Season Preview: Washington Capitals

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And finally, the Washington Capitals.

Team M.O.: The team boosts an exciting attack of offense, offense, offense lead by one of the most dynamic players in the game. Though interest in the franchise has been revitalized, they've not quite had the level of success that, say, the Pittsburgh Penguins have enjoyed in that same timeframe. Nevertheless, this is an exciting group of young players to watch; yet who knows what will happen following this season.

Last Season: First in the League and President's Trophy winners. They appeared to have an easy series victory ahead of them facing the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Seven games later, they were left scratching their heads and asking themselves what went wrong once they were eliminated.

Offense: It's no secret that Alexander Ovechkin is the face of the team; while debate still ensues over whether or not he's better than Sidney Crosby, fantasy poolies know it's been Ovechkin who's constantly been the first overall pick for about the past 3 or 4 seasons now. His main setup man Nicklas Backstrom has been locked up for as nearly as long as he is and will continue to rack up the assists in addition to being a 30+ goal scorer. Alexander Semin's a UFA this upcoming season and while the Capitals will definitely be looking for a way to keep him locked into the team, they're going to have to have a remarkable season so they don't end up entirely disappointed if they let a point-per-game player walk away for nothing come season's end. Tomas Fleischmann's also entering a contract year and if his previous season left any indication as to where he's heading, he too will be seeking decent money as a solid scoring forward provided he can keep his rate of production climbing. Mike Knuble didn't seem to miss a beat last season; silencing the critics who feel his age could prevent him from producing points. Brooks Laich broke the 50 point barrier for two consecutive seasons in a row (and last year, he darn near broke 60), ensuring that the Capitals have a prolific second line to work with their first. Eric Fehr's also and equally effective point producer and will likely jostle with the other wingers for time in the scoring units (with the other player playing on a checking unit.)

Speaking of the checking units, David Steckel provides the team with a solid face-off specialist and penalty killer while Jason Chimera provides leadership with a solid, if not unspectacular, all-around level of play. Boyd Gordon missed some time last season with injury but is able to give the team yet another forward who excels at all of the defensive aspects of the game. Matt Bradley's got the wheels and the mouth to be an effective agitator, but he's not necessarily enforcer material. In fact, the team brought over D.J. King from the St. Louis Blues because that was one thing they lacked (and eventually missed) through last season. Matt Hendricks was signed from his try-out contract and gives the team a reliable depth forward. While there's solid competition for another forward spot, prospects Marcus Johansson and Cody Eakin have put up the best results in camp so far and are pushing hard to make the roster come opening night.

Offense is great, do not change a thing.

Defense: Mike Green is a tremendous talent and was the only defender last season who managed to break the point-per-game mark (come to think of it, I don't think there was another defender who reached a point per game, let alone was close to exceeding it.) The team managed to lock up Tom Poti to an extension and while he isn't as prolific as Green is when it comes to production, he can still log the ice time when it counts and is a solid performer in all three zones. Jeff Schultz led the league in plus/minus last season and while he has offensive tools, he's stellar when it comes to providing defense. John Carlson did well in his rookie season last year; he too has a great deal of offensive potential and doesn't embarrass himself in his own end. John Erskine doesn't necessarily enforce as so much as he give the team that physical defenseman that teams need to succeed in the NHL. Karl Alzner has been on the plane between D.C. and Hersey, PA for the past two seasons now; it appears as if he's going to develop as a full-time NHLer at this point. Tyler Sloan looks like he'll finally secure a full-time NHL job; he's a solid energy player who can play defense or wing and doesn't complain about it.

Would I love to have that Number Seven defender be a true defender? Perhaps, but is that really the Washington Capitals way? Absolutely not. They're golden and good to go with what they're entering the season with.

Goaltending: Washington picked two goalies at Number 23 and 34 in the 2006 Draft and that's who's going to be their tandem for the upcoming season. Semyon Varlamov was electric when he got his shot in 2008-09 yet posted some pedestrian (yet still respectable) numbers in his follow-up season. The sophomore slump's behind him so now he's gotta go out and win. Working with him will be Michal Neuvirth, who's had some inconsistency in the pro ranks yet has found that level to his game that makes him ready to compete in the NHL. I don't see a starter/backup in that situation as so much as there's two guys ready to platoon. Should something happen to them the team has Dany Sabourin ready to come up from the minors; he's as good of a third-string goaltender as you're going to find.

Management: GM George McPhee set out to rebuild the Washington Capitals through the draft once they were in the toilet by 2004 and wouldn't you know, every player he's drafted or moved for has only made the team better. Coach Bruce Boudreau has this season to figure out how to make them win; I expect him to get the axe if this season ends anytime before the Eastern Conference Finals.

Prediction: First in the Southeast Division and in the playoffs.

Yes that's all for now. Despite all-world ability, this team hasn't lived up to the playoff expectations they've set for themselves. They're a playoff team. Now they need to prove they're championship caliber. This might be the last season for some of the players in a Capitals jersey so now's the time more than ever to make it count.

Season Preview: Vancouver Canucks

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Vancouver Canucks.

Team M.O.: These guys are sound and balanced in every way yet they seem to run out of steam when they reach the playoffs. While they've currently spent beyond the cap and need to shed some salary, the group will still have a requisite blend of scoring, two-way prowess, and some of the toughest players you'll ever have to face up against.

Last Season: Third in the Western Conference, where they defeated the L.A. Kings before losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Blackhawks were the better team then; though they sure as hell aren't now.

Offense: A lot of people thought that if the Sedins were broken up, they'd be doomed. Turns out Henrik Sedin didn't need his brother Daniel as much as everyone thought; though Daniel was on the shelf for 19 games Hendrik still earned the Art Ross Trophy for Most Valuable Player thanks to his strong playmaking and two-way skills. Daniel was no slouch though, as he generated enough offense to be a point-per-game even if he had managed to play in all 82 games. Alexandre Burrows enjoyed breaking the 30 goal mark playing with the Sedins but since he's on the shelf for the start of the season, there will be an opening up front for the first few games of the season. In spite of this, the team is very reluctant to break up the line of Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler, and Mikael Samuelsson. Kesler (another Detroit native!) is regarded as the second-best two-way center in the league behind only Pavel Datsyuk (and as Datsyuk gets up there in age, there's no telling what could happen in the future.) Samuelsson broke the 30 goal mark for the first time in his career and while some may be worried about his consistency in terms of providing that, he's received far more ice time with the Canucks than he did with his former team, the Detroit Red Wings. Raymond's emerged as a solid point producer of all varieties, if he keeps it up he might make or break 30 and 30 this season (that's goals and assists in case you wanted to know.) Raffi Torres was brought over through free agency and while he can check, he was nearly a 20-goal scorer for the Columbus Blue Jackets before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres (and subsequently losing his scoring touch.) Manny Malhotra was brought over from the San Jose Sharks and while he's a solid checker, the Canucks might be able to squeeze 40 points out of him in a season by the time it's all said and done. Jannik Hansen is currently filling a defensive role for the club but given his success in the minors, he could very much end up providing some secondary scoring with the rest of his linemates. The fourth unit is full of requisite toughness, as Rick Rypien and Tanner Glass can hit and fight with the best of them while Darcy Hordichuk will be the team's enforcer; each player broke the century mark in penalty minutes for a combined 383 penalty minutes between the three of them.

Fighting for jobs will be a cast of new faces and prospects. Jeff Tambellini is getting his chance at filling Burrows's spot in the lineup and, at worst, will be the team's reserve scoring forward. Joel Perrault comes over from free agency and despite some concussion issues suffered while with the Phoenix Coyotes, he can still provide a solid role on a depth line and even provide some unexpected offense. Sergei Shirokov and Victor Oreskovich could crack the lineup in camp, but the team might just as well send them to their minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, and give them the call up should other forwards become injured or falter.

All and all, you can't complain about that depth from top to bottom. Nothing else needed here.

Defense: The team's over the salary cap because while it was their expectation to move a defender, it appears they might be holding on to one a little bit longer than expected. The odd guy out looks to be Kevin Bieska, who despite missing nearly 30 games due to a leg injury was somehow a disappointment for the team last year. He'll look to be around because the oft-injured Sami Salo is, well, injured. Alexander Edler broke the 40 point mark, at the age of 24 it looks like the Canucks struck gold with that pick. Christian Ehrhoff put up some great numbers in his first season with the club, while his offensive production still broke 40 points he was a +36, which was a vast improvement from the -12 he posted the season prior. The team won the Dan Hamhuis derby through the off-season, acquiring a highly-sought after defender who can log tons of time while fulfilling a variety of different needs for the team. Keith Ballard came over from the Florida Panthers to give the team a solid puck-mover who hits like a truck (ever see his hip-checks?!) Shane O'Brien gives the team a great third-pairing defender who likes to engage in the rough stuff but he needs to watch his discipline both on and off the ice so he can remain part of a great club and not dispatched to a rebuilding team. Aaron Rome and Andrew Alberts will battle for the final spot on the club, both providing a similar style that O'Brien brings.

They aren't about addition at this point, they're about subtraction. They need to deal a guy away because that defense is wicked deep; even if Bieska was dealt tomorrow and Salo missed a significant amount of time with injury.

Goaltending: The team couldn't get better than to have Roberto Luongo, he's in the prime of his career and if anything, his only downfall is the fact that he's been overused by most of the team's who've had him on their roster. Cory Schneider is not only expected to relieve some of his playing time but may very well challenge for the starting position himself (not likely given Luongo's talent and contract, but never say never.) Eddie Lack's been solid in preseason play and while he'll likely start off in the minors, he could be a welcome relief should either Luongo or Schneider become injured. Either way, great depth in goal. I think I've managed to say that for every category thus far with them.

