NHL Playoff Predictions at the Two Thirds Mark

The NHL season is approximately 2/3′s of the way finished.  The two-thirds mark is actually about 54.5 games and looking at the standings today most teams are right around that number – some over some under, but close enough.  In this post I’m going to be giving my predictions of where teams will finish in their conference at the end of the regular season.  I’ll give a little snippit about my reasoning, but this is mostly just to put down my predictions.  Do with them what you will.

Eastern Conference

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

What you might notice in this conference is how I have the Washington Capitals passing the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top spot in the Southeast Division.  The Caps are underachieving and I think the Lightning are overachieving at the moment.  The Capitals are a good team who should get a lot of wins down the stretch.

Another thing you may notice is the Buffalo Sabres finishing in 7th and making the playoffs.  This would have been absurd to think at the 1/3 mark, but they have been playing great and have a good enough team to pass the Rangers, Hurricanes and Thrashers down the stretch.  This left the Rangers and Thrashers out of the playoffs.

Finally, the Ottawa Senators will come last in the East and most likely last in the league.  The team will sell hard at the deadline and sputter down the stretch, but this will at least guarantee them a top 2 overall pick in the draft.

Western Conference

1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Nashville Predators
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Los Angeles Kings
9. Dallas Stars
10. Phoenix Coyotes
11. Colorado Avalanche
12. Calgary Flames
13. Columbus Blue Jackets
14. St. Louis Blues
15. Edmonton Oilers

The West is way more jam packed at the moment which allowed me to really do a lot with my predictions.  The first division winners shouldn’t be much of a surprise, with the only move being San Jose catching Dallas for the Pacific division championship.

Now let’s move into the surpises.  The Blackhawks are currently in 11th and I have them finishing in 4th.  The team is simply too good not to make the playoffs and the spread between 4th and 11th at the moment is only 6 points.  I expect the Blackhawks to start playing some playoff style hockey and to move up the standings.  They were the Cup favourites at the beginning of the season!

After that I see the Preds continuing to play streaky hockey and the wins they string together will be enough to get them into 5th spot.  After that the Ducks will move up from 7th to 6th and the Wild and Kings will take the playoff spots away from the Stars, Flames and Coyotes to secure the last two spots.  I’m a Havlat fan so that may be biased, but I truly believe they have a good enough team, especially with Zidlicky coming back and Backstrom playing grade A hockey.  The Kings will not allow themselves to miss playoffs and will squeek into 8th in order to give the ‘Nucks a tough first round matchup.  The only other small surprise is the Avs getting up to 11th with the help of Forsberg.  The spread from 4th to 12th will still be only around 6 points come playoff time, so the West will go right down to the wire!

This race will make for some great hockey betting online.  If NHL betting interests you make sure to check out a variety of sports betting sites in order to find the one that is best for you.  Look for things such as bonuses, deposit options, customer service, but above all else use a bookie that is trusted.

NHL Eastern Conference Division Winner Predictions

I find NHL futures predictions take the most skill to make because there is much less luck involved when the outcome is decided over a long period of time, in this case an 82 game series.  In this post I decided to incorporate the division winner odds I found at Bodog.com in order to make more sports betting predictions against the odds.  Luckily for me the team I thought would win the first two divisions happened to be the underdog anyways.  If you want to learn more about sports betting odds, click the link for a great site with tons of info.

Northeast Division

The Northeast division is in my opinion the tightest, most well rounded division in the NHL.  There are no great teams and if you take out the Maple Leafs there are no horrible teams.  This year I expect the Maple Leafs to do much better, which should increase the toughness of the Northeast Division.  Last year Buffalo came out of nowhere to win the division and this year they are the second most likeliest win according to oddsmakers.  In my opinion only Boston, Buffalo and Ottawa have any shot at taking home this division title.  Here are the odds:

Boston Bruins EV
Buffalo Sabres +275
Ottawa Senators +400
Montreal Canadiens +500
Toronto Maple Leafs +1500

With these odds I’m taking the Ottawa Senators any day.  The Sens should once again improve on a solid outting last year and compete throughout the season for the Northeast division title.  It will come down to the last few games between the top three teams, but I think Ottawa should have the depth to win the Northeast this year.

