Canes Game Day – 11/1/11

Posted on November 1, 2011 by

Tampa Bay (5-4-2) vs. Carolina (4-4-3)
Game 12
RBC Center – Raleigh, NC
7:00 PM

Watch the game on: FS – Carolinas
Listen to the game on: 99.9 The FAN

It’s a Southeast showdown in Raleigh tonight as the Lightning come to town. A single point in the standings separates the teams, but Tampa has clearly had an edge recently. They won 6-2 back in April to knock the Canes out of the postseason chase and on opening night this season 5-1. The Canes looked great coming out of the gates that night, but ill-timed penalties and lackluster play in the 2nd and 3rd doomed the team. Five unanswered goals, including two on the power play, turned a celebration into a downer. Tonight gives the Canes a chance for some revenge and a slight edge in the standings.

On Saturday night, the Canes took the ice against the Flyers, following a fantastic 3-0 win at home against Chicago the previous night. Brian Boucher got the call in net to face his former team, however the results were anything but pleasing. Going into the third tied 1-1, the Flyers suddenly found their stride and lit up Boucher for 4 goals to an easy 5-1 victory. The Canes have only won a single game in their last five (1-2-2) and need to get their power play back on track if they want to win tonight. Well, that combined with playing a full sixty minutes should make for a dangerous team for anyone to play against.

Tampa Bay has had their own early season struggles, going winless over five games (0-3-2). They have surged recently though thanks to the play of Vincent Lecavalier and both goaltenders. Lecavalier has played well against the Canes and boasts a twelve-game point streak against us. The defense has to find a way to keep him off the board and hold their own. If only it were an easy task, especially with weapons like Stamkos and St. Louis lurking. The Canes need to minimize their penalties tonight and keep the puck deep in the Lightning zone for us to win. Let’s hope they can get it together early and hold a lead.

Let’s Go Canes!

Posted in Posts by Author: Cory, Regular Season | Leave a comment

Quick Hits Saturday Edition

Posted on October 29, 2011 by

With the 2011-12 NHL season well underway, we’ve decided to take a look back at the first ten games of the Hurricanes season. With no recaps to date, this seems like a perfect milestone to reflect. We’re taking a simplistic approach to this recap with only a few thoughts from the authors on each game. Let’s begin, shall we?

Tampa Bay (5-1 L)
More of the same, horrible defense.
Flat. That’s it. Came out flat.
Welcome to the 2011-12 season. Wait didn’t we just lose to Tampa? Oh that was last season.

At Washington (4-3 OTL)
Deserved a point and nothing else. Considering I was wasted and didn’t watch the game, there’s nothing much I can say.
Showed some signs of life on offense, but the defense still wasn’t there.
The Power Play came to life a lot earlier in the season than expected. Stole a point in D.C.

At New Jersey (4-2 L)
Zach Parise sure is looking healthy again. Let’s sign him in the offseason!
Glad I was at work for this one. Another third period meltdown.
I honestly forgot this game happened. I just repressed it already.

Boston (3-2 W)
Best game of the year at that point. Even though Boston is having an off year.
Really important win before the road trip.
Booing Kaberle? Really Boston? Ponikarovsky is really, really slow.

At Buffalo (4-3 W)
Cam Ward wins one by himself.
Back-to-back wins! Woo! Buffalo fans in the stands during the Boston game? Seriously.
The Canes carried the momentum from the last game for a huge road win.

At Boston (4-1 W)
Thank you, Boston. We will gladly take those two points.
We scored two power play goals and somehow, I’m still disappointed in the power play.
Boston had a party in the penalty box. Silly Tuukka, you’re not even worth Cam’s time.

At St. Louis (3-2 OTL)
Fell back into the old ways of not playing complete games. Cost us a point in the end.
Played very well, except for one play in overtime that ended up being the game winner.
Completely failed to close out, even though we were the better team.

At Winnipeg (5-3 L)
After watching for fifteen minutes, I knew we were going to lose.
Do we plan on winning a game in our division this year? Never looked good enough to win.
This is what happens when your MVP doesn’t play.

