensive Pairs: 1. Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook
                           2. Sean O'Donnell*, Steve Montador*
                           3. Niklas Hjalmarsson, Sami Lepisto*
Goalie Tandem: Corey Crawford, Ray Emery*
Analysis: For the second straight year, the Blackhawks underwent some major changes to their roster. However, they may be the stronger for it this time. They still have managed to keep the key guys in Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson. In addition they have unloaded some salary by finally giving up Brian Campbell. They didn't get much in return in Olesz, but shouldn't need much out of him. Steve Montador should boost offensive production on the point, and the additions of three veterans should also help this club a lot: Andrew Brunette still is a big offensive producer, Jamal Mayers a seasoned enforcer, and Sean O'Donnell a solid and experienced defenseman. The main question will be if Corey Crawford can repeat his surprising rookie season.

4. ST. LOUIS BLUES
Last Season: 38-33-11, 87 points. 11th in Conference (4th in Div.) Did not qualify for playoffs
Key gains: Brian Elliott, Kent Huskins, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jason Arnott
Key losses: Cam Janssen, Ty Conklin
Coach: Davis Payne
Forward Lines: 1. David Perron, Andy McDonald, David Backes
                         2. Patrik Berglund, Alex Steen, Chris Stewart
                         3. T.J. Oshie, Jason Arnott*, Matt D'Agostini
                         4. Jamie Langenbrunner*, Vladimir Sobotka, Jonathan Cheechoo*
Defensive Pairs: 1. Barrett Jackman, Carlo Colaiacovo
                           2. Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk
                           3. Kent Huskins*, Nikita Nikitin
Goalie Tandem: Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliott*
Analysis: The biggest question marks for the blues this season are experience and durability. They have a lot of young talent with 20-30 goal ability as well as highly productive offensive defenseman. The question will be can they produce like they are capable of doing. Their defense may be shaky at times, but veterans Jackman, Colaiacovo, and Huskins should be a steadying influence in front of Halak. While much of the scoring talent up front is young and unproven, Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner were brought in and should be great mentors to the youngsters. Additionally, former Rocket Richard winner Jonathan Cheechoo was brought in. This is a no-lose situation for the Blues. Cheechoo has been awful the past few years and was lucky to even get a contract, albeit a small one. If he can find his old form, the Blues could be extremely dangerous and deep. If not, they didn't risk much. The Blues last season was derailed by injuries early on and a big key to their success will again be staying healthy. David Perron and Andy McDonald are still recovering from devastating concussions and it is still uncertain how much they will play this season.


5. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Last Season: 34-35-13, 81 points. 13th in Conference (5th in Div.) Did not qualify for playoffs
Key gains: Curtis Sanford, Mark Dekanich, Jeff Carter, James Wisniewski, Radek Martinek, Vinny Prospal
Key losses: Scottie Upshall, Jan Hejda, Jakub Voracek, Mike Commodore, Mathieu Garon, Nikita Filatov, Andrew Murray, Sami Lepisto, Ethan Moreau
Coach: Scott Arniel
Forward Lines: 1. Rick Nash, Jeff Carter*, Kristian Huselius
                         2. R.J. Umberger, Derrick Brassard, Antoine Vermette
                         3. Vinny Prospal*, Samuel Pahlsson, Matt Calvert
                         4. Jarred Boll, Derek Mackenzie, Derek Dorsett
Defensive Pairs: 1. James Wisniewski*, Fedor Tyutin
                           2. Kris Russell, Marc Methot
                           3. Radek Martinek*, Grant Clitsome
Goalie Tandem: Steve Mason, Mark Dekanich*
Analysis: The Blue Jackets made a big splash this summer by adding Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski, but with these acquisitions, it is easy to forget how much they lost. They are definitely a stronger team than last year, but how much stronger remains to be seen. Wisniewski will be a big boost to the blue line, but they are still not very deep after the first pairing. With a questionable defense in front of the enigmatic  Steve Mason, the Blue Jackets could end up letting in a ton of goals. Mason was outstanding as a rookie, but in the two seasons since, has not had a GAA under 3.00. He will need to be as spectacular as we know he can be if he is to lead the Blue Jackets to their second playoff appearance. As questionable as their D may be, the Blue Jackets' offense is as deep as ever. Huselius will be out the first part of the season, but Carter and Nash, both 40-goal talents, should be able to get some scoring done without him. The question will be how the two will share the puck without the playmaker on their wing. After Huselius' return, expect an even greater offensive explosion. Pahlsso, Dorsett, Boll, and MacKenzie should provide a gritty balance, while the remaining forwards, Wisniewski, and Tyutin will give Columbus fearsome power play options.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Season Preview-Pacific Division

