Western Conference Predictions

THE TOP EIGHT

1. Detroit Red Wings
Take the Stanley Cup winners, add one of the most gifted offensive players in the league while subtracting only minor parts from the roster and you get what sounds like a recipe for a successful championship defence. The Red Wings franchise was the class of the NHL last season, dominating the league en route to its fourth Cup in 11 seasons. A virtually intact roster, combined with the addition of former Pittsburgh Penguin and Cup Finals nemesis Marian Hossa, positions the Wings to be the first repeat champions since, well, the Red Wings turned the trick in 1997 and 1998.

2. Dallas Stars
Dallas could very well give Detroit a run for its money in the West. The addition of Sean Avery adds some sandpaper (and style) to the team, while Fabian Brunnstrom enters the season as the NHL’s International Man of Mystery. The Stars are so deep at centre that The Hockey News places future Hall-of-Famer Mike Modano as third on the depth chart in its yearbook.

3. Calgary Flames
No prediction pains me more than this one, but Calgary does appear to be the best team in the Northwest Division. Excellent goaltending and defence are complimented by what should be a decent offence. Jarome Iginla is obviously one of the premier players in the league, while newcomer Mike Cammalleri should provide solid secondary scoring. The Flames are rolling the dice on Todd Bertuzzi, and with the reunion of Big Bert and Mike Keenan the Flames have the potential to be the biggest circus in the NHL.

4. San Jose Sharks
If there was a team award for Biggest Tease, the Sharks would have easily taken it the past few seasons. The roster is a good blend of quality veterans and youth, finesse and sandpaper and offensive and defensive skill. Yet the Sharks are perennial postseason underachievers and will continue to be viewed as such until they at least reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

5. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks will be offensively challenged, although it should help that Teemu Selanne has “made the team” after initially reporting to camp on a tryout contract (sneaky, sneaky Brian Burke!). Obviously the Ducks will be just fine on the backline, thanks to Chris SimonPronger and Grizzly Adams, and in the crease with J.S. Giguere holding down the fort.

6. Chicago Blackhawks
Newsflash: The Hawks are relevant again in Chicago! With season tickets swelling to record levels the pressure is suddenly on the young Blackhawks to meet the expectations of the Windy City faithful. With a youthful core of stars such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith, a defence enhanced by the signing of Brian Campbell and the luxury of starting either Christobel Huet or Nikolai Khabibulin between the pipes each night, the Blackhawks should live up to the hype.

7. Vancouver Canucks
Yeah, that's right. I’m picking the Canucks to make the playoffs, going against the conventional wisdom of 99.9% of hockey experts. But screw it, I’m an optimist. The Sedins will each hit 85 points, Steve Bernier will be the next Anson Carter (sans dreadlocks and plus an NHL-contract), Roberto Luongo will finally capture his first Vezina Trophy and a healthy defence will cut the team’s goals against considerably. Yes, if all those things happen the Canucks will finish in 7th in the West.

8. Phoenix Coyotes
The combination of a solid group of youngsters, the addition of playoff-starved Olli Jokinen and the continuing improvement of Wayne Gretzky the Coach will push the Coyotes into the playoffs, where they will continue their proud tradition of postseason futility.

BOOKING THEIR TEE TIMES

9. Columbus Blue Jackets
How long can the playoff drought last? One more year at least. The Blue Jackets should be improved this year, with the addition of skilled forwards R.J. Umberger (remember him Canucks fans?), Kristian Huselius and Fred Penner Raffi Torres. But Columbus fans will have to wait to enjoy their first taste of playoff hockey. Hopefully there are still a few left by then.

10. Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton is a very sexy pick to make the playoffs and challenge for the Northwest Division crown. I don’t buy it. I’m not sold on either Mathieu Garon or Dwayne Roloson as the goalie to lead a team to glory, and I think people are expecting too much from the youth of this club. Remember, the Oilers’ record last year is as good as it is because they made an ultimately futile late season run and were good in the shootout. I know I’m in the minority, but I remain skeptical about this team.

11. Colorado Avalanche
As a Canucks fan I revel in Avalanche misery of the non-Todd-Bertuzzi-inflicted variety. As an NHL fan, however, I can’t help but feel a little saddened at the state of the Avs. Denver has been one of the best hockey markets in the league since they reacquired a franchise in 1995 (let’s ignore the fact that this came at the expense of the Nordiques, which also makes me sad) but the team struggled to fill the Pepsi Center last season and looks to have a rough 08-09 season. While the forward corps remains strong, the defence and goaltending appear so weak that the Avs could be the West’s version of the Tampa Bay Lightning – exciting, offensive and defensively porous.

12. Minnesota Wild
I’m questioning myself for this ranking, because any Jacques Lemaire-coached team always has the potential to be successful. That being said, I feel like the Wild are in for a fall. Call it a hunch. Also, I hate the Wild – though not as much as I hate the Flames and the Avalanche.

