This is clearly a do or die season for the Capitals, win the Stanley Cup or bust. Last season was a prime opportunity to make a real run for the championship, but they proved in the playoffs they were not worthy, just yet. The Capitals were down 3-1 in the opening round of the playoffs but battled back to beat the New York Rangers. So that showed poise and guts. In the second round versus Pittsburgh, that should’ve been the Capitals’. The series went the distance; with game seven in Washington, but the Capitals got smacked and were done. The rise of the Capitals has been so quick, that they have seen players develop very quickly right before their eyes. With Alexander Ovechkin on board and with last season’s loss still in his mind, he will do whatever it takes to win this year.
The offense was high powered last year, charged up by Ovechkin. His 56 goals led the league, and his 110 points were second only to fellow countryman Evgeni Malkin. Just like the past four seasons where Ovechkin has averaged 55 goals, he will most definitely score another fifty and tally another one hundred points. If Ovechkin plays like last season the whole team will pick up their game and try to keep pace with him. If that happens, the Capitals will be destined for a deep playoff drive. The potential is also there for another Washington versus Pittsburgh showdown, but hopefully for the fans in the East Finals this time around.
The Capitals have three solid players that form the offensive nucleus of this team. None of them disappointed last season. First of course, is Alexander Ovechkin and we all know what he could do. Following up with there own high powered games are Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin. Backstrom finished second in team scoring with 88 points, and most of those points were assists, 66 of them. Luckily for Backstrom he was dishing all those passes to Ovechkin. Semin is no slouch in goal scoring either as he scored 34 times, and was third in team scoring with 79 points. Backstrom and Ovechkin are both locks to repeat last season’s success, and if this Capitals team wants to get even better, then Semin will need to tally at least 85 points.
The offense doesn’t just stop there as the Capitals have Brooks Laich, Tomas Fleischmann and Michael Nylander. To add, the loss of Sergei Fedorov was huge to the Capitals because Fedorov was a calming presence and was a solid veteran to have in the locker room and on the ice. The Capitals have added other veterans that should fill in for him though. Back to the offense, and Brooks Laich had a monster season for the Capitals. He really broke out last season, in his third full season with the Capitals and had 23 goals and 53 points. With him in the mix and if he can reproduce last season’s success, the Capitals will once again have two solid scoring lines.
If Tomas Fleischmann can also raise the level of his game with experience, then the Capitals will have three solid lines. Fleischmann has developed into a nice player for the Capitals the last two season’s, where he has scored 30 and 37 points, with the latter coming last season. For Michael Nylander he is a veteran player on the decline in producing points, but if he can score somewhere between 10-12 goals and tally thirty plus points, the Capitals will take it.
Two more veteran players were added in the off-season, as Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison were signed. In Knuble the Capitals are getting an offensive player that can create his own space down low with his body, and play on the top two lines. As for points, he should score 45+ this season. Morrison he just needs a healthy season because they have hurt him the last two season’s, and if he his healthy he can also score 40+ points and add to an already well balanced offensive attack.
On defense the Capitals just need to improve defensively because they were weak in that category. As for scoring they had one of the best units, led by Mike Green and his 31 goals and 73 points. Playing defense was somewhat of an afterthought for him, and that showed more than ever in the playoffs. Green is still a young player at 23 and still has room for improvement. The Capitals wouldn’t a mind a trade off of less points and better defense.
The not playing defense trickled down to the rest of the defense. The Capitals have a pretty heavy defense, meaning that they have some heavy hitters in John Erskine, Shaone Morrisonn, Milan Jurcina, Brian Pothier and Tom Poti. The only drawback and negative with that is the defense won’t be as mobile, passing abilities aren’t the greatest and little to no speed. The one player that can do all those things is mentioned above, Mike Green. If Green can pick up on his defense, then maybe the Capitals will have a better defense, because that looks to be a problem, and will prevent them from advancing in the playoffs.
One area that needed to be fixed was goaltending, because the Capitals don’t have a stable number one and that was their Achilles heel last season and most likely will be now. Unless rookie Semyon Varlamov can repeat his playoff magic and translate that into a solid season. It will be tough to do because he is just 21 years old, hasn’t even played a full season professionally anywhere, and is just a rookie. We all know that Jose Theodore cannot play at a high level, cannot be counted on and is not a bonafide number one goalie anymore.
OVERALL--> THE CAPITALS HAVE A GOOD ENOUGH TEAM TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, AND WILL GET A HUGE BOOST DURING HOME GAMES WITH THEIR RACOUS CROWDS.
POSITIVE--> ALEX OVECHKIN AND THE HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE. MIKE GREEN WITH A GREAT SHOT FROM THE POINT.
NEGATIVE--> DEFENSE COULD BE WAY BETTER AND GOALTENDING IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WHICH WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE OFF-SEASON.
X-FACTOR--> ALEX OVECHKIN, THIS IS HIS TEAM AND THE CAPITALS WILL ONLY GO AS FAR AS HE CAN TAKE THEM.
SLEEPER PICK--> DAVID STECKEL WILL ONCE AGAIN BE A REGUALR ON THIS SQUAD, AND SHOULD PRODUCE A CAREER SEASON, SCORING AT LEAST 30 POINTS.
PREDICTION--> THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND WIN THE SOUTHEAST DIVISION TITLE.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
2009-10 NHL FORECASTER: VANCOUVER CANUCKS (45-27-10 100 PTS., 3RD WEST)
Canucks of last season had dreams of playing for the Stanley Cup and that certainly could’ve have happened, had it not been for some spotty defense and shaky goaltending by Roberto Luongo. A one hundred point season and division winning season went down the drain, including a 2-0 series lead in the second round of the playoffs versus Chicago. The Canucks were minutes away from taking a 3-1 series lead, but saw that led evaporate, and with it their season. The Canucks should be a better team this season, because a few of their offensive players had breakout seasons, and the roster is full of players that are on the rise or in their prime. This is the time for the Canucks to make a major move in the playoffs. First, they will have to fend off the rebuilt Calgary Flames who should be front runners for the North West division title.
Beginning on defense, a strong point for the Canucks, and something Head Coach Alain Vigneault taught to perfection. The Canucks were one of the better teams in the West in the goals against category, and that was one of the main reasons they went on to win the division title. This season the Canucks are once again deep on defense, and the depth chart is stacked with everyday players. Six players that will get full time work are Willie Mitchell, Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa, Alexander Edler, Christian Ehrhoff and Mathieu Schneider.
Mitchell had an excellent defensive season and was perfect when playing the oppositions’ best player, or line. His +29 was one of the best ratings on the roster. He also brings strong leadership into the room and onto the ice. Mitchell is also a physical player and is very smart on the defensive end. His scoring touch lacks, but he makes up for it in other ways, which is a perfect trade off.
Kevin Bieksa has been a real nice surprise for the Canucks organization, who was a late round draft choice, and has blossomed into a top defenseman. He plays with a mean streak which is perfect, and has this intimidation about him. In his three seasons with the Canucks, including an injury riddled season, he has always produced points. Look for him to improve on his 43 points from last season, and maybe hit the 50 point mark.
Alexander Edler was one of the players that had a breakout season when he played in eighty games and tallied 10 goals and 27 assists, along with a +11 rating. Edler is a smart player on defense, doesn’t take the body too much, but he has a good sense of the play. To balance him out he is a very good skater, and look for him to maybe jump into a few rushes, or start some on his own out of the zone as he becomes even more comfortable.
In the off season the Canucks signed Christian Ehrhoff to bring another big body that can skate and add a few points here and there. To go along with him, the Canucks already have veteran defenseman Sami Salo. In Salo’s case he is a big body, but isn’t the best skater and looks to be losing some of his skill. The Canucks also went out and signed free agent veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider. Only time will tell if this forty year old can still play and improve the Canucks’ defense, or make it slower and older. Either way the Canucks do have other defenseman that can easily fill in for him.
Now onto offense an area where the Canucks looked really good with the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel. These two have developed at a nice pace and are proven 75+ point scorers each and have also hit the 82 point mark. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them eclipse 82 and maybe score 85 points. Another player that really stepped up his game and could once again play with the Sedin’s is Alexandre Burrows. Last season he broke out for a 28 goal and 51 point season. Hitting sixty points may just happen, if the Sedin’s tally another eighty point season and Burrows plays like last season.
Forming a pretty nice second and third line are Ryan Kesler, Pavol Demitra, Mason Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Steve Bernier, Rick Rypien and Kyle Wellwood. Kesler is a smart skating two way player when on the ice and his leadership skills have flourished. Last season he had a pretty good season scoring 26 goals and notching 33 assists. Demitra also had a nice season for a player who may be on the short end of his career. If he can score another twenty goals this season, the Canucks will take it. Samuelsson was a nice free agent signing and knows how to play the game smart and is a proven winner coming from Detroit. He is a good third line player that can tally forty points. Raymond is another player on the Canucks roster that is on the rise with this team and should build on his 23 points from last season. Bernier is a player that has not lived up to his hype when he was labeled as a big body that can skate and score. All he has done in five seasons in the NHL is post mediocre season after mediocre season. His career high in goals scored in a season has been 15. Bernier is only good enough to be a third line player unless he proves he is better. Rypien might get a chance to play full time this season. In Wellwood’s case, he is more of a fourth line player that can also play on the power play. He is a weak player that barely works out, and yet he still managed to score 18 goals.