1. LOS ANGELES KINGS
Last season: 46-30-6, 98 points. 7th in Conference (4th in Div.) Lost in Conference Quarterfinal to SJS
Key gains: Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, Ethan Moreau
Key losses: Alexei Ponikarovsky, Michal Handzus, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Ryan Smyth
Coach: Terry Murray
Forward Lines: 1. Dustin Penner, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown
                        2. Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, Justin Williams
                        3. Ethan Moreau, Jarrett Stoll, Kyle Clifford
                        4. Scott Parse, Trevor Lewis, Brad Richardson
Defensive Pairs: 1. Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson
                         2. Willie Mitchell, Matt Greene
                         3. Rob Scuderi, Alec Martinez
Goalie Tandem: Jonathan Quick, Jonathan Bernier
Analysis: After coming in 4th place in their log-jammed division last year, the Kings had to face the eventual Conference finalists and division rival San Jose without Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. Since then, they have made a few subtractions but a few even greater additions. There first three lines are riddled with 20-40 goal talent. A healthy Kopitar could be severely dangerous between Captain Dustin Brown and underachieving Dustin Penner. Penner struggles when he arrived in Los Angeles late last season, but he could flourish now that he's used to his new talent-filled environment and return to his 40-goal form.  The acquisitions of former Flyers Simon Gagne and Mike Richards should provide a huge offensive spark as well. Gagne, though often injured, is another 40-goal talent when healthy and on his game, while Richards, last season's captain in Philadelphia, brings leadership, grit and offensive ability to the table. Justin Williams and Jarrett Stoll also have 20-30 goal capabilities. Mix all that offensive talent with a perpetually maturing defense with stars Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson in front of stonewall netminder Jonathan Quick and you get a team that is very hard to beat.

2. SAN JOSE SHARKS
Last season: 48-25-9, 105 points. 2nd in Conference (1st in Div.) Lost in Conference Final to VAN
Key gains: Michal Handzus, Jim Vandermeer, Brent Burns, Martin Havlat, Colin White, James Sheppard
Key losses: Ben Eager, Jamal Mayers, Ian White, Kent Huskins, Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, Dany Heatley, Kyle Wellwood
Coach: Todd McLellan
Forward Lines: 1.Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Martin Havlat
                        2. Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Michal Handzus
                        3. Torey Mitchell, James Sheppard, Benn Ferriero
                        4.  Jamie McGinn, Andrew Murray, Andrew Desjardins
Defensive Pairs: 1. Dan Boyle, Brent Burns
                         2. Douglas Murray, Marc-Edouard Vlasic
                         3. Colin White, Jason Demers
Goalie Tandem: Antti Niemi, Antero Niittymaki
Analysis: The Sharks have the same highly competitive team they always do, which is impressive considering the turnover the team made during this offseason. With a speedier system desired, Dany Heatley was shipped off to Minnesota in exchange for speedy scorer Martin Havlat. He may not be a 50-goal threat like Heatley, but he is still a game-changer who could see his 30-goal capabilities go above and beyond that playing with Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Dan Boyle will not have to hold the back end load by himself this year, as the Sharks brought in another All-Star caliber offensive defenseman in Brent Burns. In the bottom two pairs, the Sharks have a good mix of offensive ability with Demers and Vlasic and defensive prowess with Douglas Murray and former Devil Colin White. In fact, the Sharks may be a little overloaded at D, with newcomer Jim Vandermeer as a seventh defenseman, which is never a bad problem to have.

3. ANAHEIM DUCKS
Last season: 47-30-5, 99 points. 4th in Conference (2nd in Div.) Lost in Conference Quarterfinal to NSH
Key gains: Andrew Cogliano, Kurtis Foster
Key losses: Andy Sutton, Kyle Chipchura
Coach: Randy Carlyle
Forward Lines: 1. Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry
                        2. Jason Blake, Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne
                        3. Matt Beleskey, Andrew Cogliano, Dan Sexton
                        4. Jean-Francois Jacques, Brandon McMillan, George Parros
Defensive Pairs: 1. Toni Lydman, Lubomir Visnovsky
                         2. Kurtis Foster, Francois Beauchemin
                         3. Cam Folwer, Luca Sbisa
Goalie Tandem: Jonas Hiller, Dan Ellis
Analysis: After Corey Perry's MVP finish propelled the Ducks from almost missing the playoffs to receiving home-ice advantage, the Ducks were dealt a 6-game defeat to the Nashville Predators in the first round. Since then, they have made little change. They replaced Andy Sutton on D with Kurtis Foster and also brought in talented but underachieving young center Andrew Cogliano. With the reigning MVP on the wing with Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, it is hard to imagine having a more dangerous top line. Behind that, Teemu Selanne is back for another go after a 30-goal, 80-point season at the age of 40. Outside of shutdown guy Francois Beauchemin, the Ducks have mainly offensive defenseman, which will be their Achilles heel should Jonas Hiller have a recurrence of his vertigo problems that cut his All-Star season so short last year. One thing is sure with this team, they shouldn't have any trouble scoring goals.

