Canucks name captain

Although he cannot wear the 'C' on his jersey, Roberto Luongo has been named the captain for the Vancouver Canucks. He is the 7th goaltender in NHL history to hold this title, but the first since the 1940's. Luongo received the captaincy instead of Mattias Ohlund, Willie Mitchell, and Ryan Kesler. I think this is a good move by Alain Vigneault and the rest of the organization. Logically, Ohlund would get the 'C' because he's been around the longest. But Luongo puts that team on his shoulders every night, and is arguably the most important goalie to his team in this league... not Brodeur... not Lundqvist.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Kings

2007 Recap:
Record- 32-43-7, 71 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 5th Pacific
Conference- 15th West

Key Additions- Jarret Stoll, Matt Greene
Key Losses- Rob Blake, Mike Cammalleri, Ladislav Nagy, Lubomir Visnovsky

X-Factor- Dustin Brown
Breakout- Patrick O’Sullivan
Prospects to watch- Drew Doughty & Jonathan Bernier

Bold Prediction: Bernier, LA’s phenom goalie, will get at least 50% of the starts in net for the Kings.

Team Overview: The Kings may have a new coach, but the personnel remains the same… which can’t be a good thing. L.A. has turned into the modern day laughing stock of the NHL. Nothing can seem to go right, as all of their young talent seems to fizzle quickly. It’s been since 2001 that the Kings made their last playoff performance. It will take a miracle for that drought to come to an end.

News & Notes

'Bulin Wall on waivers
The Blackhawks have placed veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin on waivers. Khabibulin is due to make $6.75 million this season, but he cannot be bought by the club. With that said, I don't expect anyone to take on that contract for a goalie who is well past his prime. If a team were to claim him, I'd only expect the Kings or Thrashers to pursue the 'Bulin Wall.
Gonchar out 4-6 months
Pens d-man Sergei Gonchar has opted to receive arthroscopic surgery, and will miss 4-6 months. This is a crushing blow for the Pens, as Ryan Whitney is already out beyond Christmas with a heel injury. This means young guys like Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski will need to anchor the power play, while veterans like Orpik and Gill hold the fort in front of Fleury. With this news today, Pittsburgh may struggle to make the postseason.
Preds acquire Tarnasky
GM David Poile made a move to acquire a forward, but not the significance that Pred Nation hoped for. Nashville traded a conditional draft pick in 2009 to the Lightning for tough guy Nick Tarnasky. The addition of Tarnasky might mean that Josh Gratton and Triston Grant will start the season in Milwaukee. Either that, or Jed Ortmeyer will be waived, as he's battled injuries the past couple seasons. The 23-year-old grinder has only produced 19 points in 155 games the least 2 seasons.
Bolts waive Ouellet
RW Michel Ouellet has been waived by Tampa Bay... I expect a team to claim him. It looks like the Lightning are finally making some room in that claustraphobic locker room!

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Coyotes

2007 Recap:
Record- 38-37-7, 83 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 4th Pacific
Conference- 11th West

Key Additions- Olli Jokinen, Bryan McGrattan, Kurt Sauer
Key Losses- Radim Vrbata, Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton

X-Factor- Ed Jovanovski
Breakout- Peter Mueller
Prospect to watch- Kyle Turris

Bold Prediction: Mueller and Turris will be this year’s version of the ’07-08 duo of Kane and Toews in Chicago.

Team Overview: If you want a sleeper team, well here it is! The ‘Yotes are suddenly a dangerous team with a very bright future. Young guns Mueller and Turris could potentially make Phoenix go crazy about their hockey team. They also have the veteran leadership with Doan and Jovanovski. This is a team that could explode this year with Bryzgalov in his first full season in the desert.

Selanne signs & Sunday's recap

Earlier today, Anaheim came to terms with the Finnish Flash (AKA - Teemu Selanne) on a 2-year deal. Since it was a multi-year contract, you know Selanne is serious about coming back, and will make a big impact for the Ducks this season. He recorded 23 points in 26 games last season.