13. Nashville Predators
The NHL’s version of the Ottoman Empire (they’re still standing, but the vultures are circling) will stumble through another semi-productive season while icing a mediocre squad. Preds fans will console themselves by watching KHL highlights on YouTube and long for the good ol’ days of Radulovian offensive exploits.
14. St. Louis Blues
Remember when Paul Kariya was one of the league’s best players? I do, but barely. Late-90s superstars Kariya and Keith Tkachuk lead the offence along with Andy MacDonald and Brad Boyes, but they don’t have a great deal of support. The news got worse for the Blues when stud prospect Erik Johnson fought a golf cart and lost. Thus, the biggest preseason story began where the Blues season will end in April – on the golf course.

15. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings will be good again – one day. There is a great deal of hope for the future with young talent such as Anze Kopitar, Patrick O’Sullivan (if he ever signs), Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty. LA is a year or two from being the next Chicago Blackhawks.

Did The Hockey News rip me off? Nah, I guess not.

In advance of my Western Conference predictions, I would like to reflect on my predictions for the East which were posted on September 13. Adam Proteau is a respected hockey writer for The Hockey News, and one of my favourite hockey scribes. Is he also a reader of ’Nucks and Pucks and a shameless plagiarist? Almost certainly not. But I’m going to make the argument anyway.

Yesterday (September 25) Adam posted his weekly Screen Shots column, which included his predictions for the Eastern Conference standings in the upcoming season. Check out the article if you want to read his justifications for his choices, but I will list here his predicted order of finish with the ’Nucks and Pucks picks in brackets:

1. Philadelphia Flyers (Flyers)
2. Montreal Canadiens (Canadiens)
3. Washington Capitals (Capitals)
4. Pittsburgh Penguins (Penguins)
5. New Jersey Devils (Devils)
6. Boston Bruins (Sabres)
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (Rangers)
8. Buffalo Sabres (Bruins)
9. Ottawa Senators (Senators)
10. Florida Panthers (Lightning)
11. New York Rangers (Hurricanes)
12. Carolina Hurricanes (Panthers)
13. New York Islanders (Islanders)
14. Toronto Maple Leafs (Leafs)
15. Atlanta Thrashers (Thrashers)

Comparing Adam’s predictions with those made in this blog two weeks ago reveal some startling similarities: the top five finishers are identical; seven of the eight playoff teams are the same; Adam also likes the Sabres to return to the playoffs and the Senators to finish ninth in the conference; and the worst three teams are identical. Nine of Adam’s total picks are identical to those of ’Nucks and Pucks.

My first reaction was to think that this 60% correlation represents plagiarism on a grand scale. However, as I was about to call a lawyer, reason got the better of me. For starters, there are only fifteen Eastern teams and so there is bound to be some overlap in picks (everyone is going to pick the Leafs to finish at or near the bottom of the conference – duh!). Also, there is roughly a 99.9997% chance that Adam Proteau has never read, or even heard of, ’Nucks and Pucks.

So I put down the phone and took it as a flattery that one of my favourite writers thinks along similar lines as me. Because great minds think alike, right? Oh wait… I shouldn’t say that until I post my Western Conference predictions this weekend. If you want to check out Adam’s rankings they are posted here. I won’t give mine away just yet, but suffice it to say that there are only five identical picks and we only agree on six of the eight playoff teams. Can you guess one of the playoff teams we disagree about? I’ll give you a hint: one of my (now) least-favourite hockey writers picks them to finish 14th in the West.

Eastern Conference Predictions

THE TOP EIGHT

1. Philadelphia Flyers

Last year’s runner-up in the Battle of Pennsylvania looks good to take the conference this year. Marty Biron has established himself as a bona fide number one goalie - even if he does receive some fairly intense heckling from some fans. A talented forward corps includes studs such as Daniel Briere, Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. A healthy Simon Gagne and continued solid goaltending from Biron will push the Flyers to the top of the East.

2. Montreal Canadiens

It is the Canadiens 100^th Anniversary and the franchise is keen to cap it off by adding to it its amazing 24 Stanley Cup victories. The Habs brought in Alex Tanguay and lost Michael Ryder, which represents an upgrade. Big questions heading into the season include whether the enigmatic Alex Kovalev can replicate his impressive 07-08 campaign and if 21 year-old sophomore Carey Price can be a consistent starting goalie for a full season.

3. Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin and a decent supporting cast are enough to ensure that the Caps will take what is without a doubt the worst division in hockey – yet paradoxically one that has produced two of the last four Stanley Cup champions. Jose Theodore proved last season that he is just decent enough to drag a slightly above-average team into the playoffs and perhaps even to the second round.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

Sure they lost Marian Hossa to Detroit, and seemingly half of their roster to the Tampa Bay Ex-Pens, but this is still an excellent group of players that are all on the upswing of their careers. Barring injury, Sid the Kid should duke it out with Ovechkin for the Art Ross, while Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and newcomer Miroslav Satan will provide excellent secondary scoring. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pens finish second to the Flyers for points - too bad the NHL's screwy division-seeding arrangement, AKA throwing the Southeast Division a frickin' bone, will deny them the second seed in the conference.

5. New Jersey Devils

Marty Brodeur will be his usual excellent self, and the addition of Brian Rolston will add punch to a forward group that includes some pretty solid offensive players.

