EDMONTON OILERS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 41-35-6 88 points
DIVISION: 4th
CONFERENCE: 9th
RESULT: Missed playoffs

OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: LW Erik Cole(CAR), C Ryan Potulny(PHI), RW Gilbert Brule(CBM), D Lubomir Visnovsky(LA), D Jason Strudwick(NYR)
DEPARTURES: LW Curtis Glencross, D Joni Pitkanen, C Marty Reasoner, LW Geoff Sanderson, C Jarret Stoll, RW Raffi Torres, D Matt Greene

After what the Oilers have experienced through free agency the last couple of years, it was probably a good idea they went to the trade route cause free agency simply hasn't worked for them. Kevin Lowe still tried though, making a huge pitch for both Marian Hossa and Jaromir Jagr but all their big moves came via trade. The Oilers made their first trade before the free agency period began by acquiring D Lubomir Visnovsky from the L.A. Kings for C Jarret Stoll and D Matt Greene. The Oilers then made their other trades on the first day of free agency. They started by acquiring LW Erik Cole from the Carolina Hurricanes for defensemen Joni Pitkanen and then acquired young Gilbert Brule from the Blue Jackets for RW Raffi Torres. Cole will be looked to add some extra scoring punch on the first line alongside Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky and has the potential to score 30+ goals. Hemsky finally has a legitimate winger to pass the puck to. Visnovsky will join Sheldon Souray on the PP to form one of the best defensive tandems on the PP in the league. Brule who has hit some bumps in the road so far in his young career has the potential to be the best player out of the three.

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- E.COLE-S.HORCOFF-A.HEMSKY
2- A.COGLIANO-S.GAGNER-R.NILSSON
3- F.PISANI-K.BRODZIAK-D.PENNER
4- E.MOREAU-M-A.POULIOT-G.BRULE
E- R.SCHREMP-R.POTULNY-Z.STORTINI

The Oilers finally have some scoring depth through their top three lines. It all starts with Cole, Horcoff and Hemsky who if they all stay healthy could all see career highs in points. After them you have the Oilers future in Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano and Robert Nilsson. All of them exceeded expectations last season and will be looking to build on from that. Nilsson will battle Dustin Penner for the LW spot on the second line but look for Nilsson to at least start there after he had some chemistry there with Gagner and Cogliano last season. Penner will probably start on the third line with Kyle Brodziak and Fernando Pisani. They will add the scoring depth but it will be awfully hard for Penner to live up to his gigantic contract the Oilers gave him last summer. Ethan Moreau returns from an injury plagued season and will add some much needed leadership. Brule, Zack Stortini and M-A Pouliot will rotate in and out of the line-up throughout the year.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- T.GILBERT-S.SOURAY
2- L.VISNOVSKY-L.SMID
3- S.STAIOS-D.GREBESHKOV
E- J.STRUDWICK-M.ROY

Besides the addition of Visnovsky the Oilers blueline is in tacked from last year. The Oilers are really almost adding Souray too after Souray only appeared in 26 games last season. With those two the Oilers will have quite the tandem on their PP. Ladislav Smid and Denis Grebeshkov also exceeded expectations last season and both will have good talent to look up to and learn from. Steve Staios brings the leadership and grit to the group and is really the only defensive defensemen of the group. Strudwick will bring the depth and fill in for injuries and etc.

GOALIES:
1- M.GARON
2- D.ROLOSON
3- J.DESLAURIERS

This is the biggest concern for the Oilers. Can Mathieu Garon continue his stellar and unexpected success from last year? If not can Dwayne Roloson prove he still has what it takes to be a starting goaltender at the age of 39? Or can young Jeff Deslauriers step up and take away one of their jobs and stick with the team? All these questions will be answered in training camp and Craig MacTavish has already mentioned that the team will carry 3 goalies to start the season. If Deslauriers shows that he can stick with the club, Roloson could be the odd man out.

OVERALL

The Oilers surprised alot of people last season with their late run which almost got them into the playoffs. With the additions of Visnovsky and Cole the Oilers will be in strong contention to make the playoffs this season. There will be lots of pressure on the young kids to continue their performance from last year and it will tell whether the Oilers make or miss the playoffs.

PREDICTION: 2nd Division, 6th Conference

DETROIT RED WINGS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 54-21-7 115 points
DIVISION: 1st
CONFERENCE: 1st
RESULT: Won Stanley Cup

OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: RW Marian Hossa(ATL/PITT), LW Ville Leino(EUR), G Ty Conklin(PITT)
DEPARTURES: LW Dallas Drake, G Dominik Hasek

The rich get richer! When talking about the Red Wings off-season pretty much every conversation starts with that phrase. The Red Wings signed Marian Hossa, the most coveted free agent on the market to a one year contract. Hossa pretty much slapped the entire NHL, especially the Pittsburgh Penguins in the face by agreeing to this term because he past up on other multi-year deals for more money. Hossa obviously wants to win and win now. This will probably Hossa's only season with the Wings but it could bring something very special. The Wings will look to be the first repeat champion since they did it back during the 96-98 seasons. Hossa wont even be on Detroit's top line but will give the Wings potentially three 90 point scorers and 30+ goal scorers. The Red Wings also added former Penguin Ty Conklin to back-up Chris Osgood. The Wings still have some work to do to get under the 56 million dollar salary cap, so stayed tuned on that.

CAP HIT: 57.4 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- P.DATSYUK-H.ZETTERBERG-T.HOLMSTROM
2- J.FRANZEN-V.FILPPULA-M.HOSSA
3- J.HUDLER-K.DRAPER-D.CLEARY
4- K.MATLBY-T.KOPECKY-M.SAMUELSSON
E- V.LEINO-D.HELM-A.DOWNEY

The Red Wings were 3rd in the NHL in goals per game last season, which was good enough to win a Stanley Cup. So what will happen with the added scoring power of a Marian Hossa? Well you make your own predictions but the Wings will be tough to beat. Lead up front by Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, the Wings have two of the best all-around players in the NHL. Both can score 90-100 points while also being a candidate for the Selke trophy as leagues best defensive forward. Also of note Zetterberg is entering into a contract year, enough said. Tomas Holmstrom's job has been the same for the last decade, go to the net and make room for the Stars. He is the best in the business at it and will always be good for 60-70 points. Hossa will join Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula on the Wings second line. Franzen is yet another one of Detroit's gems that comes out of no where and has really proved he is a legitimate NHL sniper. Look for Franzen to reach the 30 goal plateau. Kris Draper anchor's the Wings third line and one would have to wonder what Detroit would do without this guy, he has clearly been as valuable as so many have the all-stars that have came through Detroit. Jiri Hudler and Dan Cleary will join him on the third line and both have the potential to score 20+ goals. Kirk Matlby, Tomas Kopecky and Aaron Downey bring the grit and toughness to the team. Mikael Samuelsson could be the odd man out but he a valuable trade asset especially after his strong playoff performance.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- N.LIDSTROM-B.RAFALSKI
2- N.KRONWALL-B.STUART
3- A.LILJA-B.LEBDA
E- C.CHELIOS-D.MEECH

