The Edmonton Oilers finished last season with a late surge that almost catapulted them into playoffs. The Oil wen 18-9-1 in their final 28 games last season, but fell just short of nabbing the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Edmonton will look to carry the momentum from last season into 2008-09, where they have a legitimate shot of taking the division crown.
General Manager Kevin Lowe was certainly busy this off-season swinging two major trades. First, Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene were shipped to Los Angeles for offensive rearguard Lubomir Visnovsky. In Visnovsky, the Oilers have one of the best power-play quarterbacks in the league. Already boasting Sheldon Souray's cannon from the point, the Oilers power-play should be much better than last year's version that finished tied for 20th with the man advantage.
Lowe also brought in forward Erik Cole from Carolina for Joni Pitkanen. Cole will join an offense that is primed to explode, joining youngsters Sam Ganger and Andrew Cogliano. Cole, a great combination of skill and grit, led Carolina in hits last season with 186 and finished with 51 points. Cole will be entering his contract year in 2008-09, so expect big things this season from the 6'2, 205 lb winger.
Between the pipes, Mathieu Garon will finally be given the chance to prove he is a bona fide starter from the get go. Last season, Lowe signed Garon as steady backup, but after witnessing his emergence as more than capable starter, it looks like the aging Dwayne Roloson will be playing second fiddle. If Garon proves to Oilers management that he is the real deal, look for Kevin Lowe to shop Roloson to a team that is seeking stability in goal. Not making things any easier for Roloson is that Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers is on a one-way contract and will be pushing for the backup position. Roloson's days in Edmonton could be in jeopardy. The battle for goaltending supremacy in Edmonton will be a story to watch as the season unfolds - both Garon and Roloson are UFAs at season's end.
The Oilers are littered with young talent up front; of the Oilers' forwards, only Pisani and Moreau are over the age of 30. On the back end, Edmonton has a solid combination of skill, youth, and grit. The only piece missing for Edmonton on paper is a shutdown performer. Ladislav Smid has shutdown potential but is still only 22. Steve Staios will once again be Edmonton's hard-hitting warrior.
The critical question for Edmonton is if they can capitalize on the momentum gained from last season's end. They have the firepower up front, stability on the blue line, and a sound goaltending duo. Everything is in place for the young Oilers to capitalize on what could be a terrific season in 'Oil Country'. If Edmonton can stay healthy and their young guns continue to excel, Edmonton is more than capable of winning the Northwest.
Calgary Flames: 7th
Just who are the Calgary Flames? After falling short of a Stanley Cup in 2004, the Calgary Flames have failed to reach the second round of the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. After coaching changes and numerous lineup changes over the years, GM Darryl Sutter again made a splash in July revamping his roster in hopes of a different outcome for this season. It is difficult to predict how Calgary will finish. Their Stanley Cup finals appearance was just as unpredictable as the team's quick early exits since then. If Alex Kovalev is the NHL's player enigma, then the Calgary Flames are possibly the team enigma of the NHL.
The Flames' roster is an aging one, with only three players under the age of 25. The only 'NHL ready' prospect the Flames have is Brandon Prust, who at 24, could become the club's sparkplug if he plays well during training camp. Beyond that, the Flames are in desperate need for an infusion of young talent. Trading Alex Tanguay to the Habs for the 25th overall pick in 2008, Sutter is hoping he has found a gem in Greg Nemisz, who is an ideal Sutter type of player, boasting size, physicality, and leadership qualities.But that is the future... what about now? The Flames did acquire Mike Cammalleri from Los Angeles, who should give the Flames an injection of speed and skill down the left wing. A big question for the Flames is how 33 year old Todd Bertuzzi will fair in a Flames uniform. Things haven't been the same since 2004 for Bertuzzi, but perhaps a stint back in Canada will help the bulky forward regain his confidence and scoring touch.
Along with Tanguay, the Flames waved goodbye to other notables including Kristian Huselius, Curtis Joseph, Owen Nolan and Stephan Yelle. Signing Peter Vandermeer should add grit to a Flames defensive corps that is relatively unchanged, and Rene Bourque should help Calgary's penalty killing which was in the bottom third of the league. Langkow, Lombardi and Conroy should be solid down the middle for the Flames. The threesome are always dependable, defensively responsible, and have a nose for the net. On defense, Calgary will once again be led by Dion Phaneuf who has the potential to capture the Norris trophy if he and the Flames have a good season.
In net, the Flames need Mikka Kiprussoff to rebound following a sub par 2007-08 season. An off-year by the Flames' top netminder still saw Kiprussoff garnish 39 wins with a .906 save percentage. He should battle back and once again be Calgary's savior this season.
