San Jose (10-2-0): How nice. But will anybody cares until the playoffs how well the Sharks are playing? They have been teasing with great regular season play for many years yet still fail come playoff time.
The team is continuously developing excellent forwards and this year's new arrival is Devin Setoguchi who is leading the team with 12pts in 12 games. On top of those 2 powerful offensive top lines, the rest of the forward lines are extremely pesky and difficult to play against.
With the arrival of Dan Boyle & Rob Blake, the departure of massively overrated Kyle McLaren and the steady progress of Ehrhoff & Vlasic, the backend is also quite capable and perfectly matched to the forward group.
While Nabokov hasn't been great so far, his play has been good enough to make the Sharks the class of the West.
Rating: A
Outlook: same
Detroit (8-2-2): Just read any analysis from last year's playoffs and add Marian Hossa. The firepower is all over and this group is extremely annoying to play against.
The Wings are on their way to another season with over 100pts and even mediocre goaltending will not change that.
Rating: A
Outlook: same
Minnesota (7-2-1): Gaborik is hurt and in no hurry to resign while Eric Belanger is 4th in team scoring with 5pts in 10 games. That is the extent of the bad news in Minneapolis.
The team has been playing extremely well, the younger Koivu is thriving as the new captain and Nicklas Backstrom is on his way to the AllStar game as one of the best goalie in the league.
This team is built quick and tenacious, controlling the puck and feeding on mistakes. Whoever wants the NorthWest title will need to go through the Wild to get it.
Rating: A
Outlook: same
Calgary (7-4-1): Offense is always an issue in Calgary but some nice offseason acquisitions are bearing fruit and Iginla is finally getting some help. Now if only youngsters like Lombardi (well, not that young now but still with that prospect tag), Boyd, Moss & Nystrom would play better than 4th liners!
With this rough & tough defense and Kiprusoff actually playing well, the Flames can really focus their attention on the offense and hopefully generate enough offense to stick to 4th or 5th place and avoid meeting one of the big 3 in the first round of the playoffs.
Rating: B+
Outlook: same
Anaheim (7-5-1): Seriously handicapped by an awful cap situation, the Ducks still manage to win more often than they lose with a big physical group of guys and good possession skills.
The team is pretty much the same as the cup winning team... just with the veterans a bit older and the youngsters a bit older too (weird how that happens eh?!) which balances itself out.
Catching San Jose might be difficult but as long as the team ends the season healthy and rested, the Ducks will be a nasty team to face in the playoffs.
Rating: B
Outlook: same
Showing posts with label October. Show all posts
Showing posts with label October. Show all posts
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monthly Evaluation: Western Meddling Middle
Nashville (6-4-1): I was never a big Poile fan but he constantly finds players to replenish his team, even from surprise defection to Russia.
This group of forwards does not inspire me much but they somehow manage to score and buzz around enough to disrupt their opponents. What I appreciate much more is the quality of the young defensemen on this team. Weber has 12pts in 11 games so far and the confidence placed on him (by letting go of Timmonen & Zlidicky) is paying off. Ryan Suter plays a style quite different from his uncle but he is extremely effective.
6th place seems about right for the Predators but the Western Conference is not lacking on playoffs contenders so the battle will be fierce to keep that spot.
Rating: B
Outlook: same
Edmonton (6-4-1): While most pundits placed the Oilers right there in the thick of things, I simply do not see that in that team and predicted a last place finish in the NorthWest division.
The forwards are speedy, I'll give you that but there isn't much real scoring there apart from Hemsky & probably Gagner if he bulks up or gets better linemates to distract the opposition. Listen, when Ethan Moreau is your 2nd highest scoring forward with 3 goals & 7pts in 11 games, don't come tell me this is an awesome group of talent!
More to the point, no team should have 4 defensemen among their top 7 scorers. That defense is extremely mobile and supports the offense wonderfully but I am not sure how far that will take you with the makeup of this team. The nastiness that Pronger brought was never replaced and is sorely missing from this blueline.
The battle for a playoff spot has just started in Northern Alberta!
Rating: C
Outlook: going down
Chicago (6-3-3): Stop the presses! Martin Havlat has not yet missed a game! Not that he has helped the Hawks much as they ended up the first month 8th in the Western Conference.
The team is developing nicely around Kane, Toews & Sharp on offense and Campbell, Keith & Seabrook on defense. There is however much left to be done to transform this team into a contender. The Hawks have the best example right next door with the Wings.
How will this team hold up through the season? Very hard to predict where they will finish.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Vancouver (6-6-0): Not bad for a team with no offense. What a wasteland this looked at the beginning of the year after the Sedin twins... but somehow some players are stepping up and providing some much needed secondary scoring. Strangely, all that happened once Demitra went down with injury: Wellwood was called up and is playing a very strong position game and gets all those workman goals that nobody used to get before.
