Know Thy Enemy - San Jose Sharks

Before we get into today's preview, a quick note. I had fully intended to do every single team in the NHL for this series. However, as I have gone through and looked at the West, I realized something very important: I hate the Eastern Conference, and could give two shits who finishes where or which team wins their crappy division. I have thought for some time that the Eastern Conference is the ECHL to the West's NHL, and I just don't have it in me to break down teams that a) I don't care about; b) I don't like; and c) that will only play the Wings at most twice this season. So today's entry will mark the last one in this series. I also firmly believe (and you can take this to the bank or mark it as a prediction or whatever you want) that the team that comes out of the West in the playoffs - whoever that is - will win the Cup. If the Columbus Blue Jackets somehow make it through the playoffs and emerge victorious in the conference and represent the West, then get ready to see Gary present Rick Nash with the Cup in June. The East plays boring, uninspired hockey, and they have teams that are more focused on superstars than actual honest-to-God teams. The only reason I used to watch games between two Eastern teams was because the Wing games didn't start until 6:30 Central, and I had a half hour before that to kill. Since the Wing games are now starting at 6, I no longer have this problem. So that's that. Today's the last one, and I'll be a giant tease by saying that something big is in the works. But that's something else for another day.

A quick word about the game last night. I'm not going to do some full breakdown of it because I couldn't see it, and because halfway through I had to make a Wendy's trip (I love Frostys). I know we're all incensed still with the Orpik-on-Franzen hit, and I believe there was definitely something wrong with the hit since he was given a major and game misconduct. Is it suspendable? Hard to know. I didn't see it. Given the fact that the NHL doesn't like to, you know, discipline people for stuff, I'm going to take a wild guess and say that this is the last we'll hear of this hit. I was extremely pleased to hear that Bertuzzi immediately dropped the gloves with Orpik and laid a pretty good beating on him; that's the kind of thing that will endear him to Wing fans. However, there was no truth to the rumour that he did a spin-o-rama on his last punch. Overall, it sounded like the Pens controlled the play pretty much throughout the game, but I can't say I'm surprised since we only dressed 3 of our NHL defensemen against Crosby and Malkin. Tomorrow night will mark the first live preseason action on TV when the Wings take on Little Brother. I probably won't be able to see it since I am attending an end-of-summer BBQ, but I will be checking in from time to time.

On to today's preview, and today we're going to take a look at the team that ended the Wings' season and crushed our spirits last year.

San Jose Sharks

Arrivals: Antero Nittymaki; Antti Niemi; Jamal Meyers
Departures: Evgeni Nabokov; Rob Blake; Manny Malhotra

Like the Red Wings of the mid-90s, the Sharks have enjoyed immense regular season success, but they have been unable to parlay that into anything resembling playoff success. After getting upset in the first round in 2009 as the President's Trophy winners, the Sharks got all the way to the Conference Finals last year, ultimately getting swept by eventual-champs Chicago in a fairly one-sided series. The Sharks are one of a handful of teams that have never been in the Stanley Cup Finals, and this year the expectations are no different: Cup or bust.

Offense: The Sharks are essentially returning the same offensive lineup that finished 4th in the NHL last year in goals for. Once again, the Sharks are expecting big things out of their top line of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau. Last year all 3 of them eclipsed 80 points, Heatley really shone in his first year in San Jose with 39 goals, and Marleau showed that his 2007-08 poor showing was a fluke as he popped in 44 goals. As the Wings discovered, shutting down the top line doesn't help that much, as the Sharks saw the emergence of their 1A line in Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi and Ryan Clowe. Pavelski would have set a career high in points had he not missed 15 games due to injury in the season. He still managed 51 points in 67 games, and then played out of his mind in the playoffs. After that, the talent level drops off a little, but both of those lines have enough talent to keep up offensively with just about any other top line in the NHL. The Sharks do well in getting offense from their defensemen, led by Dan Boyle. When he's not scoring own-goals in the playoffs, he's a guy who is easily capable of 50 points per year. Even with the retirement of captain Rob Blake, the Sharks had 3 defensemen who had at least 20 points. This is a team that you do not want to get into an offensive shootout with, because they have the guys that can put the puck in the net. The question will be whether they can do it with any regularity in the playoffs.

