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30 Teams; 30 Comments

February 29, 2012, 2:16 AM ET [142 Comments]
Richard Cloutier
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Yep, the Bettman blog picture is back, so that means it's time for another edition of 30 Teams; 30 Comments. Let's get to it.

Anaheim Ducks - I feel sad for the Ducks. They've been making a huge push in the second half of the season for a playoff spot. My numbers tell me they'll finish very close, but will miss out. Good thing for the team they would have ended up against. Ducks have been lights out over the last 20 games and could have stolen a playoff round or two.

Boston Bruins - When thinking about what to say about the Bruins, it occurred to me that teams who win a cup are usually filled with villains. You want to meet nice hockey players, talk to the 29th place Oilers. Find me the Bruins roster, and I'll show you a villain or two. Cheat; lie; steal. Be willing to do whatever it takes, and you'll win a cup. It would make sense if the Bruins and the Canucks play for the cup again this Spring. Two least likeable rosters in the league.

Buffalo Sabres - I wonder how long after the trade deadline Darcy Regier belly laughed himself sick. He absolutely schooled the Canucks and Predators. A 1st for Paul Gaustad and a 4th was hilarious, but the Hodgson deal was a 9-1-1 job. Complete robbery.

Calgary Flames - I wonder how many people actually realize if it wasn't for Miikka Kiprusoff, the Flames would finish with a worse record than the Columbus Blue Jackets this season? Hilariously bad team with no prospects (sorry, one good prospect) and no future.

Carolina Hurricanes - This team is a yo-yo. Prediction time: They will finish around 28th, they will draft 3rd overall, they will take Grigorenko or Galchenyuk (whoever is available), and that player will win the Calder trophy next season. The Hurricanes will be okay again. For a while.

Chicago Blackhawks - Why do I get the feeling there is an actual risk the Hawks will be out of the playoff picture by Game 82? Star-studded team that has some serious depth issues and roster holes. It will be a busy off-season.

Colorado Avalanche - Just give Gabriel Landeskog the Calder trophy now. It's over. He's gonna be a 30+ goal scorer next season, and will be wearing the "C" the year after that.

Columbus Blue Jackets - The only reason Jackets GM Scott Howson went public with Rick Nash's trade demand is because he knows he's unemployed at the end of the season. Very embarrassing thing for Howson to do. You'll never be a GM again. If the Oilers re-hire the guy in the off season, I'm switching teams.

Dallas Stars - Everyone was trying to deal for Steve Ott on Monday. Its good thing the asking price huge. Ott is needed on the teams he's with.

Detroit Red Wings - Disappointing trade deadline for them. While they are a great team, I don't see them getting out of the second round of the playoffs. There are teams that are bigger, nastier, and hungrier.

Edmonton Oilers - What really bothered me about what the Oilers did (or, more accurately, didn't do) at the trade deadline is that we'll never know if GM Steve Tambellini screwed up or not. More specifically, could he have moved Khabibulin, Barker, and Peckham, regardless of return? If he could of but didn't, he screwed up.

Florida Panthers - They are the definition of the world "sluff". Thanks to the garbage division they are in, they'll make the playoffs and get home ice advantage for the first round. Lame. God news is, they'll get destroyed by whomever they face. There's no place to hide in the playoffs.

LA Kings - Is it really a good idea to have Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Dustin Penner, Jarrett Stoll and Drew Doughty all on the same team? Players with either the reputation for partying, being jerks, or being lazy. Coaches nightmare of a team.

Minnesota Wild - Tom Gilbert will become the new whipping boy of the Wild within five games. Talented and underrated player who makes fans at home crazy with his passive and relaxed approach.

Montreal Canadiens - 10 RFA's on the roster at the end of the season, and the team has $44mil for only 13 contracts already spoken for towards the cap. It's gonna be a long, long, painful rebuild over the next few seasons in Montreal.

Nashville Predators - I thought the plan was to load up for a playoff run, as a way of impressing Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. Gaustad and Andrei Kostitsyn; that's "loading up"? Suter is so climbing over the wall to freedom this summer.

New Jersey Devils - After the Devils find a way to fall out of the playoff race, are they finally going to do the right thing and retire Martin Brodeur? So. Washed. Up.

New York Islanders - If there is any team in need of drafting defensemen this season, it's the Islanders. They should move up to get Ryan Murray. He'd be solution #1.

New York Rangers - They did the right thing taking a pass on Rick Nash. The Rangers have great chemistry and depth. I'm hoping for at least three playoff rounds for the Rangers this season.

Ottawa Senators - OMG is Robin Lehner a ridiculously good young talent. I rip on Sens GM Bryan Murray for being an idiot, but he's actually a brilliant idiot. This team is solid already, they have quality prospects, and things will continue to improve. A very well run franchise right now.

Philadelphia Flyers - I'm sorry, I need to make an Ilya Bryzgalov comment. So if the new CBA features the "amnesty" clause everyone is talking about...a clause allowing teams to buy out one bad contract of their choosing...how long will it take Flyers management to delete the Bryzgalov mistake? 5 seconds?

Phoenix Coyotoes - Watched them play a couple of game recently, and I have to say the NHL needs to be looking at creating an illegal defense penalty. The team might win games, but they deprive their 14 fans of the hockey experience in the process. I've seen more exciting curling matches.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Evgeni Malkin is such an ass. At the beginning of the season, I said Malkin was in the NHL Top 10, but not Top 5. In truth, he's the NHL's best player this season. Well shut my mouth. He'll win the Hart and Art Ross, and completely deserve both.

St. Louis Blues - They are the Bruins of the NHL West, and they could give Vancouver all they can handle and then some come playoff time. Big, mean team with a ridiculous defensive game and brilliant goaltending. Blues could win a cup as easily as the Canucks this season.

San Jose Sharks - While the Blues, Wings and Canucks look like the front-runners from the West, the Sharks appear to be limping into the post-season. Is the goaltending or the defense the problem? Or both?

Tampa Bay Lightning - Does Steve Yzerman have a defenseman fetish? Maybe he's just trying to draft and acquire all of them so other teams will eventually all need to beg him for one.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Couldn't the Oilers have offered up more than Carter Ashton for Keith Aulie? Bad deal for the Leafs, and a dreadful non-deal by Steve Tmabllini.

Vancouver Canucks - Even though I thought the Canucks lost the Kassian/Hodgson deal, the Canucks did a great job loading up for the playoffs and future. Kassian is a massive beast. Hodgson was never going to get a Top 6 change in Vancouver, and everyone knows it. Kassian will play 3rd line minutes, and be the muscle of the Canucks.

Washington Capitals - Another team that had no excuse to be so quiet at the trade deadline.

Winnipeg Jets - Feel-good story of the NHL will come to a disappointing end this season. Crowd won't care. The team is back. It's a victory no matter what.
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