Management: Though he received a great team crafted by both Brian Burke and Dave Nonis, GM Mike Gillis has managed to do everything right in ensuring the team is balanced in all facets of the game. If anything, the heat's on coach Alain Vigneault to get these guys past the first or second round of the playoffs and into the Cup Finals. He's got the tools, now he's gotta prove he'll put it together.

Prediction: First in the Northwest Division, in the playoffs, and likely to end up at the Stanley Cup Finals if not win it all.

Yes their preseason hasn't been lights out but Vancouver is notorious for being slow starters (must be all that smoke in the air from all the... nevermind.) Some new faces will need to learn the system and some veterans will have to readjust into their roles, but once the wheels are off then it's going to be lights out for just about every team in the league on a nightly basis. Competitive, balanced, and tough enough to withstand any team; these guys have the makings of a Stanley Cup Champion.

Season Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Team M.O.: The only club in a market that's entirely hockey mad, the Leafs enjoyed a decent level of financial success without having to deliver. However, the fact they haven't made the playoffs since the lockout ended is starting to be met with fan apathy, as the once-full arena is now sold out in paid attendance only. Enter Brian Burke, who's come in to be the architect of a tough brand of hockey that no doubt appeals to the fans in the Toronto area.

Last Season: Last in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoffs. This was the third consecutive year that the team finished last in the division. While that second round draft pick would have been nice, they certainly got a piece of the puzzle that can definitely help them now instead of later.

Offense: Phil Kessel put up five less points than he did playing for a far-superior Boston Bruins squad the season before; he's a pure-goal scorer who's now a veteran player before his 23rd birth day. Tyler Bozak managed to put up 27 points in his 37 game audition last season; the type of camp he's been having so far indicates he will be on Toronto's roster opening night. The newly acquired Kris Versteeg could be one of the most solid moves the team made in the off-season; his production should improve now that he isn't buried on an immense team like the Chicago Blackhawks' squad he played for last season. Mikhail Grabovski gives the team a solid scoring option; he'll be looking to rebound after spending some time in the infirmary last season. Nikolai Kulemin is the two-way guy in a group full of offensive-minded players, but he finished last season playing on Toronto's top-line (even if by default) and will get top-six minutes this season. Clarke MacArthur was signed as an unqualified free agent and has done well thus far to ensure he'll be playing a scoring role for the team. With all these options for offense, there's hardly room for Luca Caputi, and he's been trying a lot harder than some of the other youngsters in the Maple Leafs system. The team won't have him sit in the press box though so if he doesn't get regular ice-time, he'll likely go back to the minors.

Their scoring forwards look good, but MacArthur's the eldest at 25. Will they succeed without solid veteran presence?

Going further down the line shows the bottom-six that focuses on defense and toughness the way most Burkian teams do. People may criticize Colby Armstrong's current salary but he may be one of the best "Number 7" style forwards around. He stands to benefit in Toronto's current system; while defensively solid he has some intriguing offensive potential which could come to life with the Leafs. Mike Brown was brought over in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks and gives the team a solid checking winger who can dish out the punishment. He's kinda small though, so if one of the heavies come knocking, Colton Orr will be around to chill them out. Fredrik Sjostrom didn't quite live up to being a first-round pick, but he's become a solid penalty killer as he's grown in the NHL. John Mitchell missed some time with injury last season yet is poised to be one of the bottom-six pivots for the club.

The Leafs have a slew of players fighting for the last remaining spots in camp though in my mind, two are better options than the others. Mike Zigomanis has returned from Europe and while he's a talented player at a minor level, he's an adept faceoff specialist at the NHL level which is something the Leafs could use. While the team has an abundance of toughness, Jay Rosenhill would act as a further deterrent against the opposition to try anything stupid. Out of the other three candidates for the job, Christian Hanson had a respectable debut in call-up action, but doesn't necessarily stand out in any particular direction and may be better served to go to the minors. Tim Brent has been a lights-out performer at the minor league level, can he make that translate into a major league role? Nazem Kadri may be one of the team's highly-touted prospects, but is he ready for the NHL? Too many questions for a team that needs answers now.

All and all, the group of forwards looks remarkably young (I don't think there's one over 29) so the elder players will have to help the younger ones get along while still figuring things out themselves. Could be difficult, could be beneficial.

Defense: The Leafs have become Dion Phaneuf's team and while his production slipped somewhat when he came over, the team won more often than not with him in the lineup, giving little doubt as to why he was awarded the "C" over the off-season. Tomas Kaberle certainly isn't a lousy option for the next defender, his 49 points last season was actually amongst the best for the team. Francois Beauchemin is a solid second-pairing defender for the Leafs but you'd love to see him do better defensively (he hasn't been a plus player since winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.) Mike Komisarek is coming off both injury and a less than spectacular season; given the depth on the team it's probably better that he's suited to be the Number 4 defender on the club. Carl Gunnarsson started off last season in the minors, but he did very well in call-up duty to warrant inclusion in this year's defensive corp. Luke Schenn's production didn't improve as much as his defensive play did; he'd be on any other team's second-unit if their depth weren't as overwhelming as Toronto's. Brett Lebda's out with a shoulder injury, so that could pave the way for the team to consider Matt Lashoff or Danny Richmond for fill-in duty until Lebda returns. Jeff Finger remains on the team's roster and injured as well, but you can safely assume he'll be reporting to the AHL as soon as he's cleared to play; he wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the absurd $3.5M salary he received from when John Ferguson Jr. was still running the team.

You can't get any deeper than that along the blueline folks.

Goaltending: It's safe to say that goaltending didn't go as well as Toronto had hoped and the players pegged for the goaltender position are just as anxious to do better too. Jean-Sebastien Giguere battled some injuries and off-ice issues that left him expendable by the Anaheim Ducks but his numbers improved after being moved to the Leafs. He'll look to act as the starter and mentor who will groom Jonas Gustavsson into a bona-fide starter. Gustavsson was thought to go through that last season, but when Vesa Toskala became ineffective for the club, he ended up playing in more contests than either he or the team expected. Though both players are somewhat inconsistent, if they can put it together than they'll be one of the scariest goaltending tandems in the league. James Reimer and Jussi Rynnas look to be holding down the fort in the minors yet both will come guns blazing should something happen to the other goaltenders.

Management: Burke's done well to transform the team into his image and while coach Ron Wilson takes some of the flack for what happened this season, he still managed to coach some pretty successful teams in the past; he'll need to do it again if he wants to have a job come April.

Prediction: Fourth in the Northeast Division... and on the playoff bubble?

Make no mistake, this is a very talented group of players. However, while the defense is remarkably supreme, the forwards are still raw and the goaltending is still somewhat inconsistent. Basically, they need to get their $#!+ completely together to pull ahead of the competition. Will they do that this season?

Season Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Team M.O.: A once dominant team before the lockout (and in this case, we mean the 2004 Stanley Cup Champions), they didn't weather the post-lockout NHL so well. Unlike the Blues however, these guys ended up sold to a "rogue" group of NHL owners who were so dysfunctional that they were out of the equation not even two seasons later. Can't say it didn't bring better things though, as the team's ever-revolving ties to Detroit keep bringing it into a positive direction.

Last Season: Twelfth in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoffs. This was better than two performances that saw them draft first (Steve Stamkos) and second (Victor Hedman) for the two seasons prior, but once Jeff Vinik was secured as the team's owner, the plan was to take Tampa Bay's immense amount of talent and actually make it go back to being the Stanley Cup winning club that they can be.

Offense: Though critics were tough on Stamkos for "only" getting 45 points in his rookie season, he exploded to put up 95 points on the club, silencing his critics, and winning the Rocket Richard Trophy (co-held with the Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby) as the highest goal scorer in the league. That was in no large part to playing with Martin St. Louis, who amassed one less point than Stamkos despite the fact he's 35! The team hopes that some of that will rub off on Vincent Lecavalier, he hasn't been his usual point-per-game self despite an abundance of ability (maybe some of their forward depth will let him play a bit more, er, passionately this season.) Simon Gagne's coming over in a contract season and though prone to injury, he's a very gifted point-producer who can secure a spot on their scoring lines. Ryan Malone is also adept at scoring goals and gives the team a quality power forward. Steve Downie broke 200 penalty minutes last season but also scored 46 points; he's good at being an agitator because he's got the skills and toughness to back it up. Scorer Teddy Purcell looks poised to play either a reserve role as a scorer or make their fourth-lune unit if they need him to provide energy.

Going to the checking forwards, the team brought on Sean Bergenheim, Dominic Moore, Marc Pouliot, and Chris Durno through free agency to provide a defensive presence and will fill roles that need to be filled (Bergenheim, Moore, and Pouliot will factor into penalty killing while Durno will probably be asked to enforce despite not having taken on the heavies.) Nate Thompson may not be a prototypical enforcer, but he can fight and kill penalties without issue. Adam Hall, Dana Tyrell, and Johan Harju are battling for the depth spots at camp and considering how they've done so far, the final call's still too close to tell.

I'd love to see a genuine enforcer on this team but they'll get by as long as the role players know their role. I would say that another veteran checker couldn't hurt, but since there isn't anyone capable and still in the cupboard, giving a prospect a shot sounds like a logical idea.

