1. Chicago- The Blackhawks are stronger than ever and should be able to
make a good run out of this season and throughout the playoffs. With a good
gm behind their back they should rack up number one in this conference and
maybe with a little luck make a run for the president’s trophy.
Steve Larmer leads this group along with star gunners such as Pat
LaFontaine, Michel Goulet and Steve Thomas. With this 1st line scoring,
they should be able to finish off the other team using the firepower that
they have in this group of guys. Secondary scoring comes from Joel Otto,
Dirk Graham and Jocelyn Lemieux. Phil Housley is the big guy on defense as
he will probably log the most ice time out of all the defenseman. Dave
Manson and Doug Wilson will provide some support on defense as well. Ed
Belfour shouldn’t be much of a problem in net. At a still young age Belfour
can stop pretty much anything that comes near him but when it comes to
experience, it is what he lacks when it gets important, playoffs. The team
might want to get maybe a better backup goaltender other than Millen and
maybe get one more guy to help out Housley.
2. Edmonton- They may look like a one man army over there in Edmonton with
Fuhr in net but they do have other guys to get the job done. Their team is
one of the more balanced teams in the league and when playing, they do their
defensive job as well as their offensive job. Look for this team to place
high in the standings and definitely make a cup run.
Esa Tikkanen is the man on offense. He doesn’t focus on offense but his
leadership runs high on defense. Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri and Craig
Simpson will be asked to step up to provide some key goals in some games
while Craig MacTavish is yet another defensive guy like Tikkanen. Steve
Smith and Kevin Lowe are the big guys on defense but other than them, the
core of defensive guys is not very good. The goaltending is never an issue
for Edmonton as Grant Fuhr is a wall. Bill Ranford provides excellent
backup goaltending when needed. In defense they need a little help for sure
if they want to go for a big run in the playoffs, at least acquire a big
namer or someone with a lot of experience on their hands.
3. New York- This team is pretty solid with a few big namers. Their
goaltending could use a little help but other than that this team is set for
the playoffs for sure.
Everyone knows that Mark Messier can score goals. However he can’t be the
one doing everything for this team. This New York franchise has excellent
background scoring in guys like Cliff Ronning, Kelly Kisio, Brian Mullen,
and most importantly John Maclean. Guys like Bernie Nicholls can also be a
danger on the 3rd or 4th line so you cannot play good defensemen against
only one line against this team. Brian Leetch is the story on defense.
James Patrick helps out while Rochefort and Adam Burt provide secondary
defense. Mike Richter is solid in net but might not be able to match up to
the big guys come playoff time and even during the regular season. Some
better defense also needed for this team, maybe get a better goaltender for
a cup run.
4. Vancouver- If Larionov has still got it then this team is still alive.
If he struggles there is no knowing what Mike Gartner can do. This team has
a few good players and okay defense while their goaltending is pretty good
but to go deeper in the playoffs and finish well in the regular season, they
need to step it up and play their hardest.
Aside from Larionov, they have Trevor Linden, Mike Gartner and Pavel Bure.
A pretty young core of guys while guys like Geoff Courtnall can also
score. Guys like Nedved, Momesso and Valk will have to step up their game
to help out the big guys. Petr Svoboda and Lumme are the main defensemen
for this team. John Vanbiesbrouk is the number one goaltender while Kirk
McLean provides more than enough goaltending as a backup. More defense and
offense is required for maximum impact in this league. Effort from players
will have to be at 100 percent for a Stanley cup win.
5. Winnipeg- A group of young guys but I don’t think they have enough to
win a cup…yet. Of course they might pull through with the guidance of Chris
Chelios but you never know yet.
Thomas Steen is probably their only very capable forward while their young
guys will need some leadership to show them what to do, but many have
potentials to be excellent players or even super stars. Kris Draper, Alexei
Zhamnov, Keith Tkatchuk, Teemu Selanne are the young guys for this team.
