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.