Defense: Mattias Ohlund's production wasn't astounding during his first season with the Lighting but gives the team a solid leader who comes to play every night his body lets him. Victor Hedman managed to get 20 points in his rookie season and looks equally poised to experience a productive year much like Stamkos had last season. The team managed to bring Pavel Kubina back, who gives the team a solid and proven top-level defender; something this team needed horribly for the past few seasons. Brett Clark was acquired in the off-season to give the team someone who knows how to use the body when it comes to defense. Randy Jones was acquired in the off-season too but to provide a different role; while he's not the best defender he is a capable point-producer from the blue line and should factor into the power play. Mike Lundin provides the team with a solid defensive defender while Matt Smaby would make a solid book-end as the physical Number 7 defender.

It would be nice for Paul Ranger to announce his triumphant return but that sounds like it may never happen (which is extremely unfortunate.) Regardless, I think their defensive corp is intriguing this season and if they can remain healthy, they'll be surprisingly effective.

Goaltending: Kinda like the good vibes I'm feeling here. You've got Mike Smith, who was dealt away from the Dallas Stars organization, played as a starter, but seemed to be bogged down by inconsistency and health issues. Nevertheless, he's got a glut of all world talent who just needs another goaltender who's as capable as he is to successfully platoon with. So what happened? The team was able to get Dan Ellis through free agency, bringing on a 1A goaltender who's friends with Smith from their days in the Dallas Stars organization. Good for both of them and the team should hope that they can push each other the right way to be both competitive and cooperative. Cedrick Desjardins will be their replacement should one be injured.

Management: Vinik was committed to success and hired Steve Yzerman as his new GM. Though he'll always be regarded as a Red Wing, he's done everything right to push the team in a more competitive direction this season. He's brought on coach Guy Boucher, who plays an innovative 1-3-1 system that's enjoyed success in the AHL. If he can get that to translate to the NHL level then the team will be golden.

Prediction: Second in the Southeast Division and in the playoffs.

Their goaltending's legit, their defense is above-average, their checking forwards are capable and their scoring forwards are flat out awesome. Put us down for thinking that Steve Yzerman's Lighting will restore respectability back to Tampa Bay as a hockey market; the rest of the Southwest Division's got their work cut out for them when they face these guys.

Season Preview: St. Louis Blues

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the St. Louis Blues.

Team M.O.: A once dominant team before the lockout, they didn't weather the post-lockout NHL so well. Still, they qualified for the playoffs in 2008-09 before returning to Earth last season but even still, they just missed the cut by a nose...

Last Season: Ninth in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs. Considering how unlikely it was considered for them to make the playoffs the previous season, 9th wasn't that bad of a finish.

Offense: After the retirement of Keith Tkachuk and the decision by Paul Kariya to not play for the season, the Blues have Andy McDonald as their veteran forward who's to help the young offensive corp take charge. David Backes took a slight step back in terms of the production, but still gives the team a tough-as-nails power forward who can capably produce on a scoring line. Brad Boyes was another player who took a step back, albeit a larger one, so the team will hope he can get back to his 65 point or better form that he's played to for the past few seasons (excluding the one immediately prior.) T.J. Oshie, however, took a significant step forward and if he can find some consistency to his game, he may end up one of the most complete forwards the team has. David Perron is another young player who can fill a scoring role nicely, the sooner he can find the ability to kick the lid off 50 points a season is the sooner he'll be the team's first line option. Alexander Steen seems to have rediscovered his game now that he's gone from the Toronto Maple Leafs; the Blues fans should hope that this capable two-way forward can continue to score 50 points or more throughout the season. Patrik Berglund has a mountain of potential but saw a 21 point drop in his production from 2009 to 2010; Blues fans will hope that's merely an aberration. Vladimir Sobotka would love to compete for a scoring role, but he's currently recovering from shoulder surgery and when he does return, it may be to fortify a checking role. Matt D'Agostini and T.J. Hensick will likely make the squad as reserve scoring forwards but will need to make the best of their opportunity to remain with "the big club."

As for the grinders and muckers, Jay McClement remains an underrated defensive player who can take the important draws for the big club (though his faceoff win percentage was slightly under 50% last season, he'll look to improve that this forthcoming season.) B.J. Crombeen and Brad Winchester check, hit, and dish out the punishment... and that's before the resident enforcer/hometown hero Cam Janssen takes to the ice.

All that said, yes the veteran presence is thin but it's also time for the "kids" to start realizing they're men at this point and need to play accordingly. The tools are there, they just need to realize they're in tool box with a Blues logo on it.

Defense: Golf carts be damned, Erik Johnson did well his first season back and could break 40, if not 50, points this season. Captain Eric Brewer gives the team some badly needed leadership in the room, though his numbers will never be super impressive he's a valuable asset in helping keep the team on track. Barret Jackman doesn't dish out the pain like he used to but he still gives the team with a solid defensive defender while Roman Polak improved significantly in the defensive aspects of the game during his second full season in the NHL. The deal to acquire Carlo Colaiacovo was a boon to the Blues; though health remains an issue he is still good for 30 points or better from the blueline.

Vying for the last two defensive spots are a cast of prospects and fringe players looking to "make the jump." Alex Pietrangelo has a wealth of offensive ability, but has been shown to be a defensive liability at the NHL level and might benefit from some additional development. Tyson Strachan has been plugging away in the Blues organization for the past three seasons; he's doing what he can to make himself stand out at camp to finally make the team at the start of the season. Ian Cole did very well in an audition with the St. Louis Blues minor affiliate Peoria Rivermen to warrant serious consideration. The team brought Nikita Nikitin over from the KHL and will hope his size and skill can better fortify their blue line. And if none of them are an option, perhaps the team could turn to Nathan Oystrick; who has been solid in the minor leagues and a respectable performer when given an NHL assignment.

That camp battle alone should tell you volumes about their defensive depth; I don't think we need to go further.

Goaltending: The biggest acquisition for the Blues over the off-season was the trade they made for Jaroslav Halak, who as a member of the Montreal Canadiens lead the way over some stunning playoff series defeats of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins before succumbing to the Philadelphia Flyers. Ty Conklin has also a capable goaltender who is very effective if given 30-35 appearances a season. Knocking on the door is goaltender Ben Bishop; chances are he'll make the team next season unless Conklin has an absolutely lights-out season for the Blues this year. Like mentioned with the defensive situation, they're all set on who they have in goal.

Management: Give team president John Davidson credit; he did well handling the press while the team went through a rebuilding process that was rather painful at times. Davis Payne's system seems to have gotten a better response out of the club; the team hopes his system and methods of motivation continue to be effective. Doug Armstrong has been promoted to G.M. and his first move was to acquire Halak. Considering he was instrumental in getting Dave Tippett his first NHL job, this might be one of the better things to happen for the Blues in the off-season.

Prediction: Second in the Central Division and in the playoffs.

These guys are the new Chicago Blackhawks with far less flair. That might work out to their advantage though as the team has intriguing talent that just needs to have the floodgates opened for a prolific year. If these guys underachieve they're definitely going to have the Chicago Blackhawks on their tails with both the Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets not that far behind; that type of competition will cost them a playoff spot. However, if these guys bring their best effort each and every night; they'll take a look at the standings come playoff time and be like "We earned that?! Awesome!"

Season Preview: San Jose Sharks

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the San Jose Sharks.

Team M.O.: All and all, the team's very balanced much like the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference. That said, their success lives and dies by the overall quality of players they have in their roles. While the team flirted with having split goaltending duties in the past, but it didn't work out then; they're praying it will work out now.

Last Season: First in the Western Conference, where they finally broke into the Western Conference Finals... where they were dispatched in 4 games by the Chicago Blackhawks. They made some changes in the off-season, were they the right ones?

Offense: I don't care who you tout as the "big" center of the team, Joe Pavelski's worth mentioning first because he's going to be an elite playmaker in the league. Hockey people don't like his size though, so they have a guy like "Jumbo" Joe Thornton to fortify their scoring lines with the same skill set and an immense presence. Patrick Marleau enjoyed something of a bounce back season per se but that's only because the bar's raised so high for his performance to the point where anything less than a point-per-game is worrisome. Playing with Dany Heatley certainly didn't hurt or vice versa; the move to the Sharks has been a boon to both of their productivity. Devin Setoguchi suffered something of an "off" season last year but was still averaging a .51 point-per-game average, which is respectable for a second-line forward. Ryane Clowe managed to look like a combination of his new and old selves last season, putting up 57 points to go with 131 penalty minutes; he really is one of the most underrated power forwards in the league. In terms of scoring forwards; they may chose to have Benn Ferriero on their roster as their "Number 7" scoring winger, but he should still have waiver options so the team may chose to assign him to the minors instead. Regardless, this is as good as a group of scoring forwards as you'll find and keeps them competitive with the rest of the teams in their division.

Going into the "bottom-six" portion of the depth chart, Logan Couture's done well in his stints with the Sharks to the point where having him playing on the third unit could be better than having him spend more time in the minors; his skills are what they are but he can still learn the speed of the NHL game. Torrey Mitchell's done very well as a checker and could be a surprise source of secondary scoring. Jamie McGinn's another young forward who'll start off with checking duties but likely be called upon for offensive situations once he matures as well. Scott Nichol gives the checking guys some experience, as well as a nasty presence. Frazer McLaren, however, looks to be the new "take-out-the-trash" guy because he's 6'5" and 250 lbs (yowza!) but he can still skate a regular shift. Jamal Mayers was brought on to provide veteran presence but just because he's getting up there in age doesn't mean he can't throw down, either. John McCarthy will likely crack the lineup thanks to his speed and defensive presence while Steven Zalewski may crack the line up if Ferriero is re-assigned; Zalewski might not be spectacular but he's versatile.

