Mini NHL Preview

As most of you now I took most of last year off from following hockey. My reasoning was that the NHL sat out a year so I had to sit out a year once they came back. Though I have to admit that the game was better last year than pre-lockout. That's not to say it was great, there were way too many power plays. I hope this year every game won't be decided on the power play.

So I will follow more closely this year but not enough to give a full season preview. I am going to stick to how the six Canadian teams will do this year and a Stanley Cup prediction. So let's get going.

Western Conference

Calgary Flames

I think the Flames are the most likely Canadian team to make a Cup run this year. They have the best goalie in their conference in Miikka Kiprusoff, a strong blueline with rising superstar Dion Phaneuf ready to start getting Norris Trophy attention, and stud Jerome Iginla up front. Iginla can't have a worse year than he did last year and the Flames still finished 3rd in the west and lost to a good Anaheim team in the first round. They lacked goal scoring which will be addressed by a better year from Jerome and the addition of Alex Tanguay. They will win their division and finish 3rd in the west.

Edmonton Oilers

It was great to see the Oil back in the Cup final last year. The city was electric and all the old greats showed up in the building to watch the run. Then what happens? Chris Pronger leaves town taking any hope of another run with him. The loss of Mike Peca will also hurt too if or when they get back to the playoffs. Without Pronger the Oilers have an average blue line at best, a slow and immobile one at worst. They will continue to score a lot of goals but stopping other teams from scoring is going to be their big problem. They key to this year is goalie Dwayne Roloson. Is he the guy whho was awful with the Wild or the guy who was great for Edmonton in the playoffs. I think he's far closer to the former than the latter and it will cost this team. It's rare for a team to go from the Cup finals to missing the playoffs but it's going to happen this year. 9th in the west.

Vancouver Canucks

Todd Bertuzzi is finally out of town which should cause a lot fewer distractions. That is until Markus Naslund, pathetic Swedish choking dog west coast version, starts pouting that his buddy isn't around anymore. I think Naslund's attitude will sink this team and he will be gone by the trade deadline. Roberto Luongo is one of the top 4 goalies in the league and is a big upgrade in net but he is going to see more rubber than a tire factory. Don't underestimate the loss of Ed Jovanovski on their blueline. He was big, fast and could move guys in front of the net. Their blueline is a lot weaker without him. I think the loss of Anson Carter will also hurt as the Sedins will fail to improve this year. It's going to be a long year in BC. Canucks will finish 11th in the west.

Eastern Conference

Ottawa Senators

I still think the Sens are the best Canadian team. In the regular season of course because we all know their playoff history. The Sens will take a step back this year without Zdeno Chara. Ottawa fans are trying to claim he wasn't that important but don't kid yourself, you can't lose a top 5 defenseman in the league and get better. Chara's absence will also expose Wade Redden as the most overrated defenseman in the league. Up front the Sens will still score a lot of goals despite the absence of Martin Havlat who was hurt most of last year anyway. I think Martin Gerber will do well in goal but I don't see him as a surefire Cup winning goalie. It will take a lot of hard work and guts for the Sens to fulfill their promise. Which is the big problem. As long as Daniel Alfredsson, pathetic Swedish choking dog east coast version, is wearing the Captain's "C" this team will never win. The fact that this stiff hasn't been run out of Ottawa shows what a lame sports town Ottawa really is (and I'm allowed to say that because I live here). The Sens should do themselves a favor and put the "C" on Mike Fisher's jersey and leave it there for the next 10 years. 4th in the east and out in the 2nd round.

Montreal Canadiens

I'm a Leaf fan so I hate the Habs. But they are a fun team to watch. It's pretty much impossible not to like Saku Koivu. And they will score goals this year. They are quick up front wth a number of guys capable of scoring 20 goals. Their blueline is average but average should be enough for them to compete. The big question is whether or not goalie Cristobal Huet is a one year wonder. I don't think he will be and they will ride him to the final playoff spot in the east. 8th in the east.

Toronto Maple Leafs

It's funny. I don't like all the power plays yet the power play was the only reason the Leafs came within sniffing distance of the playoffs last year. Special teams will be crucial for the Leafs again this year because they are not going to score many goals 5 on 5. For yet another year in a Leaf uniform Mats Sundin is saddled with third line players on his first line. I would love to see Jeff O'Neill have a big comeback year but I don't see it happening, even under his old coach Paul Maurice. The Leafs upgraded their blueline with Pavl Kubina but Hal Gill was a mistake. He is way to slow to be effective in the new NHL. I think new goalie Andrew Raycroft will return to form and steal a few games for this team. But unless Mike Peca figures out how to score in the regular season again and Alexander Steen and Kyle Wellwood pop 25 goals each the Leafs will be hard pressed to beat out Montreal for the last playoff spot. Leafs finish 9th in the east which I pray will result in GM John Ferguson Jr. getting the axe.

Stanley Cup Prediction: San Jose over Buffalo