So what are my predicitions for how the season will turn out?

This is what I think will happen before even a single preseason game's been played.

Western Conference; Central Division
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
4. St. Louis Blues
5. Nashville Predators

Western Conference; Northwest Division
1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Minnesota Wild
3. Calgary Flames
4. Edmonton Oilers
5. Colorado Avalanche

Western Conference; Pacific Division
1. Anaheim Ducks
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Phoenix Coyotes
4. Dallas Stars
5. L.A. Kings

Eastern Conference; Northeast Division
1. Boston Bruins
2. Montreal Canadiens
3. Buffalo Sabres
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
5. Ottawa Senators

Eastern Conference; Atlantic Division
1. Philadelphia Flyers
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. New Jersey Devils
4. NY Rangers
5. NY Islanders

Eastern Conference; Southeast Division
1. Washington Capitals
2. Carolina Hurricanes
3. Atlanta Thrashers
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
5. Florida Panthers

Western Conference Overall:
1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Minnesota Wild
6. San Jose Sharks
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
8. Phoenix Coyotes
9. St. Louis Blues
10. Calgary Flames
11. Dallas Stars
12. Edmonton Oilers
13. L.A. Kings
14. Nashville Predators
15. Colorado Avalanche

Eastern Conference Overall:
1. Boston Bruins
2. Philadelphia Flyers
3. Washington Capitals
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Carolina Hurricanes
7. New Jersey Devils
8. Atlanta Thrashers
9. Buffalo Sabres
10. Toronto Maple Leafs
11. NY Rangers
12. Tampa Bay Lightning
13. Ottawa Senators
14. Florida Panthers
15. NY Islanders

Preseason Preview: Washington Capitals

This is it folks, the last Preseason Preview for the 2009-10 season. Thank you to those of you who took the time to check these out. I sincerely appreciate it.

Now, the Washington Capitals.

Team M.O.: These guys are young, skilled, and dangerous from just about every position. That's a stark contrast to the fact that they spend the better part of the decade as a team that was barely competitive. They made some smart draft decisions, they made some smart moves, and in the end, the team flourished again in Washington, possibly stronger than ever.

Last Season: They lost in the Conference Semifinals to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but considering that the Pens were the eventual Stanley Cup Champions that's not the worst thing in the world. They'll probably use that as motivation to be better because they hate the Pens almost as much as the Philadelphia Flyers do.

Offense: A line that features Nicklas Backstrom centering Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin is one that every coach wishes they could put on the ice. Brendan Morrison and Mike Knuble were brought in to provide veteran scoring presence and will likely be on a line with Brooks Laich. Tomas Fleischmann is starting to make noise worth giving him a look as a top-six winger while captain Chris Clark plays a solid, if not offensively-limited, two-way game. Disgruntled Michael Nylander may not be putting up the numbers expected of him, but can still do well to center a third unit. The fourth line will likely be composed of Matt Bradley, Eric Fehr, David Steckel, and Boyd Gordon, with the odd man out acting as a reserve. That leaves an open spot for an enforcer, which the team will need to protect their star talent.

Defense: The defense on this team is a primarily defensive unit housing an offensive-minded jewel. Mike Green took his game up another season, scoring 73 points in 68 games... as a defenseman! However, that wouldn't have been possible without the solid defensive play of guys like Milan Jurcina and Shaone Morrisonn. Injuries limited games for guys like Tom Poti and John Erskine, but they were each effective in their respective roles while in the lineup, so they'll need to remain healthy to take that next step forward. Injuries also kept Brian Pothier out for almost the length of the season, so he'll be hoping for a stronger return campaign as well. Jeff Schultz has earned the right to round out the defense out of camp, and the rest of their depth looks good for them.

Goaltending: Now, I can't even comment on Jose Theodore after hearing about the loss of his child. I just hope he and his family recover from that. I wouldn't be surprised if the team but him on the inactive list and brought a number three guy in so he can grieve. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

Simeon Varlamov proved to be a very effective goaltender in the post season and will definitely be in the position to start commanding starting time. The more he learns English, the more he'll improve. I know the team is hot on Michal Neuvirth, but he didn't fare as well in his NHL audition as he should have so the team should find a spare goaltender if Theodore isn't ready for the start of the season.

Expectations: I like them a great deal and think they'll be every bit as competitive as Boston, Philadelphia, or Pittsburgh. These guys are one of the top-caliber teams in the Eastern Conference and a few more slight additions would make them complete.

Preseason Preview: Vancouver Canucks

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Vancouver Canucks.

Team M.O.: These guys have a couple of finesse players and a whole lot of toughness. A lot of teams have scoring by committee, but this team has fighting by committee. They lost a little bit of toughness in trading Mike Brown and losing Rob Davison to free agency, but they still got more grit that a lot of other teams without them.

Last Season: They made it to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they were eliminated by the Blackhawks in six games. Considering they missed the postseason the year before, it's at least a step in a better direction.

Offense: The team locked up the Sedin twins again and will rely on them to provide a high level of first line offense. Ryan Kesler is constantly and consistently improving his game and could reasonably start breaking the 60 point barrier as long as his play continues to elevate. Alexandre Burrows took a huge step forward himself last season and may provide the team a top-six agitator, which is pretty valuable considering there aren't many who can fill that role, or at least well. Pavol Demitra still battles injuries more than the team would like to see, but when he's in the lineup, he's as good as gold. Mikael Samuelsson, who was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings, could easily round out the top six lineup with his play, which was rather productive despite limited ice time.

Looking further down the depth chart has us looking at guys who are still trying to take their game up that extra notch. Kyle Wellwood showed a lot of promise after the lockout, but has settled into a third line role as his conditioning is constantly being called into question. Steve Bernier has the tools to be one of the best power forwards in the league, yet is still trying to figure out how to put it all together. The same applies to Mason Raymond and his aspirations to start playing on the top lines. Ironically, if the three of them can form up a line together, I bet they could be good for at least 40 points if not more.

The fourth unit looks properly fortified, as veteran checking center Ryan Johnson can pivot the agitating Rick Rypien or the enforcing Darcy Hordichuk. Jannik Hansen looks to factor into the teams plans, leaving an extra spot on the roster for the team to fortify with either a depth forward, free agent, or trade/waiver wire pick up of their choice.

Defense: Mattias Ohlund left the team, meaning that someone's going to have to step up as the new go-to guy. Enter Kevin Bieska, who looks poised to be that guy. Willie Mitchell and Sami Salo return and provide solid top-four level defense for the squad. Alexander Edler may be on the younger side, but his numbers justify him having the right to compete for a high pairing spot. Shane O'Brien is one of the toughest defensemen in the league, but he has to start avoiding the bonehead plays and bad penalties if he's going to be an asset to his club. The last two spots will be decided by the guys they have going into camp. Nathan McIver has the best odds of getting a spot, followed by Lawrence Nycholat, Aaron Rome, Nolan Baumgartner, and Michael Funk

Goaltending: When Roberto Luongo's your goaltender, you don't have to worry much because you have the best goaltender in the Western Conference, possibly the league. Andrew Raycroft will act as the backup, which is slightly unfortunate when you consider he was once a promising starter. Meanwhile, Cory Schneider will be working the minors, toiling away at putting his game together so that if one of those two guys go down, he can take over. I like how this looks.

Expectations: These guys will likely take their division and will be a strong playoff team. It depends on the advancement of their players, but they have a squad that commits to their system, so I have to like the direction that they're headed in.

Preseason Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Toronto Maple Leafs

Team M.O.: *Sigh* When I was a kid, I loved the Detroit jersey, but I was always jealous whenever Toronto came to town because their jersey was sweet. Same with the Minnesota North Stars.

Anyway, these guys were heading in the wrong direction until Brian Burke came along and started to manage the team the way he wanted to. He built the Canucks up to being a playoff team when he was their G.M. and delivered a Stanley Cup to the Anaheim Ducks his second year as an executive for the team. He didn't jettison everyone, but he's going to do his best to built a skilled offense, a strong defense, and have two solid netminders that can step in at moment's notice.

Last Season: Last in their division and 12th overall. Not exactly close to playoff contention. Looks like Toronto will draft high and make some aggressive moves during free agency...

Offense: The offense has the tools but they need one of their young centers and step up to take the first-line spot. Jason Blake and Alexei Ponikarovsky have been as productive as they can be on a non-playoff team, and that may fall on whether or not Matt Stajan has the ability to take his game up another notch or if Mikhail Grabovski can demonstrate the maturity on and off the ice to make him an effective top-line center. Lee Stempniak and Nikolai Kulemin have done admirably in the top-six winger role, but are going to want to step it up this season, especially if they want more bargaining power for when their contracts are up at the end of the season.

As far as the bottom-six goes, I like it, but it could stand to be better fortified, if even only slightly. Niklas Hagman can serve as a top-six winger in a pinch while John Mitchell has provided a creative two-way presence that can even get a few extra points for the team. Wayne Primeau, and Jamal Mayers are household names as far as third liners go, but Primeau needs to stay healthy and Mayers needs to find a bit more to his game. Colton Orr was brought over to police the team and was undoubtedly the most valuable enforcer available through the free agency season, so kudos to Toronto for picking him up. Now, the team has Ben Ondrus and Rickard Wallin as two veteran options that could fill out the lineup, but then there would still be an extra spot for another forward, it may not be wise to have youngsters Jiri Tlusty or Tyler Bozak filling that vacant spot. They have some cap space and should go after a checking-line forward who could fit in with the team. I like Blair Betts myself.

