Sonik22 Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 I hope im not the only one pumped for hockey! I made a promise to myself to follow the Hawks more this year and im ready for tonights game. I'm hoping that we can prove the "experts" wrong and somehow make it into the playoffs because i feel we are underrated. How They'll Finish: Western Conference Rank Team 1 Ducks Anaheim Ducks* Life in the O.C. got even sunnier in July when superstar defenseman Chris Pronger was acquired in a trade with Edmonton that unites him with another Norris Trophy winner, Scott Niedermayer. By adding Pronger to his current team, GM Brian Burke now has everything in place for the Ducks to win the Cup. 2 Sharks San Jose Sharks* After a disheartening loss to the Oilers in last season's playoffs, San Jose brought in free-agent center Curtis Brown and winger Mike Grier, a defensive specialist, to take critical face-offs and to help kill penalties. They join a club that has great depth on defense -- and very high expectations. 3 Flames Calgary Flames* Jim Playfair is more tactful than Darryl Sutter, who frequently offered subtle criticisms of Jarome Iginla after losses. But don't expect the new coach to stray from Sutter's defense-first strategy, not even with Alex Tanguay in the fold. 4 Predators Nashville Predators* After owner Craig Leipold opened his checkbook this summer and increased the Predators' payroll by about 30 percent over last season's, Nashville is finally poised to pass Detroit and lay claim to being the strongboy in the NHL's weakest division. 5 Red Wings Detroit Red Wings* The last time the Red Wings started a season without Steve Yzerman was 1983-84. While the Red Wings will rely on experience to keep opponents from scoring, they'll count on fresher legs to put the puck in the net at the other end. This is a powerful team, and the win-at-all-costs attitude embodied by Yzerman remains. 6 Stars Dallas Stars* Goalie Marty Turco's disappointing performance in the playoffs -- the heavily favored Stars were knocked out by the Avalanche in the first round in each of the last two seasons -- has exhausted the patience of coach Dave Tippett. "I put trust in a lot of [veterans], and the results haven't been there," says Tippett. "When that happens, you make sure things get done without relying on those players." 7 Wild Minnesota Wild* In one dizzying summer the Wild went from spendthrifts to big spenders. Now there is great optimism heading into the season. But like division rival Calgary, Minnesota is not about to become a freewheeling offensive club. "If we don't buy into the team concept," GM Doug Risebrough says, "we'll never win." . 8 Oilers Edmonton Oilers* No other team has a bigger question mark than the Oilers do in goaltender Dwayne Roloson. Sure, other goalies have had breakout playoff runs that surpassed anything they'd done that regular season. Was Roloson's masterly postseason performance an anomaly? With All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger now in Anaheim, Edmonton will quickly find out. . 9 Kings Los Angeles Kings When he took over as G.M. of the Sharks before the 1996-97 season, Dean Lombardi needed just three years to turn them into a playoff threat, but he'll be lucky to get that much time to transform the long-suffering Kings. 10 Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes Hoping to avoid a third straight last-place finish, coach Wayne Gretzky and G.M. Mike Barnett set out to improve the defense and to add a physical presence up front, but the Coyotes have too many problems -- a shortage of scorers, a poor power play -- to finish anywhere near the top of the Pacific. 11 Canucks Vancouver Canucks Memo to Alain Vigneault: Name tags might help. After failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2000, the Canucks brought in 14 players, hired a new coaching staff and changed the team's defensive philosophy. 12 Blue Jackets Columbus Blue Jackets Though the Blue Jackets were a surprising 23-16-2 in the second half of last season, they were not as formidable as that record suggests and will have a hard time picking up where they left off. Beyond left wing Rick Nash, 22, Columbus is thin offensively. 13 Avalanche Colorado Avalanche Look around the NHL at the talent the Avalanche have given up: Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote, Paul Kariya, Rob Blake, and Alex Tanguay. Also on the way out is the franchise's 11-season streak of reaching the playoffs. 