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Sunday's pre-season recap
Scores:
Hurricanes 1, Flyers 0
Red Wings 4, Thrashers 0
Blackhawks 4, Stars 3
Canadiens 3, Panthers 2 (SO)
Wild 2, Sabres 1 (SO)
Canucks 5, Ducks 4 (SO)

Notes:
- Sergei Samsonov scored the lone goal for the 'Canes, and Cam Ward's backup, Michael Leighton, picked up the shutout.
- Detroit's defense was in mid-season form today, as the Thrashers could only muster 14 shots, and just 6 through 2 periods... Osgood picked up the shutout, and Zetterberg recorded a goal and an assist.
- The stars for the 'Hawks showed up tonight in their 4-3 win against Dallas... Toews: 2 goals, 1 assist... Campbell: 4 assists... Kane: 2 assists
- Carey Price made 36 saves in Montreal's 3-2 shootout victory over Florida... Tomas Plekanec recorded 2 assists on the man advantage.
- Minnesota's Andrew Brunette tied the Sabres at 1 with under 3 minutes to play, and pocketed the shootout winner... Niklas Backstrom made 28 saves as the Wild dropped Buffalo 2-1 in a shootout.
- Corey Perry and Selanne each scored twice in the Ducks' losing effort to Vancouver... both of Selanne's goals came on the power play.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Ducks

2007 Recap:
Record- 47-27-8, 102 points
Playoffs- Lost to DAL in WCQF (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 3rd Pacific
Conference- 5th West

Key Additions- Brendan Morrison , Ken Klee
Key Losses- Todd Bertuzzi, Mathieu Schneider

X-Factor- Corey Perry
Breakout- Bobby Ryan
Prospect to watch- Mark Mitera

Bold Prediction: Ryan Getzlaf will lead the NHL in assists.

Team Overview: The Ducks basically have the same team as they did last year, which means the Cup team from ’06-07 almost remains intact. Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer will be around all season, plus they’ve brought in Brendan Morrison to pivot the second line. With lower expectations this year, the Ducks could surprise once again by taking home the Cup in the spring.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Sharks

2007 Recap:
Record- 49-23-10, 108 points
Playoffs- Lost to DAL in WCSF (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 2nd Pacific
Conference- 4th West

Key Additions- Dan Boyle, Rob Blake
Key Losses- Brian Campbell, Matt Carle

X-Factor- Joe Pavelski
Breakout- Devin Setoguchi
Prospect to watch- Logan Couture

Bold Prediction: Milan Michalek will have a bounce-back season, and will finish in the top five in goals in the conference.

Team Overview: The Sharks had the firepower to be the best team in the league in ’07-08. And with a new boss behind the bench (Todd McClellan) along with a revamped defense, the Sharks are on the hunt this year to get rid of their playoff demons. San Jose can certainly compete with the best during the 82-game marathon, but questions still remain if they can do the same in the chase for the Cup.

Friday's pre-season recap

Scores:
Blue Jackets 4, Predators 3
Bruins 2, Red Wings 1
Canadiens 5, Senators 0
Penguins 5, Maple Leafs 4
Blues 9, Thrashers 4
Blackhawks 4, Wild 3
Flames 8, Panthers 2
Sharks 5, Ducks 2
Notes:
- Jakub Voracek recorded a goal and an assist in tonight's win over Nashville. The Preds are 2/15 so far on the PP this pre-season... something Coach Trotz and company need to work on.
- Tuukka Rask made 24 saves in Boston's 2-1 win over Detroit. Could there be a 3-way battle between the pipes going on in Beantown?? Something to keep an eye on...
- The Kostitsyns played a big role in tonight's victory against the Sens. Sergei and Andrei combined for 2 goals and 3 assists.
- Sidney Crosby recorded a goal and an assist in Pittsburgh's 5-4 comeback win over Toronto. Newbie Matt Cooke scored with 1:35 left to lift the Pens.
- 13 goals were scored in St. Louis tonight. David Perron netted a hat trick for the Blues, and Brad Boyes pitched in with 2 goals and 2 assists against Atlanta.
- Andrew Ladd and Patrick Sharp each scored twice in Chicago's 4-3 comeback win over Minnesota.
- In Calgary's 8-2 win at home against Florida, Todd Bertuzzi, Matthew Lombardi (3), Curtis Glencross, Daymond Langkow, David Moss (4), and Dustin Boyd all got 2 points or more. The Flames scored 6 unanswered goals to close the game.
- Joe Pavelski, Milan Michalek, and Dan Boyle each contributed 2 points in San Jose's 5-2 win over the Ducks. George Parros was an assist short of a Gordie Howe hat trick!
- Not a good night for some netminders... Tomas Vokoun, FLA: 8 goals on 43 shots... Johan Hedberg, ATL: 9 goals on 37 shots... Vesa Toskala, TOR: 5 goals on 25 shots... Alex Auld, OTT: 5 goals on 30 shots... Jonas Hiller, ANA: 5 shorts on 37 shots... OUCH!