Kesler & Burrows are also continuing their progression from late last year, transforming their line from a purely shutdown defensive unit into one of those most annoying line to play against.
The emergence of Bieksa & Edler on the blueline has masked the slow decline of Ohlund and Salo but this group is not as strong as it was previously.
Of course, all that is written above is somehow secondary in Vancouver. While he hasn't been Turco bad, Luongo has not had a great start... but with 2 shutouts in his last 4 games, this might indicate another of those hot streaks on the way and that is all the Canucks would need to jump from 9th to 3rd in the Western Conference.
There are some nice pieces in Vancouver but not enough so all will rest on Luongo's shoulders once again.
Rating: C
Outlook: going up
Saint Louis (5-5-0): The loss of Erik Johnson was a crushing blow, not only for this year but more importantly for long term development.
I am not a fan of rebuilding team filling up their top lines with veterans but maybe this is the best route for the Blues. They have some nice young talent up front but I dont know if they are ready for top line duties and the pressure it brings. Still, seing Kariya, McDonald & Tkachuk all with over 17mins tells me there is lots of ice time those kids could have and are not.
.500 feels like overachievement for the Blues so far and I can't see them do much better than that for the rest of the year.
Rating: C
Outlook: going down
This group of forwards does not inspire me much but they somehow manage to score and buzz around enough to disrupt their opponents. What I appreciate much more is the quality of the young defensemen on this team. Weber has 12pts in 11 games so far and the confidence placed on him (by letting go of Timmonen & Zlidicky) is paying off. Ryan Suter plays a style quite different from his uncle but he is extremely effective.
6th place seems about right for the Predators but the Western Conference is not lacking on playoffs contenders so the battle will be fierce to keep that spot.
Rating: B
Outlook: same
Edmonton (6-4-1): While most pundits placed the Oilers right there in the thick of things, I simply do not see that in that team and predicted a last place finish in the NorthWest division.
The forwards are speedy, I'll give you that but there isn't much real scoring there apart from Hemsky & probably Gagner if he bulks up or gets better linemates to distract the opposition. Listen, when Ethan Moreau is your 2nd highest scoring forward with 3 goals & 7pts in 11 games, don't come tell me this is an awesome group of talent!
More to the point, no team should have 4 defensemen among their top 7 scorers. That defense is extremely mobile and supports the offense wonderfully but I am not sure how far that will take you with the makeup of this team. The nastiness that Pronger brought was never replaced and is sorely missing from this blueline.
The battle for a playoff spot has just started in Northern Alberta!
Rating: C
Outlook: going down
Chicago (6-3-3): Stop the presses! Martin Havlat has not yet missed a game! Not that he has helped the Hawks much as they ended up the first month 8th in the Western Conference.
The team is developing nicely around Kane, Toews & Sharp on offense and Campbell, Keith & Seabrook on defense. There is however much left to be done to transform this team into a contender. The Hawks have the best example right next door with the Wings.
How will this team hold up through the season? Very hard to predict where they will finish.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Vancouver (6-6-0): Not bad for a team with no offense. What a wasteland this looked at the beginning of the year after the Sedin twins... but somehow some players are stepping up and providing some much needed secondary scoring. Strangely, all that happened once Demitra went down with injury: Wellwood was called up and is playing a very strong position game and gets all those workman goals that nobody used to get before.
Kesler & Burrows are also continuing their progression from late last year, transforming their line from a purely shutdown defensive unit into one of those most annoying line to play against.
The emergence of Bieksa & Edler on the blueline has masked the slow decline of Ohlund and Salo but this group is not as strong as it was previously.
Of course, all that is written above is somehow secondary in Vancouver. While he hasn't been Turco bad, Luongo has not had a great start... but with 2 shutouts in his last 4 games, this might indicate another of those hot streaks on the way and that is all the Canucks would need to jump from 9th to 3rd in the Western Conference.
There are some nice pieces in Vancouver but not enough so all will rest on Luongo's shoulders once again.
Rating: C
Outlook: going up
Saint Louis (5-5-0): The loss of Erik Johnson was a crushing blow, not only for this year but more importantly for long term development.
I am not a fan of rebuilding team filling up their top lines with veterans but maybe this is the best route for the Blues. They have some nice young talent up front but I dont know if they are ready for top line duties and the pressure it brings. Still, seing Kariya, McDonald & Tkachuk all with over 17mins tells me there is lots of ice time those kids could have and are not.
.500 feels like overachievement for the Blues so far and I can't see them do much better than that for the rest of the year.
Rating: C
Outlook: going down
Monthly Evaluation: Western Bottom Feeders
Colorado (5-7-0): The former powerhouse of the NorthWest division is going through a slow yet steady decline. Gone are the days of attracting big free agent fish with prospects of playing in June. Now what Denver attracts is Tucker & Raycroft. Ryan Smyth was a bigger fish but his play is gone dramatically down... or was it overhyped all that time among Edmonton's hockey fanatics?
