Hier ein Beitrag zur aufkommenden Frage wer den Cup gewinnt...
Monday, February 25
Flyers, Bruins duking it out down the stretch
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By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell
Special to ESPN.com
With as few as 20 games left in the regular season, ESPN.com takes a look at each conference at the three-quarter mark and projects each team's conference finish and Stanley Cup odds:
MARRAPESE-BURRELLS'S EAST ALL-STAR TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Player Team
F Joe Thornton Bruins
F Mats Sundin Maple Leafs
F Alexei Yashin Islanders
D Sergei Gonchar Capitals
D Brian Leetch Rangers
G Roman Cechmanek Flyers
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Player Team
F Bill Guerin Bruins
F Jeremy Roenick Flyers
F Adam Oates Capitals
D Brian Rafalski Devils
D Kim Johnsson Flyers
G Jose Theodore Canadiens
Philadelphia Flyers (33-15-6-3)
Whether you believe the prognosticators or not, the Flyers have been picked to go the distance -- well, at least to the Stanley Cup finals -- by all sorts. And why not? They're a tremendously solid group of players. Remember when general manager Bob Clarke went out and signed Jeremy Roenick during the summer? Good signing, some said. Too overpaid, too long in the tooth, too beat up, said others. Though Roenick wasn't able to lead the Americans to gold in Salt Lake, he's been a tremendous asset to the Flyers. He sets the tone for the team and it shows. Through 57 games, Roenick led the Flyers with 56 points. Even more telling than the point production is plus-minus. Roenick is plus-30, which is second on the team to Simon Gagne. The club has strong goaltending, good leadership and plenty of promise. Now, if Clarke could get over that bitter pill known as Lindros, there should be plenty of reason to celebrate in the city of Brotherly Love.
Grade: A
Expected conference finish: 1st
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 4-1
Boston Bruins (32-16-4-7)
Joe Thornton, at 22, has become the toast of the town in Boston as he continues to vie for the league's scoring honors. The club has a tremendous group of forwards, many of whom offer leadership as well as scoring. Their No. 1 goaltender, Byron Dafoe, has been healthy all season and playing well -- his 2.21 GAA is the second-lowest of his career. If there's a weakness on the roster, it's the lack of an offensive defenseman. GM Mike O'Connell has gone shopping for one but he has a lot of competition. Defensively, the team is strong on most nights. It's troubling that Martin Lapointe continues to be bothered by a hamstring pull. Lapointe may not have a boatload of points (33 in 55 games) but he provides a great many assets that don't show up on the scoresheet. The play of Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel has made up for the loss of Jason Allison. This is the most exciting and talented Boston team in years. If they're going to go anywhere, they need to put opponents away when they have them down.
Grade: A-
Expected conference finish: 2nd
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 12-1
Toronto Maple Leafs (31-18-5-4)
Coach Pat Quinn will certainly be riding a high after winning Olympic gold, but what will that mean down the stretch for the Leafs? Top gun Mats Sundin, who is the club's leading scorer with 57 points in 58 games, came off as a pathetic -- and not very good -- apologist for Team Sweden's loss to Belarus. If the Leafs are going to get anywhere, Sundin needs to get over it and move on. If Quinn was looking for a positive, it certainly comes in the form of Alexander Mogilny, who is on the mend from a back injury which had sidelined him since Jan. 29. Defenseman Cory Cross is also due to return although abdominal pulls are always tricky. This is a team that has so much going for it -- goaltender Curtis Joseph, chief among the assets ... although forget that Olympic appearance -- but they will miss defenseman Dmitry Yushkevich, who may be lost for the year because of a blood clot in his leg. The Leafs are solid but it always seems as if they're a soap opera away from doing anything in the postseason.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 4th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 15-1
Montreal Canadiens (24-23-8-3)
If the Canadiens were to vote on their MVP this year, it would be goaltender Jose Theodore. Through serious injuries and scoring droughts that the Canadiens have had to endure, Theodore has stood tall. Good thing, too, because even though Jeff Hackett returned from a shoulder injury, he hasn't looked remotely like the same player he was before going down. Theodore, at age 25, has played 45 of the Habs' 58 games heading into the break. His record of 20-17-6 may only be in the middle of the pack, but what is more telling is his 2.13 GAA and .929 save percentage -- if only there was a team in front of him! The club's best forward Saku Koivu, who has battled cancer, recently skated with his teammates for the first time since being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Doctors say it's an extreme longshot that he could come back this season, even though the disease is in remission. But he will be back eventually, and that's the best news. It doesn't appear that Montreal will make the postseason this year but with Theodore in net, they have a chance to win every night.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 9th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 8,000-1
