FanHouse 2008 09 NHL Season Preview

Welcome to the NHL FanHouse 2008-09 season preview. While other sites are previewing "30 teams in 30 days," we decided to take advantage of the extra time off before the start of the season to bring you all 30 previews over the next three weeks. We're counting down in reverse order of finish from last season in each conference every weekday from now until October 3. Look for an Eastern Conference preview every morning and a Western Conference preview every afternoon. Click here to read them all.

Who's In: Dan Boyle, D (Trade-TBL); Brad Lukowich, D (Trade-TBL); Rob Blake, D (FA-LAK); Jeff Friesen (FA-tryout)

Who's Out: Brian Campbell, D (FA-CHI); Matt Carle, D (Trade-TBL); Craig Rivet, D (Trade-BUF); Curtis Brown, C (FA-Switzerland)

What's Changed: A surprising amount, actually, considering that the San Jose Sharks had the second-most standing points in the league last year and surrendered the third-fewest goals-against. How do the Sharks plan on improving on those results? Simple -- fire the head coach and replace half the players on the blueline.

Out the door went coach Ron Wilson, who had improved the Sharks' regular season points total each year since the lockout, but had the misfortune to lose back-to-back-to-back games in the second round of the playoffs three years in a row. New coach Todd McLellan comes from the assistant coach position with the Detroit Red Wings, and Sharks fans are hopeful that he can bring some of that postseason success they've been starving for. Also, the three new defensemen -- Blake, Boyle, and Lukowich -- all come in with cup rings. Have the Sharks improved with all this postseason experience, or were they actually better off last year?

Welcome to the NHL FanHouse 2008-09 season preview. While other sites are previewing "30 teams in 30 days," we decided to take advantage of the extra time off before the start of the season to bring you all 30 previews over the next three weeks. We're counting down in reverse order of finish from last season in each conference every weekday from now until October 3. Look for an Eastern Conference preview every morning and a Western Conference preview every afternoon. Click here to read them all.

Who's In: Karl Alzner, D (Draft-2007); Jose Theodore, G (FA-COL)

Who's Out: Matt Cooke, F (FA-PIT); Steve Eminger, D (Trade-PHI); Cristobal Huet, G (FA-CHI); Olaf Kolzig, G (FA-TB)

What's Changed: Last year at this time, the big change in D.C. was in the atmosphere surrounding the team. As we wrote then, "it's once again fun to be a Washington Capital and a Washington Capitals fan. After a handful of decidedly lean years, players and management alike can barely contain smiles (if they even bother trying to) as they prepare for the season that lies ahead."

One year later the big change is the addition of Ice Girls in what will be expected from the current Caps squad.

Welcome to the NHL FanHouse 2008-09 season preview. While other sites are previewing "30 teams in 30 days," we decided to take advantage of the extra time off before the start of the season to bring you all 30 previews over the next three weeks. We're counting down in reverse order of finish from last season in each conference every weekday from now until October 3. Look for an Eastern Conference preview every morning and a Western Conference preview every afternoon. Click here to read them all.

Who's In: Brendan Morrison, C (FA-VAN); Steve Montador, D (FA-FLA); Ken Klee (Trade-ATL)

Who's Out: Mathieu Schneider (Trade-ATL); Todd Bertuzzi, W (Bought out-CGY); Doug Weight, C (FA-NYI)

What's Changed: Nobody is semi-retired! Last year's drama surrounding the prolonged incecisions of Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne have been put to rest, but not without salary cap repercussions. Last week, defenseman Mathieu Schneider, who the Ducks signed last summer to replace Niedermayer's minutes, was traded in a salary-dump move to the Atlanta Thrashers for Ken Klee and some bodies. Since then, loyal Finn Teemu Selanne inked a two-year contract, meaning the Ducks will still need to shed some more salary before opening day.

