Memo to Gary Bettman: You'd better remember to send holiday cards to Tim Donaghy, Barry Bonds and Michael Vick. With help from a renegade referee, a supposed cheat and a dog-killer, the NHL has been given a huge opportunity to again become relevant in the sports world.
Now two years removed from the damaging lockout, this is the perfect time to give sports fans something positive. And maybe, just maybe, the NHL can creep back into the Big Four Club (along with MLB, the NFL and the NBA). Right now, hockey probably falls somewhere behind soccer and MMA (don't get me started on that).
OK. I'll step off my soapbox. Have you noticed how insanely competitive each division (excluding the Central) can be? Old faces in new places and youngsters ready to shine have leveled -- for the most part -- the rink. The two toughest are the Atlantic and Northwest, where four of five teams in each are legit playoff contenders. Also, some postseason mainstays could be playing golf much earlier than usual (e.g. Stars, Devils). I'm also interested to see how youngsters like Erik Johnson, Nicklas Backstrom and Jonathan Toews perform.
Ladies and gentlemen, let the eight-month quest for Lord Stanley begin.
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| NHL Power Rankings |
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The stable's less than full (J-S Giguere and Mathieu Schneider injured; Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer waffling on retirement), but they're still king -- at least for Week 1. But if youngsters Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry build off last season's success, Anaheim remains one of the West's elite teams.
Last season: 48-20-14
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Having lost 12 straight in Tampa Bay, the Pens are close to landing a two-game series against the Bolts in Prague. Unfortunately, they won't play it until the start of 2008-09. If the Pens (my pick to win the Cup) hope to be a force this season, netminder Marc-Andre Fleury must show more consistency.
Last season: 47-24-11
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As in the past four seasons, the Sens will be in the Northeast crown mix. A lot will depend on the health and growth of Ray Emery, whose wrist injury will keep him out of the opener. The bigger issue: impending contract talks with Jason Spezza, Dany Heatley and Wade Redden, which could be a distraction all season.
Last season: 48-25-9
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By mid-November, there's a very good chance the Sharks will be the best team in the Western Conference. But don't take too much from their impressive 5-0-2 in the preseason. San Jose went 7-0-0 in 2005 only to stumble out of the gate. "Totally irrelevant," coach Ron Wilson told the Mercury News. Another item to watch: How Evgeni Nabokov responds to being the team's only No. 1 goalie.
Last season: 51-26-5
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Their toughness was questioned last season. That won't be the case with Mike Keenan behind the bench. As long as Miikka Kiprusoff reverts to his 2005-06 form (not that last season was bad), Calgary will be an upper-tier squad. Also keep an eye on the relationship between Keenan and Kristian Huselius, who didn't exactly shine in his three years under Iron Mike in Florida.
Last season: 43-29-10
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Adding Scott Gomez and Chris Drury has definitely piqued fan interest. More than 96 percent of season ticket-holders renewed. Individual game tix sold out in under an hour. With more firepower, the Rangers have reason for optimism. "I don't want to sell ourselves short, " coach Tom Renney told the New York Daily News. "But I think we should be a serious threat to win [the Cup]."
Last season: 42-30-10
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If their AARP squad -- Chris Chelios (45), Dominik Hasek (42) and Kris Draper (36) -- stays healthy for at least 75 games, the Wings will run away with the Central. One player who'll definitely help is Johan Franzen, 27, who has shown a willingness to play multiple positions and kill penalties.
Last season: 50-19-13
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Which team will we see? The one that won the Cup in 2005-06 or the one that missed the playoffs last season? It depends heavily on Cam Ward and Eric Staal. It was only preseason, but the 23-year-old netminder had a 0.77 GAA and .971 save percentage. Staal, meanwhile, led the team with six points.
Last season: 40-34-8
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The Canucks (22nd in goals last season) obviously need to score more. That begins with veteran Markus Naslund, who after five seasons of 75 or more points slipped to 60 in 2006-07, his lowest output in 10 years. Despite their offensive woes, they still have the comfort of Roberto Luongo between the pipes for 70-75 games.
Last season: 49-26-7
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Preseason games are for experimenting. That's exactly what coach Lindy Ruff did by rolling out an all-forward power-play unit on more than one occasion. The result: four PP goals. It'll be interesting to see if he sticks with the plan when the games count. The Sabres did give up two shorthanded goals, though both came with blueliners skating on the penalty kill.
Last season: 53-22-7
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Read on for teams 11-20 ...
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