New York Islanders (29-19-6-3)
The Islanders, with their much improved lineup and first-year coach Peter Laviolette, got off to a mesmerizing start. However, they've come back to the pack. Part of the reason has been injuries, part of it has been growing pains. One thing is certain, they are a terrific team when shorthanded. Exhibit A: a league-best 16 goals when down a man. They were ranked only 21st in the league in penalty killing last year. Part of the reason is the acquisition of center Michael Peca, who should be one of the finalists for the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward. Peca is no slouch offensively either. If there has been a stumbling block of late, it's the play of goaltender Chris Osgood. Though Osgood has faltered in net, he's been one of the team's top cheerleaders, providing leadership and experience which comes along with the two Stanley Cup rings he earned in Detroit. Garth Snow has filled in admirably as the backup.
Grade: B-
Expected conference finish: 6th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 8,000-1
New York Rangers (27-25-4-3)
It appears center Mark Messier could well be out for the season because of a left shoulder injury. But the Rangers should be in decent shape anyway. After a gold medal victory at the Olympics, Canadians Eric Lindros and Theo Fleury return from recess rarin' to bring that success to the club's stretch run. The team has had a bit of a surprise in the play of Matthew Barnaby, known more for his fists than his touch. However, he took Fleury's place on the line with Mike York and Lindros and looked good -- he's registered 10 points in 25 games after going scoreless in 29 with the Lightning. The big question mark might be goaltender Mike Richter. He was dazzling for Team USA at the Olympics, keeping his sluggish teammates in the gold-medal game, but it has been a strenuous workload for the veteran. It's likely Dan Blackburn could see some action given the condensed nature of the stretch run. It's not going to be an easy one, either. The Rangers play Philadelphia three times and Toronto twice. Hopefully, Vladimir Malakhov can turn in the same stunning performance for the Rangers that he did for his native Russia.
Grade: B-
Expected conference finish: 7th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 7,000-1
Ottawa Senators (29-18-7-4)
Patrick Lalime will likely carry the goaltending load down the stretch for Ottawa. They need him to be sharp and they need good health for their top players if they're going to go anywhere. Daniel Alfredsson has been hampered by injuries throughout his career. The club's leading scorer, with 55 points in 54 games heading into the break, already has achieved a career-best 28 goals. Marian Hossa (45 points) and Radek Bonk (46 points) are also key contributors to the cause. Forward Shawn McEachern, who had been a steady point-getter for Ottawa, has had a rough season. Heading into the recess, McEachern had just 33 points in 58 games. Every year, as winter turns to spring, everyone wonders if the Senators are going to have enough grit to get them out of the first round of the postseason. The club took a hit in that category when Andre Roy, an enforcer who also provides the Senators with a terrific spark, went down with a serious ankle injury. This is a team whose best shot at success is for other contenders to fall down. This year, it might not happen.
Grade: B-
Expected conference finish: 5th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 5,000-1
Buffalo Sabres (23-26-7-1)
It's easy to say the reason the Sabres are struggling is because goaltender Dominik Hasek is now playing for Detroit. However, that's simply not true. Yes, Martin Biron struggled out of the gate and was fighting the puck, but since the holidays, Biron has regrouped. The Sabres were actually playing pretty well heading into the break. The bad news was that they weren't able to gain any ground in the conference because the teams above them were winning, too. It's going to be tough sledding the rest of the way for this team. They're thin on talent in comparison to the top teams in the East and they've fallen so far behind that a playoff berth seems far fetched. Of their 25 remaining contests, only six teams have worse records than Buffalo. Remarkably, no Sabres player has reached the 20-goal mark.