4. DALLAS STARS
Last season: 42-29-11, 95 points. 9th in Conference (5th in Div.) Did not qualify for the playoffs. 
Key gains: Vernon Fiddler, Radek Dvorak, Michael Ryder, Sheldon Souray, Jake Dowell
Key losses: Brad Richards, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jason Williams, Jeff Woywitka
Coach: Glen Gulutzan
Forward Lines: 1. Loui Eriksson, Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder
                        2. Jamie Benn, Jake Dowell, Brenden Morrow
                        3. Steve Ott, Vernon Fiddler, Adam Burish
                        4. Tom Wandell, Toby Petersen, Scott Glennie
Defensive Pairs: 1. Treor Daley, Stephan Robidas
                         2. Alex Goligoski, Sheldon Souray
                         3. Mark Fistric, Nicklas Grossman
Goalie Tandem: Kari Lehtonen, Andrew Raycroft
Analysis: After a loss on the last day of the season which cost them a playoff berth, the Stars decided to make some changes. After failing to retain stud center Brad Richards, they attempted to fill an offensive void by signing streaky wing Michael Ryder, fresh off a solid championship run with the Boston Bruins. They also took a chance in signing Sheldon Souray, once one of the most feared offensive defenseman in the league who has fallen to the bottom of the bin these last few seasons. Pair these acquisitions with a developing young group of forwards and defenseman, the Stars should be able to put together a solid season.

5. PHOENIX COYOTES
Last season: 43-26-13, 99 points. 6th in Conference (3rd in Div.) Lost in Conference Quarterfinal to DET
Key gains: Alex Bolduc, Boyd Gordon, Mike Smith, Raffi Torres, Curtis McElhinney, Kyle Chipchura, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Patrick O'Sullivan, Daymond Langkow
Key losses:Eric Belanger, Ed Jovanovski, Andrew Ebbett, Vernon Fiddler, Ilya Bryzgalov, Lee Stempniak
Coach: Dave Tippett
Forward Lines: 1. Ray Whitney, Daymond Langkow, Shane Doan
                        2. Raffi Torres, Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata
                        3. Lauri Korpkikosi, Kyle Turris, Taylor Pyatt
                        4. Mikael Boedker, Boyd Gordon, Patrick O'Sullivan
Defensive Pairs: 1. Keith Yandle, Adrian Aucoin
                         2. Derek Morris, Rostislav Klesla
                         3. Michal Rozsival, David Schlemko
Goalie Tandem: Mike Smith, Jason LaBarbera
Analysis: Expect this to be the end of the Coyotes surprising playoff streak. They have plenty of defensive talent, led by the impressive Keith Yandle, but the impressiveness ends there. The scoring-by-committee team did not add any major offensive pieces and even worse, they traded away the only reason that they have made the playoffs these last few seasons: Ilya Bryzgalov. Bryzgalov was shipped off to Philadelphia and replaced with Lightning goalie Mike Smith, who is streaky and nowhere near as talented as Bryzgalov. Bryz consistently puts together Vezina-caliber seasons, while Smith struggles to string together consecutive starts. Don't be surprised to see the Coyotes with a top 5 pick in the 2012 draft.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Season Preview-Northwest Division

So I've been a little lazy this summer....
The plan was to analyze free agency as it happened. But I didn't really get around to that.

So now that I'm back at school toiling away in the computer lab (jk, lulz, this is hardly work), I figure it's time to write up a season preview to summarize everything I should have been writing all along this summer.

So the plan here is I will go division by division, likely in multiple posts, analyzing who left and who's come in to each team, what their strengths and weaknesses are, I'll name their coach, as there are many new ones, show what combinations of lines I would use if I were in their shoes, and I'll give my projected standings for each division.
Note: A player with * is a player new to the team.

Starting with the Northwest Division.....