Atlantic Division

The Atlantic is another tough division to call with the Devils, Penguins and Flyers all be strong contenders within the division.  The Penguins and Flyers each have the talent and potential to win the division, but neither team has really strung together an entire 82 game season with consistency.  The Devils on the other hand seem to always overachieve when it comes to the regular season.  With the addition of Kovalchuk the Devils should be able to repeat as Atlantic division champs.  Here are the odds:

Pittsburgh Penguins -125
New Jersey Devils +175
Philadelphia Flyers +350
New York Rangers +1500
New York Islanders +2500

Southeast Division

The worst division in the NHL, now somehow contains the best regular season team in hockey.  The Washington Capitals have a star studded line-up that won the Presidents trophy last year and should be able to repeat as both the regular season league champ and easily the Southeast division champion.  The Tampa Bay Lightning are the only team in the division with an outside chance of taking the crown from the Caps and that’s only because we are currently unsure of how all of their offseason moves with translate onto the ice.  No matter what the odds you have to go with the Capitals because they will win this division 95% of the time!

Washington Capitals -400
Tampa Bay Lightning +700
Carolina Hurricanes +1200
Atlanta Thrashers +1500
Florida Panthers +2000

Western Conference Round 2

My predictions went 5 for 8, I lost out on Washington, La, and Buffalo. This round I’m saying Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburg, and Philly.

Detroit Vs. San Jose
Detroit owned the season series 3-1 this year, and has really picked it up at the end of the Phoenix series. With Datsyuk and Lidstrom each getting two goals in the deciding game 7, combine that with Zetterberg leading the series in goals with 6, which is second overall in the playoffs to former teammate Mikeal Samuelsson. This is problematic for the Sharks as their top line of Heatley, Marleau, and Thorton have no goals in the Colorado series. The Sharks best players need to be their best players if they want any chance against Detroit. In the end I think Detroit takes this, all their best players are clicking right now, and Howard is beginning to look more and more like a legitimate number one goalie.

Chicago Vs. Vancouver
This series was a great series last year, with Chicago coming out on top you know the Canucks wanted a chance at revenge. In anticipation for this series Joel Quenville moved Byfuglien from defense back onto forward to cause more havoc in front of Luongo just like last year. Both teams have improved this year, notably Vancouver with the year the Sedins had, and the emergence of Burrows. Overall I think Chicago takes this one, they have the advantage in physical play, and Luongo hasn’t been the best of recently while Niemi posted two shutouts last round.

Round 1 NHL Playoff Predictions

This is going to be a quick post stating my first round NHL playoff predictions.  The run to the Stanley Cup begins tomorrow so it’s an exciting time of year for hockey fans everywhere.  I’m not sure if you remember, but last year I went 8 for 8 in the first round of the playoffs, which included upsets such as Anaheim over the Sharks and the Hurricanes over the Devils.  This year I hope to do the same, but my first round predictions don’t include as many big upsets.  Check them out below:

Get the 2010-11 NHL First Round Predictions here.

Eastern Conference Predictions

(1) Washington Capitals -650
(8) Montreal Canadiens +425

Winner: Washington Capitals in 5.

(2) New Jersey Devils -235
(7) Philadelphia Flyers +195

Winner: New Jersey Devils in 6.

(3) Buffalo Sabres -170
(6) Boston Bruins +150

Winner: Boston Bruins in 6.

(4) Pittsburgh Penguins -280
(5) Ottawa Senators +240

Winner: Pittsburgh Penguins in 6.

Western Conference Predictions

(1) San Jose Sharks -450
(8) Colorado Avalanche +325

Winner: San Jose Sharks in 4.

(2) Chicago Blackhawks -450
(7) Nashville Predators +325

Winner: Chicago Blackhawks in 6.

(3) Vancouver Canucks -245
(6) Los Angeles Kings +205

Winner: Vancouver Canucks in 5.

(4) Phoenix Coyotes +165
(5) Detroit Red Wings -190

Winner: Detroit Red Wings in 7.

If you like hockey betting then I would suggest signing up at Bookmaker.com.  They will have NHL playoff first round odds for every series so you can place as many bets as you’d like!

End of Season NHL Predictions

Maurice Richard Trophy Winner

Who will finish the season with the most goals?  Right now it’s between Crosby (45), Ovechkin (44) & Stamkos (42).

If Ovechkin didn’t keep getting suspended this year he’d probably already have close to 50 goals, but his hard hitting, (some may say reckless) style has kept him out of a few games this year.  Ovechkin has missed 10 games this year, but he is still only one goal behind Crosby.  If Ovy can play the final 11 games for the Capitals then I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to Ovechkin and say he is most likely to win the Maurice.

