Iginla on the trade block?

CBC's Elliot Friedman and Erik Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail have both commented on the possibility of the Flames trading Jarome Iginla. Friedman even said that there are some people high up in the Flames organization that would like to see Iginla gone. I for one have no idea what is going on in the Flames organization, but the Flames need commit to a complete rebuild, which I'm not sure they will under Sutter, and cut ties with Iginla. However, in these types of situations teams rarely get equal return (see the Ottawa Senators with Heatley and the Boston Bruins with Thornton).

When I look at this team though, I feel that Iginla just doesnt fit in anymore. He is one of the most competitive, toughest, and talented players in the league, and at age 33, I think he still has a couple good years of hockey left in him. If he does go on the trade block, Sutter needs to assure Flames fans, that he will get solid young talent in return.

In my opinion, the best move for Sutter right now is to start fielding offers and keep the media out of it until there is something to report.

As for where I think he could go, it's hard to say. But I would have to think Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray would make a pitch. As would the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Los Angeles Kings, and Montreal Canadiens. However, most of these teams would need to move some serious cap space.

What's next for the Leafs?

As the losses pile up, the Toronto Maple Leafs' hot start is becoming a distant and fuzzy memory. Having gone 4-0 to start the season, optimism amongst Leaf fans was rapidly growing. Since then, the Leafs have come back down to earth, going 1-4-1 in their last six games. This is in large part due to a complete lack of offense, especially on the power play, where the Leafs converted 21 chances into only two goals in their last six games.

While their defensive play remains strong, the Leafs simply do not have enough scoring. Phil Kessel, the Leafs lone sniper, faces opposing teams top defenders every game and until the Leafs have more secondary scoring, keeping them off the scoreboard will be relatively easy.

So this past week when word came out that Burke had received a couple "solid" trade offers, nobody was surprised. This team needs more scoring, Burke knows this and rival GM's are circling the Leafs hoping that they make a panic move. There hasn't been much information on who these trade proposals include, but there has been speculation that the Leafs could be talking to a familiar trade partner in the Boston Bruins.

Here's a hypothetical look at who could be on the trade market that might interest the Leafs.

Blake Wheeler (Boston Bruins). Wheeler has some offensive upside, but has failed to produce on a consistent basis. Signed to an entry level contract by the Bruins in 2008, Wheeler was expected to provide secondary scoring. But so far this season, Wheeler has only tallied two points in eight games. Having scored 85 points in 171 career NHL games, Wheeler's point plateau seems to be around 40-45 points. At $2.2 million for this year, Wheeler's cap hit is large for his production, but he will become a free agent this summer.

Brad Richards (Dallas Stars). He's not going to the Leafs, but I do believe he will be traded this season, unless the Stars stay in the race for a playoff push. In the last year of a large contact that pays him a monstrous $7.8 million per season, Richards will once again head into unrestricted free agency as one of the NHL's best playmaking centremen. Also, Richards is off to another hot start with 14 points in ten games. There's no doubt that the Leafs would be better with Richards, but it remains to be seen if they have what the Stars would seek in return. Probably not.

David Backes name has been thrown around out on the trade rumor market, much to my surprise. I would definitely think the Leafs have interest in the young forward, but why would St. Louis let this guy go? He is up for a new contract this summer, and negotiations with the Blues have apparently been shelved, but I think the Blues get his name on a new contract. With five points in his first nine games this season, Backes is on pace for a 40-45 point season. In his career he has 72 goals and 161 points in 291 games, with 424 penalty minutes. The offensive potential and the toughness is something Burke would covet in this American bruiser. But, the Blues also see this.

The New Jersey Devils are also apparently interested in shoring up their defense. There have been rumors floating around that Burke and Lamoriello could be talking trade. But who would the Leafs get? Kovalchuk and Parise aren't going anywhere. Zajac? There's a small possibility, but probably not. Langenbrunner? Why would the Leafs do that?

All in all, what this tells us is that there aren't many big talented centres on the trade market. It's a hard commodity to come by, and the Leafs might be stuck with what they've got for now.

Saturday news and notes

It's a big night in the NHL, as there are 14 games on the schedule. Here's a look at the Canadian teams in action and some other news and notes.

- Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens. The NHL's hottest team will host one of the worst. The Habs have won their last four games in a row. Price has been excellent in goal, with six wins so far. Habs fans seem to have finally warmed up to Price...for now. Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn have led the team offensively, with 10 points a piece. Rookie defenseman, P.K. Subban has managed a respectable 6 points. Price will start in goal tonight. The Habs might get some additional help back tonight, with defenseman Andrei Markov expected to return from injury.

The Florida Panthers are currently in rebuild mode, which means it's going to be a tough season in Miami. Veteran defenseman, Bryan McCabe is leading the team with seven points, while the Vokoun has provided solid goaltending having faced 188 shots already.

- Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators. The Boston Bruins have been solid. Tim Thomas is doing what I thought he would do and proving that he is still an elite goalie. He has two shut outs, five wins, no losses, and a .981 save percentage. Newcomer Nathan Horton has been a great fit thus far, leading the team in offense, with nine points in seven games. Tough guy, Milan Lucic has also stepped up his game, with seven points in as many games.

The Ottawa Senators on the other hand, have looked lost for the most of this young season. Goaltending and a lack of production from their top forwards have been the major factors in the Senators slow start. They will get some help tonight, however, as centre, Jason Spezza will return to action. They are on a two game win streak, so they hope to keep the momentum going against Boston tonight.