Defense: This is a little bit of an underrated area on the Sharks. Blake was their best defensive defenseman and overall leader, but he's had enough of shoving his giant ass in people's faces and will not be around. The torch has been passed to Dan Boyle, a guy known more for his offense, but who is solid in his own end (think Brian Rafalski-esque). Other than that, there's not a real superstar on there like some of the other teams, but the rest of the roster is pretty good. Kent Huskins and Douglas Murray are both guys who are more defensive, and both like to play the body. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is a power play guy who can chip in points, but he doesn't play like he's 6'1" and 200 lbs. The Sharks are banking on Jason Demers stepping into a 6th defenseman role this year, but overall this group will remain relatively the same. The Sharks finished 8th in the NHL in goals against, and they finished 5th in penalty killing. For as good as they are offensively, they are almost as good defensively.

Goaltending: And now we get to the question marks. After years of failing to lead them to any playoff success, the Sharks said goodbye to longtime goalie Evgeni Nabokov and brought in Antero Nittymaki from Tampa. Nittymaki has never really enjoyed any sustained success at the NHL level, but he did win a Calder Cup with the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005 (I remember that because they played the local AHL team in the Finals and Nittymaki stood on his head). While his numbers have never been horrid, they also have never been that great. Part of that was he never had a ton of talent in front of him, but that is not the case here. However, in the "if you can't beat 'em, pick him up" department, the Sharks signed themselves a nice little insurance policy in Antti Niemi, the goalie that dominated them in the Conference Finals last year. All signs point to a goaltending battle in camp, but my guess would be that who starts for the Sharks will be whoever is playing better. Niemi may have won a Cup, but he was a rookie last year and he was behind a great team. It remains to be seen how he will fare in a new town.

Coaching: The Sharks are led by former Red Wing assistant Todd McClellan. He brought the exact same system the Wings use to San Jose; one predicated on speed, skill and puck possession. However, he also emphasizes size, which makes the Sharks a very difficult team to play against. He did do what Ron Wilson couldn't in leading the Sharks past the second round, but he's going to have to get them even further. He's got the talent on paper; the question will be whether he can get his players to perform in the playoffs.

Player To Watch: After a stellar playoffs last season, Joe Pavelski seems to be ready to take the next step to superstar. He has steadily increases his point totals every year, and would have probably ended up with 60-70 points had he not gotten injured. He's a guy that has 40 goal potential, and he is just now entering his prime. He's not a big guy, but he's got a crapload of speed and skill, and playing with Setoguchi and Clowe, I think he is poised to really break out this year and score 70-80 points. I expect Pavelski to pick up where he left off last year and earn his first All-Star Game berth.

Player With Something to Prove: I'd love to put Thornton here, but frankly, he's had more than enough chances and I think he's never going to elevate his game enough to be considered a playoff performer. For me, I'm putting in 2 players: Nittymaki and Niemi, with emphasis on Niemi. Nittymaki was lured away from Tampa, and he was brought in to replace Nabokov, a great regular season goalie who faltered in the playoffs. Nittymaki could win 50 games this year, but if he struggles in the post-season, then he'll be considered a bust. Niemi was picked up after the Hawks walked away from his arbitration award, and he was brought to San Jose to provide some depth in case Nittymaki doesn't work out. However, Niemi's experience is limited to being a rookie behind a stacked team, and his numbers from the Finals show that he didn't exactly bring the Cup home in the end. In truth, the entire team, from the goalies and defensemen to the forwards and coaches, are all under the gun.

Why They Can Win the Division: Except for Nabokov and Blake, the only real loss was Malhotra, their third line center. This is pretty much the same team that finished first in the West last year, and while the Kings got a little better and the Coyotes stayed the same, the Sharks were better than both last year and this year seems no different. I think between Nittymaki and Niemi, they will have more than enough goaltending to earn them yet another Pacific Division title.

Why They Won't Win the Division: Beyond the first two lines, there is little scoring there. If any of their top forwards struggle, that will limit their offensive effectiveness. Their defense is good but not great, and their goaltending is unproven. The Kings will be hot on their heels, and if the Sharks do not play their usual regular season way, they could be in for a race this year.

My Prediction: So, this team fell short of the Finals last year, and their big move is to replace the goalie with 2 relatively inexperienced and unproven guys. I have no doubts that this team will make the playoffs again, probably as the #1 or 2 seed. But if they do not make the Finals, the season is a failure. I just don't see where the Sharks necessarily improved last year, and it's not like their top players are young guys still developing. I think the Sharks are going to end up as the NHL's version of the Buffalo Bills: they will enjoy a lot of success and be a really good team, but they will not have what it takes to climb that final mountain and end up as world champions.

