FanHouse 2008 09 Nhl Season Previews

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: Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, Dmitri Kalinin.

Who's Out: Martin Straka, Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan (could still return), Sean Avery, Fedor Tyutin.

What's Changed: Another year and it's still the same old Rangers -- spend, spend, spend. In February the team signed stud netminder Henrik Lundqvist to a six-year deal that came out to about $6.5 million per. During the off-season they nabbed UFAs Wade Redden and Markus Naslund for the low price of $11.5 million this season. Not that this is a bad tactic, they did pretty well this past season with their spending spree from the summer of 2007 (Gomez, Drury). But, in all serious, not a whole lot has changed in terms of the philosophy in New York. The faces, however, are a different story.

With Jaromir Jagr in Russia, Brendan Shanahan in limbo, and the departure of Martin Straka, the Rangers are going to be without three of their top five scorers from a year ago. The trio combined for 158 points last season, something the Rangers will dearly miss. The addition of Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev will help ease the stress, but it will certainly be interesting to see how the new faces, and the loss of some old faces, pans out.

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: Ryan Jones, F (trade, Min)

Who's Out: Chris Mason, G (trade, Stl), Alexander Radulov, F (likely gone, KHL), Marek Zidlicky, D (trade, Min), Darcy Hordichuk, F (trade, Car)

What's New: Relatively speaking, the quick answer is not a whole heck of a lot. The Predators really did not do much on what you might call the positive side of things this off-season aside from re-signing players like Martin Erat, Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Dan Ellis, Rich Peverly, and Jerred Smithson. So by and large the band that played to an 8th place finish in the West remains together. Two departed members stand out, however.

Of the two, Marek Zidlicky is definitely gone. He was traded to Minnesota in exchange for former college star Ryan Jones and a second-rounder. The move made Nashville's defense even younger, but the group remains solid with the retention of Suter and Weber. The team is counting on Ville Koistinen to quicken his pace of improvement with Zidlicky gone.

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: Michael Ryder, RW (UFA, Mon); Blake Wheeler, RW (UFA, Phx)

Who's Out: Alex Auld, G (UFA, Ott); Glen Metropolit, F (UFA, Phi); Glen Murray, RW (buyout)

What's Changed: Not at ton. For the first time in a while, the Bruins will have quite a bit of stability on the roster, with the most obvious change being that Ryder will slip into a scoring-line role on the right wing where Murray played last season.

A bigger boost to the offense, however, will come from a healthy Patrice Bergeron (pictured). He missed all but 10 games last season after taking a blindside hit from Philadelphia's Randy Jones, but is a solid 70-point man if he can make it back into the lineup full time. (Bergeron impressed already in preseason, racking up four points in the Bruins' first exhibition game against Montreal on Monday night.)

Elsewhere up front, there should be some solid progression from within for players like David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Vladimir Sobotka, who may not be household names but are ready for more minutes than they played as rookies last season.

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: Erik Cole, F (Trade-CAR); Lubomir Visnovsky, D (Trade-LA); Ryan Potulny, F (Trade-PHI), Gilbert Brule, F (Trade-CBJ)

Who's Out: Jarret Stoll, F (Trade-LA); Marty Reasoner, F (FA-ATL); Joni Pitkanen, D (Trade-CAR); Matt Greene, D (Trade-LA); Curtis Glencross, F (FA-CGY); Raffi Torres, F (Trade-CBJ)

What's Changed: Edmonton finished last year on a 18-10-1 run, so the idea in the offseason was to improve this team. The Oilers made their run on the backs of an assortment of young players, and hopes are high in the Land of Oil for this team. Edmonton brought in Cole from Carolina, giving their top line the punch and experience it needed. Cole will likely work with "veteran" Shawn Horcoff (just turned 30) and the greatly-talented Ales Hemsky on the top line.

The other significant move the Oilers made involved replacing offensive-minded defenseman Pitkanen, who was dealt for Cole. Edmonton packaged Stoll and Greene in a deal for Visnovsky, who was minus-18 last year but on a painfully bad Los Angeles team. He'll make sure that the defensive corps doesn't miss Pitkanen too much.

Outside of those two moves, not much has changed in Edmonton, except that the kids are a year older. Andrew Cogliano (45 points in 2007), Hemsky (71), Sam Gagner (49), Robert Nilsson (41), Kyle Brodziak (31), Tom Gilbert (33), and Dustin Penner (47) all were a big part of the team's late-season resurgence, and Penner - at age 26 - is the oldest of this group. Saying that their best days are ahead of them is an understatement.

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: Anton Babchuk, D (FA-Europe); Josef Melichar, D (FA-Europe); Jeff O'Neill, F (FA); Joni Pitkanen, D (Trade-EDM)

Who's Out: Keith Aucoin, C (FA-WSH); Erik Cole, LW (Trade-EDM); John Grahame, G (FA-Europe); Jeff Hamilton, C (FA-CHI AHL); Bret Hedican, D (UFA); Darcy Hordichuk, LW (Trade-NSH; FA-VAN); Trevor Letowski, F (UFA); David Tanabe, D (UFA); Glen Wesley, D (Retired)

What's Changed: Um... the jerseys they'll wear for 15 home games this year? Other than that, it's hard to see much that's likely to be different from a season ago in Carolina, and that begins with the team's luck.

