Season Preview: Los Angeles Kings

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 Los Angeles Kings.

Team M.O.: The L.A. Kings have been around since 1967 but didn't become synonymous with hockey until Wayne Gretzky was traded there prior to the 1988-89 season. From there the team started to flirt with success while introducing hockey to California, which spawned two other teams within the next decade. Since 2002, the Kings (along with their divisional rivals, the Phoenix Coyotes) have been synonymous with the term "rebuilding", having missed the playoffs since then prior to the start of the season. Many analysts predicted the Kings would be astounding last season, and to tell you the truth they weren't far off.

Last Season: Sixth overall in the Western Conference, where they were eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks in 6 games during the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Considering that this was their first playoff berth since 2002 while riding a relatively inexperienced goalie for 70+ games into the playoffs, they performed admirably.

Offense: This team looks like they're gonna roll three scoring lines and here's what they've got: Anze Kopitar gives the team a genuine Number-1 centerman who can make his teammates around them better. Dustin Brown works undoubtedly hard and can provide solid leadership while being good for 50-60 points. Newcomer Alexei Ponikarovsky gives the team a two-way winger who should be more mature than the departed Alexander Frolov and should be able to play top-six minutes without issue. Ryan Smyth is able to provide an excellent work-rate and gives the team something of playmaking power forward. Both Jarret Stoll and Michal Hanzus have shown consistent improvement since coming over to the Kings and give the team two solid pivots who can play on the second or third units and special teams. Wayne Simmonds has taken a significant step forward this past season and looks like he could be like fellow Scarborough, Ontario native Rick Tocchet and amass points like he does penalty minutes (and Simmonds isn't a bad defensive player, either.) Justin Williams is a more-than-capable point producer; it's the injuries that cut into his overall effectiveness. Scott Parse was given an audition last season and managed to have a solid work-rate for someone who'd be tabbed as the team's Number 9 forward.

On the fourth unit lies a mix of energy and toughness. Oscar Moller is energetic enough to put on a fourth unit, but he will be expected to take advantage of his scoring prowess if he gets called to play on a higher unit. Brad Richardson has managed to provide the Kings with a solid face-off man who can check and be good for 20+ points with limited ice time. Richard Clune should provide the team with a solid grinder who isn't afraid to drop the gloves from time to time. Since Raitis Ivanans has taken off to the Calgary Flames, the Kings would be wise to promote Kevin Westgarth to the role of the team's enforcer.

The Kings have their guys where they need them and they're set. Brayden Schenn did sign a contract with the Kings in the off-season but they might go with another depth option, front-office move (trade, waiver, or signing), or simply go with 14 forwards should they opt to keep three goalies.

Defense:

We interrupt this regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this message from Ron Burgandy:

If you want to throw down fisticuffs, fine. I've got Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty waiting for ya, right here.

Drew Doughty was simply stunning last season and will look to be a perrenial Norris Trophy candidate at the ripe age of 20! Jack Johnson was sluggish until GM Dean Lombardi called him out in the press. After that, his production took off and he managed to be better than a point-per-game throughout the playoffs; hopefully he doesn't need a constant kick-in-the-pants to keep it up. Willie Mitchell was signed as an unrestricted free agent and will give the team a solid compliment to give Rob Scuderi in forming an effective second-pairing shutdown unit that will be hell for the opposition. Good thing too because Matt Greene is unfortunately going to start the season on the shelf, when he comes back he'll be back to his tough, defensive ways. Davis Drewiske appears to give the team a solid number six defender while Peter Harrold gives the team a solid utility player and 23rd man.

That lineup would be good enough if Greene were healthy. If I were the Kings, I'd still look at a veteran free agent defenseman. If they wanna a point-producer they could go with someone like Marc-Andre Bergeron or could get a sound defender like Andreas Lilja (I keep throwing him around because I still can't believe he doesn't have a job yet.) Their youth and depth defenders look like they need to stay in the oven, per se, and come up on injury assignments only.

Goaltending: Crowded creases are never considered fun but the guys who play for the Kings will win if they're willing to be a team about it. Jon Quick was far better than expected last season, but he should appear in roughly half of the games he appeared in last season (72) in order to keep him fresh and effective for just more than the 82 game regular season. On top of theat Jonathan Bernier has done a sensational job in both the minors and in call-up duty to warrant serious consideration for playing time. With them it's going to be a Number 1/1A battle.