Regardless, this group of forwards will not scare many especially as things quickly dry up after the first two lines. Veterans are occupying almost every spots and while they work hard, the upside is hard to find. With Sakic & Smyth already old and Hejduk creeping up too, this team cannot afford to lose Paul Stastny and must find ways to surround him with better talent.
The youngest member of the blueline group is John-Michael Liles at 28 and while the rest are very responsible defensively, such a slow moving group is simply not enough when your net is protected by the likes of Raycroft & Budaj.
This team looks old and seriously need an infusion of young talent. 11th in the Conference seems about right and this will be a very hard battle to find a playoff spot.
Rating: F
Outlook: same
Dallas (4-6-2): Who knew Sergei Zubov was so essential. Only Detroit looked stronger than the Stars late last year and many predicted a run at the Pacific division title with the arrival of Brunnstrom and Avery. This forward group is one of the strongest of the conference with talent, strength and nastiness.
The backend however is awful without Zubov. Boucher is looking old and slow (well, slowER than he already was) and the rest of them are not impressing anybody. Of course, that still does not excuse a .837 save percentage but unless there is some undisclosed injury, Turco should rebound and get back to being one of the most reliable puck stoppers in the league... hopefully, that rebound will happen before the Stars fall out of contention.
Rating: F
Outlook: same for November, it will take a few more weeks for things to kick into gear here
Columbus (4-6-2): "Things are looking up" has become a mantra in Columbus in the last few years... but it is true! Night-after-night production is an issue right now but I like a group formed by Nash, Brassard, Huselius, Voracek, Umberger, Chimera & Modin.
More depth and consistency is needed but you have a group worth building around.
Sadly, I don't see the same with the blueline. Tuytin, Commodore and Klesla are serviceable but they really belong further down the depth chart and not as the 20mins workhorses. Much has been expected from Kris Russell and comparaisons to Rafalski were numerous. Except similar size, it is time to let those go to rest and for the jackets to lay their hopes somewhere else for a powerplay quarterback.
Pascal Leclaire is not having the same success as last year but a kid with legs this quick and strong technique will rebound and give his team a chance to win most nights.
Rating: D
Outlook: same
Phoenix (4-5-0): That has to be a major disapointment in Arizona... if anybody cares about hockey at the overloaded sports area. With a full year of Bryzgalov, the arrival of Olli Jokinen and Patrick Kane 2.0 (Kyle Turris), this was supposed to be the year the Coyotes would actually compete.
There is some nice pieces up front but the talent falls off sharply and opponents can focus on stopping the big lines to stop the whole offense.
I do not know who is responsible for assembling this defense corps but their evaluation skills are seriously deficient. The two guys developed from within, Yandle & Michalek, are good pieces but the rest of the squad is one overrated veteran after another. Jovanovski anyone? two more years at 6.5mil for zeeeeroooo pt in 9 games and -6 rating! Mr overrated himself Derek Morris maybe? also 0 point in 9 games and only -4!! Ken Klee? David Hale? Kurt Sauer?? Where is Jyrki Lumme when you need him!
Rating: D
Outlook: same
Los Angeles (3-6-1): The roomy spot in the cellar was expected but did anyone expect this bunch to be this awful?? Will anyone reach 60pts?
I won't go into details about the awful lineup and the great young players on this team except to say that rebuilding is on the right track in LA but there is lots of work yet to be done.
Rating: F
Outlook: looks great for 2011!
Regardless, this group of forwards will not scare many especially as things quickly dry up after the first two lines. Veterans are occupying almost every spots and while they work hard, the upside is hard to find. With Sakic & Smyth already old and Hejduk creeping up too, this team cannot afford to lose Paul Stastny and must find ways to surround him with better talent.
The youngest member of the blueline group is John-Michael Liles at 28 and while the rest are very responsible defensively, such a slow moving group is simply not enough when your net is protected by the likes of Raycroft & Budaj.
This team looks old and seriously need an infusion of young talent. 11th in the Conference seems about right and this will be a very hard battle to find a playoff spot.
Rating: F
Outlook: same
Dallas (4-6-2): Who knew Sergei Zubov was so essential. Only Detroit looked stronger than the Stars late last year and many predicted a run at the Pacific division title with the arrival of Brunnstrom and Avery. This forward group is one of the strongest of the conference with talent, strength and nastiness.
The backend however is awful without Zubov. Boucher is looking old and slow (well, slowER than he already was) and the rest of them are not impressing anybody. Of course, that still does not excuse a .837 save percentage but unless there is some undisclosed injury, Turco should rebound and get back to being one of the most reliable puck stoppers in the league... hopefully, that rebound will happen before the Stars fall out of contention.
Rating: F
Outlook: same for November, it will take a few more weeks for things to kick into gear here
Columbus (4-6-2): "Things are looking up" has become a mantra in Columbus in the last few years... but it is true! Night-after-night production is an issue right now but I like a group formed by Nash, Brassard, Huselius, Voracek, Umberger, Chimera & Modin.