Two players that may crack the roster this season are Sergei Shirokov and Cody Hodgson. These two have displayed their talents in pre-season and have been wonders so far. It wouldn’t hurt to let Hodgson play this season, because sooner or later he will one day be the captain of this franchise.
Now on to goaltending, an area where the Canucks don’t have to worry about for the next eight to ten years as they locked up All-Star and team captain Roberto Luongo to a long term contract. Injuries shortened Luongo’s season last year and he was well on his way to posting another forty win season. During the regular season Luongo racked up 33 wins in 54 games, compared to 2008 when he won just 35 games in 73 starts. With Luongo in net, it really doesn’t matter what type of defense is in front of him because he is that good. The Canucks should have another good season with Luongo in net.
OVERALL--> THE CANUCKS HAVE ANOTHER GOOD ROSTER IN PLACE, FROM THEIR ALL-STAR GOALTENDER TO A TIGHT DEFENSE AND SOLID OFFENSIVE UNIT.
POSITIVE--> ROBERTO LUONGO FIRST AND FOREMOST. THE CANUCKS HAVE A GREAT MIX OF VETERANS AND YOUNG PLAYERS THAT HAVE MADE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES AND ARE IN THEIR PRIME.
NEGATIVE--> BACK-UP GOALTENDING IS PRETTY WEAK IN ANDREW RAYCROFT.
X-FACTOR--> THIS IS ROBERTO LUONGO’S TEAM AND THE TEAMS SUCCESS ALL DEPENDS ON HOW WELL HE PLAYS.
SLEEPER PICK--> CODY HODGSON IF HE MAKES THIS CLUB. HE HAS GREAT SKILL AND SHOULD TALLY 45+ POINTS.
PREDICTION--> THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS WILL FINISH TOP 5 IN THE WEST, AND WILL BATTLE CALGARY FOR THE NORTHWEST DIVISION TITLE TO THE END.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Beginning on defense, a strong point for the Canucks, and something Head Coach Alain Vigneault taught to perfection. The Canucks were one of the better teams in the West in the goals against category, and that was one of the main reasons they went on to win the division title. This season the Canucks are once again deep on defense, and the depth chart is stacked with everyday players. Six players that will get full time work are Willie Mitchell, Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa, Alexander Edler, Christian Ehrhoff and Mathieu Schneider.
Mitchell had an excellent defensive season and was perfect when playing the oppositions’ best player, or line. His +29 was one of the best ratings on the roster. He also brings strong leadership into the room and onto the ice. Mitchell is also a physical player and is very smart on the defensive end. His scoring touch lacks, but he makes up for it in other ways, which is a perfect trade off.
Kevin Bieksa has been a real nice surprise for the Canucks organization, who was a late round draft choice, and has blossomed into a top defenseman. He plays with a mean streak which is perfect, and has this intimidation about him. In his three seasons with the Canucks, including an injury riddled season, he has always produced points. Look for him to improve on his 43 points from last season, and maybe hit the 50 point mark.
Alexander Edler was one of the players that had a breakout season when he played in eighty games and tallied 10 goals and 27 assists, along with a +11 rating. Edler is a smart player on defense, doesn’t take the body too much, but he has a good sense of the play. To balance him out he is a very good skater, and look for him to maybe jump into a few rushes, or start some on his own out of the zone as he becomes even more comfortable.
In the off season the Canucks signed Christian Ehrhoff to bring another big body that can skate and add a few points here and there. To go along with him, the Canucks already have veteran defenseman Sami Salo. In Salo’s case he is a big body, but isn’t the best skater and looks to be losing some of his skill. The Canucks also went out and signed free agent veteran defenseman Mathieu Schneider. Only time will tell if this forty year old can still play and improve the Canucks’ defense, or make it slower and older. Either way the Canucks do have other defenseman that can easily fill in for him.
Now onto offense an area where the Canucks looked really good with the Sedin twins, Henrik and Daniel. These two have developed at a nice pace and are proven 75+ point scorers each and have also hit the 82 point mark. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them eclipse 82 and maybe score 85 points. Another player that really stepped up his game and could once again play with the Sedin’s is Alexandre Burrows. Last season he broke out for a 28 goal and 51 point season. Hitting sixty points may just happen, if the Sedin’s tally another eighty point season and Burrows plays like last season.
Forming a pretty nice second and third line are Ryan Kesler, Pavol Demitra, Mason Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Steve Bernier, Rick Rypien and Kyle Wellwood. Kesler is a smart skating two way player when on the ice and his leadership skills have flourished. Last season he had a pretty good season scoring 26 goals and notching 33 assists. Demitra also had a nice season for a player who may be on the short end of his career. If he can score another twenty goals this season, the Canucks will take it. Samuelsson was a nice free agent signing and knows how to play the game smart and is a proven winner coming from Detroit. He is a good third line player that can tally forty points. Raymond is another player on the Canucks roster that is on the rise with this team and should build on his 23 points from last season. Bernier is a player that has not lived up to his hype when he was labeled as a big body that can skate and score. All he has done in five seasons in the NHL is post mediocre season after mediocre season. His career high in goals scored in a season has been 15. Bernier is only good enough to be a third line player unless he proves he is better. Rypien might get a chance to play full time this season. In Wellwood’s case, he is more of a fourth line player that can also play on the power play. He is a weak player that barely works out, and yet he still managed to score 18 goals.
Two players that may crack the roster this season are Sergei Shirokov and Cody Hodgson. These two have displayed their talents in pre-season and have been wonders so far. It wouldn’t hurt to let Hodgson play this season, because sooner or later he will one day be the captain of this franchise.
Now on to goaltending, an area where the Canucks don’t have to worry about for the next eight to ten years as they locked up All-Star and team captain Roberto Luongo to a long term contract. Injuries shortened Luongo’s season last year and he was well on his way to posting another forty win season. During the regular season Luongo racked up 33 wins in 54 games, compared to 2008 when he won just 35 games in 73 starts. With Luongo in net, it really doesn’t matter what type of defense is in front of him because he is that good. The Canucks should have another good season with Luongo in net.
OVERALL--> THE CANUCKS HAVE ANOTHER GOOD ROSTER IN PLACE, FROM THEIR ALL-STAR GOALTENDER TO A TIGHT DEFENSE AND SOLID OFFENSIVE UNIT.
POSITIVE--> ROBERTO LUONGO FIRST AND FOREMOST. THE CANUCKS HAVE A GREAT MIX OF VETERANS AND YOUNG PLAYERS THAT HAVE MADE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES AND ARE IN THEIR PRIME.
NEGATIVE--> BACK-UP GOALTENDING IS PRETTY WEAK IN ANDREW RAYCROFT.
X-FACTOR--> THIS IS ROBERTO LUONGO’S TEAM AND THE TEAMS SUCCESS ALL DEPENDS ON HOW WELL HE PLAYS.
SLEEPER PICK--> CODY HODGSON IF HE MAKES THIS CLUB. HE HAS GREAT SKILL AND SHOULD TALLY 45+ POINTS.
PREDICTION--> THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS WILL FINISH TOP 5 IN THE WEST, AND WILL BATTLE CALGARY FOR THE NORTHWEST DIVISION TITLE TO THE END.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
2009-10 NHL FORECASTER: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (34-35-13 81 PTS., 12TH EAST)
Here we go again, another season in Leaf Land, and once again high expectations, make the playoffs. It has been like this every single season for this franchise, make the playoffs. Even when teams were bad it was still expected, and that’s what happens when you play in a passionate hockey market that hasn’t won in a long time. Why not be passionate and have high hopes, we fans only want what is best for our Leafs. Making the playoffs this season will be one tough task. First, the pressures that surround the team, and second, this team is in rebuild mode and will be in a battle for a spot if anything, but clinching a seed we’ll just have to wait and see.
General Manager Brian Burke made plenty of moves to the Leafs roster in his first full off season since joining the club midway through last season. He added grit, muscle, youthful talent and a solid sniper, who along with Luke Schenn, are the perfect building blocks.
Starting on defense, a word that wasn’t understood on this team, and it showed when the Leafs finished last in the league with 293 goals against. This season may be different, because a once thin defense is now over crowded with at least four spots booked, and two open for at least six players to battle it out in training camp. Luke Schenn was a sensation for the Leafs and the lone bright spot in a season full of dark clouds. Schenn cracked the club at 18 years old right out of training camp and did not upset. Sure, there were the few rookie mistakes that were going to happen, but other than that he was as advertised, a solid stay at home defenseman. The progression of Schenn will continue this season and his game will blossom.
The second defenseman that is guaranteed a spot on this club is Tomas Kaberle. He says he doesn’t want to leave Toronto, but management had a few ideas that did not come to fruition, and it turns out the best moves are the ones you don’t make. Kaberle will be sticking around which is a good thing because he is an agile smooth skating defenseman with good vision to get the puck out of the zone. His offensive numbers will get better this season with the addition of Mike Komisarek.