The Hurricanes lost a whopping 333 man games to injury in 2007-08, and have already picked up where they left off, as winger Justin "Lebowski Rug" Williams will miss four-to-six months with a torn Achilles tendon, an injury that comes on the heels (no pun intended) of a season in which a torn ACL limited him to just 37 games.

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: Patrick Lalime, G (FA-CHI), Craig Rivet, D (Trade-SJS), Teppo Numminen, D (Return from Heart Surgery)

Who's Out: Joceyln Thibault, G (FA), Dmitri Kalinin, D (FA, NYR), Steve Bernier, RW (Trade, VAN)

What's Changed: Not a whole lot, frankly, unless one considers the number of players the supposedly stingy Sabres have under long-term contract now. That, coupled with the lack of tragedy during training camp (*fingers crossed*) should help lighten the mood in the room just a bit. But, honestly, that's just the way this organization wants it (especially in comparison to last year's off-season). With 20 of the 30 people who suited up for the Sabres in 07-08 having been drafted by the team, this is the textbook example of a team that promotes from within.

Recently extended GM Darth Regier believes in building via the draft and come what may that's going to be how he does it. I'm sure nothing has made Regier happier than resolving the dual-affiliation with Rochester which has been hampering their ability to develop prospects properly. During this summer they finalized changing their AHL affiliation to Portland and retained the same staff that helped feed Anaheim a Stanley Cup.

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: Pavol Demitra, F (FA-MIN); Kyle Wellwood, F (FA-TOR); Steve Bernier, F (trade-BUF); Nolan Baumgartner, D (FA-DAL); Darcy Hordichuk, F (FA-NSH)

Who's Out: Brendan Morrison, F (FA-ANH); Markus Naslund, F (FA-NYR); Trevor Linden, F (retired)

What's Changed: The change in Vancouver involves the loss of veterans Naslund and Linden. Those guys were mainstays of the franchise for many years, and it's not going to be the same without them. However, did the Canucks adequately address their goal-scoring problems? It was a major issue down the stretch as Vancouver collapsed, but it was largely lost in the talk of goaltender Roberto Luongo's own personal slump.

Is Demitra ready to help? On one hand, Jacques Lemaire has a reputation for sucking the life out of the offensive side of hockey. On the other, Demitra was in a contract year, spent much time playing on the same line as 40-goal scorer Marian Gaborik, and still could only produce 15 goals. Lemaire's system can be suffocating, yes, but he also gets a lot out of players who are pretty average.

(A good example of this is Marc Chouinard, who scored 14 goals in 72 games for Minnesota in 2005-2006. He signed in Vancouver, posted two goals in 42 games, and hasn't played in the NHL since.)

Which will it be for Demitra? Canuck fans hope Lemaire - and not Demitra - is to blame for his poor season 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: Keith Ballard, D (Trade-PHX); Nick Boynton, D (Trade-PHX); Peter DeBoer, Head Coach; Bryan McCabe, D (Trade-TOR); Cory Stillman, LW/RW (FA-OTT)

Who's Out: Jassen Cullimore, D (UFA); Magnus Johansson, D (FA-Europe); Olli Jokinen, C (Trade-PHX); Branislav Mezei, D (FA-Europe); Steve Montador, D (FA-ANA); Jozef Stumpel, C (FA-Europe); Mike Van Ryn, D (Trade-TOR)

What's Changed: More than you might think.

Gone is the captain and somewhat frightening face of the franchise over the past seven playoff-less seasons, Olli Jokinen, a player who has become synonymous with losing in the NHL as he is the current holder of the League's longest personal playoff drought. Ready to debut behind the Panther bench is a head coach who has compiled a 539-248-60-31 record in the Ontario Hockey League over the past 13 seasons, winning two OHL and one CHL Coach of the Year awards along the way. Out with the losing, in with the winning... on paper, at least. But Peter DeBoer will have his work cut out for him, as he inherits a Florida squad that allowed the second-most shots on goal in the League last season and finished 20th in goals scored (and traded away its leading scorer).

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: Olli Jokinen, C (Trade-FLA); Kurt Sauer, D (FA-COL); David Hale, D (FA-CGY); Todd Fedoruk, W (FA-MIN); Brian McGratton, W (FA-OTT)

Who's Out: Keith Ballard, D (Trade-FLA); Nick Boynton, D (Trade-FLA); Radim Vrbata, W (FA-TBL); Mike York, W (FA-CBJ); Niko Kapanen, C (FA-Russia); Marcel Hossa, W (FA-Russia)

What's Changed: Since the lockout, the Pacific Division has essentially been a three-team struggle. Over those three years, the Dallas Stars have accumulated 316 standings points, the San Jose Sharks 314, and the Anaheim Ducks 310. Other than Detroit (352), they represent the highest totals in the western conference over that span.

This season, things more or less will stay the same in the Pacific -- the Stars, Sharks, and Ducks figure to continue their winning ways (I'll be previewing them in two weeks) while the Kings continue their battle to stay out of the cellar. The Phoenix Coyotes, on the other hand, represent the division's most interesting team. They are the ones that are improving, and with a new #1 center in Olli Jokinen, a full season of Ilya Bryzgalov in the net, and a young core of forwards that would make any general manager drool, it's tough to know how good this team could get. Could this be the year that the Coyotes get seated at the winner's table in the Pacific?