New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs. Both the Rangers and Leafs have been struggling as of late, so both teams will come out hard tonight. The Rangers have lost two in a row and will try to get back on track with Lundqvist starting in goal. So far, Ryan Callahan is the scoring leader for the Rangers with 10 points in nine games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs started off the season as one of the NHL's best teams. They have come back down to earth over their last four games however, and will look to get their offense ticking once again. The Leafs will be without forward, Colby Armstrong, who broke his hand last week. The Leafs will go back to veteran Jean-Sebastian Giguere in net, who has won four of his six starts. Phil Kessel remains Toronto's highest scorer, with seven goals and nine points. The Leafs might also be without forward Kris Versteeg, who is dealing with back problems.

- Washington Capitals at Calgary Flames. The Washington Capitals have gotten off to a decent start again this season, with young goalie Michael Neuvirth's stellar play. Ovechkin unsurprisingly leads his team with 10 points, while playmaker Niklas Backstrom has struggled with only six points.

The Calgary Flames have been playing well, sitting at 6-4-0 on the season. This is due to some timely scoring from newly signed, Brendan Morrison, who leads the team with nine points. Calgary's defense seems to have tightened up this season, and Miikka Kiprusoff has continued to play well. He will get the start in goal against the Caps.

- The New York Islanders visit the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:00pm. The Isles have been kicking on all cylinders offensively, but will look to snap out of a three game losing streak. Defenseman James Wisniewski leads the team in points despite missing two games to suspension, with 11 points in eight games. He has been on fire this season. Sophomore, John Tavares, has also been playing well, with 8 points in 7 games. Rick DiPietro will start in goal for the Islanders tonight.

The Flyers have been mediocre so far this season, but Claude Giroux has carried over his playoff heroics into this season, leading the team with 6 goals and 9 points. Despite having fired 40 shots in goal in 10 games, Jeff Carter has struggled on the score sheet thus far, with only three goals in 10 games. There's no confirmation on who will start in goal tonight, but Bobrovsky stated last night, so the team might opt to give Boucher the start.

- Pittsburgh Penguins at Carolina Hurricanes. The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled so far this season, mostly due to sloppy play from starting goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury. Brent Johnson has posted far better numbers than Fleury, and should this continue, coach Bylsma will opt to give the hot hand more starts. The Pens will try to stop a two game losing skid tonight. Sidney Crosby leads the team with 13 points and defenseman Kris Letang has been solid with 11 points. Johnson is likely to start in goal.

The Carolina Hurricanes have showed some promise this season with rookie Jeff Skinner helping create offense. Skinner and Eric Staal lead the team with 7 points. Goaltender, Cam Ward has been given the bulk of starts this season, but coach Paul Maurice will give Justin Peters a chance to show his worth. Peters could get a start as soon as tonight.

- Andrew Raycroft will start his first game of the season for the Dallas Stars against the Chicago Blackhawks tonight.

Leafs on the verge of a trade?

Toronto's AM 640 reports that there might be a trade on the go for the Maple Leafs. Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke told AM 640 that he has received two solid trade offers in the last two days. There are no details on who or what these trades consist of, but with Burke's comments, the speculation will continue to grow.

More to follow as the details to come in.

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 23, 2010)

It's a big night in the NHL tonight, with 13 games on the schedule. Two of the NHL's hottest teams will square off when the Nashville Predators visit the Dallas Stars. The Boston Bruins will turn to Tuukka Rask tonight to get him some work. Veteran Tim Thomas has been stellar between the pipes for the Bruins so far this season, but the team wants to keep Rask fresh.

Buffalo Sabres (Miller) @ New Jersey Devils (Hedberg)

Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere) @ Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher)

Atlanta Thrashers (Mason) @ Washington Capitals (Neuvirth)

New York Islanders (DiPietro) @ Florida (Vokoun)

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ Boston Bruins (Rask)

Montreal Canadiens (Price) @ Ottawa Senators (Elliot)

Anaheim Ducks (Hiller) @ Detroit Red Wings (Howard)

Pittsburgh Penguins (Johnson) @ St. Louis Blues (Halak)

Nashville Predators (Rinne) @ Dallas Stars (Lehtonen)

Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Turco)

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov)

Los Angeles Kings (Quick) @ Colorado Avalanche (Anderson)

San Jose Sharks (Nittymaki) @ Edmonton Oilers (Khabibulin)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 22, 2010)

Calgary Flames (Karlsson) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason)

Tampa Bay Lightning (Smith) @ Atlanta Thrashers (Mason)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ Buffalo Sabres (Miller)

Chicago Blackhawks (Turco) @ St. Louis Blues (Halak)

Minnesota Wild (Theodore) @ Vancouver Canucks (Luongo)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 20, 2010)

Buffalo Sabres (Miller) @ Atlanta Thrashers (Mason)

Anaheim Ducks (Hiller) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason)

Vancouver Canucks (Schneider) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Turco)

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Los Angeles Kings (Bernier)

Early Surprises

It's obviously very early, but so far there have been some surprising teams and players in this young season.

- Despite having John Tavares and Mark Streit out of the lineup for the start of the season, the New York Islanders have shown that they can still score goals. Forwards, Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey each have 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games.

- The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing some inspired hockey at start of the 2010-2011 season. At 4-0-0 thus far, the Leafs have shown improvements in all areas. Timely goaltending, a decent first line, secondary scoring, and most importantly an excellent penalty kill has led to an improved game. In fact, the thing that impresses me most about this team is its bottom six. Freddy Sjostrom has done incredible job on the penalty kill, along with tough guys Mike Brown and Colton Orr.