More depth and consistency is needed but you have a group worth building around.
Sadly, I don't see the same with the blueline. Tuytin, Commodore and Klesla are serviceable but they really belong further down the depth chart and not as the 20mins workhorses. Much has been expected from Kris Russell and comparaisons to Rafalski were numerous. Except similar size, it is time to let those go to rest and for the jackets to lay their hopes somewhere else for a powerplay quarterback.
Pascal Leclaire is not having the same success as last year but a kid with legs this quick and strong technique will rebound and give his team a chance to win most nights.
Rating: D
Outlook: same
Phoenix (4-5-0): That has to be a major disapointment in Arizona... if anybody cares about hockey at the overloaded sports area. With a full year of Bryzgalov, the arrival of Olli Jokinen and Patrick Kane 2.0 (Kyle Turris), this was supposed to be the year the Coyotes would actually compete.
There is some nice pieces up front but the talent falls off sharply and opponents can focus on stopping the big lines to stop the whole offense.
I do not know who is responsible for assembling this defense corps but their evaluation skills are seriously deficient. The two guys developed from within, Yandle & Michalek, are good pieces but the rest of the squad is one overrated veteran after another. Jovanovski anyone? two more years at 6.5mil for zeeeeroooo pt in 9 games and -6 rating! Mr overrated himself Derek Morris maybe? also 0 point in 9 games and only -4!! Ken Klee? David Hale? Kurt Sauer?? Where is Jyrki Lumme when you need him!
Rating: D
Outlook: same
Los Angeles (3-6-1): The roomy spot in the cellar was expected but did anyone expect this bunch to be this awful?? Will anyone reach 60pts?
I won't go into details about the awful lineup and the great young players on this team except to say that rebuilding is on the right track in LA but there is lots of work yet to be done.
Rating: F
Outlook: looks great for 2011!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Monthly Evaluation: Eastern Creme de la Creme
New York Rangers (10-3-1): I was never a Sather fan but I must admit he has built a very strong team in New York. The production of Jagr & Shanahan has been replaced and the bluieshirts can now count on two good offensive lines and two strong checking lines.
There are however a few dark clouds on the horizons: 1- Chris Drury is paid way too much to be a 3rd line center with 30 points a year but even more important is the minimal cap space available next summer, the same summer both Zherdev and Dubinsky become restricted free agents. Can the Rangers afford to lose those two young guns? Who will be sacrificed to keep them in the fold?
The defense is a nice mix of developing young talent (Girardi & Stall) and serviceable yet underachieving veterans (Redden, Kalinin & Mara) which accomplish enough to protect one of the best goaltender in the league in Henrik Lundqvist. Whispers of ankle troubles were worrisome in training camp but so far, the swedish man is been dominant for the Rangers.
Rating: A
Outlook: same
Montreal (8-1-1): With 4 games in hand and only 4 points behind New York, the Canadiens may well be in first place quite shortly and very few people would be surprised. This team is talented top to bottom and some players struggling for ice team in Montreal would be 2nd liners in other towns.
There is so much speed among those forwards and coupled with an extremely effective backcheck, it makes the Canadiens one of the hardest team to play against.
The defense is anchored by two veterans but there are a whole bunch of young extremely talented guys right behind them to provide steady help to the young goaltenders.
I was critical of Price last year, mostly of what I perceived as bad technique on lateral movement and a very slow glove hand but the kid seems to always find a way to stop the puck and he has been exceptional so far this year.
Halak has also played great and I cannot believe a team in need of goaltending has not made an offer Gainey could not refuse for him. The guy is young and looks like he has the tools to be a very good goalie in the league.
Gainey is the slow and steady improvement type but there has to be some crazy spark all over the Habs front office about going all the way in this 100th year.
Rating: A
Outlook: going up (there is still improvement to be had here)
Carolina (6-3-2): The affirmative action program of the NHL, the SouthEast division, once again propulses a middle of the road team to 3rd place.
Once old-timers Whitney & Brind'Amour retires, Eric Staal is going to feel extremely lonely on this team. There is a complete void of offensive talent and the prospect list is short too.
The defense is also awful to watch and lacks in talent and prospects (unless 28 year old Seidenberg is your idea of a talented prospect). Good thing Cam Ward is over his sophomore slump and playing so well or this team would be fighting with Florida for the 13th spot.
Rating: A
Outlook: going down
Buffalo (7-2-2): It took some time to get over all those free agent departures but this pesky ultra speedy team is back on track.
Vanek leads the league in goals and a lazy shift cannot be found anywhere on this team.
Ryan Miller is up to this usual tricks in goal and makes a weirdly constructed defensive squad look better than they are.