Thrashers get boost on blue line

Mathieu Schneider finally got traded today from Anaheim to Atlanta. The Ducks will receive Ken Klee, Brad Larsen, and a prospect in return. On the Ducks' side of the trade, this was going to happen sooner or later. They needed to clear cap space for Temmu Selanne, and told Schneider to not even show up at camp. So now they have this minor distraction out of the way, and they can focus on making this team championship caliber once again.

For the Thrashers, I think this could be a very good trade for the team in both the short-term and the future. Short-term wise, Atlanta now have a respectable group of defenseman with Ron Hainsey, Garnet Exelby, Tobias Enstrom, and rookie Zach Bogosian. And with the some additions up front, too, the Thrashers will be a tough match for anyone on a nightly basis. Schneider will also be a good leader in a young locker room. Looking into the future, Schneider could really help develop Bogosian and Enstrom into better all-around d-men.

Right now, It looks like this trade will be beneficial to both clubs...

Side note: Pittsburgh has given sparkplug Tyler Kennedy a 2-year extension. Kennedy recorded 19 points in 55 games with the Pens last year, and could be a key component to their roster this season.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Stars

2007 Recap:
Record- 45-30-7, 97 points
Playoffs- Lost to DET in WCF (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 1st Pacific
Conference- 2nd West

Key Additions- Sean Avery
Key Losses- Niklas Hagman, Antti Miettinen, Stu Barnes

X-Factor- Brendan Morrow
Breakout- Loui Eriksson
Prospect to watch- Fabian Brunnstrom

Bold Prediction: Brad Richards will lead the team in points in his first full season with Dallas.

Team Overview: Although the Stars weren’t active in the free agent market this summer, they didn’t need to be as Richards and Brunnstrom will go into their first full season with the Stars. The addition of master-pest Sean Avery will certainly help the Stars get closer to knocking off the Wings in the west. A division title is in sight for this team who’s hoping to still be playing in July of 2009.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Thrashers

2007 Recap:
Record- 34-40-8, 76 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 5th Southeast
Conference- 15th East

Key Additions- Jason Williams, Ron Hainsey
Key Losses- Mark Recchi, Bobby Holik

X-Factor- Slava Kozlov
Breakout- Erik Christensen
Prospect to watch- Zach Bogosian

Bold Prediction: Kari Lehtonen will have a sub-.500 record and poor GAA, and will leave for Europe/Russia after the season.

Team Overview: There’s not much hope from the fan base for the Thrashers after their disastrous ’07-08 campaign. Ilya Kovalchuk was the only bright spot, scoring 52 goals. Zach Bogosian, the 3rd overall pick, could be the focus this year, as he’s expected to play right away. The front office signed some nice pieces to go along with ‘Kovy’, but it won’t be nearly enough to make their second trip to the postseason.

Tonight's pre-season recap

Scores:
Devils 3, Rangers 2
Senators 3, Flyers 1
Capitals 4, Hurricanes 1
Canadiens 3, Red Wings 2 (SO)
Penguins 3, Maple Leafs 2
Wild 2, Blue Jackets 1
Flames 3, Coyotes 2
Kings 4, Avalanche 3 (SO)
Panthers 3, Oilers 2 (SO)
Ducks 6, Sharks 4
Notes:
- Zach Parise scored twice for the Devils tonight... Paul Martin added 2 assists
- Chris Neil also scored twice for Ottawa... Philly ended the game with 11 shots on goal (there only shot in the 1st period was a goal).
- Thomas Fleischmann notched 2 goals in the Caps' 4-1 win over Carolina.
- New Hab Robert Lang recorded 2 assists tonight in Detroit... Andrei Markov scored the shootout winner for Montreal... Hossa saw 20+ minutes of ice-time in his pre-season debut with the Wings.
- Pittsburgh scored 2 PP goals and a shorty in their 3-2 win over the Leafs... Sabourin picked up the win for the Pens.
- Daymond Langkow scored the GWG in Calgary's 3-2 win over Phoenix in front of 12,621 fans at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.
- Ryan Smyth scored 2 goals in the Avs' 4-3 shootout loss to the Kings. LA rookie Drew Doughty saw 20+ minutes of ice-time and was a +2.
- Another chippy game tonight.. this time in Rexall Place. The Panthers and Oilers combined for 91 PIM's in Florida's 3-2 shootout win. McCabe scored the winner in the SO.
- Fight-fest #2 in the pre-season... the Ducks and Sharks fought 6 times tonight in Anaheim. Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry each had 2 goals, while Getzlaf had a goal and 3 assists (they were on the same line). Sharks goalie Thomas Greiss didn't have a good night, allowing 6 goals on 26 shots.