1st. VANCOUVER CANUCKS:
Last season 54-19-9, 117 points. 1st place (1st in Div.)-Lost in Stanley Cup Final to BOS
Key additions: Andrew Ebbett (PHX), Marco Sturm (WSH), Byron Bitz (FLA)
Key losses: Raffi Torres (PHX), Tanner Glass (WPG), Alex Bolduc (PHX), Chrstian Ehrhoff (BUF)
Coach: Alain Vigneault
Forward Lines: 1. Alex Burrows, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin
                         2. Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler, Mikael Samuelsson
                         3. Marco Sturm, Manny Malhotra, Chris Higgins
                         4. Jannik Hansen, Max Lapierre, Cody Hodgson
Defensive Pairings: 1. Kevin Bieksa, Alex Edler
                             2. Dan Hamhuis, Sami Salo
                             3. Aaron Rome, Keith Ballard
Goalie Tandem: Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider
Analysis: After a monster season that ended one win away from glory, the Vancouver Canucks look to be back with a vengeance this season. Most of their roster is still intact, having really only lost Chirstian Ehrhoff and Raffi Torres, and they should gobble up the Northwest title with ease once again. While Ehrhoff was a key presence on their blue line, they still are as deep as anyone on the back end. If Marco Sturm can remain healthy, he should more than replace Torres offensivelyThe two biggest questions seem to be how speedster Mason Raymond will change after a devastating vertebrae injury and if the injured Ryan Kesler can build upon his outstanding 40-goal season.

2nd. MINNESOTA WILD:
Last season 39-35-8, 86 points. 12th place (3rd in Div.)-Did not qualify for playoffs.
Key Additions: Devin Setoguchi (SJS), Charlie Coyle (SJS), Darroll Powe (PHI), Dany Heatley (SJS), Mike Lundin (TBL)
Key losses: Jose Theodore (FLA), Chuck Kobasew (COL), Cam Barker (EDM), Andrew Brunette (CHI), Brent Burns (SJS), Martin Havlat (SJS), Patrick O'Sullivan (PHX), James Sheppard (SJS)
Coach: Mike Yeo
Forward Lines: 1. Guillaume Latendresse, Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley*
                        2. Cal Clutterbuck, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Devin Setoguchi*
                        3. Kyle Brodziak, Matt Cullen, Eric Nystrom
                        4. Colton Gillies, Darroll Powe*, Brad Staubitz
Defensive Pairings: 1. Nick Schultz, Marek Zidlicky
                             2. Greg Zanon, Clayton Stoner
                             3. Mike Lundin*, Justin Falk
Goalie Tandem: Nicklas Backstrom, Josh Harding
Analysis: The Wild are by no means an outstanding or fearsome club, but should be able to put together a decent season and clinch a playoff berth. A very defensive team, the Wild brought in 50-goal man Dany Heatley and young Devin Setoguchi to help spark their offense. If they can bounce back after down years in San Jose and scorer Guillaume Latendresse can stay healthy, they should be able to provide enough offense to make up for the rest of the roster. With a strong defensive system, solid defenseman, and a consistently good goaltender in Nicklas Backstrom, the Wild don't need that many goals to win games, so these acquisitions should be able to push them over the edge into the playoffs. The loss of All-Star defenseman Brent Burns is a key one, but the remaining defenders should be solid enough in his absence.

3rd. EDMONTON OILERS:
Last season 25-45-12, 62 points. 15th place (5th in Div.)-Did not qualify for playoffs.
Key additions: Eric Belanger (PHX), Cam Barker (MIN), Ben Eager (SJS), Ryan Smyth (LAK), Andy Sutton (ANA)
Key losses: Jim Vandermeer (SJS), Sheldon Souray (DAL), Kurtis Foster (ANA), Zack Stortini (NSH), Andrew Cogliano (ANA)
Coach: Tom Renney
Forward Lines: 1. Ryan Smyth*, Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky
                        2. Taylor Hall, Sam Gagner, Jordan Eberle
                        3. Magnus Paajarvi, Eric Belanger*, Ryan Jones
                        4. Ben Eager*, Gilbert Brule, Linus Omark
Defensive Pairings: 1. Ryan Whitney, Tom Gilbert
                             2. Ladislav Smid, Cam Barker*
                             3. Theo Peckham, Andy Sutton
Goalie Tandem: Nikolai Khabibulin, Devyn Dubnyk
Analysis: The Oilers are a team that is hard to predict this season. They have the potential to surprise the hockey world, but are just as likely to continue to patrol the bottom ranks of the Western Conference this season. IF Ryan Smyth can regain some of his old Edmonton magic and fellow vets and former teammates from the 2006 Cup run Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky can regain their scoring touch, Edmonton could have a very dangerous top line of veterans in front of a lot of energetic and talented youths. The 2nd and 3rd projected lines are riddled with young stars in the making who could explode offensively at any time. The defensive corps are as deep and solid as they have been in years, which may take some of the stress off of an old and faltering Nikolai Khabibulin. Also, should he fail again, Devan Dubnyk put together a promising season last year. If all of these young pieces work together well, the Oilers could find themselves in a surprise playoff position, much like the 2009-2010 Colorado Avalanche. If not, they get another high draft pick.