So where does that leave Erik Ersberg? The Kings could work with a team who needs another goaltender with NHL experience (definitely the Nashville Predators but the Carolina Hurricanes could benefit as well) in exchange for a goaltending prospect who'd play in the minors. However, they could also keep him as the third goaltender on the roster and take advantage of the rules regarding conditioning assignments to Manchester so he can still have some playing time throughout the regular season. The former would be better if they wanted to have a solid goaltending tandem in the minors; the latter would be better if they had two guys already in mind for that position and have Ersberg split duties between the two clubs. Ersberg may opt to be waived instead though, which if that happens, the former would have to occur.

Management: G.M. Lombardi committed to rebuilding the team and he's done an outstanding job. It's on coach Terry Murray now to ensure that this team not only makes the playoffs, but manages to escape from the conference quarterfinals as well.

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

Many analysts will still like the San Jose Sharks and Phoenix Coyotes loyalists will point to how well the team's leadership is, but the Kings appear to have the overall tools necessary (barring a few slight adjustments) to not only compete but to dominate as well. Their rise to prominence should all but assure that playoff hockey will be back another season in the Greater Los Angeles market.

Season Preview: Florida Panthers

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 Florida Panthers.

Team M.O.: These guys haven't had a whole lot of success in recent history. They broke into the league in 1993, managed to contend for the Stanley Cup in 1996, but made their last playoff appearance in 1999. Despite having some decent teams and players since then, the organization hasn't been able to put it together but hopefully some new blood changes things.

Last Season: Fourteenth in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoffs. Simply stated, the team wasn't good enough with the roster they started off with and once injuries started to occur to good players (see: David Booth) then miscues began to occur and the team suffered overall. Things are looking up this season though as a few new faces should provide some assistance to the burgeoning young squad.

Offense: Stephen Weiss wasn't dishing out passes to his regular wing-man last season but was still good for 60 points; he could be an elite centerman if he can learn to deal with the tough stuff better. Booth is an amazing scoring forward and a benefit to any team he'd play for, but he's had a bad tendency of keeping his head down; which lead to two concussions in parts to a hit from Mike Richards (which was dirty) and a hit from Jaroslav Spacek (which was clean.) He'll need that to have a nice life, let alone a solid career in hockey. Michael Frolik has provided some consistent complimentary scoring for the team and is due for a breakout season soon. Cory Stillman still gives the team some solid scoring but injuries are becoming more commonplace as he's getting older. Steven Reinprecht was kept under 40 points for the first time in 3 seasons and may find himself used more in a checking capacity if he can't better his offensive production. Shawn Matthias is finally started to receive regular ice time at the NHL level and will receive more ice time the more he can produce. Radek Dvorak might not break 40 points this season but he still has the speed teams need for that "Number 7" forward. Christopher Higgins and Steve Bernier were brought on during the off-season to provide some complimentary scoring that will hopefully realize their potential. Meanwhile, the team hopes Rostislav Olesz will flat out realize his potential in order for the team to succeed. The newly-acquired Marty Reasoner gives the team a solid checking forward who can play in a variety of defensive situations while providing leadership to the young Panther players. Byron Bitz will give the team a solid grinding forward. Michael Grabner will likely be sought to give the team complimentary scoring while Andrew Peters and Triston Grant will likely battle for the enforcer role out of camp and the better player will win.

The group of forwards doesn't seem overly-spectacular but a lot of that could be due to underachievement. Hopefuly coach Peter DeBoer will instill a system they can believe in and the younger guys on the team demonstrate the maturity necessary to blossom at the NHL level. If they can find any worth free agents willing to accept a tryout, especially of the Brendan Morrisonn or Bill Guerin variety, it definitely push them over the edge from "playoff pretender" to "playoff contender."

Defense: Bryan McCabe has done a solid job leading the team and proving some legitimate defensive scoring for the team. Dennis Wideman was brought over from the Boston Bruins and will look to give the team some offensive production; he'll give the team 30 points on a bad season and 50 or better on a good one. Jason Garrison was re-signed in the off-season and could give the team a reliable second-unit playmaking defender if he can get his minors numbers to match his majors numbers. Bryan Allen was able to step in after missing most of the previous season with injury to give the team a tough solid defensive player; there's no reason to think he won't do it again or do it better. Dmitry Kulikov made the team last season and despite a knee injury early on in the year, did fairly well in his first NHL season and should give the team someone who will generate offense on the power play. Mike Weaver came over from the St. Louis Blues as a free agent and will provide the team with a defending defender who can be used effectively in a third-pairing setting. Nathan Paetsch is a pure utility player who will do whatever's asked of him whenever (you can bet he came to Florida with a guarantee for more ice time, though) and will likely round out the defensive pairing.

