It's time to put on the Karnak swami hat and look into the crystal ball to wee what will happen in the West for this coming NHL season. Changes have been made some teams got stronger, others shuffled players and then some were like Winnipeg. Actually they were the only ones who did basically nothing.
Bringing up the rear is the Calgary Flames
14. Calgary Youth is good but when the vets are all of Glencross, Giordano and Hudler what's left to support anything. Well nothing and if Devon Setoguchi revives his career there then hats off to Brian Burke but I'm not betting on that.
13. Edmonton It's coin flip between Edmonton and the Coyotes. But we'll give it to the Oilers. See above for youth and let's be honest the bottom six and defense are as hot a mess as could be made. Analytics guru Tyler Dellow needs way more than that to work with and a lot longer. If there is one team that many could be wrong about it's the Oilers though but its always been a risky bet to say they won't tank a season- that's why I'm not taking it.
12. Arizona. I just don't think they can once again ride some Tippet magic coaching to be better than they should even with OEL and Yandle. In fact seeing as they likely move to Seattle the Yotes could top to "dishonour for Connor" just as the Glendale City council has for years.
11. Winnipeg . Oh it would be easy to try and say Nashville or Vancouver but those teams actually did something somewhat significant this off season. Winnipeg, well they added Perreault and Galiardi. The only hope the Jets have of not being this bad is if Pavelec miracuolously turns average or Hutchinson steals his job. Have you seen the defense too without Byfuglien? Tire fire.
10. Nashville. Having Pekka Rinne for a season will help, it really will. It's amazing what NHL goaltending can do for a team. Also the Preds are, or have the option of, icing 8 centres each game. OWN THE FACEOFF CIRCLE! They might and they should be better than last year.
9. Minnesota. These guys play what could be the most boring hockey that boring hockey coaches ever bored up and this year it's gonna cost them. They are a going to pay the price for being boring. There's no other reason and I don't think Yeo can make anything interesting and Vanek will simply yawn his way through the season like he did for the Habs in the post season.
8. Vancouver. The Canucks may be delaying an inevitable tire fire from the 2011 riots re-igniting but it probably won't happen this season. Sedins are not over the hill yet, nor is Ryan Miller and Vrbata could be a nifty fit in this skilled group. Edler is bound to bounce back after an awful season and the Ryan Kesler distraction will be gone. Apparently the skeletons are coming out and was a Jeff Brown calibre teammate.
7. Dallas. If Lehtonen can manage to be average there is a lot to like about this team. Jim Nill has done a lot in a year and change and adding Spezza gives them so lovely depth. Goaltending though... it's not just the Jets who have issues and Dallas could be exhibit B of that.
6. San Jose. It's time for the Sharks to settle down and begin their slide towards mediocrity. Remember how the Leafs faltered down the stretch last year with fans all holding the 'it was 4-1' thought in their minds? This year it's going to be 'it was 3-0' and instead of finishing ahead of the Kings the Sharks are slowly sinking to the bottom like all dead fish eventually do.
5. Colorado. Only think that falls faster than a dead animal is an Avalanche, especially ones riding ridiculous PDO hot streaks. Oh sure they added Iginla but that won't help Varlamov. No the Avalanche are the 2013-14 Leafs of regression. Now we just watch how far and fast they fall, perhaps past the Sharks?
4. Los Angeles. I don't think the Kings have a cup hangover as I think Darryl Sutter is always like that. He won't let it affect his players either. I wonder what a full season of Gaboirk does withthe Kings?
3. St. Louis Blues. Have you ever met a team that tries harder to dissapoint? No? Well that's because the Blues point the 'point' in disappoint. There's always a reason, always something that makes them never live up to expectations. I'm sure TJ Oshie had a cameo in Bridesmaids and Stastny isn't going to push them over the edge.
2. Anaheim. The arrival of Keslord will not replace the departure of Perreault. Or maybe it will or won't or will. This pick is sort of a WAG- wild ass guess and I will probably dead wrong but I think shunting some players and adding others gives them a bit of a reprieve from serious regression. Or they all simply decide Boudreau must go and tune him out. Wouldn't that be fun?
1. Chicago. Like them or hate them the Blackhawks have too much depth. Adding Richards was almost unfair but oh so smart if he can adapt to their style. 'There's too much depth down the middle' said no one ever and that is what the Hawks have again. I think Toews cracked one smile over the summer after being dismissed by LA and he wants the cup back- that pushes the team ahead, at least until the post season.
Agree or disagree- PLEASE. That's the fun of it all. No scientific approach was applied to this ranking and in some cases no much logic either. However, some times things happen that don't makes sense in a season, good luck, bad luck and injuries. Not all to the right teams and players either. In the west this can be heightened due to the depth of the conference. So as an extra bonus these are my picks of other things that could happen.
Team most likely to surprise: Vancouver
Team most likely to disappoint: Colorado
Team most likely to eat itself from within: Winnipeg
Team most likely to do something stupid: Edmonton
Team most likely to be exactly what everyone thinks: Winnipeg
Enjoy the season.