Eastern Conference

ATLANTIC DIVISION

1. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Breakthrough expected. Will it come?

Darryl Sydor and Petr Sykora join the club, following veterans Mark Recchi and Gary Roberts in offering six Stanley Cups’ worth of experience to the most impressive young club in the NHL.

On defense, Sergei Gonchar is revitalized, now Sydor joins the D crew. 24 year-old Ryan Whitney (14-45-59) banged home nine power play goals. 2005 draftee Kris Letang saw action in seven NHL contests and is still a rookie. He’ll stick with the big club. The Penguins can hang with Philly or the Rangers on the strength of their defense, which will help put them over the top in the Atlantic this season.

Offensively, the Pens have a striking mix of veteran saavy and youthful jump.

Gary Roberts (45 hits in 19 games, 2-2-4 in 5 playoff games) is back as is Mark Recchi, who potted 24 goals and saw action in all 82 games. Add Sykora to the mix, and Pitt’s youth brigade has a great deal of veteran support.

Evgeni Malkin captured the Calder trophy on the strength of 242 shots on net and 33 goals and 85 points. Sidney Crosby is a revelation. The first teenager in major pro team sports history to win a scoring title, Crosby captured the Art Ross trophy with 36 goals and 120 points. He has embraced the leadership role and now stands poised to bring the Penguins to the promised land. Summer arrest notwithstanding, Jordan Staal helps vaults the Pens over the rest of a very tough division by giving the Pens a tremendous presence at center.

Veteran Sykora has broken 200 shots on goal in a season seven times in his career. Shudder to think of how many shots he’ll produce playing alongside Crosby, Malkin or Staal. Rejuvenation is at hand. Sykora turns 31 in November, and could be a key component of this rapidly-developing club.

Marc-Andre Fleury recorded the second-highest wins total of any goaltender in Penguins history, with 40. At 22, he’s emerging as the “Grant Fuhr” of a team that reminds us an awful lot of the early 80’s Edmonton Oilers, just a couple years away from a title 25 years ago, in 1982. Ty Conklin and Dany Sabourin will vie for the backup goalie slot.

With Crosby living up to the hype as only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky before, a Stanley Cup is not out of the question, with a conference final appearance quite likely.

THE MAN: Sidney Crosby. Up up up for the Next One.

STATS: Two NHL seasons - 160GP; 75-147-222; +9; 528SOG.

Pittsburgh gets the edge in this tough division due to superior team chemistry, with so many kids coming up together on Jack Adams winner Michel Therrien’s club.

2. NEW YORK RANGERS

After a difficult loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the postseason, the Rangers know, as a final eight team should know, that contention is close. When the club signed Chris Drury (37 goals) and Scott Gomez (47 assists), it vaulted to the elite of the Eastern conference. The Rangers will be awfully hard to get past next playoff season.

The club may find itself strapped in coming years due to the heft of the signings, but Drury and Gomez constitute a “win now” proposition. Loss of Mikael Nylander (to WSH) is not as big a deal as you might think. More than enough offense here. When you think of how close the Rangers came to dismantling the Sabres in the postseason (the Rangers lost in 6), the additions of Drury and Gomez at center makes the Rangers scary…on paper. On paper, they could have enough offensive firepower to bowl over the entire Eastern Conference. Jaromir Jagr (30-66-96; 8th best, NHL), Brendan Shanahan (67GP; 29-33-62; 295SOG) provide veteran smarts and tons of points. The Rangers could easily advance to the conference final and beyond on the strength of its offense alone.

Is the Rangers’ defense an underrated, “no-name” defense? Or is it not-so-great? Despite the fact that the squad lacks a “big name,” the club finished ninth in the NHL in team defense. Marek Malik, Fedor Tyutin and Michal Roszival (10G) are the top three, with Marc Staal (drafted 12th overall, 2005) ready to break into the top six. Staal won the Max Kaminsky Trophy last season in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves. Paul Mara returns, Andrew Hutchinson arrives from Carolina. If this group can minimize its mistakes, and play smart, that might be enough for the Rangers to handle any Eastern foe in the postseason.

