The
Ingredient
by Josh Brewster and Karen Francis
 SEPTEMBER
30, 2008 -- A look at what each NHL club looks to improve upon as we head
into training camp. It might be a player, a style of play, a coach, GM, or a
number of things. When you boil it down, what does your club need most? Who
or what will supply the ingredient? Is there a "supplier" on the horizon?
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
Calgary:
Ingredient: A second line.
Supplier: Matt Lombardi, Curtis Glencross, Rene
Bourque and Todd Bertuzzi all have the opportunity to drive the Flames to
the playoffs. Lombardi, now 26 years old, looks to top his career-best 20
goals (2006-07) and the club, who drafted him 90th overall in ’02, needs to
see results. His deal has two years to run. With the club hard against the
cap, Lombardi, Glencross ($1.2M) and Bertuzzi ($1.9M) need to help relieve
the pressure on Jarome Iginla.
Colorado:
Ingredient: Power play scoring. Last season the Avs
went 14.6% on an anemic power play that was 3rd worst overall in the league.
Supplier: With Joe Sakic re-signed ($6M) for one
more season, the Avs still have their dependable veteran. However, Sakic
only played 44 games last year due to injuries and at 39 is slowing down.
The youth has to step up and has great potential in Paul Stastny (last
year’s scoring leader with 71 points), as well as Wojtek Wolski and Marek
Svatos. If they can all stay healthy and continue their development things
should improve for the Avs.
Minnesota:
Ingredient: Center. The lack of a top-line center
could be what drives Marian Gaborik away.
Supplier: Mikko Koivu. After losing Brian Rolston to
the Devils, the promising Koivu must have a breakthrough year. The team is
always a leader in special teams, which is what carried it to a division
title in a tough Northwest. But down the middle, at pivot, is where the club
needs help.
Edmonton:
Ingredient: Divisional success. Just 13-16-3 vs. own
division last season. The Oilers missed the playoffs by just three points
last season. Club can pull itself to playoff contention with a better record
against the Northwest, like Phoenix and Chicago did during their surges last
year.
Supplier: Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky will offer
huge power play help and could be a difference in close games. After scoring
17 in 2005-06 and 18 in 2006-07, his game fell off last year to just eight
goals. He loves to shoot and can skate. He should be able to help the Oilers
convert more opportunities in general, and that will be welcome against the
tight Northwest. As a bonus, the Oilers also added wing Erik Cole, who
managed 22 goals last season, ten on the power play.
Vancouver:
Ingredient: Complete identity change. Brendan
Morrison and Markus Naslund gone, the facelift begins.
Supplier: New GM Mike Gillis. Across the board,
Gillis has signed up a mix of free agents, both NHL and minor pros,
including Jason Krog, Pavol Demitra and Rob Davison. He’s also banking on
winger Kyle Wellwood from the waiver wire. In goal, ’04 1st rounder Cory
Schneider might get a shot at backing up Roberto Luongo. The team doesn’t
have a lot of bona fide scorers, and will count on newly landed Steve
Bernier to join the Sedins as the latest “triplet.” Question marks abound.
In light of Gillis’ $10M per offer to Mats Sundin, it’s conceivable that
while Sundin could alleviate the club’s offensive problems to a great
degree, Sundin deciding against the Canucks could be a blessing in disguise
for Gillis. The money not spent on the Swedish star could buy quite a few
good hockey players as the new GM’s tenure unfolds.
PACIFIC DIVISION
Anaheim:
Ingredient: Second line scoring. Doug Weight and
Todd Bertuzzi were busts.
Supplier: Bobby Ryan is due for a breakout season
after bouncing back and forth between Anaheim and Portland last year. Teemu
Selanne, re-signed for two years ($5.25M), will certainly help. Brendan
Morrison is looking for a fresh start after an injury limited the former
iron man to just 39 games. At 33, he will happily shuffle the biscuit to
either Ryan or Selanne.
Dallas:
Ingredient: A full season with Brad Richards.
Supplier: Brad Richards. Acquired at the trade
deadline, Richards finally looked comfortable in his new home during the
playoffs. Mike Modano and Sergei Zubov aren’t getting any younger and the
reins are ready to be handed over to the next generation, to be led by the
overpaid but very productive Richards.
Los Angeles Kings:
Ingredient: Prospect emergence. Forwards Ladislav
Nagy and Michal Handzus were complete busts, as was Dan Cloutier. With well
over ten million dollars per annum wrapped up in three big errors, GM Dean
Lombardi looks for help from an endless array of prospects and development
projects.