These guys have Erik Gudbranson waiting in the wings (he'll be NHL ready when he can break 220 lbs) and have solid prospects such as Keaton Ellerby developing in their system. They should be sent as far as defense goes.

Goaltending: Tomas Vokoun is entering a contract year and while he would no doubt love to play of a high-caliber team, the team in front of him might be able to build off his performances long enough to finally get some games in mid-to-late April. If anything, the team could stand to use Scott Clemmensen more often, who proved to be a solid goaltender for the New Jersey Devils and put up respectable numbers as a backup last season. Jacob Markstrom's been signed during the off-season and though he will likely start the season off in the minors, he could start making noise should injuries occur.

With that said, the Panthers have their goaltending needs met and are good to go.

Management: DeBoer's been somewhat inconsistent during his two years as a coach and will have to get the team to get off to a hot start in order to ensure his job security. GM Dale Tallon comes over from the Chicago Blackhawks and is looking to apply the forumla that made the Blackhawks successful to the Panthers (just without the offer sheet drama that came with it.) He's made some shrewd moves in the off-season and could make this team the next Phoenix Coyotes.

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

Call me crazy but I like them. Their defense and goaltending is solid so it's really up to the forwards to perform their roles well enough so they can get into the playoffs (and increase the arena back to it's original capacity.) If the young guys can elevate their game and the veterans can do what's expected of them, they could be the surprise story of the season.

Season Preview: Edmonton Oilers

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 Edmonton Oilers.

Team M.O.: The Edmonton Oilers are very similar to the New York Islanders in many ways. After being dominant through the 80's, the teams became competitive but not elite and then descended into rebuild territory. The talent they currently have is either very young, average, or largely overpaid for what they provide. They'll probably start being regarded as a defensive, score-by-committee type of team

Last Season: Last in the National Hockey League. Injuries took a serious toll on the team but on the bright side, they drafted first this time around and wound up with a very exciting prospect who has the potential to change the team in a dynamic way.

Offense: The team looks like they're going roll 3 lines of guys who can score and it ain't all bad. Taylor Hall was selected first overall in June and should step in immediately for the Oilers by providing some solid point production for the team. Dustin Penner managed to have a career season in Edmonton despite all of their troubles yet he'll have to keep the production up to meet the expectations of the team and the city. Ales Hemsky went down after 22 games and was sorely missed; a healthy return this season should reverse the fortune of the Oilers. While Shawn Horcoff wasn't necessarily dishing passes to the same level of talent consistently all season, his 36 points leave something to be desired given his salary and position on the team. Sam Gagner, meanwhile, is performing admirably as the team's young, second-line playmaking center and could very well move up the depth chart. Andrew Cogliano just re-signed with the team for a year and will need to reverse his own fortunes if he wants to secure a better contract next year (his point production has been in decline since setting a career best 45 points in 2007-08. Gilbert Brule had a career season last year and if he would have stayed healthy, he could have broken the 40-point mark for the first time in his career. Youngsters Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi will get a solid opportunity to round out the scoring wingers category (and Linus Omark might trump them both.)

For the checking unit, it appears as if newly-signed Colin Fraser will center waiver claim Ryan Jones and Jean-Francois Jacques. Zach Stortini will make the 23-man roster as the team's resident fighter while Steve MacIntyre will be the reserve enforcer; though both are heavy no one's really scared of their fighting ability or lackthereof.) Ben Ondrus and Ryan O'Marra will likely battle for the last remaining spot on the team.

If this team's committing to rebuilding this season (which they should) they should just forgo signing anyone else and let the new guys play their game. In other circumstances I'd say "make some moves" but they've made the ones necessary to allow their draft picks to grow.

