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Complete NHL 2002-2003 Team-by-Team Forecast
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• Part 1: Cannon Fodder
Penguins, Flames, Sabres, Wild, Panthers...
• Part 2: On the Border
Ducks, Blackhawks, Habs...
• Part 3: Playoff Prospects
Devils, Islanders, Leafs, Kings...
• Part 4: The NHL Elite
Avalanche, Wings, Sharks, Caps...
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| Join the Discussion |
"I wish the Bruins did resign Dafoe. I bet a lot of people will be crying for Dafoe by Christmas."
Carolann114
"I don't think the Canucks are true contenders, so it doesn't really matter who's between the pipes."
Dartagnon77
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Here's where the serious hockey teams take over, teams that carry defensemen who actually belong in the NHL and rely on more than a couple of goal scorers.
Playoff Prospects
Will all these teams make the Stanley Cup playoffs? Probably not. But they are all capable, they all expect to, and the ones that don't will likely be in for an overhaul next summer.
Boston Bruins
Letting Bill Guerin walk, taking his 41 goals with him, suggests a rather curious approach to building a winner. But the Bruins have enough scoring to stay above water. Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov keep getting better, and several forwards - most notably Brian Rolston - could do more if given the opportunity. Their defense is solid, if not stellar, and the penalty killing was excellent last year. They won't finish in first place again, but as long as the goaltending holds up, Boston is a playoff team.
They join the elite if: Thornton and Samsonov fight it out for the scoring championship.
They fall off the pace if: The goaltending change (Steve Shields in, Byron Dafoe out) doesn't work.
Worth watching: Joe Thornton is well on his way to becoming the game's next dominant centreman.
Carolina Hurricanes
In the last 20 years or so, several NHL teams have made unexpected dashes to the Stanley Cup final, only to disappear from the radar the following season. The Hurricanes fit the pattern. Everything fell into place last year, especially the trades for defensemen Sean Hill and Bret Hedican. Can playoff heroes like Battaglia, Cole, Svoboda and Vasicek keep pace with the NHL's best for 82 games? Probably not. Carolina will put up another solid season, but lightning won't strike twice.
They join the elite if: The young forwards score regularly.
They fall off the pace if: The wheel of fortune keeps turning on Arturs Irbe's up-and-down goaltending career.
Worth watching: With Hall of Fame hands and a Hall of Fame brain, Ron Francis is still peaking at age 39.
Edmonton Oilers
Last year's Oilers were great in autumn and spring. But they died in the dead of winter, barely winning a game through January and February. The key to a better season: more goals. Mike York, acquired from the Rangers in March, must show he can score without Lindros and Fleury for linemates. Jiri Dopita, late of the Flyers, is a Czech Republic star, but last season's NHL debut was quiet. A couple of rookie forwards will likely get a look as well. The rest of their game is in good shape, so if the Oilers find a little more scoring, they'll be printing playoff tickets.
They join the elite if: The top two lines put up career-best numbers.
They fall off the pace if: We hear a lot about how various players are "snakebitten" and working so hard that "one has got to go in sometime."
Worth watching: A scrawny, lightweight centreman isn't supposed to score 33 goals, especially if he's just 22 years old. But shifty Mike Comrie is something special.
Los Angeles Kings
Another top-loaded roster. Zigmund Pallfy, Adam Deadmarsh and Jason Allison could play for any team in the NHL. After that, if you combined the remaining forwards you might come up with one good pair of hands. So what's their secret? The Kings' have found the Shangri-La of modern hockey: great special teams. Having the best power play and third-best penalty kill usually leads to success, and the Kings were successful last season. But they are still big underdogs in the West.
They join the elite if: Andy Murray, who coaches as well as anybody, can keep them in playoff form for a full season.
They fall off the pace if: The career revival of goaltender Felix Potvin turns out to be a momentary blip.
Worth watching: Allison is the playmaker, Deadmarsh is the bruiser and Zigmund Pallfy is the entertainer. His creativity with the puck knows no bounds.
New Jersey Devils
This is a smaller, quicker Devils team, much changed from the Cup-winning lineup of two years ago. With so much turnover and a new coach, Pat Burns, it's hard to guess how all the pieces fit together. Can a highly-skilled defense help keep the offense motoring? Will new forwards like Jeff Friesen and Jamie Langenbrunner score enough? Two things are certain: Burns will have them backchecking and Martin Brodeur will stand tall in net. The Devils are a playoff team. Whether they can go any further is another question.
They join the elite if: Brodeur is a Vezina Trophy candidate.
They fall off the pace if: The aging war horses of the blueline, Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko, finally wear down.
Worth watching: The new emphasis on speed might open the ice for Scott Niedermayer and Oleg Tverdovsky, two of hockey's game-breaking defensemen.
New York Islanders
Two years ago they were the NHL's worst team. Last season they doubled their win total and vaulted up the standings with a whopping 44-point increase. Teams that take such a big step one year usually backslide a little the next, especially if the captain (Mike Peca) is out until January with a knee injury. Several young Islanders posted career-best numbers in 2000-01. Can they do it again? Alexei Yashin is a lock, but think of Mark Parrish as the canary in the coal mine: If he has another 30-goal season, the Islanders are in very good shape. If not...
They join the elite if: Two young forwards, Oleg Kvasha and Brad Isbister, use Peca's absence as an opportunity.
They fall off the pace if: The defensemen and goaltenders were playing over their heads last year.
Worth watching: The Islanders are more solid than spectacular, but Steve Webb goes out of his way to hammer opponents.
Toronto Maple Leafs
If the Joseph-for-Belfour goaltending switch doesn't work out, it will be a long, ugly winter in Leafland. For now, Belfour gets the benefit of the doubt; He's had a lot of good years. Toronto's defensemen made great strides last season. The forward unit, populated by flighty characters like Mogilny, Hoglund and Reichel, might not be quite so reliable this year, especially with Gary Roberts expected to miss most of the regular season after shoulder surgery. On the bright side, Mats Sundin is playing the best hockey of his career.
They join the elite if: Belfour makes good on his claim that he remains among the goaltending aristocracy.
They fall off the pace if: They don't repeat last year's scoring-by-committee success.
Worth watching: With a more physical dimension to his game, a flair for big goals and a fourth-place finish in the scoring race, Mats Sundin probably should have been nominated for the 2002 Hart Trophy.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks were unstoppable in the second half of last season, especially the spectacular line of Bertuzzi, Naslund and Morrison. They lost a couple of free agents over the summer, but younger players - perhaps the Sedin twins - should be ready for more ice time. Vancouver might not lead the league in scoring again, but if the goaltending and defense are up to last year's standards, the point total should improve for the fifth straight year. In fact, the Canucks might already rank with the NHL's best. But they have to prove it for more than half a season.
They join the elite if: The Sedins, who probably should have spent some time in the minors over the last couple of years, take a significant step forward.
They fall off the pace if: An early-season slump puts them in a hole in the standings.
Worth watching: At first glance, Todd Bertuzzi appears a big, lumbering fellow. But he's quick and agile and makes the puck dance.
Next page > The NHL Elite > Page 1, 2, 3, 4
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