In Komisarek, who is also guaranteed a spot, the Leafs are getting a very physical defenseman, which blocks shots, kills penalties, and likes to win. Playing alongside Kaberle will help both players. Kaberle will have more room to move freely with puck, because Komisarek will knock the opposition out.
The fourth player is another free agent signing Francois Beauchemin. This guy was a steal and it was very surprising to see him on the free agent market for as long he was. What he brings to this club is a Stanley Cup ring with Anaheim, veteran leadership and experience, a smart player with the puck that can skate, and a heavy hitter. It will be nice to see Schenn and Beauchemin play together as pair. It will help Schenn develop and these two will be a very good shut down pair.
Then there are six players left that all have legit chances at cracking this club. One player that we can cross of is Phil Oreskovic, he is good and is a physical player something Burke loves, but he isn’t ready for a full time job just yet. That leaves five players, Ian White, Jonas Frogren, Jeff Finger, Mike Van Ryn and Ganett Exelby. White showed his versatility last season when he played the wing and defensive positions. So that could help the team in injury situations. Frogren was good but was not a consistent fit in the lineup. Finger may get one of the spots due to his large contract and will be tough to trade. Van Ryn should be a player to get one of those spots because he was a very good fit on this team. He would hit the opposition, take them out against the glass, and had good hands. Exelby is a real hard hitter that can knock out players if they are not paying attention to the play. Two payers that should be in the opening day lineup are Mike Van Ryn and Ian White. Then go from there and give each player a chance to play and see who fits. Then try and unload a few of these players for draft picks or youth.
Now onto offense a unit that got a real big boost when the Leafs acquired 36 goal man and 22 year old Phil Kessel. What an upgrade this is for the Leafs, a true first line sniper the Leafs have been missing since the Mats Sundin era. Unfortunately Kessel won’t be in the lineup until mid November due to recovering off-season shoulder surgery.
One line that warrants a look in the NHL full time is a line made up of rookies. Two of them were signed out of college and one from Sweden. Christian Hanson, Tyler Bozak and Victor Stalberg have proved that they are good enough to play full time. The pre-season that these three have had has been excellent. Hanson and Bozak can crash the net, yet skate, can score, yet cycle the puck and also crash the boards. With Stalberg he has wicked speed and in two steps is gone. He is a very good playmaker, who also has a quick snapshot when coming down the wing.
Another youngster that got a good look at was this seasons seventh overall draft choice, Nazem Kadri. He still is a long shot to make the club, but he too has had a good pre-season and may sneak into that opening day roster.
Now onto the regulars from last season, which include three players that stepped up their games. Matt Stajan, Alex Ponikarovsky and Mikhail Grabovski all had good seasons last year. Stajan hit a career high with forty assists, and is the front runner to play alongside Kessel when he returns. Stajan should continue his offensive output and raise his goal total of 15 from last year. Ponikarovsky had a real good season last year with 23 goals and 38 assists, and should hit the 60 point plateau once again. Grabovski really shone in his first full season in the NHL with his speed, control on the puck, and goal scoring. He hit twenty last season, which he should repeat this season. He too is another player that should hit sixty points and would be a great improvement from his 48 last year.
Jason Blake finally had a season that was worth his contract with 25 goals and 38 assists. Hopefully he can at least duplicate the 25 goals. Lee Stempniak really needs to bring his game to another level, because the contract he has and the stats he has posted what a waste of money. He scored all of 14 goals last season, compared to two seasons ago when hit 27. Anything better than last season would be an improvement for Stempniak. Niklas Hagman had a good first year with the Leafs scoring 22 goals in 65 games. He could’ve played the whole season if it hadn’t been for a cheap shot he received to the head to knock him out a few games. If he gets a whole season in, Hagman should score 26-29 goals. John Mitchell really surprised a lot of people and has become a fan favourite because of his work ethic, drive, and determination. His 12 goals and 17 assists was a very strong rookie campaign. This season he may even hit twenty, because Head Coach Ron Wilson started to reward Mitchell with more ice time due to his strong play. Jamal Mayers is just a good player to have on any team because of his strong attitude, and he too has strong drive to win games and do the little things. That was why Wayne Primeau was brought in; he has a strong work ethic and a passion for the game. The only negative on him is his skating, he is very slow, and that will hurt this team at times. One of Brian Burke’s favourite signings was a four year deal he gave to Colton Orr. This player is misinterpreted, and is labeled a fighter only. Orr can skate, get in on the rush, block shots, knows how to position himself defensively, and plays physical.
Two players that should be traded right now for draft picks are Jiri Tlusty and Nikolai Kulemin. Tlusty has been rated as a solid prospect, but has been anything but that. He scored 25+ goals with the AHL Marlboros, but that has not translated into success at the NHL level. It doesn’t look like that will happen. As for Kulemin he had flashes of strong play here and there, but half the time he looks out of it, went into prolonged scoring slumps, he doesn’t back check, and is a one dimensional player.
Goaltending, a position that was a real weak point on the Leafs and was a main reason as to why they gave up so many goals. Starting goalie Vesa Toskala was injured for the whole season, and had groin surgery and his was shut down. Now he looks better than ever, more agile, better puck handling and he looks so much more comfortable playing goal. There is a chance for him to win thirty games this season if he stays healthy. If not, then the Leafs have Joey MacDonald and prized free agent goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. MacDonald so far has had a real good pre-season and will battle Gustavsson for the back-up role. Again, if Toskala doesn’t perform, both MacDonald and Gustavsson have been starting goaltenders at one point in their careers.
OVERALL--> THE LEAFS HAVE A MUCH IMPROVED DEFENSE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A HEALTHY VESA TOSKALA AS WELL. THE OFFENSE HAS SOMEWHAT IMPROVED, AND WILL REALLY BE GOOD IF THE YOUNG LINE OF HANSON, BOZAK AND STALBERG HAVE GOOD ROOKIE SEASON’S.
POSITIVE--> THE REBUILD IS IN FULL EFFECT WITH SOME GOOD YOUNG TALENT ON THE WAY. LUKE SCHENN SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER GOOD SEASON ON A MUCH IMPROVED DEFENSIVE UNIT. GOALTENDING LOOKS GOOD IF HEALTHY. THE ADDITION OF PHIL KESSEL.
NEGATIVE--> OBVIOUSLY THE TORONTO MEDIA; THEY ARE LIKE VULTURES LOOKING FOR SOMETHING BAD TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME. DEFENSE AND GOALTENDING WERE REAL BAD LAST SEASON, AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY HAVE REALLY IMPROVED WITH ALL THOSE CHANGES.
X-FACTOR--> THE LEAFS REALLY DIDN’T HAVE ONE LAST SEASON, AND IT LOOKS AS IF THERE ISN’T ONE NOW. AS USUAL GOALTENDING WINS GAMES, SO VESA TOSKALA, JOEY MACDONALD AND JONAS GUSTAVSSON.
SLEEPER PICK--> JOHN MITCHELL SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER GOOD SEASON AND BUILD ON HIS SOLID ROOKIE YEAR. A 40+ POINT SEASON SHOULD BE ATTAINED FOR MITCHELL THIS YEAR.
PREDICTION--> THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WILL BE IN A BATTLE DOWN THE STRETCH FOR A PLAYOFF SPOT. THIS TEAM SHOULD FINISH IN SPOTS 8-10.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
General Manager Brian Burke made plenty of moves to the Leafs roster in his first full off season since joining the club midway through last season. He added grit, muscle, youthful talent and a solid sniper, who along with Luke Schenn, are the perfect building blocks.
Starting on defense, a word that wasn’t understood on this team, and it showed when the Leafs finished last in the league with 293 goals against. This season may be different, because a once thin defense is now over crowded with at least four spots booked, and two open for at least six players to battle it out in training camp. Luke Schenn was a sensation for the Leafs and the lone bright spot in a season full of dark clouds. Schenn cracked the club at 18 years old right out of training camp and did not upset. Sure, there were the few rookie mistakes that were going to happen, but other than that he was as advertised, a solid stay at home defenseman. The progression of Schenn will continue this season and his game will blossom.
The second defenseman that is guaranteed a spot on this club is Tomas Kaberle. He says he doesn’t want to leave Toronto, but management had a few ideas that did not come to fruition, and it turns out the best moves are the ones you don’t make. Kaberle will be sticking around which is a good thing because he is an agile smooth skating defenseman with good vision to get the puck out of the zone. His offensive numbers will get better this season with the addition of Mike Komisarek.
In Komisarek, who is also guaranteed a spot, the Leafs are getting a very physical defenseman, which blocks shots, kills penalties, and likes to win. Playing alongside Kaberle will help both players. Kaberle will have more room to move freely with puck, because Komisarek will knock the opposition out.
The fourth player is another free agent signing Francois Beauchemin. This guy was a steal and it was very surprising to see him on the free agent market for as long he was. What he brings to this club is a Stanley Cup ring with Anaheim, veteran leadership and experience, a smart player with the puck that can skate, and a heavy hitter. It will be nice to see Schenn and Beauchemin play together as pair. It will help Schenn develop and these two will be a very good shut down pair.