Supplier: On defense, Jack Johnson, Drew Doughty,
Tom Hickey. Forwards Matt Moulson, Brian Boyle. In goal, Jon Bernier.
Patrick O'Sullivan's 22 goal performance coupled with Dustin Brown's 33
offers a glimmer of hope that Lombardi's homegrown turnaround could be a
reality. If the Kings do not at least threaten to make the playoffs,
Lombardi is likely gone. First step for Lombardi is to sign emerging star
Anze Kopitar to a long term deal (he becomes a restricted free agent next
July 1). Lubomir Visnovsky and Rob Blake’s big salaries gone, the club now
sits well under the cap; expect some free spending by Lombardi to lock up
some of his prospects, then land some players via free agency and trade.
San Jose:
Ingredient: Poise. The club exited the playoffs in
the second round for a third straight season. However, Sharks must build off
their stellar effort in loss to Dallas, not focus on playoff exit.
Supplier: New coach Kevin McClellan. With Ron Wilson
gone, the Sharks, to a man, must face the man in the mirror and be
accountable for recent playoff failings. San Jose is still a contender, and
McClellan gets his shot at a head coaching position direct from a Cup win as
an assistant in Detroit. Veteran Stanley Cup-winning defensemen Rob Blake,
Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich supplement a very good, young defense. The club
cannot afford to sulk about recent playoff failings.
Phoenix:
Ingredient: Big-time forward, preferably center.
Supplier: Olli Jokinen. For too long, Shane Doan,
one of the best two-way center/right wings in the game, has occupied the top
line center position for the Coyotes. He’s better cast in a first line wing
or second line center role. Now Jokinen, who last season scored 34 goals,
including 18 on the power play, relieves the pressure on captain Doan.
Jokinen shot the puck 341 times last year, good for third overall. Their
19-11-2 record against their own division was best amongst the Pacific
clubs. The Coyotes will be near the bottom of the salary cap with room to
make a move.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Chicago:
Ingredient: Return on investment.
Suppliers: Cristobal Huet, Brian Campbell, Martin
Havlat. After ever-diminishing returns achieved by the acquisition of Nik
Khabibulin, the resurgent Blackhawks spared no expense in net, luring Huet
from the Capitals. Huet's 2.32 GAA was good for tenth in the NHL, his .920
SV%, sixth. He'll pull in $5.625M for the next four years, while Khabibulin
will be the most expensive backup goaltender (in league history?) at $6.75M.
Brian Campbell landed $7.1M per for a whopping eight seasons. He's best
suited as a number two defenseman; we'll see whether he can now lead as a
number one. At $6M per, Havlat must finally stay healthy. He managed ten
goals while being limited to just 35 games last season. The injury-riddled
Havlat played just 56 games in 2006-07, only 18 in 2005-06. At just 27 years
of age, that's an omen.
Columbus:
Ingredients: Need surprises from prospects &
continued ability to take direction from coach
Suppliers: With the club looking toward another
season without a bonafide number one center, R.J. Umberger will fill the
role. Jakob Voracek and Derek Brassard will be given every opportunity to
fill top six roles. After GM Scott Howson jettisoned Nik Zherdev to the
Rangers, key roles are wide open. Club must continue the hard forecheck and
collapsing defensive system upon which Ken Hitchcock insists. Too many holes
in this roster, anything less than commitment will mean the cellar.
Detroit:
Ingredient: Fresh legs and a quick start to season.
Supplier: Everyone not named Osgood, Chelios, Maltby,
Draper or Lidstrom. The aforementioned have won multiple Stanley Cups with
the Wings. They know what’s needed to avoid a Cup hangover. Watch closely
and see how Johan Franzen, Valteri Filppula, Dan Cleary, Henrik Zetterberg,
Jiri Hudler, Brad Stuart and Pavel Datsyuk perform in the first 20 games of
the season. If the Wings come flying out of the gate, the response from the
players is a positive and focused one. Any kind of drag out of the gate and
question marks will linger. That said, it’s unlikely that more than a couple
of the aforementioned will underestimate the potential hangover, and the
addition of Marian Hossa and Ty Conklin make the Wings as scary as ever.
Nashville:
Ingredient: Goaltending.
