Predictions and Analysis: The East

Ottawa Senators

Patrick Lalime and Martin Prusek should lead the Senators to the Presidents Trophy for a second straight campaign.  Could this be the season that Lalime commands consideration for the Vezina?  Blue chip prospect, Ray Emery, has shined in pre-season play but it’s been reported that Sens management would rather see him play a lot in the AHL games rather than ride the pine in the show. 

The Sens are stacked with 8 defensemen—all capable of playing in the NHL.  Wade Redden, Zdeno Chara, Chris Phillips, and Karel Rachunek make up the top four.  Young Russian tank, Anton Volchenkov has quickly developed into a reliable 5^th defender.  A battle will ensue for the remaining spot between Shane Hnidy, Curtis Leschyshyn, and Brian Pothier.  Pothier, who G.M. John Muckler has taken a fancy to, looks to have the inside track on the position.

Nothing flashy for now (although the idea to transplant offense from other positions has been thrown around), however, the slots on the left side will most likely be secured by VaclavVarada, Peter Schastlivy (injury-prone), & Peter Schaefer.  All three could stand to put up better numbers than were produced last season.  The final spot will come down to a dogfight between Jody Hull, Antoine Vermette (AHL 35 goal scorer), Denis Hamel, and Serge Payer.

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While it’s been confirmed that young Jason Spezza will finally get his shot in Ottawa this season, the Sens will be flooded with 6 NHL centermen.  It’s been suggested that Mike Fisher and Todd White move to the left side while Radek Bonk, Bryan Smolinski, and Shawn Van Allen occupy the remaining positions down the middle.  It’s difficult to predict just how Jacques Martin will shuffle his assets but one thing is for sure: the Senators will be very strong at center ice.

Arguably the best group of right wingers in the Eastern conference.  Marian Hossa, Daniel Alfredsson, and Martin Havlat (assuming they can get him signed) provide the Sens with a legitimate scoring threat on three out of four lines.  Hossa has shown up to camp in formidable shape and appears poised to take another run at the Rocket Richard trophy.  Chris Neil adds muscle and a nasty disposition to the fourth line; he’s also a decent hockey player.

Look for another first place finish from Ottawa.  They could quite feasibly ice six quality NHL lines and four sets of capable defensemen.  With a management team and owner obsessed with winning the Stanley Cup, don’t be surprised to see the Senators package up a few players in order to bring in a new horse. 

1

New Jersey Devils

World-class.  Expect Martin Brodeur to quietly deliver another MVP type performance.  Corey Schwab has performed like a starter for the past two seasons.

After the top four of Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens, Brian Rafalski, and Colin White, the Devils run thin.  The good news: with a foursome like this, depth problems should not be as noticeable.  Sean Brown will be a welcomed addition.  Look for the Devils to give some of their youngsters (Giroux and Hale) a chance to develop before bringing in some help if things aren’t working out. 

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Excellent.  A valuable combination of skill, speed, experience, grit, and defensive awareness.  Patrik Elias, Jeff Friesen, Jay Pandolfo, and Sergei Brylin.  Elias will be looking to increase his offensive production, as will Jeff Friesen who is coming off a terrific playoff season.  Erik Rasmussen will try to make his case for some ice-time.

Aside from Mike Rupp, the Devils lack size.  Does it matter when you’ve got the creativity, speed, and experience of John Madden, Scott Gomez, and the ageless veteran, Igor Larionov?  John Madden, in particular, is establishing himself as one of the top defensive forwards in the league—a title that used to be owned by Long Island’s Michael Peca. 

Very strong.  Not quite as skilled as the left side but much more difficult to play against.  Jamie Langenbrunner, Grant Marshall, Turner Stevenson (out with injured groin), and Brian Gionta.  Each player can do it all.  If given some slack, look for Langenbrunner to turn it up offensively.  Do any two players epitomize the Canadian style of hockey more than Grant Marshall and Turner Stevenson?  New Jersey will continue to control the boards, as well as own the corners on both sides of the rink.

The Devils are the proud owners of, arguably, the most balanced group of forwards in the game.  The only finger that can be pointed is directed towards their 5^th and 6^th defensive slots.  Lou Lamoriello will not allow this apparent shortcoming to develop into an issue.  Look for New Jersey to battle it out with Ottawa at the very top of the conference.