Tonight's News & Notes

- Penguins GM Ray Shero announced that d-man Sergei Gonchar will be out of the lineup indefinitely with a dislocated shoulder. If he misses any large length of time, the Pens could be in trouble with fellow blueliner Ryan Whitney out until after Christmas. Their top d-men w/o Gonchar and Whitney are Kris Letang and Brooks Orpik. Time to pickup Letang in your fantasy leagues...
- Also, Douglas Murray and Tobias Enstrom eached received 4-year extensions from their respective times.

Later tonight I'll have my thoughts on what transpired in tonight's pre-season games...

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Panthers

2007 Recap:
Record- 38-35-9, 85 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 4th Southeast
Conference- 13th East

Key Additions- Keith Ballard, Cory Stillman, Bryan McCabe
Key Losses- Olli Jokinen, Jozef Stumpel, Mike Van Ryn

X-Factor- Jay Bouwmeester
Breakout- David Booth
Prospect to watch- Shawn Matthias

Bold Prediction: Richard Zednik will return from his near-fatal injury and score 20+ goals.

Team Overview: The trading of Olli Jokinen started the Panthers off-season on a bad note. It got even worse when they hired Peter DeBoer, a former OHL coach, as their new head coach. Tomas Vokoun will have to stand on his head for the offensively-challenged bunch to claim a postseason berth. Young guns Nathan Horton and David Booth give the Panthers some hope they’ll finish out of the cellar, though.

Tonight's scores + injury update

Let's get to the injury report first... Blues defenseman Erik Johnson, the #1 overall pick in the 2006 draft, will likely miss the season as he has torn both his ACL and MCL ligaments in his right knee. And no, it didn't happen on the ice. And no, not even working out or anything related to that. He blew out his knee in a golf cart while playing on the links. NOT EVEN SWINGING A CLUB! He got his foot caught in between the accelerator and the brake on the cart. This injury took place last week... just when you thought it could only get better for the Blues.. it gets worse! On to tonight's pre-season scores...

Islanders 2, Bruins 1 (OT)
Canadiens 3, Sabres 2
Lightning 3, Rangers 2
Blackhawks 4, Blue Jackets 3
Blues 3, Stars 2
Panthers 3, Flames 2
Canucks 2, Oilers 1

It may be the first time there's been an "exciting" night of pre-season hockey. All 7 games were one-goal affairs. Now to the stat sheets...
- Tomas Plekanec scored 2 goals for Montreal, A. Kostitsyn scored a SH goal and added an assist.
- Steven Stamkos scored for the Bolts, and Mike Smith stopped 38 of 40 shots from the Rangers.
- D-man Cam Barker picked up 2 assists in the 'Hawks win over Columbus. The attendance at the United Center: 18,752... pretty impressive on a night that the Cubs and White Sox both played pivotal games in baseball.
- It was a fight-fest in St. Louis. The Stars and Blues combined for 117 PIMs, 4 fights, and 3 10-minute misconducts. It all started when Cam Janssen picked up a 5-minute major for boarding.
- Bouwmeester and Olesz both scored in the 3rd to give Florida a 3-2 win over Calgary. McElhinney and Anderson were in net for their respective teams.

Walking down 501 Broadway (Memory Lane)

Today is the ‘Our Team Rally’ in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, where the Preds’ radio home is hosting an all-day radio-thon to improve ticket sales, and generate hype/excitement for the upcoming season. And after reliving games 3 and 4 vs. Detroit of last year’s playoffs last night, it got me thinking of my favorite memories as a Preds fan… so I’ve decided to share them on here!