Know Thy Enemy - Phoenix Coyotes

The Red Wings begin their official pre-season schedule this evening against the Bettman Penguins, and the Pens are going to be rocking a pretty decent lineup considering this is their first game in the new arena. Here's hoping that the Wings can get in there, mix it up, and beat the Pens down, ultimately not allowing them to ever say they were undefeated in their home barn. I love that preseason has started, because one of the things I love most about hockey is the rivalries and bad blood that exists between the teams and the fans. I get amped when I argue with other fans about the Wings or their teams, and take great pride when they stop arguing with me, because that signifies that I won. Being the competitive person that I am, it pleases me to win, and I'll admit to sometimes not being the greatest "winner". But, I am what I am, and if that bothers other people, they are free not to interact with me.

The Red-White game was yesterday, and for those fortunate to be able to either attend the game live or stream it, they were treated to a show. The two best write ups that I have seen about the game were from Hollis over at TPL where he talked about Ericsson's struggles and of course, George Malik's recap was on par with the rest of his work from training camp, as he provided an in-person account of the game. I'll be honest in saying that in past years, I had not paid much attention to training camp or pre-season; George's awesome coverage has turned me into someone who is interested in the small battles for positions and where the cut players end up. Kudos to him for an amazing job, and here's hoping he gets home so he can sleep for the next 2 days.

We turn our attention today to the ultimate surprise team of last year, and the Wings' first round opponent. Not much was expected of them last year, but what a difference a year makes.

Phoenix Coyotes

Arrivals: Ray Whitney, Andrew Ebbett
Departures: Matthew Lombardi; Zbynek Michalak; James VanderMeer; Mathieu Schneider

The Coyotes were supposed to be an afterthought last year, and heading into the season, there was little room for optimism. The team was bankrupt and being run by the NHL; Wayne Gretzky had abruptly resigned as head coach; and the team was made up of a number of also-rans and cast-offs. However, Dave Tippett came in and implemented a system based on smart positional play and discipline, and the Coyotes ripped off a 107 point season, good for 4th in the Western Conference. They were "upset" in the first round by the Wings, but I use the word upset in the sense that the Coyotes had home ice for Game 7. While the Coyotes lost some key players this summer, expectations are considerably higher headed into this year.

Offense: If there was a weak link to the Coyotes last season, it was their offense. As a team, they scored only 211 goals, 24th in the NHL. One of their key contributors, Matthew Lombardi, bolted the team for Nashville, and that left a pretty big hole to fill. Their captain and last original Coyote is Shane Doan, and despite allegations of racial slurs and a penchant for making ridiculous faces, he's also their offensive catalyst. Now that he's got some talent around him, Doan should be able to put up 60-70 points. The Yotes brought in Ray Whitney to see if he's got any "pop" left in him, but the rest of the team is made up of a lot of question marks and unknowns. The team is heavily banking on Wojtek Wolski and Lee Stempniak picking up where they left off at the end of last season when the scorched the desert with their scoring pace. The return of Scottie Upshall should also bolster the offense, as he had 32 points in only 49 games before going down with a season-ending injury. Beyond that, there's not a ton of offensive talent on the team. Petr Prucha was able to score 30 goals for the Rangers a few years ago, Martin Hanzal and Radim Vrbata are another year older and will look to continue their development, and they are hoping that Mikkel Boedker can finally live up to the potential he displayed as a rookie. And who can forget The Enigma, Robert Lang, who could either put up 100 points or disappear entirely. The Coyotes do well in getting offense from their blueline, but the loss of Michalak will hurt them a little. While he did not put up a lot of points, he was adept at handling the puck and is a smooth-skater who makes smart decisions. Keith Yandle and Ed Jovanovski are both guys who can put up 20-40 points and play on the PP, although if you watched any of the Wings-Yotes series, you know that their PP isn't exactly the most potent. In fact, the Coyotes had the worst PP in the Western Conference, converting less than 15% of the man advantages they received last year. Ultimately, their inability to score on the PP really hindered their chances of beating the Wings in the playoffs. While Whitney was a nice pick up, there's no one else that really stands out as a superstar, so the Coyotes could once again find themselves having trouble scoring.

