Musical chairs

Breaking down the moves in the Eastern Conference

More than two months have passed since the Detroit Red Wings hoisted the Stanley Cup for the third time in six seasons. And many big names are now collecting their mail in new cities. Here is a team-by-team look at the important offseason moves among Eastern Conference teams.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Over the past eight seasons, the Devils established the blueprint for success in the Eastern Conference, relying on big, physical forwards -- particularly at center -- augmented by a no-nonsense bruising backline. The Philadelphia Flyers in 1997, the Washington Capitals in '98 and most recently the Carolina Hurricanes all went to the finals following the same plan that garnered Cup victories for the Devils in 1995 and 2000.

Gone up front is free agent Bobby Holik, the single player who epitomized the Devils' punishing style. Additionally, Petr Sykora -- once part of the Devils’ prolific A-line -- went to Anaheim in a deal that returned fleet-of-foot right wing Jeff Friesen and fine-skating defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky. Coupled with the deadline deal that saw big-body centerman Jason Arnott and brawny winger Randy McKay head to Dallas, one thing is certain: The makeover in the Jersey swamp is complete.

Less certain is the effect these numerous changes will have. Under yet another head coach -- with Pat Burns taking over as bench boss -- will New Jersey make a successful transition to a team built on outside speed and offense originating from the backline? Or will the teams that once emulated the Devils slap them down with their own physical model?

It isn’t hard to figure out that general manager Mike Milbury feels the Maple Leafs bullied his team in the first round of the playoffs. It also isn't hard to see that the team had soured on Mariusz Czerkawski -- maybe a perfect example of the type of player too easily pushed around at crunch time -- despite his scoring ability. How else does one explain the swap of a skilled forward like Czerkawski for role player Arron Asham?

Meanwhile, acquiring tenacious centerman Jason Wiemer for blueline project Branislav Mezei was an outstanding move -- maybe the best understated move of the summer. Wiemer brings an abrasive element to the Isles that was indeed lacking during last year's renaissance campaign. And he is not just a pest -- he can play. He can score a little, play in all situations and be proficient in the faceoff circle -- all valuable attributes, especially with Michael Peca starting the season on the sidelines.

The long-term contracts given to free agents Holik and Darius Kasparaitis were the two most obscene handouts of the summer. The Rangers grossly overpaid both, by as much as 100 percent according to some approximations. That does not mean, however, that their presence won’t make the Rangers a better team. On the contrary. Holik upgrades the center position, and Kasparaitis does likewise on the blueline.

Therefore, from an improvement standpoint, the signings were "worth it." The real question of value, though, is this: Can the pair infuse the required defensive edge into a Rangers team that had the second worst goals-against average in the league, and will that transform the Blueshirts into contenders? General manager Glen Sather is banking on the affirmative.

The Flyers are the perennial changelings of the NHL. Think I'm exaggerating? Consider that five guys who played regularly last spring are gone, with only two new additions -- center Michal Handzus and goalie Robert Esche, acquired from the Coyotes for goaltender Brian Boucher. Adam Oates and Luke Richardson opted out of Philly as free agents, while Ruslan Fedotenko went to Tampa Bay for the fourth pick in the draft, Finnish defenseman Joni Pitkanen. Completing the purge, Jiri Dopita was shipped out to Edmonton in exchange for draft picks.

For good measure, the Flyers hired an entire new coaching staff headed by Ken Hitchcock, a guy known for his demanding style. So, as has been the case for the past several seasons, the story for the Flyers isn’t their talent. Rather, it focuses on team dynamics. Is the ego bunch presiding over the Flyers' locker room ready for the journey down Hitch's (my way or the) Highway? If so, the Flyers will be a force in the East. If not, they can expect a wild ride.

Robert Lang defected to Washington. Martin Straka injured himself in an off-ice weightlifting accident, continuing a streak of freak injuries over the past 12 months that have severely limited his availability, which is again in question. Not exactly the way the Pens wanted to enter the season following their first miss of the postseason since 1990. The frustrating reality is that the Penguins are cash-strapped and unable to flesh out their roster with proven players. Consequently, the assemblage is one of retreaded role players and youngsters of yet-to-be-determined skill level.

Mario Lemieux says he is always seeking new challenges. He need not look any further than taking the ice and leading this edition of Penguins hockey.

NORTHEAST DIVISION

The questions in Beantown center on replacement value. How do you replace Bill Guerin's lost production? You can't. Is Steve Shields a suitable replacement for the departed Byron Dafoe? More so than many believe. Can Bryan Berard build on last season's comeback with the Rangers to anchor the Bruins' backline, especially given Kyle McLaren’s stated disillusionment and desire to move? Don’t bet on it. Adding to Boston’s uncertainty is the specter of Glen Murray and Brian Rolston following up career years and the need for Martin Lapointe to provide definitive leadership.

Still, the Bruins have a strong nucleus up front that includes Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov, both of whom have to produce consistently with Guerin gone. Murray and Rolston, too, need to be dependable, if not prolific. Lapointe is a stretch to score 20 goals, but it is imperative that he bring a calculated assertiveness that defines this team nightly. Shields will need more help from the backup than Dafoe received, but any dropoff here should be negligible because Shields is a battler who is at his best when a game's outcome hangs in the balance.

It is hard to imagine a happy ending in Buffalo (notice the use of the word "ending" in an article at the beginning of the season). Veteran defenseman Richard Smehlik opted out of the chaos -- choosing Atlanta in free agency -- joining ex-Sabre Slava Kozlov as a Thrasher. Disgruntled forward Eric Rasmussen had his wishes granted, as general manager Darcy Regier sent him to Los Angeles. In his stead, entering the uncertainty from Edmonton is dependable Jochen Hecht. He and his Sabres teammates might rally around the off-ice adversity and surprise the hockey world. And true, an ownership group might emerge and actually prove viable and able to keep the team in Buffalo. I sure hope so. More than likely, though, this is shaping up as a taxing and trying season for the Sabres -- endured rather than embraced.