Defense: Though Sheldon Souray is on the team, he might just be there in name only; I expect the team to assign him to the minors and then expose him to re-entry waivers after he went public with his decision to not want to play in Edmonton anymore. Ryan Whitney was traded to the team last season from the Anaheim Ducks and has enjoyed better success in Edmonton in an offensive role. Tom Gilbert wasn't as prolific as he was last season but still looks to be a solid blue-liner capable of putting up numbers in the 30-40 range. Ladislav Smid's starting to excel in a shutdown role but will he be able to avoid injuries and have a larger role on the team? Kurtis Foster comes over from the Tampa Bay Lightning this season and while he won't factor much into 5-on-5 hockey, he should be a boost for the Edmonton power play. Jim Vandermeer came over from the Phoenix Coyotes and will give the team a solid stay-at-home defender who can also play wing if asked. Jason Strudwick provides a lot of the same qualities as Vandermeer (though is a little older) so it should be interesting to see if they'll keep him around or deal him before the season starts. Depending on how the Souray situation plays our (or depending on whomever else may be injuried or moved), Theo Peckham and Taylor Chorney will either battle for depth spots or be assigned to the minors outright after the pre-season.

All and all though, the Edmonton defense corps doesn't look too shabby (even for a non-rebuilding playoff team) and shouldn't need further improvement.

Goaltending: Well, Nikolai Khabibulin is a Stanley Cup Champion who's recovering from back injuries and battling legal issues outside of hockey that could prohibit him from being as effective as everyone would hope. Martin Gerber is a Stanley Cup Champion who spent last season in the KHL and was riding the waiver wire the season prior. Jeff Deslauriers was decent but not consistent enough to fill the team's starting position. Devan Dubnyk appeared in 10 games before getting his first NHL win. There's a lot of guys as possible options in the crease but two of them need to have a spectacular camp and prove to the team why they should be on roster.

Management: While we'll need to see how coach Tom Renney runs the team, GM Steve Tambellini has done what's expected for a GM who's rebuilding a team. No the team's not a powerhouse on paper; but the defense is solid, the forwards will mature, and hopefully two guys emerge from the four-headed monster on a consistent enough basis to give the team some decent goaltending.

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

Its not that this is a bad team as so much as so much as there's a lot of guys who simply need more NHL experience. I think that they'll be better than last season, probably fight for a playoff spot next season, and be better than expected the season after that. If they don't get there after that then the team will likely change directions in GM again and could potentially face the prospect of leaving Edmonton for Oklahoma City.

Season Preview: Detroit Red Wings

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 Detroit Red Wings.

Team M.O.: Perennial winners, the Detroit Red Wings are the envy of other sports franchises, let alone hockey teams. With great ownership and a smart blend of development, trades, and free agents; GM Ken Holland has managed to put together a team which is a Number 5 playoff seed at worst and a Stanley Cup Champion at best. People in Toronto and Edmonton wish this was their hockey club.

Last Season: Fifth overall in the Western Conference and eliminated by the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Semifinals. To some in Northern California, it was the passing of the torch as the student (Sharks coach/former Red Wings assistant coach Todd McLellan) beat the master (Red Wings coach/Best Hair In Hockey Mike Babcock). To the rest of the hockey world, the Red Wings were in a "rebuild" year of sorts and had to wait for a few extra pieces to be made available...

Offense: Babcock has said he's going to reunite the ZDH Line and I can't wait to see it. Pavel Datsyuk remains one of the league's best one-on-one forwards and though a little behind on the offense last season, he still remained Selke-worthy to the point where they may as well just name it the Datsyuk award. Hendrik Zetterberg remains and elite forward with an astounding sense of intelligence. Tomas Holmstrom's starting to be in the infirmary more often than not nowadays, but when healthy he's still one of the best shot-deflecting crease-crashers with a sense of nastiness that 29 other teams would love to have on their club. This means that Valteri Filppula will center a line with power forward/goal scorer Johan Franzan and the all-offensive big man Todd Bertuzzi. Filppula's battled injuries throughout his young career so the Wings did what you'd expect them to: They signed his older brother Ilari for forward depth (though Ilari will go to Grand Rapids; he won't be subject to re-entry waivers and they play the same type of game.) Former Dallas Star and Livonia-native Mike Modano has come home and will center a line with the always versatile Dan Cleary (who's versatility makes him the best Number 7 forward in the league) and the small yet skilled Jiri Hudler (who comes back after spending a year in the Kontinental Hockey League.) Darren Helm and Kris Draper will alternate as the team's speedy defensive centerman while Patrick Eaves will take over as the jack-of-all trades forward that endears him to the Red Wings staff. The team needed toughness; so Justin Abdelkader took matters into his own hands and learned how to fight in the off-season.