Defense: This was an area of strength for the Coyotes last year, which was a bit surprising considering that at the beginning of the season, the players comprising the blueline for the Yotes were re-treads (Derek Morris, Adrian Aucoin) or fairly unknowns (Michalak, Keith Yandle). The only true "superstar" the Coyotes had was Ed Jovanovski, and I think a strong argument could be made that his best days are behind him. However, Tippett did a fantastic job of maximizing the talent of each of his defensemen, to the point that only Jovo was a minus player among the regular defensemen. The Yotes were able to rotate in Sami Lepisto and Mathieu Schneider, and Lepisto is back to take on an increased role. Overall, the defense is solid if unspectacular, and if Aucoin can continue his resurgence and Yandle continues to develop into a good two-way defenseman, the Coyotes look to be in good shape. However, one thing to consider is that many of the blueliners are getting up there, with Morris, Jovo and Aucoin all on the wrong side of 30. Injuries can be a concern, especially for Morris and Jovanovski, two guys who play a physical game. The Coyotes finished 3rd overall in team defense last year, giving up less than 200 goals over the course of the season. They were a tough team to score against last year, and this year should prove no different.

Goaltending: One area that was not a concern for the Yotes was in net. The Coyotes boast Vezina-candidate Ilya Bryzgalov, and he provides a stability between the pipes not seen in the desert since Khabibulin drunk-drove his ass out of town. After being stuck behind Giguere in Anaheim for years, Breezy got his chance to prove he's a number 1 goalie in Phoenix, and he has not disappointed. Despite a perceived lack of talent in front of him, he's been able to put good-to-great numbers, but last year his 2.29 GAA and .920 SV% were enough to get him nominated for the Vezina at the end of the year, and some people had him as their winner. He's a very good goalie who has the ability to get white-hot, and the fact that he struggled during the series against the Wings left a lot of Yotes' fans scratching their heads, as they thought that in net was one of the real advantages they had going into that series. Regardless of his play against an offensive dynamo team like the Wings, Bryzgalov is the type of goalie that will give the Coyotes a shot at points in every single game he plays in. Another Vezina nomination is not out of the question.

Coaching: I'll be honest in saying I was never impressed with Dave Tippett when he was coaching the Stars. I thought he was handed a fairly talented team and didn't get a whole lot out of them. Yes, he took them to the Conference Finals in 2008, but other than that, his teams were not very successful. I found him to be a similar coach as he was a player: non-descript and boring. However, there's no denying that he did a hell of a job with the Coyotes last year, getting them through all of the off-season distractions and off-ice issues and leading them to their best season ever in Phoenix. He brought in his system (essentially the trap, if you ever watch a Coyotes game) and implemented it to perfection. It helped that he had the players to succeed (i.e., grinders and role players who had more work ethic than talent), but there's no question that without his leadership and teaching, the Coyotes don't sniff the playoffs. He was the well-deserved winner of the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year, and I'm very interested to see what he can do with the team now that expectations have been significantly raised.

Player to Watch: It's hard to pick one guy on the team that I will really be paying attention to this year on the Coyotes. I thought it could be Doan or Yandle, but I keep coming back to Bryzgalov. Last year behind a good defense, he put up some great numbers. I think the important part of last year for him was that he had finally gotten himself used to playing an entire season as the starter. Now that the talent in front of him is another year older and more experienced, he should thrive and could put up some absolutely ridiculous numbers. I firmly believe that he is going to be the main reason why the Coyotes either build on what they did last year or not. If he falters, I don't see the talent there to keep up with the other teams in the West.

Player With Something to Prove: Wojtek Wolski was traded to the Coyotes late in the year last year, and he responded to the change in scenery by putting up 18 points in 18 games. To reward him for his efforts, the Yotes signed him to a 2 year, $7.6M contract that makes him a pretty rich guy (except for that pesky 18%.....nevermind). Anyway, Wolski was re-signed because the Coyotes believe that he is the player that can be their offensive leader, a role that he never fulfilled in Colorado due to pressure, lack of talent, etc. He never quite lived up to his potential with the Avs, and I'm interested to see whether his late season surge was indicative of what he can actually do or was just a guy getting a fresh start and playing for a contract.

