Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2013 17:50:50 GMT -5
1. Calgary Flames (1st in Division, 2nd in Conference)
With 9 straight playoff appearances, the Flames have remained competitive at a high level for a long time. However, the Flames have been ousted quickly with two first round exits of the playoffs in the last two years. With what many considered an upset from last year's defeat to Boston, the Flames are looking forward to this season to regain the reputation of Cup contender, and it doesnt stop there.
The Flames boast an incredible heap of talent upfront with a mix of skill, experience and talent. Led by the likes of Eric Staal and Evgeni Malkin, the youth of Huberdeau and Kane should fit in quite well in the dressing room.
With probably the most dynamic six-man defense unit in the league, the Calgary Flames have a mix of offensive and defensive talent on the blue line. P.K Subban will look to take a bigger role on a contending team this year that will pose as a huge challenge for the likes of Chicago, San Jose, Detroit and Nashville amongst the Conference's very best.
Rounded out by the solid goaltending, the Flames should be considered a threat to win their fourth cup but after some sub-par playoff performances lately, the Flames will aim to cross that bridge when they come to it.
2. San Jose (2nd in Division, 3rd in Conference)
If the 9 straight playoff appearances from Calgary poses as impressive, then the San Jose record of having yet to miss the playoffs in the JGHL 10 year existence should be considered phenominal. The San Jose Sharks arent only prime and poised to continue their streak of playoff births, but they're also looking to contend once again. Fresh off of what GM Jake Graas would call a heartbreaking loss to the Nashville Predators in the conference finals, the Sharks are on the hunt for revenge.
The Sharks have impressive offensive talent up front with Stamkos, Parise, Landeskog, oh and of course, that guy named John Tavares. The one piece that the Sharks may be missing in order to truly contend atop the Western Conference would be another centreman for their third line.
On the blue line, look no further than the duo of Zdeno Chara and Ryan Suter. The Sharks once again, possess a scary defensive unit that will aim to shutdown the leagues best offensive firepower. However, aside from Chara the Sharks lack a shutdown prescence on their blue line which may draw question marks.
The Duo in goal of Cam Ward and Brian Elliot leave Coach Steve Yzerman with a valuable netminder each night as it is expected that both goalies will get their fair share of play, with the advantage going to number 1 goaltender Ward.
3. Edmonton Oilers (3rd in Division, 5th in Conference)
Year after Year, the Oilshow always seem to possess a lineup with promise leaving you wanting more. They're kind of like that little brother that always wants to tag along with the older brother and his friends. Make no mistake, the Oilers arent any joke in a very talented Western Conference, but you'd have to imagine that Oiler fans are getting restless while waiting for a true contending team.
"I think we're getting there, but people have to be patient," Coach Craig MacTavish stated. "This isnt something that happens overnight and we know that we should be expecting success at a higher level.
The Oilers look deep up the middle with the likes of Gagner, Vermette and Derek Roy. Surely, they'll be expected to score their way out of trouble with the firepower of Seguin, Eriksson, Eberle and Vanek.
Not only can they score, they can shut you down. The Edmonton Oilers boast a scary six man unit on the blue line that will punish opponents. "If you think you're getting in our zone, you'll have to pick yourself up after you get clotheslined," laughed Kimmo Timmonen.
And then there's Tuuka Rask. Look for Rask to challenge for the vezina as he had a breakout season last year. There's no question that the Edmonton Oilers are no laughing matter, but the question will be whether or not they can take the next step to becoming a true cup contender.
4. Anaheim Ducks (4th in Division, 7th in Conference)
Yes, it's true that the Anaheim Ducks dont have the fairy tale history that the Calgary Flames or San Jose Sharks do. But they do have a revitalized team that should compete for a playoff spot. The bruising forwards of Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds will also look to play a big role in the Ducks' success this season along with the experience of Salanne, Hartnall and Talbot. However, what remains to be seen is whether or not the Ducks have enough fire power up front to score with the best of them.
Despite their question marks up front, this team was surely built solid on the defensive end. Similar to the Edmonton Oilers punishing six-man unit, the Ducks defensemen will be expected to run teams through the boards. This team will be expected to be amongst the best in Goals Allowed and this should transfer over to their Penalty Kill.
Aside from their strong blue line, the Ducks will still need to answer questions in the crease. The Tandem of Ray Emery and Ben Bishop will be held under extreme pressure to perform. GM Alain Lefebvre may need to call teams in a hurry to get an upgrade.
