Western Conference

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. DETROIT RED WINGS

The Nicklas Lidstrom Era enters its second year. Year one results were quite good for GM Ken Holland, who astutely chose Dominik Hasek to backstop his still-capable, post-Steve Yzerman club.

After a conference final loss to eventual champion Anaheim, the Wings look confidently at another opportunity behind Coach Mike Babcock, who has now been to two conference finals and one Cup Final including his Anaheim stint.

While bidding farewell to Mathieu Schneider (ANA) and Danny Markov, Holland was very hospitable to Brian Rafalski, bringing the Dearborn, Michigan native home after seven seasons in New Jersey (including two Cups).

Lidstrom, 37, stands at legendary status with five Norris trophies. In the playoffs, he was good for 18 points in 18 games. Chris Chelios returns for his 24th season. Nick Kronwall is an emerging talent and saw action in 68 games. Brett Lebda and Andreas Lilja will be pressed for ice time by Jakub Kindl, who split time last season between juniors and the AHL and has impressed Babcock early in camp. Garrett Stafford, formerly of the Kings organization, looks for his NHL debut. Tied for 2nd overall, this defense is an extremely solid bunch with an impressive number of productive development projects.

The last line of defense, Dom Hasek, turns 43 this season and shows no signs of slowing down after posting 38 wins in 56 games. A capable Chris Osgood quietly won 11 of 21 games and posted a 2.38GAA; .907SV%.

In this, the Nick Lidstrom Era, the goaltending and defense keeps the Wings in Stanley Cup contention annually.

On offense, there are notable subtractions, such as Robert Lang and Todd Bertuzzi, but capable fill-ins in the youth ranks with sophomores Jiri Hudler (15 goals in his rookie season) and Valtteri Filppula (10).

Team scoring leader Pavel Datsyuk (27-60-87) was extended by the team this year, and with Henrik Zetterberg (33 goals in 68GP), offers two of the brightest young stars in the league. Tomas Holmstrom scored 30 goals for the first time. Dan Cleary leapt toward his potential with a 20 goal season, a nice surprise. Mikael Samuelsson looks to bounce back from a broken right foot. Igor Grigorenko hopes to make his NHL debut after a broken leg ended his season last year.

THE MAN: Nick Lidstrom.

STATS: Five Norris trophies, three Stanley Cups. Adam Proteau of the Hockey News ranks him right behind Orr, and it’s a tough one, but we can’t argue.

The Wings should see at least the second round of the playoffs.

2. ST. LOUIS BLUES

They say that the Blues look good on paper. We’ll see what the ice says, but optimism regarding the Blues is rooted in evidence.

GM John Davidson was active this summer, trading away Keith Tkachuk, then bringing him back, landing picks in the process. Tkachuk potted 27 goals for the Blues and Thrashers. With 27 more, he’ll reach 500.

Davidson slung the bucks far and wide, giving Paul Kariya a three year deal worth $18M. Quietly, Kariya led the Predators in scoring in both post-lockout seasons, with 76 points last year, 85 the prior season. Entering his 13th NHL season, Kariya has 866 points in 821 games.

The offense is buttressed by 24 year-old right wing Lee Stempniak. After setting career highs in goals with 27 and points with 52, the Buffalo, NY native led Team USA at the 2007 World Championships with 10 points. Jamal Mayers brings toughness up front, Doug Weight (43A, 59PTS) makes plays. Depth a serious issue (the club finished 26th in goals for), the Blues will hope that Brad Boyes (17 goals with STL/BOS) and sophomores David Backes (10) or Jay McClement (8) will pop some key goals, with perhaps a 20 goal season a possibility for any of the three.

Only Eric Brewer appeared in all 82 games for the Blues’ defense. Jay McKee, whose season was ruined by injuries from the get-go, is off to a shaky start, having broken a bone in his foot. He’ll miss the first four-to-six weeks of the season. Tough luck for a really good, physical D-man. Barrett Jackman was +20 in 06-07.