Why They Can Win the Division: This is a team that finished just a few points off of the Sharks in the Pacific and 4th overall in the NHL. At the beginning of the season they were a cute story; by the end, they were a force to be reckoned with. They have got a legitimate shot at the division if Bryzgalov plays the way he did last year and the younger guys up front continue their development. However, they are going to have to get more scoring to keep up with the Sharks and Kings. It's a competitive division, but the Coyotes have the defense and goaltending to match anyone.

Why They Won't Win the Division: An injury to any of their key players will really hurt their chances of duplicating what they did last year. I think they lost one of their better offensive players from last year in Matthew Lombardi, and I don't see a suitable replacement right now. Aucoin enjoyed a resurgence last year, but will that be the norm? Plus, the Kings got better and the Sharks didn't regress that much, and the Pacific is one of the best divisions in the NHL. It will be tough sledding.

My Prediction: I can't shake the feeling that last year was a giant fluke for the Coyotes, and that this year their talent level will shine through and bring them back to Earth. The one thing the Coyotes do not have going for them is the element of surprise: they're not going to sneak up on anyone early in the year, and a lot is expected of them. I see them like the Blues of last year: following up a really good year with a stinker, but one that will be good for the team overall. I like their goaltending, but there's little scoring there, and any team that signs Ray Whitney to be an offensive spark at this stage in his career is grasping at straws. I'll go out on a limb and say that they will miss the playoffs by a slim margin. Keep in mind that I have not even mentioned the off-ice stuff with Ice Edge and all of that, which I think is going to present another season of distractions.

Know Thy Enemy - Los Angeles Kings

Tuesday morning, and we are a day away from the start of the NHL preseason. The Wings kick off their preseason schedule with a trip to Pittsburgh to open up their new arena, and it sounds like the Penguins are going to treat this as a regular season game and suit up all their stars, while the Wings will likely send some of their big guys and a host of other players to see what they can do. Word is that Osgood is going to get the start in goal, and this makes me a little sad, because I was hoping that Jimmy could show Sid how he cleaned his glove over the summer, and get Sid's opinion on whether it smelled better. Head on over to KK to check out George Malik's awesome coverage of training camp. However, some good news came down the pipe today. I was over at NOHS and saw that FoxDetroit.com is going to stream the Red/White Game today. This is the annual scrimmage between two halves of camp, and is always a good time. If you have access to a computer at noon EDT today, check it out.

Los Angeles Kings

Arrivals: Alexei Ponikarovsky; Willie Mitchell
Departures: Alexander Frolov

The Kings took a major step forward last year, making the playoffs for the first time since the 2001-02 season, and while they bowed out in the first round to the Canucks, there's no question that last year was a huge success for the Kings. They had been one of the sad-sack franchises for the last few years, but the front office has shown a lot of patience in trying to rebuild the team, and the Kings look to be one of the big up-and-coming teams in the league right now.

Offense: The Kings are led on offense by Anze Kopitar, a guy who would be a superstar if he played anywhere except LA. He absolutely burst out of the gate last year, but as the season wore on, fatigue and the grind started to wear him down a little. He ended the season with 81 points, including 34 goals, and this year could be a breakout year for him. Behind Kopitar, there aren't any real offensive superstars, but there are a lot of 40-60 point guys sprinkled throughout the lineup. Ryan Smyth is looking to bounce back from an injury-filled season, as is Dustin Brown. If both of those guys can stay healthy, then the Kings will have a very formidable first line. Michal Handzus stepped up last year with 20 goals, and it's hoped that Ponikarovsky can finally live up to the potential now that he is out of the spotlight in Toronto and has no pressure to perform next to Sidney Crosby. If you take a look at the Kings' lineup, there are names there that won't be known by anyone, but are capable of chipping in offense: Jarret Stoll, Wayne Simmonds, Brad Richardson and Oscar Moller. There's talk that their number 1 pick in the 2009 draft, Brayden Schenn, is going to get a very long look in camp, and could make the team. On the blueline, the Kings have Norris candidate Drew Doughty, the team's second-leading scorer last year. I believe that once Lidstrom retires, Doughty could make a push for the title of "best defenseman in the NHL", as he's got all the tools. He's only in his third season, but even bigger things are expected of him. Jack Johnson is also a young player that can chip in points, as he ended up with 28 assists last year. The Kings finished 10th in the NHL last year, and with a team that young and very little turnover, they could rise depending on how their younger players progress. Their power play finished 7th in the league last year, and if Smyth can stay healthy, then they should either stay consistent or even see some improvement.