There's one more forward spot left on the team. Though the team is looking to either have the defensively sound Drew Miller (who was the Red Wings first waiver claim in over a decade) or the offensively-minded Mattias Riolta round out the forward corps. Aaron Downey will receive a professional tryout after spending last season in semi-retirement (he took the autumn off after being cut from the Phoenix Coyotes and spend the winter in Phoenix playing Senior A hockey with other former professional hockey players) but looks more likely for Grand Rapids than Detroit, which is somewhat unfortunate.

With that said; this team needs an enforcer and that's it. There's plenty of sandpaper in the lineup they just need the icing on the cake. If Downey can have an excellent camp then he'll be golden. If another fighter is available on waivers during the preseason and the Wings can make a claim, I'd love to see that too.

Defense: Nicklas Lidstrom remains one of the best defensemen in hockey and while he's over 40, he's still capable of playing a supreme game. Brian Rafalski doesn't look like he's going anywhere soon so he gives the Wings a second defenseman who'll likely break 40 points. Niklas Kronwall could do that do with his offensive prowess and big-hitting ability but he very seldom, if ever, plays in a full season. Brad Stuart's settled down into the role of the shutdown defender for the Red Wings yet it's one that he's grown confident and comfortable with; and with the right team. Ruslan Salei was signed as a free agent from the Colorado Avalanche and will give the team a defender who was capable of what Andreas Lilja provided but with a bit more nastiness. Hopefully this wears off on Jonathan Ericcson, who can do a little bit of everything but needs a little more aggression and confidence to ascend the depth chart. Jakub Kindl will get his shot as the team's Number 7 defender; he can also provide defense of the tough, physical variety when he finds his groove. Derek Meech has cleared waivers and currently serves as the team's eighth defender. Holland will likely move him as soon as he finds a taker.

Otherwise, their depth's legit so moving on...

Goaltending: Jimmy Howard was able to gain the majority of the starts by season's end and gave the team more confidence in his abilities by season's end. It wasn't easy for Chris Osgood to watch, but he still provided a calming influence and will likely have a better season thanks in part to not having to save the team twice. If this is the end of the road for him, I hope he has a magnificent swan song. Regardless, Babcock would be wise to have them split playing time as opposed to having a Number 1/2 type system. In the minors, Joey MacDonald returns to the organization to mentor and be that Number 3 goaltender while Thomas McCollum will be groomed to be the Red Wings' goalie of the future.

Management: Holland was the G.M. for three championship teams and has continued the Red Wings winning ways. Babcock's stubbornness gets the best of him from time-to-time, but he's a great coach overall and a great leader for the team. Everyone buys into what they're doing there so why change a thing?

Prediction: First in the Central Division and having a nice run in the playoffs.

How far they go in the playoffs depends on their commitment to an enforcer. The only other team in the West who I think is better are the Vancouver Canucks because they have Darcy Hordichuk. If they can snag a guy who can honestly enforce and still appear in 41 games or better, this could be 2008 revisited. Nevertheless, most of the components managed to come from within this season and they're going into the season with one of the best teams possible.

Season Preview: Dallas Stars

September's finally here. And given how slowly teams are coming together, we decided to put off the previews until September this time. We go in alphabetical order because hey, why not? We'll be doing this until September ends. With that said here we go.

And now, the Dallas Stars.

Team M.O.: Plain and simple these guys are in the midst of a rebuild (or seriously need to hit that button soon.) Dave Tippett brought a defense-first mantra to the team which made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2008. After the 2009-09 season, Tippett was fired after the Stars failed to make the playoffs. The team installed Marc Crawford as coach and went from being a defense-first team to a group that relied on a "west coast offense" style of game.

Last Season: Twelfth in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs. They had the same rank the season prior yet went from third in the Pacific Division to last. There were a few moves made in the off-season but were they the right ones to make the team competitive?

Offense: Loui Eriksson continues to thrive in an offensive role while newcomers Jamie Benn and James Neal (still an RFA) provided enough secondary scoring in their rookie seasons to warrant playing time on the top-two lines. Brad Richards amassed 90 points last season and while a stellar on offense, he needs to commit more to defense if the team's going to push themselves past the other teams in the division, let alone the conference. Mike Riberio wasn't as productive as in season's past, but he's still a legitimate playmaker and solid pivot for Dallas' young wingers. Brenden Morrow will return in his role as the team captain and top-six power forward; providing the team with solid two-way play and toughness when he's healthy. Fabian Brunnstrom rounds out the scoring forward and though his production is inconsistent, you have to expect that from a guy who a signed based entirely on YouTube videos. Jonathan Cheechoo will get the opportunity to make the team on a professional tryout contract.