My Top 10 Preds Memories:

1. Games 3 and 4 vs. DET in 07-08 playoffs
I don’t know where I begin with this one – so many amazing moments over the course of these two games. The Preds were down 2-0 in the 2nd period of game 3, but Radulov’s deflection goal sparked the crowd into pandemonium. That resulted in a TV timeout frenzy (more about that later), which ultimately led to David Legwand’s 2-on-1 goal to knot the game at 2. It’s fair to say that the crowd scored that goal. They were a different team after that TV timeout. Then, of course, were the two goals in 9 seconds late in the third, Suter and Arnott back-to-back.

Words cannot describe the scene inside the Sommet Center. It was so loud, that you couldn’t hear the PA announcer when he announced the goals. Then the crowd just went nuts when Erat pocketed the empty netter. That momentum carried into game 4, where the Preds got back-to-back goals (32 seconds apart) in the first. The Preds survived in that game, winning 3-2. These two wins captured Nashville by storm, and knotted the series at 2. Those are two games that I’ll NEVER forget!
2. Shorthanded goal by J.P. Dumont vs. San Jose in 06-07 playoffs
The score was 2-1 Predators in the 2nd period, but the Sharks had been on the power play for 5+ minutes because of Radulov’s boarding penalty on Steve Bernier. San Jose maintained possession in Nashville’s zone for what seemed like forever, but then Dumont took a breakout pass from Kimmo Timonen and the rest is history:

That was by far the loudest moment I’ve ever been apart of. The roof was almost lifted off the arena (just kidding). The Preds tied the series at 1 behind that goal, but lost that series 4-1.
3. Inaugural playoff series vs. Detroit in 03-04
Coming back to Nashville down 0-2 in the series to the Red Wings, the city took the Preds and lifted them to two consecutive victories. Legwand scored a shorthanded goal in the 1st period of game 3, and playoff hockey officially arrived in Nashville. Another great moment of that series was in game 4 when Steve Sullivan received a pass from Scott Walker and beat Manny Legace on a breakway. I’ll never forget the scene after game 4 in the arena… the fans were so ecstatic, they didn’t know what to do with themselves. Numerous chants throughout the concourses that night were awesome!
4. Back-to-back wins on back-to-back nights in Detroit
The Jiri Fischer heart failure on the bench in a November game caused the schedule makers to force Nashville to visiting the Joe on back-to-back nights in January ’06. Well, the Preds to exception to that, and beat the Wings both nights. Heading into game 1 of the double-header, Greg Johnson’s goal from the November carried as they restarted the game. A Scott Hartnell deflected goal was the difference, as the Preds won 3-2. The very next night back at the Joe, the Preds’ magical 05-06 season had another chapter. Steve Sullivan (god, I miss him) took a loose puck along the sideboards and scored shorthanded on a breakaway against Legace to tie the game at 1. Then, just 35 seconds into overtime, Paul Kariya shut up Hockeytown in a heartbeat! Marek Zidlicky (I don’t miss him) flipped the puck down ice and found Kariya behind the defense. Kariya then faked Legace out of his jockstrap and onto his ass, and flipped a back-hander top shelf to give the Preds a 2-1 victory. What most people don’t remember is that, at the time, those two wins gave the Preds sole possession of first place in the Central Division.
5. The TV timeout in game #81 vs. St. Louis last year
The Predators were sputtering down the stretch last year, trying to seal that eighth and final playoff spot in the west. In the last 10 minutes of this game vs. the Blues, the sellout crowd tried to push the Preds to victory, which would ultimately lead to their 4th consecutive playoff spot. In the final TV timeout of that game, the crowd spontaneously rose to their feet and yelled their hearts out for their team that had battled through so much adversity last year. The fans even used the t-shirt giveaways as towels… take a look:

And in each of the home playoff games against the Wings, this phenomenon made famous in the Music City occurred once again, with it being louder each time. But those two minutes of pandemonium inside the Sommet Center against the Blues is one of the most touching memories I have in my life. It showed how much Pred Nation really cared about their team.
6. Peter Forsberg’s arrival in Nashville
I remember where I was when I got the news about the Preds trade for Forsberg. I was watching the Flyers game on Center Ice, and they had just mentioned Forsberg was scratched when my brother called me and asked if I had heard the news. Forsberg was a Predator. Yes, I know it only lasted two months… but the energy inside the building for each home game after that was different. Preds fans finally thought they had a Cup-worthy product to cheer for (if it weren’t for those damn Sharks!). But I’ll never look back at that trade and wish we hadn’t pulled the trigger on it. For those two months, the Preds were the hunted, not the hunters… that was a great feeling!
7. 3rd period comeback in game 1 vs. San Jose in 06-07 playoffs
As a continuation from #6, Pred Nation finally felt they had a shot to go far with the addition of Forsberg. The Preds were down 4-2 midway through the third, and it seemed like the Preds were dead in the water, not able to generate anything against the Sharks. But Radulov showed off skills and pulled off one of the best goals in the playoffs. Then, with the net empty on the other side of the rink, Shea Weber blasted a slapshot through traffic and tied the game at 4 to send it to overtime, the first playoff overtime game in Preds history. Nashville lost in double overtime (Patrick Rissmiller of all people), but that was an unforgettable moment.
8. Forsberg’s OT goal vs. Detroit
A couple weeks after the trade for the Foppa, the Preds and Red wings were in the midst of a fierce battle for the Central Division. They battled for 60 minutes, but had to go to overtime tied at 3. That’s when Forsberg made his mark in Nashville. Paul Kariya, all in one motion, spinned past a defender and delivered a backhand pass right onto Forsberg’s stick, as he was all alone backdoor. I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier after a Preds win. It was Forsberg’s first goal donning the navy and gold, and the Music City officially fell in love with him. Awesome memory!
9. 8-0 start to 2005-06
No one really knew what to expect out of the Preds after the lockout. They had just signed Kariya to a 2-year deal and Sullivan to an extension, but it seemed like a crapshoot around the NHL. Well, the Preds flew out of the gates and went 8-0 to start the 05-06 campaign. In those eight games, Kariya became a shootout hero, and Vokoun was dominant.
10. Chris Mason’s dominant stretch in 06-07
Tomas Vokoun had just gone down with a thumb injury, and it seemed like the first-place Preds were going to go downhill. Not so fast, my friend. Chris Mason stepped up between the pipes and carried the Preds through that month-plus stretch. Mason went 17-6-1 in that stretch, and vaulted the Preds to the top of the West. Walking into the GEC each night was a good feeling, because you assumed that you’d see a Preds victory with Mason in net.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Lightning

2007 Recap:
Record- 31-42-9, 71 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 3rd Southeast
Conference- 10th East

Key Additions- Ryan Malone, Andrej Meszaros, Radim Vrbata, Matt Carle, Olaf Kolzig, Vaclav Prospal
Key Losses- Dan Boyle, Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, Brad Lukowich

X-Factor- Martin St. Louis
Breakout- Radim Vrbata
Prospect to watch- Steven Stamkos

Bold Prediction: Stamkos, the #1 pick in the ’08 Draft, will NOT win the Calder Trophy.

Team Overview: Even though the Bolts still have some holes to fill, there’s a bunch of optimism in Tampa Bay with the major overhaul. Number one draft pick Steven Stamkos brings instant production for the second line. Ryan Malone and Radim Vrbata are solid secondary options, also. But they need the defense and goaltending to overachieve for the Lightning to return to the playoffs.

Hockey season just around the corner

It’s officially the first day of autumn, and the opening faceoff in Europe is just 11+ days away. Tonight marks the first full slate of pre-season games, with eight games on tap. Fantasy leagues are underway, and key players are already going down with injuries. Video gamers are going crazy about NHL09, and NHL Center Ice has released their annual annoying commercials. It finally feels like hockey season is just around the corner!

This is what I live my life for… hockey. The marathon for the playoffs will begin a week from Saturday in Europe, with intriguing matchups. The Pens and Sens will renew their playoff battles from the last two seasons, and both have question marks going into the season. The Lightning and Rangers both have new faces throughout the roster, and both seem to be bubble playoff teams. Then the Red Wings open their cup defense by hosting the Leafs on October 9. On that same night, the Flames and Canucks begin a home-and-home series on CBC. The Winter Classic in Chi-town will come and go, and the trade deadline will surely presents some surprises and blockbusters. Then the final stretch will lead up to the best 3 months in sports: the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As you know already, the playoffs in the NHL will NEVER be topped by any other sport… period! 8+ months from now, a family of 25 guys will be celebrating on the ice, living their life-long dream.

There will be breakout players and disappointments, along with some milestones and great performances. Ovechkin will do something spectacular, and the Crosby hate-list will probably get even longer. All of this talk means just one thing… hockey is just around the corner! Bring it on, NHL.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Hurricanes

2007 Recap:
Record- 43-33-6, 92 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 2nd Southeast
Conference- 8th East

Key Additions- Joni Pitkanen
Key Losses- Erik Cole, Jeff Hamilton, John Grahame

X-Factor- Matt Cullen
Breakout- Tuomo Ruutu
Prospect to watch- Brandon Sutter

Bold Prediction: Joni Pitkanen and Joe Corvo will turn into one of the best duos on the blue line for the power play.