I think it would be hilarious if Crosby scored more goals than Ovechkin this year and won the Maurice, while Ovechkin got way more assists than Crosby and won the Art Ross.  That kind of roll reversal would be funny to me, but I don’t anticipate it happening.

Art Ross Trophy Winner

This is basically a two horse race at the moment: Ovechkin (96), H. Sedin (94).  Those two games missed by Ovechkin recently allowed Sedin to gain 3 points to be within 2 with each player having 11 games remaining.  As much as I would like to see Henrik take this trophy and put a dent in the “big 3″ of Ovechkin, Crosby and Malkin, I can’t see it happening.  The Capitals are just too explosive.  They will score and Ovy will get points.  I’m not saying they will score because of Ovy, but they will score a lot and he will inevitably get points.  I don’t think Ovechkin is as good as most people think though and I believe the Capitals would actually be better off in the playoffs without him.  That being said Backstrom to me is one of the best in the game today and Ovechkin will benefit from playing with him.

Presidents Trophy Winner

This trophy is pretty much already awarded.  Just give it to the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin right now.  If he sweeps all of these awards it would be pretty remarkable.  Good thing he didn’t win the gold medal at the Olympics!

Stanley Cup Winner

I might as well make a Stanley Cup prediction in this post as well.  Right now I’m going to say the Chicago Blackhawks, but this could quickly change by the end of the year.  Some of you might be saying, “why not Washington?”.  Well to be honest I don’t think Ovechkin is a good playoff ingredient for that team.  Last year he would try to do everything himself and that’s just not the way to win playoff games.  If Ovechkin and the Capitals continue to play a team based offensive game like they have been all season and it doesn’t turn into the Ovechkin show then I think the Capitals have a legit chance of doing something great this season.

You can check out the odds for all of these predictions at many sports betting sites online.  If you do wager, be sure to go with my picks if you want to win money !

NHL Midseason Playoff Predictions

The playoff races are starting to heat up and I am beginning to lean certain ways as to which teams will end up playing for the Stanley Cup in May and June.  You may be surprised by some of my picks, but you may agree.  Anyways here we go:

Eastern Conference

The Shoe-ins

Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres.
These teams would have to blow up and really drop to not end up in the post season.

The Last Four

Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers.

Ottawa has come on strong in the last few games and really seperated themselves from the pack in terms of qualifying for the playoffs.  Similarly the Flyers have remembered how to win and I would be very surprised if this preseason “cup contender” fails to make the playoffs in such a weak conference.  This same mentality is used for the Bruins who have been dropping of late, but I expect them to find their game and get some W’s in the win column soon.  My surprise pick here may be the Florida Panthers.  I basically used process of elimination to come to this pick and the play of Tomas Vokoun definitely helped.

I don’t feel the Canadiens are a good enough team to make the playoffs this year.  The return of Markov definitely helped them, but their lack of offense and lack of solid star power should keep them out of the playoffs.  Camalleri, Plekanec and Markov have to really step up and lead this team if they have any chance in my eyes.  The Rangers are similar in that they have no scoring.  It seems like Gaborik is in on 75% of the teams goals and they need some secondary scoring to start winning games again.  The Islanders have a chance, but for a team that was predicted to come last in the league I am really surprised they are in the hunt and will be extremely surprised if they make it.

Western Conference

Shoe-Ins

Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks

There are only two shoe-ins in the West and these teams are dominant.  We’ll have to see how they fare in the playoffs.

Remaining Six

Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, Detroit Red Wings, LA Kings, Minnesota Wild.

The Canucks are a great team, it just took them a while to get going this year.  They will be a Stanley Cup contender.  The Avs and Coyotes have taken the league by surprise this year and I am hopeful that both teams can keep it together and put up enough wins to make the playoffs.  Anderson and Bryzgalov have been great and if they can each keep up their stellar play the playoffs should be in the picture.  The Wings are starting to turn their year around as they continue to get healthier.  If you told me at the beginning of the year the Red Wings wouldn’t make the playoffs I would have laughed at you, and I still think I would laugh.  They are just too good to not even make the postseason.  Finally, my last two slots go to the Kings and the Wild.  The Kings are a great young team and I believe that they can hold on to one of those playoff teams with a big W streak at some point before the 82 game mark.  The Wild are my favourite Western team so there may be some bias in this prediction, but I really like their team and I think they have the character to put up a strong end to the season and slip in.