Ottawa (3-2 OTL)
This game is like a microcosm of being a Hurricanes fan. We come back from two down in the third and lose in a shootout.
Probably the worst fifty-five minutes of hockey of the season, followed by five minutes of greatness. Someone needs to deke in the shootout.
Lucky to get a point, but somehow deserved two.

Chicago (3-0 W)
Watch out for that step in 314. From what I remember, we kicked ass.
Best performance of the year so far.
I heard there was a hockey game tonight and we won. Go Canes!

The Canes are on the road tonight in Philly and if their last game is any indication of how tonight will go, it could be a high scoring affair. Winnipeg beat Philly on the road 9-8 with only 25 shots. Shoot from the point and deflect it in seems to be the key. Game is at 7:00 and you can catch the game on FSN.

Posted in Posts by Author: Andy, Posts by Author: Cory, Posts by Author: Josh, Regular Season | Leave a comment

Canes Game Day – 10-12-11

Posted on October 12, 2011 by

Boston (1-2-0) vs. Carolina (0-2-1)
Game 4
RBC Center – Raleigh, North Carolina
7:30 PM

Watch the game on: Versus, TSN-2
Listen to the game on: 99.9 The FAN

Tonight the Hurricanes welcome the defending Stanley Cup Champions to town and look to get back on track after a rough start to the season. After putting together an amazing first period on opening night, the Canes have struggled to maintain their rhythm throughout an entire game. They snuck away with a point in D.C. with a late power play goal to force overtime, but to-date it is the only point of the season. The friendly confines of the RBC Center should bring some energy to the struggling Canes and luckily the opponent is also struggling.

Jeff Skinner appears to be holding off the dreaded “sophomore slump” by establishing a 3-game point streak with a goal and 4 assists. Captain Eric Staal notched three points in D.C., but has been held scoreless since. This team needs to find some secondary scoring and quickly, so they don’t fall too far behind in the standings. Outside of Skinner-Staal-Ruutu, where will the offense come from? Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jussi Jokinen have gotten their first goals on the young season already. Now let’s see them build on the early successes and turn them into constant production.

Boston enters the game one point ahead in the standings, but also having two losses. After falling to Philadelphia on their banner-raising opening night, they were able to knock off Tampa Bay with a 4-1 victory. Boston struggled on Monday though as they fell 1-0 to Colorado on home ice. Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin lead the team with 3 points each and look to get back on track tonight in the Versus spotlight. We also can’t forget about last year’s Vezina and Conn Smythe winner in net, Mr. Tim Thomas.

Projected Lines for Tonight:

Jeff Skinner – Eric Staal – Chad LaRose
Alexei Ponikarovsky – Jussi Jokinen – Tuomo Ruutu
Jiri Tlusty – Brandon Sutter – Patrick Dwyer
Anthony Stewart – Tim Brent – Zac Dalpe

Bryan Allen – Tim Gleason
Joni Pitkanen – Jamie McBain
Tomas Kaberle – Jay Harrison

As always, Let’s Go Canes!

Posted in Posts by Author: Cory, Regular Season | Leave a comment

2011-2012 Southeast Division Preview

Posted on October 7, 2011 by

2010-11 Results:

Washington Capitals
(48-23-11, 107 points, playoffs)

Tampa Bay Lightning
(46-25-11, 103 points, playoffs)

Carolina Hurricanes
(40-31-11, 91 points, missed)

Atlanta Thrashers*
(34-34-12, 80 points, missed)

Florida Panthers
(30-40-12, 72 points, missed)

Home sweet home.  The Southeast… which now includes Winnipeg.

Winnipeg:  Any way you slice it, the Thrashers’ time in Atlanta was a disaster.  They won as many Stanley Cup Playoff games in their 14 year existence as I did.  But more important than their postseason failures was their failure to connect to the Atlanta community, and the blame falls solely on the management.  “You mean we can’t just put a hockey team in the deep south and expect people to come flocking to games?”  When they finally realized the only thing that could save them was community outreach, it was too little too late.  This is a problem the new owners certainly don’t face in Winnipeg. Selling hockey to Canadians is about as necessary as selling hookers to Charlie Sheen.  Something like 10,000 season tickets were sold in the first day… to see the remnants of the Atlanta Thrashers.  Unfortunately for these fans, I don’t see this bunch making any giant leaps forward this year, they just don’t have the talent.  They have a young core of fairly solid players, including their Captain, former Hurricane Andrew Ladd, but with no free agent signings to speak of and little notable talent in the farm system, they can only improve so much, especially with Ondrej Pavelec as their starting goalie.  Look for them to have a slightly better record, if for no reason other reason than gaining some form of home ice advantage.