Defense: Brian Burke was absolutely aggressive in rebuilding the blue line and now has a defense that's as good as any other team's in the league. Mike Komisarek was lured away from Montreal and and will provide the team with a monstrous defensive presence. Francois Beauchemin was brought over to provide the team with a strong two-way offensive presence on the back end while Garnet Exelby was brought over to give the team that depth defenseman with the quintessential mean streak that makes a squad valuable.

What's more is Tomas Kaberle will be returning (despite persistent trade rumors) as one the team's best puck moving defenders. Ian White has proven that he can be use effectively in a top-six defender role and has earned a spot on the squad with his excellent work ethic. This leaves Mike Van Ryn, Jeff Finger, and Jonas Frogren to figure out who will be the guys that round out the Maple Leafs. It could be two of them or just one of them if the player they're building around makes the team out of camp...

... All of this seems to be for the youngster Luke Schenn. Burke has come out and said that every player was available but him. He's going to be entering his second year now, but needs to take the steps forward for a player who's essentially having a team built around him. That's a lot to ask for, but if Brian Burke sees that in you as a hockey player, you have the ability to play at that level, whether you realize it or not. It may seem like much, but if he's capable of it, what it will mean for Toronto could mean their first Cup in a generation.

Goaltending: Vesa Toskala may not have had the best individual numbers, but he either won or got the team to overtime more than he lost in regulation, so he really works out for a Number 1A goaltender at worst. The competition's going to be on for the second spot though. On one hand, Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson is signing on the team after an absolutely dominant season in the Swedish Elitserien. At the same time, Joey MacDonald put up some respectable individual numbers on a poor New York Islanders team. Expect the competition to be fierce.

Expectations: Burke really fortified the blueline, has an interesting goaltending situation on his hands, yet has a somewhat below-average group of forwards. The guys slotted for the top-six need to take a big step in their development while Burke should still acquire another bottom-six centerman. If that happens, the Leafs could make the playoffs. Otherwise, there are stronger teams in their conference that they'd have to constantly overcome to make that happen.

Preseason Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Tampa Bay Lightning

Team M.O.: This guys are in a transition state where they're a few pieces short of haivng a decent rebuild. In the past the squad was a finesse-based club that didn't have much toughness. It was fine when they were Stanley Cup Champions back in 2004/ But five years and an ownership fiasco later, they're starting to carve out a team that focuses more on being well-rounded.

Last Season: Second to last in the conference and in the league overall. This is the second poor finish they've had in two seasons and if it weren't for the Islanders, they would have finished last again. Oren Koules and Len Barrie co-owned and operated the team. The team brought on a whole slew of forwards in the off-season and didn't pay much attention to adding quality defensemen. As a result, their forwards didn't perform nearly as well as they could have while the defensive injuries mounted up to such a point that the Lightning roster had the dubious honor of having dressed the most NHL defensemen of any team in history. It didn't help when Mike Smith and Olaf Kolzig went down with injuries, leaving Karri Ramo (who retreated to Europe) and Mike McKenna (who projects to be a career minor leaguer) were left carrying the torch. They did get a high draft pick though, so let's see what the team looks like.

Offense: Vincent LeCavalier's no-trade clause kicked into effect and now he must reward the team with at least a point-per-game production while they get through this. Martin St. Louis, despite his small stature and the team's rebuilding process, has managed to remain one of the most dominant scoring wingers in the league. Steven Stamkos may not have been ready for the NHL last season, but he was still able to get production consistent for a second-liner so he may as well dig his heels in and go for the ride for his sophomore campaign. Ryan Malone did well during his final season in Pittsburgh, but he needs to prove that the Tampa Bay organization didn't overpay him when they gave him a contract for his services. After that though, the forward depth gets a little thin. They may lean on newly acquired Drew Miller to take a top-six spot on the team, but they'll definitely need someone else as well, so they better hope that they acquire someone in the likes of Alex Tanguay, Petr Sykora, or Maxim Afinogenov.

Their bottom-six depth though has a lot of contenders to fill those roles up fast. The newly acquired Stephane Veilleux will be expected to fortify the checking units while Steve Downie will likely graduate to the NHL this season... but has to avoid his antics if he wishes to avoid getting a suspension or demotion. The trio of Jeff Halpern, Adam Hall, and Ryan Craig will notch another year of experience playing a defensive role for the Lightning while newcomer Todd Fedoruk will provide the sandpaper and strong "team first" presence. Veterans like Brandon Bochenski or Zenon Konopka could round out the line up as could youngsters like Paul Szczechura or Martins Karsums (RFA).

Defense: The defense has improved on this team and could be a strong point for the group going forward. Mattias Ohlund was brought on-board to mentor new defenseman and second overall draft pick for 2009 Victor Hedman. Hedman himself will be looking to break into the league fast and bolster the Lightning blueline with his strong two-way play. Paul Ranger and Andrej Meszaros are two young and upcoming blueliners, but they'll each need to have a healthy season if the Lightning are to have any chance of success this season. Lukas Krajicek was a bright spot on the club last year and could potentially break into the top four should things not work out with the people they project on going in with. The last two defensive spots are up for grabs and expect competition to be fierce for it. The team has to chose from Kurtis Foster, Matt Smaby, Matt Walker, Matt Lashoff, and David Hale. Someone will emerge from that, though it's unlikely it will be Hale or Lashoff.

Goaltending: The goaltending is young and talented, but is far from being proven. Mike Smith has done excellent for both the Dallas Stars and the Tampa Bay Lightning, but concussion problems have given some serious doubt as to whether or not he'll be a capable NHL starter. Antero Niittymaki is great when he's on his game, but is more sup-bar when he isn't. I like it better than the goaltending tandem they went in with last season, but I'll like it better when they prove they can effectively platoon together.

Expectations: Given that they have a weak offense, an inexperienced defense, and an inconsistent goaltending tandem, I can't say these guys have a chance at making the playoffs. Instead I'll wait to see who they sign and how everyone develops before I can consider these guys a playoff team. Right now, it's just a bit too early.

Preseason Preview: St. Louis Blues

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the St. Louis Blues.

Team M.O.: This is a team where a few guys are expected to contribute more than the rest, but everyone by and large scores by committee. Coach Andy Murray leaned into a few players, maybe a bit harder than he should have, but he did it because he saw overwhelming potential in them and found a way to get them to extract it. They're a smaller fish in the pond that is the Central Division, but they showed they have just as much fight as anyone else.

Last Season: The Blues were the Cinderella team of the season, going from supposed basement dwellers to grabbing the sixth seed in the playoffs. Murray applied the pressure and guys who responded (like David Perron) made the team better while guys who moped (like Manny Legace) were banished to the minors and never seen again. They're looking to keep the positive vibes up so that a healthy Paul Kariya and Erik Johnson can step in and make this team even more dominant.

Offense: Paul Kariya and Andy McDonald, who were teammates for the then Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, are providing the Blues with the kind of offense they had in Anaheim and would be absurd if they could stay healthy. Brad Boyes had a career season in point production last year and would be an elite winger if he could tighten up his defensive play. Young guys like Perron, David Backes, Patrik Berglund, and T.J. Oshie were leaned into in order to provide scoring and they were definitely up to the challenge. Keith Tkachuk is 37 yet provides another scoring score, not to mention serious leadership and toughness. The rest of their depth is very respectable. Alexander Steen, B.J. Crombeen, and Jay McClement should provide strong third-line or checking presence and should be fortified with either agitator Cam Janssen, checker Brad Winchester, or enforcer D.J. King. Put it all together and the Blues' offense is as competitive as any other team in the league.

Defense: The defense on this team looks legitimate, but needs to clear the injury issues that have affected it and subsequently their performance. Eric Brewer appeared in 28 games before missing the rest of the season and playoffs due to back surgery. Erik Johnson, who had a promising rookie campaign, missed the entire season, including the playoffs, due to an accident involving a golf cart and may need some time getting his game back when the season begins. Barret Jackman provides the team with a top-four defensive presence, but he doesn't seem as aggressive as he used to. Roman Polak, however took some serious steps forward last year and has earned a right to play with the big club while Carlo Colaiacovo seemed to avoid the injury bug for the first time, coincidentally enough playing with an entirely different team after being traded away by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team seems set to have Brendan Bell, Steven Wagner, and Mike Weaver battle it out for the final two spots, though it's not unheard of to think that Alex Pietrangelo could steal a spot from that trio if he himself has an excellent camp.

Goaltending: The goaltending on this team isn't so much as spectacular as it is just deep overall. Chris Mason took over the starting role from Manny Legace and has demonstrated the maturity to act effectively in a goaltending tandem. He's going to get a partner of similar talent and mindset in the newly-signed Ty Conklin, who left the Detroit Red Wings after putting up some excellent numbers in the regular season. However, Hannu Toivonen decided to come back to the system and Ben Bishop's been making noise himself. So if if the elder goaltenders should falter, expect these guys to do everything possible to kick the door down and be impossible to send down.

Expectations: I like the offense and goaltending alot, but I'm not entirely sold on the defense. These guys could do it again, but they're going to have to battle at maximum capacity to make that possible. Can they do it again?

Preseason Preview: San Jose Sharks

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the San Jose Sharks.