If anything fails the checking forwards, it's either inexperience or injuries. Otherwise, they look pretty good from here.

Defense: Hockey fans in Tampa Bay still rue the day the Lightning sent Dan Boyle to the Sharks; he still generates close to 60 points annually from the blue line. Marc-Edouard Vlasic's still trying to find a level of consistency with his game but he's becoming a more complete defenseman each year. Douglas Murray doesn't throw down nearly as much as you'd want to see him do, but he still provides the team a solid defender who's capable of negating the oppositions offensive attack. Niclas Wallin was unspectacular when coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes, but the team re-signed him because having Cup-winning veteran defensemen on a good contract isn't a bad thing. Kent Huskins gives the team a solid third-pairing defender; he kinda disappeared come playoff time so that's something of a concern. The last remaining spots are going to be battled for by Jay Leach, tryout Andreas Lilja, and prospects Derek Joslin and Jason Demers.

All and all, the depth looks great at first but kinda tapers off when you go down. It's by no means bad but just not optimal.

Goaltending: The crease is crowded but whether or not that's a good thing remains to be seen. The team picked up Antti Niemi from the Blackhawks and he provides a team with a goaltender who's as consistent in the playoffs as he is in the regular season; though those results came with a far superior defense playing in front of him so it will be interesting to see how he does with the Sharks. Antero Niittymaki was brought over and while he's a capable goaltender to use in a 1/1A setup, his consistency (or lack thereof) is somewhat frustrating; leaving you no choice but to designate him as the backup so he'll be pushed to push for the starting job.

I'm not a fan because Thomas Greiss is looking to be the odd man out on this lineup and considering the Shark's roster needs, they likely won't go into the season with three goaltenders. Greiss, if anything, understands their system and has done well when called upon. If he gets waived, he will be claimed. Beyond him is Alex Stalock, but he's only a season removed from college so he's got waiver rights all day.

In short, two new goalies in a system could be a blessing or a curse. Call it a roll of the dice and if you're a Shark's fan, hope for the best.

Management: Coach Todd McLellan's brought a system to the Sharks that the players and the management are believing in. It's efficient, it works, and he's just as bright as the guy who taught him. If anything, it's up to GM Doug Wilson's vision to come to fruition. Can the teams he builds finally get over the top?

Prediction: Third in the Pacific Division yet still in the playoffs.

The Pacific Division is arguably the best and will for certain send three teams into the playoffs. Their group of forwards are spectacular and the rest of the team's still slightly above average. While San Jose takes a slight step back this season in comparison to the loaded L.A. Kings or the balanced Phoenix Coyotes, they'll still be competitive enough to land a playoff spot.

Season Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Piitsburgh Penguins.

Team M.O.: These guys went from pretenders to champions since Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin managed to breathe life into the team. Since their championship season, however, you can't seem to feel that they may have taken a step back in certain ways. Sure guys like Marc-Andre Fleury and Brooks Orpik are still around, but there's been a hell of a lot of turn over and you have to wonder, will the new faces be able to have immediate chemistry?

Last Season: Fourth in the Eastern Conference, where they took their championship defense to the Conference Semifinals before being eliminated by the giant-killing Montreal Canadiens.

Offense: Though the talents of the two players will always be compared, Crosby's emerged as the more matured and complete player between he and Malkin. However, Malkin's overall ability is higher and if he's ever going to push to be the "Number 1" guy in Pittsburgh, he's gotta embrace the two concepts that make Crosby the leader. Not too far behind them is Jordan Staal, who's the better two-way player than those two, but he's going into the season on the shelf with injury. Around them, Chris Kunitz battled injuries last season but he's still got a good enough blend of skills and toughness to land a scoring role. Mike Comrie took a short contract to revitalize his career and will be expected to fulfill the scoring needs that Pittsburgh needs addressed.

Since they have two of the best offensive players in the game, the team's opted to focus the rest of their roster on defensive-minded forwards instead of rounding out their "top-six" per se. Among them, Arron Asham defects from the Philadelphia Flyers and gives the team a solid two-way player who brings the toughness. He'll be complemented by Michael Rupp and Matt Cooke, who fulfill the same role except Cooke's a bit more of a "gashole" on the ice. Pascal Dupuis put up his best numbers since his career season in 2002-03, but will he have enough offensive consistency to help the Penguins' secondary scoring? Tyler Kennedy still has a lot of potential, overall, but he needs to put together a full-season to warrant more press over his hockey playing abilities. Maxime Talbot battled injuries last season as well, but when he's on he's one of the best penalty-killers a team could ask for. Waiver-wire castoff Craig Adams found a new lease on life in Pittsburgh and has parlayed his opportunity with them into a solid penalty-killing role. Eric Godard is the resident enforcer and he ain't half bad at the fisticuffs either. Brett Sterling, Eric Tangradi, and Nick Johnson are some of the players who will be in competition to round out the forward corps.

The team doesn't have much cap space to go out and grab another scoring forward, so they'll need guys to come from within an take the spot. They have two talented centers to put them with but as the Alex Ponikarovsky experiment showed, not everyone can generate chemistry with Sid the Kid.

Defense: Paul Martin comes over from free agency and while he suffered a broken arm last season with the New Jersey Devils, he should help regain some of the offense they lost when Sergei Gonchar took off and maybe has better two-way ability that he did too. Zbynek Michalek comes over from the Phoenix Coyotes and gives the club a solid shot-blocking defender who excels in defensive situations. Kris Letang wasn't as productive last season but still gives the team a solid defender with offensive presence. Brooks Orpik is quite delightful as a shutdown defender; perhaps the team will put him on a line with Michalek. Alex Goligoski provides the team with power-play specialst while Ben Lovejoy will graduate to the NHL as a third-pairing defender. Deryk Engelland, Corey Potter, and Robert Bortuzzo figure to be in the mix for the seventh spot.

All and all, not too bad. They'll have to remain healthy to be effective but the talent is there.

Goaltending: Marc-Andre Fleury remains a bright starting goaltender but he seems to lose his effectiveness the more he plays. Brent Johnson's not necessarily starter material, but perhaps he can get 25 starts and relieve Fleury on his off-games? John Curry took a backflip backwards last season, which has opened the door for Mattias Modig to challenge him for the Number 3 spot. All and all though, the goaltending's solid enough to be competitive.

Management: Coach Dan Bylsma is one of the brightest coaches in the league (but considering that he's from Michigan, we're entirely biased!) G.M. Ray Shero signed a 5-year extension but one has to wonder if people will be as optimistic about that deal after the end of the season and the subsequent off-season, where seven forwards are set for unrestricted free agency.

Prediction: Third in the Atlantic Division and on the playoff bubble.

From a defensive perspective, these guys are alright. From an offensive perspective, however, they are somewhat short on players who can consistently produce (especially up-front). The team stands a chance if they can remain healthy and consistent, but if either Crosby or Malkin go down with injury, there will be a chance for them to fall (and should both go down, expect a lottery pick.)

Season Preview: Phoenix Coyotes

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Phoenix Coyotes.

Team M.O.: Underdogs in the truest sense of the word, these guys are back for their second (and unfortunately, perhaps final) season since the team was placed into bankruptcy. Though no suitable owner's been found, there's some light on the horizon; there just needs to be an owner who believes in the team as much as the team believes in itself. And for good reason too...

Last Season: Fourth in the Western Conference, where they pushed the Detroit Red Wings to 7 games in the Conference Semifinal before getting dispatched. Though they lost to their pseudo-rivals (many Detroiters now living in Phoenix were making it known they weren' rooting for the home team), it was a great awakening for hockey fans throughout the Valley as to the type of team they almost lost. Hopefully it puts more fannies in the seats as the team's improved over the off-season.

Offense: Shane Doan's the heart and soul of the squad and no matter how good anyone else on the team can be, they always seem to suffer when he isn't around. Wojtek Wolski was a significant acquisition for the Coyotes and if he can give them the point-per-game production he was giving them toward the end of the season, he'll give something Phoenix hasn't had in a significant amount of time. Ray Whitney was brought over through free agency and gives the team a forward that's pure offense (something else they've seemed to lack lately, especially on the power play.) Martin Hanzal has just re-signed an extension and will continue his role centering the team's second line; he gives the team that big two-way center that any team would love to have. Radim Vrbata will be returning in a contract season for the Coyotes, so hopefully that translates to a 50 points or better (he's still a 40-45 point producer on an off-season.) Petr Prucha will likely start on that line, but he's gonna have to rediscover his scoring touch if he wishes to get an extension from the Coyotes (much less an NHL job in the subsequent off-season.) Scottie Upshall looked promising on a top-scoring unit until he went down with a knee injury; he might start lower on the depth chart until he gets comfortable and explodes. Speaking of which, Lee Stempniak was re-signed by the Coyotes and while he'll be out to prove that last season wasn't a mirage, he still gives the team a solid Top-6 scorer in a Top-9 setup. Eric Belanger was shored up after a dispute with the Washington Capitals; he makes the perfect addition to round out their forward corps as a two-way winger who can be pushed to produce if given the right linemates.

The fourth line will resemble your standard checking line with an edge. Taylor Pyatt provides the team with a big-bodied defensive winger while Vernon Fiddler excelled for the Coyotes on both the penalty kill and in the faceoff dot (though he might move back to his natural position of wing to accommodate the Coyotes' glut of centers.) Lauri Korpikoski remains the shootout specialist who can serve in a Top-9 role in a pinch while enforcer Paul Bissonette will get into the contests where toughness will be necessary. This leaves the competition for the final forward spot to come down between tryout Kyle Wellwood, depth forward Andrew Ebbett, and either rookies Kyle Turris, Mikael Boedker, or Viktor Tikhonov, all of which are blue-chip prospects with NHL experience.