Prediction: (37-32-11, 85 points, 4th in Southeast, miss)

Florida:  On the other hand, the Southeast’s other perennial cellar dweller, the Panthers, did make some big offseason moves, but were they smart moves?  They traded Rostislav Olesz for Brian Campbell and the 40+ million dollars left on his contract.  40 million! …for Brian Campbell!  Not that Campbell is bad, but clearly Dale Tallon’s goal was to get to the salary floor, which he did in a big way, coincidentally by helping his old club get rid of their most overpaid player.  The rest of his moves were along the same lines, signing decent players to slightly oversized contracts.  I guess that’s part of the game when you’re trying to get guys to play in Sunrise Florida though.  The result is sure to be far and away the best product the Panthers have put on the ice since their Stanley cup Finals run in 1996… but that’s not saying a whole lot.

Prediction: (35-38-9, 79 points, 5th in Southeast, miss)

Tampa Bay:  The Bolts surprised a lot of people last year, finishing with 103 points but let the division title slip through their fingers.  They continued their strong play well in the playoffs though, losing to the eventual champion Bruins in a thrilling 1-0 game 7 in Boston.  Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis make an incredible dual scoring threat and don’t forget about their Lecavalier.  The former 50 goal scorer saw a decline is his production last year, partially due to injuries, but Canes fans know from first hand experience what this guy can do to defenses.  Speaking of defenses, Tampa Bay somehow found one in the playoffs after every game they played in the regular season was pretty much a shootout.  Guys like Marc Andre-Bergeron and Victor Hedman stepped up their game in front of the solid, though aging, Dwayne Roloson, but the playoffs can bring out another level in players that is hard to find in the regular season, and time will tell how good the Bolts’ D will prove to be.  Yzerman has definitely put together a competitive team for the forseeable future, and in my mind should have won the GM of the year last year over Mike Gillis.

Prediction: (45-28-9, 99 points, 2nd in Southeast, 5 seed)

 

Washington:  The Caps had been consistently cruising through the regular season for the past few years, scoring seemingly at will but giving up plenty as well.  This past season, Bruce Budreau decided he would try and mix it up, getting his players to play a more defensive oriented game, much to the dismay of fantasy owners who had come to count on the Caps offensive juggernaut.  While they still won the division, their playoff woes continued, leading me to believe that they will return to their old ways.  Look for their offensive production to approach what it was two years ago.  Will they make a run in the playoffs?  That’s another story. (No)

Prediction:  (48-24-10, 106 points, 1st in Southeast, 2 seed)

Carolina:  I won’t bring up the memories of last year’s 82nd game, but you hate being in 9th place no matter how you got there.  The Canes can hopefully get over the hump this season and bring playoff hockey back to Raleigh.  It will be no easy task as the middle of the pack in the East is fast becoming a crowded place.  New Jersey’s play towards the end of last year indicates that they will contend for one of the spots Carolina has its eye on, along with the Rangers and the Habs.  Not to sell our team short, but overtaking two talented teams in Washington and Tampa doesn’t seem too probable from a neutral perspective.  I believe we can do it, but we’d have to see huge improvements on both ends of the ice from last year.  Trading for defenseman Tomas Kaberle should help in the defensive end, but hopefully he’ll do the most good on the power play, an area in which the Canes always seem to struggle.  On the offensive side, the free agent pickups of Ponikarovsky and Stewart have JR’s trademark, under the radar, potential rebound/fresh start season written all over them.  Taken in combination with the progression of Skinner, hopefully Dalpe, and now Murphy, the Canes should definitely have what it takes to build on last year and continue to build in the coming years.