2

Washington Capitals

Olaf Kolzig is coming off a season where he posted an excellent record and a remarkable save percentage (.919).  He is in the prime of his career and should produce another excellent campaign.  Young Sebastien Charpentier will be pressured for the back-up role by AHL standout, Maxime Ouellet (22-16-7, .929%)

Yes, Sergei Gonchar is world-class.  Brendan Witt is experienced and reliable.  If the two of them could play all 60 minutes every game, the Caps would be golden.  Unfortunately this is simply not possible and herein lies the problem: the Caps are void of proven NHL defensemen beyond these two players.  Jason Doig is developing into a fine working-class player.  The 5^th and 6^th spots should be locked-up by Joseph Boumedienne and, former World Junior standout, Steve Eminger.  Joel Kwiatkowski is capable of stepping in when called upon.

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With a consistent effort from Dainius Zubrus, who, at times, can play like either the best or the worst players in the league, the Caps are well equipped on the left side.  Heart and soul veteran, Steve Konawalchuk, is always good for 15 to 20 goals and he’s also a major pain to play against.  Kip Miller, who posted 38 assists last season, will be counted on the repeat his play-making feats.   The fourth line slot looks to have been secured by Russian rookie, Alex Semin, who has impressed in training.

The Caps are covered down the middle, primarily supported by skilled Swede, Michael Nylander (out with a fractured leg until mid-November) and Czech, Robert Lang.  Jeff Halpern is everything you could ask for in a 3^rd line center.  He’s gritty, can lead others with his die-hard effort, and will chip in with a point every couple of games.  The fourth line slot will be battled for my former Canadian World Junior stars, Trent Whitfield and Brian Sutherby.   Everyone will shift up a line until Nylander returns.

Even better than the left wing.  Of course, Jaromir Jagr is a good reason for that.  But there are others.  Peter Bondra is capable of more than his 30 goals of last season; look for him to redeem himself (not that 30 goal is something to sneeze at).  With more ice time, monstrous winger Mike Grier, is also capable of scoring at a higher frequency.  Grier brings other intangibles with his relentless skating and checking.  The fourth line opening will go to either Steven Peat or Brian Willsie.  The former Avs winger was picked up in the waiver draft.  

With a substantial upgrade to their defensive corps, the Capitals could, potentially, compete with the elite level teams in the conference.  From there, you never know what could happen. Especially when you’ve got players as talented as Jagr, Bondra, Gonchar, and Lang--not to mention character guys like Halpern and Konowalchuk.  The absence of Nylander will deter the club from getting off to a good start.  If I were Ted Leonsis, this would be a team that I would roll the dice on.  Time to open up the wallet againTed.

3

The Philadelphia Flyers

Things didn’t work out for Jeff Hackett in Boston.  But it rarely works out for any goaltender in Boston.  Look for Hackett to reestablish himself behind a Hitchcock coached Flyers team.  There’s nothing wrong with the numbers Robert Esche put up last season.  He will provide reliable support when called upon.

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A solid group of five from last season: Eric Desjardins, Kim Johnsson, Eric Weinrich, Marcus Ragnarsson, and Chris Therrien.  Joni Pitkanen could make things interesting in terms of challenging for some veteran minutes.  Jim Vandameer will push for a spot with his fearless style of play.  This guy can give a punch as well as he can take one. Therrien could be the odd man out if he’s anything but rock-solid.  Denis Seidenberg and Jeff Woywitka give the Flyers some additional depth.

Simon Gagne and John Leclair will be expected to reassert their scoring prowess following injury plagued seasons.  Leclair, in particular, could use a productive season to rejuvenate his career.  Can he pull it off?  Donald Brashear plays his role well, however, on a club with a stronger left side, he would be relegated to the 4^th line.  Rough and tumble Todd Fedoruk will compete with Radovan Somik for the final slot.  With a name like Radovan you’d expect more than 8 goals in 60 games.

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The Flyers are very strong down the middle.  Jeremy Roenick leads the way with his up-tempo, in-your-face style.  He also led the team in scoring last season.  Keith Primeau rarely takes a shift off.  His size, tenacity, and skill make him very tough to deal with.  If Primeau was blessed with a decent set of hands, he’d be a 40-goal scorer.  Michal Handzus will provide additional offense while veteran Claude Lapointe will bring hustle and leadership to the fourth line.

