FanHouse 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: A pair of ex-Islanders and no one else who is very exciting; Arron Asham, Bryan Berard, Ossi Vaananen, Glen Metropolit. Unlike last year, the Flyers did not make a big splash this summer, mainly due to cap concerns.

Who's Out: Salary dumps galore; RJ Umberger, Vaclav Prospal (who was a rental), Jim Dowd, Jaroslav Modry, Jason Smith.

What's Changed: Not a whole lot. The Flyers are basically returning the same team that finished sixth in the conference with 95 points a year ago minus RJ Umberger and his 50 points. Jeff Carter, Joffrey Lupul and Randy Jones all received contract extensions to push this team closer to the cap than any other in the NHL, according to NHLNumbers.com. But hey, at least Derian Hatcher's $3.5 mil will only count for one more year!

This team is basically going to stay the way it is for this season unless they unload some money. When they locked up $37 million on six players, you could could kind of see all this coming. Not that they're a bad team -- not at all -- the Flyers just happen to be locked into their current roster for the time being.

Superbowl weekend for college basketball is always a little strange. You're distracted. There are things to do. You are probably going to or are hosting some party on Sunday. That means on the prime basketball day -- Saturday -- you are out rushing around trying to take care of everything so you can get good and stupid on Sunday. A day when for no reason whatsoever, you actually watch 3 hours of pre-game hype (all the while bitching about how much of a waste it is) while eating salty food and an adult beverage of your choice.

The Big East gave the top two teams in the preseason -- Pitt and Georgetown -- the weekend off to diminish the star power further for the Big East. Here's the Saturday action from best to worst.

• Louisville at Villanova, 12 pm (ESPN): Both teams need this game for the NCAA Tournament. Villanova, despite a nice resume with non-con road wins over Iowa and Oklahoma along with a home win over Texas, is struggling in the Big East. They are only 3-5 in conference and really need to get to at least 8-8. Louisville had a lousy non-con with no big wins. In the conference, they are a sparkling 6-2 but their only win against a team above .500 in the conference was against Providence. This would be a very good road win that might cement them. Picking: Villanova -- home court is the difference.


• Providence at Marquette, 2 pm (ESPNU): Dwyane Wade is having his jersey retired. That he would leave Miami to come up to Milwaukee in February is crazy enough. That he would do it over Superbowl weekend can only mean he has a charter taking him right back for the final night of parties. Picking: Marquette -- no way they lose on this day.


• DePaul at Syracuse, 4 pm (ESPN Full Court): Last year DePaul decimated Syracuse 108-69 in Chicago to convince everyone that it would come together for DePaul this year. Still waiting. All it proved is that they are a good team that is maddeningly unpredictable. Syracuse is now desperate after dropping 3 straight including run off their own court by Notre Dame. Picking: Syracuse -- revenge, home court and simply better than DePaul.


• West Virginia at Seton Hall, 12 pm (ESPN Full Court): West Virginia won its first road game in the conference this week in New Jersey. It looks to complete the Jersey sweep. For Seton Hall they have the talented Eugene Harvey, a short bench and a lot of empty seats. Their one hope, that the Mountaineers are looking to next week against Pitt and UCLA. Picking: WVU -- they may start slow, but they will be able to finish in what should be a low scoring game.


• Rutgers at UConn, 12 pm (ESPN Full Court): 4-13 combined record. Rutgers has lost 6 of 7. UConn has lost 7 of 8 including their last 5. This should be a blowout for UConn. They are at home. Rutgers will be without Inman (grandmother's funeral) and possibly Hill (sprained ankle). Picking -- UConn big, we know UConn can beat patsies.


• Notre Dame at South Florida, 8 pm (no TV): Thankfully there will be little if any evidence of this game. ND will look to get its second road win of the year. USF just looking to get above .500. Picking: ND -- because USF is bad.

That leaves one game on Sunday.

• St. John's at Cincinnati, 12 pm (ESPN Full Court): Makes sense to have two basketball schools play on Superbowl Sunday. These are two very bad teams. The only road win for St. John's this year came against Niagara. They have lost Daryll Hill for the season. They really need this game if they even hope to make the Big East Tournament. Both teams have been beaten soundly by Pitt and Georgetown. Picking: Cinci -- St. John's lost to Pitt and Georgetown by a combined 50 points, while Cinci "only" lost by 30.