They really have to step up their game but don’t look for this team to
finish in the top 3. The defense is better than average, of course with
Chelios you don’t need much else. They also have Olausson and Randy
Carlyle. Bob Essensa might be able to get the job done some nights while he
would need guys like Chelios and Draper to help him out. Tabaracci is a
suitable backup for this team. If this team would like to advance past the
first round of the playoffs, they need to get serious about acquiring better
offensemen and maybe even a better goaltender. However it doesn’t look like
those young players are going to move until they develop, but we’ll see what
the gm does.
6. Detroit- Detroit has a good team, but some of the quality players just
aren’t there for them yet. Steve Yzerman was a good sign during the free
agency period and their defense needs a little bit of work. Tim Cheveldae
is holding out as their number one goalie and without him they are seriously
not going do very well.
Another younger team here. Sergei Federov and Drake are the future for
this team on offense, they might score one or two here. Bob Probert and
Mike Foligno will have to work with Gallant with more than enough ice time
to secure some wins for this team. Stevey Yzerman is good and Wendel Clark
has to get the job done sometimes to put pucks in the net. Niklas Lidstrom
is still young, but he has more than enough skill to compete with the bigger
guys. Rob Rammage provides some support but not enough. As previously
mentioned if Cheveldae does not return then this team will be in danger of
not even making the playoffs. Unless Yzerman steps it up for them they need
to acquire some better guys on defense and on offense. Signing Cheveldae is
another priority.
7. Boston- Not a very good team, finished out of the playoffs last season
and they will be expected to play much better this season. Paul Coffey will
not allow last season to happen again but unless better offense is traded
for this team has nothing but Coffey.
With Eric Lindros sitting on the bench now it should be easier for the
offense to generate goals with his strength and body in front of the net.
However, that probably isn’t enough. To win games you need to get at least
one goal. Their defense is questionable as well. Paul Coffey is going to
want to jump up in the play more than one time a game and might cause some
bad breaks to go the other way. Garry Galley and Glen Wesley are the 2nd
liners for this team’s defense. Sean Burke and DelGuidice are not the best
goaltending duo around and if Burky gets hurt this team is done for. Get a
better goaltender soon and improve that offense to help out Lindros is what
they should do.
8. Montreal- This team is a one man army for sure. Patrick Roy is the
story and heart of this team. He can’t score goals, not all the time anyway
and if the defense doesn’t crack down he will get scored on very easily.
Guy Carboneau leads this team along with Stephane Richter but this team will
definitely not finish very high in the standings and probably won’t play
very well in the playoffs either.
John Leclair, Paul Dipietro, and their young defense will have to pull
through some games. Desjardins and Brisebois are not bad whie Lidster plays
in a combo with Desjardins. Afte that there is almost nothing there to help
Patrick Roy out. Roy is never a problem but there is always a danger of him
not being to full par so the backup goaltending duo has to step in. they
probably won’t get the team very far at all.
9. Toronto- This team is a young team for sure. They probably won’t make
the playoffs as they are not expected to do some damage except from time to
time. Theyre entire team from top to bottom is loaded with guys exerting
some anxiety for guys in the future. In a few years maybe they will go for
the cup but not now.
Mike Modano is going to be their leading scorer this season no doubt.
Mike Sillinger, Keith Primeau, Scott Thornton, Keith Carney and Kozlov might
play more this season to get them ready for the season’s after this one.
I’m predicting that this team will stay put with what they have and probably
go for a cup run in about 4 years. Felix Potvin is going to be solid in
goal for the for a few years to come (hopefully) while their backup
goaltending is taken care of.
10. Philly- A gmless team unfortunately and they are not going anywhere at
the moment. They have a few guys to score goals and Rick Tocchet is going
to help some, but with very little defense and offense, this team has got a
very small future when they retire, Palffy and Ricci are going to do it
alone like Tocchet. They need to set some paths straight and decide on what
they want to do with their team.
Bobby Holik, Murray Craven, and Pelle Eklund might score a few goals for
them, but not a whole lot to be sure. Hextall won’t get any help from his
offense except for maybe Ricci, and Acton. The defense is under par with
only Carkner and Murphy but as for goaltending Hextall will be fine. This
team probably is another that won’t make the playoffs and are going to be
ruined in a few seasons if a gm doesn’t come along to help them out.