The big story, however, is 19 year-old Eric Johnson, drafted 1st overall in 2006. Johnson represented Team USA at the World Championships and had an opportunity to play alongside Blues Stempniak, David Backes and goaltender Jason Bacashihua. After a stellar career with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, Johnson will now take the next step.

Davidson has faith in goaltender Manny Legace, who posted a very respectable 2.59GAA and .907SV%. On a Blues club that finished 26th in offense, he didn’t get a lot of goal support. Hannu Toivonen comes over from Boston.

THE MAN: Erik Johnson

STATS: 1st pick, 2006.

A serious run at the eighth playoff spot is at hand. With Andy Murray at the helm, it’s the Blues year to edge Nashville in the standings.

3. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Clouds hang over the Predators on two fronts as they head into the season: The franchise’s ability to remain in Music City, and the loss of key personnel.

In one of the biggest stories of the offseason, the club was almost sold to Jim Balsillie, who prematurely began selling ticket purchase rights in Hamilton, Ontario. The NHL dispensed with Balsillie’s bid. Later, a local group stepped in, but the club enters this season with the added responsibility of selling an average of 14,000 tickets per game, or an out clause could be invoked allowing the new owners to get out of the lease, which is slated to run until 2028. Too many dark clouds hang over the franchise to expect a deep playoff run, but the talent is there, and GM David Poile has restocked the shelves nicely.

When defenseman Kimmo Timonen and left wing Scott Hartnell (22-17-39) went to Philly, and Paul Kariya (24-52-76) to St. Louis, followed by longtime goaltender Tomas Vokoun’s departure for Florida, most critics wondered whether the club could overcome such losses. Complicating matters is the loss of Steve Sullivan to back problems until at least December.

It says here that while the NHL’s 3rd best club (110 points) will lose a few more games this season, there’s no reason to believe that the Preds can’t make a playoff run.

Left wing Alexander Radulov and right wing Martin Erat will attempt to fill some of these holes. Nashville still has formidable forwards in its top two lines in J.P. Dumont, Jason Arnott and Dave Legwand. Erat and Radulov should keep the Preds’ hopes alive. Radulov (18-19-37) established a franchise record for points by a rookie. Erat’s speed and puck sense has the 26 year-old ready for a breakout season.

Defensively, Poile has managed last year’s loss of Danny Markov, and this year’s loss of Timonen by drafting well. Dan Hamhuis (24 yrs.), Ryan Suter (22) and Shea Weber (22) played huge roles, contributing between 19 and 21 minutes per game, each. With Greg de Vries jumping to Nashville from Atlanta, and Marek Zidlicky entering his prime at 30, the dropoff should be tamped down.

Goaltender Chris Mason bounced between Florida and Nashville in recent years. He won 24 of 40 games last year and most Predators fans agree that he’s at least as good as the departed Vokoun.

THE MAN: The fan. 14,000 of him must show up every night (on average) or Kansas City, Las Vegas, Hamilton or who-knows-where awaits.

STAT: 13,815 of him attended last season, on average. Corporate support is dim, despite all efforts.

4. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Scott Howson is generally perceived as a smart guy in NHL circles. Howson oversaw the Oilers’ salary cap concerns under GM Kevin Lowe, and also ran the club’s Cape Breton and Hamilton AHL franchises. The 47 year-old Howson now inherits Doug MacLean’s Blue Jackets.

Howson has the advantage of starting his GM career with a good coach in Ken Hitchcock. The Cup-winning Hitchcock went 28-29-5 with the Jax last season and that may be the most encouraging stat in Ohio hockey right now. Without him, they went 5-13-2. In December, the club was 9-5-2 (the franchise’s most successful month in its history).

Howson didn’t commit to any big contracts (the club still has to pay Sergei Fedorov $6M this year), figuring that, as he put it, “This franchise is not ready to take that step.” Howson smartly plans on putting his energy into evaluating what the Jackets have, a not-too-shabby group of young players, often high draft picks. But the club finished 28th in the league in goals-for, with 196, and it's an uphill climb.