The Red Wings have the best top 6 in the league. Lead by captain and perennial Norris trophy candidate Nicklas Lidstrom, the Wings are solid from 1 to 6. Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski are probably the best pairing in the league while Niklas Kronwall could easily be a top2 defensemen on any other team. Kronwall brings another dimension to the Wings blueline with his ability to deliver bone crushing hits. Brad Stuart played probably his best hockey during last years Cup run and was rewarded with a contract extension. Brett Lebda also stepped up last season and cemented himself in the top 5. Andreas Lilja and 46 year old Chris Chelios will rotate in the number 6 spot. Derek Meech and Kyle Quincey could also push for a spot and if they really play well one of them or Lilja could also become valuable trade bait.

GOALIES:
1- C.OSGOOD
2- T.CONKLIN
3- J.HOWARD

The Wings could really put anyone in net with their blueline in front of him. Osgood probably wouldn't be a starter on many other teams but made the stops when he needed to and it was enough to win the Stanley Cup. Bringing in Conklin will help Osgood rest here and there but look for Conklin to see probably at least 25 games. Jimmy Howard will have to wait at least another season as he waits for his turn with the big club.

OVERALL:

The Wings have never looked better. From top to bottom their roster stayed in tacked from last years Cup winning team with the only addition of Hossa. The Wings have a very good shot of going back to back but in the new NHL and with teams being so competitive, in no way is it going to be a easy task. The Red Wings will be awfully hard to beat.

PREDICTION: 1st Division, 1st Conference

DALLAS STARS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 45-30-7 97 points
DIVISION: 3rd
CONFERENCE: 8th
RESULT: Lost in Conference finals

OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: LW Sean Avery(NYR), LW Fabian Brunnstrom(EUR)
DEPARTURES: C Stu Barnes, LW Niklas Hagman, G Johan Holmqvist, RW Antti Miettinen, D Mattias Norstrom, LW Brad Winchester

The Stars some how figured a way on how to make 2 guys work a the same job. Brett Hull and Les Jackson have done well as the Stars co-GM's and got to put their mark on the club this summer. They worked together to get highly touted Fabian Brunnstrom who was coveted by multiple teams to sign with them. Brett Hull then went hard after Sean Avery in free agency. Avery now joins Steve Ott and Brenden Morrow and the three of them will make the Stars one of the most hated teams in the league and that's the way Hull wants it to be. Avery and Brunnstrom will bring some scoring depth on the wings to go along with the Stars big three down the middle. Mattias Norstrom and Stu Barnes both said good bye to the NHL while Barnes will continue on with the Stars in their front-office.

CAP HIT: 55.77 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- B.MORROW-M.RIBIERO-J.LEHTINEN
2- S.AVERY-B.RICHARDS-L.ERIKSSON
3- S.OTT-M.MODANO-F.BRUNNSTROM
4- C.CONNER-J.LUNDQVIST-K.BARCH
E- J.NEAL-T.PETERSON-B-J.CROMBEEN/R.SAWADA

The Stars have tons of depth throughout their line-up. It starts withe the big three down the middle with Mike Ribiero, Brad Richards and Mike Modano. All three can play an all-around game while still produce 20+ goals. Morrow has become an even better players since taking over the captaincy from Modano. He is a pest night in and night out but still is a perennial 30 goal scorer. Jere Lehtinen looks to bounce back on the top line after appearing in only 48 games last season, where he still managed 15 goals. Playing on the top line, Lehtinen if healthy could score 25 goals. Avery will pair up with Richards on the second line while Loui Eriksson who had some chemistry with Richards after he came over from Tampa Bay will play the right side. Ott and Modano will anchor the third line and Brunnstrom will start with them and make his way up if he is able to adjusted to the NHL style of game. Joel Lundqvist and Kris Barch bring the grit and toughness from the fourth line while Chris Conner, James Neal, Ryan Sawada and B-J Crombeen will battle it out for the 12th and 13th spot on the roster.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- S.ROBIDAS-M.NISKANEN
2- N.GROSSMAN-P.BOUCHER
3- T.DALEY-M.FISTRIC
E- D.JANCEVSKI-S.ZUBOV(INJ.)

The loss of Sergei Zubov to hip surgery which will keep him out until late October hurts the Stars but isn't the end of the world. Young guns Niklas Grossman and Matt Niskanen really can into their own last season and proved they are ready to be everyday defensemen. They will both start the season in the top-4 but it shouldn't be a problem for either of them. Stephane Robidas is one of the most under-rated players in the league and comes in at a very good value. Phillipe Boucher returns from an injury plagued season where he only played 38 games. He will look to regain his 06 form when he was an All-Star. Trevor Daley plays a consistent game night in and night out while Mark Fistric proved his value as a injury replacement last season, he will take Zubov's place in the top 6 to start the season.

GOALIES:
1- M.TURCO
2- T.STEPHAN
3- R.BACHMAN

Marty Turco has always been a great goaltender in the league but with his last two playoff performances, he is now an elite goaltender., easily in the top 5 in the league. With the defense Turco has in front of him, it will just make it harder for the opposition to put the puck in the net. Turco could see a little heavier workload this season as the Stars elected not to sign a back-up goaltender and go with 24 year old Tobias Stephan.

OVERALL:

The Stars look set from top to bottom. It starts with Morrow up front and ends with Turco in the net. They have a good mix of veterans and young guns and will be one of the hardest if not the hardest team to play against this season with Morrow, Ott and now Avery. Jackson and Hull have now put their stamp on the team with the acquisition of Richards and the signing of both Brunnstrom and Avery. The Stars have no where to go but up and baring any injuries the Stars are set to challenge for the Stanley Cup.

PREDICTION: 1st Division, 2nd Conference

COLORADO AVALANCHE: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 44-31-7 95 points
DIVISION: 2nd
CONFERENCE: 6th
RESULT: Lost in 2nd round.

OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: RW Darcy Tucker(TOR), LW Per Ledin(EUR), RW Brian Willsie(LA), C Wyatt Smith(MIN), D Daniel Tjarnqvist(EUR), G Andrew Raycroft(TOR)
DEPARTURES: RW Andrew Brunette, D Jeff Finger, D Kurt Sauer, G Jose Theodore

The Avalanche took alot of risks with their moves they made the in the off-season. The old is the new, new for the Avs. They re-hired Tony Granato as their new head coach and signed two castaways from the Leafs. After they lost Jose Theodore to the Capitals, the Avalanche had to fill the void. From all the goaltenders available which certainly wasn't the greatest list to choose from, the Avs went with probably the worst available. The Avs signed Leaf castoff Andrew Raycroft to a one year deal who had looked nothing more than a minor league goaltender the last couple of seasons. The Avs also took a chance on RW Darcy Tucker who lost his scoring touch last season. If Tucker is put with the right players he will regain his 20 goal form without a problem. He brings some extra toughness up front too. For the second straight season the Avs brought in a no name from Europe. Per Ledin will look to make more of a impact than Jaroslav Hlinka. The summer did end off on a good note after captain Joe Sakic announced that he will play another season.

CAP HIT: 51.5 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- R.SMYTH-J.SAKIC-W.WOLSKI
2- M.SVATOS-P.STASTNY-M.HEDJUK
3- D.JONES-T-J.HENSICK-D.TUCKER
4- I.LAPIERRE-B.GUITE-C.McLEOD
E- P.LEDIN-T.ARNASON-B.WILLSIE

With Sakic coming back, it gives the Avs yet another scoring option but more importantly their captain who is so important to the franchise. Who knows what the Avs will be like without 'Burnaby Joe' but we will have to wait for that for at least another year. Ryan Smyth has to bounce back after just a mediocre season after signing that big contract the summer before. Wojtek Wolski will get the chance to play on the top line and has the talent to do it. Wolski has the potential to be a 30 goal man. Peter Stastny continued to make strides last season and is a bona fide second line center. Milan Hedjuk yet aging is still capable of scoring 25 goals. Wolski and Stastny will have to take even another step forward this season cause Hedjuk and Sakic aren't getting any younger. The battle for the 3rd line center will be a fierce one between T-J Hensick and Tyler Arnason. Hensick played well at times last season and looks to be the better option for the Avs with Sakic's career coming to and end. Hensick will be sheltered behind Sakic and Stastny and will be on a line with Tucker and young David Jones. Ian Lapierre is one of the better agitators in the league and Cody McLeod brings the toughness.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- S.HANNAN-J-M.LILES
2- R.SALEI-A.FOOTE
3- J.LEOPOLD-B.CLARK
E- D.TJARNQVIST-K.COMISKEY

The defense is going to have to be better than ever with all the question marks surrounding the Avs goaltending. John Michael Liles was re-signed to a contract extension in the summer and will once again be looked to QB the PP. Scott Hannan and Adam Foote are the veterans of the group and are both good stay at home defensemen. Ruslan Salei was a nice pick-up at the deadline last year and is probably the Avs best all-around defensemen. Jordan Leopold is consistency injured but when healthy has the potential to be a top 4 defensemen. Brett Clark is returning after a injured plagued season and will be a nice addition with his puck moving ability. Daniel Tjarnqvist was brought back from Europe to add some depth.

GOALIES:
1- P.BUDAJ
2- A.RAYCROFT
3- M.WALL

So the Northwest division showcases starting goalies, Luongo, Kiprusoff, Backstrom, Garon and Budaj/Raycroft. Who doesnt fit in? The Avs are in big trouble in the crease. Budaj was just an ok back-up last season and like I said before Raycroft has looked nothing better than and AHL goaltender. With this goaltending duo the Avs will have to be very good defensively. Lucky Salei, Hannan and Foote are some of the best shot blockers in the league.

OVERALL:

With Raycroft and Budaj, the Avalanche aren't going anywhere too quickly. Foote, Hannan and Salei can only block so many shots. The Avs will have no problem scoring goals with Sakic and co. but will have to start to plan life without 'Burnaby Joe'. Stastny is capable of being a number one center but young guys like Hensick and Wolski will have to take their game to the next level. The Avs will loose alot of high scoring games and if the goaltending struggles that bad, maybe they can audition Hannan, Foote or Salei as their starting goaltender.

Prediction: 5th Division, 12th Conference

Flames make 1st Roster Cuts

The Flames and general manager announced yesterday the club has re-assigned 17 players to the Flames minor league affiliate, Quad-City. Here is the list of players sent down:

1. Hugo Carpentier, C
2. Kris Chucko, RW
3. Adam Cracknell, RW
4. Cam Cunning, LW
5. Carsen Germyn, LW
6. Warren Peters, C
7. Dan Ryder, C
8. Aki Seitsonen, RW
9. Jonathan Tramblay, RW
10. David Van der Gulik, LW
11. Peter Vandermeer, LW
12. J.D. Watt, RW
13. Brad Cole, D
14. Brett Palin, D
15. Dan Spang, D
16. Ryan Wilson, D
17. Leland Irving, G

Really no surprises here especially since Van der Gulik was the only on to see any exhibition game time. Kris Chucko is looking more and more like a gigantic 1st round bust, while Leland Irving had a groin injury and the Flames didn't want to risk making it worse, hence why he didn't see any game action.

I really cant wait for the season to start, especially after the Flames romped the Panthers 8-2 last night. I know it is only exhibition but from what I heard on the radio the Flames looked really good. Peter Maher said they are way faster than last year and that is music to my ears. All the new guys have chipped in on the score sheet and Boyd has been awesome, racking up 6 points in 3 games. Look for him to get a shot on the second line to start the season.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 40-34-8 88 points
DIVISION: 3rd
CONFERENCE: 10th
RESULT: Missed playoffs

OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: C Tim Brent(PITT), D Brian Campbell(BUFF/SJ), D Matt Walker(STL), D Doug Janik(TB), D Aaron Johnson(NYI), G Cristobal Huet
DEPARTURES: C Robert Lang, RW Jason Williams, LW Rene Bourque, G Patrik Lalime, C Yanic Perreault, D Andrei Zyuzin

It was a buys off-season for the Blackhawks after they made huge strides last season and were in contention for the playoffs right to the end of the season. The Blackhawks wanted to make a splash in free agency and had more than enough money to do it. They signed the best defensemen available to fill their need of a puck moving defensemen and a PP QB, Brian Campbell. Campbell has emerged into an elite defensemen in the last couple of years and the Blackhawks paid the price for it, giving Campbell a 8 year contract worth 56 million dollars. Campbell will be looked to lead the young group of players on the Hawks but will have to live up to his gigantic contract at the same time, it shouldn't be a problem for Campbell. The Hawks also signed goaltender Cristobal Huet which was a very surprising move. Huet will now join Nikolai Khabibulin in Chicago's eleven million dollar crease. With these moves it put the Hawks over the cap, so they dealt Robert Lang to the Canadiens. It left the Blackhawks without a veteran centerman and less depth.