6. Buffalo Sabres

I think that Buffalo is due to bounce back. While the Sabres struggled last season to cope with the loss of Chris Drury and Briere, they still possess a great deal of firepower upfront including Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek and Maxim Afinogenov. Ryan Miller is among the game’s best stoppers and the defense is solid if unspectacular. Remember, this is the team that won the President’s Trophy two seasons ago.

7. New York Rangers

A pretty solid offense - albeit sans Jaromir Jagr, who is now plying his trade in the brand new Kontinental Hockey League - combined with a defensive upgrade in Wade Redden and one of the league’s best keepers in Henrik Lundqvist should ensure that the Blueshirts make it back to the playoffs in 2008-09.

8. Boston Bruins

A healthy Patrice Bergeron will help solidify a decent group of forwards, which includes new acquisition/reclamation-project Michael Ryder. Goaltending prospect Tuukka Rask, AKA "the blue chip prospect the Leafs traded for Andrew Raycroft," looks to start in the AHL while Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez will duke it out for the starting job.

BOOKING THEIR TEE TIMES

9. Ottawa Senators

Yes, I am picking Ottawa to miss the playoffs. Sure they have arguably the best and most impressively YouTubed line in hockey, but they lost Wade Redden on the blue line and the tandem of Martin Gerber and Alex Auld between the pipes isn’t scaring anyone. Except maybe Sens fans. On the upside, when the Sens miss the playoffs, there will be no repetition of the most embarrassing pre-game intro in Stanley Cup playoff history.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning

If this was a list of most entertaining teams, the Lightning

would be battling the Penguins and Caps for top spot. Given the Bolts’ patchwork defense and questionable goaltending, they will be relying on a potentially lethal offense to win them games. Fans may need to check that Pittsburgh/Tampa Bay box score twice to realize that it’s not for a Steelers/Buccaneers game - don’t be shocked to see Tampa put up a touchdown on the scoreboard on a few occasions this year. One of many intriguing storylines in the TB soap opera that is the upcoming season involves coach-turned-broadcaster-turned-coach Barry “The Mullet” Melrose. Given the offensive orientation of his squad one can only assume that Melrose will apply the standard mullet-logic: business at the front, party at the back.

11. Carolina Hurricanes

Decent, but not good enough. How will Eric Staal respond to his new mega-contract? If he can recapture his 100-point form of a few years ago then this team might be good enough to scrape into the playoffs. I don’t see that happening.

12. Florida Panthers

Seven years out of the playoffs and counting – sorry Florida, you’re gonna have to keep waiting. The additions of Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton will help solidify the d-line, but the subsequent loss of Olli Jokinen leaves the offence pretty thin beyond the top line. As good as Tomas Vokoun is, you can’t help but wonder how this team would look with Roberto Luongo between the pipes. If Canucks fans want an idea of how their team would be without Luongo, the Panthers probably give a pretty fair indication.

13. New York Islanders

The Islanders should sign Anson Carter and continue to continue the trend of relying on ex-Oilers whose prime was 5-10 years ago for the bulk of the offense. A top line of Mike Comrie, Doug Weight and Bill Guerin doesn’t sound quite as imposing as it would have in 1999 or 2000.

14. Toronto Maple Leafs

A lot of things will need to go right for the Leafs to have a sniff of the playoffs. It’s not impossible, but it’s hard to imagine the Buds cobbling together a respectable season. Fans will have to find a new whipping boy now that Andrew Raycroft and his ’stache have moved on to Colorado.

15. Atlanta Thrashers

Can you name one forward on this team not named Ilya Kovalchuk? How about any of the defencemen? If not, you’re probably in the majority of hockey fans. It will be another long season for Thrashers fans.

Coming soon: Western Conference predictions

Summer hiatus is over!

After a summer hiatus ’Nucks and Pucks is ready to drop the puck on the 08-09 season! Now featuring its very own URL (www.nucksandpucks.com) the blog will hopefully become increasingly professional as I continue to improve it. Areas I hope to improve include:

• Graphics: I have created a basic logo for the blog, which I will try to improve upon as time goes on. I am also planning to incorporate more pictures into my posts, which should spruce up the site and add to its overall quality.

• Frequency of posts: I will aim to post once or twice a week during the season, so check back regularly for my thoughts about the Canucks and the NHL.

• Audience interactivity: I encourage my readers to post comments if anything strikes them, and I am open to posting content from guest bloggers. If you have any ideas for content or would like to contribute to the site, please email me at nucksandpucks@gmail.com.

• Outside content: I will continue to link to other hockey sites and will try to increase the number of video links.

I have a few ideas planned for upcoming posts. In the coming weeks I will post a series of preseason predictions, including order of finish in each conference and major award winners. I will also share my thoughts on the season outlook for the Canucks with a detailed preview. Other ideas for upcoming posts include my Top 10 Trevor Linden moments, my Top 5 Toronto Maple Leafs jokes and a debate about the best European players of all-time. My next post will present some compelling storylines to watch as the 2008-09 season gets underway.

Thanks for reading ’Nucks and Pucks, and I hope you check back frequently in the upcoming months as I continue to build the site.