Preseason Preview: Colorado Avalanche

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

Now, the Colorado Avalanche

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preseason Preview: Chicago Blackhawks

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

Now, the Chicago Blackhawks

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

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

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

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

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

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

Preseason Preview: Carolina Hurricanes

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

Now, the Carolina Hurricanes

Team M.O.: The Hurricanes have a nice blend of younger players to go along with a corps of savvy veterans and character players that for some reason just work out well in their system. They really don't get too involved in the rough stuff as they just have a compliment of players who're willing to deal with it. Overall, I'd say they like to play a game of balanced two-way hockey along that relies on offense to score goals and their intelligence to win games.

Last Season: You can call the St. Louis Blues the Cinderella story of last season, but I think these guys making it to the Eastern Conference Finals was more noteworthy. The team was looking to have another playoff-less season (or an early exit at best) when they made everything that was old new again by bringing back Coach Paul Maurice and power forward Erik Cole. They're hoping to keep that momentum swung in their favor.

Offense: Well, Eric Staal's the talent here and as long as Ray Whitney can keep producing at an NHL level and as long as Erik Cole can stay healthy, they will remain a surprisingly dominant first line option. But Rod Brind'Amour is the true hero of this team and is entering his 20th NHL season with as much passion as ever. Throw in Matt Cullen, Tuomo Ruutu, Sergei Samsonov, and Jussi Jokinen and you're having a nice bounty of forward depth. Cory LaRose and Scott Walker do well to add checking presence while Tim Conboy should have the agitating role down pat. I'd love to see these guys add an enforcer, but I'm not optimistic it will occur.

Defense: The defense is legit, though maybe more on the average side than the above average side. Joni Pitkanen and Joe Corvo could make a reasonable top pairing and the return of Aaron Ward is good for their squad. Tim Gleason, Andrew Alberts, and Niclas Wallin are stable in their system and serve the team well. Maybe the team can promote one of it's depth players to round it out but it probably wouldn't hurt if they gave a rover like Mathieu Dandenault a call.

Goaltending: Now I take a look at Carolina's goaltending and I really like it. Cam Ward is getting better as he matures and doesn't look like the kinda guy who's only satisfied with winning one Stanley Cup in his career. If anything, winning a Stanley Cup as a rookie has helped him figure out how to win and he's spent the past few years developing his craft to get back there as soon as possible. Michael Leighton's career, however, didn't start as well. He was playing with the Chicago Blackhawks on a semi-regular basis too early in his career and it hurt him. After spending the past several seasons battling injuries, in the minors, and riding the waiver wire, he looks like he can put up better numbers now he's got a home. I think Carolina should find a veteran minor league or European goaltender who will spend the season mentoring Justin Peters in the minors. If for some reason Leighton has a brutal camp though, the team might decide to have him assume that role while signing a proven NHL veteran to play with Ward at the NHL level; most likely a veteran former starter like Curtis Joseph or Olaf Kolzig if they're still physically capable of doing it.

Expectations: Was their near-Cup run a fluke? Not necessarily, but they'll need to keep it up. They seem to have good chemistry though, so if they can stay together, stay healthy, and act like a team, they could surprise people again and really grow with their fans to the point where Carolina (!) would become a full-fledged hockey town similar to Tampa Bay before the Koules/Barrie idiots duo took over the team from the late Bill Davidson.

Preseason Preview: Calgary Flames

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

Now, the Calgary Flames.

Team M.O.: This team is the pride of Alberta now that Edmonton's dynasty era has come to pass for about two decades. These guys are tough and lethal, especially on the back end, which allows the forwards to play a run-and-gun style of game. However, they're starting to become kind of top-heavy, which may not bode well if they start facing injury problems...

Last Season: Calgary made it to the playoffs, losing in the conference quarterfinals to the Chicago Blackhawks. That isn't what the Flames wanted to see, as they've been eliminated from the conference quarterfinals every season since the lockout. They added some players before the trade deadline and while they weren't able to add a whole lot of top-tier players during the off-season, they did land the biggest fish of the off-season in signing Jay Bouwmeester.

Offense: Jarome Iginla leads this team and does whatever's asked of him. The only reason he's discouraged to fight is because it hurts his team more when he's in the penalty box for five minutes than it does the other team. Olli Jokinen can play like a first line center when he feels like it while Rene Bourque is an excellent compliment for the top pairing. After Daymond Langkow in the fourth forward spot, though, the depth at the forward position becomes kind of thin. The remainder of the forward spots are occupied by third line players, unproven players, and Phoenix Coyotes castoffs like Fredrik Sjostrom, Brian McGrattan, and Nigel Dawes. They don't have the resources to add more players, so they're either going to have to trade or make due with what they have.

