Hey Guys,
Im going to post some of Rink Rat's articles in here, his knowledge of the game is second to none. Hope you are all as pumped as we are about the start of the season.
Top Seeds
Ottawa Senators President's
Trophy Winner 52-21-8-1 113pts 263-182
Lost Conference Final to New Jersey - 4 games to 3
The Senators, top to bottom, think this is the year. They have been improving year by year, each time taking baby steps. Coach Jacques Martin, captain Daniel Alfredsson, and the rest have learned the lessons and suffered the near-mandatory heartbreaking loss. All the ingredients are present: speed, scoring, defensive commitment, and goaltending. Their defence is 28 and younger, reaching their peak years. Goaltender Patrick Lalime had an unspectacular save percentage last season (.911) facing 24 shots/game, which is low and a reflection of their defensive prowess. Their goals against was fifth in the league (182). They can score: 263 goals for was third best in the league. No changes were necessary during the summer, other than tying up last seasons playoff rental Bryan Smolinski. Prodigy Jason Spezza makes the team and could add bite around the net. Marian Hossa was fourth in goal scoring (45) and is favoured to hit forty again. No hold-outs, no injuries, no crises: Ottawa is Rat's pick to win the Stanley Cup.
New Jersey Devils Won Atlantic Division 46-20-10-6 108pts 216-166
Stanley Cup champions
The Devils are a grim, unimaginative, team. Coach Pat Burns develops hives at the mere thought of his team trading chances with an opponent. Jersey tied with another grinding team, Philadelphia, for fewest goals against (166) in the league. They had ten shutouts and five of them were by the outrageous score of 1-0. No wonder this team never sells out. Devils' goals against average was 1.99 and they scored at the rate of 2.59/ game (216). Essentially this team went the whole season winning 2-1 - how exciting is that? Devils lost their best face-off man (Joey Nieuwendyk) to free-agency and warrior Ken Daneyko hung 'em up. They've brought in ancient Igor Larionov from Detroit, which begs the question: what problem is there on this team that weak little Igor can solve? The Devils likely have enough scoring to pull them through to the second seed. Martin Brodeur has given them better than competent goaltending. Jersey will take second with their recipe of defence, defence, defence, and Pat Burns. None of the other sods in this conference have done enough to catch them.
Tampa Bay Lightning Won Southeast Division 36-25-16-5 93pts 219-210
Lost in Second Round to New Jersey
Tampa surged from 63 points two years ago to 93 last year, an accomplishment no matter how you look at it. They were on fire early and shakey late, but besides racking up their best record in franchise history they won a play-off round. Can life be any better than that? Well, there's the rub. Six players ( Lecavalier, Richards, St. Louis, Stillman, Boyle, Sarich) had career years last season. The law of averages says not all of them will duplicate their previous achievements. Their scoring drew raves, yet they only sank 219 pucks. Top scorer Vinny Prospal (22-57-79) is gone and Cory Stillman (24-43-67) is the replacement. Rickety old Dave Andreychuk is still around to annoy opposition goalkeepers on the power play. Fredrik Modin is facing his annual barrage of "Why don't you score more?" questions. Easy answer: because he can't. The guy averages 17.5 goals/season. That 32-goal effort a few years ago was a fluke. Once again the Lightning defence will have to be tight. Which brings us to goaltending. Tampa might not have enough. Nik Khabibulin and John Grahame are the 'keepers and Grahame is weak. Given ample opportunities to be top dog he has ended up in the dog's house every time. He might do as the back up. Khabibulin is streaky. When hot he reaches towards Patrick Roy heights. Then there are those other times...... It is worth noting that Khabibulin has had just one start-to-finish great season - 1998/99 in Phoenix. Another this season would be nice.
Wild Card Philadelphia Flyers Second in Atlantic Division 45-20-13-4 107pts. 211-166
Lost Conference Semi-Final to Ottawa 4-2
Fans would be excused if they suspected Philly coach Ken Hitchcock and Devils coach Pat Burns of competing to have the least entertaining club in the NHL. The Flyers are a big team so Hitchcock wants them to lean on the opposition. They play tight, unattractive hockey and try to pounce on their opponents' mistakes. Key components of this team are old: Linemates Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte are 33 and appeared to be fading last year. John Leclair (34) was practically useless in the post-season while Mark Recchi (35) hasn't much pepper left in the old pepperpot. On defence Eric Desjardins is 34 and Eric Weinrich 37. Chris Therien (32) and a nine-year vet was available in the waiver draft, to the shock of him and his mates. GM Bobby Clarke made what might be the trade of the year by locating a team which would actually pay the Flyers something for weird goaltender Roman Chechmanek. Doesn't anyone on the Los Angeles Kings watch game film? Jeff Hackett, formerly of Montreal and Chicago, was brought in from Boston to be the starter. The Rat isn't sold on Hackett. He has been the best backup in the league, but when handed the starting job, as when Jose Theodore was hurt in Montreal, he appeared to wear down. However he performs, at least the Flyers have sane goaltending.