Rating: B
Outlook: same
Boston (6-3-3): Another rebuilding process going well. With Savard, Chara, Ryder and Wideman, the Bruins are adding nice pieces to their homegrown talent of Bergeron, Kessel, Lucic and Krejci.
Some more pieces are needed, especially on the blueline (Aaron Ward & Andrew Ference should enver be playing 20mins a night) but there is a very interesting core in Boston.
It will tough to keep this 5th place in the competitive Eastern Conference especially since Tim Thomas will not be able to keep that .944 save percentage all year but the Bruins have the talent to clinch one of the last playoff spots available.
Rating: B
Outlook: same
Monthly Evaluation: Eastern Meddling Middle
New Jersey: Where would this team be without Parise & Brodeur? The greatest goaltender in the history of the NHL, Brodeur is not letting up as he gets up in age, having played in all 10 games of his team and sporting a nasty 2.16 GAA with 2 shutouts. And that is a good thing too as this team is not generating much offense. Parise has elevated his game and is among the league leaders with 9 goals and 14 points but this group of forwards scare very few in the league.
Greene, Martin, Oduya, White, Mottau & Salvador form a nice group that appears better than they are due to stellar goaltending behind them.
It's hard to see this group win the Atlantic but it's also hard to see them slip down much. This is a hard working group that belongs right there in the middle of the pack.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Pittsburgh: What does that tell you when a team has the best goalie in the league (so far) and 2 of the top 3 point leaders and is 7th in the conference standings? Something will need to be done to find wingers for Crosby & Malkin! and not bottom shelf free agency pick ups like Satan & Fedetenko (shouldn't the fact the Islanders didn't want them tell you something???). Jordan Staal doesn't appear ready to resign before reaching restricted free agency next summer so it would be wise to see what type of return he may bring before Carolina or another team lays out a long heavy-handed contract for him.
On the back end, youngsters Letang & Goligoski are picking up the slack for injured Gonchar but this team will need better stay-at-home defensemen than Hal Gill, Eaton & Scuderi to be considered a complete team. Especially with smallish, offensive-minded guys like Gonchar, Letang & Goligoski, this team will need some strong complements to provide some support to Fleury, even though the young goaltending finally seems to blossom into one of the elite.
Rating: D-
Outlook: going up
Toronto: This is simply unbelievable. How can this team be 5-4-3 and 8th in the Conference?? Noone has more than 9 points, the goalies are not even over .900 in save percentage & Dominic Moore is playing 16mins a night.
Ron Wilson deserves some serious credit for turning this team into a tough opponent. It seems to be a case of Buffalo jr with all lines contributing their little bit with the team somehow finding a way to win.
I really doubt this will continue though. Goal differential (34 goals for, 41 against) do show that there is a far amount of luck and "good breaks" which tend to disapear as things get heated and the season progresses.
Still a great step in the right direction for the Leafs... unless it turns management's head and they think they have the makeup of a contender and move away from the rebuilding process.
Rating: A
Outlook: way down
Washington: Weren't the Caps supposed to run over the SouthEast this year? Maybe once Ovechkin gets back on track and decides to score more goals than Dave Steckel but this is a team with many holes. Semin & Green have been great but there is flagrant lack of talent at the forward position. Fleischmann, Gordon, Steckel, Fehr, Bradley have all shown some nice potential but seem unable to get over the hump and produce at the NHL level.
The defense corps has the makings of a nice group with Green, Schultz & Erskine but some serious talent will need to be added if the goaltending situation is not addressed. The Theodore signing which looked like a passable yet desperate move in August is now looking like the mistake of the year, Free Agency wise. The Caps would have been better saving that money and going with Brent Johnson until the kids grow up or a better option appears.
Missing the playoffs would be extremely disapointing for last year's Cinderella team.
Rating: D
Outlook: going up
Tampa Bay: The simple fact a team coached by Barry Melrose has more than 1 win is quite an accomplishment and should warrant an A rating! Regardless of their weird coaching choice, I like the retooling done by the Lightning.
They lack some toughness but can roll out 4 good lines, 3 of them extremely quick on their feet which affects opposing defense more than it may appear too.
The defense group is quite .... let's go with non-descript to stay polite. The group is however mobile and has the ability to make a good first pass out of the zone which might be all that is needed if Mike Smith continues with his .941 save percentage!
Tampa might end up battling for the Southweak division title but I think a hard battle for the 8th spot is where they will end out.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Greene, Martin, Oduya, White, Mottau & Salvador form a nice group that appears better than they are due to stellar goaltending behind them.
It's hard to see this group win the Atlantic but it's also hard to see them slip down much. This is a hard working group that belongs right there in the middle of the pack.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Pittsburgh: What does that tell you when a team has the best goalie in the league (so far) and 2 of the top 3 point leaders and is 7th in the conference standings? Something will need to be done to find wingers for Crosby & Malkin! and not bottom shelf free agency pick ups like Satan & Fedetenko (shouldn't the fact the Islanders didn't want them tell you something???). Jordan Staal doesn't appear ready to resign before reaching restricted free agency next summer so it would be wise to see what type of return he may bring before Carolina or another team lays out a long heavy-handed contract for him.