Supplier: Dan Ellis. A stellar performance from
Ellis last season as he led the league in save percentage (.924), then gave
the eventual Cup champion Red Wings a formidable challenge in a six-game,
first round playoff loss. Will Ellis cool off? If so, the club has been
itching to see what they’ve got in ’04 draftee Pekka Rinne, who notched 36
wins for the AHL Milwaukee Admirals last season. Related note: While coach
Barry Trotz rightly is admired for keeping the Predators in the playoffs, GM
David Poile has stockpiled an impressive number of prospects, especially on
defense, where Cody Franson (AHL), Jon Blum (WHL) and Teemu Laakso (Fin.)
lie in wait.
St. Louis:
Ingredient: Prospect emergence.
Supplier: The team has seen many big names come and
go over the years, but now the focus in on the development of some players
picked very high in recent drafts. T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund represent
hope for an offense that finished 26th in the NHL. Rookie forward David
Perron chipped in 13 goals last season; defenseman Erik Johnson was super
solid with five goals as a rookie (three were game winners, four power
play). GM John Davidson will have roughly $9M at his disposal to add talent.
Too many high picks (Tkachuk trade, etc.) to leave them on the vine. It’s
time for Davidson to roll the dice from the development ranks.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHEAST
DIVISION
Boston:
Ingredient: Offense. Had third fewest goals (212) in
the Eastern Conference, yet still made the playoffs.
Supplier: Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron played only 10
games due to a horrific concussion. When healthy, he is a 70+ point guy. Now
fully recovered, his point production will be warmly welcomed by the Bruins.
Youngsters Phil Kessel and David Krejci need to continue their development
and add their names to the scoreboard. Marc Savard should be reliable as
ever, but he can’t shoulder the entire load himself.
Buffalo:
Ingredients: Physical defensemen and a shutdown
center.
Supplier: Craig Rivet will bring back what the club
lost in Jay McKee three years ago. Club also hopes 20 year-old Mike Weber or
22 year-old Andrej Sekera can emerge. At shutdown center or wing, club has
not found a replacement after losing Mike Grier to San Jose via free agency.
Paul Gaustad will have to fill the bill.
Toronto:
Ingredient: Character. The coach is gone; a new boss
arrives. To a man, there's no one left to blame for the Leafs other than the
man in the mirror.
Supplier: Ron Wilson. This club would be better off
if Mats Sundin would retire or choose a new home. That's how far down it's
gone for the Leafs. But all's not lost, as Wilson is just the disciplinarian
the Leafs need as they plant the seeds for what they hope will become an
identity.
Montreal:
Ingredient: Take the next step.
Supplier: Carey Price. Price is still maturing and
just reached legal drinking age this summer. He has been spectacular for the
Habs, though, helping them to earn the number one spot in the Eastern
Conference. The youth and inexperience showed during the playoffs, but he
will be stronger for it and can only get better with time. The Habs are
poised to take the next step to winning Cup #25 and Price could be the one
who puts them over the top.
Ottawa:
Ingredient: Stability.
Supplier: After finally making it to the Stanley Cup
Finals in 2007, the Senators just didn’t seem capable of putting anything
together on a consistent basis. The absence of goaltender Ray Emery will
help stabilize the team. His shenanigans on and off the ice earned him a
quick exit from the NHL. Captain Daniel Alfredsson offers needed leadership.
New coach, Craig Hartsburg will have to help put the team back mentally and
get them to think and play as group.
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Atlanta:
Ingredient: Supporting cast for Ilya Kovalchuk
Suppliers: Kovalchuk scored 52 goals last season.
Some are wondering whether he’ll seek employment elsewhere after his deal
runs out in 2010. After just four playoff games in seven seasons, it’s not
hard to understand why he might become impatient. But the club still has two
seasons to turn it around. To that end, Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen
and Angelo Esposito represent a world of hope, having come to Atlanta in the
Marian Hossa trade. Mathieu Schneider, recently acquired from Anaheim, will
shore up the defense and provide help on the power play. Kovalchuk (466GP:
254-212-466PTS) has been durable and consistent, and GM Don Waddell may be
on thin ice if support for the sniper isn’t found.
Carolina:
Ingredient: New defense.
Supplier: Joni Pitkanen, acquired from the Edmonton
Oilers in exchange for Erik Cole. The Hurricanes need a solid defense and
hopefully Pitkanen can be the missing link on the blueline. Pitkanen has
bounced around a bit from team to team, but if he is in the same form when
he played in Philadelphia, the Canes will benefit. The defense will have to
be better to combat the offensive loss in Cole, as well as Justin Williams,
who is out for most of the season with a torn ACL.