While that lineup of forwards doesn't feature any other marquee names other than Doan, there's a significant amount of talent and balance in this lineup that is unparalleled to what the Coyotes have gone into their most recent seasons with. The players are relatively durable and even if injuries occur, the depth will be there thanks to all the rookies who've been marinating to perfection in the minors; this will be the season for them to breakout.

Defense: I was concerned at first about who the Coyotes were going into the season with but now that camp's underway, the smoke's clearing and things look clearer and for the better. Ed Jovanovski's in the last year of his deal so I expect him to put up some awesome numbers; hopefully he has a strong all-round year that gives both he and the team to see it fit for him to stick around. Derek Morris managed to come back and while he has the tools to be an offensive star, he seems to play at his best when he's used in a shutdown role. Keith Yandle's play continues to improve by leaps and bounds; should his production and defensive play continue to improve then he'll start getting first-pairing assignments on a regular basis. Adrian Aucoin seems to have found a new lease on life in Phoenix; his leadership and offensive ability has been a great benefit for everyone on the team from rookie to veteran. Sami Lepisto kicked off his first full-length NHL assignment last season and while he struggled at first, he managed to turn it up towards the end and can now confidently give the Coyotes a solid third-pairing defender who has the versatility to move up. David Schlemko's done very well in his assignments with the Coyotes to reasonably establish him ready for NHL duty as well.

The team has one more open spot on defense due to the sad fact that Kurt Sauer's still unable to play as a result of a concussion/vertigo/psychological/substance issues (it hasn't been disclosed so we can all but assume.) While youngsters Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Maxim Goncharov seem intriguing, neither have skated on North American ice. It would be better for them to take an assignment to the minors and sign Shane Hnidy (providing he doesn't have an absolutely awful camp) because he gives the team that physical defenseman they lost when Jim Vandermeer was traded to the Edmonton Oilers.

Aside from that, the Coyotes have sufficient depth at the minor league level that they can draw from if any of their players go down. From the crafty players like Ekman-Larsson and Goncharov to the solid defensive players like Jonas Ahnelov.

Goaltending: Ilya Bryzgalov darn near won the Vezina Trophy last season and if there was any criticism I have of the goaltending situation last season it was that Jason Labarbera was not used enough. I know that Bryzgalov's the "big money guy" but Labarbera should be penciled in for 25-35 starts this season so Bryzgalov will become more effective and refreshed come playoff time. He doesn't have to carry an underperforming team anymore so it's time to distribute the workload between a great Number 1 goaltender and a solid Number 1A.

Beyond them the team still has Al Montoya and Matt Clime in the minors, so their depth is also sufficient.

Management: GM Don Maloney won the NHL's General Manager Of The Year Award due to his shrewd moves that put together a team that broke 100-points despite being absolutely broke. Coach Greg Tippett won the Jack Adams Award for best coach due to the system he was able to install despite not having started training camp with the team. Shane Doan won the King Clancy Trophy for his leadership abilities. All they need now's an owner who believes in them too.

Prediction: Second in the Pacific Division and in the playoffs with the potential for a nice run.

Make no mistake. I do like the L.A. Kings better on paper, but we all know how that goes from time to time. If L.A. slips and San Jose performs as average as I believe they will, then these guys will have the division title. At first, the Coyotes were weak in terms of prospects, followed by a period where they didn't have enough veteran presence. Now, they have a perfect blend of both, so it's the perfect time for the pack to attack.

Season Preview: Philadelphia Flyers

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Philadelphia Flyers

Team M.O.: The Broad Street Bullies still use a formula of toughness to go with a balanced attack that is fortified by sound forwards, excellent defenders, and, well, some somewhat-average goalies. It was a semi-successful formula for them last season...

Last Season: They made the playoffs as a Seventh seed in the Eastern Conference thanks to a shootout, but they parlayed that into an Eastern Conference Championship before losing the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Many said better goaltending could have won the series, but the Flyers, for some reason, are content with what they have.

Offense: Not many teams have the kind of offensive depth to allow them to roll three scoring lines the way the Flyers do. The Flyers couldn't have asked for more when they drafted Mike Richards and Jeff Carter in 2003. Richards has become a solid all-around forward an leader while Carter's been a boon to their offensive production. Daniel Briere remained healthy for most of last season and really dominated come playoff time; he might be small but he can definitely score. Scott Hartnell saw his production drop a bit last season but he still provides the team with a legitimate power forward who can fight and generate points. Ville Leino came alive for the Flyers last season after a subpar campaign with the Detroit Red Wings; Flyers fans will hope they see the guy they met during the playoffs and not the guy Detroit knew as an inconsistent goal-scorer with defensive issues. James van Riemsdyk started off strong but started to run out of gas at the end of the season; this is not uncommon with young players and it was better for him to have his funk then instead of going into this season with the "sophomore slump." Nikolai Zherdev comes back from Russia and will look to return with his top-end offensive skills to go with an overall-improved attitude towards playing in North America; that could be the sleeper signing of the off-season. Claude Giroux also took some big steps forward last season and gives the team with a solid playmaker who knows who to get the puck to score. It would be interesting to see who ends up tabbed with the Number 9 duties. Bill Guerin was brought over on a tryout-contract and will realistically win the job if Darroll Powe or even David Laliberte can't win the job in camp.

That fourth line's gonna be super-nasty, though. Ian Laperriere and Dan Carcillo are both solid checkers who can rile up the opposition; the difference being that Laperriere provides leadership and can pick his spots better. Jody Shelley was brought over to act as the team's resident enforcer while Blair Betts gives the team a solid checking center. Andreas Nodl and Jonathon Kalinski will also be battling for depth spots at camp.

There's nothing they could do to improve this setup; they've got the best group of offensive forwards in the Eastern Conference if not the league.

Defense: Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen remain their big-money defensemen and for great reason: Chris Pronger can dominate the game in a variety of ways while Timonen is a solid point-producing defender who excels on the power play. Matt Carle enjoyed his best season since his rookie year in San Jose and the Flyers will hope they can help revive the career of Andrej Meszaros, who was traded for after two disastrous season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Braydon Coburn may not be a big point producer but is valuable in a defensive role while Sean O'Donnell was signed as a free agent to provide toughness and leadership. Matt Walker and Oskars Bartulis will battle for the depth spot in camp.

It would be hard to realistically make this defensive corps better and I put them amongst the best defensive corps in the league.

Goaltending: Well, with such an impressive group of forwards and defensemen you knew it had to get somewhat thin elsewhere. I will give Michael Leighton credit though, he took significant steps forward for the team both during the regular season and the playoffs. Yet even with this in consideration, he should be a guy who gets in roughly 30-40 games with someone to share starting duties with. While Brian Boucher showed some flashes of brilliance during the post-season, he hasn't necessarily been a solid option for the Flyers and might do better to be sent to the minors instead of remaining with the big squad. Johan Backlund also factors into the goaltending battle at camp and while he has the experience at a minor and European level, his individual numbers have never been in the elite category, so there's the question as to how well he'd do for the club after the preseason's over.

You can bet that these guys will be watching the waiver wire for an available goaltender (read: Thomas Greiss from the San Jose Sharks.) If they can't find one over waivers and neither Boucher or Backlund are up to task to platoon with Leighton, then maybe a veteran like Jose Theodore would take a small, short contract just to get back in the league again.

Management: Despite Paul Holmgren's battle to work with the salary cap (which will only be magnified once Carter goes RFA), he's erased the memories of the team's crushingly disappointing 2006-07 season by making the moves necessary to get the team back to being Cup Contenders. Peter Laviolette was hired last off-season as the head coach and while he may have preached an anti-fighting game with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Flyers looked like their usual selves without the amount of penalties a team like the Anaheim Ducks incurs. As long as the right players keep coming up through the system and the team keeps winning, these two can do whatever they need to.

Prediction: Second in the Atlantic Division and in the playoffs.

The New Jersey Devils are better because their team's a bit more balanced but the Flyers are still as every bit competitive as any other team in the league. They'll need to push hard come playoff time, though, because after this season, they may be faced with a mass exodus of players similar to what the Chicago Blackhawks had to suffer through after they won the championship last season.

Season Preview: Ottawa Senators

We're barreling down the stretch now with our season previews as camps are establishing their rosters. Jobs will be won, hearts will be broken, and some interesting developments can occur out of injury and necessity. Before you know it, the puck will drop on regular season hockey and we'll see how close to the mark (or how far off) we were with our predictions.

And now, the Ottawa Senators

Team M.O.: The team's relied on the "top-six/bottom-six" format of offensive attack (largely due to where their money's being spent) to compete against the other teams in the league and fortifies that with a balanced attack. After making the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals, the team was swept in the Conference Quarterfinals the following season and missed the playoffs completely the year after. A few bodies were moved to give the team a sense of competitiveness and it wasn't necessarily all bad.

Last Season: Fifth in the Eastern Conference, where they were eliminated in 6 games by the then-defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Not bad considering the drama they faced with Dany Heatley's departure and the uncertainty of their goaltending tandem going into the season.

