Central Division Preview

Red Wings are the class of the division again

This is truly the mismatched division, with three established teams -- including Original Six members Detroit and Chicago -- and two recent expansionists in Nashville and Columbus. The Red Wings are by far the best team, with the Blues and Blackhawks evenly matched and spaced well behind. Similarly, the Predators and Blue Jackets form a tandem well back of the middle strata. And despite spending and improvement by the four teams chasing the champs, this make-up and ordering figures to stay intact this time around as well.

How do you replace two legends in a one-season turnaround? You don't. Things will be good in Detroit, but not as good as last year's determined march. Things have changed, which isn't necessarily all bad. The physical rigors of going the distance, then trying to defend that title are truly taxing. The best antidote? Mental challenges -- kind of a mind-over-matter approach to the daunting nature of repeating as Stanley Cup champions.

Well, if change is central to a fresh outlook, consider the Red Wings emotionally invigorated. The changes are well documented, with all-world goaltender Dominik Hasek and legendary coach Scotty Bowman both retiring. Replacements Curtis Joseph and Dave Lewis are quality options. Joseph is in much the same situation Hasek was a year ago: celebrated for a prodigious career that lacks but one feat -- a Stanley Cup. Lewis is the Red Wings' long-time assistant who knows the personnel, organization and city better than anyone. Both have waited a lifetime to be in this position. Their perspective alone should provide this team with boundless energy and anticipation.

The challenges for the boys from Hockeytown are twofold: carry on without the presence, production and leadership of injured captain Steve Yzerman (out until January after knee surgery) and find the proper blend and balance of opportunity for some of the younger Wings. With so many experienced players in their midst, Yzerman's absence won't be the locker-room loss it would be in most situations. On the ice, Sergei Fedorov always has played his best when Yzerman is either ailing or out of the lineup. He is also a free agent after the season, so with opportunity and incentive, don't be surprised if Fedorov posts his best numbers since the mid-'90s. The trickle-down effect means opportunity up front for youngsters Jason Williams and possibly rookie Henrik Zetterberg.

Opportunity abounds on the blueline as well, with the Red Wings dealing with the departure of four veterans, two of whom (Steve Duschesne and Fredrik Olausson) played regularly. That means Maxim Kuznetsov and Jesse Wallin finally will have the chance to get into the lineup on a regular basis, at least in the early going. Detroit probably will add a veteran or two to the mix along the way, meaning it is very much a work in progress. Until it all comes together, the Red Wings are in for a few more bumps this season. But at least they begin their quest to repeat with a healthy transfusion of new blood and adrenaline.

This franchise has been hard to believe in for such a long time that it is easy to think last season's strides were an aberration. But maybe the winds of constructive change finally have blown into the Windy City, as the Blackhawks enjoyed an unlikely renaissance a year ago under coach Brian Sutter. A repeat this season might be even more improbable and impressive. But the 'Hawks might just have the goods. They displayed many admirable qualities a season ago, all of which provide a solid base on which to build.

First, Sutter worked youngsters Kyle Calder and Mark Bell into productive roles, reinvigorating Chicago's forecheck. Look for Sutter to again turn to a couple of rookies to liven up the attack, working in forwards Tyler Arnason, Pavel Vorobiev and Mikail Yakubov, especially with leading goal-scorer Eric Daze sidelined early on after back surgery. They can't all play at once, but these young legs give Sutter a nice alternative to his veteran core, which includes the NHL's ultimate pot-stirrer, Theo Fleury. His offense should offset the loss of Tony Amonte to Phoenix, and his gung-ho style is of equal value. He is the perfect pest to lead Sutter's aggressive forechecking scheme, one Fleury flourished in when the pair were in Calgary together.

Sutter's approach and the players' execution led to this defining attribute: they went 20-10 in one-goal games, which was best in the league and were the only team without a regulation loss when leading after two period. They also lost the fewest games in the NHL when they scored first, and accumulated 62 points on home ice -- tied with the Red Wings for best in class on both counts. So it is plain to see that Sutter's Blackhawks were a tough foe.

Even much-maligned netminder Jocelyn Thibault's numbers hold up under scrutiny. He posted the third-best winning percentage of any goaltender in which his team took a lead at any point in a game, behind only Hasek and Brent Johnson. Some might argue that Thibault's numbers reflect more on team character than his overt strength, which is valid to a point. Thibault weakened as the season wore on, with the load of 67 games being too much. That's not to say he can’t improve his overall effectiveness playing around 55 games. Of course, that only makes sense if backup Steve Passmore can play as effectively with an increased workload as he did the final six weeks of the season. And if you want to measure the tandem's effectiveness, look at the Blackhawks' penalty-killing numbers along with goals against. Chicago ranked 27th on the penalty kill, an area that must improve immediately if they are to build upon last season's strides. If Thibault and Passmore are sharp and fundamentally sound from the outset, the penalty kill and everything else should be fine in the Windy City.

A couple of seasons ago, the Blues pursued what they thought they needed to put them over the top. Then they suffered through some mild disappointment with what they had. Now, they're not sure exactly what they have.

After tinkering with the team's make-up the last couple of seasons, general manager Larry Pleau settled on the status quo for 2002. Of course, that doesn't mean there won't be personnel changes, because a few new faces are a necessity. The free-agency defection of Scott Young to Dallas and the early-season rehabilitation of Chris Pronger's knee make it so.

The net effect of losing two integral veterans means that the Blues will be relatively inexperienced in more situations this season. If the 21-year-old Barrett Jackman cracks the blueline corps, he will join 23-year-old Mike Van Ryn and 26-year-old Bryce Salvador in rounding out what has characteristically been a veteran unit. These guys will have to soak up some of the minutes previously reserved for Pronger and Al MacInnis. The short term might lead to some growing pains, but the Blues should benefit overall.