You can check out the NHL futures odds at NHL Betting Tips to see if you can make some big cash off of your favourite teams.  The basketball season is also coming to a close so I’d suggest checking out the NBA odds for the playoffs or the NBA betting lines for each game to see who has the best chance to take down the NBA championships this season.

Mikko Koivu is a 70+ Point Center

Mikko Koivu is the younger brother of Saku Koivu and currently the top player on the struggling Minnesota Wild.  Me and a buddy were arguing recently about whether Koivu is a keeper in our hockey pool.  I say he is a definite keeper because he will get between 70 and 80 points for the next several season, while my buddy says he is only a 60 point guy.

Koivu has been improving ever since he entered the NHL leading up to his 67 point performance last season over 79 games.  This season he already has 16 points in 17 games, which means he is on pace for 77 points.  Not to mention he has been doing this on a struggling Minnesota Wild team that is 5th worst in the league in goals per game.  The Wild are starting to pick up their game and perform closer to their potential, which is battling for the final playoff spot in the West.  When the team gets going, you can expet Koivu to at least match his current production if not increase it.

Mikko plays in all situations for the Wild and averages around 19 minutes a game, which is a very good amount for a forward in the NHL.  He is on the first powerplay unit and will be played in all key situations when the team needs goals.  Koivu was recently named the captain of the team and so far he has handled this responsibility extremely well and his production and the teams improvement are both proof of this.

I consider Mikko one of the top 10 centers in the game and I’m sure he will be a force for Finland at the Olympics this winter.  Finland doesn’t have great odds when it comes to winter olympics betting, but they definitely have a shot with Koivu leading them.  You can bet on Finland or any other team at BetCRIS.  Just make sure you use a BetCRIS bonus code when signing up in order to receive the best initial deposit bonus available.

Martin Havlat will get Over 80 Points this Season

Me and my buddy made a bet how many points Havlat will get this season.  The over/under was 79.5, with a condition that he plays at least 75 games.

I feel that this condition really puts the bet in my favour.  Havlat has been a point a game guy with both the Senators and the Blackhawks and in Minnesota he will be looked to for even more offense as the go to guy.  Havlat was only playing around 15 minutes a game in Chicago because they were such a deep team that liked to run through their lines, but in Minnesota the depth isn’t there quite the same.  Havlat will be relied on to carry most of the offensive load and I for one feel he is up to the challenge.

By taking out the injury risk factor, that as we all know is a big risk when it comes to Havlat, it seems to me he has the skill and the role to put up huge numbers this season.  Coach Todd Richards has been preaching about offense and playing an attacking style.  So far the Wild haven’t been able to fully forget their defensive culture and embrace Richards plans, but this should happen in the near future and I think Havlat will be one of the main beneficiaries.

If you have Havlat in your hockey pool this season, congratulations because he is going to put up some big numbers.

NHL Regular Season Predictions – 09/10

East

The Contenders

1. Pittsburgh Penguins

I see no reason why the Penguins won’t follow up on last year’s Stanley Cup win with another very good regular season. Crosby and Malkin will be as good as ever, if not better. As well, though Fleury has taken a fair bit of criticism in the past, I think that the Cup win really cemented some of the confidence that he’s been building, and I’d expect an excellent campaign out of him. The Penguin’s defense, led by Sergei Gonchar and Brooks Orpik, isn’t exceptionally good, but it’ll get the job done. Crosby and Malkin are too competitive to be complacent after their Cup win, and they’ll help the team avoid the typical ‘Cup hangover’.

2. Washington Capitals

The Capitals are full of young talent that’s only getting better, and they will seriously challenge the Penguins for the Eastern Conference Title this year. Expect another amazing year from Ovechkin, and if his supporting cast steps up and Varlamov proves to be a solid NHL netminder, this team has a good shot at the Cup. Certainly, big years are needed and expected from Mike Green and Alexander Semin, and that should give the Capitals one of the most explosive offenses in the league.

3. Boston Bruins

The best defensive team in the league last year, the Bruins should excel at the defensive end again this year. As well, though Tim Thomas may regress slightly from his Vezina form of last year, he still figures to be one of the NHL’s best goalies. The Bruins won’t score a ton of goals, but the forward corps, led by Marc Savard, Milan Lucic and David Krejci, will be good enough for the stingy Bruins to stay among the league’s elite teams.

4. Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers, full of good young talent including Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, should be among the East’s best teams. However, they’ll be caught behind the Penguins in the Atlantic and will thus have to settle for 4^th in the East. Chris Pronger will shore up a solid defense and provide leadership, pushing the Flyers into the mix for the East Crown. However, the Flyers will be relying on Ray Emery in net, and that’s always a risky proposition. Until they solidify their goaltending situation, the Flyers will have difficulties matching up with the beasts of the East – Boston, Pittsburgh and Washington.

The Pretenders

5. New Jersey Devils

I was torn over what to do with the Devils. Every year they are expected to crumble in the face of off-season losses, yet they always manage to contend in the Eastern Conference, though playoff success has eluded them for the past few years. Without some major changes, the end is nearing for this Devils team, as successful as it has been for the past decade. Nonetheless, they’ll play excellent defensive hockey in front of Brodeur this year, and they’ll manage to make the playoffs, though they won’t be putting pressure on the East’s elite.

6. Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes, after last year’s surprising run to the Eastern Finals, will be good again this year. Led by Eric Staal and backed by Cam Ward, expect the ‘Canes to put together a solid, if unspectacular, season. Unfortunately, they’re simply not quite as good as the Penguins, Bruins and Capitals, and they’re going to have a hard time duplicating last year’s playoff success.

7. Toronto Maple Leafs

Brian Burke has his fingerprints all over this team, and the resulting ‘Bay Street Bullies’ are an odd team. Though they lack star power up front, they still managed to finish 10^th in the NHL in scoring last year, and Phil Kessel will only make this forward unit better. The worst defensive team in the league last year, they figure to be far better in 09/10 with the additions of Beauchemin and Komisarek, in particular. Goaltending will make or break this team – Vesa Toskala was awful last year, and if he’s in better form this year, backed up by Jonas Gustavsson, then the Leafs should have some success. I think the tandem will be respectable, and the Leafs should squeak into the playoffs. However, this is still a mediocre hockey team that has a long way to go before any Cup parades should be planned.

8. Montreal Canadiens

The Habs look rather different from the team swept out of the first round by the Bruins last year. Though they’ll miss Kovalev, Mike Cammalleri will be a more-than-adequate, if less flashy, replacement. Scott Gomez is a risky acquisition, and I would be very surprised if he lived up to his rather large contract. Offense wasn’t an issue last year though, and it won’t be this year. Komisarek will be missed, and aside from Andre Markov, the team’s defense will not be its strongest point. Carey Price should be solid, which will reinforce the team’s weak defense. The Habs are flawed, but they should make the playoffs, though a deep run is not in the cards.

9. Ottawa Senators

The Sens are a difficult team to figure out. Losing Dany Heatley will hurt, but Bryan Murray, considering the circumstances, did net a decent return in exchange for the disgruntled star. Jonathan Cheechoo was a throw-in in the deal; It is Milan Michalek who the Sens really wanted, and rightfully so. Young and skilled, Michalek should be a big asset to the team for years to come. The Sens’ offense should be far more balanced than it has in the past decade, making it for more difficult on opposing teams to shut them down. If Pascal Leclaire is the solid goalie the Sens have long been looking for, then expect the Senators to be back in the playoffs this year. Though I have them barely missing the playoffs, they could easily finish as high as 5^th in the conference.

10. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres did little this offseason, and will in all likelihood miss the playoffs like they did last year. There’s a shortage of talent up front here, even if first line centre Tim Connolly is healthy. Thomas Vanek will have to be brilliant offensively to keep the team afloat. Ryan Miller should be solid in net, as always. Losing Jaroslav Spacek to the Canadiens, though, will hurt the weak Sabres’ D. The Sabres will be in playoff contention, but will probably end up watching the playoff dance.

11. New York Rangers

The Rangers will be solid this year, but without a healthy Marian Gaborik this team is short on skill, and will probably miss the playoffs. When healthy, Gaborik is one of the game’s premier scorers. However, staying healthy has been a huge issue for the star, and I would be very surprised to see him play more than 70 games. The Rangers were awful last year offensively, and that doesn’t figure to change this year, even if they play aggressive John Tortorella-style hockey. Henrik Lundqvist will be good, as always, but even he can only do so much.

12. Florida Panthers

After almost squeaking into the playoffs last year, the Panthers seem due to disappoint this year. Despite the best efforts of sophomore coach Peter DeBoer, I just don’t see enough talent on this roster for them to stay ahead of the teams above and earn a playoff spot. They won’t be awful like the teams below them, but the playoffs are a stretch, barring significant improvement from players such as Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss, both of whom were once though to be premier prospects but have failed to live up to expectations.