Offense: Jason Spezza battled MCL injuries last season but was managed to increase his rate of production from the season before; while he isn't dishing passes to Heatley anymore, he could break a point-per-game average if he can remain healthy. You have to wonder how much Daniel Alfredsson has left in the tank but if we know anything from following the Detroit Red Wings, don't ever count out a Swede just because of his age; he still remains one of the best top-line forwards in hockey. Milan Michalek's first season in Ottawa left much to be desired thanks to injury issues, he too should expect a bounce back campaign as long as he can stay healthy through camp. Mike Fisher stepped up in a big way for the Sens last season and provides the team with a legitimate second-line center who can probably serve as a top-line guy in a pinch. Alex Kovalev wasn't dominant given his salary but gives the team a scoring winger who gives you second-line production at worst and top-line production at best. Due to how close the team is to the cap, they will likely have internal competition for the remaining scoring forward spot depending on whether or not coach Cory Clouston wants to group Fisher/Kovalev with either a sound two-way guy (Nick Foligno), a playmaker (Peter Regin), or a forward with versatility (Chris Kelly). Regardless of whomever gets that job, the other two will likely find positions on the third unit so it isn't all bad.

Beyond them, Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil will continue to find ways to piss off the opposition; with Neil taking on the heavyweights. Jesse Winchester and Ryan Shannon will likely continue in their roles as defensive/energy forwards. The last remaining spots will be battled for by Zack Smith, Ryan Keller, Corey Locke, Roman Wick, and Cody Bass.

I'd love to see another scoring winger on that club but they'd have to find a way to make that fit in their salary structure. Will their Number 6 forward please stand up? And will the guy be able to get 40 points or better?

Defense: Sergei Gonchar defected from the Pittsburgh Penguins and while injuries are a concern, he gives the team a solid point-producer from the blueline. Erik Karlsson was solid in his debut for the Sens and should give the team another point-producing option on defense. People may regard Chris Phillips as a defender of the defensive variety, but he's still good for 20 points or better throughout the course of a season. Chris Campoli gives the team a playmaking defender who's average at the defensive aspects of the game. Matt Carkner's finally made the jump out of the minors and has become the team's enforcer for good reason; not too many people wanna stand up to a dude who's 6'4" and 230 lbs. Since Filip Kuba's down with injuries, Brian Lee and David Hale will likely enter camp as the 6th or 7th defenders respectively and will have until the end of October to prove to the team why they belong there.

All and all, not bad on the Senators for having a legitimate-looking defensive squad.

Goaltending: It's becoming harder to remember when Pascal Leclaire was a solid blue-chip prospect. After sustaining numerous injuries, his campaign last year was anything but magnificent. Nevertheless, he still hasn't run out of racetrack yet to put it all together for a spectacular season. He shouldn't have to deal with a significant brunt of playing time either, as Brian Elliott had a second straight year where had to save the team with his goaltending performance. While Elliott didn't necessarily put up elite individual numbers, the team managed to find a way to win in front of him and sometimes, that's all that counts.

Mike Brodeur was spectacular for the Senators in call up duty last season so the team's good-to-go as far as their goaltending's set.

Management: GM Bryan Murray took over a team that went from Stanley Cup Contender and turned them into a playoff contender, at best. No, the coaching situation hasn't helped, but few of his moves have really done well to fortify the team. In retrospect, maybe he should've just stuck to coaching the team because they at least had a system the players believed in. Cory Clouston's been no slouch though, and last season is any indication, he should do better during his second full-season with the Senators.

Prediction: Third in the Northeast Division and on the playoff bubble.

These guys aren't as great as the Buffalo Sabres or the Boston Bruins, yet I still consider them to be better than both the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. How well they perform will rely largely on the health of key players and the ability of the role players to step up and contribute in ways that defies their job.

Season Preview: New York Rangers

We're about halfway done with our season preview and are a little ahead of schedule. Hopefully we can get this kicked out well before September ends and the teams start their travel season in lovely Europe. Pre-season hockey rules so go check it out in a town near you!

And now, the New York Rangers.

Team M.O.: One of the Original Six, these guys seem like they're addicted to spending. Sometimes it works, like it did in 1994. However, more often than not, when you simply throw money at a situation and hope it goes away, you can only expect to be inconsistent at best when it comes to winning and that's exactly what we have here.

Last Season: Ninth in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoffs on a shootout goal. Talk about just coming up short. Will it be better this season? It depends on a few things.

Offense: Marian Gaborik's commanding a salary in excess of $7M but has been worth every penny so far; he'll be worth more if his next few campaigns happen to play out injury-free. The same can't be said for Chris Drury, who despite being a solid leader hasn't come remotely close to justifying the money he's been earning on that team (he has a no-movement clause though, so the team's stuck with him until the contract expires.) Brandon Dubinsky has a career season in scoring despite missing 13 games with injury; he'll probably get the top-center spot on the club along with Gaborik and newcomer Alexander Frolov (who himself is looking to rebuild his confidence after a disastrous season with the L.A. Kings.) The Vaclav Prospal experiment worked out well for the Rangers last season and he'll return to give the team a legit second-liner or top-line compliment if the team goes in that direction. Ryan Callahan's been relatively consistent as a scoring forward and wil be good for around 40 points if he can manage to get into every game. The real X-factor for the team's scoring will either be be newcomer Mats Zuccarello (though small he's very skilled and could breakout in a huge way in the "new" NHL similar to how he's done during his time in Europe) or free agent try out Ruslan Fedotenko, who has been decent but not spectacular since winning the cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.

While the top-six is somewhat average, the depth forwards have both enough skill and sandpaper to make it a chore for the opposition to show up every night. Artem Anisimov did well in his first full year with the Rangers and gives the team an intriguing option at center (he could break out in a scoring role this season.) Erik Christensen's been passed around like a doobie but he's done better with the Rangers than he has with the other clubs he's been on; if he can get secondary-scoring with third-line ice time he'll give them a reason not to move him again. Todd White was brought over from the Atlanta Thrashers and while he's had solid production in the past, one has to wonder how much of that was thanks to playing with Ilya Kovalchuk. Brian Boyle did well in call-up duty for the Rangers last season, a good camp will parlay that into a permanent role with the big club. Tim Kennedy was brought over as an unqualified/unrestricted free agent to push for a depth forward position on the chart. In terms of the sandpaper, Derek Boogaard will become the resident enforcer, Brandon Prust will be the resident middleweight, and Sean Avery will always be the best agitator in the league. They'll definitely be keeping the flies off or the opponents in the penalty box.

All and all, there isn't so much a need for moves as there are a need for everyone to step up and do what they can to overachieve.

Defense: Though Wade Redden is set to appear at camp, there might be nothing he can do (short of being miraculous) to stop the Rangers from assigning him and his salary to the AHL so they can get cap compliant. The re-signing of Marc Staal would necessitate a move like this because Staal's maturity means his overall ability to handle a larger role with the Rangers. Michal Rozsival might draw some ire for his salary as well, but he gives the team over 20 points on a bad season and roughly 40 on a good one; he just needs to bounce back and produce as he did a few seasons back. Michael Del Zotto made a lot of noise early last season but then cooled; while prolific from the blueline, he'll need to tighten up defensively if he wishes to go from being a power-play specialist to first-pairing stud. Dan Girardi has improved defensively and gives the team a solid puck-mover who can break 20 points a season. Matt Gilroy was recalled last season and never got sent back down; he'll likely finish camp with an NHL job unless he takes a major step back. Steve Eminger gets traded (again) and will provide the Rangers with a solid Number 6-7 defenseman who is a jack-of-all trades and a master of none. The last spot (or few spots depending on what they do for salary management) will be fought for by Pavel Valentenko (who's coming back to North America after spending some time in Russia), Michael Sauer, Ryan McDonagh, and free agent try-outs Garnett Excelby and Alexei Semenov.

All and all, not terribly mind-blowing but there's a world of potential for them to exceed the expectations of Rangers fans.

Goaltending: Kinda hard to complain about goaltending when Henrik Lundqvist is your starter. They brought over Martin Biron this season and will hopefully opt to work with a Number 1/1a type setup as opposed to relying on Lundqvist for 70+ games, which can leave him ineffective come playoff time. Chad Johnson will be a solid Number 3 option while the team develops Cameron Talbot in the minors. All and all, good stuff.

Management: I'm kinda mixed about how Glen Sather's done with his job. On one hand, I don't consider a GM to be incredible when his solution to addressing cap issues is to bury salary. On the other hand, he did land Lundqvist, Dubinsky, Callahan, Staal, and Del Zotto, so he at least has a nose for talent. John Tortorella will get the chance to bring the team back to the playoffs but you can bet his job will be on the line if the team goes in any other direction but forward.

Prediction: Fourth in the Atlantic Division and out of the playoffs.

I would like to be optimistic and say these guys are a bubble team because all things considered they could be. However, they're in the toughest division in their conference and with the overall improvement to the other Eastern Conference teams thanks to the salary cap, there's too much of a concern with injuries and underachievement to expect great results this season.

Season Preview: New York Islanders

We're about halfway done with our season preview and are a little ahead of schedule. Hopefully we can get this kicked out well before September ends and the teams start their travel season in lovely Europe. Pre-season hockey rules so go check it out in a town near you!

And now, the New York Islanders.

Team M.O.: These guys are the like the Edmonton Oilers but in the Eastern Conference; they had their glory years during the 80's before becoming a so-so team in the 90's and followed that up with a roller coaster ride into oblivion, which is where they're at today. Only problem? They haven't made the Stanley Cup Finals in recent history and have two other teams to compete with in their market: One's an original six franchise while the other is a Stanley Cup winner who have two of the best players in the game skating for them. These guys are in rebuild mode but while the future might not be here, it can't be that far off... right?