Philly has every reason to believe that 2003-04 will be a tremendous season for their group of right wingers. Tony Amonte wasted little time in blending into the Flyer’s attack following his late-season trade from Phoenix.   That said, Amonte may have to rely on good old fashioned veteran wits because it looks as though he’s lost a step or two.  Mark Recchi can always be counted to register decent offensive production provided he is healthy.  Sami Kapanen finally kicked it into gear at the end of last season.  Prior to then, he looked more like an ice-capade dancer.   Justin Williams will be hungry to improve on his shortened season of 41 games.

The Flyers will be icing a well-balanced hockey club.  With Ken Hitchcock at the helm, they will, no doubt, be prepared to compete.   A great deal will depend on the health of some of their aging veterans as well as the performance of Jeff Hackett.  Look for the Flyers to start quickly.

4

Toronto Maple Leafs

No issues.  The Leafs are strong in net and there is no reason for Ed Belfour not to shine in 2003-04.  Trevor Kidd (currently injured) will be a suitable backup with Tellqvist pushing for promotion.

Before the arrival of veteran Ken Klee, it was heavily publicized (and for good reason) that the Leafs lack depth and proven experience on their blue line.  Even with Klee rounding out the top four with Kaberle, McCabe (out for 3-6 weeks), Berg, and Marchment, the Leafs will need overachievement from steadily improving, Ric Jackman.  For now, Wade Belak looks to have locked up the 6^th spot.  Russian rookie, Maxim Kondratiev has managed to stick with the big club to open the season as the 7^th man.  All in all, the club’s issues on defense are not as pronounced as people have made them out to be.  Of course, the situation could definitely be better.  Avoiding injuries to the top four will be key.

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Injuries not permitting, Toronto’s left side looks decent on paper.  Gary Roberts and Darcy Tucker will lead the way with Alexei Ponikarovsky providing additional offensive support.  Tom Fitzgerald is a decent checking winger by NHL standards. Roberts’ apparent lack of durability, coupled with scoring inconsistency by the rest of the group could be cause for concern.

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Toronto is accomplished down the middle with Mats Sundin headlining.  Big Nic Antropov should continue to develop into a legitimate force.  Joe Nieuwendyk will give the Leafs a viable second-line presence.  With any luck, his knee will hold up allowing the veteran to strut the abilities that have helped him win Stanley Cups with three different clubs.  Robert Reichel will give Pat Quinn some additional flexibility.  In case of injury, he is capable of filling on all four lines.  Rookie, Matt Stajan, is making a strong case to stick with the big club.

Above average.  Alex Mogilny and Owen Nolan give the Leafs world-class talent on the right side.  They also represent a bona fide scoring threat every time Toronto’s top two lines takes to the ice.  Mikael Renberg was solid-when healthy-last season.  He should produce a steady campaign.  Tie Domi has proven that he is capable of contributing offense as well as tight checking when called upon.

What do Mogilny, Nolan, Roberts, Renberg, Niewendyk and Antropov all have in common?  None seem physically capable of playing at the top of their game for an entire season.  Take the issues of age (which didn’t seem to bother Detroit two seasons ago), defense, and whatever other garbage that has been spewed forth about the buds and throw them all out the window.  DURABILITY is the root of Toronto’s problems.  When it comes down to it, however, Toronto is in possession of some tremendously talented players and will find a way to pull off a decent campaign.

5

Boston Bruins

If Potvin falls back into his nightmare of a few seasons ago (or gets injured), Andrew Raycroft will be counted on to keep the club competitive.  This, unfortunately, raises some major concerns.  Expect Potvin to seize the opportunity just as he did in Los Angeles.   If not, the Bruins will be singing a familiar tune.

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Nothing spectacular but the Bruins will ice 6 solid defenders (which is more than several other teams can say).  Nick Boynton should continue to evolve into an elite defensive defenseman.  The Bruins are blessed with towering size in Hal Gill and Dan McGillis.  Sean O’Donnell and Ian Moran will both provide stability, grit, and veteran leadership.  Jeff Jilson appears to have cracked the opening day lineup.  The Bruins will in even better shape with the return of injured mainstay, Jonathan Girard.  A lack of offensive power could hurt this group. 

The Bruins are in good shape on the left side.  Injury-prone Sergei Samsonov and Mike Knuble (30 goals) form a potent one-two scoring threat that is tough to match.  P.J. Axelsson is expected to break out offensively.   Rob Zamuner, who made waves by being selected to the 1998 Canadian Olympic team, could provide the Bruins with an additional edge if he is able to regain his scoring touch (and health).  Ivan Huml rounds out the group.