The same opportunity exists up front. Young was dependable both offensively and defensively. Who will step in and seize the opportunity? Maybe Sergei Varlamov or Daniel Corso, both talented youngsters who have yet to prove they can contribute consistently at the top level. Maybe Czech league veteran Petr Cajanek will be ready immediately and mesh on a line with Pavol Demitra. Or is Eric Boguniecki's versatility and scoring exploits at the AHL level enough to win him a spot at the age of 27?

Not to be outdone in the providing opportunity/raising questions arena, the goaltending has its share of what ifs -- and not for the reasons of recent memory. Starter Brent Johnson is suffering from a high-ankle sprain, a potentially bothersome injury for goaltenders. His training camp is a write-off, having gone down the week before camp opened. Partner Fred Brathwaite made it to camp at least, only to have a nagging groin injury idle him for most of September. So, if Johnson was a question mark at this time a year ago, what does that make Austrian Reinhard Divis? Exactly. An unknown commodity. Kind of like the Blues as a whole entering this season, which is no small consideration when you remember that of the eight Western playoff participants last spring, the Blues posted the fewest wins against their ultra-competitive conference brethren.

When your needs are as far reaching as they are for the fledgling Blue Jackets, the question becomes, where do you start? This offseason, general manager Doug MacLean answered as he did in the franchise's first draft three summers ago by addressing the blueline. The first pick was Rostislav Klesla and the first free-agent acquisitions this offseason were Scott Lachance and Luke Richardson. Add veteran Jaroslav Spacek to the equation and the Jackets have an enviable top-four blueline corps, especially for a team entering just its third season.

Lost in the defensive scheme of things, however, was dependable veteran netminder Ron Tugnutt. That puts the onus on Marc Denis to carry a team as the starter for the first time in his NHL career. The 25-year-old Denis should benefit from the wealth of experience in front of him, but it is to be determined whether he can play 60-plus games a season. Plus, there is the uncertainty of how he will respond to having 20-year-old Pascal Leclaire waiting in the wings, possibly as his backup. Will the constant reminder spur Denis on to a higher level, knowing he must assert himself now? Or will the specter of Leclaire plant just enough doubt in Denis' mind as to inhibit his ability to seize the moment? Two highly touted 20-somethings forming your tandem always presents an interesting dynamic.

Yet, for the changes made to keep the puck out of their net, Columbus needed just as much help offensively. They scored the fewest goals in the NHL, due largely to their paltry sum of 111 even-strength markers, by far the lowest sum on the circuit. Enter free agent Andrew Cassels and 28-year-old Lasse Pirjeta from Finland. Coach Dave King now has some flexibility in the middle and Pirjeta gives the Blue Jackets some much needed size at the center ice position. With winger Rick Nash -- the first pick in June’s entry draft -- on board, the Jackets have a chance to accomplish some things on the attack. Geoff Sanderson must rebound from an injury-plagued campaign and provide offense, possibly playing with Cassels, his centerman from a decade ago in Hartford when Sanderson posted the best numbers of his career. Columbus is moving ahead, but a little back to the future with that combination would certainly help the cause in the present.

Maybe it is because they were the first of the final four expansion entries to enter the league. Maybe it is their blood-from-a-stone style. Maybe it's because you want the affable anonymous coach to succeed. Probably a little bit of each of those things make the Predators the perpetual underdog. The Predators rely on a formula that has made them consistently difficult to play against in their first four seasons. It is an admirable style based on grit, determination and diligence. To that end, they added grizzled vets of that ilk in Denis Pederson and Brent Gilchrist. Add proven penalty killer and face-off man Clarke Wilm from Calgary and the return of Scott Walker to full health after a season of post-concussion syndrome and the Preds don't seem like they will be changing gears anytime soon.

And why should they? These results from last season reflect their disciplined, patient approach: they were ninth on the penalty kill, were the only team not to lose an overtime game (5-0-13) and posted a winning record against the league's teams with sub-.500 records. But this may prove to be a transition year in Nashville, as coach Barry Trotz turns to his ever expanding roster of youngsters in critical situations. Led by Scott Hartnell and Denis Arkhipov, and supported by Martin Erat and David Legwand, these youngsters form the core of the top two lines. Are they ready to carry the burden, especially if you add 18-year-old Scotty Upshall to the equation after a stellar training camp, or 21-year-old Jonas Andersson? The answer is yes, with this caveat: but probably not this season. The Predators still spend too much time without the puck -- only Minnesota and Atlanta fired fewer shots on goal last season. That won't change until this group grows together and gains experience. Right now, they remain a tad small to get the puck on the forecheck. When they do gain possession, they tend to make hasty decisions, a function of skill still emerging.

Of course, production from the backline always helps and the Predators rely on underrated Kimmo Timonen and the always ready to go for broke, Andy Delmore. But the Predators still lack a defining presence on the blueline. Karlis Skrastins' dependability is valuable, but hardly the stuff of a true stopper. Nineteen-year-old Dan Hamhuis will be that force one day, but will start the season with AHL Milwaukee. So, all eyes again turn to goaltenders Mike Dunham and Tomas Vokoun. They have received much of the accolades for Nashville's competitiveness through four years, despite a drop-off by Dunham last season. Any further decline tthis season and the Preds' chances of improvement are doomed. In fact, Dunham must prove he is capable of improvement as the team improves and expectations increase. That capacity is hardly a certainty.

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

 

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