CAP HIT: 55.21 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- P.SHARP-J.TOEWS-P.KANE
2- A.LADD-D.BOLLAND-M.HAVLAT
3- D.BYFUGLEIN-P.KONTIOLA-J.SKILLE
4- B.EAGER-A.BURISH-C.ADAMS
E- K.VERSTEEG-T.BRENT-T.BROUWER

The Hawks are full of youth up front especially after now since they traded away Lang. The Hawks will be lead by young Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Both players will be looked to take the next step and become top line players night in and night out. They will be joined by surprising 36 goal man Patrick Sharp, who has all the speed in the world and found his finish last season. Martin Havlat is the veteran of the group but can never by counted on to play more than 70 games a year. The Hawks are hoping he can play at least 70. David Bolland steps into Lang's vacant spot but has never played as a top 6 forward. Andrew Ladd who was acquired from Carolina at the deadline last season also has to take his game to a higher level and become a top 6 forward. Dustin Byfuglein who has been converted from defense to forward was also a nice surprise last season notching 19 goals. He will be looked upon to give the Hawks some secondary scoring. Peter Kontiola and Jack Skille will be everyday players on the hawks this season and will join Byfuglein on the 3rd line. Skille has the potential to be a top 6 forward one day. Ben Eager, Adam Burish and Craig Adams will bring more than enough toughness back on the 4th line.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- B.CAMPBELL-D.KEITH
2- C.BARKER-B.SEABROOK
3- B.SOPEL-J.HENDRY
E- M.WALKER-J.WISENIEWSKI(INJ.)

The Hawks have a very good young defensive corps. Lead by Campbell, the Hawks are only going to get better at this position. Campbell will play in all situations and will help the PP. Duncan Keith has emerged as a legitimate top 2 defensemen and is only going to get better. He will probably win the Norris trophy one day. Brent Seabrook has also made great strides since entering the league and will be looked upon to help Cam Barker reach his potential. Barker finally looked like he was making strides to be a top 4 defensemen like the Hawks hoped for when they took him 3rd overall in the '06 draft. He will be looked upon to QB the second PP unit. Brent Sopel brings leadership and will be paired with either Jordan Hendry or Matt Walker on Chicago's 3rd pairing. James Wiseniewwski had a very strong season as well but will be out a couple of months after tearing his right ACL.

GOALIES:
1- C.HUET
2- N.KHABIBULIN
3- C.CRAWFORD

The move to sign Huet was a questionable one, that no one in the NHL could figure out. The Hawks already had Khabibulin, though not playing up to his worth, signed for one more year at 6.75 million dollars. With the Huet signing the Hawks now have over 12 million dollars committed to two goaltenders by far the richest in the league. One of them, most likely Khabibulin could still be moved but at this point, GM Dave Tallon has let it be known that the Hawks plan to have them split time.

OVERALL:

I think the Hawks will eventually be forced to trade Khabibulin whether it is in their plans or not. The Hawks will want to add some leadership up front, most importantly down the middle. Bolland will be given a shot to be the #2 center but if it doesn't work out, Tallon will have to pull the trigger. With Toews and Kane up front and Campbell and Keith on the back end, the Hawks will make the playoffs this season.

PREDICTION: 2nd Division, 7th Conference

CAROLINA HURRICANES: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 43-33-6 92 points
DIVISION: 2nd
CONFERENCE: 9th
RESULT: Missed playoffs

OFF SEASON:
ARRIVALS: D Joni Pitkanen(EDM), D Josef Melichar(EUR), D Anton Babchuk(EUR)
DEPARTURES: C Keith Aucoin, RW Eric Cole, G John Grahame, C Jeff Hamilton, D Brett Hedican, C Trevor Letowski, D David Tanabe, D Glen Wesley

There probably wasn't a team that needed/wanted a puck-moving defensemen more than the Carolina Hurricanes. Throughout the whole year the Canes searched and searched and did acquire Joe Corvo from the Senators at the trade deadline who played extremely well after the trade. That still want enough for the Canes and with so many teams also with the need of a puck-moving defensemen and the lack of quality the Canes needed to give up something to get something. The Canes eventually had to give up fan favourite and solid top six winger Eric Cole to the Oilers in order to get young defensemen Joni Pitkanen. Pitkanen struggled last year with the Oilers after coming over from the Flyers the previous summer and was looking for a big contract. The Canes were able to acquire Pitkanen and sign him to a contract extension. The Canes were other wise quiet but now need to search for another top-6 winger to replace Justin Williams who will be out 4-6 months after he tore his right Achilles tendon.

CAP HIT: 49.32 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- R.WHITNEY-E.STAAL-T.RUUTU
2- S.SAMSONOV-R.BRIND'AMOUR-P.EAVES
3- R.BAYDA-M.CULLEN-S.WALKER
4- W.BROOKBANK-B.SUTTER-C.LaROSE
E- T.CONBOY-J.JENSEN-J.WILLIAMS(INJ.)

The loss of Williams hurts the Hurricanes badly. They now have a hole in their top-6 and whether Jim Rutherford is able to fill it is another question. The Canes still wont have trouble scoring goals but when you loose two of your top-6 forwards in one summer and dont replace them it is gonna hurt your chances. The Canes are lead by Eric Staal and Rod Brind'Amour who will lead the attack along with Ray Whitney. Sergei Samsonov finally found his game again after being dealt to Carolina and was rewarded with a contract extension in the summer. Tuomo Ruutu and Patrick Eaves will be looked upon to step up their games with both of them being forced into bigger roles. Matt Cullen will anchor Carolina's third line and is one of the better 3rd line centers in the league. Scott Walker could start alongside Cullen but if Eaves or Ruutu dont produce he will be ready to jump into the top 6. Brett Sutter, the Canes 1st overall pick from 07 will center the fourth line and will have some of the best centerman to look up to and learn from.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- J.CORVO-T.GLESSON
2- J.PITKANEN-N.WALLIN
3- A.BABCHUK-F.KABERLE
E- D.SEIDENBERG-J.MELICHAR

The Canes have some decent depth on their blueline and lots of guys who are able to move the puck. Other than Pitkanen, the Canes also brought Anton Babchuk and Josef Melichar back from Europe. Corvo was probably the best surprise from the Canes year last year after he came over from Ottawa. He will be looked to patrol the blueline along with Pitkanen. Tom Glesson has really blossomed into a quality top-4 defensemen and is probably the Canes best defensive defensemen. Niclas Wallin is back again while Frantisek Kaberle has been rumored to be on the trade block, in order for the Canes to add another top 6 forward. If he does get moved Denis Seidenberg or Melichar will be more than capable filling his spot.