The Hopeless

13. Tampa Bay Lightning

Some are predicting a playoff berth is in order for the Lightning this year, but I don’t see it happening. Bringing in Ohlund from Vancouver was a good move, and Victor Hedman should be able to step in and be a capable player from the start, which will bolster their blueline. They’ve got plenty of talent up front in Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and the emerging Steven Stamkos. Nonetheless, I’m not sold on Mike Smith as a solid NHL number one goalie, and I lack faith in the abilities of Rich Tocchet. I’d be surprised if the Lightning put it all together like many predict they will. I expect that they’ll be a mess and end up near the East’s basement again.

14. New York Islanders

I have no idea what GM Garth Snow is doing with this team. Backing up Rick DiPietro with one of either Martin Biron or Dwayne Roloson might not have been a bad idea, but bringing both in is a rather strange move. Tavares will bolster a weak Isles’ offense, but he won’t be enough. Goals will be at a premium in Long Island this year. There’s little to be excited about defensively, too. On the whole, this simply isn’t a particularly talented roster, and the Isles have a long way to go before they can even think about the playoffs.

15. Atlanta Thrashers

The Thrashers have never won a playoff game. Don’t expect that to change this year. It’ll be a messy, messy year in Atlanta, and look for Ilya Kovalchuk’s imprending free agency to overshadow whatever the Thrashers are doing on the ice. That might not be a bad thing, though, as the Thrashers will be brutal this year. Former Leafs Pavel Kubina and Nik Antropov are solid additions, and underrated Bryan Little should have another good year. Kovalchuk should produce huge numbers, as he’s playing for a new contract, and he’ll be an explosive offensive force, as always. Nonetheless, there’s a lack of depth on the roster, and a big hole in net. Kari Lehtonen simply hasn’t proven himself to be a particularly good goaltender, and I’d be surprised if he suddenly put it together this year. He’s got a young defense in front of him, too, and that means that a lot of pucks are going to end up in Atlanta’s net. Expect another bad year for the Thrashers, on and off the ice.

West

The Contenders

1. Detroit Red Wings

The Wings will miss Hossa and Hudler, but this team is still far too talented to slip much. Zetterberg and Datsyuk are two of the league’s best offensive players, they still have Lidstrom and Rafalski on the blueline, and Osgood will be strong in the crease. The Wings’ core is one of the best in the league, and there’s no reason to think that they won’t be once again competing for the President’s Trophy.

2. San Jose Sharks

Heatley and Thornton will be phenomenal together. Heatley should be a 50 goal scorer again, and Thornton should get back to scoring 100+ points. Though perhaps not the best leader, Patrick Marleau will still provide lots of secondary scoring, and the Sharks will be an offensive powerhouse. The ageless Rob Blake and Dan Boyle lead a capable Sharks defensive corps, and Evgeni Nabokov should be solid in net. The Sharks are no strangers to regular season success, but the playoffs are a different story. Questions about tenacity and leadership will continue to plague the team, but they’ll post a solid regular season record, though it remains to be seen whether the team can win when it counts.

3. Vancouver Canucks

The Flames will challenge the Canucks for the Northwest Division lead, but I expect the ‘Nucks to pull it out. Captain Roberto Luongo should bounce back from the shelling he took in Vancouver’s season-ending loss to the Blackhawks in the 2^nd round last year. In front of him is a solid if unspectacular defense, only made better by the addition of Mathieu Schneider. Up front they lack the star power of other contenders, but the Sedin twins lead a solid contingent of forwards that will get the job done. The Canucks are one of the West’s best teams, but I think that they still need to add one elite player to put them over the top.

4. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks are young and extremely talented. Adding Hossa to an already excellent offense makes them one of the league’s best offensive teams, and they’ll score a ton of goals. The team’s defense is also among the league’s best, led by criminally underrated Duncan Keith, who has Brian Campbell, Brent Seabrook and Cam Barker with him on the blueline. The only question mark facing the ‘Hawks is in the crease. Is Cristobal Huet good enough to be Chicago’s unquestioned number one goalie? I don’t think so. Expect the Hawks to be extremely good, but the lack of a proven goaltender prevents the team from being a favourite to win the Cup.

