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Predictions
EAST
1. WAS
2. BOS
3. PHI
4. PIT
5. CAR
6. MTL
7. NJD
8. TBL
9. TOR
10. BUF
11. NYR
12. FLA
13. ATL
14. OTT
15. NYI
WEST
1. CHI
2. VAN
3. ANA
4. DET
5. SJS
6. CGY
7. CBJ
8. LAK
9. MNW
10. STL
11. DAL
12. EDM
13. NSH
14. PHX
15. COL
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
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45-28-9
99 PTS
Playoff Result: Won Stanley Cup (DET)
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TOP SCORER: Evgeni Malkin, 113
TOP GOAL SCORER: E. Malkin, 35
TOP ASSISTS: E. Malkin, 78
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PP RANK: 20
PK RANK: 8
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Ceiling: $56.8M
Penguins: $55.17M
Floor: $40.8M
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WIDE OPEN
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| Hangover. Not a
person, place or thing. A hockey state of mind. The Stanley Cup
hangover. “There's not going to be one easy night this year because
teams always want to knock off the defending champs...If you don't
think that, you're fooling yourself,” said 38-year-old Bill Guerin.
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Evgeni MalkinCalder, Art
Ross, Conn Smythe and a Stanley Cup are just the beginning of a
future filled with NHL hardware. The offensive 23 year old dynamo
will begin the first of a five year contract extension this season
and will only continue to get better.
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4. Pittsburgh Penguins
[DEFENDING STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS]
The Penguins bucked the trend, finishing fourth in
the conference but winning the Cup, becoming only the third team since 1993
to finish lower than second in its conference and win a title. They fell
behind, 2-0, then 3-2, en route to beating the Wings for the title.
How likely is it, though, that the Penguins will
make a third consecutive appearance in the Cup final, after losing in 2008,
then winning last June?
With Sidney Crosby, 22, Evgeni Malkin, 23 and Jordan
Staal 21, cemented into the lineup for years to come, Pittsburgh will always
be close to contention due to their strength at center ice.
Malkin had 14 goals and 36 points (104 playoff
shots) en route to winning the Conn Smythe trophy, a tribute to his ability
to bounce back from the prior year’s Cup final, in which he wasn’t able to
get on track. Sidney Crosby faced a tough Henrik Zetterberg in the final,
but was stellar throughout the postseason and proved every bit the leader he
was expected to be. Staal rebounded with 22 goals from his checking line
position.
Chris Kunitz returns, having scored seven goals in
20 regular season games with the Pens; 13 assists in the playoffs. Pascal
Dupuis and Tyler Kennedy will vie for Maxime Talbot’s second-line gig. The
“loser” of the battle will likely end up on the checking line with Staal and
Matt Cooke. Watch for 6’3”, 20-year-old Eric Tangradi, acquired by the Pens
in the Ryan Whitney/Chris Kunitz deal, to get a shot at left wing. Tangradi
had 38 goals in 55 games for Belleville (OHL).
On defense, Sergei Gonchar looks forward to a full
season after appearing in just 25 regular season games. Gonchar, 35, still
has gas in the tank, and his full-time return will keep the puck out of the
defensive zone. It’s no surprise that the club’s turnaround occurred not
only after coach Dan Bylsma’s hiring, but Gonchar’s return.
Hal Gill went to Montreal and Rob Scuderi, who saved
game six and the Cup for the Pens, went to Los Angeles. Jay McKee comes over
from St. Louis to bring some muscle and shot-blocking ability, after a few
injury-plagued seasons. McKee was key during Buffalo’s best post-lockout
runs, and should be a good pickup. Brooks Orpik, Mark Eaton and Kris Letang
will be called upon to assume more responsibility after impressive playoff
efforts that yielded four postseason goals apiece for Letang and Eaton.
Orpik is gaining confidence in the physical game every year.
Marc-Andre Fleury will be backed up by Brent
Johnson. Johnson will likely be called on to appear in roughly 20 games.
The amazing Dan Bylsma, hired to replace Michel
Therrien after 57 games, went 18-3-4 en route to the playoffs. This season,
Tony Granato comes over from Colorado to assist, along with Mike Yeo.
GM Ray Shero’s club has that elusive “identity”:
Fleury, Malkin, Staal, Orpik, Crosby, are all signed until at least the
spring of 2013.
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