GOALIES:
1- C.WARD
2- M.LEIGHTON
3- J.PETERS

Cam Ward was really good at times but not so good at others. Consistency will be Ward's biggest challenge this year and if he is able to be more consistent, really back to how he played during the Canes cup run, the Canes will be in the hunt down till the final days of the season. Michael Leighton played so well in the minors last season he was given a one-way contract and will be Ward's back-up this season.

OVERALL

The Canes will be competitive this season once again but with the loss of Williams, it will be tough for the Canes to fill his spot. Ruutu and Eaves have never really been given chances to play in major roles but that is all players need is a chance. Ruutu will also have to avoid the injury bug which has plagued him throughout his career. Ward will be better this season but the Canes defense could be a little shaky in their own end. All in all, the Canes wont have enough to make the playoffs.

PREDICTION- 3rd Division, 9th Conference

BUFFALO SABRES: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 39-31-12 90 points
DIVISION: 4th
CONFERENCE: 11th
RESULT: Missed playoffs

OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: D Craig Rivet(SJ), G Patrick Lalime(CHI)
DEPARTURES: RW Steve Bernier, D Dmitri Kalinin, LW Matt Ryan, G Jocelyn Thibault

Nothing has gone right in Buffalo since they appeared in the conference finals two years ago. That summer they lost their 1-2 punch, Daniel Briere and Chris Drury to free agency and then with the chance that they may have lost defensemen Brian Campbell that very same way this off-season the Sabres were forced to deal the star defensemen at the deadline. This looked to have changed though after all of that when the Sabres were able to sign star goaltender Ryan Miller to a 5 year contract extension, thus reliving any worries they would loose another star player next summer. With Miller signed long term the Sabres can now build their team around him. The Sabres also added D Craig Rivet in a trade with the Sharks to help fill the hole left by Campbell and signed Patrick Lalime to give Miller some time to rest here and there during the season.

CAP HIT: 47.85 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- T.VANEK-D.ROY-J.POMINVILLE
2- J.HECHT-T.CONNOLLY-D.STAFFORD
3- A.KOTALIK-P.GAUSTAD-M.AFINOGENOV
4- D.PAILLE-A.MAIR-C.MacARTHUR
E- A.PETERS-N.GERBE-P.KALETA

The Sabres dont have any glaring holes up front. They have solid depth throughout and have three lines that all can potentially score goals. Derek Roy and Jason Pominville lead this group of talented forwards both coming off career years which they look to continue to build upon. Thomas Vanek was suppose to be up with Roy and Pominville but took a step back after signing that huge offer sheet last summer to stay with the Sabres. Vanek and Roy have played together for 4 years now and hopefully they will be able to really connect and Vanek will find his 40 goal form again. Jochen Hecht has been very consistent for the Sabres the last couple of years and can play either wing or center all depending on the health of Tim Connolly. Connolly who has shown that he has a ton of talent more than capable of a 2nd line center hasn't been able to find a way to stay healthy. He will also be a question mark until he plays 70+ games. Maxim Afinogenov is on the hot seat this season after only producing 10 goals and 28 points in a injury plagued season. If he can return to form the Sabres will have even more scoring power. Paul Gaustad was also rewarded with a 4 year contract extension this summer and will be looked upon to continue his great two-way play. His offensive production could also go up playing along side Afinogenov and Ales Kotalik. Drew Stafford will be looked upon to continue to develop into a top six forward and will be given every opportunity playing along side Connolly and Hecht. Daniel Paille, Adam Mair and Clarke MacArthur bring the grit from a very good 4th line.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- T.LYDMAN-H.TALLINDER
2- C.RIVET-A.SEKERA
3- T.NUMMINEN-J.SPACEK
E- N.PAETSCH-M.WEBER

This group of players really need to step up in order for the Sabres to contend for the playoffs. Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder have showed that they can shutdown the best of them but need to do it on a more consistent basis and really need to step it up further this season. Rivet was brought in to help fill the void left by Campbell and will help young defensemen Andrej Sekera and Mike Weber continue to develop into everyday players. Sekera probably is Buffalo's best puck-moving defensemen and will be given the chance to run the PP. Teppo Numminen returns this season to I think everyones surprise and along with Jaroslav Spacek they give the Sabres a veteran 3rd pairing.

GOALIES:
1- R.MILLER
2- P.LALIME
3- A.DENNIS

Every Sabres fan took a breath of relief when they heard the signing of Ryan Miller's contract extension. The Sabres fans have been though rough times the past couple of seasons and didnt need Miller to go anywhere. Miller is clearly the MVP and leader of this team and is the center block of this franchise for now years to come. Lalime is a great back-up and has all the ability to win the games he does get into when Miller needs a rest.

OVERALL

The Sabres will be in tough to make the playoffs much like the Bruins but will be in the hunt all year. There are too many questions surrounding the Sabres and I think it will be at least another season before they make the playoffs again. If Connolly finally stays healthy, Vanek and Afinogenov regain their form and Sekera is able to QB the powerplay the Sabres will have made good strides to build upon into the future.

PREDICTION: 4th Division, 11th Conference

BOSTON BRUINS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 41-29-12 94 points
DIVISION: 3rd
CONFERENCE: 8th
RESULT: Lost in 1st round

07-08 OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: RW Micheal Ryder(MON), RW Blake Wheeler(PHO)
DEPARTURES: D Bobby Allen, G Alex Auld, C Glen Metropolit, RW Glen Murray

The Bruins stayed awful quiet this off-season after a surprising playoff appearance. GM Peter Chiarelli did want to add some size on the wings to compensate for their small but talent centers in Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron. Chiarelli didn't wait at all singing RW Michael Ryder on day one. Ryder coming off a very disappointing and awful year which saw him get healthy scratched down the stretch of the season and for the majority of the Canadiens playoff games. Chiarelli over-paid insanely to get Ryder who after all of that got a raise to come and play for the Bruins. Hope is that Ryder can find his game again under former coach Claude Julien. Only time will tell. Chiarelli also added 6'5 highly touted winger Blake Wheeler. Wheeler has lots of potential after the Coyotes took him with the 5th overall pick in 2004 but is still on the outside looking in coming into this season. The Bruins dumped some salary to finished off the summer when they bought out veteran Glenn Murray.