So how will the Flames fare in 2008? The Calgary Flames formula for success is rather simple: the Flames will go as far as Jarome Iginla takes them. Last season, Iginla lead the team in shots, goals, assists, points, hits and led all forwards in ice time. Following a strong 07-08 campaign with 98 points will be a tough act to follow, but Iginla is more than capable of cracking the 100 point mark. The Flames should once again find themselves in the playoff picture come April, but just how far they go is uncertain.
Vancouver Canucks: 9th
The Vancouver Canucks have been plagued by offensive woes for what seems like the Bertuzzi-Morrison-Naslund days. Now that all three players have moved on, so too have the Vancouver Canucks.
Although boasting the Sedin twins for years, Vancouver has always lacked that prolific finisher up front. But after acquiring Pavol Demitra and Steve Bernier, things are looking up for the Canucks. Even though they might not have Mats Sundin, that could prove to be a good thing for Vancouver's future. Ryan Kesler and Kyle Wellwood should both see increased ice-time this year, and the Canucks have seven players that have the potential to crack 50+ points, something that Vancouver has never produced. Having a balanced attack will prevent the Canucks from being so predictable offensively, and give some of their young stars a chance to break out of their shells.
Roberto Luongo should regain his form following an up-and-down year last season. Expect Luongo to come to training more motivated than ever after being criticized by Vancouver media last season.
On the blue line the Canucks have a solid group led by Kevin Bieksa, but their lack in overall team depth could hurt them in a Western Conference that features the likes of Anaheim, Dallas, Detroit and San Jose. It will be difficult for Vancouver to win the division, so fighting for a playoff spot alone is a bit more realistic. In order for Vancouver to make the playoffs everything will need to fall perfectly into place. And even if it does, there are still no guarantees.
Minnesota Wild: 10th
After coming off a banner year where they won the Northwest, Minnesota's crown may very well have a new owner come season's end. The departures of Pavol Demitra and Brian Rolston will have huge implications for the Wild in 2008-09. On the brighter side of things, their departure gives Mikko Koivu a chance to emerge from the shadows of his older brother Saku and make a name for himself as a bona fide number one center in the National Hockey League. Andrew Brunette who comes in from Colorado will immediately take over Rolston's spot on the first line, and the acquisition of Owen Nolan will give the club some much needed leadership.
Marek Zidlicky and Marc-Andre Bergeron will add some offensive fuel to Minnesota's defensive corps which already boats Brent Burns. Burns, 23, will look to improve on his 43 point total of last season and is set for a breakout year.
Between the pipes the Wild will be steady in goal with Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding. Backstrom will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, so expect nothing but poise and exceptional play from the 30 year old Finn.
The bottom line for the Wild is that although there doesn't seem to be any major holes in their lineup, there could be a major one on the wing after the trade deadline. Superstar Marian Gaborik is set for free agency this summer, and after already witnessing two of his former teammates in Demitra and Rolston leave the team, Gaborik too may want to leave the forest. If GM Dough Risebrough can't get Gaborik signed by the deadline, he will not make the same mistake twice and Gaborik will be traded. If you thought the losses of Demitra and Rolston would hurt the Wild, the loss of Gaborik midway through the season will take the wind out of their sails.
Look for Minnesota (with or without Gaborik) to be competitive for most of the season, but given the team's lack of depth and injury prone players, the Wild won't be in the 'thick of things' come April.
Colorado Avalanche: 12th
There will be an avalanche of change in Colorado this season, and it will be an uphill battle right from the get go. After making the playoffs last season (only to get eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup winners), the Avalanche had a makeover this off-season. Jose Theodore signed with Washington, Jeff Finger fled for Toronto, and Kurt Sauer joined the Coyotes. In came Darcy Tucker and Andrew Raycroft to lessen the impact of Colorado's departed.
The critical question for the Avs comes between the pipes. They have capable youngsters up front, and an average blue line, but it is their goaltending that could tip the scale either way. Colorado has given the reigns to Peter Budaj, and brought in Andrew Raycroft who hardly played like a Calder trophy winner last season. If Budaj plays beyond expectations, the Avalanche could find themselves battling for a playoff spot come March. If Budaj falters, the Avalanche don't have the backup goaltender or defensive depth to recover.The defensive corps will get a much needed boost with the return of Adam Foote, and Joe Sakic's decision to return for at least one more season will allow Colorado's young guns one more year to develop. However, a big loss on the score sheet is expected due to the absence of Petr Forsberg.
The return of Tony Granato as bench boss should allow the Avs to play a much more open ice style, giving their fans something to cheer about. However, their offensive showcases will mean nothing come playoff time if Budaj and Raycroft drop the ball; this season could very well be a long one.
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