Henrik Lundqvist is 67-34-17 since joining the blueshirts. He signed a one-year deal in July for $4.25 million.

THE MAN: Jaromir Jagr, who silenced his critics with a gutsy effort in last year’s postseason. Physical, hungry…just the kind of Jagr who can dominate.

STATS: 324 shots on goal in 2006-07. Give that man a Scott Gomez, and watch the fireworks.

Conference final on the horizon.

3. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Quite similar to the Rangers in terms of off-season activity, but we must remember how far the Flyers fell last season.

For certain, GM Paul Holmgren has done an excellent job adapting to the salary cap era and an even better job of demonstrating patience through a recovery period. As the recovery begins in earnest this season, a substantially changed Flyer club will try to find an identity.

Holmgren chose wisely when he brought center Daniel Briere aboard (32-63-95; All-Star Game MVP), but at $52M for eight years, it’s a gamble that had better bear fruit. Briere is now on the hook for a point-per-game production pace, at least, and the supporting cast had better be as good as advertised.

That cast now includes newcomers such as 24 year-old Joffrey Lupul, a bargain, having come over in the Jason Smith deal which sent defenseman Joni Pitkanen and forward Geoff Sanderson to the Oilers. Lupul had a poor season in Edmonton, but then again, didn’t everyone? Lupul (16-12-28) is just the guy that the Flyers would love to pair with Briere. Lupul notably scored four goals in one playoff game with Anaheim in 2006. He seeks redemption in new surroundings.

Jeff Carter will get an opportunity at second line center after scoring just 14 goals but managing 25 shots on goal. Carter scored 23 in his first NHL season, 2005-06. Solid scorers Mike Knuble (24G) and Scott Hartnell (from Nashville: 22G) round out a serious top six. Scottie Upshall, Sami Kapanen, Ben Eager and R.J. Umberger bring depth.

On defense, Kimo Timonen is a coup, the puck-moving defenseman will enjoy sending outlet passes to a gifted crew of forwards. 20 year-old Ryan Parent, Nashville’s first round pick in 2005, came over in the Peter Forsberg deal with Upshall, and will get every opportunity to play at the NHL level. 22 year-old Braydon Coburn, another first round pick (Atlanta, 2003; 8th overall) was acquired in the Alex Zhitnik trade. Jason Smith was the captain of the Oilers and brings veteran smarts to the young crew.

Martin Biron (BUF, PHI: 18-12-3; 3.03; .903) finally gets his chance at number one status after backing up Dom Hasek and Ryan Miller in Buffalo. Antero Nittymaki backs up.

THE MAN: Daniel Briere. At this price, he’d better be “The Man!” Co-captain in Buffalo was surrounded by an excellent supporting cast. Cast in Philly had better gel quickly.

STATS: Career - 483GP; 162-214-376PTS.

The paper won’t match the results on the ice. Third in division, but a playoff trip is a possibility.

4. NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Brent Sutter was one of the most sought-after coaches this offseason. The speculation is that "Devils Hockey," that tight-checking, defense-first, (formerly?) trapping style that led to severe fan boredom and three Stanley Cups, will be called into question as a technique for the first time in years.

GM Lou Lamoriello fired Coach Claude Julien with what seemed like minutes to go in the regular season last year. He's done similar things to the likes of Robbie Ftorek, even installed himself as coach. Sutter will likely last the season, but will he redefine "Devils Hockey" itself, opting for a more offense-first scheme? He might have to, just to keep up with the Rangers and Penguins, for starters, let alone the rest of the "New" NHL.

Zach Parise scored seven playoff goals and Brian Gionta, eight, last spring. Parise managed 31 regular season goals; Gionta, 25 in 62 games played. Travis Zajac potted 17 markers and will be counted on for many more in this, his sophomore, season. Gionta is 28 and headed to his prime, Parise, the club's first pick in 2003 and Zajac, its first in 2004, represent the club's future, and here there's cause for optimism. Dainus Zubrus (24-36-60) was signed for just over $3M per annum to replace Scott Gomez. A good addition, Zubrus is not a bad alternative for Lamoriello, who refused to pony up $7Mil for the former Devil star. Patrik Elias will surely improve upon last year’s 21 goals with Zubrus’ help. John Madden and Jay Pandolfo still comprise two-thirds of one of the league's elite shutdown lines.