5. Los Angeles (5th in Division, 11th in Conference)
The Kings franchise leaves many scratching their head at times in terms of the direction they seem to go with their team. Many have scrutinized the Kings front office brass for some of the recent trades including the Patrick Sharp deal leaving some GM's in shock and loss for words. Some more vocal than others, expressed dissapointment over the team's recent move to acquire the large salary of Sharp but this wouldn't stop GM Mike Koehler from doing what he feels is best for the team.
The Kings will be expected to compete for a playoff spot, but how long will be the true question. After the top line of Pavelski, Doan and Iginla, there isnt much to talk about up front.
Defensively, the Kings suffer a huge loss as Erik Karlsson is still finding his game after a horrendous injury which will likely keep him off the big team this year. Despite the loss of Karlsson, the Kings have a very respectable blue line which may keep them in the playoff hunt, but the likes of Del Zotto, Gleason and Volchenkov will need to be on their "A" game to get this team into the big dance.
Goaltending will be a huge issue for the Kings. Dave Taylor and Petr Mrazek will be expected to shoulder the load, but don't expect any vezina votes between the two of them. There could be some long nights in the crease ahead for this duo, as they may have to change the light lamp a few times in Los Angeles this season.
6. Vancouver Canucks (6th in Division, 12th in Conference)
Although the Canucks will be competitive, GM Joe MacDonald has made it clear: it's all about the future in Vancouver. "We're expecting to be competitive this season", said MacDonald, "in the sense that we won't be an easy team to beat on a nightly basis. Whether that translates into a lot of wins, remains to be seen." Likely not Joe. There's nobody that denies the overcrowded talent that resides in the Canuck farm system, but the only sense of victory that may come of the Canucks season is if they are able to see progress in youngsters Ryan O'Reilly, Drew Shore and Justin Faulk.
We can sit here and discuss the current roster, but the likes of Morgan Reilly, Bo Horvat, Jacob Trouba, Aleksander Barkov and Darnell Nurse (amongst a truckload of others) within the prospect pool should leave Nuck fans salivating.
Once this talent transfers over to the pro team, there is no question that the Vancouver Canucks will be a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.
With 9 straight playoff appearances, the Flames have remained competitive at a high level for a long time. However, the Flames have been ousted quickly with two first round exits of the playoffs in the last two years. With what many considered an upset from last year's defeat to Boston, the Flames are looking forward to this season to regain the reputation of Cup contender, and it doesnt stop there.
The Flames boast an incredible heap of talent upfront with a mix of skill, experience and talent. Led by the likes of Eric Staal and Evgeni Malkin, the youth of Huberdeau and Kane should fit in quite well in the dressing room.
With probably the most dynamic six-man defense unit in the league, the Calgary Flames have a mix of offensive and defensive talent on the blue line. P.K Subban will look to take a bigger role on a contending team this year that will pose as a huge challenge for the likes of Chicago, San Jose, Detroit and Nashville amongst the Conference's very best.
Rounded out by the solid goaltending, the Flames should be considered a threat to win their fourth cup but after some sub-par playoff performances lately, the Flames will aim to cross that bridge when they come to it.
2. San Jose (2nd in Division, 3rd in Conference)
If the 9 straight playoff appearances from Calgary poses as impressive, then the San Jose record of having yet to miss the playoffs in the JGHL 10 year existence should be considered phenominal. The San Jose Sharks arent only prime and poised to continue their streak of playoff births, but they're also looking to contend once again. Fresh off of what GM Jake Graas would call a heartbreaking loss to the Nashville Predators in the conference finals, the Sharks are on the hunt for revenge.
The Sharks have impressive offensive talent up front with Stamkos, Parise, Landeskog, oh and of course, that guy named John Tavares. The one piece that the Sharks may be missing in order to truly contend atop the Western Conference would be another centreman for their third line.
On the blue line, look no further than the duo of Zdeno Chara and Ryan Suter. The Sharks once again, possess a scary defensive unit that will aim to shutdown the leagues best offensive firepower. However, aside from Chara the Sharks lack a shutdown prescence on their blue line which may draw question marks.
The Duo in goal of Cam Ward and Brian Elliot leave Coach Steve Yzerman with a valuable netminder each night as it is expected that both goalies will get their fair share of play, with the advantage going to number 1 goaltender Ward.