Then there are six players left that all have legit chances at cracking this club. One player that we can cross of is Phil Oreskovic, he is good and is a physical player something Burke loves, but he isn’t ready for a full time job just yet. That leaves five players, Ian White, Jonas Frogren, Jeff Finger, Mike Van Ryn and Ganett Exelby. White showed his versatility last season when he played the wing and defensive positions. So that could help the team in injury situations. Frogren was good but was not a consistent fit in the lineup. Finger may get one of the spots due to his large contract and will be tough to trade. Van Ryn should be a player to get one of those spots because he was a very good fit on this team. He would hit the opposition, take them out against the glass, and had good hands. Exelby is a real hard hitter that can knock out players if they are not paying attention to the play. Two payers that should be in the opening day lineup are Mike Van Ryn and Ian White. Then go from there and give each player a chance to play and see who fits. Then try and unload a few of these players for draft picks or youth.
Now onto offense a unit that got a real big boost when the Leafs acquired 36 goal man and 22 year old Phil Kessel. What an upgrade this is for the Leafs, a true first line sniper the Leafs have been missing since the Mats Sundin era. Unfortunately Kessel won’t be in the lineup until mid November due to recovering off-season shoulder surgery.
One line that warrants a look in the NHL full time is a line made up of rookies. Two of them were signed out of college and one from Sweden. Christian Hanson, Tyler Bozak and Victor Stalberg have proved that they are good enough to play full time. The pre-season that these three have had has been excellent. Hanson and Bozak can crash the net, yet skate, can score, yet cycle the puck and also crash the boards. With Stalberg he has wicked speed and in two steps is gone. He is a very good playmaker, who also has a quick snapshot when coming down the wing.
Another youngster that got a good look at was this seasons seventh overall draft choice, Nazem Kadri. He still is a long shot to make the club, but he too has had a good pre-season and may sneak into that opening day roster.
Now onto the regulars from last season, which include three players that stepped up their games. Matt Stajan, Alex Ponikarovsky and Mikhail Grabovski all had good seasons last year. Stajan hit a career high with forty assists, and is the front runner to play alongside Kessel when he returns. Stajan should continue his offensive output and raise his goal total of 15 from last year. Ponikarovsky had a real good season last year with 23 goals and 38 assists, and should hit the 60 point plateau once again. Grabovski really shone in his first full season in the NHL with his speed, control on the puck, and goal scoring. He hit twenty last season, which he should repeat this season. He too is another player that should hit sixty points and would be a great improvement from his 48 last year.
Jason Blake finally had a season that was worth his contract with 25 goals and 38 assists. Hopefully he can at least duplicate the 25 goals. Lee Stempniak really needs to bring his game to another level, because the contract he has and the stats he has posted what a waste of money. He scored all of 14 goals last season, compared to two seasons ago when hit 27. Anything better than last season would be an improvement for Stempniak. Niklas Hagman had a good first year with the Leafs scoring 22 goals in 65 games. He could’ve played the whole season if it hadn’t been for a cheap shot he received to the head to knock him out a few games. If he gets a whole season in, Hagman should score 26-29 goals. John Mitchell really surprised a lot of people and has become a fan favourite because of his work ethic, drive, and determination. His 12 goals and 17 assists was a very strong rookie campaign. This season he may even hit twenty, because Head Coach Ron Wilson started to reward Mitchell with more ice time due to his strong play. Jamal Mayers is just a good player to have on any team because of his strong attitude, and he too has strong drive to win games and do the little things. That was why Wayne Primeau was brought in; he has a strong work ethic and a passion for the game. The only negative on him is his skating, he is very slow, and that will hurt this team at times. One of Brian Burke’s favourite signings was a four year deal he gave to Colton Orr. This player is misinterpreted, and is labeled a fighter only. Orr can skate, get in on the rush, block shots, knows how to position himself defensively, and plays physical.
Two players that should be traded right now for draft picks are Jiri Tlusty and Nikolai Kulemin. Tlusty has been rated as a solid prospect, but has been anything but that. He scored 25+ goals with the AHL Marlboros, but that has not translated into success at the NHL level. It doesn’t look like that will happen. As for Kulemin he had flashes of strong play here and there, but half the time he looks out of it, went into prolonged scoring slumps, he doesn’t back check, and is a one dimensional player.
Goaltending, a position that was a real weak point on the Leafs and was a main reason as to why they gave up so many goals. Starting goalie Vesa Toskala was injured for the whole season, and had groin surgery and his was shut down. Now he looks better than ever, more agile, better puck handling and he looks so much more comfortable playing goal. There is a chance for him to win thirty games this season if he stays healthy. If not, then the Leafs have Joey MacDonald and prized free agent goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. MacDonald so far has had a real good pre-season and will battle Gustavsson for the back-up role. Again, if Toskala doesn’t perform, both MacDonald and Gustavsson have been starting goaltenders at one point in their careers.
OVERALL--> THE LEAFS HAVE A MUCH IMPROVED DEFENSE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE A HEALTHY VESA TOSKALA AS WELL. THE OFFENSE HAS SOMEWHAT IMPROVED, AND WILL REALLY BE GOOD IF THE YOUNG LINE OF HANSON, BOZAK AND STALBERG HAVE GOOD ROOKIE SEASON’S.
POSITIVE--> THE REBUILD IS IN FULL EFFECT WITH SOME GOOD YOUNG TALENT ON THE WAY. LUKE SCHENN SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER GOOD SEASON ON A MUCH IMPROVED DEFENSIVE UNIT. GOALTENDING LOOKS GOOD IF HEALTHY. THE ADDITION OF PHIL KESSEL.
NEGATIVE--> OBVIOUSLY THE TORONTO MEDIA; THEY ARE LIKE VULTURES LOOKING FOR SOMETHING BAD TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME. DEFENSE AND GOALTENDING WERE REAL BAD LAST SEASON, AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY HAVE REALLY IMPROVED WITH ALL THOSE CHANGES.
X-FACTOR--> THE LEAFS REALLY DIDN’T HAVE ONE LAST SEASON, AND IT LOOKS AS IF THERE ISN’T ONE NOW. AS USUAL GOALTENDING WINS GAMES, SO VESA TOSKALA, JOEY MACDONALD AND JONAS GUSTAVSSON.
SLEEPER PICK--> JOHN MITCHELL SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER GOOD SEASON AND BUILD ON HIS SOLID ROOKIE YEAR. A 40+ POINT SEASON SHOULD BE ATTAINED FOR MITCHELL THIS YEAR.
PREDICTION--> THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS WILL BE IN A BATTLE DOWN THE STRETCH FOR A PLAYOFF SPOT. THIS TEAM SHOULD FINISH IN SPOTS 8-10.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
2009-10 NHL FORECASTER: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (24-40-18 66 PTS., 14TH EAST)
The Lightning of last season really sucked, and it showed when they finished fourteenth in the East. Who knows what Lightning team will show up this season, because they have some pretty good players, but this organization is in disarray. The ownership is in whack with each of them trying to buy each other out. You never know maybe this team will step up make some noise and make the playoffs. The Lightning started off in the right direction when they drafted highly touted defensemen Victor Hedman who is just 19 years old. He already is ranked high on the depth charts and will be a starter this season.
With Hedman on defense, the Lightning have a few others that can play as well. Mattias Ohlund and Kurtis Foster were smart off-season moves made by the team. With Ohlund the Lightning are getting a veteran defensemen that is very steady and plays the game smart. Scoring isn’t his strong point, but he can still shore up the power play units and chip in with thirty points. Foster is another defenseman that is steady, a very smooth skater, but has yet to play a full season in the NHL due to injuries. So durability is a question with Foster. Lukas Krajicek has been a heavy hitter on the back end so far in his career, but has been a minus player and needs to change that aspect of his game. Andrej Meszaros was brought in to help out the defense, and has, but another part of his game has dropped, offense. When the Lightning signed him to a six year deal they expected him to have good offensive numbers, but so far really hasn’t been that good in producing points. Paul Ranger is another defenseman that has fit in nicely with Tampa, and has developed into a strong skating player in four years. He and Hedman are most definitely the future of this Tampa defense.
The defense will struggle to score points, as none of the six players mentioned have scored more than forty points in the past three seasons. If all six score forty points each that would work out nice, but that will be extremely tough to do.
Offensively, the Lightning has a good solid core with Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. These three will be looked upon to carry this team not only offensively, but pretty much into the playoffs. If Lecavalier works out in the summer to better condition himself or have that extra motivation, he would probably be one of the top five players in the world. He doesn’t do or have any of those things, which makes him a really good player, but could be great. Amazingly enough, he has only scored 90 and 100 points one time each, and those two seasons were in the past two out of three seasons. For some reason he took a back seat last season and only scored 29 goals and had 67 points. He dropped 25 points from the 97 he scored in 2008. Lecavalier needs more focus in his career, but that is tough to do when he has a multi million dollar contract over eight more years.
Martin St. Louis was probably the best player the Lightning had when he scored thirty goals and added fifty assists. Over the past five years St. Louis has been Mr. Consistency with his strong play, work ethic and determination. Maybe Lecavalier could learn a thing or two from St. Louis.