Team M.O.: This is a team that's build to blend finesse and toughness along with a balanced team to go out and win games. There's a lot to like about the Sharks and from top to bottom, they can be a team to be dealt with...

Last Season: ... but they aren't impervious. After winning the President's Trophy for the 2008-03 season, they were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinals by the Anaheim Ducks. A few players were let go at season's end and Coach Todd McLellan made the decision to remove the captaincy from Patrick Marleau and instead have the players battle for it in camp. Hopefully that fares well with the rest of the group, including Marleau.

Offense: Joe Thornton may be the most dominant center in the Western Conference while Marleau rebounded from a disappointing season. The team benefited from Ryan Clowe's emergence as one of the better power forwards in the league along with Milan Michalek's efforts to generate excellent secondary scoring. Devin Setoguchi and Joe Pavelski continued their development upward and provided San Jose with firepower when their first-unit guys may have had an off night.
Their bottom six, however, isn't as impressive. Jonathan Cheecho was a promising top-six forward who's lack of production has forced him to try and adapt to a depth role, something he hasn't done entirely well. Torrey Mitchel missed all of last season and was a non-factor in the playoffs, so he may need a minute to catch up with the speed of the game. The team did well to add agitator Scott Nichol to go along with enforcer Jody Shelley, but Shelley hasn't exactly been on the winning side of a lot of fights lately. The rest of the squad are prospects and fringe players, and San Jose will have to make due with that unless they can make a trade due to cap issues.

Defense: I'm willing to bet these guys have the most expensive defensive squad in the NHL but you know what, they're all great at what they do. The team traded for Dan Boyle and in turn he's provided the team with top-pairing defensive scoring. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is a young budding defensemen who more than doubled his point total from the year before under McLellan's system. Rob Blake might be up there in age, but he can still fill a top-four role and leadership. Christian Ehrhoff is an excellent power play quarterback who's worth giving top four minutes, but he really needs to tighten up his defensive play a bit more. Douglas Murray has unfortunately turned down the aggression a bit, but he still provides the team with an excellent defensive presence. Kent Huskins seemed to rebound from his foot injury with giving San Jose a performance that was so impressive they rewarded him with a two-year deal to play for them. Brad Lukowich seems like a viable option to pick up the remaining games. Some prospects might get calls up if injuries persist, but they have enough established presence to deal with that.

Goaltending: Evgeni Nabokov is one of the best goaltenders in the league, but I always worry about if he can provide solid and consistent goaltending for the duration of the season without it being interrupted by injuries or slumps in his play. The team's going to go with Thomas Greiss as the backup and while he's been steady in the AHL, he hasn't exactly dominated the league. Due to cap issues, however, the team cannot afford to bring in an experienced backup. Henrik Karlsson is coming over from Sweden, most certainly on a two-way agreement, and will probably challenge Greiss for that backup spot. Alex Stalock signed a contract too in the offseason, but you can expect him to go to the minors out of camp.

Expectations: They aren't as good as they were a season ago but they're still a legitimate team if they remain healthy. If the injury bug affects the wrong people, though, they may suffer a season similar to what the Dallas Stars suffered during the past season.

Preseason Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Team M.O.: These guys have a sound team that uses their offensive attack to dominate contests between opponents. They've also build a pretty good defensive system to go along with their firepower. All and all, the Penguins are a very well balanced team that when injected with intelligence and grit provides wonderful results.

Last Season: They won it all last season and hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time since the 1990's. That's a pretty impressive effort considering that the team was 10th in their conference earlier in the season. But GM Ray Shero added Dan Bylsma as the new coach and some sandpaper in the form of Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin through trades. There have been a few off-season departures, so the weight of the team will have to be carried by their young stars.

Offense: Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are the two top forwards on the team and two of the top forwards in the league so there's nothing else I can say that hasn't been said already. As alluded to earlier, Guerin and Kunitz have given the team two top-six forwards who can keep the opposition honest. Ruslan Fedotenko will no doubt have a spot on one of those lines while Jordan Staal may be asked to play on one of the top lines due to his skills. Maxime Talbot, Matt Cooke, Tyler Kennedy, Craig Adams, Pascal Dupuis, and newcomer Michael Rupp are as good of a bottom-six as you're gonna get while Eric Godard provides the fisticuffs as the enforcer. That leaves the spot that will either be filled with a newcomer or a reserve. Overall, I'd say their offense is not just looking complete, but completely spectacular.

Defense: The defense isn't spectacular as the offense, but is definitely good enough to support the ice between the red line and the crease. Sergei Gonchar and his team are hoping he can stay injury free for the whole season, as his production was missed when he was gone. Kristopher Letang is building off of a career season for him and could emerge as a top defender in his own right. Brooks Oprik and Mark Eaton bring a strong defensive presence that is now fortified with the signing of veteran Jay McKee and the permanent graduation of Alex Goligoski out of the minors. Ben Lovejoy and Nate Guenin will likely compete or the seventh spot as the roster might be too tight financially to bring in anyone else.

Goaltending: The goaltending on this team as a whole is pretty good. Marc-Andre Fleury is starting to develop poise and security, which is bad news for the rest of the league because he'll be near unstoppable as a result. Brent Johnson was brought in to be his backup after an injury interrupted in what was his best year since the lockout. If these guys falter, then Jon Curry will be there to challenge for the playing time. Great depth!

Expectations: I admit that I like the Flyers and Boston as a whole for the championship, but there's no way that I can discredit the Penguins, especially now that they have one of the smartest men in hockey behind the bench. They'll need to play as tough as ever though, as the Stanley Cup Hangover can be a very rude bitch the next morning...

Preseason Preview: Phoenix Coyotes

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Phoenix Coyotes.

Team M.O.: These guys like to be a run-and-gun team that features an abundance of Western Canadian, American, and Czech presence. However, they haven't necessarily been the most complete hockey team, so they'll need to be as well rounded as possible and work as a group in order to find success for the upcoming season. Their trade-deadline activity and off-season acquisitions have built a team that's more likely to bring their vision to light and is one of the better Phoenix squads to take the ice in the past few seasons.

Last Season: 13th in the Conference and well out of the playoffs. This was a staggering disappointment, as the Coyotes were in 5th place at the All-Star game when their rookies ran out of gas and injuries took a toll on the veterans. Throw in the off-ice fiasco involving the team's possible relocation to Hamilton and it's put a set on handcuffs on G.M. Don Maloney, not to mention leaving many questions about who the coach will be, if there will be a TV deal, will they make the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons, will they get a player to put them over the top, etc, etc, etc.

(... and then people ask why Phoenix isn't a successful hockey market... )

Offense: The forward position is balanced, but may still rely on more youth than it should. Shane Doan is the undisputed leader of this team and has managed to not only get better as a player but has also become one of the best active captains in the NHL. If he can stay Chris Chelios healthy, he could be around for a good line time. Peter Mueller went and lost a bunch of weight, worked on his skating, and recovered from a concussion to compete for the first line center position. Martin Hanzal will be trying to push forward too, but he can't get all down when he doesn't get to play the minutes he wants. Radim Vrbata, the team's prodigal son, came back and will provide the spark it missed after he left. The trio of Scottie Upshall, Petr Prucha, and Matthew Lombardi are all going to be anxious to prove how much they're worth to the new owner and should provide the team with a great deal of scoring presence. Mikael Boedker showed some top-flight before limping his way to the end of season while Viktor Tikhonov is emerging as a great defensive presence...

... in fact, he's so good defensively that scored a goal after taking a penalty before the penalty was called on him without a stop in play! Don't believe me do you?



That happened and there was a decent crowd at Phoenix's arena. Eat it!

With their top nine forwards figured out, they're looking at the remaining five forward spots and plugging them in. Vernon Fiddler will provide an energy presence who can play sound defense and win faceoffs. Lauri Korpikoski replaces Enver Lisin as the speedy offensive specialist, and Daniel Winnik will return in his role as a grinding winger. The team has signed enforcer Aaron Downey to a profesional tryout and should make it out of camp with an NHL contract. That leaves one open forward spot. The team could put Kyle Turris there, but I think the general consensus is that it would be better for him to star in San Antonio before starring for the Coyotes. The team could put Joel Perrault in that role, and they might if no one else shows up for the ball. I think it all depends as to whether or not the Coyotes are able to bring someone else to the squad for their top-six lineup. If they go out and get another top-six forward before the start of the season (which they should), it will have a benefit that will spread throughout the team and take their development up another notch. If not, then this group is, at worst, a group of adaquate forwards who are capable of getting the job done.

Defense: The defense on this team is surprisingly solid and well fortified, especially if they do adpot the run-and-gun style for their defenders too. Ed Jovanovski is a scoring machine but needs to start being as good at defense as he is at offense. Zybenk Michalek, on the other hand, as quietly become the team's most valuable defensemen, leading the entire league in blocked shots. The team lost quite a bit of games when Kurt Sauer was out of the line up, showing that his defensive presence is important enough to warrant a top-four role. The team acquired Adrian Aucoin to shore up one of the top pairings, as they will hope he can provide his veteran experience and booming slap shot to win games. Keith Yandle is starting to knock on the door for a top four role, but needs to tighten up his defensive play before that's possible. Jim Vandermeer gives the Coyotes a solid defensive defenseman who has the mean streak teams crave for that possition. The team could go with one of their younger players like Sami Lepisto or David Schlemko for that seventh role, but the team would do well to go after another player for that position. If Mathieu Dandenault was interested in the Coyotes that would be a sound pickup. If not, maybe they should invite some defensemen with NHL experience to camp and see who between them and the prospects get that last spot.

Goaltending: For as deep as the goaltending is on this team, it's still questionable. Ilya Bryzgalov is a great goaltender, so why does he lose concentration so hard for? Jason Labarbara has worked in a Number 1/1A goaltending system before, but will be be able to properly push Bryzgalov for playing time? Al Montoya did exceptional in his audition last season with the Coyotes, so can he put together in the minors first? Josh Tordjman can win at the minor level, but can he figure out how to build the size and confidence necessary to win at an NHL level? Grant Fuhr, it's on you to get it working.

Expectations: Some analysts are letting the bankruptcy situation speak for how the team will perform on ice and that's nonsense. At the end of the day, the team itself is one that's few tweaks away from being one of the better teams in the league. They're adequate and competitive as they are provided they play hard each and every night. But if the Coyotes got another top-six forward for the season, a depth defender on a short contract, and a new coaching staff, then these guys will explode... and the fans will come following.

Preseason Preview: Philadelphia Flyers

We're heading down the stretch as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Team M.O.: The Broad Street Bullies are back and in full-force, as the Flyers are going to put the angriest and toughest team in the NHL on the ice this season. Everyone on this team is either skilled, tough, or many instances both and their off-season acquisitions have literally made them the toughest team in recent history, and that even includes the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks. I mean, even the Flyers' new goaltender is one of the better fighters in the league. I guess I'd be angry too though if the guys on the other side of the state are partying with the Stanley Cup though, so it's hard to blame them.

In short, these guys are pissed off.

Last Season: The Battle of Philidelphia came early this season and much like last time, the Flyers lost out to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While it was a tight series, maybe Danny Carcillo shouldn't have fought Maxime Talbot when he did; that seemed to piss off the Penguins worse than the Flyers. They're going to hope that their off-season acquisitions are "the piece" to their puzzle while relying on a few of the other players to step up their game a bit. They sure got enough guys with a pissed-off attitude though.

Offense: These guys are lead by Mike Richards, who's pissed off and so skilled at all aspects at all ends of the game (including fighting) that he may as well have been born in a Flyers jersey. Jeff Carter, however, was pissed off by the attention Richards was getting and decided to take the largest step forward of anyone on the team and surprised everyone in the league by getting 84 points. Scott Hartnell's another pissed off first liner that's emerging as one of the leagues best power forwards. Simon Gagne isn't as pissed off as those guys, but his 74 points last season sure pissed off the competition. Daniel Briere's pissed that he's injured all the time, because he can still hit a point per game or close to it. Claude Giroux isn't pissed anymore now that Joffrey Lupul's gone, but he's going to act like he is so he can get into the top-six forward role.

But the best has yet to come. Do you think that their group of top-six forwards look good? Their bottom six will beat the $#!+ outta you. Ian Laperriere brings a pissed off veteran presense and should gel well with the other French dudes on the team. If you look up the picture of pissed off in the dictionary, there's Daniel Carcillo who's led the league in PIM for two consecutive seasons. Arron Asham doesn't have to be pissed off, but he's good at it so hey, why not? Riley Cote stays pissed off and that's what keeps him in the game, on the team, and in the league so mega-kudos to you sir. They should be able to fill out the rest of the spots through either promoting some of their younger players (like Jonathon Kalinski or Andreas Nodl) if they don't chose to fill it out with established players (like Darroll Powe). Either way, they should be set.

Defense: Maintaining the pissed-off theme, the Flyers traded for Chris Pronger and have them as not only their top defender, but also an experienced leader who should be nothing but beneficial for a Flyers defense on the verge of putting it all together. Braydon Coburn can be pissed off in games but it may not hurt to embrace that a bit more. Kimmo Timonen isn't as pissed but really doesn't have to be when he works the power play the way he does. Ryan Parent, Matt Carle, and Randy Jones leave the pissed-off antics to everyone else because they're just glad they found a good home in Philadelphia. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen is not only pissed off that Columbus gave up on him, but that he was injured most of last season and wants to use his Norwegian toughness to pound on those pussy Finns and Swedes. The Flyers made a great signing when he became available and have now completed rounded out their wheel of a defensive unit. Good for the Flyers.

Goaltending: Ray Emery was pissed-off in Ottawa because they were a bunch of tight-ass traditionalists who didn't appreciate Ray's cosmopolitan flavors in life. He was pissed-off when he left the NHL and was pissed that trainers try to make players wear their silly little hats. Philidelphia saw this and were like " :-) " and decided to bring him in. Brian Boucher comes back to the Flyers organization for a third time and maybe needs to embrace his inner pissed-offness if he's going to start goaltending the way he has the potential to.

Expectations: I think they've got the best chance to win the Cup this season. Things can always happen but looking at the other teams in the league so far, I really like how these guys are built.

Preseason Preview: Ottawa Senators

We've got 10 teams left folks as it's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Ottawa Senators.

Team M.O.: The Sens emerged from being a defense-first team in the pre-lockout days to a finesse team in the post lockout days with a declining degree of results. After making it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, the Sens haven't been able to regain the stride that got them there. The team seems to be one of the better supported squads, though, so a rebound isn't out of the question.

Last Season: The team finished 11th in the conference and out of the playoffs. A decline in offensive contribution (largely due to how top-heavy their first line was in comparison to their other lines) and an uncertain goaltending situation proved to be too much for the team to overcome. The coach Craig Hartsberg was replaced with Cory Clouston and goaltenders Martin Gerber and Alex Auld were let go through waivers and free agency respectively to promote Brian Elliott and trade for Pascal LeClaire. All would be well if it were for the 13,000 lb elephant in the dressing room in Dany Heatley, who made a trade request that somehow went public. When you're given a NTC and then you ask for a trade, should the NTC even be allowed to be in effect at that point?

Offense: Well, Spezza and Alfredsson are still around, and both are two of the better forwards in the league. Alex Kovalev was acquired in the off-season and will provide a first line presence should Heatley be moved before the season begins. Who knows, maybe Heatley can work it out with the team and give them four legitimate forwards to compete for the top line spot, but I think most signs point to him getting outta there. After that trio (or quartet if Heatley stays) the forwards all look like third unit, checking unit, or energy line players, leaving secondary scoring in a real dangerous position. Mike Fisher is going to have to rebound after last season's point decline, Nick Foligno has to take big steps forward in his game, and the Senators need another top-six forward if they're to have any hope in making secondary scoring possible. Their bottom six forward though are filled with legitimate role players (like Chris Neil as the enforcer and Jarkko Ruutu as the agitator who might be hated worse than Avery) and a strong youth movement, but a veteran presence on the lower lines to go along with Shean Donovan would help keep things stable for this team.

Defense: The defense on this team isn't extraordinary, but it's certainly competent. Filip Kuba did well for the Sens last season while Chris Phillips did better offensively at the sacrifice of his defensive game. Anton Volchenkov and Brian Lee would make for a good second pairing but would do a lot better if they could remain healthy. Jason Smith and Chris Campoli make for a good third-pairing of specialists while Alexandre R. Picard can pick up the games no one else can get into. Like I said, it's not glamorous, but it's adequate and it should work for them.

Goaltending: The goaltending looks promising on this team, it just needs to live up to the hype. Both LeClaire and Elliott have the tools to be starters, but LeClaire needs to avoid the injury bug for once while Elliott's still relatively young for a goaltender. If they can platoon well together, they'll be fine.

Expectations: I need to see what these guys do with the Heatley situation. As it stands now, a healthy and hardworking Senators team can make the playoffs, but it's over for them if or when injuries occur or when guys start taking nights off. They don't have enough natural talent to get there yet so they'll need to compete to make it happen.

Preseason Preview: New York Rangers

It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the New York Rangers.

Team M.O.: These guys like to be a complete team that has the best player for every role. Their scoring lines and defensive pairings are balanced, their starting goaltender is the best at being a starting goaltender, they've got the best agitator in the league and have one of the best, though definitely aging, enforcers in the league. The problem is often related to chemistry, player maintenance, and whether or not the players can accept and excel in their roles.

Last Season: They took the Capitals to seven games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals before being eliminated. They lost the series because they couldn't keep their emotions in line and they'll need to harness that energy better if they're to even think of the playoffs this season.

Offense: Marion Gaborik left the Minnesota Wild to provide the team with a first line winger who's talented yet extremely fragile. The group of Chris Drury, Christopher Higgins, Ryan Callahan, Vaclav Prospal, Ales Kotalik, and Brandon Dubinsky (still an RFA at this time) should be able to score by committee. Sean Avery may be tabbed as a third liner, but he could breakout into a scoring role if he can find consistency with his offensive game. The team added Don Brashear after Colton Orr left for Toronto. The team doesn't have a whole lot of proven NHL depth beyond that, but they'll probably have to settle on using unpolished players like the newly acquired Enver Lisin to fill out the roster spots due to their cap issues.

Defense: The top-four defensemen on this squad have the tools to be dominant but need to put it together. While this especially holds true for Wade Redden, neither Marc Staal, Michael Rosival, or Dan Girardi were able to finish with a positive plus/minus rating. Two of the remaining three spots will likely be filled by a rookie power play specialist and rookie depth defender, so they should take the third spot and give it to Chris Chelios if he'll do it for the minimum (dude, you'll be 48 when the season's done, just take it.)

