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.

Season Preview: Minnesota Wild

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 Minnesota Wild.

Team M.O.: The team utilized a solid defensive style throughout the beginning of their existence. However, following seasons of inconsistency and the incident of Marian Gaborik leaving the team through free agency, former GM Doug Risebrough was replaced with Chuck Fletcher while former coach Jacques Lemaire stepped down for newcomber Todd Richards to come on board. Richards boasted a new type of game than the previous organization did; lets just say it didn't go over entire too well that first year...

Last Season: Thirteenth in the Western Conference and out of the playoffs. Frankly, it doesn't look much better this season.

Offense: Mikko Koivu just signed a seven-year extension and while he might not have the offensive numbers of an idea Number 1 center, he still has an excellent work-rate and is a solid option for a team's top line. Martin Havlat managed to avoid injuries (for the most part) but saw his production come back to the 50 point range (after posting 77 points the season prior) and suffered through his first minus-rated season since 2002. Guillaume Latendresse appears to be doing better in Minnesota than he was playing for the Montreal Canadiens; he'll need to put up some consistency in order to erase any doubts. Matt Cullen was signed through the off-season and provides the team with a versatile forward who can be used judiciously on the second-unit and special teams. Antti Miettinen is also finding a legitimate level of offensive consistency with his game and should supply the team with 40-50 points this season. Andrew Brunette's production actually improved by 10 points from the previous season; though he's getting older he can still be a significant factor for the team's scoring.

It's unfortunate I can't mention Pierre-Marc Bouchard in the same light as those guys but he's still suffering through a concussion he sustained at the start of last season and there isn't a time table for a return. Though the team could try and make a move for an offensive player, they might be just as well-off if they give Casey Wellman a shot at being that offensive forward who splits time between either the press box and the ice or between the minors and the NHL.

Kyle Brodziak put up a career best of 33 points last season and appears to be a sound option for any team's third unit. Chuck Kobasew's production fell off a cliff between two seasons ago (42 points) in comparison to last season's totals (15). Knee injuries were a factor, though, so a healthy Kobasew should be capable of boosting the offensive production on a depth line. Cal Clutterbuck is a solid grinder but you can't help but feel that he needs to produce more to warrant more ice time. John Madden brings his Stanley Cup championship over from the Chicago Blackhawks and will give the team a solid faceoff man and penalty killer. Eric Nystrom was acquired during the off-season from the Calgary Flames to give the team a versatile forward in a defensive mold. The departure of Derek Boogaard created an opening for Brad Staubitz to come over and play the role of enforcer. James Sheppard has been woefully inconsistent and you can't help but wonder if he was asked to do too much too soon; he might have to require a complete change of scenery to realize his potential. Robbie Earl performed well enough in call-up duty to warrant a right to challenge for a depth spot on the NHL club.

Their defensive forwards seem to be lacking too and could stand to be fortified with someone in the mold of Darcy Tucker, IMO. In fact, he's still free if they should be interested in signing him.

Defense: Marek Zidlicky has been wonderfully productive for the team but could stand to still do the defensive things right to help a club get out of their losing ways. After having a breakout season in 2007-08, Brent Burns has seen his production and role regress due to a large part of all the injuries he's suffered in the past few seasons. Cam Barker was acquired mid-season from the Chicago Blackhawks and managed to increase his production-rate with more ice time; he should give the team a solid Number 3 defender going into the season. Defensive defender Greg Zanon saw his numbers suffer on a team notorious for bad defense last season but is the kinda guy who will still provide maximum effort even when the poo hits the fan. Nick Schultz managed to increase his production and could ascend the depth chart if he manages to keep it up.

For their Number 6 and 7 spots, the team has Clayton Stoner, Nate Prosser, Maxim Noreau, and Justin Falk all looking to battle for spots. While I couldn't necessarily object to going with one of them (Stoner in particular and no, not because of the last name), injuries are too much of a concern on this team for them to go into the season with what they have now and should look to grab at least another NHL defender, perhaps two, if they deem that their prospects aren't quite ready for "the jump."

Goaltending: Niklas Backstrom was considered unspectacular last season yet considering his Olympic numbers and the numbers he put up the previous season, it's not entirely impossible he suffered because the team in front of him was lacking in defense; he'll get his chance to prove this season that this was an aberration. Josh Harding is touted to have the gifts of a starting netminder yet hasn't played more than 29 games in a single NHL season, which leaves you to wonder if the team's utilizing him properly. Anton Khudobin has been unspectacular in the minors but was completely dominant in two appearances with the Wild last season; if he can put together a complete season down in Houston he could very well ascend the depth chart in front of both Backstrom and Harding. Minnesota will likely have Dennis Endras as the team's depth option in Houston while their remaining prospects play for their current teams.

Management: IMO, Fletcher received a decent team which he's put a little bit of work into but hasn't managed to put together a group that's complete enough to compete for 82 games a season. If Fletcher is committed to the type of game Richards is trying to execute, a full-rebuild might be necessary for the club.

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

When you factor in the potential for injuries and inconsistency, there isn't a whole lot of faith one can put in Minnesota's current level of depth to bail them out over the course of an entire season. As I alluded to earlier, the organization has this season to return to the playoffs. Otherwise, they're going to have to hit that "rebuild" button and the resolve of the Minnesota hockey market will be tested for the next few seasons to come.