Team Overview: There’s a lot of pressure in ‘Canes Country to get back to the postseason. Eric Staal anchors a good offense, and newly acquired Joni Pitkanen should give a jolt to the defensive end. The key to Carolina’s season will be Cam Ward. If he can return to his Cup-winning form, they should push the Caps in the division. If not, Peter Laviolette may be looking for a job next summer.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Capitals

2007 Recap:
Record- 43-31-8, 94 points
Playoffs- Lost to PHI in ECQF (4-3)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 1st Southeast
Conference- 3rd East

Key Additions- Jose Theodore
Key Losses- Cristobal Huet, Olaf Kolzig, Matt Cooke

X-Factor- Mike Green
Breakout- Brooks Laich
Prospect to watch- Karl Alzner

Bold Prediction: Alexander the ‘GR8’ will take home the Hart, Art Ross, and Rocket Richard trophies once again.

Team Overview: Ovechkin and company are coming off a remarkable finish to the ’07-08 campaign, despite their first round loss to Philly. Joining Ovechkin on Washington’s quest to re-claim the Southeast is Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom, two of the great young talents in the league. If Ovechkin produces another 100+ point season, the Caps should cruise to another division title.

Pre-season underway!!

Tonight's games:

Senators 3, Rangers 2
- Martin Gerber and Brian Elliott played in goal for Ottawa; Stephan Valiquette and Miika Wiikman for the Rangers.
- Dany Heatley was named the 1st star as he picked up a goal. Dubinsky scored twice for the Rangers.
- Teams were a combined 1/19 on the power play.

Lightning 5, Penguins 4 (SO)
- Tampa Bay's Brandon Bochenski scored 2 goals and provided an assist; Petr Sykora also scored twice for the Pens.
- Smith & Ramo were in net for the Bolts; Fleury & Sabourin for Pittsburgh.
- Steven Stamkos went pointless in 21:41 of ice-time, but scored in the shootout to end the game.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Canucks

2007 Recap:
Record- 39-33-10, 83 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 5th Northwest
Conference- 12th West

Key Additions- Pavol Demitra, Steve Bernier, Kyle Wellwood
Key Losses- Brendan Morrison, Markus Naslund, Trevor Linden

X-Factor- Ryan Kesler
Breakout- Steve Bernier
Prospect to watch- Cory Schneider

Bold Prediction: Alexander Edler will lead the blue line in points.

Team Overview: This is a crucial season for the Canucks organization. They lost locker room standouts Trevor Linden and Markus Naslund, and brought in inconsistent players to replace them. The offense as a whole has gotten a bit better, but there’s still not that consistent go-to-guy that the Sedins can lean on. Roberto Luongo will again have to shoulder the load if Vancouver wants to return to the postseason.

Late night quick hits

- Teemu Selanne has signed a tryout deal with the Ducks, and will participate in camp starting Saturday. This allows Anaheim to take their time trying to get rid of Schneider, who apparently will stay at home until moved elsewhere.
- Flyers veteran d-man Derian Hatcher will start the season on IR due to a bad knee injury. The injury could force Hatcher to retire...
- The Sabres & Blues will unveil their 3rd jerseys this weekend.

RLD Fantasy Hockey -- LAST CALL

We have just one spot open in our 12-team keeper league on yahoo. The live draft is next Tuesday (9/23) at 9:00 ET. The final spot is open to anyone... the ID is 1794 and the Password is hockey.
Please remember, this is a keeper league, so please be committed to the league if you decide to join.
Thanks

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Avalanche

2007 Recap:
Record- 44-31-7, 95 points
Playoffs- Lost to DET in WCSF (4-0)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 4th Northwest
Conference- 10th West

Key Additions- Darcy Tucker, Andrew Raycroft
Key Losses- Andrew Brunette, Jose Theodore, Jeff Finger

X-Factor- Tyler Arnason
Breakout- Wojtek Wolski
Prospect to watch- David Jones

Bold Prediction: Wojtek Wolski will finally have his breakthrough season, and lead the Avalanche in goals scored.