Goaltending: Hendrik Lundqvist may be temperamental at times, but he loves his team and will throw them on his back if it will lead them to victory. Stephen Valiquette has finally established himself as an NHL backup and is doing well in that role. The goaltending is as good as it's gonna get for the Rangers and they have a solid prospect in Matt Zaba should something happen to these guys.

Expectations: On paper without injuries this looks like a playoff team. If they have to go through any serious adversity though, particularly with Lundqvist, this will not be a good season for them.

Preseason Preview: New York Islanders

It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the New York Islanders.

Team M.O.: They're a team built around their goaltender Rick DiPietro where everyone's expected to score by committee. However, they've lacked the collective talent recently due to being in a rebuilding stage so things haven't exactly gone the best for them. These guys haven't been properly managed since the early 90's and have gone from a dynasty in the early 80's to making only five playoff appearances since the 1993–94 season, and each of those series ended in the conference quarterfinals!

Last Season: They won the John Tavares sweepstakes by ending up with the worst record overall last season. It doesn't get lower than that.

Offense: Tavares will be expected to make the jump from junior to NHL. Talk about pressure. The team has a core of young forwards that include Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau, Jeff Tambellini, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen, and Sean Bergenheim. While they took steps forward in their development this season, they're still are a ways off from fulfilling what's expected of them. The secondary scoring provided by Trent Hunter and Doug Weight is increasingly injury-prone, leaving the group of young forwards without much veteran guidance (castoffs Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin didn't do for the Islanders what they're capable of doing on better teams.) Richard Park is surprisingly good at his role, being a checking forward who's good for 30 points, while Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman are settling into fourth line forwards. The team could use reinforcements all around but will probably commit to playing as many of their youngsters as possible, so they'd do well to at a top-six forward and a bottom-six enforcer forward.

Defense: The defense is an NHL defense, but is more fortified with bottom-pairing and utility players as opposed to having two solid top-pairings. Nevertheless, Mark Streit was the strongest player on the team this year and lead the team in point production with 56 points. Bruno Gervais was effective when in the lineup but watched his stats suffer like most defensemen on a rebuilding team. Brendan Witt was, flat out, a disappointment last season. The rest of the defenders were alright, but none of them stand out as being guys you'd want on your top pairings (Andy Sutton was effective when in the lineup, but is he capable of supplying that kind of quality defense the team needs? ) I think the team needs to get a top four defender to even have hope for a decent season.

Goaltending: Goaltending on this team, however, is incredibly deep. DiPietro is still considered the starter, but G.M. Garth Snow went out and signed both Dwayne Roloson and Marty Biron to form a platoon until DiPietro gets back and healthy. They have these gaps in their offense and defense yet somehow their goaltending features not one, not two, but three proven starting goaltenders. Unbelievable.

Expectations: Goaltending can't win everything, and while it would be nice to think that Tavares will immediately join the team and make them contenders again, I have a feeling the team won't acquire the guys necessary to even make the squad remotely competitive. I think they'll finish out of the postseason and will start making noise during their 2010-11 campaign.

Preseason Preview: New Jersey Devils

It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the New Jersey Devils.

Team M.O.: This team's built around their goaltender Martin Brodeur and he's one of the best puck moving goaltenders in the history of the NHL. They're also the perfectors of the neutral-zone trap which may bore those who prefer offensive, but get the job done if effectively applied. Their stingy defense was able to win them three cups between 1995-2003 while remaining relevant since the lockout.

Last Season: Sometimes there's surprise upsets and last season, that's what best describes New Jersey's series loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. They're going to be taking the upcoming season very seriously despite losing a few components that were key in last seasons success.

Offense: Their production took a hit with Brian Gionta leaving for the Canadiens, but the team still has an excellent forwards in Zach Parise and Patrik Elias. Further, Travis Zajac is taking huge leaps in his development and production while Jamie Langenbrunner, Dainius Zubrus, and a healthy Brian Rolston can provide some solid secondary scoring. Veteran forward Brendan Shanahan will provide leadership while likely working on a third line with Jay Pandolfo David Clarkston. While this team can use Rob Davison as their forward and utility enforcer and promote Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond to the team from the minors, these guys are still a depth forward or two short to go without having to lean on their younger guys to get into new roles. It may not be a bad idea to have a veteran faceoff specialist or another solid checker to add before the season starts.

Defense: Paul Martin and Johnny Oduya have been absolutely solid in the Devil's system. Colin White provides a solid top four presence while Bryce Salvador, Mike Mottan, and Andy Greene make good for the bottom-pairings and specialists. Another NHL defenseman couldn't hurt, but they may have to make lemonade from lemons and hope it does well.

Goaltending: Martin Brodeur's getting older, but like Lidstrom seems to keep it together with age. Yann Danis is getting a chance at a regular NHL job for the first time after appearing in 31 games last season with the Islanders. They may do well to find a depth goaltender for next season, though it probably won't be Kevin Weekes.

Expectations: When there's a will, there's a way. New Jersey should at least make the playoffs for the upcoming season based on how well-run of an organization they are. Nevertheless, the Devils fans should hope they have enough to put them over the top. Otherwise, the golf clubs may be coming out earlier than normal this season.

Preseason Preview: Nashville Predators

It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Nashville Predators.

Team M.O.: Denfensive-minded and industrious, the team has been lead by G.M. David Poile and Coach Barry Trotz since their inception. They've battled ownership issues but have usually been able to compile a competitive squad on a limited amount of funds. They're in the Central Division though, so a limited budget is hurting a whole lot more than it used to.

Last Season: They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004 last season. They did respectably well but were in such a deep division in the league that the four other teams in the division were the ones who made it to the playoffs because it's seldom, if ever, when all five teams in one division to make the playoffs.

Offense: Well, they aren't too deep as far as NHL-proven top-six forwards go, so they'll probably have to rely on their younger talent to round out the roster spots left open by various departures. Jason Arnott, J.P. Dumont, and Martin Erat are legitimate top-six forwards, but I don't think they scare anyone as a first-line option. With David Legwand centering the second line, they'll need Ryan Jones to step up his game for that role while praying that Steve Sullivan remains injury free. Going deeper into the depth chart, we see industrious players like Joel Ward, Jerred Smithson, premiere agitator Jordin Tootoo, and utility enforcer Wade Belak get an excellent compliment with the newly acquired Ben Guite and Marcel Goc. Patric Hornqvist has probably graduated to the team by default, so the team may do well to invite a bottom-six forward to training camp to compete with some of the younger guys for that last spot. I'd sign another top-six forward if I were the team, but I don't think they have the option to do that.

Defense: The Preds have an excellent top-pairing of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, both of whom are excellent in all aspects of the defense position (Weber gets the slight not because he has more of mean streak.) However, they need to get a second-pairing defenseman to pair with Dan Hamhuis and a third pairing defender to pair with Kevin Klein. This is even considerate of having Alexander Sulzer graduate to the big club this season. That said, they should look for guys like Mathieu Dandenault and Dennis Seindenberg, both of whom could be had for an affordable price, to help round out the wholes in the defense. I think they may wait to see who hits the waivers until they round it out entirely. Who knows, Andy Delmore may return to Nashville via waivers from Detroit this season.

Goaltending: Pekka Rinne did what every Nashville goalie has done before him and that's take the starting job away from the incumbent. Dan Ellis had a great season two years ago, but someone figured out that he struggles with long shots, which is probably the biggest reason he had a pedestrian season last year. These guys are good as the team's goatenders though, and if anything, should look for a veteran minor goalie to shore up with Mark Dekanich.

Expectations: This team has a heart of gold, but there's too many holes in the team overall that will allow them to withstand injury without it becoming a major issue for the club's success. Unless they get better fortified by camp, I don't expect them to make the playoffs this season.

Preseason Preview: Montreal Canadiens

Whoa! Halfway there! It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Montreal Canadiens.

Team M.O.: The Canadiens like to ice a balanced team that is complete by design. Their top-six produce, their bottom-six has character guys, the defense is versatile and the goaltenders are skilled. They're also by and large incredibly young, though there were some off-season changes made to help correct that.

Last Season: While the expectations were high for their Centennial season, the Canadiens literally crawled over the finish line for the last playoff spot in the East last season (their overall record of 41-30-11 for 93 points was tied with the Florida Panthers; it was the Canadiens' 247 goals to the Panthers' 234 that put them over the top.) It didn't get better in the post-season, as they were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which ended with goaltender Carey Price giving the Canadiens fans a mock salute as they jeered him in the stands. That's not the image you want to have capping your Centennial season, but I also feel that the Canadiens fans deserved it, too.

Offense: They've got the mullet offense going on: small in the front, big in the back. The guys who are tentatively set to be the team's top three forwards are Scott Gomez (billed at 5'11" with sources saying that's "generous"), Mike Cammalleri (5'9"), and Brian Gionta (5'7"). All the while, physical dudes like Travis Moen and Georges Laraque will provide the opposition with a high level of intimidation. The rest of the roster starts to look a big more fortified in the middle, and I'm thinking that Tomas Plekanec, Guillaume Latendresse, and Andrei Kostitsyn will comprise the second level while all of the young players, including Sergei Kostitsyn, will develop their game around veteran forward Glen Metropolit. To me, its not a matter of the team needing to sign anyone else but for them to act like big boys and take that step forward. Hopefully the new components can make that possible.