Defense: After the 2008-09 season, the Kings knew they had a solid young defense with Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and Matt Greene; however, they knew they needed a good shut-down guy, so they went out and signed Wing-stopper Rob Scuderi. This year, sensing the need for someone else on the blueline, they went out and got Willie Mitchell. I'll put this out there: if Mitchell can stay healthy and the young guys don't regress, we could potentially be looking at the best defensive corps in the Western Conference. Doughty is an absolute stud who can do everytihng; he's the Lidstrom of the Kings. Johnson is still honing his defensive skills, but he's only 23 and has a lot of maturing to do, and he's very good. Greene is a stay-at-home, physical defenseman who can pop in the very occasional goal. Scuderi showed in the Finals in 2009 that he can stop the other team's top line. Add Mitchell to that mix, a guy who can play both ends of the rink but is particularly effective in his own end, and there's not a weak link there. It looks as if Thomas Hickey, their top pick in the 2007 draft, is going to get a long look in camp, and the notes I read said that he's another good puck-mover who is under-sized, but plays with intelligence, like Brian Rafalski. The Kings finished 9th in the NHL in goals against, but their penalty killing can improve, finishing 20th.

Goaltending: Yet another area where the Kings are young. The plan last year was for Jonathan Quick to hold on to the starting job until Jonathan Bernier was ready to ascend to that spot. However, Quick was fantastic last year, winning 39 games while posting a 2.54 GAA and .907 SV%. He nearly out-dueled Jimmy Howard in the January game where Howard had 51 saves, but by the end of the season, playing 72 games had worn Quick out. Despite his solid play last year, the Kings' goalie of the future is Bernier, and there appears to be a competition headed into camp to claim the numer one spot. Bernier is a hot prospect who has destroyed the competition in the AHL, and it's only a matter of time before he gets his shot with the Kings. If one of them steps up and really puts their mark on the team, the other could be used as trade bait to bring in a piece that may launch the Kings up to legitimate contender status.

Coaching: The Kings are led by Terry Murray, a guy who has never done a ton in his time as a coach but who's teams are generally solid. He got the Flyers to the Finals in 1997, but he could not decide on a goalie and got swept. Under his guidance, the Kings have gotten much stronger defensively, and their special teams have improved. Murray has always reminded me of Ron Wilson: he's a guy that can teach young players and get them to develop into really good hockey players, but he's not able to get that team over the hump to a championship. In a strong Pacific Division, the Kings will be competing for points every night.

Player to Watch: I was torn between Kopitar and Doughty for this, but I'm going to be keeping my eye on Doughty all year. He's entering his third year, and he's only 20 years old. He's already been nominated for a Norris, he's won an Olympic Gold Medal. This year, he will very likely play in his first NHL All-Star game, and he could crack the 60 point mark. He's no slouch defensively, either; he was a +20 last year, and typically plays against the other team's second line. This year he should improve defensively, and he may be given more opportunities to play against the best. If his numbers stay the same in an increased role, he will easily be nominated for another Norris, but unfortunately will fall 3 votes shy of Lidstrom.

Player With Something to Prove: On a young team like the Kings, there are always guys that need to show what they can do at the NHL level. However, for me, the player facing the most pressure this season is Jonathan Quick. He was brilliant through the first half of the season last year, but playing that many games can get to anyone, and by the end of the year, he was significantly struggling. With Jonathan Bernier hot on his heels, Quick is going to have to have a strong start to the season, or else he will be relegated to the bench and/or traded.

Why They Can Win the Division: Their division is a tough one, but there are no real glaring weaknesses on this team. They can score with almost anyone, they've got an extremely solid defense corps, and their goaltending is good. If they can continue their development and get scoring up and down the lineup, they will give the Sharks a run for their money, and could pull the upset in the division. This situation reminds me of the Blackhawks gunning for the Wings for many years; this year could see a changing of the guard in the Pacific.

Why They Won't Win the Division: As solid as the lineup is, there are still question marks. Jonathan Quick fell off the map at the end of last year, and if he does not show his early-season form, then the job could be handed over to Jonathan Bernier, and a goalie switch mid-season does not always work out. While the team is developing nicely, and there are some very good players in place, outside of Kopitar and Doughty the team lacks a legitimate superstar. They tried to get Kovalchuk, but he decided that he would much rather drag out his contract negotiations with the Devils than sign a monster deal with the Kings. In a division that has the Sharks and Coyotes, points are going to be hard to come by, and the strain put on Kopitar to be the number one offensive threat every single night could wear on him like it did last year.