Grade: C
Expected conference finish: 12th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 10,000-1
Pittsburgh Penguins (22-26-6-4)
You knew when the club let Jaromir Jagr go elsewhere via trade that it was going to be an adjustment period for the Penguins. But they didn't count on owner/star Mario Lemieux being sidelined with a nagging hip injury. The best news came during the Olympic break -- forward Martin Straka, who was so dearly missed when he was sidelined by a broken leg, will be returning this week. Straka certainly isn't the most physical player or the most prolific scorer, but he is a significant contributor to the success of the Penguins, who haven't exactly been tearing it up. They have been treading water. They were four games below sea level at the half and they're in the same spot heading into the stretch. Straka actually returns two months early, remarkably so, and with 24 games remaining, he could be the difference in whether the Penguins make it to the playoffs or not. Right now, it doesn't look so good. Whether Lemieux wants to admit it or not, his health is always going to be an issue. This might be the most precarious team in the East, or at least the most precarious team that doesn't have to worry about recurrent concussions.
Grade: C
Expected conference finish: 10th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 11,000-1
New Jersey Devils (25-21-9-3)
There is a definite changing of the guard with the Devils and we don't mean just because coach Larry Robinson was replaced behind the bench by Kevin Constantine. This is a team that has won and won often. But there is a certain look to the way the Devils play now, which promises that general manager Lou Lamoriello will take action. Long-time Devils Randy McKay and Ken Daneyko are winding down their careers and likely won't be in New Jersey next season or even potentially after the trade deadline. Scott Stevens is getting up there in age and Bobby Holik will either be dealt or will be lost through unrestricted free agency. Lamoriello, clearly among the best managers in the league, will be retooling even if the Devils make the playoffs. With Martin Brodeur in the net, there is always a chance for a victory, but this team is not playing like a contender at all. Look for an early spring for them, one of the few.
Grade: C-minus
Expected conference finish: 8th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 9,000-1
Carolina Hurricanes (24-21-11-5)
There are some teams that went into the break on a high. The Hurricanes weren't one of them. The team was so strapped for bodies, they brought up Craig MacDonald from the minors, who last played in the NHL during the club's playoff appearance in 1999. The Hurricanes stumbled to the recess with a 4-0 loss to San Jose. Arturs Irbe and Tom Barrasso have turned in some good performances this year and at other times, not so good. That pretty well sums up the season of many players on the roster. Veteran center Ron Francis, who has hit all kinds of milestones this year, continues to carry on in classy fashion, but this team has a lot of holes, some caused by injury, some caused by underachieving players. The best thing the Hurricanes have going for them is a lousy division. They'd better watch out though because if Washington gets hot, that could mean the difference between Carolina being in the playoffs or being out.
Grade: D
Expected conference finish: 3rd
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 12,000-1
Atlanta Thrashers (14-34-7-4)
No one is going to refer to the Thrashers as a contender for the playoff spot. Obviously, they have no shot. However, they do have two of the most exciting young players in the game in Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk. It's been fun to see them develop and if the Thrashers put a team around them, the sky is the limit. However, their best hopes this season are to play spoilers for others. Of their remaining 23 games, 15 are against Eastern Conference foes and three are against the Islanders. If the team views the rest of the season as their playoffs, they could certainly impact how the standings wind up at the end. And speaking of no shots, that's the opposite problem that goaltender Milan Hnilicka has had. He has faced a total of 1,478 shots, the most of any netminder in the league. Despite that, he has a save percentage of .905 and has been over .900 all year.
Grade: D
Expected conference finish: 15th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 1,000,000-1
Washington Capitals (23-26-9-1)
Is there a more confounding team in hockey than this one? They go out and get superstar Jaromir Jagr, but they are three games under .500 heading into the stretch run and have been plagued by inconsistency as much as injuries. The schedule doesn't help them much either because 12 of their remaining 23 games are on the road. One particularly long trip -- eight games from March 15-29 -- is tough with games at San Jose, Edmonton, Colorado, Toronto, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and New Jersey. That likely will make or break their year. The good news is that Steve Konowalchuk, who suffered a serious shoulder injury early in the year, should be back soon. His gritty play, leadership and versatility will give the Capitals a major boost. However, there is no room for error here. Yes, the Caps play in a weak division with only Carolina to worry about, but it's going to be an uphill battle to make it to the postseason.
