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On the previous page we looked at NHL teams that appear to have little chance of making the Stanley Cup playoffs this season. Let's move on to the teams that can aim a little higher.
On the Border
The campaign begins with legitimate, realistic expectations of making the playoffs and maybe even winning a round or two. Making it happen is another thing altogether.
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
They had the eighth-best defense in the NHL last season, so the Ducks missed the playoffs because they couldn't score. Enter Adam Oates, among the most prolific centres ever, and Petr Sykora, nifty winger, to join Paul Kariya, all-around hockey whiz. Problem solved, right? Well, maybe. More reliable plans than this have been known to implode. They have the makings of two scoring lines, and surely they won't run the NHL's worst power play again. Looks like a playoff team. Sounds like a playoff team. We'll see.
Best case scenario: Rookie coach Mike Babcock makes the most of an eclectic veteran/youth mix.
Worst case scenario: The goalie, Jean-Sebastian Giguere, slips from last season's form.
Worth watching: Paul Kariya unleashed is a thrilling reminder of why you loved hockey in the first place. This should be a very good year.
Chicago Blackhawks
A slow start can kill a team in the West, so Eric Daze's back surgery was bad news for Chicago. He's out until November, and how healthy will he be then? Tony Amonte is gone, the latest Blackhawks' star to exit on bitter terms, so Theoren Fleury and Alexei Zhamnov must lead the way until Daze is back in form. Like a lot of cost-conscious teams, Chicago would like to see several young lads mature sooner rather than later. The 'Hawks aren't in bad shape, but they will likely take a step backwards this season.
Best case scenario: Mark Bell and Kyle Calder emerge as two of the league's most exciting young players.
Worst case scenario: Daze's back troubles drag on all season. Jocelyn Thibault staggers in net.
Worth watching: Huge (six-foot-six, 235 pounds) and talented (71 goals in the last two seasons), Eric Daze is quite a specimen. With Amonte gone, Chicago becomes Daze's team, if he's healthy.
Montreal Canadiens
Outside the crease, this team doesn't scare anyone. The Canadiens are quick and skilled, but they aren't very big and their best players are always getting hurt. They will outwork some teams - witness last spring's playoff upset over Boston - only to wear down against more flinty opponents. A full season from Saku Koivu would be huge, but the star-crossed captain hasn't played 82 games since his rookie year. Ultimately, of course, the Habs go as far as Jose Theodore can carry them. Plenty of teams would love to be so lucky.
Best case scenario: A 50-point man emerges on the blueline, a couple of 30-goal scorers take charge up front.
Worst case scenario: January's disabled list looks like October's opening day lineup.
Worth watching: Patrick's Roy's numbers were just as good, but no NHL goalie could match Jose Theodore's string of spectacular, high-pressure, season-saving performances in 2001-02.
Phoenix Coyotes
Tony Amonte would be a good addition to any team. But he will be especially appreciated in Phoenix, because several Coyote forwards are coming off career years that will be hard to duplicate. This team was short on stars last season, but also short on underachievers and duds. Even with Amonte, it's hard to see them finishing with five 20-goal scorers again. The defense and goaltending are good. But the four-line, miserable-to-play-against work ethic that often drives overachieving teams may be difficult to sustain for another season.
Best case scenario: Goaltender Sean Burke keeps getting better and better. Amonte returns to the 35-40 goal mark.
Worst case scenario: The small forwards - Nagy, Briere, Langkow - backslide.
Worth watching: With his passing, skating, point-production and brainy play, Teppo Numminen should be mentioned among the NHL's best defensemen. Not in the top five, perhaps, but in the top 15 for sure.
New York Rangers
Considering they paid out something like $70 million last year, this team sure has a lot of utility players: McCarthy, Barnaby, Murray, Oliwa, Lyashenko. At least their new grinder, Bobby Holik, adds considerable talent to the mix. The defense, meanwhile, is largely a cast of question marks and dashed hopes. Even Darius Kasparaitus hasn't always lived up to billing. With Holik, Leetch, Richter and the deadly combination of Lindros and Bure, the Rangers might finally have the formula that returns them to the post-season. But there are NHL teams spending half the money that are just as good or better.
Best case scenario: It all finally comes together.
Worst case scenario: The usual chaos continues.
Worth watching: Pavel Bure will have good centremen, plenty of ice time and ample opportunity to prove he is still The Sniper. A 50-goal season is in the cards.
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Next page > Playoff Prospects > Page 1, 2, 3, 4
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