CAP HIT: 55.47 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- M.STURM-M.SAVARD-M.RYDER
2- M.LUCIC-P.BERGERON-C.KOBASEW
3- B.WHEELER-D.KREJCI-P.KESSEL
4- P-J.AXELSSON-S.YELLE-J.REICH
E- P.SCHAEFER-V.SOBOTKA-S.THORNTON/P.NOKELAINEN

The Bruins look solid up front. They have tons of youth but still have some veterans to lead the way. It all starts will Savard who has proven that he is among the best in the NHL. His playmaking ability is really what keeps him near the top in the scoring race year in and year out. This year he has the potential of a true sniper on his wing if Ryder is able to regain his form. Before last season, Ryder posted back-to-back 30 goal seasons and with Savard as his centerman he could see those numbers again. Marco Sturm finishes out the top line and will bring speed and some extra scoring ability. The Bruins are hoping Patrice Bergeron is able to make a full recovery this season after sitting out all but 10 games last year after getting a severe concussion from a hit by Flyers defensemen Randy Jones. If he is able to regain his form the Bruins will boast one of the best 1, 2 center punches in the league. Milan Lucic and Chuck Kobasew will look to continue their success from last year and with Bergeron their production could go up. Wheeler, David Krejci and Phil Kessel are probably the line with the most potential in the whole league. They are all still young, have good talent and have the right mix of size and speed if paired all on the same line. Stephane Yelle and long-time Bruin P-J Axelsson lead this young group from the 4th line while Jeremy Reich and Shawn Thornton bring the toughness. Peter Schaefer is on the outside looking in too so dont be surprised if you see the Bruins trying to move him.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- D.WIDEMAN-Z.CHARA
2- M.STUART-A.FERENCE
3- A.WARD-S.HNIDY
E- M.LASHOFF-A.ALBERTS

The defense is also a young group but it is lead by their gigantic captain Zdeno Chara. Chara is amazing at what he does especially for a guy his size. He can dominate games night in and night out. Denis Wideman was a pleasant surprise last season and was rewarded with a new 4 year contract. He looks like he will be a solid top-4 defensemen for years to come. Andrew Ference and Aaron Ward also bring alot of expierence to the blueline with both of them appearing in the Cup finals and Ward having won the Cup back with Carolina. The battle for the last two spots will be between young guns, Mark Stuart, Matt Lashoff, Andrew Alberts and veteran Shane Hnidy. Mark Stuart looks to have one of the spots locked up after his good performance last season while Alberts and Lashoff will battle for the last one. Hnidy probably isn't a everyday defensemen so he fits in as either the 6th or 7th defensemen.

GOALIES:
1- T.THOMAS
2- M.FERNANDEZ
3- T.RASK

The Bruins all of a sudden have depth at the goaltending position with Manny Fernandez back after a season of injuries. Tim Thomas played well for the Bruins at times but is definitely better off splitting time with Fernandez to get the best out. Fernandez could return to his old form and play more games than Thomas but look to it as probably a 45-35 split. Tuukka Rask will have more time to develop down in Providence but is definitely the Bruins goalie of the future.

OVERALL:

The Bruins have good depth throughout their whole team but will be in tough to make the playoffs with lots of the other eastern teams improving their rosters. The Bruins have alot riding on Ryder, 4 million to be exact whether Ryder can live up to it is another question. It was definitely the second most shocking signing on Canada day and I dont think the price they gave him is worth it. With Chara and Savard and the duo of Thomas and Fernandez the Bruins will be competitive all year and will come down to games 79-92 to see whether they will continue into the post season.

PREDICTION: 3rd Division, 9th Conference

ATLANTA THRASHERS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 34-40-8 76 points
DIVISION: 4th
CONFERENCE: 14th
RESULT: Missed playoffs

07-08 OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: RW Jason Williams(CHI), D Ron Hainsey(CBM), RW Junior Lessard(DAL), C/LW Marty Reasoner(EDM)
DEPARTURES: C Bobby Holik, D Steve McCarthy, D Marc Popovic, RW Mark Reechi, D Alexei Zhitnik

Is there anyone able to play with Ilya Kovalchuk? That was the question Thrashers GM Don Waddell has been trying to answer for a long time. There have been lots who have tried but there has also been lots who have failed if not all. New coach John Anderson will now face this question, whether he can solve it or not is another question. Waddell looked to free agency and thinks he could have the answer after signing RW Jason Williams. Williams who was injured last season, only appeared in 43 games last season but did manage to score 36 points. He could very well be the perfect setup man for Kovalchuk, only time will tell but I think he is a sleeper for hockey poolers out there. The Thrashers other huge hole was their blueline. With the 3rd overall pick in the draft, the Thrashers selected highly touted Zach Bogosian. Bogosian will be looked upon to step right into the line-up and play important minutes for the Thrashers this season. They then swept up Ron Hainsey on the 1st day of free agency and signed him 5 year contract. With that the Thrashers had pretty much done their spending only to add Marty Reasoner later in free agency to add some depth to their 3rd or 4th line.

CAP HIT: 38.5 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- I.KOVALCHUK-E.CHRISTENSEN-J.WILLIAMS
2- S.KOZLOV-T.WHITE-C.ARMSTRONG
3- E.PERRIN-B.LITTLE-B.STERLING
4- J.SLATER-M.REASONER-E.BOULTON
E- B.LARSEN-C.THORBURN-J.LaVALLEE

Outside of Kovalchuk, the Thrashers dont have a pure goal scorer. They have potential with Williams, Erik Christensen, Colby Armstrong, Bryan Little and Brett Sterling but those players have alot to prove. Williams along with Todd White and Slava Kozlov are more of the play-maker types of players but other than Williams passing the puck to Kovalchuk, White and Kozlov dont have anyone to pass the puck to themselves. The Thrashers will put huge pressure on Christensen and Armstrong to produce this season. They both played well, especially Armstrong after coming over from Pittsburgh in the Marian Hossa deal but they still need to take it to another level and both will have their opportunities. The Thrashers will look for Little and Sterling to develop into solid NHLers while hoping they made huge strides over the off-season which will help them produce for over their value. Jim Slater, Marty Reasoner and Eric Perrin bring the grit to the team while Eric Boulton brings the toughness.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- N.HAVELID-T.ENSTROM
2- Z.BOGOSIAN-R.HAINSEY
3- K.KLEE-G.EXELBY
E- N.OYSTRICK-B.VALABIK

This was the Thrashers weakness last season but Waddell made some good moves in improving it this season. Tobias Enstrom was pretty much the only bright spot on the blueline last season and after just signing a new 4 year contract extension, the same and even more will be looked upon him this year. Enstrom's defensive partner, Niclas Havelid has been nothing but consistent since coming to Atlanta a few years back. He is the true anchor of the defense and will be looked upon to lead his team. The addition of Hainsey and Bogosian makes the Thrashers blueline a whole lot younger. Both players skate well while also being able to move the puck with the best of them. Bogosian will have a shot at the Calder trophy this season and will play in every situation. Garnet Exelby is feared around the league with his gigantic hits and along with Ken Klee, they give the Thrashers a very good 3rd pairing. With all the puck-moving defensemen the Thrashers have, they will be looked upon to step into the play and help out the offense.