What's lost in some of this salary cap shuffle, though, is how the resulting roster resembles the 2007 cup-winning team. Substitute Brendan Morrison and Bobby Ryan in for Andy McDonald and Dustin Penner. Substitute Steve Montador in for Joe Dipenta, and backup goalie Jonas Hiller for Ilya Bryzgalov. Those are basically the differences; the rest of the team is intact, at least for the short-term future. With more than half the roster's contracts set to expire next summer, can the Ducks capture the fire from two years ago, or is it a team that has passed its peak?

Welcome to the NHL FanHouse 2008-09 season preview. While other sites are previewing "30 teams in 30 days," we decided to take advantage of the extra time off before the start of the season to bring you all 30 previews over the next three weeks. We're counting down in reverse order of finish from last season in each conference every weekday from now until October 3. Look for an Eastern Conference preview every morning and a Western Conference preview every afternoon. Click here to read them all.

Who's In: Sean Avery, W (FA-NYR)

Who's Out: Niklas Hagman, W (FA-TOR); Antti Miettinen, W (FA-MIN); Stu Barnes, C (Retirement); Mattias Norstrom (Retirement); Brad Winchester, W (FA-STL)

What's Changed: Playoff success over their divisional rivals. Since beating the 8th-seeded Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2003 playoffs, Marty Turco and the Stars hadn't even enjoyed a series lead until this past postseason. Last year, after finishing third to the Sharks and the Ducks in a tough Pacific Division, the Stars eliminated both of their divisional rivals, winning the first two games in Anaheim and the first three games against San Jose. Then, as the cartoon illustrates, Dallas ran headfirst into a Red Wings machine and was eliminated in the conference finals in six games.

Still, it was a triumphant return to playoff success for the Stars, who got excellent performances from Turco, the top line of Mike Ribiero, Brendan Morrow, and Jere Lehtinen, deadline acquisition Brad Richards, a defensive core led by Stephane Robidas and Trevor Daley, and of course Mike Modano. This year, the Stars figure to improve on that disciplined puck-pressure formula that worked well for them in the playoffs. Right, Avery?

Welcome to the NHL FanHouse 2008-09 season preview. While other sites are previewing "30 teams in 30 days," we decided to take advantage of the extra time off before the start of the season to bring you all 30 previews over the next three weeks. We're counting down in reverse order of finish from last season in each conference every weekday from now until October 3. Look for an Eastern Conference preview every morning and a Western Conference preview every afternoon. Click here to read them all.

Who's In: Jarkko Ruutu, F (FA - PIT), Filip Kuba, D (Trade - TPA), Alex Auld , G (FA-BOS), Jason Smith, D (FA-PHI), Brendan Bell, D (FA-PHX), Ryan Shannon, F (Trade -VAN), Brad Isbister, F (FA-VAN)

Who's Out: Ray Emery, G (FA - KHL), Andrej Mezaros, D (Trade - TPA), Cory Stillman, F (FA - Florida), Luke Richardson, D (UFA - Unsigned), Wade Redden, D (FA - NYR), Brian McGrattan, F (FA - PHX), Mike Commodore, D (FA - CBJ), Lawrence Nycholat, D (Trade - VAN)

What's Changed: The Blue Line, that's for sure. Redden's departure was written in the stars last fall, so there's no surprise there. We'll see how well he handles the pressure of playing in New York, since we all saw how well he handled it in Ottawa. If you think this team is Cup material, consider this addition by subtraction. Then again, one has to have a defense to even get to the playoffs, and Redden is solid enough to get you there.

Couple that with The Lisp holding the line on contract numbers with Mezaros and we have the first trade of the Cap Era forced by the threat of an RFA Offer Sheet. So, out go two of the team's Top 4 defensemen (not to mention rental Mike Commodore) and in return come Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard and war-horse Jason Smith. What's changed is that Ottawa's blue line will be meaner than previous versions as both Mezaros and Redden are not what you'd call physically dominant.