5. Calgary Flames

Led by one of hockey’s best, Jarome Iginla, the Flames figure to be among the West’s best teams. The loss of Mike Cammalleri will hurt on offense, but the team does have enough scoring to get by. Olli Jokinen needs to step up and get back to being a point-per-game player for the Flames to really be a threat. Adding Jay Bouwmeester gives the Flames one of the league’s best defenses, and that can only help Kiprusoff. The Flames will be extremely stingy. All this adds up to an excellent season, and I think the Flames will also make noise in the playoffs this year.

The Pretenders

6. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks took an excellent San Jose squad out of the playoff picture last year, and their tough style of play will once again lead to success this year. Getzlaf, Perry and Teemu Selanne lead a solid offense. The loss of Chris Pronger leaves a big hole on the Ducks blueline, but the addition of Ryan Whitney will certainly help fill that hole, and the team will still be good defensively.The goaltending situation is a little dicey in Anaheim – who will be the team’s #1, Jonas Hiller or Jean-Sebastian Giguere? Hiller was the better goalie last year, and was excellent in the playoffs. I’d expect the two to split the load until one or the other asserts himself as the clearcut number one, at which point the other will probably be traded, as there’s always a market for good goalies.

7. Minnesota Wild

This isn’t the most talented roster in the world, but the Wild play a damn good team game and will most likely sneak into the playoffs in a tight race. Havlat will give the team a boost on offense, though the team still won’t score a ton of goals. Nonetheless, their solid defense and goaltending will keep them in most games, which means that the offense doesn’t have to be spectacular. They won’t be competing for the West title, but a playoff appearance is likely.

8. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings, after a long, long stretch of terrible hockey, appear poised to finally begin contending again. The addition of solid veterans like playoff hero Rob Scuderi and ‘Captain Canada’ Ryan Smyth will strengthen a roster filled with young talent. Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov and Dustin Brown will lead an explosive Kings offense. Questions remain about the team’s overall defensive ability, and the team is relying on Jonathan Bernier to emerge as a bonafide NHL #1 goalie. I think it should all come together for the Kings, and they should find themselves playing playoff hockey for the first time in six seasons.

9. St. Louis Blues

After a surprising playoff appearance last year, the Blues will compete for a playoff spot again this year. I think they’ll miss out, but it’ll be tight. The offense should be good, led by Paul Kariya, Brad Boyes and Patrik Berglund. Defense and goaltending should also be decent, buoyed by the return of Erik Johnson. Chris Mason has to be as good as he was last year to keep the Blues in the race out west. Ultimately, I think they’ll just fall short of the playoffs, but it will be close.

10. Edmonton Oilers

Pat Quinn is back in the NHL, and he’s leading an Oilers team that hasn’t made the playoffs since their Finals appearance in 05/06. Fans are hungry in Edmonton, but I think the playoff drought will continue for another year. The offense is young and deep, but there’s a lack of first line talent. Defense is a bit of a weakness, though Khabibulin will be solid in net. Unfortunately for the Oilers, I just don’t see room for them in the playoffs.

11. Columbus Blue Jackets

Steve Mason’s amazing rookie season led the Blue Jackets to their first ever playoff berth last year, but I’m not sure that they’ll be in the playoff dance again this year. Rick Nash is in Columbus long term, and he’ll lead a capable offense again this year. The defense isn’t great, but as long as Mason is strong in net again, the Blue Jackets will be decent. Still, though, I don’t see the Blue Jackets growing playoff beards again this year.

12. Dallas Stars

The Stars have slowly slipped out of the West’s elite, and they missed the playoffs last year. I see that slide continuing this season, and I don’t think the Stars will be competing for a playoff spot. The team still has talent up front in Brendan Morrow, Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro. The defense is unproven and looks weak, though, which means that Marty Turco will have to be at his best as a lot of rubber comes his way.

13. Nashville Predators

Nashville will boast an excellent defense this year, led by Shea Weber, but the rest of the team looks shaky. The offense will be relying on aging veterans such as Jason Arnott and Steve Sullivan, and scoring goals won’t be easy for this team. Pekka Rinne and Dan Ellis will be between the pipes for Nashville, and though Rinne wasn’t bad last year for the Preds, I’m not sure that he’ll be good enough to keep the team in contention for a playoff spot this year.

The Hopeless

14. Colorado Avalanche

After a long stretch of success under captain Joe Sakic, things finally gave last year, and the Avs are now rebuilding. They have some good young players that provide hope for the future, but this season will be a rough one in Denver. Throughout the lineup there’s a shortage of skill, and the Avs simply won’t be able to compete most nights. Goaltending is also a major issue – Peter Budaj has been able to get the job done the past few years, but he’s no Patrick Roy. It’ll be a long year for the Avalanche and their fans, and there’s little hope for the near future.