GOALIES:
1- K.LEHTONEN
2- J.HEDBURG
3- O.PAVELEC

Kari Lehtonen is the key to the Thrashers season and to their future. He has all the talent to be right up there with the best of them but he cant seem to fight the injury bug. Lehtonen has been consistently injured throughout his whole career and the Thrashers haven't been able to survive without him. Johan Hedburg was re-signed for this very reason and has done a good job replacing Lehtonen. Ondrej Pavelec is another highly touted prospect and there have been rumors swirling about if he has a good training camp, the Thrashers may stick with him and look to deal Lehtonen.

OVERALL:

The Thrashers have a very young team and cannot be taken lightly but until they can find or produce another top-6 forward without the name of Kovalchuk, then the Thrashers will have a hard time making the playoffs. Waddell has made some good moves on the back-end to help keep the puck out of the net so that is definitely a start. Look for Bogosian to really show what he's got as he battles it out for the Calder trophy. The Thrashers will work hard under new coach John Anderson and are probably only a year or two away from really being contenders when it comes to the playoffs.

PREDICTION: 5th Division, 13th Conference

ANAHEIM DUCKS: 08-09 Season Preview

07-08 RECORD: 47-27-8 102 points
DIVISION: 2nd
CONFERENCE: 4th
RESULT: Lost in 1st round

07-08 OFF-SEASON:
ARRIVALS: C Brendan Morrison(VAN), D Steve Montador(FLA), RW Eric Boguniecki(NAS), D Brennan Evans(FA), G David LeNeveu(NYR/PHO)
DEPARTURES: D M-A Bergeron, LW Todd Bertuzzi, C Doug Weight

A fairly quiet off-season for Brian Burke and the Ducks not including his on going feud with Kevin Lowe. The Ducks locked up Corey Perry to a 5-year deal to kick off the summer just before anyone could take a shot at his restrictive free agent status. The biggest need was secondary scoring and Burke addressed the problem by signing often injured but useful Brendan Morrison from his former team the Vancouver Canucks. Morrison will come into training camp with alot to prove after only appearing in 39 games last season. If Morrison can stay healthy he is definitely an upgrade over Doug Weight who left via free agency. Burke still had alot of work to do coming into training camp to solve the Ducks secondary scoring problem. Teemu Selanne still hadn't been re-signed, though is in training camp under a try-out contract, so Burke has been working the phones to try to make space for the most prolific goal scorer in Ducks history. Reports have swirled that defensemen Mathieu Schneider has played his last game as a Duck. Schneider was put on waivers but cleared without any takers on his 5.75 million dollar contract. It looks like Burke will have to take some salary to dump some. Can Burke dump salary while getting under the cap and still sign Selanne? Stay tuned on this one!

CAP HIT: 58.013 million

FORWARDS:
My Projected Lines:
1- C.KUNITZ-R.GETZLAF-C.PERRY
2- B.RYAN-B.MORRISON-T.SELANNE
3- T.MOEN-S.PAHLSSON-R.NIEDERMAYER
4- B.MAY-T.MARCHANT-R.CARTER
E- J.LINDSTROM-B.SUTHERBY-G.PARROS

Assuming the Ducks do find a way to re-sign Selanne, they look set up front. Lead by Ryan Getzlaf and Perry the Ducks have two of the best young players locked up for a long time. Adding Chris Kunitz to the top line will bring a little more grit and hopefully help get Kunitz's production up. Selanne will anchor the second line. He will add excellent secondary scoring while help bring young Bobby Ryan into the NHL. This is a big year for Ryan who was taken 2nd overall to Sidney Crosby, he has to really show that he can be an NHL player and contribute offensively. Selanne can't play forever and Ryan has to set into his shoes. The Ducks also have a very good shut down line who can also contribute offensively here and there. Pahlsson is really under valued in the NHL and is great at what he does. Brad May and Todd Marchant add some leadership while brining grit down from the 4th line. Ryan Carter played well at times last season and will push Ryan for 2nd line ice-time. Sutherby adds good depth down the middle while George Parros can throw them with the best of them.

DEFENSE:
My Projected Pairings:
1- C.PRONGER- S.O'DONNELL
2- S.NIEDERMAYER-F.BEAUCHEMIN
3- K.HUSKINS-B.MIKKELSON
E- M.SCHNEIDER-S.MONTADOR

Scott Niedermayer proved two things last season: 1. how much of a distraction it can be to a team when they are waiting for a player to make up his mind on whether he wants or doesn't want to play(now see Mats Sundin) and 2. how valuable he really is. Without Niedermayer the Ducks are a different team. He is a leader on and off the ice and more importantly he is a winner. The Ducks will benefit greatly with Niedermayer in the line-up. Oh and the Ducks also have another pretty good defensemen in Chris Pronger who had an outstanding year, even though I hate his guts, but ran into injury trouble halfway throughout the season. Francois Beauchemin is more than capable of playing 25+ minutes a game while Sean O'Donnell and Kent Huskins bring good depth as the 4th and 5th defensemen. If Selanne is there that obviously means Schneider isn't so look for rookie Brendan Mikkelson to try to crack the line-up. He is a smooth skater and can move the puck well, kind of like Schneider but younger and a cheaper price.

GOALIES:
1- J-S.GIGUERE
2- J.HILLER
3- D.LeNEVEU

Giguere is simply an elite goaltender. He comes up big in key times and is always up with the leaders in wins and GAA. With Giguere in net the Ducks have a good chance to win every night. Jonas Hiller was played good enough last season to make Ilya Bryzgalov expendable. The same will be looked upon Hiller again this year when Giguere needs a rest. With Niedermayer and Pronger patrolling the blueline, Giguere's and Hiller's jobs become much easier.

OVERALL:

The Ducks look set at every position especially with Selanne coming back for another season. Along with Niedermayer playing a full season there is no doubt the Ducks are Cup contenders once again. Getzlaf and Perry will be among the league leaders in goals and points and will really push the Ducks into an elite franchise for years to come. Look for Ryan, Carter and Mikkelson to crack the Ducks roster and make an impact as rookies this up coming season. The only question I have is, will the Ducks have enough left when it comes playoff time after playing in such a tough division with the Stars and Sharks?

PREDICTION: 3rd Division, 5th Conference

08-09 Season Preview

Just like last year I will be looking at each division, team by team giving a season preview and my predictions on how each team will finish. I will also have my projected lines for each team and talk about rookies to watch. Hope you enjoy!