My Prediction: Look, I actually like the Kings. I find myself rooting for them as long as they do not play the Wings. Normally, after a team has knocked the Wings out of the playoffs, they are forever on my shit list (hence my irrational hatred of the Devils); not so with the Kings. Maybe it because was the Wings had a ton of injuries in that series, or maybe it was because a part of me sensed that the Kings were going to be garbage for the rest of the decade and I figured the fans needed some happiness. Either way, I'm pulling for the Kings to take out the Sharks and win the Pacific. I like Doughty a lot, I think Kopitar should be more well-known than he is, and I like the fact that Ryan Smyth (who has as much skating ability as I do) can make it in the NHL, leaving me with hopes that one day I too can earn a spot on a team. The Kings are the new-Blackhawks, in that they are a young team on the rise, and everyone is picking them to do big things this year. I think they are still a year away, and while they will finish close to the Sharks, they just won't have enough to get to that elite level. But watch out: this team is going to be a big deal in a year or two, and as a Wing fan, I'm nervous about playing them.

Know Thy Enemy - Dallas Stars

I'm t-minus 2 days before I leave for my hometown of Brampton, Ontario for a golf tournament, and while I'm excited for that, it also means I have to cram 5 days of work into 4, all while bringing you previews of the rest of the NHL. But, I'll admit it's been eye-opening checking out the other teams the Red Wings will be competing against this year, and today we move out West to take a look at the Pacific Division. We'll be checking out a team that just a couple of years ago took the Wings to six games in the Conference Finals, but hasn't sniffed the playoffs since.

Dallas Stars

Arrivals: Adam Burish; Andrew Raycroft; Brad Lukowich
Departures: Mike Modano; Marty Turco

This season will be one about rebuilding as the Stars said goodbye to the best goalie they've had in the last 10 years in Marty Turco. They also allowed the best player in their franchise's history to leave as a free agent, and to Mike Modano, I say "welcome to Detroit". The Stars went on a surprising run in 2008 when Turco finally appeared to shake off the "can't win in the playoffs" moniker, only to be ousted by the Wings. The Stars have failed to make the playoffs since then, and new GM Joe Nieuwendyk is going with a youth movement to move the Stars up in the Western Conference.

Offense: With Modano no longer on the team, the team's offense centers around 2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards, who popped in 91 points on a bad team last year. This is now his team, and he will be expected to duplicate those efforts again this year. The Stars have a solid cast of forwards, including Loui Eriksson (71 points last year), goalie-spearer Mike Ribeiro, James Neal and Jamie Benn. All of those players are going to be counted on heavily to provide consistent offense, because it appears the Stars are going to be bringing in a few rookies and younger players in an effort to start their rebuilding process. The Stars have a couple of agitators on the team that can put the puck in the net; captain Brendan Morrow is hoping to continue his rebound after missing a large chunk of 2008-09 due to injury, and he is more than capable of scoring 20-30 goals. Steve Ott also is in the 20-goal club, and if he would spend more time concentrating on scoring than on running the opposition, he might score more goals. The Stars finished a surprising 11th in the NHL in team offense last year, a stat that shocked me because I did not think of the Stars as an offensive team (I did think of them as a team that needed help from the refs to win a couple of games against the Wings last season, but that's another conversation for another day). Their power play finished a respectable 12th in the NHL, converting over 18% of their chances. One area where the Stars do look to improve is getting offense from the blueline; their leading scorer on the defense was Stephane Robidas with 41 points, but no one else got over 25 points. If the Stars can get similar contributions from their younger players, and can get some offense from the back, they will once again be one of the better scoring teams in the NHL.

Defense: To me, this is the real Achilles' heel of the Stars. They are led on defense by Trevor Daley and Stephane Robidas, but the rest of the corps is very young. In 2008, the Stars received a lot of unexpected good play from guys like Mark Fistric and Matt Niskanen, and if they want to get back to contender status in the West, they will need those guys to step up and stop the regression they have shown over the last two seasons. The Stars have traditionally been one of the stingier teams in the NHL, but last year they finished 23rd in goals against, and that was what kept them out of the playoffs. Their penalty killing was especially atrocious, killing off only 77% of their penalties, good for 27th in the NHL. The Stars brought in Brad Lukowich to try and provide some stability to the blueline, but ultimately it's up to the younger players like Fistric and Niskanen.