Equipped with, arguably, the most talented young center in the NHL, as well as one of the top penalty killer around, the Bruins are looking very good at the center ice position.  Joe Thornton should challenge for a scoring title this season while Brian Rolston will be looking to carry over his 27-goal performance of 2002-03.  Fearless slugger and fan favorite, PJ Stock will see limited action with the arrival of newly acquired veteran, Travis Green.  Green is an excellent pick-up for the Bruins considering his ability to fit in on any line.  He is also a proven playoff performer.

Boston’s only area in need of major improvements.  Beyond Glen Murray (92 points), depth becomes a serious issue--especially with the departure of Josef Stumpel and the injury to Martin Lapointe.   For now, Michal Grosek and Sandy McCarthy will shore up the second and third lines, while rookie Martin Samuelsson will assume responsibilities for the fourth.  Scoring will be hard to come by.

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The Bruins will be involved in a great number of games.  Winning or losing should, essentially, come down to a few key factors: Felix Potvin’s ability to stand tough when things aren’t going so well, and secondly, avoiding injuries.  A scoring presence on the backend would also help out a great deal.  Expect the Bruins to make the playoffs; however, they do not possess the overall quality throughout their lineup to compete with some of the premiere teams in the Eastern conference.

6

New York Rangers

Mike Dunham should get the job done; however, he cannot be classified as an elite NHL goaltender.  Only time will tell how Dunham deals with the pressure.  The backup role should be well looked after by either Jussi Markkannen or Dan Blackburn. 

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This is a difficult group to get a read on.  Greg Devries adds some much-needed stability.  Dale Purinton is developing into a solid defensive defenseman.  Brian Leetch is a premiere power play specialist but he’s also a bona fide “band-aid”.  Malakhov and Mironov are skilled but inconsistent.  Kasparaitis and Poti were relatively solid last season, with the latter breaking out offensively.  Waiver draft selection, Joel Bouchard, will add depth.  That said, it is still difficult to predict how this group will perform throughout the course of an entire season.  The term “stability” still does not come to the forefront of one’s mind.

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Martin Rucinsky, who may have found a home on the Lindros line, will be counted on to spark some offense.  Jan Hlavac will be required to improve upon his miserable 26-point season.  Chris Simon and Matthew Barnaby will make the Rangers difficult to play against, while at the same time, chipping in with valuable points here and there.  One would expect this group to perform well for New York but it remains to be seen how Rucinsky and Hlavac will perform in the scoring department.

On paper, New York looks superb down the middle.  But here’s the problem: at times last season, Eric Lindros and Bobby Holik looked as though they were competing to see who could score the least amount of points.  Mark Messier is a year older but, at times, was one of the best players on the ice last season.  Peter Nedved can do better than his 58 points of 2002-03.  Lindros appears well-conditioned and focused but injury concerns still loom with respect to his fragile noggin.  Will Glen Sather be able to count on this group to lead the way?  At the end of the day, there is just too much talent here to bet against. 

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Not bad at all.  Alexie Kovalev and Anson Carter form a potent one-two punch down the right side.  Both possess speed and creativity and can open up a game at the drop of a hat.  Jamie Lundmark should continue to improve his overall game as he develops into the type of player that can eventually make an impact.  19 points shouldn’t be terribly difficult to top.  Recent waiver draft section, Sheldon Keefe (Tampa Bay), will compete against former Leaf, Paul Healey, for the fourth line position.

The Rangers are just like that restless genius who used to get into trouble for falling asleep in class. The 60 million-dollar question: Can this group apply themselves for an entire season?  Will Glen Sather be able to light a fire under them and prevent it from smoldering?  Expectations are high and it’s reasonable to believe that New York’s money players will bounce back.

7

Buffalo Sabres

The threesome of Biron, Norenen, and Ryan Miller should all push each other to achieve a collectively higher level of play.  Biron, who is the incumbent to the starter’s position, should maintain his status.   He has yet to establish himself as an elite performer.

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Two words: Depth & Stability.  The kind of depth that allows you to trade away a defensive stalwart like Rhett Warriner.  The Sabres will allow 8 proven NHL (some more proven than others) to battle it out for 6 positions on opening day.  Players expected to form the group’s identity: Jay McKee, Alexei Zhitnik, Hendrik Tallinder, Dimiri Kalinin, and Brian Campbell.  Expect newcomer, Andy Delmore, to ride the pine if he is unable to duplicate his PP goal scoring prowess of last season (18 goals in Nashville).   James Patrick and Rory Fitzpatrick will also challenge for a position.  

