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EKLUND TELLS YOU EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE CENTRAL 10-11 |
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So I tackled the Northeast on Monday, now it's time for the Western Conference "mousetrap" for prediction...The Norris...no, I mean Central Division...
For years the Detroit Red Wings rode roughshod over their competitors in the Central and the Central was considered, along with the Southeast, the weakest division in hockey. There were many years there when Detroit and Nashville were the only teams who you knew had a shot at the postseason and being able to eliminate Chicago, St. Louis, and Columbus was a welcomed sight for the NHL prognosticators.
Well over the last two years, this has all changed. And changed drastically.
In 08-09, the Central represented 4 of the 8 playoff teams from the West, and came within 3 points of landing all 5 teams in the playoffs...Last year, 3 teams from the Central made the postseason. So no division in hockey has taken more playoffs spots (7) in the tourney than the Central (The Atlantic in the East equals this, but the Islanders have not been even close to qualifying, while the Central teams have been competitive late into the year.)
The Best Division in Hockey
Since there are no Canadian teams in the Central, and no New York/LA teams, no Crosby, no Ovechkin, the Central is often under-covered and definitely under-appreciated. They flat out can play hockey in the Central, and over the last two years they have shown it with the points they collect in the standings...
Points By Divisions Over the Last 2 NHL Seasons..
1. Central 971 Pts
2. Pacific 948
3. Atlantic 918
4. Northeast 911
5. Southeast 881
6. Northwest 875
Since there are 5 teams per division and we are talking two years here it's easy math to know Central Division teams have averaged 97.1 pts over the last two years. (97.6 in 08-09, 96.6 in 09-10) Only the Pacific, with a remarkable 99.6 average last season, has had a year above the 90's out West.
And of course the Central also has given us 2 of our last 3 Cup winners.
The Teams:
The Chicago Blackhawks:
With all the changes from last year's Champs there are simply a ton of unknowns in the Windy City. So many players are gone the Hawks are literally "half the team they used to be" but they certainly did keep their better half. With one notable exception. The departure of Niemi. While it's hard not to give the Champs the benefit of the doubt, I still believe the conscious upper echelon decision to make Niemi "look" like a cap hit, to pretend to put offers on the table that never existed in an attempt to shift blame to an agent versus trading Niemi for SOMETHING coupled with losing some very big "heart and soul" contributors from their playoff run in Byfuglien, Madden, Versteeg, and Ladd will define the Hawks this year. Are they a better team then they were a few months ago? Not even close. Could they still have enough talent to at least win the toughest division in hockey? Quite possibly.
The Detroit Red Wings:
There was a point last year when people around the NHL, even people connected to the Red Wings were the first to admit the ONLY reason Detroit had any prayer at making the playoffs was Jimmy Howard. The 10-11 Red Wings lost Lebda and Lilja, and added Hudler and Modano. Not much in reality. Will Hudler and Modano make a difference? a bit. Most will point to injuries when looking at last year's Wings and that is justifiable. The Wings of 09-10 did what many great Wings teams of the past decade have done...they turned it on down the stretch and made the playoffs. However they also did something that Wings team never do: Barely survive the first round and get swept in the second round. There are many who feel the Wings are the team to watch. That they will return to prominence. I do like young players like Helm and Abdelkader...but I don't see these Wings being dominant. Not at this point at least.
The St. Louis Blues:
After making the playoffs in 08-09 the Blues fell back out last season, largely due to too many injuries. The addition of Halak was brilliant this off-season, because Jaroslav's style fits the speedy/counter attack style of the Blues to a "T." I predict the Blues are going to be back in a big way this year and I also look forward to the addition of Alex Pietrangelo into the lineup as a regular. Oshie, Perron, Backes...these are young forwards you can get excited about. I would have loved to have seen St. Louis get more involved in the UFA game this summer, but obviously there are ownership uncertainties which held them back. The Blues will be back in the playoffs, and back in a big way.
The Nashville Predators
Perhaps the team who came closest to knocking out the eventual Cup winners last season were the Nashville Predators and they are poised to take a big step this year. As always, the Preds are young and quick, but new this year, the Predators are deep. They are the epitome of home-grown talent, but did make one VERY strong signing in bringing in Lombardi, who I feel will quickly become a fan favorite in Nashville. Colin Wilson and Blake Geoffrion are going to add another dimension to this team. Patrick Hornqvist is ONLY 23 as well and locking him up was a brilliant move by Poile. Sergei Kostitsyn is a project and a half, but like Zherdev in Philly there is an upside that can really fire a fanbase up. The Preds are led by, in my opinion, the best all-around defenseman in the NHL in Shea Weber. There is not a single D-man I would trade Weber for. Add to that Suter, and the rest (I personally would rather have Cody Franzen than Hamhuis) and the youth keeps getting better. Of course, Nashville has a stellar goalie in Rinne as well and it's hard to imagine Pekka not having learned a ton from last year's playoff trip.
The Columbus Blue Jackets
Scott Howson is the epitome of patience, but talking to people in and around Columbus I get a strong sense that patience has left the building and really the Columbus Blue Jackets who will get it going in 08-09 aren't that different than the team of disappointments who finished 14th overall last year...Filatov will finally get a shot, but it's easy to look for too much from Nik. This year will be about Mason, Brassard, and Nash. Can they stop this runaway train and turn it around. The Jackets had so much promise heading into last season, and this season the feeling is not nearly the same. This team needs to get serious, or we could see a major trigger pulled by Howson as early as late October. The Jackets, and Howson, are very big on contingency plans. So look out if they get out of the gate slow.
My Prediction:
#1. Chicago
#2. St. Louis
#3. Nashville
#4. Detroit
#5. Columbus
What say you?
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