Prediction: (43-29-10, 96 points, 3rd in Southeast, 7 Seed)

Here’s hoping we start the season off right. Let’s Go Canes!

-Josh

Posted in Posts by Author: Josh, Regular Season | Leave a comment

OPENING NIGHT – Canes Game Day – 10-7-11

Posted on October 7, 2011 by

Tampa Bay (0-0-0) vs. Carolina (0-0-0)
Game 1
RBC Center – Raleigh, North Carolina
7:00 PM

RBC

Watch the game on: FS – Carolinas
Listen to the game on: 99.9 The FAN

It’s finally here. Opening night in Raleigh. A chance for redemption against the Tampa Bay Lightning. A new season begins and we pick right up where we left off. Falling just short of the playoffs by one game thanks to the Lightning, we get a chance to show how far we’ve come in the offseason. It’s going to be a great year for the organization with a few new faces joining the roster. Youngsters Zac Dalpe, Justin Faulk, and Ryan Murphy all made the team out of camp and veterans Tomas Kaberle, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Anthony Stewart, Tim Brent, and Brian Boucher. Will this team be playoff bound? Let’s hope so. We would love to see playoff back in Raleigh and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for this season.

For the official preview: http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/preview.htm?id=2011020004&navid=DL|CAR|home

Being lazy today because we’re off to tailgate! Let’s Go Canes!

Posted in Posts by Author: Cory, Regular Season | Leave a comment

2011-12 Northeast Division Preview

Posted on October 6, 2011 by

The Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins bring their title back to NHL ice (literally, as I speak) to defend against 29 other desperate hockey clubs. However, their first concern in that campaign will be defending their Northeast division title against three improved and hungry opponents. Also the Ottawa Senators will be forced through 82 games as they stutter through another miserable rebuilding year. What’s going to go down in one of the tightest division races in the league?

2010-11 Results:
Boston Bruins
(46-25-11, 103 points, playoffs)
Montreal Canadiens
(44-30-8, 96 points, playoffs)
Buffalo Sabres
(43-29-10, 96 points, playoffs)
Toronto Maple Leafs
(37-34-11, 85 points, missed)
Ottawa Senators
(32-40-10, 62 points, missed)

Ottawa: Remember all the sugar coating I sprinkled on the Oilers season in the Northwest preview? Yep, that’s not happening here. The Senators boast enigmas Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek up front, along with Danny “The Swedish Dinosaur” Alfredsson, and a top pairing of Erik Karlsson and Chris Phillips. Other than that, their 2nd line center on the Yahoo depth chart is listed as Mika Zibanejad. That person is not made up. The situation in net doesn’t look too bright either, with a tandem of Craig Anderson and Alex Auld, two guys who even the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers (!) deemed inadequate. Conclusion? This is going to be a long year in Canada’s capital.

Prediction: 64 points, 5th in Northeast, misses playoffs. The only thing Ottawa could win in 2012 is the Draft Lottery. They should consider it an accomplishment if they avoid the NHL wooden spoon.

Toronto: For the first time in quite some time, the optimism in Leafs camp may very well be justified. The pieces of general manager Brian Burke’s puzzle are finally easing into place and Toronto is looking primed for a playoff run. New faces Tim Connolly, John-Michael Liles and Matthew Lombardi all appear to be upgrades for the recently middling Maple Leaf roster, though one shouldn’t overlook the loss of faceoff and penalty killer extraordinaire Tim Brent to our hometown Hurricanes. Despite the upgrades on paper, the question, as always, will be how the Leaf roster fits together under the intense microscope that is the Toronto market. If coach Ron Wilson can keep his players level headed, Toronto could see it’s first postseason hockey since the lockout.

Prediction: 91 points, 3rd in Northeast, misses playoffs. They’re close, but not quite there yet. It’s going to be an interesting sophomore season for goalie James Reimer, but the Leafs will narrowly miss out on the chase for the Cup.