With the recent injury to Jochen Hecht (broken arm), this group will struggle to score goals.  The Sabres hope that Tayler Pyatt (28 point in 2002-03) will break out this season.  Watch out for second year sniper, Ales Kotalik (21 goals in 68 games), this kid can play.  Tough guy, Eric Boulton should retain his role on the 4^th line.  For the sake of his battered mug, the Sabres are hoping that he will win a few more tilts this year.  But you’ve got to hand it to the guy, he’ll go to battle with anyone.

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The Sabres are balanced down the middle: Drury and Briere lead the way in scoring, though it is likely that either will rank among the league’s top 15 scorers.  Curtis Brown and Tim Connolly will battle for the 3^rd slot.  Both could break through offensively with some confidence and ice-time.  There are no giants occupying the middle of Buffalo’s lineup but this group makes up for it with overall skill and experience.  Canadian World Junior star, Derek Roy, may be ready for a taste of the prime time in the second half.  The former Kitchener Ranger can really dangle.

Now that last season’s leading scorer, Miroslav Satan, has been re-signed, the Sabres should enjoy excellent production from their right side.  Maxim Afinogenov, tapered off due to an injury-plagued season, but should be able to reassert his game-breaking ability.  J.P Dumont should be good for 15 to 20 (or more) if he can get himself on a role early.  Adam Mair is guaranteed to add physical toughness and character.  He’s also capable of banging a few in from time to time.  Look for Mair to score between 12 and 15 goals.

You will not find any superstars but the Sabres possess a very balanced scoring attack and a quality defensive corps.  With a major addition to the left side, Buffalo could surprise some teams this season. 

8

Tampa Bay Lightning

Goaltending is solid in T-Bay.  Khabibulin should be even better this season considering the fact that he hasn’t come off a lengthy absence.  John Grahame posted excellent numbers last season; both in a starter and back-up role.

A solid young group of established blue liners.  Dan Boyle will be looking to run with his offensive success of last year.  Jason Cullimore, Pavel Kubina, Nolan Pratt, and Janne Laakkanen all bring a steady well-rounded game.  Brad Lukowich and Cory Sarich give the Lightning a physical edge; among other admirable qualities.

A productive group with each player scoring 17+ goals in 2002-03.  Cory Stillman will be asked to replace the productivity of Vinnie Prospal.  All-time PP goal scorer Dave Andreychuck is back for another season.  Ruslan Fedotenko and Frederik Modin should improve upon decent campaigns in 2002-03.  Role players, Dingman and Roy, will have a tough time earning ice on the left side.  Without their presence, the Bolts can count on being out-muscled along the boards and down low by certain teams.

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Vincent Lecavalier is coming off a much-needed productive season.  His renewed confidence should get him started on the right foot.  Brad Richards has proven to be a consistent scorer.  Will he get even better?  Tim Taylor adds veteran leadership and experience. Big things are expected from young Alexander Svitov who demonstrated flashes of brilliance last season.

Aside from Martin St. Louis’ electrifying speed and creativity, the Bolts are in need of improvements on the right side.  The second highest scoring right winger was Ben Clymer with 6 goals. Clymer brings other strengths to the table but he will need to pick up his offense.  Perhaps a transplant of one or more left-wingers will be the solution.  Sheldon Keefe was lost in the waiver draft.

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Tampa Bay should carry over last season’s success to produce a respectable regular season. Unfortunately, it could come down to a numbers game whereby they are edged out by 8 stronger clubs.  Until they physically strengthen their right and left wings, they’ll be unable to compete with some of the upper-echelon teams on a consistent basis. 

9

New York Islanders

The Isles lack a proven NHL starter.  Will Rick Dipietro settle the debate?  Or was it a mistake to draft him first overall?  Garth Snow is a reliable backup who is able to play several games.  

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Top four is a solid group: Adrian Aucoin, Roman Hamrlik, Kenny Jonsson, and Janne Niinimaa.  All play a well-rounded and reliable brand of defensive hockey.  Eric Cairns and Mattias Timander demonstrated in last seasons’ playoff series against the Senators that they still need to take their respective games to a higher level.  The Isles hope that Martinek can remain healthy.  Solid potential for this group.

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Aside from Oleg Kvasha, who has been known to pull a disappearing act, Long Island’s left side is strong.  Both Jason Blake and Shawn Bates are quick, finish their checks, and chip in offensively.  Jason Weimer is physical, durable, and highly intelligent.  No question, this group can be very difficult to play against.