On the back end, youngsters Letang & Goligoski are picking up the slack for injured Gonchar but this team will need better stay-at-home defensemen than Hal Gill, Eaton & Scuderi to be considered a complete team. Especially with smallish, offensive-minded guys like Gonchar, Letang & Goligoski, this team will need some strong complements to provide some support to Fleury, even though the young goaltending finally seems to blossom into one of the elite.
Rating: D-
Outlook: going up
Toronto: This is simply unbelievable. How can this team be 5-4-3 and 8th in the Conference?? Noone has more than 9 points, the goalies are not even over .900 in save percentage & Dominic Moore is playing 16mins a night.
Ron Wilson deserves some serious credit for turning this team into a tough opponent. It seems to be a case of Buffalo jr with all lines contributing their little bit with the team somehow finding a way to win.
I really doubt this will continue though. Goal differential (34 goals for, 41 against) do show that there is a far amount of luck and "good breaks" which tend to disapear as things get heated and the season progresses.
Still a great step in the right direction for the Leafs... unless it turns management's head and they think they have the makeup of a contender and move away from the rebuilding process.
Rating: A
Outlook: way down
Washington: Weren't the Caps supposed to run over the SouthEast this year? Maybe once Ovechkin gets back on track and decides to score more goals than Dave Steckel but this is a team with many holes. Semin & Green have been great but there is flagrant lack of talent at the forward position. Fleischmann, Gordon, Steckel, Fehr, Bradley have all shown some nice potential but seem unable to get over the hump and produce at the NHL level.
The defense corps has the makings of a nice group with Green, Schultz & Erskine but some serious talent will need to be added if the goaltending situation is not addressed. The Theodore signing which looked like a passable yet desperate move in August is now looking like the mistake of the year, Free Agency wise. The Caps would have been better saving that money and going with Brent Johnson until the kids grow up or a better option appears.
Missing the playoffs would be extremely disapointing for last year's Cinderella team.
Rating: D
Outlook: going up
Tampa Bay: The simple fact a team coached by Barry Melrose has more than 1 win is quite an accomplishment and should warrant an A rating! Regardless of their weird coaching choice, I like the retooling done by the Lightning.
They lack some toughness but can roll out 4 good lines, 3 of them extremely quick on their feet which affects opposing defense more than it may appear too.
The defense group is quite .... let's go with non-descript to stay polite. The group is however mobile and has the ability to make a good first pass out of the zone which might be all that is needed if Mike Smith continues with his .941 save percentage!
Tampa might end up battling for the Southweak division title but I think a hard battle for the 8th spot is where they will end out.
Rating: C
Outlook: same
Monthly Evaluation: Eastern Bottom Feeders
Philadelphia: After an awful start, the Flyers are slowly coming alive but the team still has many question marks. Offense is however not the issue. With Richards, Gagné, Carter, Briere & Knuble all over a point a game, Philly has two productive and disruptive lines. The rest of the forward group is full of tough hard working complimentary players who understand their role.
Defense is obviously the biggest issue with this team. Even though his play improved last year, the injury to Derian Hatcher is probably a good thing long term as it cleared not only a big salary but a spot for an improving youngster. The Flyers will however need some serious improvement from those young guys as the current squad is average at best. Timonen, Coburn & Vaananen have been playing well but none of them is a workhorse that can carry the whole team on their backs. Acquired during the offseason, Steve Eminger is continuing his mediocre play and proving day after day that he will never reach the high expectations placed on him.
The one bright spot has been the play of 2008 1st round pick Luca Sbisa, a 6’2 Italian defenseman who is leading all Flyers defenseman at 18 years old with 6 points in 11 games.
I warned Flyers’ fans when they acquired Biron that this would not solve their decade long search in goal. Biron is inconsistent, prone to slumps and not technically gifted. Biron is floating around in that no man’s land between backup and solid goalie. A platoon with another 1B goalie might be the best situation to bring out the talent of Biron. Nittymaki has been playing better than Biron but .904 is still not that great. The Flyers have the weakest goaltending in a strong Atlantic division.
The Flyers should fight once again for one of the last few playoffs places and all will depends on their health and how well their young defense holds up in front of average goaltending.
Rating: D
Outlook: going up
Ottawa: What is going on at the Ontario-Quebec border??? I need to watch more Senators games to understand how this team ends up with only 10 points in 11 games and is last in the NorthEast division.
This team is built the same way as the Canucks’ teams of the early 00s: the best #1 line in the league then a wasteland of marginal players with a few nice pieces on the backend and a big hole in goal. Heatley, Spezza & Alfredsson are premium players but simply cannot produce all the offense every night. Someone out of Vermette, Donovan, Foligno, Fisher & Neil needs to get things going, if only to distract the opposition and give a breather to the big guns.