The new GM was firm in the face of Alexander Svitov’s walkout on a newly-minted two-year deal. Svitov returned to Russia; Howson bade him good riddance, albeit disappointedly.

Offensively, Howson snagged a recovered Michael Peca. With the Jackets thin at center, Peca will likely end up at second line center (Fedorov at first line), between Frederik Modin (22 goals) and possibly Nikolai Zherdev (dropped to ten goals after 27 the year prior). Zherdev, the club claims, has a better attitude this summer and will also try him at center. While Zherdev tries to regain his touch, Fedorov will center Rick Nash (27) and David Vyborny (18G-64PTS). Howson tried to mend fences burned by former GM Doug MacLean, who derided Zherdev publicly. As for Nash, he's under pressure to pick up his game and return to 35-40 goal per annum form (Nash scored 41 in 2003-04, the year he shared the Richard Trophy). Dan Fritsche, Kris Beech and Gilbert Brule will need to come through for the club to have any depth in the forward ranks.

Defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen of Norway enters his third season with the club, and GM Howson is hoping that the 23 year-old can bring some youthful spark to a mostly unknown defense save Rostislav Klesla and Adam Foote. Ron Hainsey, Sheldon Brookbank, Jan Hejda and Duvie Westcott round out a young defense which features no players over 30 other than Foote.

In goal, Pascal Leclaire started in only 24 games before an injury to his left knee ended the season. The first round pick in 2001 (8th overall) is still the top dog in the Jackets' net, but Howson might want to shore up this position (Ilya Bryzgalov anyone?). Fredrik Norrena is the likely backup.

THE MAN: Rick Nash.

STATS: Career – 283GP; 116-91-207. First pick overall in 2002.

With eleven first round picks in the lineup (some drafted by the Jax, some not), this club is overdue for a playoff appearance. The fan support is outstanding in Columbus, and as long as the club is headed in the right direction (Howson and Hitchcock are a very good pair), that support should continue, even though we don't foresee a playoff run this year.

5. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Hockeytalk was a bit too high on the Hawks last season, picking the club for a playoff spot. While we’re not that high on them this year, we still like the Blackhawks to make progress.

Due to shoulder, groin and ankle injuries, right wing Martin Havlat played in only 56 games last season, 18 the previous. Never having played a complete NHL season, he remains dangerous, having led the Hawks in scoring (25-32-57).

Robert Lang hopped onboard this summer, giving the Hawks a goal-scoring (213 in 799 career games) center. Faceoff specialist Yannic Perrault (60% or better in each of past nine seasons) will provide huge help. Disgruntled Montreal Canadien Sergei Samsonov has the wheels to make a difference on one of the top two lines.

Youngsters Jonathan Toews (1st round, 3rd overall, 2006) and Patrick Kane (1st overall, 2007) could both end up on the opening day roster. Toews has starred on the international stage and Kane led all Canadian Major Junior players with 145 points, including 62 goals, in 58 games.

With an offense that finished 29th in the league and 30th on the power play, the Hawks have a long climb to respectability. It all starts with the youngsters.

On defense, Jassen Cullimore and Adrian Aucoin never panned out in the Windy City. Say hello to veteran Andrei Zyuzin (CAL) and Cam Barker, a 6'3” sophomore. Brent Seabrook (22 yrs.) and Duncan Keith (24) are the youthful leaders of the Hawks’ defense. Magnus Johansson comes from Sweden to fight for a spot with James Wisniewski and Jim Vandermeer, both returning from injuries.

Nikolai Khabibulin (60GP; 25 wins) and Patrick Lalime form a respectable tandem in goal.

Chicago could feature at least one Calder trophy candidate in either Toews and/or Kane. The playoffs seem distant, but on paper, GM Dale Tallon did his job well this summer.

THE MAN: Patrick Kane or Jon Toews.

STAT: Kane: 62-83-145 with London (OHL) in 2006-07. Toews: 34GP; 18-28-46 with North Dakota (NCAA)

Top

Home

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC

NORTHEAST

SOUTHEAST

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL

NORTHWEST

PACIFIC