- Marian Hossa is off to a blazing start, tied with Brad Richards for the scoring lead at 9 points. Tomas Kopecky has been reaping the benefits of playing on a line with Hossa and Jonathan Toews. He is a solid player that was looked over in many fantasy leagues.

- With Kovalchuk locked in, the New Jersey Devils have got off to a very slow start, going 1-4-1 in six games. Offence seems to be non-existent so far.

- The offence has seemingly dried up in Phoenix as well. With only 8 goals in their first 4 games, it's no wonder they are 1-4-1 to start despite strong play from goalie Ilya Bryzgalov once again.

- The Dallas Stars are also 4-0-0 to start the season, riding Brad Richards and solid goaltending from Kari Lehtonen to the top of the Pacific Division.

- Michal Neuvirth is making a strong case to remain the Capitals' number one goalie, going 4-1 with a .930 save percentage and 2.16 goals against average, while Semyon Varlamov has been benched with injury. Now that Varlamov is healthy, one wonders what coach Bruce Boudreau will do. This is definitely an interesting situation to watch.

- The Boston Bruins are also in the midst of a goaltending controversy. Youngster Tuukka Rask is the obvious star goalie on he team, but veteran Tim Thomas refuses to go away like many thought he would. In my opinion, I've always seen Thomas as one of the most competitive players in the league, and to think he would fade into the background was silly. In two games so far, Thomas has 2 wins, 1 shut out, a .984 save percentage, and a 0.50 goals against average.

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 18, 2010)

Colorado Avalanche (Anderson) @ New York Rangers (Lundqvist)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

New York Islanders (DiPietro) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere)

Dallas Stars (Lehtonen) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Smith)

St. Louis Blues (Halak) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Turco)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 17, 2010)

Only two games tonight.

Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov) @ Anaheim Ducks (Hiller)

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Vancouver Canucks (Schneider)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 16, 2010)

It's a big night in the NHL, folks. There are 12 games tonight, with three teams attempting to push their record to 4-0-0. The Tampa Bay Lightning look to keep their season perfect when they visit their rival, Florida Panthers. Same goes for the Nashville Predators (3-0-0) against the Washington Capitals, and the Dallas (3-0-0) against the St. Louis Blues. The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens square off in Montreal, and out west the Oilers/Flames rivalry will be renewed in Calgary.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Johnson) @ Philadelphia Flyers (Bobrovsky)

Boston Bruins (Thomas) @ New Jersey Devils (Hedberg)

Colorado Avalanche (Anderson) @ New York Islanders (Roloson)

Tampa Bay Lightning (Ellis) @ Florida Panthers (Vokoun)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ Montreal Canadiens (Price)

Washington Capitals (Varlamov) @ Nashville Predators (Rinne)

Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason) @ Minnesota Wild (Backstrom)

Buffalo Sabres (Lalime) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Turco)

St. Louis Blues (Halak) @ Dallas Stars (Lehtonen)

Detroit Red Wings (Howard) @ Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov)

Edmonton Oilers (Khabibulin) @ Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff)

Atlanta Thrashers (Mason) @ San Jose Sharks (Niemi)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 15, 2010)

Seven games today. Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver all looking for a win tonight.

Colorado Avalanche (Anderson) @ New Jersey Devils (Brodeur)

Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere) @ New York Rangers (Lundqvist)

New York Islanders (DiPietro) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Johnson)

Chicago Blackhawks (Turco) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason)

Montreal Canadiens (Price) @ Buffalo Sabres (Miller)

Atlanta Thrashers (Mason) @ Anaheim Ducks (Hiller)

Vancouver Canucks (Luongo) @ Los Angeles Kings (Quick)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 14, 2010)

Six games on the go tonight, with some win streaks to inevitably be broken. The Tampa Bay Lightning (2-0-0) face the Philadelphia Flyers (2-0-1). Dan Ellis will get his first start in goal for the Lightning. The Ottawa Senators look to get their first win of the season, while at the same time handing the Carolina Hurricanes their first loss. One team will end their winning streak, when the St. Louis Blues (2-0-0) visit the Nashville Predators (2-0-0). Same with the Detroit Red Wings (2-0-1) against the Dallas Stars (2-0-0).

Philadelphia Flyers (Boucher) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Ellis)

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Ottawa Senators (Elliot)

St. Louis Blues (Halak) @ Nashville Predators (Rinne)

Detroit Red Wings (Osgood) @ Dallas Stars (Lehtonen)

Edmonton Oilers (Khabibulin) @ Minnesota Wild (Backstrom)

Florida Panthers (Vokoun) @ Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 13, 2010)

Six games on the schedule tonight folks. The Toronto Maple Leafs are back in action, visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins. The New Jersey Devils (0-2-1) are looking for their first win of the season against the Buffalo Sabres. Meanwhile on the west coast, the Anaheim Ducks are also looking for their first win of the 2010-2011 season against the Vancouver Canucks. The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning as well.

New York Islanders (Roloson) @ Washington Capitals (Neuvirth)

New Jersey Devils (Brodeur) @ Buffalo Sabres (Miller)

Toronto Maple Leafs (Gustavsson) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

Tampa Bay Lightning (Smith) @ Montreal Canadiens (Price)

Nashville Predators (Lindback) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Turco)

Vancouver Canucks (Luongo) @ Anaheim Ducks (Hiller)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 12, 2010)

Only two games tonight.

Colorado Avalanche (Anderson) @ Detroit Red Wings (Howard)

Atlanta Thrashers (Mason) @ Los Angeles Kings (Quick)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 11, 2010)

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving everyone!!! Seven games today, with the first game starting at 1:00pm. Going to be a great day of hockey and turkey.