Grade: D
Expected conference finish: 11th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 11,000-1
Tampa Bay Lightning (20-30-6-2)
Rick Dudley, who is a terrific hockey manager, stepped down, which is unfortunate. The question is, what the heck is going to follow with this team? They change owners, they change GMs, they change coaches, they change players ... quick, can anyone name the original 20 players who were on the roster during their first season? Didn't think so. There was the soap opera of Would they trade Vincent Lecavalier? Would they NOT? It hasn't been a happy time the last few years for anyone in this Gulf Coast venue, beautiful setting notwithstanding. In some ways, this is a sadder team than even Atlanta. Atlanta is just starting out. The Lightning, in year No. 10, should be a whole lot better than they are. But once again, they stink. Once again, they'll miss the playoffs. Once again, they start from scratch. Contraction, anyone?
Grade: D-
Expected conference finish: 13th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 750,000-1
Florida Panthers (17-34-5-3)
When the club dismissed coach Duane Sutter and brought in hard-driving Mike Keenan, it was seen by many as a way to boost the game of star wing Pavel Bure. Bure, who has broken the 50-goal mark twice and led the NHL in the last two years with 58 and 59 goals, respectively, has only 19 goals in 47 games this year. This club needs more retooling than simply firing the coach. The change may be a positive for Bure, but it appears to be a negative for rookie Kristian Huselius, who has taken up residence in the Keenan dog house. The coach wants him to play better defensively, which Huselius has been doing, but his confidence on the offensive end seems to have evaporated. This is a team that is a work in progress. That progress, this year anyway, is moving along at a snail's pace.
Grade: F
Expected conference finish: 14th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: Better chance of seeing God
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Minnesota Wild 60 GP - 18 W - 10 T - 27 L - 5 OTL- 51 P
Wes Walz 52 GP - 9 G - 14 A - 23 P - 35 PIM
Jeremy Roenick 57 GP - 17 G - 39 A - 56 P - 50 PIM
Olympics
Jeremy Roenick 6 GP - 1 G - 4 A - 5 P - 2 PIM - +/- +3
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By Mike Heika
Special to ESPN.com
The Stars and Sharks have 25 games remaining. The Mighty Ducks have 19. It's time to get serious.
On the heels of a fantastic Olympic experience for many NHL players, the league returns to play Tuesday with almost every team in action. For some, the games over the next week or two will be critical. For some, the trade deadline (less than a month away on March 19) will be critical. For all, the setup to the playoffs will be critical.
It's time to get serious in the Western Conference, where the difference between sixth place and 10th place is three points and where playoff seeding could be crucial in constructing the proper pathway to the Stanley Cup Finals.
ESPN.com takes a look at the conference at the three-quarter mark and projects each team's conference finish and Stanley Cup odds:
HEIKA'S WEST ALL-STAR TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Player Team
F Jarome Iginla Flames
F Markus Naslund Canucks
F Keith Tkachuk Blues
D Nicklas Lidstrom Red Wings
D Rob Blake Avalanche
G Patrick Roy Avalanche
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Player Team
F Brendan Shanahan Red Wings
F Mike Modano Stars
F Pavol Demitra Blues
D Chris Chelios Red Wings
D Al MacInnis Blues
G Dominik Hasek Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings (41-11-6-2)
The Red Wings must deal with the fact they are a little older than most teams and had 11 players participate in the Olympics. However, that's not all bad. Steve Yzerman was one of Canada's heroes, Chris Chelios looked like America's best defenseman and Dominik Hasek was able to get home early and start generating a hunger for winning a different type of metal (one he's never before claimed). Legendary bench boss Scotty Bowman and his wily coaching staff know that that this team must deal with a heavy road schedule (10 of the next 13 away from home), so they have made preparations. Expect Chelios and Yzerman to get plenty of rest and expect the team to allow Brendan Shanahan whatever time he needs to recover from the broken thumb on his right hand that he suffered at the Olympics. Detroit will be more than ready for the playoffs and hungry to prove its 1-2 record in playoff series over the past two seasons is a fluke.