Defense: Andrei Markov is one of the best defenders in the league yet for this year, Roman Hamrlik will be the only familiar face in their top five defenders, as the team went out and acquired Jaroslav Spacek, Paul Mara, and Hall Gill for those spots. However, Josh Gorges is developing at an excellent level and Ryan O'Byrne can come out of this as a number seven option, so as I said earlier, they just need to take their game to the next level.

Goaltending: The only problem with the Carey Price/Jaroslav Halak tandem is that they anointed Price the starter when Halak is just as capable. What ended up happening was disruptive to both players. I say let them platoon it out like good teammates, let them start 35 games a piece, and let the guy with the better results get the other games. Throw in Curtis Sanford as a solid Number 3 option and you've got something that doesn't need to take their game to the next level as they just need better management.

Expectations: It's on Jacques Martin to get these guys to work right. If the team fails and the players aren't out closing the bar every night of the week, then coaching is the issue. Luckily, this is a pretty talented team so if they're managed right, they can get back to the form they showed two seasons ago.

Preseason Preview: Minnesota Wild

It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Minnesota Wild.

Team M.O.: Historically speaking, this is a team that's played a solid defensive game and showed a high-level of commitment to the players they've drafted since their inception. How committed? 8 out of 10 of their first round draft picks are still in the system; the exceptions being Marian Gaborik (who left because the N.Y. Rangers offered more money) and A.J. Thelen (who was last playing AA-level minor hockey in the ECHL.) However, that all might change soon...

Last Season: ... the team made ninth place in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs by 3 points. At the end of the season, Coach Jacques Lemaire resigned, GM Doug Risebrough was fired, and Marian Gaborik left the only team he's ever known. Owner Craig Leiopold tapped into Pittsburgh's talent bang, obtaining Chuck Fletcher as the G.M. and Todd Richards as the head coach. Martin Havlat, who was butt-hurt over Chicago re-signing Marian Hossa, moved to Minnesota to take over for Marian Gaborik.

Offense: Havlat, Mikko Koivu, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard are each solid offensive contributors and are still tapping into their prime. Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan may night be tapping into their prime any longer, but they're still talented and provide good guidance for a team that's young overall. Antti Miettinen, Kyle Brodziak, and Eric Belanger provide a solid checking presence while Cal Clutterbuck has proven that he hits anything that moves (he lead the NHL in hits last season. Pretty impressive for a rookie.) Oh, and lest we forget, Derek Boogaard is the resident enforcer on the team. This team may want another top-six forward and another checking-line forward, but this team may also want to see James Sheppard and Benoit Pouliot grab those spots instead, so they may want to make some invites to camp. They can put a group of 12 NHL forwards together with what they have, but their forward depth is relatively average.

Defense: The defense is pretty balanced on this squad and IMO only needs a minor tweaking. Brent Burns battled injuries this season but is still a talented young player while a whole lotta upside. Kim Johnsson and Marek Zidlicky were very productive for the team on offense, but still ended up on the minus side of the plus/minus which kinda contracts what playing defense is about. Nick Schultz took a slight step back but still has potential to become a defensive minded top-4, if not top-pairing, defender. With Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy rounding up the bottom pairing, the team may look to find a gritty defenseman who's not afraid to mix the mitts, bur I think they'll choose to get a puck-moving defender instead.

Goaltending: Their goaltending is excellent and will allow them to pull a trade later on in the season if they wished to do so. Niklas Backstrom was excellent for the team last season. Josh Harding was good too, but for whatever reason the team couldn't win in front of him. Wade Dubielewicz was brought in and while he will remain third on the depth chart and at worst will be a solid insurance policy should something else happen to the other two. At best, he'll be the backup if someone is moved.

Expectations: I like them. Tab me down as someone who thinks they have the chance to end up in one of the top spots in the division and make the playoffs this season.

Preseason Preview: Los Angeles Kings

It's time for another Preseason Preview. This is where we check out the teams going into the season.

Now, the Los Angeles Kings.

Team M.O.: Young and scrappy, the L.A. Kings have been trying to find a direction for a few seasons now since they've been playoff-less since the 2001-02 season. They had the misfortune of acquiring the wrong players to try and carry the load (like Dan Cloutier) but with their top-end prospects becoming solid NHL players and many surprise revelations with their depth prospects, these guys might make some serious noise this season.

Last Season: Last in the division and second last in the conference, a lot of their young offensive players took something of a step back last season. Yet with Jonathan Quick showing the ability to lead a goaltending platoon with Erik Ersberg, the Kings have something to hope for.

Offense: As I alluded to earlier, Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, and Dustin Brown all took a productive step in the wrong direction last season, so they'll need to prove that it was merely a setback due to maturing at the NHL level. Ryan Smyth was brought in through trade and should provide a solid second-line presense along with Jarret Stoll and Michal Hanzus. Wayne Simmonds emerged as a solid checking option while Ratis Ivanans will continue to police the team while getting into as many games as possible. The team could do well from a top-six perspective, so they may wish to add some checking presence before the team so they don't have to lean so much on their emerging forwards to handle that.

Defense: This group of defenders may be some of the youngest playing at the NHL level. Drew Doughty compiled 21 points in his rookie season while Jack Johnson scored 11 points in 46 games (the same total he had in 71 games the prior season) showing promise of maturing despite missing close to half the season with a shoulder surgery. The team acquired Rob Scuderi through free agency so expect he and Sean O'Donnell to provide a solid defensive presence on the blue line. Now O'Donnell might not be as aggressive as he was last season, but that's not a problem with Matt Greene around. The team could use another NHL defender (maybe two) to tack onto their squad, especially now that Kyle Quincey is gone and that everyone else on the depth chart still has rookie eligibility. Marc-Andre Bergeron still needs a job, but Mathieu Schneider might take a discount to play at home. We'll see.

Goaltending: While all the hockey analysts were swooning over Kings prospect Jonathan Bernier, Jonathan Quick and Erik Ersberg have come out of almost no where to provide the team with goaltending so solid that they waived veteran Jason Labarbara to keep that tandem together. They're efficient, young, and dangerous. L.A. fans need to hope that they can continue to evolve and cooperate in a tandem to provide the team with the optimum result.

Expectations: The team needs at least another NHL defender to even be considered a threat in the division, let alone the conference. If they manage to grab one though, these guys need to see the situation of Dallas and San Jose (who's stock could be falling) and the Coyotes' situation and capitalize on it each and every game so they can make it to the playoffs. Otherwise, they're going to have another early season, leaving the fans in L.A. further disenfranchised.

Preseason Preview: Florida Panthers

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Flordia Panthers

Team M.O.: The team's been focused on a defense-first system that forces the other team to take shots that are easy to field, but now that the team's looking for a new GM the M.O. is likely to change. Lets say they're going to do the same thing this year and be going in a different direction once new blood is inserted.

Last Season: Close only counts in horseshoes, and while the Panthers were tight up until the end, they didn't have enough gas to get out of 9th in the conference and thus eliminated from the playoffs. Then their star defenseman walks while they got a spare in return. Talk about a kick in the pants.

Offense: This team relies on David Booth, Stephen Weiss, and Nathan Horton to generate the offensive attack. Not saying they aren't talented or capable, but they're not quite in their prime and haven't exactly had the best role models to emulate (well, save Richard Zednik, but he's gone now.) Nevertheless, Booth and Weiss took great strides last season and the trio should be good again this season. Steven Reinprecht was added after the season in a trade with Phoenix to pair up with Cory Stillman to provide some veteran leadership. Gregory Campbell has emerged as a legitimate checking line forward and Michael Frolik was impressive last season, generating 45 points in his rookie campaign, which may get him a spot on the second line. Looking at the forward depth chart, they seem to need reinforcements for their bottom-six forwards. If they can pick up someone like Mike Peca or Manny Malhotra they'd be good. If they could do that and pick up a toughguy (doesn't have to be anyone special, just a raw goon) they'd be better off. Getting a top-six winger might be a good idea too, why not Maxim Afingeonov?

Defense: Keith Ballard flourished in the Panthers system last season and put up the best numbers he's had in several seasons. Same goes for Bryan McCabe, who was an afterthought in Toronto yet because a positive (yet expensive) contributor for the Panthers. Jordan Leopold was acquired for the departing Jay Bouwmeester and should provide a top-four presense for the team. Beyond this though the remaining defensemen (spots 4-7) on the squad played in 41 NHL games last season combined While Bryan Allen should rebound this season, they should still get a veteran presence on the squad to help with the development of the young defenders who'll no doubt be riding the plane from Florida to Rochester.

Goaltending: Tomas Vokoun is an excellent starter who works well when his goaltending partner can still get into 25 games. With Scott Clemmensen joining on after a career season in New Jersey, expect the goaltending to be solid as a rock for the next coming season.

Expectations: I think I need to see the final roster to determine how these guys finish up. If they can get a few other components before the season starts, then I think they have a chance at grabbing the Number 7 or 8 spots come playoff time. If this is the roster the team goes into the season with however, then I think Miami is going to miss the playoffs for an 11th year.

