NHL 2010-2011 Season Thread

[Geo]

Congrats to the 2009-2010 Chicago Blackhawks for being a great team and bringing the Stanley Cup back to Chicago.

But a new season starts now, let's discuss.

[Geo]

Eastern Conference

1. Washington Capitals
2. New Jersey Devils
3. Buffalo Sabres
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. Ottawa Senators
6. Boston Bruins
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
8. Philadelphia Flyers

WAS, PIT, and NJD are the three locks because they are so talented, they could lose their best forward/defenseman/goaltender for an extended period and keep winning. The Sabres can't afford to lose Ryan Miller, and he did play all of last year plus the Olympics, maybe them losing in the first round last year was a blessing in disguise if it prevented him from being overworked into injury. I was tempted to put Ottawa at the top of the Northeast because adding Gonchar is a big bonus to their PP. Yes I have the Leafs in the playoffs, they finally have good goaltending and their own PP could be scary good. Flyers so low because of very shaky goaltending (we'll see if they do anything at trade deadline?) and unfortunately there is some concern about Pronger's health (dude is a monster otherwise).

9. Montreal Canadiens
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
11. New York Rangers
12. Carolina Hurricanes
13. Atlanta Thrashers
14. New York Islanders
15. Florida Panthers

Like last year I think we'll see a big cluster of teams in the middle, some making the playoffs and some missing out by a bit. Montreal traded away the wrong goaltender, Halak is better plus Price will not ultimately work out in pressure-packed Montreal - either way Price+Auld isn't as good as Halak+Price, and they needed the latter to sneak into the playoffs last year. Tampa has very talented forwards but their defense isn't near good enough and I'm not sold at all on either Ellis or Smith in goal. Sorry hoah, I couldn't put the Rangers in because, although King Henrik is truly one of the elite goalies in the league (unlike Luongo), I just don't know how well the offense and the defense will shape out, plus there's Gaborik's injury history to consider and they cannot afford to lose him one bit.


Western Conference

1. Detroit Red Wings
2. Vancouver Canucks
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Phoenix Coyotes
6. Los Angeles Kings
7. Calgary Flames
8. Nashville Predators

I really think Detroit is the class of the West. San Jose's defense isn't great, losing Rob Blake to retirement and not upgrading it in any way in the offseason, plus we'll see if Niemi and Niittymaki can replace Nabokov (a move that saved millions). Chicago lost quality players under its own cap squeeze. For as much as Buffalo needs Miller to stay healthy, can say the same for Phoenix and Bryzgalov, but they have such a good system going and he's in a contract year. I actually wouldn't be surprised if the Kings don't make the playoffs, they have some pretty good players but I'm not sure they are all that good of a team overall, but the combo of Bernier and Quick in goal should help keep them in. Do not sleep on the Flames, they are going to return, although they are entering the season banged up. Sorry to put the Preds last ElCapichan, they are a quality team and Matthew Lombardi was a quality addition to the forward group.

9. Minnesota Wild
10. St. Louis Blues
11. Anaheim Ducks
12. Colorado Avalanche
13. Edmonton Oilers
14. Dallas Stars
15. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blues added Halak, but it's not like Chris Mason was a complete slouch plus I'm leery to think they have enough offensive punch and are good enough defensively to crack the Top 8 in the West. Ducks have some great forwards but are really lacking on defense unfortunately. Colorado is my pick of playoff team from last year to take quite the tumble out of it this year. Error's Oilers have some dynamic forwards growing up, if they can get at least one quality experienced defenseman or better yet two (unfortunate Souray didn't work out), they'll be a contender again for years to come.


Stanley Cup - Detroit Red Wings over Pittsburgh Penguins in 7

Not a sexy pick in the least, but seemed the most reasonable per the above. Lidstrom retires as a champion, I suppose.

[haohmaru]

Geo, I think you've lost your mind. Leafs? LEAFS? I guess you have to dream, eh?

1. Washington Capitals
2. Pittsburgh Penguins (always in the mix - Malkin's going to return to form)
3. Philadelphia Flyers (Zherdev is going to be huge pick up for them)
4. New Jersey Devils (can't bet against them. I see them slipping a bit)
5. Ottawa Senators (improved and talented)
6. Buffalo Sabres (if Miller keeps up his pre-olympic form)
7. Tampa Bay Lightning (don't laugh. Most improved team in the league)
8. New York Rangers (slide 'em down to 12th if Gaborik plays less than 60 games)
9. Montreal Canadiens (Price? Halak? WTF?)
10. Boston Bruins (too many question marks)
11. Atlanta Thrashers
12. Carolina Hurricanes
13. Toronto Maple Leafs
14. New York Islanders (Streit & Okposo & league minimum payroll = move this fucking franchise already)
15. Florida Panthers

1. Detroit Red Wings (Tentatively. This is a really old team and injuries could really hurt them)
2. Vancouver Canucks (Sedins, Luongo, etc...)
3. Chicago Blackhawks (I can see them falling - even to 5-7)
4. San Jose Sharks (Good regular season team, but maybe this is the year the reg. season isn't great)
5. Phoenix Coyotes (young improving club)
6. Los Angeles Kings (see above)
7. St. Louis Blues
8. Colorado Avalanche
9. Minnesota Wild
10. Calgary Flames (a fucking mess of a franchise)
11. Anaheim Ducks (No Niedermayer = no playoffs this year)
12. Nashville Predators (Yeah, I know, the usually make it. Not this year)
13. Edmonton Oilers (a better group than last year)
14. Dallas Stars
15. Columbus Blue Jackets

I'll save playoff predictions for April.