Montreal: Goodbye James Wisniewski, Roman Hamrlik, Paul Mara, Brent Sopel, Benoit Pouliot, and Jeff Halpern. Hello…Erik Cole? We all love The Cole Train in Raleigh, but putting hometown bias aside (which, as his time in Edmonton indicates, is important), it is awfully difficult to see how Cole is going to upgrade the Montreal roster significantly. On top of that, the Habs struggled to qualify for the postseason despite a heroic effort from goalkeeper Carey Price. Anything less than a phenomenal campaign from the All-Star could spell disaster for Les Habitants.

Prediction: 90 points, 4th Northeast, misses playoffs. There are just too many questions around this Montreal team, including the health of Andrei Markov and the bloated contracts of Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, and the aforementioned Erik Cole. Canada goes 0-fer in the East.

Buffalo: Let me just say, that new owner Terry Pegula should be commended for his financial commitment to a small market NHL club. However, my praise for Buffalo’s offseason moves ends there. Sure, the defense has been much improved, and sure, it’s always sexy to land several multi-year, multi-million dollar free agents. But the Sabres have vastly (read: VASTLY) overpaid for the likes of Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino (who has a career average of one goal per five NHL games, by the way) and have given rookie sensation/sophomore liability Tyler Myers a massive contract extension. This is undeniably an improved Buffalo roster from a year ago, but on the basis of value, it seems the Sabres have taken quite a step back.

Prediction: 98 points, 2nd Northeast, makes playoffs. This team is going to compete for the division crown with the incumbent Bruins, but those Stanley Cup champions bring back far too many weapons to surrender the Northeast to the up and coming Sabres.

Boston: The champions are back, and I mean that quite literally. The Bruins return 17 of their Stanley Cup winning roster, with the only departures being secondary scoring wingers Michael Ryder (to Dallas) and Mark Recchi (retirement) and point-man Tomas Kaberle (to the good guys in Raleigh). This is the definition of a deep roster, confidently rolling all 18 skaters on to the ice in front of one of two stellar netminders. Any more analysis necessary?

Prediction: 104 points, 1st Northeast, makes playoffs. Don’t be surprised when this team avoids the infamous Stanley Cup hangover and rolls through 2011-12. This is a complete team that could threaten to be the first club to go back-to-back since the 97-98 Red Wings.

Finally, here’s a peek at my picks compared to the Bodog odds:
Ottawa: 64 points, Bodog 74.5
Toronto: 91 points, Bodog 89.5
Montreal: 90 points, Bodog 92.5
Buffalo: 98 points, Bodog 98.5
Boston: 104 points, Bodog 102.5

Posted in Off-season, Posts by Author: Andy | Leave a comment

2011-12 Atlantic Division Preview

Posted on October 6, 2011 by

Well, here it is, the moment we’re all been waiting for with eager anticipation. Tonight is the start of the 2011-12 NHL season and we couldn’t be happier. It has been a long summer, but seeing the teams take to the ice for the regular season makes everything seem right in the world. While we’ll have to wait until tomorrow night for the Canes, there are three games on the schedule for tonight – Flyers vs. Bruins at 7 PM on Versus, Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs at 7 PM on CBC, and Penguins vs. Canucks at 10 PM on Versus. With two representatives from the Atlantic Division playing tonight, it’s the perfect time to look ahead.

2010-11 Results
Philadelphia Flyers
(47-23-12, 106 points, playoffs)
Pittsburgh Penguins
(49-25-8, 106 points, playoffs)
New York Rangers
(44-33-5, 93 points, playoffs)
New Jersey Devils
(38-39-5, 81 points, missed)
New York Islanders
(30-39-13, 73 points, missed)

Philadelphia is without a doubt the most dramatically changed team from last season. Very rarely do you see a team trade away a former 40-goal scorer (unless it is at the trade deadline), but to move two on the same day? That’s unheard of. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren made it happen though and pulled the trigger on the blockbuster trades of the summer. Out the door went captain Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, freeing up cap space and relieving the rumored tension between Richards/Carter and former Canes bench boss Peter Laviolette, and in came star netminder Ilya Bryzgalov with a massive contract. Will he be the Flyers’ fans answer to prayers in net? That has yet to be seen, but he has handled the Western Conference admirably despite only making it past the first round of the playoffs once (with Anaheim in 2005-06). Luckily for us, this signing allowed Brian Boucher to come over in free agency to be Cam Ward’s back up.