When Yashin brings his top game and Peca is healthy, the Islanders are a force to be reckoned with at center ice.  Dave Scatchard is one of those guys who can do it all, score, hit, fight, etc.  He is also highly competitive.  Three talented youngsters will vie for the final slot (Papineau, Mapletoft, & Manlow).

The Isles need help on the right side.  Beyond Mark Parrish, the depth chart begins to take a bit of a nosedive.  Arron Asham is a solid player and a physical presence but hasn’t proven that he deserves to play any higher than the third line.  Czerkawski?  He has a great many people to prove wrong.  Perhaps Trent Hunter is ready to establish himself as a full-time NHLer.  Mattias Weinhandl is still recovering from ankle surgery.

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With the addition of one more proven blue liners and a horse on the right side, you never know.  Don’t forget the importance of a consistent net-minding.  Rick Dipietro’s performance will be a major factor in terms of New York’s overall success.  The Isles will ice a very respectable hockey club in a conference that will represent a tremendous amount of parody.

10

Carolina Hurricanes

Let’s face, the Canes were awful last season but Kevin Weeks stood in there.  He posted a save percentage above .910 and kept his mouth shut when it would have been easy to complain.  This season he will be playing behind a capable defense and a group of forwards with a renewed sense of commitment.  Kevin Weekes should, in all likelihood, rise to the occasion and backstop the Canes to respectability.  If he falters, recently signed, Jamie Storr, is capable of stepping in.

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The Canes boast seven veteran NHL defensemen (Hill, Wesley, Markov, Hedican, Boughner, Ward, & Wallin).  Add in Tomas Malec and I think it’s safe to say they will be covered on the back-end.  Not only do most of Carolina’s defenders skate extremely well, but they’ll also be much tougher to play against with the additions of the “Boogie Man” (Bob Boughner) and Danny Markov. 

The left side is unproven.  Erik Cole provides power and a knack for finding the net from time to time.  Marty Murray has established himself as a solid defensive forward.  Jaroslav Svoboda is struggling to define himself.  He managed to dent the twine just 3 times in 48 games last season.  The remainder of the left side is up for grabs.  Offense and depth are two major issues facing this position. 

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Veteran franchise player, Ron Francis, along with skilled powerhouse, Rod Brind’Amour, form an above average one-two punch.  To say that the Canes are happy to have a healthy Brind’Amour back in their lineup is a gross understatement.  Checking center Kevyn Adams will provide additional stability and grit, while Josef Vasicek is capable of playing whatever role is required of him.  Expect a 15 to 20 goal season from Vasicek.

Jeff O’neill is a premiere player, there’s no question.  Radim Vrbata could, conceivably, breakthrough with a 25-goal campaign.  In fact, he will need to because, after all, somebody else has to score besides O’neill.  The rest of this group remains unproven by NHL standards.  Craig Adams will be counted on to shore up the third line by playing very strong defensively and, hopefully, chipping in a few more points.  Jesse Boulerice will be available to provide policing when called upon.  Is Pavel Brendl finally ready to make an impact? 

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The Hurricanes will not make the playoffs for one major reason: They possess only one proven goal-scoring winger in Jeff O’neill.  In an effort to compensate, coach Paul Maurice will have his club committed to a defensive system that will be tighter than a snare-drum.  Maurice is aware that his job is on the line should the Canes falter.  Expect that he will be running a very tight ship.  

11

Montreal Canadiens

I will say, excellent!  Simply to avoid a visit from a member of the local branch of Hell’s Angels.  But seriously.  Theodore should produce an above-average season based on his struggles last season.  He will also want to do everything possible to divert attention from his off-ice problems.  Mathieu Garon put up spectacular numbers in the AHL and showcased his capabilities on a few occasions with the big club.

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The strongest position for the Habs.  The club has nine defenders capable of playing in the NHL.  Aside from Brisebois, most are difficult to play against.  Andrei Markov, Craig Rivet, Sheldon Souray, Stephane Quintal, and future pillar of strength, Mike Komisarek.  Nothing too flashy but all are capable of moving the puck and ensuring that the opposition plays an honest game.

The left side is slightly soft, however talented. Richard Zednik and Jan Bulis will be counted on to improve their 50 point seasons.  Young Marcel Hossa will hopefully demonstrate increased development since last season.  Niklas Sundstrom will need to carve out an identity for himself…defensive forward?  Gordie Dwyer and Darren Langdon provide protection and grit, but both offer little else.  