General manager Andre Savard operates with an understated touch that has proven to be quite adept at addressing his team's needs and executing accordingly. His decisions this summer did nothing to dispel that description. Trading for Czerkawski brings another smallish yet skilled skater into the Habs' fold, while signing McKay adds some needed size on the flanks. Czerkawski gives Montreal another proven scorer to go along with Saku Koivu and Donald Audette. All three thrive as counterattackers -- using outside quickness as their primary weapon -- with Czerkawski being a much more dependable triggerman than the departed Sergei Berezin.

Montreal may actually miss assistant coach Guy Carbonneau more than it misses any players who have moved on. His input was vital to the success of Michel Therrien's staff. Ultimately, though, until the Canadiens sign franchise goalie and restricted free agent Jose Theodore, talking about them is somewhat meaningless.

New general manager John Muckler’s biggest assignment this summer was ensuring that captain Daniel Alfredsson did not hold out for the third time in his career. Mission accomplished on that front. Beyond that, though, this offseason has been a quiet one, with the Sens making one minor move -- sending underperforming Shawn McEachern to Atlanta for unheralded rearguard Brian Pothier. They also made the decision to part ways with Juha Ylonen after acquiring him last season for roughhouse winger Andre Roy. They probably wish they had that to do over, with Ottawa still lacking enough bite up front to be anything more than comfortably competitive during the regular season.

Let the Eagle watch begin. Leaf fans are hoping that Ed Belfour returns to top form this season -- after two seasons of declining play in Dallas -- as he tries to replace the derring-do exploits of Curtis Joseph in goal. It will be a tremendous test for Belfour, as he leaves the defensive-minded Stars for the relatively high-risk attack strategy of the Maple Leafs. He will face more outnumbered attacks and quality scoring chances than he was accustomed to handling during his successful tenure in Big D.

Speaking of D, the Maple Leafs made a nifty little shuffle on the blueline when they sent malcontent Dmitry Yushkevich to Florida for crusty "retiree" Robert Svehla. And when it comes to the edginess of Toronto's lineup overall, general manager Pat Quinn assured that opponents will again suffer significant agitation by re-signing Tie Domi and bringing in veteran grinder Tom Fitzgerald. Both moves took on heightened importance when Gary Roberts and his in-your-face on-ice approach was lost in the early going due to surgery on both shoulders.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

The Thrashers addressed two areas of concern this summer. They needed to add some veterans to their emerging mix of talented youngsters and they had to shore up a defense that surrendered nearly half a goal a game more than the 29th-ranked team in the league. Enter seasoned forwards McEachern and Kozlov via trade and experienced free-agent blueliners Smehlik and Uwe Krupp. True, they should make Atlanta more competitive if all return to previous levels of effectiveness and health. But each comes with a question mark, especially Krupp who's been damaged goods for a while. Kozlov, too, will try to rebound from a campaign ended by a torn Achilles' tendon, while also trying to put several seasons of declining production behind him. Even McEachern and Smehlik are coming off substandard efforts in 2001-02. Still, for a team that won but 19 games all last season, the moves signal the next stage in the painstaking process of team building.

With postseason success comes the economic reality of keeping the team intact. GM Jim Rutherford accomplished that by re-signing Ron Francis, Jeff O’Neill and Bret Hedican at hefty increases. Those raises meant veteran winger Martin Gelinas' option was unaffordable, but Carolina won’t notice his absence. No, this year’s edition of the 'Canes will be virtually identical to the one that went to the Stanley Cup finals. That experience should define them, making them better by degrees because they believe.

The Panthers remain a work in progress, and it is easy to see that head coach Mike Keenan and new general manager Rick Dudley view the blueline as the foundation on which improvement is predicated. They selected defenseman Jay Bouwmeester in the draft and then acquired Dmitry Yushkevich to replace anchor Svehla. Florida also added prospect Mezei from the N.Y. Islanders for hard-nosed centerman Wiemer. Who exactly is going to score goals for the Panthers remains a mystery, but for now they seem intent on remaking and taking care of their own end first. And let's face it, they had to start somewhere.

Is it possible that out of the muck and mire that is the Lightning’s history, a semblance of a team is emerging? Granted, right wing Fedotenko and rearguard Brad Lukowich for the fourth pick in the draft hardly seems like equal value, but both players plug in nicely to this developing roster. Both are responsible defensively, something John Tortorella demands and an aspect that has been woefully inconsistent the past several seasons. Yes, this is a young team and it isn't exactly deep. But make no mistake, slowly but surely, progress is afoot in Tampa Bay.

I’m not sure which offseason move was more surprising: last year's decision to pay Jaromir Jagr $11 million per season, or this summer’s selection of rookie coach Bruce Cassidy to pull the Caps back together. And harmony in Washington means Jagr's peace of mind. To the extent that he can ever be appeased, general manager George McPhee is doing all he can to that end by surrounding him with fellow former Penguins -- namely Robert Lang and Kip Miller. Aiding Cassidy will be new assistant coaches Glen Hanlon and Randy Carlyle, both longtime NHL players. It certainly will be intriguing to see if the assembled staff, with its cross-section of experience, can hold Jagr's attention and get him to perform at a consistently high level. It is the central theme in Washington this season, as Jagr dances with his fourth coach in the past four years.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for CNNSI.com.

 

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