If Sutter can loosen the reigns on his young offense's creativity, the Devils may be able to produce enough to make up for defensive shortcomings. For the first time in a long time, "Devils Hockey" features some defensive holes in the lineup.

Paul Martin, Richard Matvichuk, Johnny Oduya, Karel Rachunek, Colin White and newly-acquired Vitaly Vishnevski will try to make 2007-08 slightly easier on goalie Martin Brodeur, who broke Bernie Parent's regular-seaon wins record with 48. Brodeur's numbers are still top-notch: 2.18GAA; .922SV%. Last season yielded Brodeur's third Vezina Trophy. Kevin Weekes, who has struggled in recent seasons, will backup. This offseason, the club lost Brian Rafalski to Detroit. Somehow, "Devils Hockey" isn't the same without the likes of Rafalski, Scott Niedermayer, Scott Stevens or Ken Daneyko. None of the Devils' D-men are over 30, save Rachunek (34). A return to elite status for the defensive top-six is years away.

THE MAN: Brodeur. Like Sawchuk, Plante, Roy or Hall, the name says it all.

STATS: Four Jennings Trophies (lowest GAA). Three Vezinas. Career - 891GP; 494-263-119 .

Slightly better than the Islanders, but no playoffs for Lou this year. So solly, cholly.

5. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Losing Ryan Smyth and Jason Blake, then responding by signing Bill Guerin and Mike Comrie didn’t sit well with Islander fans. Coach Ted Nolan will have to be quite the magician to deal with the additions and subtractions this summer. They don’t weigh out too well in favor of the Islanders.

GM Garth Snow gambled and lost on Ryan Smyth. Snow responds with Bill Guerin, whose leadership will come under intense scrutiny for the first time in a long time. Nine times he’s topped 25 goals, scoring 34, 41 and 30 on three of those occasions. He’s been up and down, disappearing from the scoresheet during the Sharks’ playoff run last spring, a hired gun firing blanks. Down years came in Dallas, up years in Saint Louis and Boston. Will he lead the troops on Long Island? Was he meant to lead at this stage of his career?

Some bright spots dot the lineup. Jon Sim is a nifty pickup from Atlanta, where he potted 17 goals last year. Mike Comrie has produced wherever he’s played. Trent Hunter (20 goals) and journeyman vet Mike Sillinger (26) add grit and goals. Miro Satan’s final contract year should prove motivational. Ruslan Fedotenko comes over from Tampa to return to form, hoping to surpass his career-high 26 goals of 2005-06, which took a downward turn to twelve last season. Fedotenko scored twelve goals during Tampa’s Cup run (03-04), which is the version of Ruslan Fedotenko that the Isles hope shows up. Jeff Tambellini returns, still at rookie status. Whether they can offset the loss of Jason Blake’s 40 goals is the question.

Brendan Witt brings a tough presence to the Isles’ blueline. Former coach Barry Trotz (Nashville) always liked Witt’s willingness to speak his mind in the dressing room. Tough and vocal is a welcome quality on the Isles’ backend, especially in a division this difficult.

Joining the Islander blueline full time is Marc-Andre Bergeron, whose fourteen goals last season and fifteen the one previous foretells good things. The 28 year-old Bergeron enters his fifth NHL campaign as power play quarterback. Radek Martinek (+19) and Witt are the elder statesman on this young D, at 31 and 32 years of age respectively.

The club allowed 32.59 shots per game, ranking 26th in the NHL, while ranking tenth in shots on goal (29.99). The defense will have to close that gap.

In goal, it’s Rick DiPietro for the next fourteen years. He didn’t disappoint last season, and wasn’t the reason that the Isles lost in the playoffs. 2.58GAA; .919SV% was very good.

THE MAN: Rick DiPietro.

STATS: Fourteen years left on deal. Fourteen.

No playoffs this year, but likely knocking on the door for the eighth spot during season’s final days.

2008 Western Hockey Network
 

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