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.