Last Season: Thirteenth in the conference and out of the playoffs. Not great, but still an improvement over the dead-last finish the season before that landed them John Tavares. About that...

Offense: Tavares wasn't necessarily spectacular in his rookie season but all things considered, 54 points was probably more than could have been expected for on that team that's rebuilding. He convinced management to sign his friend Matt Moulson though, and the end result was giving the team a solid-yet-completely unexpected 30 goal scorer; the heat will be on for him to hit those same kind of numbers again. Kyle Okposo took a step forward with his production this season; if he can become better defensively he'll be one of the best scoring wingers in the league. Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey both took a few steps forward last season and if they can build off of their previous campaign, they can provide the Islanders with solid and reliable second line forward who can produce as such. It would be excellent if Blake Comeau could start avoiding the injury bug because his rate of production's steadily improving with him. Doug Weight gives the team a playmaking forward who's close to the end of his career; at best he'll give the team close to 40 points, but at worst he'll go down early with injury and be done for the season (or for good.) Trent Hunter also seems to be particularly affected by the injury bug and while he's not their top scorer, his versatility is important enough to warrant his presence in the lineup. Rob Schremp was claimed off waivers and gave the team some decent production considering the amount of games he was in. He went down with a knee injury toward the end of the season so hopefully he can set the tone in camp.

Looking at the remaining portion of the forward position, we see a mix of grit and youth. John Sim seems to have a nose for the net and an attitude that gets the opposition riled. He'll be joined by Zenon Konopka, who was acquired as a free agent to provide an interesting combination of leadership, face-off skills, and fighting ability. The remaining positions will likely be battled for by PA Parenteau, Jesse Joensuu, Matt Martin, and possibly newcomer Nino Niederreiter. If the team opts to have an enforcer to supplement Konopka, the battle will be between Trevor Gillies and Jeremy Yablonski. Wonder if these guys have talked about their tilt last year in the AHL...



All and all, these guys could use a veteran scoring winger or two, and they definitely have the cap space to take salary. They could probably score Brian Rolston from the waiver wire if they call up the New Jersey Devils and say "You want us to take his salary off your hands?" Any other moves would be awesome, but owner Charles Wang's kinda tightfisted when it comes to investing in the payroll of the club.

Defense: Defensively the club's unspectacular but complete. Mark Streit was a point shy of another 50 point campaign and gives the team an unlikely-yet-intriguing Number 1 defender. James Wisniewski was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks to give the club another point-producing defenseman, he's just of the P.O.'d variety. Mark Eaton came over as a free agent; expect him to log Top-four defender minutes in a defensive role. Jack Hillen broke out last season as a source of points from the back end; he'll get more ice time when he gets better defensively (ditto for Bruno Gervais.) Andrew MacDonald has done well enough in call up duty for the club to warrant consideration on either their second or third-pairing units, depending on the type of defensive strategy they're going for. Milan Jurcina comes over through free agency after an oft-injured campaign last year while Radek Martinek was out most of last season.

It'll be interesting to see who ends up getting "the cut" and why.

Goaltending: Dwayne Roloson wasn't dominant last season but was by no means terrible, posting a 3 GAA with a .907 save percentage on a club that dealt with a lot of youth and injuries. Speaking of injuries, Rick DiPietro is starting the season off healthy and one can only hope that he can reverse his fortunes and get back to being a consistent NHL performer. The goaltending depth gets a little thin after them so unless their prospects are spectacular in camp, they might want to see if any of the remaining free agent goalies are interested in a two-way deal.

Management: Give Garth Snow credit, he can't make all the moves necessary to make the team uber-competitive but he's definitely doing what he can to make shrewd moves while ensuring loyalty. Scott Gordon will have a second year with the club and while people will be realistic with the team's expectations, he will be expected to get them to gain more victories than they did last season.

Prediction: Fifth in the Atlantic Division and out of the playoffs.

Simply stated, these guys will improve from last season and the season before that, but they aren't anywhere near the New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, or even the New York Rangers in regards to competitiveness. Their current roster will have to be older or better fortified in order to make that kinda jump and unless spectacular injuries happen to any of those teams, the Islanders can't realistically be poised to succeed.

Season Preview: New Jersey Devils

We're about halfway done with our season preview. Hopefully we can get this kicked out well before September ends and the teams start their travel season in lovely Europe. Pre-season hockey rules so go check it out in a town near you!

And now, the New Jersey Devils.

Team M.O.: Typically a defense-first team that's built around their goaltender, the team's taking advantage of their budding offensive talent as their star goaltender is starting to get closer to the end of his playing career. They made a hell of a splash last season and acquired one of the best players in the league. The problem now is that they aren't cap compliant and who knows what moves will have to be made to make that possible.

Last Season: They finished second overall in the Eastern Conference but failed to get out of the Conference Quarterfinals and were eliminated in 5 games. One has to wonder if that wouldn't have happened if they were to give their backup goaltender more playing time.

Offense: No doubt the big story in the off-season was the re-signing fiasco of Ilya Kovalchuk. Now that his contract issues are settled, the Devils have one of the best wingers in the league. He would be an amazing compliment to Zach Parise and Travis Zajac, who continue their ascension into NHL stardom (Parise was still over a point-per-game player last season while Zajac had a career season with 67 points.) Jason Arnott was acquired from the Nashville Predators and will likely be on a line with the offensively-gifted Patrik Elias and team captain Jamie Langenbrunner; these guys will give the team secondary scoring that will rival most teams' first lines. Though Brian Rolston was expected to play the role of a top-line scoring winger, he hasn't been able to deliver than in a New Jersey Devils uniform. The team would ideally love to get out of that contract but considering that it's a 35+ contract, his salary would count against the salary cap even if he were to be assigned to the minors. Dainius Zubrus, however, could be assigned to the minors to give the team breathing room; so he had better do everything in his power to ensure he has an excellent camp if he doesn't want to be playing games in the AHL. David Clarkson, meanwhile, was re-signed before the free agency period began and is starting to look like a legitimate agitating goal-scorer; hopefully his offensive production continues to improve.

As for the team's checking unit, they look like they're going to go into battle with the energetic Rod Pelley, the tough-as-nails Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, and NHL sophomore Vladimir Zharkov, who did very well in a defensive role for the Devils. Adam Mair has been invited to training camp to compete for a roster spot and will probably be able to sign with the team once they've figured out their salary issues up front.

The team needs to figure out which if their forwards they can jettison and get cap compliant. In a perfect world Rolston could be waived and claimed and Zubrus could be re-assigned outright. However the world's far from perfect and even if those two took off, they'd have to turn to within for replacements; which may or may not work for them.

Defense: Andy Greene had a breakout season last year as a small-yet-skilled point-producting defensemen from Michigan... kinda reminds us of Brian Rafalski in a way. Colin White managed to be injury free most of last season and will give the club a solid and steady defensive defender. Henrik Tallinder and Anton Volchenkov were brought on during the off-season to provide the team with two solid shutdown defenders who may actually pair up together on a unit. Bryce Salvador and Mark Fraser provide the team with a solid physical third-pairing who are as capable of dropping the mitts as they are playing a solid defensive role for the club. Anssi Salmela looks like he's going to be on the shelf for a while so the club may turn to a defender like Tyler Eckford to play as that Number 7 forward who can generate points.

All and all the defense doesn't look too shabby, especially for a group of guys who will clog up the neutral and defensive zones so their forwards can attack and their goaltender can defend.

Goaltending: Martin Brodeur remains one of the best goaltenders in the game but simply needs to play less in order for the team to achieve more in the post-season. Johan Hedberg was brought on last seasn and but up some pretty serious numbers on a non-playoff Atlanta Thrasher team (21-16-6 in 47 games played with a 2.62 GAA and .915 save percentage.) If the team can get the two to platoon then the achievements can be taken off of the individual (Brodeur) and focused back on the squad.

Management: Give it to Lou Lamoriello; though somewhat eccentric the guy's managed to build some pretty legitimate teams in a market where there's two other teams fighting for the spotlight. We'll be anxious to see how well John MacLean handles his first full-season of coaching at the NHL level.

Prediction: First in the Atlantic Division and in the playoffs.

Cap issues be damned, these guys are still better than everyone else in their division. They can't take anything for granted though; because as long as the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Rangers are in the mix, they're going to have to bring it every night to establish their supremacy.

Season Preview: Nashville Predators

We're about halfway done with our season preview and are a little ahead of schedule. Hopefully we can get this kicked out well before September ends and the teams start their travel season in lovely Europe. Pre-season hockey rules so go check it out in a town near you!

And now, the Nashville Predators.

Team M.O.: On the ice, the team is one of the defensive variety that uses a sound system (not a soundsystem) to achieve victories over their opponents. Off the ice, they have a management group that has to focus on shrewd moves and building from within instead of going after high-priced free agents; they don't seem to have the money available to do that. Out of their expansion brethren, however, the Predators among the most successful and while they've yet to win a series in the playoffs, they've still had more post-season appearances and victories than either the Atlanta Thrashers or Columbus Blue Jackets.

Last Season: Seventh in the Western Conference, where they were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in six games during the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Not bad for a team that constantly has faced ownership issues and a lineup that always seems somehow incomplete.