After St. Louis and Lecavalier as number one and two in team scoring, Stamkos finished third with 46 points in a less than stellar rookie season. One stat that did stick out was his 23 goals, and he should be able to hit the thirty goals and sixty point plateaus this season. Following up in team scoring and finishing fourth was Ryan Malone. His point total may not be the greatest, but he was signed to a monster deal to score goals, and that’s what he did with 26.
After those four players, the offense gets pretty weak and the talent level drops off. The Lightning did sign Alex Tanguay who has seen his best days as an NHLer go by him. So, maybe Tanguay is making the offense better, or weaker, only time will tell. After 81 points in 2007 which was a career best for Tanguay, things looked to be on the rise for him, but he has seen his point totals drop the past two years. He scored just 58 points in 2008 and an injury shortened season last year he hit 41 points.
The rest of the offense is filled out by veteran players that can chip in but not on a consistent basis. A few young players are still a few seasons away from making a major impact in the NHL. One player that could be a starter this season is Dana Tyrell, and this twenty year old may just get a good look at this season.
Mike Smith will be leading the way in the goaltending department. He won 14 games and lost 18 last season, but his 2.62 GAA and .916 save percentage were pretty good. If he can repeat those numbers his personal and team record should both improve. If he slips once the Lightning will be quick to pull the trigger on him and give free agent signing Antero Nittymaki a chance to be the number one goalie. For Nittymaki this season should be one where he really plays hard, because he was cut from Philadelphia and was supposed to be the goalie of the future. Even with these two, the inexperience and lack of winning has goaltending on shaky grounds.
OVERALL--> THE LIGHTNING HAVE AN OKAY TEAM BUT LACK ON DEPTH AND REAL CONSISTENT SCORING. THE DEFENSE IS GOOD THIS SEASON WITH THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
POSITIVE--> GOOD FIRST LINE WITH VENCENT LECAVALIER, MARTIN ST. LOUIS AND STEVEN STAMKOS. REAL GOOD PROSPECT IN VICTOR HEDMAN, AND WILL IMPROVE THE DEFENSE.
NEGATIVE--> DEPTH IS WEAK ON OFFENSE, AND THE STARTING GOALTENDING STILL HAS A FEW QUESTION MARKS.
X-FACTOR--> IT HAS TO BE VINCENT LECAVALIER, AND WHEN HE PLAYS THE TEAM WINS. HE PROVED LAST SEASON IF HE ISN’T ON HIS GAME THE TEAM SUCKS.
SLEEPER PICK--> REALLY DON’T SEE ANY PLAYER THAT WILL STEP UP ON THIS TEAM.
PREDICTION--> THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING WILL NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
With Hedman on defense, the Lightning have a few others that can play as well. Mattias Ohlund and Kurtis Foster were smart off-season moves made by the team. With Ohlund the Lightning are getting a veteran defensemen that is very steady and plays the game smart. Scoring isn’t his strong point, but he can still shore up the power play units and chip in with thirty points. Foster is another defenseman that is steady, a very smooth skater, but has yet to play a full season in the NHL due to injuries. So durability is a question with Foster. Lukas Krajicek has been a heavy hitter on the back end so far in his career, but has been a minus player and needs to change that aspect of his game. Andrej Meszaros was brought in to help out the defense, and has, but another part of his game has dropped, offense. When the Lightning signed him to a six year deal they expected him to have good offensive numbers, but so far really hasn’t been that good in producing points. Paul Ranger is another defenseman that has fit in nicely with Tampa, and has developed into a strong skating player in four years. He and Hedman are most definitely the future of this Tampa defense.
The defense will struggle to score points, as none of the six players mentioned have scored more than forty points in the past three seasons. If all six score forty points each that would work out nice, but that will be extremely tough to do.
Offensively, the Lightning has a good solid core with Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. These three will be looked upon to carry this team not only offensively, but pretty much into the playoffs. If Lecavalier works out in the summer to better condition himself or have that extra motivation, he would probably be one of the top five players in the world. He doesn’t do or have any of those things, which makes him a really good player, but could be great. Amazingly enough, he has only scored 90 and 100 points one time each, and those two seasons were in the past two out of three seasons. For some reason he took a back seat last season and only scored 29 goals and had 67 points. He dropped 25 points from the 97 he scored in 2008. Lecavalier needs more focus in his career, but that is tough to do when he has a multi million dollar contract over eight more years.
Martin St. Louis was probably the best player the Lightning had when he scored thirty goals and added fifty assists. Over the past five years St. Louis has been Mr. Consistency with his strong play, work ethic and determination. Maybe Lecavalier could learn a thing or two from St. Louis.
After St. Louis and Lecavalier as number one and two in team scoring, Stamkos finished third with 46 points in a less than stellar rookie season. One stat that did stick out was his 23 goals, and he should be able to hit the thirty goals and sixty point plateaus this season. Following up in team scoring and finishing fourth was Ryan Malone. His point total may not be the greatest, but he was signed to a monster deal to score goals, and that’s what he did with 26.
After those four players, the offense gets pretty weak and the talent level drops off. The Lightning did sign Alex Tanguay who has seen his best days as an NHLer go by him. So, maybe Tanguay is making the offense better, or weaker, only time will tell. After 81 points in 2007 which was a career best for Tanguay, things looked to be on the rise for him, but he has seen his point totals drop the past two years. He scored just 58 points in 2008 and an injury shortened season last year he hit 41 points.
The rest of the offense is filled out by veteran players that can chip in but not on a consistent basis. A few young players are still a few seasons away from making a major impact in the NHL. One player that could be a starter this season is Dana Tyrell, and this twenty year old may just get a good look at this season.
Mike Smith will be leading the way in the goaltending department. He won 14 games and lost 18 last season, but his 2.62 GAA and .916 save percentage were pretty good. If he can repeat those numbers his personal and team record should both improve. If he slips once the Lightning will be quick to pull the trigger on him and give free agent signing Antero Nittymaki a chance to be the number one goalie. For Nittymaki this season should be one where he really plays hard, because he was cut from Philadelphia and was supposed to be the goalie of the future. Even with these two, the inexperience and lack of winning has goaltending on shaky grounds.
OVERALL--> THE LIGHTNING HAVE AN OKAY TEAM BUT LACK ON DEPTH AND REAL CONSISTENT SCORING. THE DEFENSE IS GOOD THIS SEASON WITH THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE.
POSITIVE--> GOOD FIRST LINE WITH VENCENT LECAVALIER, MARTIN ST. LOUIS AND STEVEN STAMKOS. REAL GOOD PROSPECT IN VICTOR HEDMAN, AND WILL IMPROVE THE DEFENSE.
NEGATIVE--> DEPTH IS WEAK ON OFFENSE, AND THE STARTING GOALTENDING STILL HAS A FEW QUESTION MARKS.
X-FACTOR--> IT HAS TO BE VINCENT LECAVALIER, AND WHEN HE PLAYS THE TEAM WINS. HE PROVED LAST SEASON IF HE ISN’T ON HIS GAME THE TEAM SUCKS.
SLEEPER PICK--> REALLY DON’T SEE ANY PLAYER THAT WILL STEP UP ON THIS TEAM.
PREDICTION--> THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING WILL NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009-10 NHL FORECASTER: ST. LOUIS BLUES (41-31-10 92 PTS., 6TH WEST)
This Blues franchise took a major step forward last season when they made the playoffs with a relatively young team. That is huge, because the rebuilding process just got accelerated, and expectations will be high in St. Louis this season. A key to this season is to get off to a better start, and better the team’s chances and just make things a little easier. Instead of heading into the last half of the season, with each game deciding your teams’ playoff future. That hurt the Blues last year, as they ran out of gas when the playoffs began and promptly got swept in the first round by Vancouver.
That was a major stepping stone for the Blues organization, because the brass now knows that this team is heading in the right direction, and the type of players they have. The Blues aren’t short on youthful talent, as they have a few that broke out last season, and are on the rise with this club.
Slowly but surely, it looks as if this Blues team is Brad Boyes’. He is just 27, but has developed at a rapid pace in the NHL, starting with Boston, and continued that with St. Louis and led them in team scoring last season. In two full seasons with the Blues, Boyes has scored 43 and 33 goals, with the latter coming last year. Boyes has proved that he is a consistent thirty goal scorer, and should eclipse that mark this season. The talent on this roster is very good, and can all help each other out.
Continuing with the youth, the Blues also have a few players that were virtual unknowns, but last season was a different story. David Backes, David Perron, Patrick Berglund, TJ Oshie and BJ Crombeen all had good successful season’s that warranted full time employment in the NHL. Backes was phenomenal with 31 goals and finished second in team scoring with 54 points. He did all that in just his second full season with the Blues. Last season Perron played full time and played in 81 games. With a full season he really impressed and showed his strong playmaking ability with 35 assists, and he finished third in team scoring with 50 points. What a showing for rookie Patrick Berglund with a 21 goal, 47 point season and a +19, how about that for a rookie? TJ Oshie really surprised the Blues when he came in after a third of the season was complete and made the most of his time with 39 points in 57 games. BJ Crombeen was a steal off the waiver wire last season, and he was a solid third line player with plenty of speed.
