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 Western Conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Western Conference. 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!
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