Defense: The defense on this team is pretty spectacular. I don't care who my favorite team is, if I can ice Jay Bouwmeester and Dion Phaneuf as my first-pairing defenders, I'm happy. If I can ice Robyn Regehr and Cory Sarich as my second-pairing defenders, I'm elated. If I see all that and then I see Mark Giordano and Adam Party in the bottom-pairing spots, I'd say "Hey, that really looks awesome!" If they can get a cheap, veteran defender at the Number 7 spot, they'd be set. However, I have the feeling that due to the cap issues, Calgary will only be able to have six defenders on roster, so they may as well have as solid of a defensive corps as they have.

Goaltending: Miikka Kiprusoff has been their starting goaltender since 2004 and has been worth every penny considering that he gives the team winning records despite having faced more shots than any other goaltender in the league last season (Phoenix's Ilya Bryzgalov was second). Beyond him though the goaltending just isn't stable. The team has to tap into Curtis McElhinney as their backup because they can't afford anyone else and really shouldn't try to force Leland Irving or Matt Keetley into the backup role because they're entering their second and third professional years respectively. Here's to hoping Kiprusoff doesn't catch the injury bug for you Flames fans out there.

Expectations: This team looks like a Jenga game to me. If they can stay upright, they should at least make the playoffs again. But if that one piece at the bottom gets removed at the wrong time, expect disaster and nothing else.

Preseason Preview: Buffalo Sabres

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

Now, the Buffalo Sabres (sorry folks, wasn't going to user the Buffa-slug for the icon.)

Team M.O.: A team with an American flavor, these guys are known for playing some technical offensive hockey with meat-and-potatoes defense and some solid goaltending. The team has a philosophy of toughness without resorting to goon hockey and boast one of the smartest coaches in the league in Lindy Ruff.

Last Season: The team finished third in their division and out of the playoff race. The team missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons after making the Conference Finals for two consecutive seasons. They had the skill to be a playoff team last season, but they accumulated a few too many injuries to stay competitive. A healthy season should see them back in the thick of things.

Offense: The team's got a group of Top Six forwards that, as a whole, are young enough to have their careers ahead of them but old enough to know how to act as professionals. Thomas Vanek is the big money guy who's starting to shape up to be worth every penny while Derek Roy could use his skill to get first line production despite all the naysayers who think he's too small for the job. If Tom Connelly can stay healthy for the season, he could serve and an excellent complement along with the emerging Jason Pominville and Drew Stafford. Johan Hecht will be looking to bounce back from an almost unforgettable campaign.
Looking at the bottom-six forwards, it looks like the team will be bringing back Mike Grier and Matt Ellis to focus on solid checking skills while homeboy Patrick Kaleta and and Adam Mair will fight and agitate the bejesus out of their opponents. It's too bad that Andrew Peters isn't looking to be back with the squad and while they could rely on their two agitating forwards to do the job, the pure muscle of an enforcer sure wouldn't hurt.

Defense: Buffalo's offense is pretty simple and features guys who'll be more apt to defend than to shoot. Their group is led by Craig Rivet, who defends both the blue line and the team with a pissed fist, while defensive mainstays Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder will continue to provide their services in the top pairings per usual. Steve Montador came over this season and will provide the team with a versatile fifth or sixth defender while Chris Butler looks like he's gotten "the call" from playing in the minors. That said, the team could probably stand to sign one more offensive-minded defender, and with guys like Mathieu Schneider and Marc-Andre Bergeron available, it wouldn't hurt to go after them through free agency.

Goaltending: Ryan Miller is the team's starter who's getting better with age. When he first took over the job, he was the guy who was more apt to keep his team in the game as opposed to leading them to victory. However, his shutout numbers have improved over the past several seasons while he posted a 34-18-6 record on a non-playoff team; showing that he's making that transition from a Number 1A goaltender to becoming a solid starter.
Patrick Lalime, however, is too inconsistent even for a backup and isn't panning out as well as the team would like for him to. Considering that Jhonas Enroth should still remain in the minors for the next season, it wouldn't hurt the team to go after one of the Manny's, be it Fernandez or Legace, to compete with Lalime for that backup spot.

Expectations: The team could stand to make a few improvements here and there, but they're by-and-large a respectable club who are truly competitive. If they can stay healthy, they'll at least make the playoffs. If they succumb to injuries, however, I expect them to be playing golf come April.

Preseason Preview: Boston Bruins

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

Now, the Boston Bruins

Team M.O.: These guys weren't the best after the lockout, but a journeyman goaltender named Tim Thomas took the team and threw them on his back. A few seasons later, the Bruins have become a complete and balanced team while Thomas went from AHL goaltender to being a Vezina nominee. The Bruins are known for a physical brand of hockey that is complemented by talented skill players.

Last Season: The team ended up first in the conference by the end of the regular season, yet were eliminated by the scrappy Carolina Hurricanes. Media reports indicated that somehow, the Bruins weren't having the kinda fire underneath them that a playoff team should have. They can't be complacent again or the team will very much be broken up.