For this St. Louis offense to be real good, they will need Paul Kariya and Andy McDonald to be healthy. Kariya may have lost his goal scoring touch but can still manage fifteen, but his playmaking is still at a high level. In the eleven games he played in before going down with an injury the rest of the season, he scored 15 points in eleven games. Injuries have hurt McDonald big time the last three seasons, but when healthy, McDonald is a point a game player.
Defensively the Blues tightened up their game in the second half of last season, and if they didn’t, they would’ve had the worst defense in the league. The Blues will have two steady defensemen patrolling the blue line in Eric Brewer and Barret Jackman. Even injuries shortened Brewer’s season, but when he is healthy, he is as solid as they come. Playing alongside Jackman, this will be the go to pair on the Blues defense. Scoring from the blue line won’t come from Brewer or Jackman, but from Carlo Colaiacovo. Even his numbers don’t jump out at you, but he is good for thirty points. Overall, he is a good defenseman that can really skate and pass the puck.
The final three spots may be occupied by three young players that are under the age of 23. That 23 year old is Roman Polak, who is another stay at home defensemen. He can also jump into the rush and lead a rush out of his own zone. The same goes for 21 year old Erik Johnson and 19 year old Alex Pietrangelo. Scoring could come from these two youngsters if given a full season with the Blues. The chances are very high for them to start the season.
Goaltending was one of the stronger points for the Blues as they have found a real reliable player in Chris Mason. Mason went 27-21-7, with a 2.41 GAA and .916 save percentage. Winning more than 33 games should be accomplished this season, because this Blues team is one year wiser and more confident.
OVERALL--> THIS BLUES TEAM WILL BE VERY FUN TO WATCH AS THEY HAVE A LOT OF SPEED FROM THE BACK END ON THROUGH TO THE OFFENSE. THE BLUES COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE FIVE PAYERS TO SCORE 20 OR MORE GOALS THIS SEASON. HOCKEY LOOKS LIKE IT IS ABCK IN ST. LOUIS AND THIS TEAM COULD USE THE CITIES SUPPORT.
POSITIVE--> FIRST OFF, GOOD FAN BASE. THE OFFENSE SHOULD IMPROVE ON ITS 233 GOALS FOR FROM LAST SEASON. THE DEFENSE WILL BE BETTER WITH ERICE BREWER BACK AND HEALTHY. CHRIS MASON LOOKS TO HAVE FOUND A HOME IN ST. LOUIS.
NEGATIVE--> THE YOUTH MOVEMENT MAY SHOW ITS FLASHES HERE AND THERE WITH SOME WEAK PLAY FROM THE OFFENSE, TO A DEFENSE THAT HAS THREE PLAYERS UNDER THE AGE OF 23.
X-FACTOR--> LAST SEASON IT WAS CHRIS MASON WITH HIS BRILLIANT GOALTENDING, AND IT IS HIM AGAIN THIS SEASON BECAUSE STRONG GOALTENDING WINS GAMES. WITH A GOOD NOT GREAT DEFENSE IN FRONT HIM, HE WILL NEED TO BE SHARP EACH AND EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
SLEEPER PICK--> ALEX PIETRANGELO WILL HAVE A STRONG SHOWING THIS SEASON IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY A FULL SEASON. FOR THE BLUES, THEY SHOULD STOP WORRYING ABOUT HIS YOUNG CONTRACT AND EARLY FREE AGENCY AND LET HIM PLAY.
PREDICTION--> THE ST. LOUIS BLUES WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND EARN 95 POINTS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
That was a major stepping stone for the Blues organization, because the brass now knows that this team is heading in the right direction, and the type of players they have. The Blues aren’t short on youthful talent, as they have a few that broke out last season, and are on the rise with this club.
Slowly but surely, it looks as if this Blues team is Brad Boyes’. He is just 27, but has developed at a rapid pace in the NHL, starting with Boston, and continued that with St. Louis and led them in team scoring last season. In two full seasons with the Blues, Boyes has scored 43 and 33 goals, with the latter coming last year. Boyes has proved that he is a consistent thirty goal scorer, and should eclipse that mark this season. The talent on this roster is very good, and can all help each other out.
Continuing with the youth, the Blues also have a few players that were virtual unknowns, but last season was a different story. David Backes, David Perron, Patrick Berglund, TJ Oshie and BJ Crombeen all had good successful season’s that warranted full time employment in the NHL. Backes was phenomenal with 31 goals and finished second in team scoring with 54 points. He did all that in just his second full season with the Blues. Last season Perron played full time and played in 81 games. With a full season he really impressed and showed his strong playmaking ability with 35 assists, and he finished third in team scoring with 50 points. What a showing for rookie Patrick Berglund with a 21 goal, 47 point season and a +19, how about that for a rookie? TJ Oshie really surprised the Blues when he came in after a third of the season was complete and made the most of his time with 39 points in 57 games. BJ Crombeen was a steal off the waiver wire last season, and he was a solid third line player with plenty of speed.
For this St. Louis offense to be real good, they will need Paul Kariya and Andy McDonald to be healthy. Kariya may have lost his goal scoring touch but can still manage fifteen, but his playmaking is still at a high level. In the eleven games he played in before going down with an injury the rest of the season, he scored 15 points in eleven games. Injuries have hurt McDonald big time the last three seasons, but when healthy, McDonald is a point a game player.
Defensively the Blues tightened up their game in the second half of last season, and if they didn’t, they would’ve had the worst defense in the league. The Blues will have two steady defensemen patrolling the blue line in Eric Brewer and Barret Jackman. Even injuries shortened Brewer’s season, but when he is healthy, he is as solid as they come. Playing alongside Jackman, this will be the go to pair on the Blues defense. Scoring from the blue line won’t come from Brewer or Jackman, but from Carlo Colaiacovo. Even his numbers don’t jump out at you, but he is good for thirty points. Overall, he is a good defenseman that can really skate and pass the puck.
The final three spots may be occupied by three young players that are under the age of 23. That 23 year old is Roman Polak, who is another stay at home defensemen. He can also jump into the rush and lead a rush out of his own zone. The same goes for 21 year old Erik Johnson and 19 year old Alex Pietrangelo. Scoring could come from these two youngsters if given a full season with the Blues. The chances are very high for them to start the season.
Goaltending was one of the stronger points for the Blues as they have found a real reliable player in Chris Mason. Mason went 27-21-7, with a 2.41 GAA and .916 save percentage. Winning more than 33 games should be accomplished this season, because this Blues team is one year wiser and more confident.
OVERALL--> THIS BLUES TEAM WILL BE VERY FUN TO WATCH AS THEY HAVE A LOT OF SPEED FROM THE BACK END ON THROUGH TO THE OFFENSE. THE BLUES COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE FIVE PAYERS TO SCORE 20 OR MORE GOALS THIS SEASON. HOCKEY LOOKS LIKE IT IS ABCK IN ST. LOUIS AND THIS TEAM COULD USE THE CITIES SUPPORT.
POSITIVE--> FIRST OFF, GOOD FAN BASE. THE OFFENSE SHOULD IMPROVE ON ITS 233 GOALS FOR FROM LAST SEASON. THE DEFENSE WILL BE BETTER WITH ERICE BREWER BACK AND HEALTHY. CHRIS MASON LOOKS TO HAVE FOUND A HOME IN ST. LOUIS.
NEGATIVE--> THE YOUTH MOVEMENT MAY SHOW ITS FLASHES HERE AND THERE WITH SOME WEAK PLAY FROM THE OFFENSE, TO A DEFENSE THAT HAS THREE PLAYERS UNDER THE AGE OF 23.
X-FACTOR--> LAST SEASON IT WAS CHRIS MASON WITH HIS BRILLIANT GOALTENDING, AND IT IS HIM AGAIN THIS SEASON BECAUSE STRONG GOALTENDING WINS GAMES. WITH A GOOD NOT GREAT DEFENSE IN FRONT HIM, HE WILL NEED TO BE SHARP EACH AND EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
SLEEPER PICK--> ALEX PIETRANGELO WILL HAVE A STRONG SHOWING THIS SEASON IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY A FULL SEASON. FOR THE BLUES, THEY SHOULD STOP WORRYING ABOUT HIS YOUNG CONTRACT AND EARLY FREE AGENCY AND LET HIM PLAY.
PREDICTION--> THE ST. LOUIS BLUES WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND EARN 95 POINTS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
2009-10 NHL FORECASTER: SAN JOSE SHARKS (53-18-11 117 PTS., 1ST WEST)
This Sharks team knows exactly how to under-achieve. After finishing first overall in the league, and guaranteed home ice throughout the playoffs, the Sharks bowed out in the first round of the playoffs to eighth seeded Anaheim. That was a crushing blow to this franchise, because last season was the perfect time to make a legitimate run to the Cup. The Sharks were an over-rated team and it showed. This team has another good roster this season, but finishing first may not happen this season. Another division title should happen, which is a top three finish in the west guarantee.
A few problems that struck this team were indecisiveness, clutch scoring, good defense and their go to players under-performed during the playoffs. In the season it was a whole different story. The Sharks looked unbeatable each and every single night.