3. Edmonton Oilers (3rd in Division, 5th in Conference)
Year after Year, the Oilshow always seem to possess a lineup with promise leaving you wanting more. They're kind of like that little brother that always wants to tag along with the older brother and his friends. Make no mistake, the Oilers arent any joke in a very talented Western Conference, but you'd have to imagine that Oiler fans are getting restless while waiting for a true contending team.
"I think we're getting there, but people have to be patient," Coach Craig MacTavish stated. "This isnt something that happens overnight and we know that we should be expecting success at a higher level.
The Oilers look deep up the middle with the likes of Gagner, Vermette and Derek Roy. Surely, they'll be expected to score their way out of trouble with the firepower of Seguin, Eriksson, Eberle and Vanek.
Not only can they score, they can shut you down. The Edmonton Oilers boast a scary six man unit on the blue line that will punish opponents. "If you think you're getting in our zone, you'll have to pick yourself up after you get clotheslined," laughed Kimmo Timmonen.
And then there's Tuuka Rask. Look for Rask to challenge for the vezina as he had a breakout season last year. There's no question that the Edmonton Oilers are no laughing matter, but the question will be whether or not they can take the next step to becoming a true cup contender.
4. Anaheim Ducks (4th in Division, 7th in Conference)
Yes, it's true that the Anaheim Ducks dont have the fairy tale history that the Calgary Flames or San Jose Sharks do. But they do have a revitalized team that should compete for a playoff spot. The bruising forwards of Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds will also look to play a big role in the Ducks' success this season along with the experience of Salanne, Hartnall and Talbot. However, what remains to be seen is whether or not the Ducks have enough fire power up front to score with the best of them.
Despite their question marks up front, this team was surely built solid on the defensive end. Similar to the Edmonton Oilers punishing six-man unit, the Ducks defensemen will be expected to run teams through the boards. This team will be expected to be amongst the best in Goals Allowed and this should transfer over to their Penalty Kill.
Aside from their strong blue line, the Ducks will still need to answer questions in the crease. The Tandem of Ray Emery and Ben Bishop will be held under extreme pressure to perform. GM Alain Lefebvre may need to call teams in a hurry to get an upgrade.
5. Los Angeles (5th in Division, 11th in Conference)
The Kings franchise leaves many scratching their head at times in terms of the direction they seem to go with their team. Many have scrutinized the Kings front office brass for some of the recent trades including the Patrick Sharp deal leaving some GM's in shock and loss for words. Some more vocal than others, expressed dissapointment over the team's recent move to acquire the large salary of Sharp but this wouldn't stop GM Mike Koehler from doing what he feels is best for the team.
The Kings will be expected to compete for a playoff spot, but how long will be the true question. After the top line of Pavelski, Doan and Iginla, there isnt much to talk about up front.
Defensively, the Kings suffer a huge loss as Erik Karlsson is still finding his game after a horrendous injury which will likely keep him off the big team this year. Despite the loss of Karlsson, the Kings have a very respectable blue line which may keep them in the playoff hunt, but the likes of Del Zotto, Gleason and Volchenkov will need to be on their "A" game to get this team into the big dance.
Goaltending will be a huge issue for the Kings. Dave Taylor and Petr Mrazek will be expected to shoulder the load, but don't expect any vezina votes between the two of them. There could be some long nights in the crease ahead for this duo, as they may have to change the light lamp a few times in Los Angeles this season.
6. Vancouver Canucks (6th in Division, 12th in Conference)
Although the Canucks will be competitive, GM Joe MacDonald has made it clear: it's all about the future in Vancouver. "We're expecting to be competitive this season", said MacDonald, "in the sense that we won't be an easy team to beat on a nightly basis. Whether that translates into a lot of wins, remains to be seen." Likely not Joe. There's nobody that denies the overcrowded talent that resides in the Canuck farm system, but the only sense of victory that may come of the Canucks season is if they are able to see progress in youngsters Ryan O'Reilly, Drew Shore and Justin Faulk.
We can sit here and discuss the current roster, but the likes of Morgan Reilly, Bo Horvat, Jacob Trouba, Aleksander Barkov and Darnell Nurse (amongst a truckload of others) within the prospect pool should leave Nuck fans salivating.
Once this talent transfers over to the pro team, there is no question that the Vancouver Canucks will be a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.