Looking at the bottom-half of the depth chart, Steve Ott brings a versatile game to go with his nastiness but needs to avoid the dirty stuff if he doesn't want someone to end his career early for him. Toby Petersen managed to serve the Stars in a checking capacity last season and will likely shore up on either the third or fourth units. Tom Wandell had a breakout season last year and will provide the team with a solid two-way forward who's capable of playing on their third unit. Though Adam Burish comes over from the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, he was limited to 16 games last season and wound up being a healthy scratch during the Finals, so there's no telling how effective he'll be for the Stars. Brandon Segal was claimed off waivers from the L.A. Kings and provided more for the Stars during his audition for them than he did for the Kings; that performance will look secure him a depth role coming into camp. Krys Barch will enforce for the team while Brian Sutherby will likely round out the defensive forwards for the team.

All and all, not bad. However, there will be a lot of pressure on the young guys to meet or exceed what they provided the team through last season.

Defense: Stephane Robidas managed to give the Stars some decent point production through last season yet somewhat suffered with the defensive aspects of the game. Trevor Daley will be useful in producing 20-30 points from the blue line for the Stars. Karlis Skrastins and Niklas Grossman will give the team two solid defensive-minded defenders; though their play without the puck is better than their play with it. Mark Fistric may not have the tools to be an offensive star in the league, but the +27 he earned on a non-playoff team goes to show that this guy's a defensive stud in the NHL. Matt Niskanen regressed in his point production last season; which is not good for a guy who's relied on to provide their blueline with offense. Philip Larsen, Jeff Woywitka, and Brad Lukowich will battle for the remaining spot at camp.

While the defense isn't overwhelming, you have to wonder if the team will make a move. They seem to have some young guys in decent roles who could gain the experience, but that "breakout" defender seems absent among the group. The free agent pool has a lot of depth defenders left if they wanted to give someone like Fistric more playing time. They could also make a trade or watch the waiver wire because they definitely have the salary cap space to make a move.

Goaltending: Kari Lehtonen has long been considered to have the talent to be extraordinary in the league, but is constantly dogged by health issues to the point where no one knows if he's really that much better of an upgrade over the departed Marty Turco. Andrew Raycroft put up some decent numbers last season as Roberto Luongo's backup for the Vancouver Canucks, but given his record on "rebuilding" teams I have no optimism he'll do anything special for the team. Brent Krahn and Richard Bachman will be serving on the farm, rounding out the goaltending depth for the team.

Management: GM Joe Nieuwendyk hasn't exactly made the moves to make the Stars competitive while Crawford hasn't led any of his teams to the playoffs since 2004. No, Brett Hull's move to get Sean Avery on the team wasn't a great one, but these guys aren't necessarily getting the team back to where they were at the end of the 2007-08 season.

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

While the group of forwards is above-average, the defense is average and both the goaltending and management leave something to be desired. In another division these guys would have a shot. Yet considering the fact that they'll be spending a quarter of their season facing up against the LA Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks, I got a feeling that the "rebuild" button will be pushed, the team will tank, and the team will look to have an early draft pick next season who can step in ASAP and help them out.

Season Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets

September's finally here. And given how slowly teams are coming together, we decided to put off the previews until September this time. We go in alphabetical order because hey, why not? We'll be doing this until September ends. With that said here we go.

And now, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Team M.O.: Historically regarded as a defense-first team, these guys look like they're opting to go with a "run and gun" type game built around a good young goalie, some astounding prospects at forward, and an excellent captain in Rick Nash. What they lack is consistency in winning, and while that was understandable during the pre-lockout era of Detroit Red Wings dominance, the expectations are higher in the salary cap era, especially after finally making the playoffs in 2008-09.

Last Season: Fourteenth in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs. The team was teetering around the .500 mark until a disastrous slide in December. In the end it cost Ken Hitchcock his job but didn't necessarily lead to GM Scott Howson blowing up the team. A good season will make the coaching changes look brilliant; a losing season could mean the ax for another GM (or maybe not considering how long Doug MacLean managed to stick around since getting canned in favor of Howson.)