Grade: A
Expected conference finish: 1st
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 5-1
Colorado Avalanche (33-20-6-1)
Slowly, the Avalanche has begun to put together the kind of Northwest Division cushion it has enjoyed the past three years. Edmonton is nine points back and fading. Vancouver has plenty to deal with just trying to get into the playoffs. Colorado can start to concentrate on putting its game together without the pressure of winning every night, and Colorado players seem to thrive in that situation. Expect Joe Sakic to be reinvigorated by his Olympics experience and expect Patrick Roy to be reinvigorated by his non-Olympic experience. Sakic has proved once and for all that he is among the elite players in the league and that should help him turn around a dismal regular season campaign. Roy, who turned down Team Canada, now has plenty to prove since he didn't get a gold medal. However, both could use some help. Roy has been carrying this team and would like to see a little more scoring pop and physical play. Sakic has been struggling with the absence of Peter Forsberg and would like to see a little more scoring pop and physical play. The Avalanche has pulled the biggest trades of March the past three seasons. Expect this team to be in the market once again.
Grade: A-
Expected conference finish: 2nd
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 7-1
Chicago Blackhawks (33-18-9-0)
The Blackhawks have done everything they can and more. The question is, how much do they have left? Chicago's winning pace has slowed ever so slightly and that has left the Blackhawks 15 points behind the Red Wings in the Central. In the meantime, St. Louis has put its game together and now is just four behind Chicago. The two teams are seemingly fighting for the fourth and fifth seeds in the West and will almost assuredly play each other in the first round. So home ice seems to be the big key here. Still, the Blackhawks have to try to figure out if it's worth it to fight for fourth and try to sign Tony Amonte (or risk losing him as a free agent in the summer) or if they should be happy with their progress and try to get young talent in exchange for Amonte. The question is one that not only divides management, but fans, as well. Alexei Zhamnov banged up his hip in the Olympics, but shouldn't miss much time, if any. The Blackhakws have four of their next five at home and that could send a message quickly that the team is either ready to make a run at the playoffs or is ready to take a step backward in looking at the future.
Grade: A
Expected conference finish: 5th seed
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 15-1
St. Louis Blues (31-18-6-3)
One of the hottest teams in the league in January, the Blues still haven't found what they're looking for. They limped into the Olympic break on a 3-6-0 run and will have a limping Keith Tkachuk (thigh bruise) once the schedule resumes. Doug Weight, Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger all take home great memories from the Olympics, and that could be important in jump starting the Blues' big three. Pronger might be the key as he needs to get back to playing the physical game that St. Louis management wants to stamp on this team. The addition of Shjon Podein should help. He's a big, physical forward and is more of an accommodating leader than Mike Keane. Still, someone has to take this team and give it direction, and that hasn't been decided yet.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 4th (seed)
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 10-1
San Jose Sharks (30-17-7-3)
You hate to stamp the Sharks with the brand of bad finisher, but it's something they've earned over the past two seasons. Twice, the Sharks had a chance to put away Dallas in the Pacific Division and twice they failed -- yielding a top three seed in the playoff structure. This season, however, the Sharks have a solid lead on both Dallas (7 points) and Los Angeles (5 points) and come out of the Olympic break on a five-game winning streak. They start off with a four-game road trip that ends in Dallas March 3, so much will be determined in the next week. But it's clear Owen Nolan benefited from his Olympic experience, Teemu Selanne is getting his goal-scoring touch back and Evgeni Nabokov has something to prove to the International Ice Hockey Federation, which kept him out of the Olympics because of citizenship issues (he wanted to play for Russia, but now is tied to team Kazakhstan). All signs point to a good spring for the Sharks, but they have to prove it on the ice before the doubters will go away.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 3rd (seed)
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 20-1
Los Angeles Kings (27-20-8-3)
You can't argue with a team that has the best combined special teams in the NHL and has outscored the opposition by 20 goals this season. The Kings are for real and simply need to get a chance to prove their ability. The health of the team and the play of goalie Felix Potvin are keys down the stretch. If defenseman Mathieu Schneider and forward Adam Deadmarsh can get in the grooves they have shown when healthy, the Kings could challenge for the Pacific Division crown. If not, the team could fall apart. Los Angeles also has a small worry with coach Andy Murray still in Minnesota being tested for post-concussion syndrome after an auto accident. This is Murray's team and his absence, for however short a time, will be significant. Don't rule out a trade for this team. It has the money to make deals.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 7th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 25-1
Dallas Stars (26-20-7-7-4)
The Stars are starting to find their game under interim coach Rick Wilson, especially goalie Ed Belfour, who was on his best roll of the season heading into the Olympics. Belfour should be inspired by the gold medal he won as a backup goalie with Team Canada, and Joe Nieuwendyk and Mike Modano also should see positive results from their trips to Salt Lake City. However, the Olympic wear and tear could prove a problem right off the bat as Dallas plays a key four-game stretch Tuesday through Sunday that could turn the season. The Stars go to Phoenix, Vancouver and Colorado before returning home to face San Jose on March 3. The four games in six nights could either push the team up in the standings or leave it further out of the picture. Belfour likely will be fine, but Wilson has to find a way to get the offense (especially Pierre Turgeon) clicking.