Goaltending: For the first time in a very long time, the Stars are starting a season without Marty Turco as their starting goaltender. Last year at the trade deadline, the Stars picked up Kari Lehtonen, a goalie I am personally familiar with from his days here with the Thrashers' farm team, the Chicago Wolves. I saw what Lehtonen was capable of when he was with the Wolves, getting them to the Calder Cup Finals in 2005 only to be outshone by Antero Nittymaki. The Thrashers had high hopes for him, but unfortunately injuries have been a major factor in his career, and he has been unable to stay healthy enough to establish himself as a true number one goalie that was deserving of how high he was drafted. However, when he was traded to the Stars, he seemed to be re-born, putting up decent numbers (2.81 GAA, .911 SV%), and the hope is that he can keep that up over the course of the entire season. The Stars brought in Andrew Raycroft to back up Lehtonen, another goalie who had high expectations after winning the Calder Trophy in 2004 but has done diddly since.

Coaching: What can I say about Marc Crawford. All Red Wing fans know Crawford well from his days with the Avs, and who can forget the screaming match between him and Scotty in 1997. Besides having the worst hair in coaching now that Barry Melrose has been fired again, Crawford has been a guy who rode a great Avs team to a Cup in 1996, so everyone thinks he's some sort of coaching stud. However, since then, he's done jack with some good teams (including running this team into the ground and failing to do anything with Vancouver). The interesting thing is that this year, there will be little expectations surrounding the Stars, so if the team blows, it won't be a big surprise, and Crawford will be able to keep his job. Personally, I've never thought much of Crawford as a coach; I think he can manage superstars well, but doesn't have what it takes to lead a young team up to the ranks of contenders.

Player to Watch: Loui Eriksson's goal total slipped a little last year after potting 36 in 2008-09, but playing with Brad Richards night in and night out will certainly guarantee that he is capable of putting up at least 30 goals, and 40 is not out of the question. He is only 25 years old, and is just now rounding into form as one of the better left wingers in the West, although not many people know about him. I think this year we could easily see him set new career highs in goals and points, and he is very quickly becoming the Stars number one goal scorer. Look for him to have a big year.

Player With Something to Prove: On a young team like this, there's always someone who needs to step up. For me, that guys is Kari Lehtonen. He played well in his brief stint in Dallas last year, but he had Marty Turco behind him to bail him out if he played poorly. This year, Lehtonen is "the guy", and he not only needs to stay healthy, he needs to show that he was worthy of being the number 2 overall pick by the Thrashers in 2002. He's a big guy (6'4") who moves well laterally, but that has resulted in various injuries throughout his career. If he can get it together and play consistently for this season, then the Stars could surprise a few people.

Why They Can Win the Division: Truthfully, I don't believe they have a hope of that, but they've got a top line with Brad Richards and Loui Eriksson that is capable of scoring on just about anyone, and if Lehtonen suddenly becomes the goalie everyone thinks he is, they could sneak up on some people. But that defense is going to have to play like they did in 2008, and there will have to be some truly unexpected contributors among the rookies for that to happen.

Why They Won't Win the Division: Between the Sharks, Kings and Coyotes, the Pacific is one of the deeper divisions, and the Stars just don't have the talent throughout the lineup to compete with those teams over the course of an entire 82-game season. The defense is not very good in the grand scheme, and beyond the first 2 lines, there's no real scoring threat. Lehtonen could very easily end up on IR once again this season, and I just don't think that Andrew Raycroft is the answer if that happens (ask a Leaf fan how they feel about Raycroft - only Toskala gets more scorn in Toronto).

My Prediction: As the NHL's "30-in-30" preview notes, this will be a season of transition in Dallas. Modano and Turco are both gone, so it's up to a new cast of players to lead the team. I think the Stars are really going to struggle this season, and will be among the bottom-dwellers in the conference. I don't think Crawford is going to do what Tippet did in Phoenix last year. While they did bring in "Stanley Cup winning forward" Adam Burish (I'm wondering if he will regale the dressing room with stories about thrilling it was to watch the Hawks win from the press box), there's not a lot of talent up and down this lineup. I also believe that if Brad Watson is refereeing a Stars-Wings game, I'm not going to watch because I can guarantee the Wings are going to be jobbed out of 2 points anyway, and I've got a blog to update.