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ New York Islanders (DiPietro)

Anaheim Ducks (Hiller) @ St. Louis Blues (Halak)

Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury) @ New Jersey Devils (Brodeur)

Colorado Avalanche (Anderson) @ Philadelphia Flyers (Bobrovsky)

Ottawa Senators (Leclaire) @ Washington Capitals (Neuvirth)

Chicago Blackhawks (Crawford) @ Buffalo Sabres (Miller)

Florida Panthers (Vokoun) @ Vancouver Canucks (Luongo)

A case for Price

It's a no win situation for Carey Price in Montreal. After an unpopular offseason trade that sent playoff and cult hero, Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues, Carey Price now feels the pressure to perform more than ever. It's not fair really, but as Don Cherry said on Hockey Night in Canada last night, Habs fans need to layoff Price.

After getting booed in Montreal's first pre-season game when he let in the first goal, one wonders if Carey Price intends to stay in Montreal past his recently signed two-year contract. Would you want to play in a place that criticizes your every move on and off the ice? Or in a place that will forever compare you to another player (Halak) who always seems to be one step ahead of you?

It can't be a comfortable situation for the young goalie. But Price is a talented young netminder who just needs some space from the media and fans. However, Montreal faithful and media are not known for their forgiving nature.

In fact, Price has had a couple of solid starts in Montreal's first two games, posting one win and 57 saves on 62 shots. But wait, over in St. Louis, Jaroslav Halak posted a win in his first start for the Blues, allowing only one goal on 30 shots. Yes, Halak was incredible for the Habs in last year's playoffs, but he is gone. Management traded Halak and showed their confidence in Price. Habs fans now need to do the same and get behind their goalie. After all, Price will undoubtedly be better off playing in front of fans that respect and support him.

If Price remains the constant whipping boy of Montreal fans and media, you can bet it will be a lot tougher to get him to sign an extension in 2012. Then the Canadiens will be out two number one netminders. So come on Habs fans, get behind your goalie.

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 10, 2010)

Only three games today folks. Calgary and Edmonton are the only Canadian teams playing tonight.

Boston Bruins (Thomas) @ Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov)

Los Angeles Kings (Bernier) @ Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff)

Florida Panthers (Vokoun) @ Edmonton Oilers (Khabibulin)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 9, 2010)

It's the first Saturday night in the 2010/2011 season, and there is plenty of action for people to follow with 12 games on the schedule. Boston Bruins rookie, Tyler Seguin will get a taste of the NHL in his first career game, and Jaroslav Halak will make his first start with the St. Blues against the Philadelphia Flyers. Four Canadian teams will play tonight, with the Battle of Ontario resuming at the ACC in Toronto. The Montreal Canadiens will face the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Vancouver Canucks host the Los Angeles Kings in their first game of the season.

Phoenix Coyotes (Bryzgalov) @ Boston Bruins (Rask)

Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason) @ San Jose Sharks (Nittymakki)

Dallas Stars (Lehtonen) @ New York Islanders (DiPietro)

Montreal Canadiens (Price) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

New Jersey Devils (Brodeur) @ Washington Capitals (Neuvirth)

New York Rangers (Lundqvist) @ Buffalo Sabres (Miller)

Ottawa Senators (Elliot) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere)

Atlanta Thrashers (Mason) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (Smith)

Philadelphia Flyers (Bobrovsky) @ St. Louis Blues (Halak)

Anaheim Ducks (Hiller) @ Nashville Predators (Rinne)

Detroit Red Wings (Osgood) @ Chicago Blackhawks (Turco)

Los Angeles Kings (Quick) @ Vancouver Canucks (Luongo)

Probable Starting Goalies (Oct 8, 2010)

Only six games in the NHL tonight, with the Ottawa Senators the only Canadian team in action. Last seasons President's Trophy winning, Washington Capitals, kick off their season against the Atlanta Thrashers and their new goalie, Chris Mason. The Western powerhouse, San Jose Sharks start their season against the Columbus Blue Jackets. And the "sophomore sensation" Jimmy Howard will face the offensive Anaheim Ducks, while the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild battle in Europe for the second day in a row.

Minnesota Wild (Backstrom) @ Carolina Hurricanes (Ward)

San Jose Sharks (Niemi) @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Mason)

Dallas Stars (Lehtonen) @ New Jersey Devils (Brodeur)

Anaheim Ducks (Hiller) @ Detroit Red Wings (Howard)

Buffalo Sabres (Miller) @ Ottawa Senators (Leclaire)

Washington Capitals (Neuvirth) @ Atlanta Thrashers (Mason)

Probable Starting Goalies: Oct 7, 2010

Opening night!!! Something we have all been waiting for, for months. I am excited for this season, and once again my starting goalie predictions will hopefully help you in your fantasy leagues. So lets get started. On the first day of the NHL season, we have only five games in the bill.

Carolina Hurricanes (Ward) @ Minnesota Wild (Backstrom)

Philadelphia Flyers (Bobrovsky) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury)

Montreal Canadiens (Price) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Giguere)

Chicago Blackhawks (Turco) @ Colorado Avalanche (Anderson)

Calgary Flames (Kiprusoff) @ Edmonton Oilers (Khabibulin)

Pre-Season Report: Chicago Blackhawks

After winning it all last spring, the Blackhawks look to do something that hasn't been done since the Detroit Red Wings did it in 1997 and 1998, and that's win the Stanley Cup two years in a row. It might be one of most difficult things to achieve in sports, but the Blackhawks will once again challenge for the Western Conference crown.