Grade: C
Expected conference finish: 6th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 22-1
Edmonton Oilers (26-23-10-2)
Much of what happens to the Oilers will depend on the mettle of Tommy Salo. Sweden's goalie in the Olympics, Salo was almost single-handedly responsible for the team's loss to Belarus as he let in two bad goals, including the infamous game-winner that bounced off his glove and mask and trickled behind him into the net. Salo might want to prove critics wrong and be spectacular. He might try too hard and be brutal. He might collapse at the first sign of failure. Whatever happens, Edmonton's fate will be tied to Salo, who has played the second most minutes (3,120) in the NHL this season. The Oilers need to find some offense from Jochen Hecht, Rem Murray and Todd Marchant if they want to help bail out Salo. The goal scoring has come from basically one line this season.
Grade: B-
Expected conference finish: 8th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 25-1
Vancouver Canucks (28-25-5-2)
The Canucks are building something special, but they can't get impatient. The current pace would have Vancouver sitting out of the playoffs, and that would seem like a huge step backward after last year's postseason appearance. However, the simple fact is this is still a team seeking defensive strength, improved goaltending and offensive depth. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to keep Andrew Cassels and risk losing him as a free agent in the summer, but it seems the Canucks are shrewd enough to deal Cassels if the right offer comes along. Offensively, the Canucks might be as talented and deep as any team short of the Red Wings. Still, you have to wonder if they can continue to ride streaky players like Trevor Linden, Jan Hlavac and the Sedin twins.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 9th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 35-1
Phoenix Coyotes (25-22-8-4)
The Coyotes have been huge overachievers all season, so much of the league has been waiting for the bubble to burst. Phoenix is within clear shooting range of a playoff spot, but it seems to have the least depth and least experience of all the potential contenders. Goalie Sean Burke has been magnificent, but he's starting to wear down. His 2.38 GAA and .917 save percentage have slipped since the beginning of the season and Phoenix as a team ranks 21st in goals against average. That means the offense will have to start picking up the slack. It wouldn't be impossible to see more goal-scoring from the Coyotes. Daniel Briere has a career-best 24 goals and Brian Savage (16 goals) has been a nice addition. It just seems like you're already getting more than you should have expected out of players like Briere, Claude Lemieux and Daymond Langkow, so you probably shouldn't hope that they're going to carry your team. Phoenix management wants to make the playoffs this year, but hopefully won't trade young players for a chance at a somewhat meaningless first-round exit.
Grade: B
Expected conference finish: 10th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 40-1
Calgary Flames (23-24-8-3)
A healthy Roman Turek could go a long way in helping the Flames get back into the playoff picture. His decision to skip the Olympics and rest is a significant sign that the team comes first. That's great. However, the Flames have had so many other problems that maybe even a hot Turek can't fix them, They rank 25th in the penalty kill, 22nd on the power play and 24th in goal scoring. Those are numbers befitting a team that won't make the playoffs. Coach Greg Gilbert is coming under some pressure for his hard-driving ways, but expect GM Craig Button to stick with Gilbert, knowing that discipline is what's best for this team. Jarome Iginla took a huge step forward at the Olympics and the rest of his injury-prone teammates should be helped by the time off. Calgary won't wilt, but it doesn't have enough to charge either.