Florida:
Ingredients: Prospect emergence and trades
Suppliers: They're rumored to be talking trade with
Toronto for blueliner Bryan McCabe; they've already dealt top scorer Olli
Jokinen to Phoenix for two more d-men, Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton. With
defense the emphasis, new coach Peter DeBoer (OHL) must use his smarts from
years in the OHL to bring forth the talents of homegrown talents Nathan
Horton, Stephen Weiss, and David Booth. Look for GM Jacques Martin to pick
up a veteran scorer or two before the trade deadline in return for
defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. Bouwmeester was selected third overall by the
Panthers in 2002, and aside from the 2003-04 season, he’s played in all 82
games in each season. Now, he represents the tastiest trade bait in the NHL,
and Martin will bite the bullet and bring in some serious forwards.
Tampa Bay:
Ingredient: New ownership.
Supplier: Oren Koules and Len Barrie. The new owners
started things off with a bang by hiring Barry Melrose as coach in June.
When the free agency period opened days later, a complete overhaul of the
team took place. The Lightning brought in Radim Vrbata, Ryan Malone, Vinnie
Prospal, Olaf Kolzig, Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts, to name a few. Who isn’t
new here? Now, will there be chemistry?
Washington:
Ingredient: Better defense.
Supplier: Goaltender Jose Theodore was brought in
after Olaf Kolzig left for Tampa and Cristobal Huet left for free agency.
Theodore runs hot and cold, but when he is good, he is very, very good. The
offense is there with Alexander Ovechkin and company, but they’ll need to
bring the goals against down this year. The blue line will need to step up
so that everything doesn’t rest on Theodore’s shoulders.
ATLANTIC
DIVISION
New Jersey:
Ingredient: Center and power play quarterback.
Supplier: Returnees Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik;
also Dainus Zubrus (2nd year with Devils). With the 27th ranked offense, the
Devils were hurting at the pivot position. Now, the club’s checking line
features Holik, who won 58.4% of his faceoffs with the Thrashers last
season. Rolston was stellar in Minnesota, scoring 30 goals or more the past
three seasons. Roston is generally used at left wing, but can take draws and
will be a power play quarterback. Patrik Elias, Brian Gionta and Zach Parise,
from the wings, will all be on the receiving end of well-placed passes more
often. Dainus Zubrus is a potential wild card. The veteran can play right
wing or center, and his playmaking is still strong. With a bit more ice time
(15:41 in ’07-’08), Zubrus can contribute more. He won 55.4% of his
faceoffs, and it’s possible that should coach Brent Sutter use Zubrus at
pivot, the Devils may find they have a stocked cupboard at center after all.
New York Islanders:
Ingredient: Justification for GM choice of veterans.
Supplier: Doug Weight and Bill Guerin. The modern
NHL has surely not been kind to either of these two. Aside from an excellent
Cup Final as a trade deadline addition to the Carolina Hurricanes in the
Spring of 2006, Weight has struggled offensively; his numbers declining,
expectedly, with age. In Anaheim, Weight was a bust. Bill Guerin has given a
good effort to the Isles and serves as captain, but $4M for his services at
this point is money better spent elsewhere. Guerin and Weight’s deals are up
at the end of the season. GM Garth Snow has roughly $14M of cap space
available as training camp begins. Expect the Isles to be active in the
trading sphere at defense and forward.
New York Rangers:
Ingredient: New chemistry due to player losses.
Supplier: Markus Naslund and Wade Redden were
acquired via free agency over the summer. The Rangers also picked up Nikolai
Zherdev from Columbus. The Rangers have lost Jaromir Jagr to Russia, Sean
Avery to Dallas and Brendan Shanahan remains unsigned. None of those guys
were quiet, unassuming role players. The new guys need to step in and click
with remaining personnel, most notably Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, if the
Rangers want to continue improving.
Pittsburgh:
Ingredient: Energy.
Supplier: Young kids on the roster, like Sidney
Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal, who aren’t exhausted or worn down
from years of playing in the NHL. The Penguins had a long season ending in a
disappointing Stanley Cup Final loss to Detroit. They also open in Sweden
against the Ottawa Senators, adding travel and jet lag to start the new
season. The youthful, skilled roster should be able to recover quickly and
keep a jump in their step, keeping the Penguins moving ahead in their quest
for Cup.
Philadelphia:
Ingredient: Consistent progress.
Supplier: Mike Richards, Daniel Briere and Mike
Knuble. The Flyers finished with 39 points more than the previous season and
don’t want to stop their momentum after reaching the Eastern Conference
Finals last spring. The Flyers need find the chutzpah needed to keep
plugging away and not slip backwards. If their top scorers keep performing
beyond expectations, the improvements will continue.
Top
Home
|