Im going to post some of Rink Rat's articles in here, his knowledge of the game is second to none. Hope you are all as pumped as we are about the start of the season.
Top Seeds
Ottawa Senators President's
Trophy Winner 52-21-8-1 113pts 263-182
Lost Conference Final to New Jersey - 4 games to 3
The Senators, top to bottom, think this is the year. They have been improving year by year, each time taking baby steps. Coach Jacques Martin, captain Daniel Alfredsson, and the rest have learned the lessons and suffered the near-mandatory heartbreaking loss. All the ingredients are present: speed, scoring, defensive commitment, and goaltending. Their defence is 28 and younger, reaching their peak years. Goaltender Patrick Lalime had an unspectacular save percentage last season (.911) facing 24 shots/game, which is low and a reflection of their defensive prowess. Their goals against was fifth in the league (182). They can score: 263 goals for was third best in the league. No changes were necessary during the summer, other than tying up last seasons playoff rental Bryan Smolinski. Prodigy Jason Spezza makes the team and could add bite around the net. Marian Hossa was fourth in goal scoring (45) and is favoured to hit forty again. No hold-outs, no injuries, no crises: Ottawa is Rat's pick to win the Stanley Cup.
New Jersey Devils Won Atlantic Division 46-20-10-6 108pts 216-166
Stanley Cup champions
The Devils are a grim, unimaginative, team. Coach Pat Burns develops hives at the mere thought of his team trading chances with an opponent. Jersey tied with another grinding team, Philadelphia, for fewest goals against (166) in the league. They had ten shutouts and five of them were by the outrageous score of 1-0. No wonder this team never sells out. Devils' goals against average was 1.99 and they scored at the rate of 2.59/ game (216). Essentially this team went the whole season winning 2-1 - how exciting is that? Devils lost their best face-off man (Joey Nieuwendyk) to free-agency and warrior Ken Daneyko hung 'em up. They've brought in ancient Igor Larionov from Detroit, which begs the question: what problem is there on this team that weak little Igor can solve? The Devils likely have enough scoring to pull them through to the second seed. Martin Brodeur has given them better than competent goaltending. Jersey will take second with their recipe of defence, defence, defence, and Pat Burns. None of the other sods in this conference have done enough to catch them.
Tampa Bay Lightning Won Southeast Division 36-25-16-5 93pts 219-210
Lost in Second Round to New Jersey
Tampa surged from 63 points two years ago to 93 last year, an accomplishment no matter how you look at it. They were on fire early and shakey late, but besides racking up their best record in franchise history they won a play-off round. Can life be any better than that? Well, there's the rub. Six players ( Lecavalier, Richards, St. Louis, Stillman, Boyle, Sarich) had career years last season. The law of averages says not all of them will duplicate their previous achievements. Their scoring drew raves, yet they only sank 219 pucks. Top scorer Vinny Prospal (22-57-79) is gone and Cory Stillman (24-43-67) is the replacement. Rickety old Dave Andreychuk is still around to annoy opposition goalkeepers on the power play. Fredrik Modin is facing his annual barrage of "Why don't you score more?" questions. Easy answer: because he can't. The guy averages 17.5 goals/season. That 32-goal effort a few years ago was a fluke. Once again the Lightning defence will have to be tight. Which brings us to goaltending. Tampa might not have enough. Nik Khabibulin and John Grahame are the 'keepers and Grahame is weak. Given ample opportunities to be top dog he has ended up in the dog's house every time. He might do as the back up. Khabibulin is streaky. When hot he reaches towards Patrick Roy heights. Then there are those other times...... It is worth noting that Khabibulin has had just one start-to-finish great season - 1998/99 in Phoenix. Another this season would be nice.
Wild Card Philadelphia Flyers Second in Atlantic Division 45-20-13-4 107pts. 211-166
Lost Conference Semi-Final to Ottawa 4-2
Fans would be excused if they suspected Philly coach Ken Hitchcock and Devils coach Pat Burns of competing to have the least entertaining club in the NHL. The Flyers are a big team so Hitchcock wants them to lean on the opposition. They play tight, unattractive hockey and try to pounce on their opponents' mistakes. Key components of this team are old: Linemates Jeremy Roenick and Tony Amonte are 33 and appeared to be fading last year. John Leclair (34) was practically useless in the post-season while Mark Recchi (35) hasn't much pepper left in the old pepperpot. On defence Eric Desjardins is 34 and Eric Weinrich 37. Chris Therien (32) and a nine-year vet was available in the waiver draft, to the shock of him and his mates. GM Bobby Clarke made what might be the trade of the year by locating a team which would actually pay the Flyers something for weird goaltender Roman Chechmanek. Doesn't anyone on the Los Angeles Kings watch game film? Jeff Hackett, formerly of Montreal and Chicago, was brought in from Boston to be the starter. The Rat isn't sold on Hackett. He has been the best backup in the league, but when handed the starting job, as when Jose Theodore was hurt in Montreal, he appeared to wear down. However he performs, at least the Flyers have sane goaltending.