The Forwards

Following an off-season of trades and player movement, the Chicago Blackhawks look a little thinner up front, but were successful in locking in their core players. GM Stan Bowman was pressured by the NHL's salary cap to move out some of Chicago's role players. Fan favourite, Dustin Byfuglien, better known for his explosive in your face playoff performance, was shipped to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Andrew Ladd and Ben Eager.

However, Chicago has some of the best players in the game to build around. Ensuring that they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Centreman Jonathan Toews, the teams captain, is in my opinion one of the best all-around players in the NHL. He can score, pass, back check, win faceoffs, kill penalties, and provide a quite leadership role. Toews does have the potential to score 40 goals and 40 assists, but the 75 point range is most likely where Toews will finish this season.

On the right wing next to Toews, the dynamic speedster Patrick Kane has shown that he is one of the best offensive players in the game. His blinding speed and soft hands make him dangerous around opposing nets. Kane is a solid 80+ point performer. Toews and Kane make up two-thirds of one of the NHL's most solid lines. With Tomas Kopecky slated to play on Chicago's first line, we should also see a jump in his numbers.

Chicago's second line is also solid, with dependable veterans, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa scoring goals and killing penalties. Chicago's second line would in fact be good enough to be most other teams' first line. This is a testament to the depth of this Chicago club.

The Defense

Another major reason the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup was due to their defense. One of the best duo's in the NHL has to be Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. With Keith's puck-moving ability, precise passes, and smooth skating he has cemented himself as one of the premier defensemen in the league. Defense partner, Brent Seabrook doesn't make the score sheet like Keith does, but makes up for all that with his steady defensive play, and toughness. While Keith will be in the 60 point range, Seabrook will be closer to 30, but with more PIM's and a strong plus/minus.

When talking about Chicago's defense, it's impossible to leave out the solid Niklas Hjalmarsson. He had a great playoff last spring, and proved to everyone that he is a top-four defenseman. His partner on the blueline, will most likely be Brian Campbell. Campbell is a great defenseman, amazing skater, and great passer, but his large contract overshadows his play. All in all, Chicago has a phenomenal top-four that will help keep Chicago competitive for years to come.

The Goalies

In the offseason, the Blackhawks walked away from Stanley Cup winning goaltender, Antti Niemi and sent the disgruntled Cristobal Huet to Europe. Going into the 2010-2011 season with a new goaltending duo, veteran Marty Turco will be expected to provide a solid presence in goal. However, at age 35, Turco's best years are behind him.

This is why Corey Crawford will be given the opportunity to make some starts this year. As a solid goaltending prospect, this season will be a good transition to the NHL for Crawford. He will be able to make some starts, and also learn from a solid person like Marty Turco. As back-up, Crawford should prove more than worthy.

The Scoop
The Blackhawks are undoubtedly one of the best young teams in the NHL and will be for some time to come. Despite losing some good players, most were merely role players who are easier to replace than if the Hawks had lost, Toews, Kane, Sharp, or Keith. With good scouting and management, the Hawks are in great shape to compete in the playoffs for a while.

My prediction: 1st in the West. The West is going to be tough as always, but this team solid.

Pre-Season Report: Carolina Hurricanes

The 2009-2010 season was a tough one for the Hurricanes, but a strong finish and the rise of a some young players gives fans hope for this season. Having finished with 80 points, eight out of a playoff spot, the Canes once again found themselves on the outside looking in. With a youth movement currently underway, the Canes have turned the page on a decade with many ups and downs.

The Forwards

With veteran Ray Whitney now departed, the offensive load falls back on Staal and a sub-par cast of forwards. Staal's talent and ability is unquestionable, but there's only so much he can do. In the offseason, the only notable move GM Jim Rutherford made was signing Edmonton Oilers cast-off, Patrick O'Sullivan. With 34 points in 73 games on a terrible Oilers squad, there should be room for improvement for O'Sullivan, given the fact he will get the chance to play with Staal. In fact, he has had a decent pre-season for the Canes thus far.

Along with Staal's annual 70+ points, the Canes will be looking for energy forward, Brandon Sutter to continue his development. The young centreman had a decent 40 points last season, and his ability to score in front of the net and create energy is something the Canes coaches and management love. With little depth up front, Sutter should have ample ice time to prove his worth.

If the Canes hope to keep pace this year, Jussi Jokinen, Sergei Samsonov, and Erik Cole need to step up their game. This veteran trio has shown in the past that they can still be effective in the NHL, but the Canes need hard work and consistency from this group moving forward.

Overall, the Canes forward lines are nothing to write home about. Aside from Staal, the team lacks top offensive players. Recently drafted, Jeff Skinner, should provide help in the future, but not for a couple years yet. Goals might be hard to come by for the Canes this year.

The Defense

Simply put, the defense, much like the offense, is mediocre. Aside from the offensively talented, Joni Pitkanen, the Canes have few dependable d-men. Tim Gleason offers some defensive stability, but Joe Corvo's dangerous giveaways are a liability. However, there is help on the way, with promising youngsters, Bobby Sanguinetti and Jamie McBain slated to make the roster this year. McBain in particular had some success as a late season call-up, scoring 10 points in 14 games.

The Goalies

Despite a difficult season, mainly due to injuries, Cam Ward remains one of the best young goalies in the league. At the age of 26, Ward already has a Stanley Cup and loads of experience. Considering the lack of depth on forward and defense, it will be difficult for Ward to carry his team to the playoffs, but he will give the team stability between the pipes. Providing he stays healthy, Ward can win 35+ games but will need a lot of help from the rest of his team.