14 Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks They won't break their trend of missing the playoffs (seven of the last eight seasons), but the Blackhawks could be more fun to watch. "I'm hopeful we're better," says second-year GM Dale Tallon, "but you never know until we play." 15 Blues St. Louis Blues The Blues' answer to putting up the worst record in the NHL last season and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1979: hiring longtime NHL broadcaster (and former St. Louis goalie) John Davidson to be team president. How They'll Finish: Eastern Conference Rank Team 1 Sabres Buffalo Sabres* Fast, skilled and hardworking, these are no longer the Sabres of the 1990s, who depended heavily on Dominik Hasek to get them a win. "We had a reputaion as a goaltender team stuck on offensive hockey," says coach Lindy Ruff. "Now all areas of our game are very good." 2 Rangers New York Rangers* Jaromir Jagr remains the pre-eminent weapon on a young team built on quick forwards, mobile defensemen and splendid sophomore goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who led Sweden to the 2006 Olympic gold. With Brendan Shanahan, the Rangers may have staying power. 3 Senators Ottawa Senators* If you're counting, Ottawa has advanced past the first round only four times in the past nine seasons. This year's team has less skill but more grit, a development that coach Bryan Murray hopes could finally yield the sort of grinding team that can make it deep into the playoffs. 4 Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes* The Hurricanes believe they have helped their chances of repeating by taking cues from the recent past. With a first-class sniper in center Eric Staal and a Conn Smythe-winner in 22-year old goaltender Cam Ward, Carolina has the makings of a Southern dynasty. 5 Devils New Jersey Devils* Listen to Claude Julien, the team's first-year coach, and it sounds as if this year's Devils are trying to revert to the Devils of old. "Defensive hockey doesn't have to be boring hockey," says Julien, who replaces GM Lou Lamoriello behind the bench. "I enjoy having a team that is difficult to play against." 6 flyers Philadelphia Flyers* By signing forwards Kyle Calder (26 goals, 33 assists for the Blackhawks) and Geoff Sanderson (25 goals, 21 assists for the Coyotes), the Flyers added depth and talent to an offense that should top last season's 263 goals. But Philadelphia is undermined by a slow defense. 7 Bruins Boston Bruins* The biggest changes for the Bruins occured in the front office, not on the ice. In addition to improving the meek 74-point performance of last season, the new regime will be looking to instill team chemisty and focus on defense. 8 Thrashers Atlanta Thrashers* Atlanta has a potent attack in forwards Ilya Kovalchuk (52 goals,46 assists), Marian Hossa (39 goals, 53 assists)and Slava Kozlov (25 goals, 45 assists). With Kari Lehtonen healthy and playing at his potential, the Thrashers should finally make it into the postseason. 9 Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins There's no denying how scary-good the center-ice tandem of second-year man Sidney Crosby and rookie Russian import Evgeni Malkin will be, but the Penguins' playoff hopes rest with their ability to keep the puck out of their net. 10 Canadiens Montreal Canadiens With a lackluster offense -- among playoff teams, only Calgary and New Jersey scored fewer goals last season -- the Canadiens will be counting on Cristobal Huet to carry them into the postseason. 11 Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs It's been 39 years since the Maple Leafs won a Stanley Cup, a streak that's going to reach 40. At 35, center Mats Sundin remains the team's only legitimate first-line player (78 points in '05-'06). 12 Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning While the Cup-winning offense -- led by center Vincent Lecavalier (35 goals, 40 assists), center Brad Richards (23 goals, 68 assists) and right wing Martin St. Louis (31 goals, 30 assists) -- remains intact, the Lightning's fixes, though not too late, are too little. 13 Panthers Florida Panthers The Panthers will return eight players who scored 15 or more goals last season. "We've got four solid lines," says left wing Martin Gelinas. To stay out of the cellar, Florida will need consistent play out of each of them. 14 Capitals Washington Capitals The outlook is bleak considering the woeful Capitals lost 11 games by more than three goals, allowed 300 goals and led the NHL with 673 penalties. GM George McPhee made a bid for elite defenseman Zdeno Chara but settled for ordinary Brian Pothier. 15 Islanders New York Islanders This season won't be any more entertaining than the club's summer. Owner Charles Wang, who apparently didn't learn from the foolish 10-year contract he gave center Alexi Yashin in 2001, signed goalie Rick DiPietro to a record 15-year, $675 million deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 GO CANES AND GO SENS!!! I will be happy if the Canes make it back into the playoffs. They have the crew to do at least that, but we will see if they get it done. The Sens will likely make it and subsequently choke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonik22 Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 Nice to see the Hawks fight back! 3-2 Hawks at 1st int. after going down 2-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Spencer Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Man I love the Hawks I sure hope Savard and Secord have a good game tonight. They are playing the Minnesota Northstars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Hey, all they have to do is hold the other team under 7 per game.... ...and Olczyk just said Nicky Kuhbibbullin was "superb". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Bears=Super Bowl Blackhawks=Stanley Cup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redandwhite Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 My B's open up tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 QUOTE(Brian @ Oct 6, 2006 -> 12:31 AM) Bears=Super Bowl Blackhawks=Stanley Cup Good thing you're not getting ahead of yourself there..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenryan Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 man, the B's got lit up. doesnt look any better for us tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBasedowYoda Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 QUOTE(Brian @ Oct 6, 2006 -> 12:31 AM) Bears=Super Bowl Blackhawks=Stanley Cup I'm jumping all over the 'Hawks Bandwagon after the first win. Might even go to the opener! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Freakin' Penguins took out another on of our guys. Bastards. At least the Canes beat them 5-1. Good to see them win two in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 Blackhawks looked a lot like crap last night. Boucher gave up a couple softies. Between that, the Wolves getting slapped around and the Kitties advancing to the World Series, it was a rotten sports night for me. At least the Cardinals won. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Hawks looked like the exact opposite of crap in Denver last night. They got a boatload of power plays and made the 'Lanche pay. It's going to be interesting to see this team as they learn to play together - I'm actually getting a bit excited about the West Side Hockey Club again. Didn't think THAT would happen anytime soon, hope I'm not setting myself up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Sabres beat the living hell out of the Flyers tonight, and did so in an updated version of their old blue uniforms. All they did was stick a small number on the upper right chest. I like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Havlat is unbelieveable. 6 goals and 6 helpers (12 points) in 5 games. He NEEDS to stay healthy, because he's the first Hawk superstar in a decade, and him being on the ice makes everybody better. This team is going to give up too many goals, but they could get the 7 or 8 in the West. QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Oct 17, 2006 -> 08:34 PM) It will also be nice to Roots back. If he could stay healthy, him and Havlat would be crazy good. But Ruutu is turning into the Mark Prior/Kerry Wood of hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSGuy406 Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Havlat! again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 I want Mark Bell back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Oct 19, 2006 -> 09:32 AM) Game was pretty fun last night, had 1st row in the UD. What was the announced crowd, and how close was the number to the actual attendance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo's Drinker Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 QUOTE(The Critic @ Oct 20, 2006 -> 09:46 AM) What was the announced crowd, and how close was the number to the actual attendance? 11,000 was announced. I moved down from UD to 3rd row with ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBAHO Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Oct 21, 2006 -> 01:12 PM) Well, that was the worst loss I have seen from the Hawks in a long, long time. Give up 3 goals in 5 min, and lose Havlat... Yeah for 55 minutes it was looking rosy and then the last 5 mins weren't good at all. At least they said the X-Rays in Havlat came up negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 Figures Havlat gets hobbled the night before I'm going to the UC. Dammit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Another 1 goal loss in a game the Hawks should have won tonight. *sighs* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Oct 21, 2006 -> 11:02 PM) Another 1 goal loss in a game the Hawks should have won tonight. *sighs* They really shouldn't have won tonight. They let the Blues take the play to them for most of the 2nd and 3rd periods, and that was the LEAST urgency I think I've ever seen from a team with the goalie pulled for an extra "attacker". The Blues earned the win and deserved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Oct 22, 2006 -> 12:49 AM) Zues looks to be out for 4-6 weeks, Bulin broke a finger. Season.Over. Nikolai being hurt would be a huge boost for the defense actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Maybe the broken finger can explain why Khabibulin couldn't catch a puck to save his life last night. Freakin' rebound machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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