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With Chad Kilger out, the Habs lack size down the middle.  They make up for it with intelligence and experience.  Saku Koivu and Yannick Perreault will be counted on to score.  Joe Juneau will add veteran leadership, speed, and defensive awareness.  With age, durability could become an issue (Koivu).  Could this be the season that the crafty, Mike Robiero, will break through?  Don’t expect him to achieve much with the amount of ice-time he’ll for forced to work with.  High octane crasher, Steve Begin (picked up off waivers from Buffalo), will provide some power and enthusiasm.  It remains to be seen how the Habs will fit him into their game plan.

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Unquestionably Montreal’s weakest position.  Audette must re-eatablish himself and Ed Ward needs to find a way to score as he did in the AHL.  It’s either that or the Canadiens could be icing the worst right side in the east when the puck drops on October 9^th.  Michael Ryder has been impressive in the pre-season.

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Physically speaking, Montreal’s forwards will be easy for most teams to handle; however, their major concern is goal-scoring. The backend is solid and should, at least, keep the Canadiens involved in most games.  Unless, a handful of players can produce “career type” seasons, don’t count on seeing Montreal in the post-season.  Theodore could make or break Montreal’s season.

12

Florida Panthers

Roberto Luongo is an excellent young goaltender who will give Florida the chance to win some games.   Jani Hurme was claimed in the waiver draft, as was third stringer, Chris Mason.  To remedy, what looked like a management screw-up by G.M. Rick Dudley, Steve Shields was recently acquired from Boston.  Shields will provide the Panthers with a reliable backup.

There is no reason to be sold on Florida’s defensive corps just yet.  Aside from aging veteran, Lyle Odelein, the Panthers are young and inexperienced.  The potential for development and improvement is great--especially considering the fashion in which 19 year-old Jason Bowmeester played at the tail end of last season.  Mathieu Biron and Branislav Mezei are both towering young guys with lots of upside. 

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Kristian Huselius, Niklas Hagman, and Marcus Nilson…physically speaking, could there be an easier group to play against?  Messier & Hordichuk will provide some grit, however, at the expense of offense.  Production from Huselius and Nilson will be the keys to respectability for Florida’s left side.  Jonas Hoglund was waived.

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Aside from Ollie Jokinen, who must prove that last season was no fluke, the Panthers are desperately lacking offensive punch down the middle.  Stephen Weiss could be another season or two away from establishing himself as an impact player.  Cullen should be slotted as a decent third liner at best.  Horton?  The Panthers would be wise in giving their young star some time to develop in the AHL--just as the Sens did with Jason Spezza.  It looks like Byron Ritchie will start the season on the fourth line.

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The Panthers possess a skilled group of right wingers that have, at some level, each built a reputation for being soft and inconsistent.  Their collective performance could very well be the key to Florida’s success.  If Victor Kozlov and Valerie Bure, in particular, can play up to their potential (don’t count on it), the Panther’s will avoid embarrassment.  Mikael Samuelsson will be looking to stick with one team for a prolonged period of time.  Ivan Novoseltsev should boost his goal scoring production from 10 to 15 goals this season.

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Peter Worrell and Paul Laus are long gone.  As is Brad Ference.  No longer will opposing teams fear the Florida Panthers.  Instead they will face-off against a large collection of underachievers.  With a group of youngster that will unquestionably develop into impact NHLers (Weiss, Bowmeester, Horton, Stewart, Luongo), the future is very bright.  For now, the Panther should strive to make small steps towards improvement every game.  With Mike Keenan at the helm, don’t be surprised to see this young team struggle in the first half before upsetting some contenders in the second.

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Atlanta Thrashers

Will Byron Dafoe recover from his abysmal first season in Atlanta?  Common sense tells you that if he fails to seize the starting role early, he could be replaced by either Pasi Nurminen, who registered better stats straight across the board, or the newly acquired, Jani Hurme.  Finnish prospect Kari Lehtonen will be waiting in the wings. 

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Under Hartley’s systems, this group of relative unknowns, performed much better in the second half of last season.  Andy Sutton, in particular, established himself as the pillar of strength.  The rest of the top four will consist of Frantisek Kaberle, Yannick Tremblay, and Ivan Majesky.  All would be 5^th or 6^th defenseman on a contending team.  For Atlanta to achieve any type of success, all will have to play slightly above their heads.  Tough as nails rookie, Garnet Exelby, will contend for some minutes.  Shawn Heinz was just acquired in the waiver draft.

