By Allan Muir, SI.com Other previews: Atlantic | Southeast | Central | Northwest | Pacific
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Ottawa Senators |
| 2006-07: 48-25-9, 4th in Eastern Conference |
Style: Speed and puck control
Strengths: Battle-tested defense; three elite forwards; lots of grit
Weaknesses: Not enough scoring depth
MVP: Dany Heatley (left). With a pot of gold awaiting him at the end of the rainbow, err, season, count on his third consecutive 50-goal season.
Don't count on: Brian McGrattan. A fan favorite, and one of the baddest men in hockey, he doesn't have the tools to be an everyday player.
Kid to watch: Ilja Zubov. The 20-year-old center impressed in camp with speed and passing ability. Needs to be stronger to become an effective full-time NHLer, but injuries to Mike Fisher and Dean McAmmond appear to have opened a roster spot to start the season.
Overview: With Heatley, Fisher and Wade Redden headed for UFA this summer, and Jason Spezza primed to strike it rich as an RFA, their Cup window is narrowing. Sensing that might be motivation for a team that's largely unchanged after falling in the Final. It starts up front with three world-class forwards: Spezza, Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. The bottom six brings plenty of sandpaper, but little pop, so look for an early season deal to add another scoring forward. The defense is a veteran crew with copious playoff experience. Goaltender Ray Emery answered his detractors by lifting his mates close enough to smell the old mug. They come into this season like a wounded bear. They'll be in it all the way.
Summer Report Card: Offseason moves and analysis
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Buffalo Sabres |
| 2006-07: 53-22-7, 1st in Eastern Conference |
Style: Speed and puck-control
Strengths: Depth on the wings; goaltending; coach Lindy Ruff
Weaknesses: Center depth
MVP: Ryan Miller (left). With scoring likely to be down and a defense that can be physically dominated, they will rely more than ever on their All-World stopper. He should assert himself among the Vezina favorites.
Don't count on: Tim Connolly. When healthy, the 26-year-old pivot ranks among the most creative and dangerous players in the game. But q concussion limited him to two games last season and he may be one hard hit away from another extended stay on the IR.
Kid to watch: Nathan Paetsch. They 24-year-old impressed during a brief call-up last season and looks like he'll grab the spot vacated by Teppo Numminen (heart surgery), filling out the third pair and seeing time on the second power play unit.
Overview: Put away the shovels. There's no need to bury the Sabres just yet. The loss of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury suggest they won't be as skilled as last year's Cup-challengers, but they'll be closer than most imagine. The team has not only drafted well, it's indoctrinated its youngsters in Sabres hockey, allowing for a smooth transition for players like Paetsch, Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur who?ll be asked to step up into larger roles. Buffalo will be bigger, tougher and wear down opponents, allowing superior scoring depth to carry the day. Another Northeast title is likely.
Summer Report Card: Offseason moves and analysis
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Boston Bruins |
| 2006-07: 35-41-6, 13th in Eastern Conference |
Style: Big Bad Bruins with emphasis on aggressive team play.
Strengths: Creative center corps; speed and grit on the wings
Weaknesses: Inexperienced blue line; lower-tier special teams
MVP: Zdeno Chara (left). Big Z has a lot to prove after a decidedly timid performance in the first season of his five-year, $37.5 million contract. A more aggressive approach, along with a lightening of his work load, should see a return to the dominating form that marked his days in Ottawa.
Don't count on: Manny Fernandez. The B's believe he's the man to pull the brake on their decades-long goalie carousel, and there's a chance he might. But the 33-year-old is coming off a major knee injury and won't have the benefit of the smothering defensive scheme he enjoyed in Minnesota.
Kid to watch: David Krejci. A Marc Savard starter kit? The 5-11, 176-pound, 20-year old Czech rookie who led Providence in scoring last season. He projects as a top-six forward with grit.
Overview: Their 13th-place finish underscored their shortcomings. They lacked skill, creativity, touch and, most important, passion under former coach Dave Lewis. They should now be a more aggressive unit in the mold of the Ducks with plenty of offensive potential up front, led by the underappreciated Savard and rising stars Phil Kessel and Patrice Bergeron. Thanks to savvy drafting, better days lie ahead, but questions surrounding the defense and goaltending suggest it'll tough to get a playoff berth.
Summer Report Card: Offseason moves and analysis
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Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2006-07: 40-31-11, 9th in Eastern Conference |
Style: Create scoring chances off strong neutral zone play
Strengths: Experienced blueline; top-10 offense
Weaknesses: Center depth; penalty kill
MVP: Jason Blake (left). Mats Sundin may be the face of the franchise, but feisty Blake will be the spoon that stirs the drink. His speed, drive and soft hands on the wing give the team a dimension it sorely lacked last season.
Don't count on: Kyle Wellwood. After missing 33 games in 2006-07 to a sports hernia, he went under the knife again to correct a flare-up. His own father questioned his conditioning, so you have to wonder how well prepared he is to pivot the second line.
Kid to watch: Anton Stralman. The young Swede has the skating and puck skills, but there are concerns about his physical play. Homesickness may see him return to Sweden.
Overview: After missing the playoffs by a point, this edition appeared better prepared. Sundin has a reliable wingman. Vesa Toskala is in to shore up shaky netminding. Good health for Darcy Tucker and Andrew Raycroft, both of whom missed significant. Then the loss of Wellwood and suspension of Mark Bell took the No. 2 and 3 centers. Colaiacovo is hurt. The power play isn't clicking. The defense looks immobile and confused. And pressure? GM John Ferguson, Jr. and coach Paul Maurice are likely to get the bum's rush if this team doesn't make the postseason. With so little breathing room, both may want to start polishing those resumes.
Summer Report Card: Offseason moves and analysis
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Montreal Canadiens |
| 2006-07: 42-34-6, 10th in Eastern Conference |
Style: Safe, defense-first hockey
Strengths: Goaltending depth; scoring from the wings
Weaknesses: No gamebreaker; five-on-five play
MVP: Michael Ryder (left). Habs fans may include him in every fantasy trade, but after posting back-to-back 30-goal seasons, he's their most dependable offensive weapon. Playing on a one-year deal with free agency beckoning, he'll be motivated to increase his output.
Don't count on: Alexei Kovalev. It's possible no player gets less out of his talent than this enigmatic Russian. After a summer's worth of controversial quotes about the state of the franchise, his level of commitment is more questionable now than ever.
Kid to watch: Carey Price. How ya' gonna keep this hotshot goaltender down on the farm?
Overview: When the Habs are out of the playoffs yet again, no one will recall how close Bob Gainey came to acquiring one or two significant free agent forwards. Close doesn't show in the standings. The team he stitched together looks considerably different than last season's: young talent in Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins and Guillaume Latendresse, but also seat fillers (Tom Kostopoulos, Bryan Smolinski). The blueline corps should be steadier with Roman Hamrlik in and Sheldon Souray gone, but the top-ranked power play will suffer without Souray's booming shot from the point. Considering how poorly they played five-on-five last season, a drop in productivity with the extra man could snuff their hopes early.
Summer Report Card: Offseason moves and analysis
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