In the backup role, the Hurricanes have Justin Peters. The 24 year old started nine games for the Canes last season, and came up with an impressive 6-3 record and .905 save percentage. Having spent the last two and a half years in the AHL with Albany, Peters has developed into a decent goaltender. With Ward as the number one, Peters should provide the Canes with what they need in the back-up role.

The Scoop
I hate to say it, but fans in Carolina might be in for another tough season. Although the Canes showed signs of life late in the 09-10 season, GM Jim Rutherford did little to improve his squad, as many others in the Eastern Conference did in the offseason. There are some good young players in the system, but most are still a couple years away from helping the team.

My Prediction: 14th in the East. The Eastern Conference is going to be so tight between the 6th and 15th postions that I think the Canes will simply be pushed down. I do love this teams core however, and I hope they prove me wrong.

Pre-Season Report: Calgary Flames

Following an offseason of questionable moves, GM Darryl Sutter finds himself under extreme pressure for his team to perform. In an attempt to get Calgary's offense going, Sutter turned to two familiar free agents and signed UFA forwards, Alex Tanguay and Olli Jokinen. In all fairness, Tanguay, while healthy and on Iginla's line, had some success in Calgary. Jokinen on the other hand failed to perform on Calgary's top line.

The Forwards

Even after a trade that brought in forwards Matt Stajan and Niklas Hagman, the Flames find themselves weak at every forward position. Despite possessing one of the games most talented, fearless, and consistent players (Iginla), the Flames have been unable to find the right mix of players to surround him with. After this summer, Iginla will have nothing new to work with, but might be able to find some chemistry with Alex Tanguay once again.

The only rookie that will conceivably make the team this year, is 21 year-old Mikael Backlund. The centreman has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career, totaling 10 points in 23 games with the Flames last season. He will most likely make opening day roster, and will be given opportunity to prove his worth to the Flames.

Matt Stajan, who signed a four year contract extension worth $3.5 million per season, will be expected to produce at a higher level than last season. After coming over to the Flames from the Leafs, Stajan scored 16 points in 27 games. Not bad, but considering he was playing top minutes with Jarome Iginla, Stajan was given a golden opportunity and came up short.

Rene Bourque had a career season in 09/10, scoring 58 points in 73 games. He will be expected to provide scoring from the second line. The speedy Bourque has the potential to meet these expectations, but again, part of that has to do with his linemates. An uninspired Ales Kotalik will be on a short leash this season, and will need to play much better hockey. Veteran Daymond Langkow will need to be consistent and Niklas Hagman needs to score 25 goals. Something we know he can do.

The Defense

Last years disaster season definitely was not due to the defense. In fact, the Flames were fifth overall in goals against. With Phaneuf now out of the picture, Bouwmeester and Regehr are the defensive leaders. As always, the Flames have a solid back-end with the likes of Ian White, Mark Giordano, Steve Staios, and Cory Sarich making up the top six.

Shutting down the other teams offense will not be the problem. Creating offense however, will need to be an improvement for the Flames defense moving forward. The Flames have lost Phaneuf's blast from the point, but Bouwmeester, when playing to full potential, can do that just as well as anyone. If the Flames hope to make the playoffs, Bouwmeester, White, and Giordano will need to contribute from the blueline. Even strength and on the powerplay.

The Goalies

There isn't a whole lot that needs to be said about the goaltending in Calgary. Any hockey fan knows that a focused Kiprusoff is one of the toughest goalies to beat in the NHL. Despite the Flames rocky season, Kiprusoff once again posted strong numbers, winning 35 games, boasting a .920 save percentage and a 2.31 goals against average. At age 34, Kiprusoff still has a couple solid seasons left. I expect the same from him this coming season.

In the backup role, the Flames once again have a new face in Henrik Karlsson. This Swedish giant was in San Jose's system, but played for Farjestad in the Swedish Elite League last season, sporting a .914 save percentage and a 2.45 GAA. He came to the Flames in a trade last season.

The Scoop
The Flames do have some strong players heading into the 2010-2011 season, but plainly look the same. There is no reason for me to believe that they will be significantly better this season. Perhaps if coach Brent Sutter can push the right buttons, this team can click. But it is hard to believe that Jokinen and Tanguay are the answer to the Flames offensive issues. Considering how difficult the west is going to be, the Flames will be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

My Prediction: 11th in the West.

Pre-Season Report: Buffalo Sabres

Last season, the Buffalo Sabres rode their goaltending to their third 100 point season in five years. Ryan Miller went on to win his first Vezina trophy as the NHL's best goaltender. It will be difficult for him to duplicate last seasons success, especially considering the Sabres lost two solid defenders in Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder. Without any major upgrades on forward or defense, the Sabres hope that Tyler Myers will continue to produce from the blueline, and rookie Tyler Ennis will grow into a solid offensive contributor.

The Forwards

Last season the Sabres did well finishing 9th in the NHL for goals scored. A large part of this success, was healthy seasons from all their top producers. A healthy Derek Roy has the potential to score 70+ points, while Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Tyler Ennis, and Tim Connolly need to show consistency and stability on the Sabres top two lines. Rookie Tyler Ennis has major potential, and will be depended on to add some secondary scoring.

As the only forward addition to the roster this offseason, Rob Niedermayer was brought in to add a veteran presence and also as a solid two-way centre. Although he is not a big point producer, Niedermayer can play in difficult situations.

However, the bulk of Buffalo's offense needs to come from its top three players. Simply put, if Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, and Thomas Vanek do not produce at a high level, then the Sabres will find it difficult to make the playoffs.