Preseason Preview: Edmonton Oilers

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Edmonton Oilers

Team M.O.: The Oilers play a defense-first and stingy playmaking game that they use to win games that usually have low scoring totals as the end result (while the team scores by committee, there were no players who exceeded 23 goals last season.)The Oilers have a team that has an established checking presence with a blossoming scoring presence that will stand to improve with time.

Last Season: 11th in the Western Conference which is too far out for a playoff spot. GM Kevin Lowe is starting to feel the heat after both missing the playoffs every season since their 2006 run to the Finals and making some questionable personnel decisions (like signing Dustin Penner as an RFA which cost the team draft picks and a salary that he hasn't come close to justifying.) So coach Craig MacTavish was canned and Kevin Lowe was promoted (?!?!) so both Steve Tambellini and Pat Quinn were brought in to give a team a new lease on life and point them in a new direction.

Offense: Ales Hemsky is one of the best playmaking wingers in the league and his best years are still ahead of him. Shawn Horcoff seems to have returned to earth after his breakout 2006 campaign but is still a valuable center who's good for at least 50 points a season. Marc Pouliot and Fernando Pisani provide a legitimate checking presence while Ethan Moreau does that same, just with a little more agitation for the opposition. What the team has working for them is the trio of Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, and Robert Nilsson entering their third seasons and appear to be growing along with the team. However, the acquisitions of Dustin Penner and Patrick O'Sullivan have thus far not gone in the direction the team's hoped and will continue to lean on them to get better. Zach Stortini provides the enforcement, but not too many people are afraid of him because he wrestles more than punches and can lose fights at the wrong time. All and all, I think the team could stand to pick up a veteran top-six forward who can help some of the younger guys find their game.

Defense: As their style indicates, the defense is pretty solid on this team. Sheldon Souray is the undisputed leader of the team and will take care of things either with his scoring or with his fists. Lubomir Visnovsky supplies the team with a power play quarterback who isn't a liability when given top-four minutes. Tom Gilbert and Denis Grebeshkov are emerging as complete defenders who can be given top-four minutes without taking dumb penalties. Steve Staios as lost a step with age but is still a valiant bottom-pairing defender while Ladislav Smid is beginning to emerge out of the minors as an NHL defender. The team will likely go with Jason Strudwick as their seventh defender but given that Theo Peckham provided the team with a gritty defensive defender during his audition last season, Strudwick will need to work hard to not end up riding the buses of the AHL himself. As far as Edmonton's defense goes, it's just about as good as it gets.

Goaltending: Edmonton had a three-headed goaltending monster last season and out of three, only one is still with the team... and he's tabbed for the backup position. The team acquired Nikolai Khabibulin to handle the starting gigs and while he is an immense talent of a goaltender, his age and style leave some concerns about whether or not he'll be the right guy for the job. Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers didn't put up bad numbers for the Oilers last season, but he didn't put up spectacular numbers either. Considering the other goaltenders on the depth chart, the team may have to bring in a third goaltender through free agency if their current duo can't get it figured out.

Expectations: If the team makes the playoffs, then Pat Quinn was the difference. If not, then Steve Tambellini will hopefully bring in the right components necessary for the team to head in a better direction.

Preseason Preview: Detroit Red Wings

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Detroit Red Wings

Team M.O.: The Wings use their combination of finesse and intelligence to master their puck-possession style of play. Their method wins them plenty of games and I mean a bunch of them. Sports Illustrated named the Red Wings as the most successful NHL franchise and with 4 Stanley Cup victories since 1997 have started to show that they're in a league of their own. Their lack of toughness, however, is a major detraction from fans who prefer the North American style of game. Sometimes it hurts them, sometimes it doesn't.

Last Season: The 2008 Stanley Cup Champions took their title defense to seven games in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals only to lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins by a goal. It sucks for their fans that they didn't repeat, but considering how many of the recent defending Cup champions have either been eliminated in the conference quarterfinals or missed the playoffs entirely, that speaks highly of how well organized this club is.

Offense: Pavel Datsyuk and Hendrik Zetterberg have emerged as two of the best players in the NHL, as they're capable of playing at both sides of the ice and are absolutely dangerous when they have the puck. Johan Franzen graduated from a fourth line grinder to becoming one of the top scoring power forwards in the league. Dan Cleary is starting to reclaim his status as a first round draft pick by breaking his way into the Red Wings' top six forward group while Valtteri Filppula is emerging as a second line center. Darren Helm has made the team with his 45 levels of fast while Kris Draper still provides a veteran checking presence than can win faceoffs. Tomas Holmstrom and Kirk Maltby will be returning this season but I have a feeling it might be their last in a Red Wings uniform, as time and injuries have taken a toll on both players. The Wings will be bringing in Ville Leino from the minors along with Patrick Eaves and Jason Williams (who's returning for his second tour with the Wings) to help round out the offense who'll play the two-way, puck possession style of game the Wings are known for. The Wings would do well to sign or trade for an agitating winger who can fight as well as an enforcer who can be smart enough to do well with both the payers and the coaches on the team. Justin Abdelkader is great but would be better off eating up minutes in Grand Rapids than he would be in playing either a checking or depth role for the Wings this season.

Defense: When your first defensive pair is Niklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, all is right in the world. These guys have consistently been two of the top scoring defenders in the league. Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart have settled in as a legitimate shut down second-pairing, but both need to stop the occasional brain cramps they've been suffering lately. Jonathan Ericcson is going to be doing what he can to break into the top pairings with his blend of offensive skill and willingness to fight while Brett Lebda gives the team a solid puck-moving depth defensemen. The team has Derek Meech and Andreas Lilja tabbed for the number 7 or 8 spots, but Meech hasn't shown the ability to get into the lineup on a regular basis while Lilja is still in the infirmary because he tried to fill a role for the team needed that he just wasn't entirely prepared for: a defensive defensman who can fight. If the Red Wings could unload or reassign Meech and maybe someone else for someone who can fill that role, their blueline would look delicious.

Goaltending: A lot of people like to doubt Chris Osgood and rightfully so because consistency has been an issue, but when he's in the pressure cooker, he battles through it and is exceptionally well at it. He's starting to get up there in age though, so now he's going to work with Jim Howard, who for financial and waiver reasons is now the Red Wings second goaltender. His individual numbers are excellent, but his win-loss numbers don't look good for the team so he'll have to figure out a way to help them win. Detroit has a bumper crop of young goaltenders brewing in the minors, so should something happen to their first two options, they'll probably look for within for help and not through trades or free agency.

Expectations: Say what you will about them being "soft" but the Red Wings are still the measuring stick for which all other teams are judged by. Its going to be tough for them this year, especially now that the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and St. Louis Blues have really improved as teams, but they've still got almost everything necessary to go deep into the playoffs, if not win it all. If Ken Holland can add some toughness and Mike Babcock can lead the team to victory, then they'll be the best team in the league... again.

Preseason Preview: Dallas Stars

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Dallas Stars

Team M.O.: This is a team that likes have a focused, well-balanced attack that is reliant on intelligence to win hockey games. They have guys who are tough, they also have guys who are finesse and highly skilled. When they have it together they're on top of their game. But this group doesn't seem to battle through adversity well and unless all is well with the usual faces in the dressing room, the team struggles mightily.

Last Season: The team finished 12th in the conference and out of the playoff race. This is a far cry from the Western Conference Final the appeared in the season before when they lost to the eventual champion Detroit Red Wings. Some people like to blame the Sean Avery fiasco, but there were plenty of other factors. While Brendan Morrow's injuries were a significant factor, last year's problem centered around Marty Turco's inability to stop a beach ball and Dallas's lack of goaltending depth to help the team should that happen. IMO, the front office with Brett Hull made a series of arrogant moves that could potentially bite them in the ass for a while.

Offense: Brendan Morrow's one of the best power forwards in the league and when you lose a player of his caliber after 18 games into the season, it's not going to make things easy if other players should fail. Brad Richards was also prolific when he was in the lineup, but he too battled injuries throughout the season as was Jere Lehtinen. It wasn't all bad though, as Loui Eriksson had a breakthrough campaign for the Stars and may have been the best forward they had in the lineup all year, notching 63 points and showing excellent dedication to two-way hockey. Mike Riberio wasn't as prolific as he was the season before, but was pretty darn close with 78 points. Steve Ott provided some second-line production while remaining one of the best agitators in the league while Krys Barch supplied the fisticuffs. James Neal and Fabian Brunnstrom made the big squad and will need another season or two until they're truly ready for the NHL. Mike Modano was respectable this past season, but may not have much NHL left in him.
If the team needs to make any moves, it would be to bring in a checking forward to help the bottom forward units. A scoring forward shouldn't be necessary unless injuries start to pile up again.

Defense: The Stars are going into the season with a bunch of defenders who aren't flashy but should be able to get the job done. Stephane Robidas and Trevor Daley should provide solid defense to go along with about 25-30 points. Karlis Skrastins was brought in to provide a veteran top-four defender that will replace Sergei Zubov while Jeff Woywitka was brought in to give the team's defense some depth and grit. Matt Niskanen and Niklas Grossman took impressive strides in their first full NHL campaigns. Mark Fistric, Andrew Hutchinson, and Ivan Vishnevskiy performed respectably in the time they were called up to play with the big club. Dallas will probably have the latter trio battle for their number seventh spot with the nod most likely going to Hutchinson due to the fact he has to clear waivers. Out of any other position in the club, I like their defense the best.