Grade: C
Expected conference finish: 11th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 50-1
Nashville Predators (23-25-10-0)
It's easy to forget that the Predators finished with a 34-36-9-3 record last season and were in the playoff hunt before a late swoon. This is fast becoming a .500 team and not an expansion unit. It has a solid goalie in Mike Dunham, who should be helped by his one game in Olympic play (a shut out win over Finland), and an improving offense. Cliff Ronning has once again put in a wonderful veteran season and newcomers like Scott Hartnell, Denis Arkhipov and Vladimir Orszagh have stepped in line quite nicely. That's put pressure on David Legwand to do more, and he hasn't responded yet. But simply having a competition within the team for ice time and scoring opportunities is a good thing for the Predators.
Grade: C+
Expected conference finish: 12th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 50-1
Anaheim Mighty Ducks (21-31-6-3)
There is improvement here. The team is playing better defense. Paul Kariya is starting to find his groove again. Matt Cullen, Mike Leclerc and Andy McDonald are improving. Steve Rucchin might even be healthy …f inally. But you have to wonder what's ahead for the Ducks. Disney wants to sell, the management group is walking on eggshells and the player who means the most to the team just finished showing exactly what he can do when he has great linemated (that would be Kariya on Team Canada). Kariya is the consummate professional, but he's also been far more patient than anyone could have expected. No fan could blame him if he demanded a trade, because it's obvious there's no quick fix for this team and there's no playoff success any time in the near (three years?) future. Kariya is 27, the clock is ticking, both for him and his team.
Grade: D
Expected conference finish: 13th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 100-1
Minnesota Wild (18-27-10-5)
The Wild is improving itself by trusting more in young players. However, it still is among the worst offensive teams in the NHL and it has abandoned much of the defensive principles that kept it competitive last season. That's not a bad thing, it's just part of the transition of handing the team to young players like Marian Gaborik and riding their streaky ways. Goalie Manny Fernandez has struggled under the fire of more shots per game and it appears the team right now has more faith in veteran Dwayne Roloson, 31. That's going against the grain of building for the future. The Wild is going to have to put its faith in the hands of youth and that could make for a struggle down the stretch.
Grade: D
Expected conference finish: 14th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: 200-1
Columbus Blue Jackets (15-33-8-2)
The problem with the Blue Jackets is they went the quick fix route with hopes that a bunch of late 20s grinders could help them be competitive in a hurry. Now, they're the worst team in the West and they're not really developing much young talent, either. Their 117 goals in 58 games is the worst offensive production in the league and their best young player (Espen Knutsen) isn't getting the chance to bond with anyone who might be a future teammate. The one ace card the Blue Jackets have is the ability to trade some of this veteran talent for prospects or draft choice. Expect teams to be asking about Lyle Odelein, Ron Tugnutt and Grant Marshall, and expect GM Doug MacLean to listen. He owes it to the future of this team.
Grade: F
Expected conference finish: 15th
Odds to win Stanley Cup: You'd be better going with Belarus.
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Minnesota Wild 60 GP - 18 W - 10 T - 27 L - 5 OTL- 51 P
Wes Walz 52 GP - 9 G - 14 A - 23 P - 35 PIM
Jeremy Roenick 57 GP - 17 G - 39 A - 56 P - 50 PIM
Olympics
Jeremy Roenick 6 GP - 1 G - 4 A - 5 P - 2 PIM - +/- +3
habs gelesen und es lohnt sich schon, interessante uebersicht, auch wenn sich der autor staendig wiederholt (xyz wird so viel besser sein nach der wundervollen olympia erfahrung)
joe
frames!
das kinomagazin im internet
http://www.framesonline.de
In Antwort auf: (xyz wird so viel besser sein nach der wundervollen olympia erfahrung)
aber gibt es da nicht eine Ausnahme und die heißt Tommy Salo, bei ihm spricht man nicht von einer positiven Olympiaerfahrung und die kann Edmonton den Kopf kosten.
If he tries to hard it can be brutal.
still believe, to see the cup sometimes. Thanks Charlie Simmer for the memories. Same to you Jiri, you are the best. Play Offs 2002 we will see it on TV
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