Holmgren had to have a plan in place after moving two 66-point scorers from last season. He is hoping that the youth on the team will continue to develop with Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, and (possibly) top prospect Brayden Schenn. Also on board for this season to help the young guys out is the recently returned veteran winger Jaromir Jagr. His presence will be felt on the power play and in the top-6 if he can maintain his form over the grueling 82-game schedule. This will surely bring animosity to games against Pittsburgh as they were hoping to sign him when they heard of a possible NHL return.

So where do the Flyers go from here? They managed to just barely win the division last season, with the results coming down to the last few games, but that was before they overhauled their roster. Will they be able to replace the offense of Richards, Carter, and Ville Leino? They should be able to with the development of their young core. The defense is still solid enough to hold steady while the offense finds their stride. Will they be able to form chemistry quickly to overcome a sluggish start? This should take time, but it does with any team. They will be much better off by midseason if all goes well. Will Bryzgalov carry the team like he did in Phoenix? If his past few seasons are any indication, then he will do just that. Look for the Flyers to be in a tight race for the divisional crown at the end of the season and they’ll be right back in the playoffs again.

The cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins chose a different approach this offseason, but for good reason. With the top three centers locked up, the entire defense returning, and both netminders signed, there really wasn’t much for GM Ray Shero to do. The Penguins lost some personality and grit by failing to re-sign Max Talbot (gone to the Flyers) and Mike Rupp (gone to the Rangers) who both managed to show their personalities in the HBO series 24/7 Road to the Winter Classic. Luckily for us, we’ll get to see how things have changed since the Flyers and Rangers will be playing this year’s Winter Classic as well as being featured on HBO. However, Shero was able to make a mark with his re-signings. He locked up Craig Adams, Pascal Dupuis, Arron Asham, and Tyler Kennedy before free agency. Then welcomed Steve Sullivan from Nashville and finalized a new deal with Dustin Jeffrey.

The biggest storyline this season will be whether or not the Pens can stay healthy. Captain Sidney Crosby (concession) and Evgeni Malkin (knee) both missed the second half the season as well as the playoffs. Malkin is set to go for the season and looks more motivated than ever to get back on top. Crosby has no timetable for a return, but has been practicing without contact. Even without these two all-world talents, and the injury-riddled season of Jordan Staal (missed the first half), the Pens were able to make the playoffs and almost win the Atlantic Division. That shows amazing depth within the organization and determination from the guys who stepped up in their absences. Pens fans will be much more at ease when Crosby, Malkin, and Staal return to the ice.

A motivated Malkin, a Crosby return, a healthy Staal, an entire defense returning, and Marc-Andre Fleury in net means only one thing. The Penguins are going for the Atlantic Division title and it would be surprising if they fell short. If Kennedy is able to replicate his season output from last year, James Neal becomes more accustomed to playing with Malkin/Crosby, and the penalty kill remains solid, then they should go far in the playoffs.

The New York Rangers won the Free Agency bidding war and won the rights to former Dallas Stars center Brad Richards! Does this surprise anyone? It shouldn’t, because Richards had already spoken publicly at the trade deadline saying he’d like to stay in Dallas or be moved (only) to New York. With Richards at center and Marian Gaborik (assuming he stays healthy) on the wing, they should be a highlight reel waiting to happen. With Richards on the first line, Brandon Dubinsky can move back to second line and be a dangerous scoring threat. The Rangers have made a few changes from last season, namely the retirement of captain Chris Drury whose “C” has been given to Ryan Callahan, the departure of oft-injured Vinny Prospal, Alex Frolov, and Bryan McCabe, the signing of Rupp (previously mentioned), and the recent waive of the loud-mouth Sean Avery whose personality would have been phenomenal for HBO’s 24/7.

The Rangers were able to hold on to a playoff spot late in the year and their playoff hopes for this season once again lay with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. He started a whopping 68 games last year, mainly cause primary back up Marty Biron broke his collarbone near the trade deadline, but seemed very comfortable in net. Lundqvist is a star-caliber goalie and the Rangers will remain competitive as long as he’s on the ice. Think of him as New York’s version of Marty Brodeur (when he was still good).