This season the Sharks core of two players, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, has been expanded to three with the trade for Dany Heatley. If the Marleau trade rumors and him not being happy settle down or vanish, the Sharks will have two explosive lines. Their number one line is already dangerous with Thornton and Heatley on the same line.
Both Thornton and Heatley had off years going by their standards. If it were any other player, their last season’s stats would’ve been excellent. The 86 points Thornton put up were good but not Thornton good. Joe can average at least 90 points. As for Heatley, he is a fifty goal threat each season, but last year in Ottawa he only scored 39 goals, which is damn good, but he could do much better. If Thornton and Heatley get back on track, the Sharks will be a force in the west.
As for Marleau, he got back on track with a 38 goal and 71 point season. He should continue to put up another 70+ point season this year, and if he can the Sharks will have two dominant lines then.
Rounding out the offensive corps for the Sharks is Ryan Clowe and Devin Setoguchi. Last season Clowe had a breakout year with 22 goals and 52 points. If he can match that, playing alongside Marleau, those two should have a great season together. Setoguchi also had a breakout season in his sophomore year, and scored 31 goals along with 34 assists. That’s what happens when you play with Joe Thornton. If Setoguchi can somehow manage to score forty goals, and Heatley hits 45+, the Sharks will have the best line in the West. No one will be able to match the talent there.
Torrey Mitchell and Joe Pavelski have developed nicely with the Sharks over the past few years, and have made the Sharks only one of a handful of teams that has three solid scoring lines. Injuries hurt Mitchell’s progression last season, but this season he will be one of the better third line players in the game. Pavelski has turned into a nice surprise, and you never know what type of player you are getting when drafting in the later rounds. For the Sharks they got a real good player that scored 25 goals last season, and has seen his goal and point totals rise since his rookie season in 2007.
The Sharks have some good veteran players to fill out a fourth line, to compliment the good well balanced attack on the first three.
Defensively the Sharks have one of the best defensemen in the game in Dan Boyle. He was a stud on defense and was a real good point producer from the back end with 57 points. He along with Rob Blake was a real good shut down pair, and also led rushes out of the zone. For Blake he will be forty years old, but can still play at a high level and his 15 and 45 points are proof enough. Overall, the Sharks have a real good veteran defense led by the two players mentioned. Following up are Douglas Murray and Kent Huskins.
Murray is more of a stay at home defensemen and really thrived in that role, which won him a lot of playing time the past two seasons. As for Huskins, he is a proven winner and has won the Stanley Cup, and this was a real good signing by the Sharks. One of the younger defensemen the Sharks have is Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and he has fit in nice with this team. In the past three seasons Vlasic has played a full 82 game schedule each time, and doubled his point total, from the other two seasons combined.
With a good defense, goaltender Evgeni Nabakov should have another 35+ win season. In the past two seasons, Nabakov has won a combined 87 games, and 41 of them came last season. Along with those victories, a .910 save percentage was posted and a 2.44 GAA.
OVERALL--> THE SHARKS SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER GOOD SEASON WITH A RE-TOOLED OFFENSE, AND A VETERAN DEFENSE THAT CAN PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL. STARTING GOALTENDING IS VERY SOLID.
POSITIVE--> THE OFFENSIVE UNIT IS EXCELLENT, LED BY JOE THORNTON, PATRICK MARLEAU AND DANY HEATLEY. AGAIN, THE DEFENSE IS GOOD TO GO.
NEGATIVE--> THE FINAL DEFENSIVE SPOT HASN’T BEEN FILLED YET, WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM. THE SHARKS NEED THE PERFECT PLAYER TO FIT INTO AN ALREADY STEADY DEFENSE. LET’S JUST SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS TEAM COME PLAYOFF TEAM: WILL THEY CHOKE AS USUAL, OR ACTUALLY WIN.
X-FACTOR--> JOE THORNTON IS THE OFFENSIVE LEADER ON THIS TEAM, AND IF HE PLAYS WELL THE SHARKS WILL THRIVE.
SLEEPER PICK--> TORREY MITCHELL SHOULD SCORE CLOSE TO 35-40 POINTS THIS SEASON IF HE PLAYS A FULL 82 GAME SEASON.
PREDICTION--> THE SAN JOSE SHARKS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, WIN 45+ GAMES AND WIN THE PACIFIC DIVISION.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
A few problems that struck this team were indecisiveness, clutch scoring, good defense and their go to players under-performed during the playoffs. In the season it was a whole different story. The Sharks looked unbeatable each and every single night.
This season the Sharks core of two players, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, has been expanded to three with the trade for Dany Heatley. If the Marleau trade rumors and him not being happy settle down or vanish, the Sharks will have two explosive lines. Their number one line is already dangerous with Thornton and Heatley on the same line.
Both Thornton and Heatley had off years going by their standards. If it were any other player, their last season’s stats would’ve been excellent. The 86 points Thornton put up were good but not Thornton good. Joe can average at least 90 points. As for Heatley, he is a fifty goal threat each season, but last year in Ottawa he only scored 39 goals, which is damn good, but he could do much better. If Thornton and Heatley get back on track, the Sharks will be a force in the west.
As for Marleau, he got back on track with a 38 goal and 71 point season. He should continue to put up another 70+ point season this year, and if he can the Sharks will have two dominant lines then.
Rounding out the offensive corps for the Sharks is Ryan Clowe and Devin Setoguchi. Last season Clowe had a breakout year with 22 goals and 52 points. If he can match that, playing alongside Marleau, those two should have a great season together. Setoguchi also had a breakout season in his sophomore year, and scored 31 goals along with 34 assists. That’s what happens when you play with Joe Thornton. If Setoguchi can somehow manage to score forty goals, and Heatley hits 45+, the Sharks will have the best line in the West. No one will be able to match the talent there.
Torrey Mitchell and Joe Pavelski have developed nicely with the Sharks over the past few years, and have made the Sharks only one of a handful of teams that has three solid scoring lines. Injuries hurt Mitchell’s progression last season, but this season he will be one of the better third line players in the game. Pavelski has turned into a nice surprise, and you never know what type of player you are getting when drafting in the later rounds. For the Sharks they got a real good player that scored 25 goals last season, and has seen his goal and point totals rise since his rookie season in 2007.
The Sharks have some good veteran players to fill out a fourth line, to compliment the good well balanced attack on the first three.
Defensively the Sharks have one of the best defensemen in the game in Dan Boyle. He was a stud on defense and was a real good point producer from the back end with 57 points. He along with Rob Blake was a real good shut down pair, and also led rushes out of the zone. For Blake he will be forty years old, but can still play at a high level and his 15 and 45 points are proof enough. Overall, the Sharks have a real good veteran defense led by the two players mentioned. Following up are Douglas Murray and Kent Huskins.
Murray is more of a stay at home defensemen and really thrived in that role, which won him a lot of playing time the past two seasons. As for Huskins, he is a proven winner and has won the Stanley Cup, and this was a real good signing by the Sharks. One of the younger defensemen the Sharks have is Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and he has fit in nice with this team. In the past three seasons Vlasic has played a full 82 game schedule each time, and doubled his point total, from the other two seasons combined.
With a good defense, goaltender Evgeni Nabakov should have another 35+ win season. In the past two seasons, Nabakov has won a combined 87 games, and 41 of them came last season. Along with those victories, a .910 save percentage was posted and a 2.44 GAA.
OVERALL--> THE SHARKS SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER GOOD SEASON WITH A RE-TOOLED OFFENSE, AND A VETERAN DEFENSE THAT CAN PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL. STARTING GOALTENDING IS VERY SOLID.
POSITIVE--> THE OFFENSIVE UNIT IS EXCELLENT, LED BY JOE THORNTON, PATRICK MARLEAU AND DANY HEATLEY. AGAIN, THE DEFENSE IS GOOD TO GO.
NEGATIVE--> THE FINAL DEFENSIVE SPOT HASN’T BEEN FILLED YET, WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM. THE SHARKS NEED THE PERFECT PLAYER TO FIT INTO AN ALREADY STEADY DEFENSE. LET’S JUST SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS TEAM COME PLAYOFF TEAM: WILL THEY CHOKE AS USUAL, OR ACTUALLY WIN.
X-FACTOR--> JOE THORNTON IS THE OFFENSIVE LEADER ON THIS TEAM, AND IF HE PLAYS WELL THE SHARKS WILL THRIVE.
SLEEPER PICK--> TORREY MITCHELL SHOULD SCORE CLOSE TO 35-40 POINTS THIS SEASON IF HE PLAYS A FULL 82 GAME SEASON.
PREDICTION--> THE SAN JOSE SHARKS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, WIN 45+ GAMES AND WIN THE PACIFIC DIVISION.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
2009-10 NHL FORECASTER: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (45-28-9 99 PTS., 4TH EAST
This Penguins team had a bumpy first half last season, which culminated in the firing of Michel Therrien. His replacement was Dan Bylsma, and he let the players play, which was exactly what that team needed. When you have two superstars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, you cannot coach them because they are so good and smart. With that, they’ll make good moves on the ice and can always adjust their games while on the ice. After the coaching change, the Penguins went on a tear, climbed up the standings, made the playoffs, and the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. This time the Penguins did not upset their fans and won in Detroit and in game seven.