Offense: Marc Savard has been exposed as one of the best playmakers currently in the league thanks to his time in Boston. Phil Kessel and Patrice Bergeron are still trying to resolve health issues, but are talented enough to make an immediate impact when their on the ice. Milan Lucic is on track to become one of the best power forwards in the league while Blake Wheeler is looking to be his understudy should Lucic become injured. David Krejci and Michael Ryder have discovered their offensive game in the Bruins system while Chuck Kobasew and Mark Recchi are further down the depth chart only because the Bruins are so deep up front. Steve Begin adds an agitating presence while Shawn Thorton will keep the flies off as the team's policeman. Marco Sturm, who's talented in his own right, will be looking to come back from a disappointing injury-riddled campaign last season. All and all, this team is absolutely stacked at all forward positions.

Defense: Well look at this, the defense on this team isn't too shabby, either. Zdeno Chara's one of the best defenders of the league while Dennis Wideman is absolutely prolific from the point. Andrew Ference and Derek Morris are perfect for a second pairing option and should be able to give the other team's offense the fits. Matt Hunwick and Mark Stuart seem to be a lock for the fifth and sixths spots. The team could stand to add more depth for the bottom pairing, even if Johnny Boychuk gets the job after camp, but looks great overall.

Goaltending: The Bruins work in a platoon system and it hasn't seemed to fail them yet. Tim Thomas as proven capable of being able to hold the fort while rookie goalie Tuukka Rask has proven he's ready and capable to holding off NHL shooters on a regular basis. Dany Sabourin is tabbed for the number 3 spot but are lacking a reasonable number 4 option. If they could convince someone like Marc Denis to come in on a two-way deal, they'd be good to go.

Expectations: It's not playoffs or bust for these guys, it's Stanley or bust. Sure Pittsburgh looks good with their offensive firepower, but I feel that Boston has a more complete team. For the moment, I'm picking them to take the whole enchilada at the end of the season and if they don't, it's their own fault.

Preseason Preview: Atlanta Thrashers

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

Now, the Atlanta Thrashers

Team M.O.: This team has historically been considered underachievers and underperforming, yet you can hardly fault the players. This team continually seems to be involved in a perpetual rebuild and has only made the playoffs once in their history. Yet the young talent that is accumulating there is starting to be noticed throughout the league. Can these guys finally stop playing the spoiler role and finally become a playoff team?

Last Season: The team missed the playoffs, finishing 13th in the conference. However, they had a good stretch of play toward the end of the season and if they can build from that, they could be a surprise team from the Southeast Division.

Offense: Suffice to say that Ilya Kovalchuk is the franchise winger of this team and heven he's starting to get a little tired of watching the team underperform. However, Bryan Little's starting to blossom into a first line option while Nik Antropov is a better offensive option that someone who was on the team last year, like Jason Williams. Todd White had a career season last year, but will be he able to put those same kind of numbers next season? The bottom-six look pretty good, with Marty Reasoner and Colby Armstrong being decent third-line options. The forwards have no lack of toughness with both Eric Boulton and Josh Gratton on the squad. I could see them picking up one more top-six forward, but given that Atlanta isn't exactly a hot destination for free agents, they may have to do their work by either the waiver wire or through trade.

Defense: I think it's fair to say that the defense on this team is severely underrated and will be lethal when it matures and if it can stay together. Tobias Enstrom has been a pleasant surprise and is starting to resemble a sound two-way defenseman. Zach Bogosian will also be looking to have his first full campaign after being sideline with an injury early in the season. Ron Hainsey should be able to quarterback the power play while the newly acquired Pavel Kubina should act as a Top 4 mentor for these blossoming defensemen. Boris Valabik will get the Number 5 defensive spot as that phyiscal defensive d-man while Anssi Salmela and Nathan Oystrick will round out the pack. A few depth additions would be nice, but this is a legitimate group of NHL defenders.

Goaltending: The goaltending on this team looks great on paper but has been a disappointment on the ice. The only thing that's relatively stable about it as that Johan Hedberg has the honor of being the backup goaltender to whomever ends up the starter. The problem with the starter position is that the two guys who seem to be a lock for it can't grab it and stick with it. Kari Lehtonen is immensely talented and capable of being a supreme backstopper, but his penchant for being injured hinders his potential, and most signs point to his love of Quarter Pounders with Cheese as being the driving force behind that, not his physical limitations (I can't blame him but he's got three million reasons to give that habit up.) Ondrej Pavelec is also lighting the AHL on fire, but hasn't been able to do the same at the NHL level and hasn't accepted AHL assignments with the highest degree of maturity. One of these guys need to take the spot and stay there; otherwise its time for Atlanta to cut bait, let these guys go, and try to find a bonafide starter elsewhere.

Expectations: These guys just need to build off the chemistry they started to find last season. If they can sneak into the playoffs, that would be a major coup for the Thrashers and their very patient fans. If not, then it's time to give GM Don Waddell, who's been the only GM in Thrashers history, the pink slip and bring someone else in to build the team. This especially holds true if Kovalchuk walks at the end of the season.