With the arrival of Richards and the results from last year, expectations will be even higher this season. Rangers fans will expect the playoffs, but can they make it? Not helping the cause is the absence of defenseman Marc Staal who is still suffering from post-concussion symptoms. He apparently sustained the concussion during a hit from his brother, Eric (sorry Marc!). His return will surely help their blue line, but his absence could hurt even more. The Rangers will be gunning for a low playoff seed again, think in the area of 6-8. They should have enough to make it, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they appear to be falling short towards the end of the year.

The New Jersey Devils had to be happy when last season ended, because it seemed to be a terrible year all around. It was the first time since 1996 that the Devils failed to make the playoffs. After a horrendous start, a coaching change, and a “new” (really their old) system, the Devils made a valiant charge towards the playoffs falling a few games short. While initially they looked destined for the number one pick in the entry draft, they pushed up to the 8th spot but won in the lottery and moved up to 4th. GM Lou Lamoriello received the gift of selecting perhaps the most NHL-ready defenseman, Adam Larsson. After playing the past two years in the Swedish Elite league, look for Larsson to make an impact on this team early. Aside from that acquisition, they made only a couple of moves this summer. Brian Rolston was traded to the Islanders, Colin White had his contract bought out, Cam Janssen and Eric Boulton signed to the team, and most significantly, Zach Parise was re-signed to a one-year deal.

Parise is arguably the Devils best player and at the age of 27, he is right in his prime. He was just named team captain and is in a contract year. Unfortunately for the Devils, he won’t be a restricted free agent this time. The success or failure of the season could determine his future. If the team suffers from the get-go, he could be moved at the trade deadline (see: Richards rumors last season) or he could leave in free agency at the end of the year. The Devils would love to have him back, but it will be difficult with the $100M contract of Mr. Kovalchuk. Also in the last year of his contract is future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. Could this be his last season? He certainly has been showing signs of slowing down and he could be retired this time next year.

Scoring was an issue for the Devils and could be again this year too. Parise’s return will be great, but it is slightly offset by the injury of top line center Travis Zajac. He is out for an indefinite amount of time and that should hurt. It’s a shame that Parise and Kovalchuk both play the same wing, otherwise that would be a nightmare for opposing defenses. If Brodeur plays his age, then this team fails to make the playoffs. In fact, they should have a difficult time reaching them with a new coach behind the bench. The players did not adjust well at all last year and now they’ve got another new coach. The Devils miss the playoffs and need to figure out a back up plan for the absence of Brodeur in net.

And lastly, we come to the New York Islanders. Their future is currently in jeopardy as their lease with the Nassau County Coliseum is set to expire in 2015. There is no deal in place yet and attendance has been falling. They’ve finished last in the league in average attendance three out of the last six seasons. Could a move be coming? Quebec City is pushing hard for a new NHL team and this could be the solution. What could turn this around is a quick development of the Islanders’ youth. John Tavares showed improvement from his rookie season and almost broke the 30-goal mark last year. He improved on goals and assists from his first year and looks to be even better this year. Michael Grabner took full advantage of his first full year in the NHL by scoring 34 goals and making a run for the Calder. We know how that turned out, but he could be geared for another 30-goal season.

The most disappointing news last season had to be when the now team captain Mark Streit went down with an injury before the season started. He missed the entire season, but looks healthy and ready to go this year. As a veteran and a former All-Star, Streit will provide a much needed and steady presence on the blue line. A bigger question for this year will be what do the Islanders do in net? Rick DiPietro is signed FOREVER and can’t seem to stay healthy, Al Montoya is on a one-year deal, and Evgeni Nabokov is going back to the KHL because he doesn’t want anything to do with the team. Until they can figure out what’s going on back there, their playoff hopes seem slim to none. They can become a contender soon with all of the talent they are gathering, but whether or not they pan out is yet to be seen. The Islanders should be fighting for last place with the Devils in this tough Atlantic Division by midseason.

Posted in Off-season, Posts by Author: Cory | Leave a comment