As the teams top two centres, Derek Roy and Tim Connolly have a big responsibility to create offense. Derek Roy is a consistent performer, Connolly on the other hand, has had too many issues with injuries and consistency to be considered a top centreman. A lot of Buffalo's success resides with these two players.

On right wing, Jason Pominville is one of the most offensively gifted players the Sabres have. Having not missed a game in the last four seasons, Pominville has become a reliable player and point producer. However, since he scored 80 points in the 2007-2008 season, his point totals have declined each year. Regardless, Pominville is a hard working, talented winger, who can get back to the 80 point range.

On left wing, Tomas Vanek is a pure goal scorer who has shown twice that he can hit the 40 goal plateau. Even though his goal total declined to 28 last season, you can bet that Vanek has the ability to reach 40+ goals this season. The maddening thing about Vanek however, is issues with consistency. Some games he seems to invisible.

The rest of the forward lines are rounded out by talented rookie Tyler Ennis, Mike Grier, Jochen Hecht, Drew Stafford, Paul Gaustad, and Patrick Kaleta. With prospects Nathan Gerbe and Zach Kassian waiting in the wings, any roster player that faulters runs the risk of being replaced.

The Defense

With Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman moving on through free agency this summer, the Sabres will be hard pressed to keep the puck out of their own end. Sophomore, Tyler Myers will most likely build on a solid season, after winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie. The Sabres hope that he can build on last year's success and continue to make the first pass out of the Sabres zone.

Newcomer, Jordan Leopold is a good addition to the Sabres blueline, but he alone will not fill the void left by Tallinder and Lydman. Craig Rivet, who serves as the team captain, can provide some limited offense, but also has the toughness and leadership skills that will guide a young defense corps. Promising youngsters, Andrej Sekera and Chris Butler should also log some decent minutes.

The Goaltending

The one thing you can be sure about in Buffalo, is that goaltender Ryan Miller is the uncontested and undisputed number one. After the amazing numbers he earned last season, the calm and collected American just might be the best goalie in the world. Having notched 36, 34, and 41 wins in the last three seasons, there is good reason to believe Miller can once again reach the 40 win mark.

In the backup role, veteran Patrick Lalime will return to Buffalo after signing a one-year contract extension this summer. Lalime had a decent season in 2009-2010, but at times struggled behind Miller. If he fails to be a solid backup for the Sabres, goaltending prospect Jhonas Enroth is looking to step into that role. Having had success in the AHL, Sabres coaching and management will be open to giving Enroth a shot with the big club.

The Scoop
The Buffalo Sabres have some quality players on their roster heading into next season. Their goaltending is more than solid, but their offense has some consistency issues, and their defense might have some holes. Because of the low budget that management is given to work with, the Sabres usually have to let some of their players go. However, with Miller in his prime, Ennis, Roy, and Pominville up front, and Myers patroling the blueline, the Sabres do have a solid core to build around.

The test for GM Darcy Regier, as it has always been, is to continue to draft well, and sign the right free agents to acceptable contracts. It would be interesting to see what the Sabres could do if they were able to spend the maximum payroll...

My Prediction: 10th in the East.

Pre-Season Report: Boston Bruins

Taking into consideration how tight the Eastern Conference is going to be, the Boston Bruins will not easily run away with the Northeast Division title, but should come out on top when all is said and done. Buoyed by a better offense, solid goaltending, and healthy seasons from Marc Savard and Milan Lucic, the Bruins will find their confidence once again and challenge the top teams in the East. Tyler Seguin (chosen 2nd overall in the 2010 draft) should crack the lineup this year, and is being heralded as the future of the franchise. He will get the chance to show the Bruins that he is ready for the NHL.

The Forwards

The Bruins biggest problem last season was their inability to create offense, both on the powerplay and at even strength. As a matter of fact, the Bruins finished dead last in the NHL for offense and 23rd overall on the powerplay last season. A major part of this was the fact that they traded their top goal scorer in Phil Kessel and lost both Marc Savard and Milan Lucic to injuries for most of the 09/10 season. Having these two healthy for a full season will go a long way for the Bruins.

Milan Lucic has shown that he has the ability to dominate the opposition physically, but he has also shown glimpses of offensive talent. His ability to drive the net and make room for his teammates is a very important attribute that coach Claude Julien loves to utilize. A healthy Lucic is capable of scoring 20 goals.

One of the Bruins biggest strengths is their depth at centre. They currently have, Marc Savard, Patrice Bergeron, David Krecji, and Tyler Seguin slated as their four centremen for this season. If they stay healthy, and Seguin proves his worth, this group will prove to be difficult to contain. The task for GM Peter Chiarelli now is to provide that group of centremen with talented wingers to work with.

Over the summer, Chiarelli went out a traded defenseman, Dennis Wideman, to the Florida Panthers for winger Nathan Horton. At 25 years of age, Horton is still young enough to reignite the scoring prowess that he lost over the past couple of seasons in Florida. Expected to play on Boston's top line with Lucic and Savard, Horton will have every opportunity score 30-40 goals. Horton should help fill the void left by Kessel.

The Defense

Despite their terrible offensive numbers last season, the Bruins were one of the best teams at keeping the puck out of their own net. In 2009-2010, the Bruins ranked 2nd in the league for the fewest goals against, and had an astounding penalty kill at 86.4% ranking 3rd overall. Tuukka Rask was a large part of this success, but the Bruins also have a solid group of defensemen.

Boston's pillar of strength (Chara) will be back to patrol the blueline and defensive zone, and should have another strong season at age 33. One of the NHL's best defensemen, Chara provides the Bruins with a strong presence on the ice, a booming shot on the powerplay, leadership, and strikes fear into the opposition like no other with his six foot nine and 255 pound frame.