Offense: Rick Nash is relied on heavily for just about everything; it would be nice if he could be relied on purely for goal scoring considering that's what he's best at (and he's one of the best goal-scorers, too.) Antoine Vermette had a career season and while playing with Rick Nash helps, he's definitely taking steps forward to become a more complete two-way player. RJ Umberger has the tools to effectively compliment a scoring line but he'll want to tighten up his attention to defense to raise his game to an elite level. Jakub Voracek took some significant steps forward last season and looks poised to become a first-line forward at the ripe old age of 21. Derick Brassard definitely experienced a sophomore slump last season but it was his first full NHL season after missing the second half of 2008-09 with injuries; he should improve this forthcoming season. Kristian Huselius provides the team with an effective scoring winger that should provide leadership for the blossoming crop of young talent. Nikita Filatov will be returning to the team this year and should get a better look-see under Ariel than he did with Hitchcock.

Getting to the grinders and muckers, Chris Clark was acquired halfway through the season and while he isn't shy about dropping the mitts, the team has other guys on the roster capable of doing that so it would be best to stick to being a solid checker and great leader. Sammy Pahlsson struggled at first with the team, but became his usual self as the season went on and should give the team a high-end defensive forward capable of winning faceoffs. Ethan Moreau was acquired over the waiver wire and will be expected to thrive in a checking and penalty killing role for the team. As has been the case for the past couple season, Jared Boll and Derek Dorsett will exist to rile up and bruise the competition while keeping their star players protected. Michael Blunden appears ready to challenge for a checking role while Ben Guite will hope to round out the group of forwards and get back to having a regular NHL job.

There's nothing more the team can do at forward that they haven't done already; their components will now be responsible to take the steps necessary or risk playing elsewhere next season.

Defense: Fedor Tyutin managed to appear in more games than anyone else (he was the only defender to appear in more than 75 games) and was only two points off from his career season; he'll definitely be counted on to start the action up the ice. Jan Hejda had a disappointing season but to his credit, he battled injuries and played on a not-so-great squad; when healthy he's a great defensive/shutdown defenseman. Marc Methot is developing in a role similar to Hejda's while Kris Russell is coming along similar to Tyutin and give the team some solid young players to use in either in a second or third-pairing role. While Mike Commodore is a solid defensive player and leader for the youth in the dressing room, his salary doesn't justify what he's providing the team and could be a hindrance to them acquiring better players. Anton Stralman had a breakout year for the Blue Jackets, notching 34 points, but he'll need to tighten up his defensive play if he's wishes to become more than a power-play specialist. The team might wish to use Rostislav Klesla enough to justify his salary but given the fact that he's only appeared in 60 games through the past two seasons, you can't help but wonder if starting him off in a depth role could be better for both his health and the betterment of the team. Grant Clitsome and Nate Guenin will likely be the guys coming up from the minors for fill in duty when needed.

I would love to see this team trade for another veteran defender who can play top-four minutes but it I don't see it happening before camp. In fairness, if everyone can stay healthy, this season could be an improvement.

Goaltending: It kinda sucks when the expectations of a franchise fall on the shoulders of a young guy who's 22 and went from junior to NHL with no stop between, but unfortunately these things occur when you're a starting goaltender in the NHL. The team is going to wholly expect Steve Mason to have a bounce back year while detractors are going to hope that they didn't rush his development by having him play too early too soon. Though Mathieu Garon appeared in 35 games, he only started in 27 of them; frankly I think he can and should handle a higher work load and split start duties with Mason. The team has no depth issues in net.

Management: I'm not a fan of how Howson put this team together but if Ariel manages to make it work; then great on them. Still, what they've paid certain players since he's taken over has boggled my mind and I never though I'd see the day where the team's potential checking line is making an average of over $2M a player.

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

I think they're a better team than the Nashville Predators this season but I have absolutely no confidence the coaching change will help the franchise start winning; not until I see how it works. They had plenty of guys take steps forward but an equal number of guys who may face a sophomore slump or injury issues. Setbacks can always occur to other teams and guys can have breakout seasons, but a lot will have to go right for these guys for them to even be a bubble team.

Season Preview: Colorado Avalanche

September's finally here. And given how slowly teams are coming together, we decided to put off the previews until September this time. We go in alphabetical order because hey, why not? We'll be doing this until September ends. With that said here we go.

And now, the Colorado Avalanche.

Team M.O.: Last season at this time, I thought the team lacked identity. The truth: They were silently rebuilding after having up-and-down success in the post-lockout NHL. No more are the Avalanche now a two-way team that effectively used the trap as they did in the old NHL; they were now an offensively brilliant run-and-gun team that used offense over defense as a means to win. GM Greg Sherman was able to get goalie Craig Anderson to an affordable contract with the promise of playing time and after that, things kinda fell into place from there.

