Western Conference: Central

In the off-season St. Louis signed speedy veteran winger Paul Kariya to kick-start the power play (second-worst in the league last season) and invigorate an often anemic offense. And for the second straight year, the Blues gained by dealing a veteran at the trading deadline and re-signing him as a free agent in the summer. In 2006 center Doug Weight returned from Carolina; this June it was gritty forward Keith Tkachuk after two months in Atlanta.

St. Louis is also excited about defenseman Erik Johnson, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft, who joins the team after a year at the University of Minnesota. The mix of veterans hoping for one last hurrah and youngsters eager to prove themselves should at least make the team entertaining, even if the Blues aren't yet playoff caliber.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

LAST SEASON 31-42-9 (13th in West)

KEY ADDITIONS C Robert Lang, LW Sergei Samsonov

KEY LOSSES D Adrian Aucoin, D Jassen Cullimore, C Michal Handzus

Here's the NHL's most striking irony: A team coached by Denis Savard, one of the most creative, dynamic forwards in the history of the game, is an offensive enigma. Only the Oilers scored fewer goals than the Blackhawks' 195 last season, and Chicago was last in the league on the power play at 11.8%--including just 8.9% at home.

"The difference this year," insists G.M. Dale Tallon, "is that we have real assets who can produce and build a long-term future for us." At just 5' 10", 163 pounds and 18 years old, right wing Patrick Kane, a skilled scorer and playmaker whom Chicago made the No.�1 pick in the June draft, will need plenty of seasoning before he becomes a frontline player. Center Jonathan Toews, a strong two-way forward who was the third pick of the 2006 draft and played for the last two seasons at the University of North Dakota, will be ready to help the Blackhawks sooner.

So Tallon is right: Chicago is indeed moving in the right direction, but it will take a few years to arrive there.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS