Training camp is around the corner ladies and gents…
I’d better hustle if I want to get all my predictions in for the upcoming season. I’ll finish the East and then hopefully get a lift out West with Alain Vigneault as he takes his Canucks into another NHL season.
So here we go – sit back, relax and find out what I think will happen to the…
New Jersey Brodeurs
Okay. The Kovalchuk saga has ended so I may evaluate these Devils with the proper etiquette.
There is no doubt that Ilya makes the Devils stronger no matter who is playing with him. He has speed, skill and an amazing shot to go along with his hockey sense. In other words the ‘real deal’! The question that remains is will he be hungry or complacent with his big fat contract. If I am Lou Lamoriello – I would be far more concerned with my goaltending situation and perhaps he is, that is the reason that he signed Johan Hedberg.
Hedberg is a veteran netminder who has posted very impressive numbers coming from an underachieving team such as Atlanta. Hedberg posted a 21-16-10 record with a 2.62 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage and three shutouts in 47 games. Martin Brodeur is aging every year and more so since either him or the Devils management keep insisting for him to play 60 plus games a season. In order for him to excel – the man needs rest as the league is getting younger and faster all the time. Brodeur has two years left in him with pure physics being the enemy. Play him 45 games and that way with Kovalchuk firing on all cylinders – the Devils will have a shot at the Cup. “Hedberg understands his role, and he’s looking forward to it,” Lamoriello told the team web site. “He’s extremely excited, in fact, all three players, I was really pleased with the conversations I had with them today.”
The other two players that Mr.Lamoriello is speaking of are;
Anton Volchenkov –He replaces Paul Martin on defence and should fit in nicely in New Jersey’s defensive scheme. Henrik Tallinder, the former Buffalo Sabre will also conform to the Devils’ stingy system and will eventually become a mentor to their three top Swedish propsects – Mattias Tedenby, Jacob Josefson and Alexander Urbom. Adding former Devil and veteran Jason Arnott will add experience and poise for the younger players
John Maclean replaces Lemaire as coach and that may be the Devils downfall but Larry Robinson and Adam Oates as assistants will definitely aid the inexperienced Maclean.
The Devils will finish 3rd in the Conference.
The Tampa Bay Canadien…I mean Lightning.
Has any team improved as much over the offseason as Tampa Bay?
Off – ice they added ex-Habs , on -ice they added ex-Habs and for all I know – the girl working the concession stand is an ex-Hab. Steve Yzerman, the newly appointed GM has added experience with Simon Gagne , Dominic Moore, Bret Clark and Dan Ellis. Behind the bench he added one of the top young minds in the game with Guy Boucher and if that was not enough – Boucher brought all his assistants with him from the Hamilton Bulldogs.
If Vincent Lecavalier recovers from his off-season knee surgery, Martin St.Louis plays like Martin St.Louis, Steve Stamkos progresses according to plan and Gagne remains healthy – the Bolts will be a force to be reckoned with. They will start to gel just before Xmas if everyone buys into Boucher’s system…. Oh – did I mention they added the AHL’s top goalie from Hamilton? Yes, another ex-Hab Cedric Desjardins will give the Bolts insurance if Ellis or Smith falter.
Tampa will finish 6th in the conference.
Florida Panthers
The team that plays hockey in front of more French Quebecers than the Habs are re-inventing themselves once again…
They lost Nathan (hears a who) Horton which is a bad thing. They signed Dennis Wideman which is a good thing.They signed Christopher Higgins which is a bad thing. They signed…ah…you get the picture.The last few years in Florida has brought many changes – coaches in and out, top defencemen in and out – the only consistent being the team’s logo( which is one of the better ones in the NHL).
The Panthers acquired Steve Bernier from Vancouver who will hopefully recover his scoring touch and Michael Grabner, a young prospect who netted 11 points in 20 games with the Canucks.Grabner could be a dark horse – he showed lots of promise in Vancouver before injuring his ankle in a pre-game soccer accident and that put him back a notch in his NHL development.
Florida has a whole bunch of hard working second line players that will enable the team to be competitive in most of their games. Vokoun has shown a steady glove in goals but the team needs a leader like a Mark Messier to lead by example – without that type of player, the Panthers will remain in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Panthers will finish 14th over-all.
So what do we have so far….?
1. Washington Capitals
2.
3.New Jersey Devils
4.Boston Bruins
5.Pittsburgh Penguins
6.Tampa Bay Lightning
7.Buffalo Sabres
8.Philadelphia Flyers
9.N.Y Rangers
10.
11.
12.
13.N.Y. Islanders
14.Florida Panthers
15.Toronto Maple Leafs
Stay tuned later in the week for my remaining picks in the Eastern Conference….