Last Season: The team finished eighth in the Western Conference and were eliminated by the San Jose Sharks during the Conference Quarterfinals in six games. This was a stark improvement from 2009, when the team finished last in the Conference and selected third overall at the draft (oh, and that worked out for them by the way.)

Offense: Matt Duchene went from being the third-overall pick going to a moribund team to being one of the spark plugs that got the team back up and running; no doubt he'll be expected to do great things this season. Paul Stastny just keeps getting better and while he would probably like to net more than 20 goals this upcoming season, he's still going to be close or at a point-per-game basis this season. Power forward Chris Stewart just re-signed with the team after putting up a career season with 64 points; no doubt will he be expected to play a top-six forward role for the team. The usually-healthy Milan Hejduk missed some time with the club last season but still broke the 40 point barrier in 56 appearances and gives the kids on the team a reliable veteran leader who can both guide them and play to their abilities. Peter Mueller came over from the Phoenix Coyotes and made a splash until he was injured with a concussion; he has the talent and ability to be an effective scoring forward in the league but has suffered from issues relating to concussions and immaturity to the point where he could be the next Krys Kolanos. T.J. Galiardi took a significant step forward with his offensive production last season and shown he could be relied on to provide offense for the team. Brandon Yip will likely round out the offensive forwards for the team; he'll get a better chance to showcase his skills if he can avoid the injury bug.

Going further down the depth chart, Ryan O'Reilly managed to have a nice rookie year himself and makes for a solid third-line center who might be able to muster enough offense to produce 40 points. Dan Winnik comes over from the Phoenix Coyotes and while he won't score a slew of goals, he'll be spectacular in a defensive role for the team that needs it. Cody McLeod provides the crashing-and-banging along with agitation while David Koci enforces for the team when called upon. Kevin Porter (the third player formerly from the Phoenix Coyotes so far) will likely have a better shot than ever of getting to audition for an NHL gig. Though he's a versatile forward who's primarily used in a defensive role, he could have a breakout year in terms of scoring under the right conditions. David Jones suffered an ACL tear and missed most of the season last year and given his injury concerns, might be limited to part time status despite his potential. Philippe Dupuis, Ben Walter, Greg Mauldin, and David Van Der Gulik will likely be battling for jobs in camp.

In my opinion, they could stand to add another veteran checking forward. Maybe a training camp invite for one would do well to ensure the best guy gets the job.

Defense: Scott Hannan and Adam Foote are both excellent leaders and defense-first style of players; that's something that's significant to have with the type of system the team plays in. Kyle Cumiskey is another player who had a breakout season last year and will likely be assigned top-pairing minutes in an offensive role this season. Kyle Quincey continues to thrive at all aspects of the game, which makes Detroit Red Wings fans wonder why he was waived instead of Derek Meech. John-Michael Liles wasn't a regular for the team last season but he still managed to put up 31 points in 59 games. Ryan Wilson got his audition last season and looks poised to fulfill the "nasty defensive role" that's wonderful to have at Number 6.

As much as I would love to see a "Shattenkirk" jersey, the team would do better to get a legitimate depth defender like Andreas Lilja as opposed to having one of their current prospect/minor league players playing that role. The team isn't necessarily injury free and depth could be a significant factor for them this season.

Goaltending: Craig Anderson made well on his change of scenery, going from minor-league assignments to starting in the NHL. He thrives with the more shots he faces which affords the opportunity for the team to play the type of game they do. Peter Budaj was used largely in a backup role last season but still put up excellent individual numbers; it would be nice to see him challenge Anderson for more playing time. The team has John Grahame and Jason Bacashihua in the minors to round out the depth.

Management: Though Sherman inherited a good team, he still made the right moves to ensure they'll remain competitive in the league. Joe Sacco's first year in the NHL was so successful that he probably would have won the Jack Adams Trophy if it weren't for Dave Tippett's Phoenix Coyotes. I trust that these guys know what their doing even if I'm not overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the team on paper.

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

These guys are better equipped than the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild. While the Vancouver Canucks will likely win the division again this season, the Calgary Flames's success will ultimately depend on how well they can work with injuries (they're damned if they do because they miss people, they're damned if they don't because of the salary cap.) On paper, I think the Flames have more experience and that the Avalanche could be prone to a few sophomore slumps. If the management can make the right moves and/or if the players can take the right steps forward then the team could conceivably overtake the Flames in the division.