Flames vs. Coyotes Pre-Season Game #2

Well with hockey coverage growing bigger and bigger each year in Canada, if you didn't get enough already, die-hards were able to tune into tonights Flames pre-season game against the Coyotes. The Flames pulled off the victory with a 3-2 come from behind win to secure their first win of the pre-season. Here are tonights lines and thoughts from what I saw:

1- BOURQUE-LANGKOW-BOYD
2- MOSS-PRIMEAU-ARMSTRONG
3- VAN DER GULIK-LUNDMARK-GREENTREE
4- PRUST-CONROY-ROY

1- PHANEUF-PARDY
2- PELECH-GIORDANO
3- WARRENER-VANDERMEER

1- KEETLEY
2- McELHINNEY

- I thought the Flames played a pretty good game tonight. They started a little slow but picked it up as the game went on especially in the third period. It was good to see the team come back from the 0-2 deficit.

- I thought Keetley looked really good in net, good rebound control and made a couple nice saves. The 2nd goal shouldn't of even been allowed after Langkow was clearly interfered with going along the boards in an attempt to clear the puck out of the Flames zone anyways Keetley looks like a keeper down the road.

- Boyd was once again one of the best players on the ice in my mind, maybe not as good as last night but still pretty good. He had 2 assists including a beauty behind the back to Langkow for the GWG. I thought he was a very good candidate to play on the Flames second line before the pre-season started and his play so far as only helped his cause. Good to see!

- Phaneuf really set the tone to the game by destroying Carcillo just minutes into the game. Other than that turnover on Phoenix's first goal I thought Phaneuf looked solid for his first action of the season.

- I dont know if it was just me but Warrener looked a little quicker than last year. At the very least he was WAYYYYY better than Eriksson and that is always a good thing in stepping forward to not having Eriksson suit up for the Flames this season.

- Bourque also played well tonight, I never realized how fast this guy really is. He looks great for extra speed and scoring depth for the Flames this season.

- On the other side, Lisin and Doan, I thought were Phoenix's best players. Lisin obviously scoring both of the Coyotes goals but he had chances all over the ice and Doan just played his game.

- Finally I thought Pardy and Pelech looked good on the back-end, Moss had good jump while John Armstrong definitely needs more time to develop, not that he had a realistic shot at making the club anyways.

Flames vs. Panthers Pre-Season Game #1

Well I was fortunate enough to get some tickets to the game tonight and other than the first period and of course the Flames loosing 3-2, I thought it was a decent game considering it was game 1 for both teams to kick off their pre-season schedule. The Flames had all of their new acquisitions in the line-up except Mike Cammalleri and Andre Roy. The lines looked as followed:

1- BERTUZZI-BACKLUND-IGGY
2- BOURQUE-LOMBO-GLENCROSS
3- BOYD-LUNDMARK-MOSS
4- NYSTROM-PRIMEAU-PRUST

1- REGEHR-SARICH
2- AUCOIN-PARDY
3- ERIKSSON-NEGRIN

1- McELHINNEY
2- KEETLEY

So now some points about the game:

- For the first period and a bit you could definitely tell this was both teams first games. Very sloppy and lots of turnovers. Nothing to be surprised about thats for sure.

- Lundmark surprised the heck out me. He played very well and definitely made an impression in my mind. He had good speed, decent hands and a heck of a shot, which he almost took Panthers goalie Craig Anderson's head off. He along with his line-mates Boyd and Moss were easily the best line out there. If Boyd keeps doing what he did tonight, with a decent goal and a beauty pass to Iggy for the Flames 2nd goal, I think he could see himself on the Flames 2nd line. Very good to see.

- I thought McElhinney looked solid in net. He made some good saves and didn't make any mistakes. A little tough on the third goal but that was an outstanding play by Bouwmeester.

- From that I really didn't think Bouwmeester was very noticeable throughout the whole game, then out of no where he scored that beauty goal for the GWG. Man if the Flames have a chance at this guy, they better take him!

- Even though this was game #1, I didn't think Big Bert played the way he should of. He had some jump in the third but he has a ton to prove to the team and every single fan. He got a good cheer when he was announced in the starting line-up but I think he should of came out with fire. Luckily it is game #1 or else I would be nagging on him a whole lot more.

- Iggy looked pretty good. He was obviously a little rusty but he played well against the boards like he always does and his goal was pretty nice, TOP CHED!

- Backlund looked a little nervous. I think he finished a minus 2 but he will get his chances. Lots of time left in camp so stay tuned.

- Negrin and Pardy were probably our steadiest defensemen. Regehr just played his usual low-key good game, with one really nice hit.

- Aucoin looked slow and took at least 2 hooking/holding penalties or whatever, penalties that equal TOO SLOW.

- Eriksson better not make the squad he is just god awful. He turned the puck over, over and over again. Slow and just terrible decisions.

- Sarich was also very sloppy with the puck. Sarich and Eriksson really got showed up by the young guys. I'm way more worried about Aucoin than Sarich because Sarich looked more rusty than anything but still not good.

- Lombo looked good and Glencross and Bourque are definitely upgrades over Yelle, Nilson etc.

- Final point, Nystrom lost some weight over the summer and I thought he looked faster than last year. Always good to see extra speed!

Looking forward to the game tomorrow against the Coyotes and excited to see Cammalleri in a Flames uniform.

One Down, 14 Left

Man, I need to catch up on this blog, even though there really hasn't been alot to talk about this past month. I had thought of things to talk about but just never got around to it. Anyways with training camps opening soon, I really needed a new post.

Recent news from Flames camp, has a report saying F Marcus Nilson is prepared to sign with CSKA Moskow of the KHL. From the report the Flames have agreed to release Nilson to CSKA Moskow, which dumps a million dollars off the cap hit and gets the forwards down to 14 players with one-way contracts. I'm all in favor of this move, Nilson was dead weight on the Flames team and carried a big cap hit for a guy who only played 47 games last season and would have been hard pressed to even match that number again this season.

The Flames now sit just over the 57 million dollar salary cap. Rumors have been swirling that the Flames have been in talk with teams who sit under the salary cap about possible trades. I have mentioned his name before and haven't been alone in doing it either (and no it isn't Eriksson, whom also needs to go way before Aucoin goes anywhere!), Aucoin and his 4 million dollar cap hit has to go. I think giving young guys like Pardy, Pelech and Negrin a shot to make the squad could be very beneficial. Aucoin has some trade value and would give the Flames some freedom if they wanted to make a move sometime during the season. Eriksson should really be the first priority, he is AWFUL and I could not stand another season of him in a Flames uniform, patrolling our blueline. Please Sutter just send him to the minors, do anything to keep him from the line-up. The Flames would still have Warrener, who should just re-structure his contract, for veteran leadership and could even bring in another veteran defensemen to help out one of the three young guys I mentioned and even help out Giordano.

The Flames, Oilers and Canucks mini rookie tournament kicked off today. I didn't get a chance to listen to it on the radio but I did catch the highlights. I didn't know that they were streaming the games on the Flames website but now that I do know I will tune into the game tomorrow when the Flames rookies face the Canucks rookies. I cannot wait!