The defense with Kuba, Volchenkov, Phillips & Picard is not spectacular but efficient and should be good enough with such an offense.
The main issue is of course in goal where the Senators are among the 3 weakest teams of the whole league. Gerber seems to deliver only when slated as the backup but falters everytime a team trusts him with their number one spot. That seesaw play is extremely difficult on a team’s morale and I cannot imagine a team making it far with such a troubling point behind them. Auld has been playing well so far (2.31 and .931 in 6 games) but as a Vancouver resident who watched him for a few years, I doubt he will be able to maintain that pace.
Apart of that strong start of Auld, the expected production of the big 3 and the nice production (12 assists in 11 games) of Filip Kuba, there is extremely little positive to be found on this team. Melnyk made the wrong call: Murray should have been let go and Muckler kept around.
Unless something major happens, I don’t see the Senators making much progress and they will need to battle hard to get one of the last playoff spots.
Rating: F –
Outlook:going down
Florida: Is there any chance Bouwmeester will resign with that group?? Not that the new coming of Chris Pronger has been playing that well but he will still be much sought after and the chances of winning seem higher in probably 28 or 29 other cities than Miami right now.
There are a few good pieces with Horton, Booth, Weiss and Keith Ballard leading all Panthers with 10 pts in 11 games, showing how talent can be hidden and buried behind veterans.
Jacques Martin might have his detractors around the league but he is getting some nice assets for his veteran players: For a past due date and mentally unstable Bertuzzi, he acquired Shawn Matthias who is looking like he might become a good big 2nd or 3rd line centerman… and now Ballard for Jokinen. I have to say that I prefer the package the Panthers got for Jokinen than what Atlanta ended up with for Hossa.
To get back to this 4-6-1 team, the talent level is weak at forward and defense and the mediocre veterans peppered through the lineup are simply not the type of players to elevate the team and their younger teammates to contention. This lineup should be dismantled, veterans traded away and a 3-5 year plan put in place to compete in 2012 or so. Even Vokoun should be traded while he has some value. Craig Anderson has not been playing much but his stats look very good and this is the perfect team to give an unhyped goalie a chance to develop and raise his game.
There are a few good young players on this team but this is not the year things will happen. Chances to make the playoffs are slim to none.
Rating: D
Outlook: same
Atlanta: Not to bash on a team when it’s down… but when Todd White is leading your team in points, you can be considered an awful team, even more awful than a 3-7-2 record indicates.
Similar to Florida, the Thrashers have a superstar closing in on Free Agency (Summer 2010 for Kovalchuk) and little except money to entice him to resign. Bryan Little has been playing great so far (6 goals in 12 games) but there isn’t much offensive talent behind.
Atlanta got many pieces in the Hossa trade last year at the trade deadline but the 1st round pick and Esposito (himself a first rounder) will be more important that the meddling 2nd liners they received. This team lacks firepower, identity and purpose… on top of new ownership as I discussed previously!
Do we rebuild with or without Kovalchuk will be the most important question this year in Atlanta but that will not affect the play on the ice: that will stay awful.
Rating: D-
Outlook: going down
New York Islanders: The Islanders have met all expectations so far by easily winning the much coveted chase for the last place of the Eastern Conference. 5 pts in 10 games… you can’t ask much more than that!
This team going nowhere continues to give the most ice time to veterans Weight, Comrie, Streit and Guerin while showing a lack of confidence in their young talent like Hunter, Nielsen, Bergenheim, Okposo and Tambellini. Another example of a team unwilling to rebuild through youth and grabbing whatever is left over in Free Agency.
However, on an alarming note, this is not even the most troubling issue right now in Uniondale. The physical condition of Rick DiPietro is much more important to this team. The Isle lifetimer cannot seem to be able to stay healthy, a scary thought with his untradeable and unboughtable contract.
There is very little to cheer about on Long Island right now and the rest of the season will not change that.
Rating: F
Outlook: same
Defense is obviously the biggest issue with this team. Even though his play improved last year, the injury to Derian Hatcher is probably a good thing long term as it cleared not only a big salary but a spot for an improving youngster. The Flyers will however need some serious improvement from those young guys as the current squad is average at best. Timonen, Coburn & Vaananen have been playing well but none of them is a workhorse that can carry the whole team on their backs. Acquired during the offseason, Steve Eminger is continuing his mediocre play and proving day after day that he will never reach the high expectations placed on him.
The one bright spot has been the play of 2008 1st round pick Luca Sbisa, a 6’2 Italian defenseman who is leading all Flyers defenseman at 18 years old with 6 points in 11 games.