4th. CALGARY FLAMES:
Last season 41-29-12, 94 points. 10th place (2nd in Div.)-Did not qualify for playoffs.
Key additions: Chris Butler (BUF), Scott Hannan (WSH), Lee Stempniak (PHX)
Key losses: Robyn Regehr (BUF), Ales Kotalik (BUF), Daymond Langkow (PHX)
Coach: Brent Sutter
Forward Lines: 1. Alex Tanguay, Olli Jokinen, Jarome Iginla
                        2. Lee Stempniak*, Matt Stajan, Rene Bourque
                        3. Curtis Glencross, Brendan Morrison, Niklas Hagman
                        4. Tom Kostopoulos, David Moss, Mikael Backlund
Defensive Pairings: 1. Jay Bouwmeester, Cory Sarich
                             2. Anton Babchuk, Chris Butler*
                             3. Scott Hannan*, Brett Carson
Goalie Tandem: Miikka Kiprusoff, Henrik Karlsson
Analysis: The FLames are another hard team to figure out. On the one hand, they have some of the best first line talent in the league, as well as 20-goal scoring ability through the third line. On the other hand, their defense just isn't that great. In front of Miikka Kiprusoff, they may not need it; however, keep in mind that the Flames missed the playoffs last season. They tore it up late in the season and can blame a bad start for there lack of a playoff berth, but they did nothing to improve themselves this offseason. If anything, they may have gotten worse. They traded their best defenseman, Robyn Regehr, to Buffalo for unproven young defenseman Chris Butler. This was seen as a salary dump, but the Flames did not do much to use this freed-up salary. Jarome Iginla is a perennial 40-goal scorer and will continue to perform whether his team does or not, but not much is certain other than that. Olli Jokinen is a talented center with tons of scoring ability, but has been a shade of his former self since leaving Florida. Alex Tanguay is also a talented playmaker who has never quite been the same threat since leaving Colorado. This top line could be one of the biggest producers in the league, which it will need to be if the Flames hope to make the playoffs; or more likely, Iginla will carry the team by himself and the Flames will miss out again.

5th. COLORADO AVALANCHE:
Last season 30-44-8, 68 points. 14th place (4th in Div.)-Did not qualify for playoffs.
Key additions: Chuck Kobasew (MIN), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (TOR), Jan Hejda (CBJ), Semyon Varlamov (WSH), Shane O'Brien (NSH)
Key losses: Peter Budaj (MON), Brian Elliott (STL), Tomas Fleischmann (FLA), John Michael-Liles (TOR)
Coach: Joe Sacco
Forward Lines: 1. Milan Hejduk, Paul Stastny, Chuck Kobasew*
                        2. David Jones, Matt Duchene, Peter Mueller
                        3. T.J. Galiardi, Kevin Porter, Ryan O'Reilly
                        4.  Daniel Winnik, Jay McClement, Brandon Yip
Defensive Pairings: 1. Erik Johnson, Jan Hejda*
                             2. Shane O'Brien, Kye Wilson
                             3. Ryan O'Byrne, Matt Hunwick
Goalie Tandem: Semyon Varlamov*, Jean-Sebastien Giguere*
Analysis: Two years ago, the Colorado Avalnche made a very surprising trip to the playoffs. Last year around the All-Star break, they seemed to be in line to return, but thanks to a historic collapse, they ended the season as the second worst team in the league. They still have plenty of young talent that could be a surprise spark and win this team some games. However, a lot of talent has been shipped off and the Avalanche's defense is one of the worst in the league. This team definitely has potential, and with two new goalies in young talent Semyon Varlamov and aging veteran J-S Giguere, this team could end up having a decent season. But most of the team's talent is still budding and unproven and the Avs are likely to continue sweeping the cellar of the Western Conference for at least another year.