Offense: Steve Sullivan has been an efficient point-producer for the Predators and while he'll hold down a scoring role for the team, age and injuries are increasingly becoming a concern for him. Speedy forward Matthew Lombardi comes over from the Phoenix Coyotes and will give the team a solid pivot who has solid playmaking abilities. Patric Hornqvist signed an extension to remain with the team; he will be counted on for a variety of ways as he was the only player on the team to break the 30 goal mark. David Legwand's production has been on the decline since his career season in 2007-08 and while he's defensively reliable, his salary is a hindrance given his production rate. Martin Erat, however, seems pretty consistent in his production and gives the team a winger who can produce 50-60 points a season. Jean-Pierre Dumont's got the talent to give the Predators some solid scoring but seems to lack a certain level of consistency or intensity for the team; he's been shuttled up and down the lines in an effort to get him going, per se. Colin Wilson might get a solid shot at making the roster this season but you can't help but wonder if additional time in the minors would be better for him; his numbers in the pro game aren't exactly dominant at any level despite his age and skill set. Sergei Kostitsyn will get the opportunity to crack the team's scoring lines; he has the talent but his attitude (or rather the problems with it) saw him packing his bags in Montreal and being sent to a "non-traditional" hockey market.

Entering the checking territories of the depth chart, Joel Ward has emerged from the system to give the squad a solid third-liner who can generate roughly 35 points a season while Marcel Goc was signed as an unqualified free agent to give the team a similar level of production. Jerred Smithson gives the team with a solid grinder who can kill penalties and provide versatility in the checking roles. Though Jordin Tootoo and Wade Belak are around to provide the toughness and agitation, Tootoo failed to amass more than 40 PIM while the Predators were second-to-last in the NHL last season in fighting majors (there was a particular team that beat them and here's a hint, they're from Detroit). Forwards Cal O'Reilly, Nick Spaling, and Matt Halischuk are all young players who will compete for depth spots at camp; a solid camp by any of them will get them out of the minors and into the league on a permanent basis. Jonas Andersson returns to the team after spending his post-lockout career in Europe while Jamie Lundmark was brought on to provide forward depth.

All and all, the team looks alright for a group that scores-by-committee but any injuries or offensive slumps will be taken a lot harder by these guys than they would on other team where the scoring is more robust. They don't seem to have the financial flexibility to make moves (despite the cap space to do so) so this is likely what they're handed with.

Defense: Shea Weber is entering a contract year and while he is going to be a restricted free agent, there's no doubt that another team would gladly give up the draft picks required for his demanded salary in order to have him on the team; he's an all-world defenseman and only a disastrous season will all but assure him remaining a Predator even as an RFA. Ryan Suter was also proficient for the Predators during the regular season; he'll have to increase his intensity come playoff time though because he was held pointless during their series against Chicago. Cody Franson was excellent during his first season with the Predators and could silently break out on the team the way Keith Yandle did for the Phoenix Coyotes. Kevin Klein's got the speed to be a playmaking defenseman but needs to tighten up on the defensive aspects of the game if he wants to be considered an above-average defender. The gutsy Francis Bouillon joined the team on a PTO and parlayed that into three years of NHL employment; he may be small but he attacks like a bulldog. Ryan Parent comes back from the Philadelphia Flyers and will give the team a solid Number 6 or 7 defender to employ judiciously. Alexander Sulzer and Aaron Johnson will likely compete for the last spot as the "offensive specialist" of the bunch.

Their defense isn't necessarily overwhelming but with Weber and Suter as a tandem (not to mention Franson's breakout season last year) they could be good enough to stifle the attacking opposition on a regular basis.

Goaltending: Pekka Rinne managed to do what every other Predators goaltender did before him; steal the job away from the incumbent. He doesn't necessarily have to worry about that this season but that's because the goaltending depth takes a steep drop after him. Chet Pickard was only recently drafted while Mark Dekanich and Anders Lindback have no call-up duty to speak of (and Lindback has yet to play in North America.) There's an abundance of goalies still available or looking to be shipped out via trades. They should make a move to grab one.

Management: Give GM David Poile and coach Barry Trotz credit; if they were leading a team like the N.Y. Rangers or the Philadelphia Flyers they'd have won at least one championship at this point if not more. However, they have to work within their means and when they're handed lemons, they do their best to make lemonade.

Prediction: Fifth in the Central Division and out of the playoffs.

A likely story considering I predicted this fate for them last season and they wound up back in the playoffs. I like Trotz's style and I think he's a great coach; but unless injuries happen to other teams, they're going to find it hard to be better than their divisional rivals on a regular basis to break the Top 8 of the conference by season's end.

Season Preview: Montreal Canadiens

We're about halfway done with our season preview and are a little ahead of schedule. Hopefully we can get this kicked out well before September ends and the teams start their travel season in lovely Europe. Pre-season hockey rules so go check it out in a town near you!

And now, the Montreal Canadiens.

Team M.O.: The oldest hockey club in the league, Les Glorieux went from an offensive powerhouse in their heyday to being a defense-oriented club since St. Patrick tended goal for them. The team is sticking to that system with a small yet speedy group of forwards, some big defensemen, and a young goaltender with the hopes they can satiate the desires of hockey fans in Montreal by bringing the Stanley Cup back there for the first time since 1993.

Last Season: They finished Eighth in the Eastern Conference and had two spectacular series against the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, respectively, before bowing out to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was made possible by spectacular goaltending from Jaroslav Halak; who was rewarded for his hard work by being traded to the St. Louis Blues while their immature, pain-in-the-ass "backup" was given a multi-million dollar extension. No joke.

Offense: Tomas Plekanec put up 70 points in a contract year and while that landed him a nice extension, he's going to be continually pressed to put up those kinds of numbers from hereon-in. Scott Gomez managed to stay relatively healthy last season but wasn't nearly as effective when he wasn't able to set up Mike Cammelieri or Brian Gionta. Speaking of those two, they were both productive for the Canadiens in scoring roles but missed roughly a quarter of the season, each, with injury concerns. Given their size and the toughness of the league, this is something that's going to remain a continual concern for the club. Andrei Kostitsyn is gifted enough to give the team scoring but, like a lot of other Russian players, is considered "enigmatic", which is not the level of consistency the Canadiens are going to need to push for a playoff spot. However, Benoit Pouliot managed to pick up his production after being acquired from the Minnesota Wild and might actually thrive in a stupendous hockey market (or at least one where the people speak French!) Lars Eller comes over from the Halak deal and will compete for a spot on one of the scoring lines in camp.

Going further down the depth chart, Jeff Halpern was acquired through free agency to give the team a veteran presence on their checking units. Maxim Lapierre and Travis Moen provide the team with some "crash-and-bangers" who should do well to disrupt the opposition. Tom Pyatt broke into the league last season and given the fact that he was a constant come playoff time, it appears that he'll be on one of the checking units at the start of the season. Dustin Boyd was acquired from the Nashville Predators and is capable of giving the team 20-30 points, even while doing checking duties. Mathieu Darche has split time between the NHL and the AHL but will likely end up with the big club barring an extraordinary camp from one of their prospects.

The team may opt to use 8 defenders if they don't give guys like Ben Maxwell and Ryan White an opportunity. This team is sorely lacking an enforcer and would be wise to make a move for one but given their cap space concerns, they'd probably have to give up an NHL player in return. They have the players who can serve their roles but injuries, inconsistency, and immaturity remain concerns with the players in charge of producing points.

Defense: Andrei Markov suffered through a lot of injuries last season and that sucked for the Canadiens; he's a solid Number One defender who manages to do a little bit of everything right. P.K. Subban came to life during the playoffs last season and it would have to take something drastic for the team to send him back to their AHL affiliate in Hamilton prior to the start of the season. Jaroslav Spacek and Roman Hamrlik provide the team with solid veteran defenders who can log important ice time and still generate 20-30 points. Hal Gill provides the team with a mountain of a man who should do well in a shutdown/defensive role for the club. Josh Gorges and Ryan O'Byrne gives the team some solid options for their third pairing while Alexandre R. Picard could give the team a solid utility player if he remains with the big club.

The defense doesn't appear to need any tweaks; they have enough depth to counter injuries should they run into them. Out of all the areas on the team the defense seems the most solid.

Goaltending: Carey Price has a lot of upside and many of the tools teams would crave for their starting goaltender position. However, he hasn't been the same caliber player since giving the Habs fans the mock cheer and when he has been called upon to play, either the team in front of him lost or the team suffered because of his immaturity (see: shot the puck at the Washington Capitals players after getting scored upon and therefore put his team back in the penalty box.) While not having Halak around might be better for his mental makeup, the next two guys pushing him, Alex Auld and Curtis Sanford, don't necessarily strike fear into the hearts of the shooters they face (Auld's been a backup with pedestrian numbers while Sanford's spent time in the minors for the past few seasons.) If Price goes down or is horribly inconsistent, the team will not have the option to turn to a goalie with the tools to snag the starting job or even start for stretches at a time. It's too bad Karri Ramo won't be coming back to North America this season; he could be an upgrade over the other two backup options they have.

Management: Pierre Gauthier was named the team's GM after Gainey stepped down and in completed fairness, his hands are tied thanks to Gainey's moves. Martin may have a lot of NHL experience but his Florida Panthers squads were unimpressive while last years Habs managed to barely make the playoffs thanks to the overall weakness of the conference. They won't have it so easy this forthcoming season.

Prediction: Fifth in the Northeast Division and out of the playoffs.

Yes, I actually believe that the Toronto Maple Leafs are a better team. With an inconsistent/oft-injured group of forwards, a solid yet aging defensive squad, and an unreliable goaltending platoon, the team will be lucky to even sniff the postseason given everything their up against. All and all, the Montreal brass knows where they play and because the fans will show up come hell or high water, they simply need to absorb salaries without ever having to worry how to apply them.