[Changeling]

Eastern Conference

1. Pittsburgh Penguins- Our offseason pickups are looking good. Malkin and Comrie are playing well together. Fleury has defense in front of him. Gonna be a good year.
2. Philadelphia Flyers- I hate them but can't deny their depth. The only way they fall is if the goalie situation gets worse. Boucher is ok for now.
3. New Jersey Devils- Their top line will be nuts if they are left to play. Its marty's last hurrah and everyone knows it.
4.Washington Capitals- The San Jose Sharks of the East. Plenty of scoring, zero grit or heart.
5. Boston Bruins- Deep as hell and maybe too low, but any team that goes out like they did last year have some question marks deep down.
6.Tampa Bay Lightening- Back in the hunt. Things are looking up with players and coaching down in Tampa. Goaltending will either put them above or below the playoff bubble. I say above.
7. New York Rangers- Hao better hope Gabby plays and Prospal doesn't have issues as well. King Henry rules the roost
8. Montreal Canadians- If price doesn't perform, its over for this team. The Halak trade was the biggest WTF of the off-season.
9. Buffalo Sabres- Can easily switch with the Rags or the Habs with a monster season from Miller. I say its injury time.
10.Ottawa Senators- Would be a playoff team if they had stability at goal. Also, how long is Alfie gonna hold up? Gonchar is great but injury-prone. Ray Shero is no dummy for not signing him.
11. Atlanta Thrashers- Getting Chicago's sloppy seconds wont help. Also Afinogenov and Antropov had chemistry. but Afinogenov is back in the mother Russia now.
12. Carolina Hurricanes- Made no real improvements in the offseason. Staal is awesome but thats not enough.
13. Toronto Maple Leafs- Good goaltending? LOL . The monster is a bust and Giggy ain't shit.
14. New York islanders- Moulson will take a step back. Injuries have taken a chunk out of the team. Poor Johnny T needs to get off that team. The Oilers need to get him!
15. Florida Panthers- Really. Why bother with this team.

West Coast predictions in a lil.

[Geo]

Geo, I think you've lost your mind. Leafs? LEAFS? I guess you have to dream, eh?

Sure I am a homer, but I'm not kidding about the Leafs. My specific Leafs prediction:

2010-2011 Goal Predictions

Kris Versteeg 30 – Tyler Bozak 16 – Phil Kessel 40
Nikolai Kulemin 20 – Mikhail Grabovski 18 – Clarke MacArthur 16
Fredrick Sjostrom/Luca Caputi 8 – Tim Brent 6 – Colby Armstrong 13
Mike Brown 4 – Johnni Malkin/Christian Hanson 8 – Colton Orr 2

Dion Phanuef 14 – Francois Beauchemin 6
Tomas Kaberle 9 – Mike Komisarek 1
Luke Schenn 5 – Carl Gunnarsson 4

Total Goals Forced = 220

Goaltending Predictions

J.S. Giguere – 49 GP, 0.912%
Jonas Gustavsson – 33 GP, 0.907%

Shots Allowed Per Game – 29

Total Goals Allowed = 214.049 which we’ll just round up to 215

Predicted Season Points Total = 92.805 ~ 92 or 93 points

13. Toronto Maple Leafs- Good goaltending? LOL . The monster is a bust and Giggy ain't shit.

Prepare to eat crow, sir. Especially because Giguere is in a contract year.

[Error]

wow. no chance Geo, no chance.

Oilers prediction: dead last again.

[haohmaru]

@ Geo

Kessel @ 40 and Versteeg @ 30? Career highs for both guys? If that happens, you might finish 10th. No way is Giguere coming up with a .912 on that team.

[Geo]

Every year we see at least one team with a bad record the year before make the playoffs. The Maple Leafs are that team this year.

They are going to be tough to play against. They had the third-best team CORSI rating in the NHL last year and they are a better team now.

The 1st line PP of Versteeg-Bozak-Kessel-Phaneuf-Kaberle is already looking great, because of the players involved but also because Wilson and the coaching staff have tweaked their approach to letting the players just play in a more fluid manner than making them execute specific plays (which may have contributed to the struggles of the Leafs' PP last year).

You guys just don't get how horrible Toskala in Toronto was last year. Look at 5-on-5 and the penalty kill with him versus with the Monster or Giguere, it's like night and day ... if night is a volcano erupting one mile away from your home and day is a moderate Tuesday.

The improvement in special teams and goaltending from the year before is going to be huge.

We'll see.

[Error]

No i don't get how bad Toskala was, i only had to watch him every Saturday night. Will the Leafs improve? Yes. Will they make the playoffs? Not a chance.

[Geo]

@ Geo

Kessel @ 40 and Versteeg @ 30? Career highs for both guys? If that happens, you might finish 10th. No way is Giguere coming up with a .912 on that team.

Kessel had his first healthy offseason with the Leafs this summer, which allowed him to really condition himself unlike last year. He is looking great, including potting 7 goals in 6 preseason games. I highly recommend that you acquire him in your fantasy leagues if you can.

Versteeg can produce, the biggest thing for him is the increase in ice time he's going to get with the Leafs. It definitely helps that the Versteeg-Bozak-Kessel line has shown some impressive chemistry already.

Giguere posted a .916% save percentage in 15 games with the Leafs last year. He's situated in Toronto, he's with his best goalie coach, and he has taken a leadership role with the team overall that embraces him as the #1 goalie. All this and, again, I just can't discount the effect of him playing in a contract year.

i only had to watch him every Saturday night.