Once again this season, the Penguins are heavily favoured to sip from the Cup again. It will be a tough task considering the teams they will have to face in the East, who have bulked up over the summer to beat them. Also, the Penguins have played in the Finals two years in a row, which accumulates to over 205 games, with a combined 14 weeks off out of 112. Stamina, energy and mental preparedness will all have to be in check. Hopefully the Penguins have some young players that can make a difference this season, because their young legs will help this team out.
Speaking of young and still relatively young is 22 year old Captain Sidney Crosby. This guy truly was the savior of this franchise when drafted. With him in the lineup, and with decent players around him, the Penguins will always be dangerous. This season could be a potential milestone rush for Crosby. He is just three points away from four hundred, and the way he has been racking up 100+ point seasons, he will also hit 500 points for his career. He will also top 300 assists for his career as well. So Crosby living up to expectations is a certainty.
His sidekick, well you cannot say that anymore, because Evgeni Malkin showed he can play without Sidney on the same line, and went on to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading point scorer, and also led the league in assists. Malkin will also be in the running to hit a few milestones, as he can hit 400 points and 200 assists for his career. The potential is there for the Penguins to have two players in the same lineup with 120+ points in one season. Now that’s dangerous, and with that the Penguins will have one of the best offenses in the league.
The only problem on offense though, is that the Penguins don’t have anyone solid to backup Crosby and Malkin. The next best player after those two was Chris Kunitz, who had 53 points. Two players that should step up big time this season are Jordan Staal and Maxime Talbot. Ever since a solid rookie season, which came one goal shy of thirty, Jordan Staal has regressed in production. He still does all the smart things like kill penalties, makes good moves with the puck on defense, and is a good skater. This season he should at least hit sixty points. As for Talbot, who is a hard checking player, a forty point season should come from him.
Now onto defense, a group that tightened up their game, and shut down teams in the playoffs. This group doesn’t have all the big name players, but they get the job done under some good coaching. At times a few players don’t play the game smart. For the opposition, if they can hold the Penguins’ offense, they will crack their defense.
Kris Letang and Sergei Gonchar are the two best defensemen the Penguins have, and Letang is the future of this group. Letang has improved his game and his offensive output the last three seasons, and should truly have a breakout year this season. Gonchar is the constant pro on this team, a solid veteran to look up to. He played in 25 games last season due to injury, but was an anchor on defense during the playoffs. He is always a lock to score at least 50 points from the blue line.
Mark Eaton, Jay McKee and Brooks Oprik make up a solid trio of good stay at home defensemen. These three don’t always perform night in, night out, which could prove costly to the Penguins. Two players that will fight for that last roster spot are Alex Goligoski and Ben Lovejoy. The front runner is Goligoski who has played more games in the NHL and has valuable playoff experience.
Goaltending and the Penguins look good to go in this category as well. Marc-Andre Fleury had his coming out party during last season’s playoff run. He was a pillar between the pipes. This season Fleury should hit career highs in wins, save percentage and GAA. A few seasons ago Fleury posted 40 wins, and last season he had 35. Maybe 40 or more wins will be in the cards for Fleury.
OVERALL--> THE PENGUINS HAVE A SOLID GROUP OF YOUNG PLAYERS THAT HAVE ALREADY HIT THEIR POTENTIAL AND ARE HAVING MONSTER SEASON AFTER MONSTER SEASON. THE OFFENSE WILL RANK IN THE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, THE DEFENSE IS GOOD TO GO, AND GOALTENDING WILL BE SOLID THIS YEAR.
POSITIVE--> THE PENGUINS ARE LED BY SIDNEY CROSBY AND EVGENI MALKIN, HOW MUCH BETTER CAN A TEAM GET. OH YEAH, THEY HAVE AN ALL-STAR GOALIE IN MAR-ANDRE FLEURY.
NEGATIVE--> AFTER CROSBY AND MALKIN THERE IS A DROP OFF IN PRODUCTION. THE DEFENSE IS GOOD IN THE TOP HALF, BUT THE LATTER HALF IS SKEPTICAL.
X-FACTOR--> SIDNEY CROSBY IS THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS, THIS IS HIS TEAM, AND HE IS THE DRIVING FORCE.
SLEEPER PICK--> TYLER KENNEDY, HIS GOAL AND POINT TOTALS HAVE RISEN THE PAST TWO SEASONS, AND SHOULD IMPROVE HIS 15 GOALS AND 35 POINTS.
PREDICTION--> THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, BATTLE FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE EAST, AND FINISH IN THE TOP TWO IN THE EAST AS THE ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
Once again this season, the Penguins are heavily favoured to sip from the Cup again. It will be a tough task considering the teams they will have to face in the East, who have bulked up over the summer to beat them. Also, the Penguins have played in the Finals two years in a row, which accumulates to over 205 games, with a combined 14 weeks off out of 112. Stamina, energy and mental preparedness will all have to be in check. Hopefully the Penguins have some young players that can make a difference this season, because their young legs will help this team out.
Speaking of young and still relatively young is 22 year old Captain Sidney Crosby. This guy truly was the savior of this franchise when drafted. With him in the lineup, and with decent players around him, the Penguins will always be dangerous. This season could be a potential milestone rush for Crosby. He is just three points away from four hundred, and the way he has been racking up 100+ point seasons, he will also hit 500 points for his career. He will also top 300 assists for his career as well. So Crosby living up to expectations is a certainty.
His sidekick, well you cannot say that anymore, because Evgeni Malkin showed he can play without Sidney on the same line, and went on to win the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading point scorer, and also led the league in assists. Malkin will also be in the running to hit a few milestones, as he can hit 400 points and 200 assists for his career. The potential is there for the Penguins to have two players in the same lineup with 120+ points in one season. Now that’s dangerous, and with that the Penguins will have one of the best offenses in the league.
The only problem on offense though, is that the Penguins don’t have anyone solid to backup Crosby and Malkin. The next best player after those two was Chris Kunitz, who had 53 points. Two players that should step up big time this season are Jordan Staal and Maxime Talbot. Ever since a solid rookie season, which came one goal shy of thirty, Jordan Staal has regressed in production. He still does all the smart things like kill penalties, makes good moves with the puck on defense, and is a good skater. This season he should at least hit sixty points. As for Talbot, who is a hard checking player, a forty point season should come from him.
Now onto defense, a group that tightened up their game, and shut down teams in the playoffs. This group doesn’t have all the big name players, but they get the job done under some good coaching. At times a few players don’t play the game smart. For the opposition, if they can hold the Penguins’ offense, they will crack their defense.
Kris Letang and Sergei Gonchar are the two best defensemen the Penguins have, and Letang is the future of this group. Letang has improved his game and his offensive output the last three seasons, and should truly have a breakout year this season. Gonchar is the constant pro on this team, a solid veteran to look up to. He played in 25 games last season due to injury, but was an anchor on defense during the playoffs. He is always a lock to score at least 50 points from the blue line.
Mark Eaton, Jay McKee and Brooks Oprik make up a solid trio of good stay at home defensemen. These three don’t always perform night in, night out, which could prove costly to the Penguins. Two players that will fight for that last roster spot are Alex Goligoski and Ben Lovejoy. The front runner is Goligoski who has played more games in the NHL and has valuable playoff experience.
Goaltending and the Penguins look good to go in this category as well. Marc-Andre Fleury had his coming out party during last season’s playoff run. He was a pillar between the pipes. This season Fleury should hit career highs in wins, save percentage and GAA. A few seasons ago Fleury posted 40 wins, and last season he had 35. Maybe 40 or more wins will be in the cards for Fleury.
OVERALL--> THE PENGUINS HAVE A SOLID GROUP OF YOUNG PLAYERS THAT HAVE ALREADY HIT THEIR POTENTIAL AND ARE HAVING MONSTER SEASON AFTER MONSTER SEASON. THE OFFENSE WILL RANK IN THE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, THE DEFENSE IS GOOD TO GO, AND GOALTENDING WILL BE SOLID THIS YEAR.
POSITIVE--> THE PENGUINS ARE LED BY SIDNEY CROSBY AND EVGENI MALKIN, HOW MUCH BETTER CAN A TEAM GET. OH YEAH, THEY HAVE AN ALL-STAR GOALIE IN MAR-ANDRE FLEURY.
NEGATIVE--> AFTER CROSBY AND MALKIN THERE IS A DROP OFF IN PRODUCTION. THE DEFENSE IS GOOD IN THE TOP HALF, BUT THE LATTER HALF IS SKEPTICAL.
X-FACTOR--> SIDNEY CROSBY IS THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS, THIS IS HIS TEAM, AND HE IS THE DRIVING FORCE.
SLEEPER PICK--> TYLER KENNEDY, HIS GOAL AND POINT TOTALS HAVE RISEN THE PAST TWO SEASONS, AND SHOULD IMPROVE HIS 15 GOALS AND 35 POINTS.
PREDICTION--> THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, BATTLE FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE EAST, AND FINISH IN THE TOP TWO IN THE EAST AS THE ATLANTIC DIVISION CHAMPIONS.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
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