I warned Flyers’ fans when they acquired Biron that this would not solve their decade long search in goal. Biron is inconsistent, prone to slumps and not technically gifted. Biron is floating around in that no man’s land between backup and solid goalie. A platoon with another 1B goalie might be the best situation to bring out the talent of Biron. Nittymaki has been playing better than Biron but .904 is still not that great. The Flyers have the weakest goaltending in a strong Atlantic division.
The Flyers should fight once again for one of the last few playoffs places and all will depends on their health and how well their young defense holds up in front of average goaltending.
Rating: D
Outlook: going up
Ottawa: What is going on at the Ontario-Quebec border??? I need to watch more Senators games to understand how this team ends up with only 10 points in 11 games and is last in the NorthEast division.
This team is built the same way as the Canucks’ teams of the early 00s: the best #1 line in the league then a wasteland of marginal players with a few nice pieces on the backend and a big hole in goal. Heatley, Spezza & Alfredsson are premium players but simply cannot produce all the offense every night. Someone out of Vermette, Donovan, Foligno, Fisher & Neil needs to get things going, if only to distract the opposition and give a breather to the big guns.
The defense with Kuba, Volchenkov, Phillips & Picard is not spectacular but efficient and should be good enough with such an offense.
The main issue is of course in goal where the Senators are among the 3 weakest teams of the whole league. Gerber seems to deliver only when slated as the backup but falters everytime a team trusts him with their number one spot. That seesaw play is extremely difficult on a team’s morale and I cannot imagine a team making it far with such a troubling point behind them. Auld has been playing well so far (2.31 and .931 in 6 games) but as a Vancouver resident who watched him for a few years, I doubt he will be able to maintain that pace.
Apart of that strong start of Auld, the expected production of the big 3 and the nice production (12 assists in 11 games) of Filip Kuba, there is extremely little positive to be found on this team. Melnyk made the wrong call: Murray should have been let go and Muckler kept around.
Unless something major happens, I don’t see the Senators making much progress and they will need to battle hard to get one of the last playoff spots.
Rating: F –
Outlook:going down
Florida: Is there any chance Bouwmeester will resign with that group?? Not that the new coming of Chris Pronger has been playing that well but he will still be much sought after and the chances of winning seem higher in probably 28 or 29 other cities than Miami right now.
There are a few good pieces with Horton, Booth, Weiss and Keith Ballard leading all Panthers with 10 pts in 11 games, showing how talent can be hidden and buried behind veterans.
Jacques Martin might have his detractors around the league but he is getting some nice assets for his veteran players: For a past due date and mentally unstable Bertuzzi, he acquired Shawn Matthias who is looking like he might become a good big 2nd or 3rd line centerman… and now Ballard for Jokinen. I have to say that I prefer the package the Panthers got for Jokinen than what Atlanta ended up with for Hossa.
To get back to this 4-6-1 team, the talent level is weak at forward and defense and the mediocre veterans peppered through the lineup are simply not the type of players to elevate the team and their younger teammates to contention. This lineup should be dismantled, veterans traded away and a 3-5 year plan put in place to compete in 2012 or so. Even Vokoun should be traded while he has some value. Craig Anderson has not been playing much but his stats look very good and this is the perfect team to give an unhyped goalie a chance to develop and raise his game.
There are a few good young players on this team but this is not the year things will happen. Chances to make the playoffs are slim to none.
Rating: D
Outlook: same
Atlanta: Not to bash on a team when it’s down… but when Todd White is leading your team in points, you can be considered an awful team, even more awful than a 3-7-2 record indicates.
Similar to Florida, the Thrashers have a superstar closing in on Free Agency (Summer 2010 for Kovalchuk) and little except money to entice him to resign. Bryan Little has been playing great so far (6 goals in 12 games) but there isn’t much offensive talent behind.
Atlanta got many pieces in the Hossa trade last year at the trade deadline but the 1st round pick and Esposito (himself a first rounder) will be more important that the meddling 2nd liners they received. This team lacks firepower, identity and purpose… on top of new ownership as I discussed previously!
Do we rebuild with or without Kovalchuk will be the most important question this year in Atlanta but that will not affect the play on the ice: that will stay awful.
Rating: D-
Outlook: going down
New York Islanders: The Islanders have met all expectations so far by easily winning the much coveted chase for the last place of the Eastern Conference. 5 pts in 10 games… you can’t ask much more than that!
This team going nowhere continues to give the most ice time to veterans Weight, Comrie, Streit and Guerin while showing a lack of confidence in their young talent like Hunter, Nielsen, Bergenheim, Okposo and Tambellini. Another example of a team unwilling to rebuild through youth and grabbing whatever is left over in Free Agency.
However, on an alarming note, this is not even the most troubling issue right now in Uniondale. The physical condition of Rick DiPietro is much more important to this team. The Isle lifetimer cannot seem to be able to stay healthy, a scary thought with his untradeable and unboughtable contract.
There is very little to cheer about on Long Island right now and the rest of the season will not change that.
Rating: F
Outlook: same
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