After acquiring Seidenberg at last year's trade deadline, the Bruins decided he earned another contract, signing him to a 4-year, $13 million extension. The 29 year old Seidenberg is a dependable defender, who can contribute offensively and put up big minutes if healthy. Rounding out the defense are, Johnny Boychuk, the solid Andrew Ference, the tough Mark Stuart, and Matt Hunwick. This is a good top-six that can stand up to most of the teams in the east.

The Goalies

At the young age of 23, Tuukka Rask has proven that he is the real deal. A highly touted goaltending prospect for years, Rask may have finally earned the starters role in Boston. With Tim Thomas having a rocky season in 09/10, Rask seized every opportunity that was given to him. With improved offense and solid defense in Boston, there is no reason to believe Rask won't continue to perform at such a high level. After all, he did have the highest save percentage (.931) and goals against average (1.97) in the NHL last season.

However, if Rask should falter, the Bruins do have a very capable Tim Thomas ready to step in. Coming off a Vezina win and new contract following the 2008-2009 season, Thomas was expected to continue where he left off and guide his team to the playoffs. Things didn't work out that way and Thomas was very inconsistent. It wasn't as though Thomas was playing terrible, but more the fact that Rask was playing incredible. Thomas should get the chance to prove himself again this season. He is a very hard worker and extremely determined.

The Scoop
It was a bit of a tough season in Boston last year, but with many important pieces in place, the Bruins are set up to succeed in a very tight Eastern Conference. With their defense and goaltending so strong, it was the mission of GM Peter Chiarelli to go out and find some upgrades for the wing. Nathan Horton is no superstar, but he is a gifted scorer, and should produce skating with any of Savard, Krejci, Bergeron, or Seguin. Simply put, if this club is able to stay healthy, they will be a top seed in the East.

My Prediction: 3rd in the East. The Bruins will regain some confidence, score more goals and will make a jump in the standings.

Pre-Season Report: Atlanta Thrashers

The post-Kovalchuk era has begun in Atlanta, leaving us looking to a group of youngsters to pick up the slack. The Thrashers have now turned the page on a decade that saw the likes of Dany Heatley, Marian Hossa, and now Kovalchuk come and go. Armed with some new acquisitions and rookies waiting in the wings, the rebuild is officially underway in Atlanta. Now the Thrashers, with a new GM and coach, can focus on building and developing from within. This, of course, means that it might be another tough year for fans in Atlanta.

The Forwards
The Atlanta Thrashers have an impressive group of young forwards. After some wheeling and dealing this off season, GM Rick Dudley brought in some Stanley Cup winners in forwards, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager, and defenseman Brent Sopel. These are all good players in their own right, but are merely role players. They add experience, toughness, and solid work ethic to a team that sorely lacks those attributes. They wont however, replace Kovalchuk's ability to dominate offensively.

Along with the new additions, the Thrashers have a good young cast of forwards. Centreman, Nik Antropov has been a reliable 60 point producer, who at age 30 still has some good years ahead, while Rich Peverley has shown that he can score 15-20 goals. On the wings, the Thrashers have some scoring potential with Niclas Bergfors and Bryan Little. Bergfors was acquired by Atlanta in the trade that sent Kovalchuk to New Jersey and played well for the Thrashers, scoring 17 points in 27 games as a Thrasher.

Bryan Little had a bit of a rough 2009-2010 season, but at 22 is still developing. He is more than capable of getting back to the 30 goal plateau that he hit in the 2008-2009 season. Then there's Evander Kane, the 19 year old who showed the league what he is capable of scoring wise and physically (just ask Matt Cooke of the Penguins). At six-feet, 2 inches and 190 pounds, Kane utilizes his size in driving to the net. He is capable of reaching the 40-50 point range, but can also dominate on the ice with his toughness and tenacity. With prospect Patrice Cormier moving up in the depth chart as well, the Thrashers have some solid players in which to build around.

The Defense

Despite having lost Pavel Kubina to free agency, Atlanta's defense is one that has the potential to surprise people. With Sopel the only player over 30, the defense is young, but also quite experienced. Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom have shown that they have some serious talent, but their offensive output slowed after the Kovalchuk trade. However, these two are talented and greatly improve the Thrashers ability to move the puck.

Johnny Oduya, who was also acquired by the Thrashers in the Kovalchuk trade, is a solid defenseman that can be used in many situations. He was a solid acquisition by the Thrashers management. Ron Hainsey and Freddy Meyer round out a pretty solid top six.

The Goalies

Now that Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg have moved on, the Thrashers hope that Ondrej Pavelec can continue to develop and grow into a number one goaltender. Pavelec has shown that he has the ability to be Atlanta's starter, but he will be eased into the position, especially now that Chris Mason has been added. To me this was a great move by Thrashers management. They not only have signed a solid goaltender, but they have signed someone who is willing to work with Pavelec. At 34 years old, Mason will share the goaltending duties, until Pavelec is ready to take the job full-time.

The Scoop
On paper the Thrashers aren't the greatest team to look at, but in all honesty, I believe that they have a pretty solid club. Their defense and goaltending are strong, but their forwards will need some more time to grow. Now that Kovalchuk is gone, the team will put more focus on defense and their all around game. This is the type of team that will have a few players in the 40-60 point range, but lack that game breaking forward. As this team grows, they will rise up the standings.

My Prediction: 11th in the East. I would love to put them higher, but I think the East is going to be so tight that the Thrashers will simply be pushed down.