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Atlanta’s left side is in decent shape; especially now that Ilya Kovalchuk has demonstrated a willingness to back check.  Slava Kozlov racked up 70 points and should come close to that number this year.  Jeff Cowan and Bill Lindsay both provide tenacity and character, although a few more points here and there would definitely help the team’s cause.  Ronald Petrovicky was picked up in the waiver draft from the Rangers.  He will add a physical component to the left side.

It is a genuine tragedy when a young person is taken from us unexpectedly.  First and foremost, it’s been repeated on several occasions that Dan Snyder was a wonderful human being.  He was also a very good hockey player.  With 10 goals in only 36 games, Dan Snyder was well on his way to establishing himself on this young Thrashers club.  His presence will be missed in the dressing room and on the ice.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

Marc Savard should be capable of matching, if not exceeding, the 50 points he scored in 67 games.  Will Patrick Stefan ever arrive?  Randy Robitaille and Brian Swanson have struggled to establish themselves elsewhere.  Perhaps an opportunity and a little confidence will help their case in Atlanta.  Either way, they’ll be challenged for ice-time by former Avalanche center, Serge Aubin (waiver draft acquisition).  Finnish scoring sensation Tommi Santala and second year pro, Kamil Piros will push for someone’s position.

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Once again, depth and a balanced scoring attack will be an issue on the right side.  Many believed that Dany Heatley could have contended for a scoring title in 2003-2004, especially based on his performance at the end of last season.  His absence will be felt early and often.  Shawn McEachern will need to provide veteran leadership to a club that will, no doubt, feel the psychologically affects of the horrifying accident.  He will also be counted on to alleviate the burden of Heatley’s absent offensive output.  McEachern’s 26 points in 46 games of last season will simply not cut it.  Brad Tapper scored a respectable 10 goals in 35 games.  The Thrashers are hoping that he will duplicate his scoring pace throughout the course of an entire season.  Francis Lessard could now be the incumbent to the 3^th slot.  AHL scoring ace, J.P. Vigier should assume responsibilities on the 4^th line.

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The only questions that can be asked: Can Atlanta’s hopes for a playoff run be salvaged despite the tragic ordeal they’ve faced?  Will Bob Hartley’s systems and his coaching ability be enough to prevent this team from taking a gigantic step backwards?

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Young Marc-Andre Fleury has got one thing that so many goaltenders would love to have:  An opportunity.  The Penguins will place their fortunes in his hands to start the season.  With that said, he can count on seeing a lot of rubber.  Will he shine or will he be eaten by the wolves? Stay tuned.  Sebastien Caron will be ready to jump in when needed.

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The Penguins are shallow on the backend.  Dick Tarnstrom will be counted on to provide some offense.  Drake Berehowsky and Marc Bergevin should stabilize an otherwise, young and unproven defensive corps.  Recent waiver draft pick-up, Nolan Baumgartner, could fit in immediately.  Baumgartner has had problems sticking with the big club in Vancouver.

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Depth goes south after Martin Straka.  Ramzi Abid, who was acquired last season from Phoenix, performed well; scoring 18 points in 33 games.  Is he ready to help carry Pittsburgh’s offense?  Steve McKenna will add protection and a few goals.  Tom Kosopoulis has turned a few heads in camp.

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Beyond Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh’s highest scoring centerman is Mike Eastwood.  The journeyman center registered just 16 points last season.  AHL snipers, Brian Holzinger and Kris Beech will be expected to duplicate their feats in the NHL.   Beech has been touted to eventually make an impact.

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Kelly Buchberger will add some grit and leadership.  Unfortunately the Pens also need some points.  Aleskey Morozov could be the solution to that problem.  Before injuring himself, he scored 25 points in 27 games.  Speedy veteran, Rico Fata, has slowly (very slowly) started to develop his scoring touch.  If given the opportunity, former Shark, Matt Bradley, will be expected to chip in with more than his 5 points of last season.  AHL prospect, Konstantin Kolsov, possesses freakish speed.  If his hands can keep up, he has a chance to stick.

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Opportunity knocks for several young players to run with the challenge of building respectability.  Mario will need some of his young teammates to step up for his Penguins to avoid all out embarrassment. Wouldn’t it be fun to watch them prove everybody wrong?  Unfortunately, the rest of the conference is just too good.

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