15. Phoenix Coyotes

The Coyotes are a mess, on and off the ice. They’re without a coach after Wayne Gretzky’s departure, fans in Phoenix don’t seem to care about the team, as they figure that it’s only a matter of time before the Coyotes end up in Hamilton. Of course, though, the only man who has expressed interest in buying the team, Jim Balsillie, is considered a villain among NHL owners and the NHL is hellbent on ensuring that he doesn’t end up owning the team. On the ice the situation isn’t much better. After captain Shane Doan, the Coyotes are extremely thin up front, and also weak on defense. Ilja Bryzgalov provides some stability in goal, and should still post good numbers this year, though he won’t be rewarded with many wins. This is going to be an ugly year for the Coyotes, though there may not be many people in the Jobing.com Arena to watch the Coyotes lose.

Individual Awards

Hart – Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

This is Ovechkin’s trophy to lose. Though Malkin and Crosby are serious competition for the award, the fact that they both play for a loaded Penguins squad will always hurt their chances for the Hart. Though the Capitals are a deeper team than they’ve been in the past, there is still little doubt that they are Ovechkin’s team. I expect 60 goals and 60 assists from him this season, and that will be enough for Ovechkin to hold on to the Hart for another year.

Vezina – Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils

Though Brodeur is 37, I think he still has at least one more elite season left in him. Given that New Jersey lost several key players this offseason, Brodeur will be more important to the team than ever. Brodeur will keep the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern conference’s upper echelon, and he’ll take home a 5^th Vezina for his efforts.

Norris – Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings

Though he’ll face stiff competition from Mike Green, Duncan Keith and Zdeno Chara, Lidstrom is still the most complete defenseman in the league. Green will be an offensive force with the Capitals, but isn’t solid enough in his own zone to win the Norris. Keith will continue to improve after a breakout season last year, but still isn’t quite as good as Lidstrom. Chara will continue to lead a very stingy Bruins team, but I don’t expect the Bruins to be as good as they were last year, and that will affect his standing with voters. Though Lidstrom, like Brodeur, is nearing the end of an illustrious career, he’s still the NHL’s best blueliner, and he’ll take home his 7^th Norris trophy this year as a result.

Selke – Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers

Richards is an amazingly complete player. He plays hard at both ends of the ice and makes life difficult for opposing forwards. Though not as flashy as Pavel Datsyuk, Richards’ solid defensive play should go over well with Selke voters.

Calder – John Tavares, New York Islanders

Though Tavares won’t be an instant superstar in the mold of Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, I do expect a very solid rookie season from him. He’ll get lots of ice time on a bad Islanders team, and I’d expect him to pot 30 goals to go with 40 helpers, which should be more than enough to make him the NHL’s top rookie.

Jack Adams -  Pat Quinn, Edmonton Oilers

Though I don’t have the Oilers making the playoffs in a tough Western conference, I do think that Pat Quinn will improve this young team. Expect the Oilers to be a much better offensive team under Quinn. After finishing last season 18^th in goals scored, the Oilers should be in the top third of the league this year, though defensive play will still be a weakness.

Stamkos vs Tavares – Who Will Get More Points?

Me and Einz were having a little debate the other day about which first overall pick is going to get more points this season.  Stamkos is going into his second full season with the Tampa Bay Lightning after picking up the pace for the latter stages of his rookie campaign.  Tavares on the other hand has no NHL experience, but he will be playing all situations for the Islanders and will likely be there go to guy right away.

Me and Einz had varying opinions and eventually a bet was made.  I took Tavares to get more points this year.

I feel that although Tavares may not be as NHL ready as Stamkos he will be getting more minutes and most importantly more powerplay minutes than the Lightning #1 pick of 2008.  Tavares will likely be playing close to 20 minutes a game from day 1 and will be The Guy on Long Island.  Compare this to Stamkos playing third fiddle to Lecavalier and St. Louis and you can see my point of view on why Tavares will come out on top of this race.

It all comes down to minutes.  If Tavares is getting an extra five mintues a game, he should be able to turn those minutes into a more productive season, even if the Islanders score far less than the Lightning.

Either way, it will be interesting to see how both players fair this season with the spotlight shining on them once again.

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