Goaltending: When your big money goaltender starts to lose games, the whole team feels it. Marty Turco has always stood out as one of the premier puckhandling goaltenders in the league that, for whatever reason, watched his game completely unravel last season and he's going to have to prove to the team, himself, and everyone else that last year was just a fluke. Since lack of goaltending depth was a problem last season, the club brought in Alex Auld from the Ottawa Senators and should be able to get in about 40 games for the team if they need him to. As long as the duo can stay healthy and let the prospects develop on the farm, the team won't need to bring anyone else in.

Expectations: Dallas has all the tools to be a successful team in the league but might have seen their best stretch of seasons behind them. The Anaheim Ducks made some smart signings in the off-season while the LA Kings and Phoenix Coyotes are starting to emerge as competitive squads with a deeper youth movement. If these guys are going to have a shot at a successful season, they're going to need to remain healthy and remain focused. Otherwise they'll be on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs go.

Preseason Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets

Well, I accidentally deleted the Columbus review so here's the short and sweet version.

The Columbus Blue Jackets

Team M.O.: These guys have adopted the Ken Hitchcock's defensive style of play and have added all kindsa sandpaper to it. However, they're young, feisty, and collectively have a lot of untapped offensive potential. They could be a dangerous team this season.

Last Season: Columbus made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history where they were eliminated in four games by the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

Offense: Rick Nash is the man here, but no one can deny the affects that R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette have had since joining the club. Derrick Brassard showed a lot of promise before getting injured, so the Columbus fans will hope he regains his form when he comes back. Jarret Boll is one of the toughest young guys on the squad but Derek Dorsett isn't afraid to chuck knuckles either. The team let Manny Malhotra and Mike Peca walk through free agency, but picked up defensive powerhouse Sammy Pahlsson in the process. If Fredrik Modin can be injury free and if Raffi Torres can regain his offensive touch, then they might be good as is. Probably wouldn't be surprised if there were a few invites to camp, though.

Defense: The defense on this team doesn't make a whole lot of waves while being silently affective. Fedor Tyutin lead the team in defensive scoring last season while Mike Commodore is starting to look comfortable in his role as a rugged defender with solid leadership skills. It was an up year for Jan Hejda as he's starting to realize his potential by playing a top-four defensive role in the NHL while it was a down year for Rostislav Klesla who was limited to 34 games due to injuries. Marc Methot seems poised to be on the Columbus team on a permanent basis as will Kris Russell, but Russell needs to start watching his play without the puck. If those guys can perform well, they won't need to sign anyone else and can use Mathieu Roy in a gritty Number 7 defender role.

Goaltending: Steve Mason won the Calder Trophy and has subsequently won the starting job in Columbus. Backing him up will be Mathieu Garon, who will provide invaluable experience in both having played the starter's role before and having won a Stanley Cup last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Daniel LaCosta has re-signed with the team and will report to the minors as their third goaltender; the depth on this team is fine by me.

Expectations: These guys should make the playoffs IMO. How far they get depends on how much the youngsters step up and how much the veterans can hold down the fort.

Preseason Preview: Colorado Avalanche

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Colorado Avalanche

Team M.O.: I don't think they know anymore and that's the problem. After spending the 90's and the better part of the decade as a well-balanced team, they've run out of gas in their current form and need to restructure themselves. They've got some good building blocks that can have them become a finesse team, but they're going to need a couple of players in just about each category to help restore the roar.

Last Season: Dead last in the Conference and third from the bottom overall. It was probably the worst finish they've had since they moved to Colorado and are probably looking to move things in the other direction. Injuries had a lot to do with it though, so it may not be necessary to entirely blow up the team as much as it is to get the guys in that will help them out overall.

Offense: Milan Hejduk was tied with Ryan Smyth (who's now LA bound) as the leading scorer last season; yet that really isn't much a season considering that he did so with 59 points. Paul Stasny showed a lot of potential last season, but missed half of the season with two different injuries. Marek Svatos and Wojtek Wolski have the potential to be solid offensive performers but they are having problems duplicating their career seasons in 2006 and 2007 respectively. After that, the amount of proven forwards for the top-six position gets a bit thin and could use a reinforcement in the mold of Alex Tanguay or Petr Sykora.
As far as the checking and energy units go, Darcy Tucker and Cody McLeod do well in that role while TJ Hensick and Chris Stewart appear to have a shot at getting legitimate NHL jobs at the start of training camp. David Koci will provide the toughness but still needs to demonstrate the skils to get into at least 50 games a season. All things considered, they should look to go after an established veteran checking-line forward, much like Mike Peca or Manny Malhotra, to help solidify the bottom pairings.

Defense: Health was an issue for the blueline but their defense wasn't entirely impressive last season. Scott Hannan was the only defender who got in to almost all of the games and while he kept the penalties to a minimum, his plus/minus didn't bode so well because he was a defensive defensman on a losing team. Adam Foote fit the same role but dealt with a myriad of issues which limited his effectiveness. Ruslan Salei and Brett Clark put up average, if unremarkable, campaigns for the team while John-Michael Liles, despite being a prolific scorer, proved to be an offensive-only option on the blueline. They addressed a need for having an offensive defender in trading for Kyle Quincey and should figure to have their depth defenders fight for the seventh spot.

Goaltending: Peter Budaj seems to be hit or miss and while he has the tools to be a starter in the NHL, he just needs to put it together. He also needs a goaltender to work with in a solid platoon. Two seasons ago it was Jose Theodore who lacked consistency himself. Then came Andrew Raycroft who was unable to keep it together even as a backup. With Craig Anderson joining the team, they're getting a goaltender who's demonstrated the skill to be a legitimate backup while having the hunger and desire to get into as many games as possible. If they can do well, they'll be a bright spot on the team. The goaltending depth is fine beyond them and I wouldn't look to add anyone at this point.

Expectations: There's a lot of what-ifs on this team and because of that I'm not having a whole lot of confidence that they're gonna have a successful season. At best, they'll be healthy and make a good push for the playoffs. However, if they can't get a few key forwards or maybe even a depth defender, or if their goaltending tandem isn't up to task, then expect another early season and another early draft pick.

Preseason Preview: Chicago Blackhawks

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Chicago Blackhawks

Team M.O.: The Blackhawks have one of the youngest rosters (if not the youngest roster) in the NHL and is absolutely fortified with the right amount of youth and veteran presence. They're very solid from front to back and play a sound two-way game that's heavily reliant on solid defense and is very much influenced by their divisonal rivals; the Detroit Red Wings. The main difference? They're a bit tougher and a bit more raw than the Wings are and that has a lot to do with the amount of youth being served.

Last Season: After not making the playoffs since 2002, the Blackhawks went fairly deep into the post season, making it to the Western Conference Finals before being eliminated by Detroit. A few off-season blunders cost Dale Tallon his role as General Manager, but with Marian Hossa in the fold, the team should get a legitimate boost from that (yes he's injured until December, but Martin Havlat was oft-injured and the team still persevered.)

Offense: Jonathan Toews is barely old enough to drink in the U.S. but is already showing signs that he'll be the Blackhawks franchise centerman from now until retirement. He has all the tools to be a star in the league. Patrick Kane does too, but his little scuffle in Buffalo could be a distraction for him this season. Patrick Sharp has blossomed on the team and is truly unsung in his ability to help the young guys develop their game at the NHL level while staying competitive. Dustin Byfuglien may not have been as prolific last season as he was during his breakout season, but he's still making a transition from a bottom-pairing defenseman to a complementary power forward. Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd, and David Bolland were a plesant surprise last season and are worth every penny if they can keep their production going upward. Ben Eager will provide the toughness while Adam Burish will do everything to get under the skin of the opposition. I'm anxious to see what Marian Hossa can do for the club and if he'll finally realize his Stanley Cup dreams with them. The group of forwards is otherwise pretty complete, so I wouldn't look to move anyone unless I was getting a good component in return.

Defense: As nice of a bumper crop of forwards that they have, I really like Chicago's defense. Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith need to be retained by these guys; otherwise it's going to be extremely difficult for the Blackhawks to remain relevant in their division, let alone the conference. Brian Campbell is very much prolific for the team, but you can't help but want to see him do more for the club given his current salary. Cam Barker and Niklas Hjalmarsson are developing nicely for the squad while Aaron Johnson and Brent Sopel round it out. After the RFA bungle, the team may be interested in moving Cam Barker to bring in a number 4-7 defender who can play a physical yet intelligent game.

Goaltending: Well, after doing well for Montreal and Washington, Cristobal Huet needed Nikolai Khabibulin to bail him out at times last season. When Huet had to play in the final game of the Western Conference Finals though, he was valiant in his effort and did everything possible to keep the team in the game. He needs to have that kind of intensity each night he plays for the Blackhawks, otherwise he'll end up in prime position for a buyout at the end of the season. Corey Crawford is going to get the backup job but when you consider that he's going into his fifth season as a professional, it's time for him to make the jump fro AHL to NHL. If the two of them can work together and win for the club, Chicago is all set. Otherwise, they're going to have to make moves accordingly later on in the season because they don't have much, if any, cap space going into the season.

Expectations: Well, now that the team has the potential to be compromised, these guys have to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals if they even want to have a chance of remaining together beyond this year's campagin. They're capable and with Joel Quenville behind the bench they've certainly got the right leadership. They just need to stay mature, remain healthy, and compete hard in what's become the toughest division in the league.