Team Overview: Jose Theodore was the MVP of the Avs last season, leading them to a playoff berth with his stellar post-All Star break play. With him gone, it leaves a huge question mark in goal, as Budaj and newly signed Andrew Raycroft will battle for the starting position. Neither will be able to lead the team to a postseason berth, so expect a disappointing season from Colorado in ’08-09.

Pominville extended (updated)

The Buffalo Sabres has extended winger Jason Pominville for 5 more years. It's reportedly a $25 million contract. Great move by the Sabres to lock up one of the fan favorites in Buffalo!

Other tidbits:
- Vincent Lecavalier has been named the captain for Tampa Bay.
- Yesterday, Mike Richard was named the captain for the Flyers.
- Stars' d-man Sergei Zubov is out for 4 weeks after minor surgery on his hip. This should be a concern for the Dallas organization as he was banged up most of last year.
- Detroit has re-signed Darren McCarty... who cares!

NHL Full Access

New site: www.nhlfullaccess.com

NHL Full Access provides complete NHL coverage including weekly divisional articles, minor league coverage, fantasy hockey advice, and more. The site is the first FOSN website in the hockey market.

“Adding NHL Full Access to our network is a huge step in diversifying our coverage,” said Front Office Sports Enterprise CEO Brad Stewart, “Up until this point we have focused primarily on baseball, and we are very excited to reach into the hockey market.”

NHL Full Access already has a number of premier writers on tap. The site is led by Executive Editor Stewart and Associate Editor Kevin Orris. Other writers include recognizable names from across the internet and radio.

For more information on NHL Full Access you can read about their mission on the website. You can read more about FOSN on the company website. The other Front Office Sports Network websites are MLB Front Office and Major League Report.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Wild

2007 Recap:
Record- 44-28-10, 98 points
Playoffs- Lost to COL in WCQF (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 3rd Northwest
Conference- 8th West

Key Additions- Marek Zidlicky, Andrew Brunette
Key Losses- Brian Rolston, Pavol Demitra, Keith Carney

X-Factor- Brent Burns
Breakout- Benoit Pouliot
Prospect to watch- Colton Gillies

Bold Prediction: Mikko Koivu will be the most improved player in the league, and could reach the 90-point plateau.

Team Overview: Going into the contract years for Marian Gaborik and Niklas Backstrom, you would think that the Wild would go all-in to make a run at the Cup. They’ve almost done the exact opposite this summer, losing Rolston and Demitra to free agency. They did sign Brunette and Miettinen, but their impact on the offense is still an unknown.

Carolina's Williams out with torn achilles

Hurricanes RW Justin Williams could miss up to 6 months with a torn achilles that he suffered today. This is a devastating blow to the 'Canes, as Williams is a valuable asset to that team. Williams missed 45 games last season due to injury. What does GM Jim Rutherford do now?? Will he try to find an answer?? Does he sign a veteran like Glen Murray or Mark Parrish?? Or will he find someone in the organization to replace Williams?? We'll find over the next week or so...

Will he or won't he??

That’s the question on every Preds’ fan minds. The waffling from Alexander Radulov has the front office indecisive on whether they need to go out and get another forward. Rads stated to NHLPA director Paul Kelly last week that he’s thinking about returning to the NHL this season. If he makes that decision, he will have a lot of work to do in the locker room, and with the press. He’ll also have to make up with the fans, as a vast majority of Pred nation is still angry with his abrupt defection.

Radulov burst onto the scene as a 20-year-old in October 2006, and made an immediate impact. He succeeded in his first NHL season, putting up 37 points with limited ice-time in 64 games. Rads became an instant fan favorite with his slick skills that fans in Nashville hadn’t seen before. He dazzled in the first round against San Jose that year, and looked like a potential 40-goal scorer going into last season.

He didn’t score 40 goals last year, but he made enough of an impact on the Preds lineup to get them to their 4th straight playoff appearance. Heading into the summer, he seemed to be a lock on the top line in the Music City.

Then on July 11, Rads jumped ship and decided he would defect to his home country (Russia) for the upcoming season. That move shocked everyone in and around the Preds organization. But it didn’t faze GM David Poile, as he said a week or two later that Radulov would be back with Nashville by training camp.

And here we are… September 17, 2008. Training camp begins on Saturday for the Preds, and still no #47 in sight. I’ve moved on, and a lot of other members in the organization have to. But with the status of Steve Sullivan still up-in-the-air, Nashville desperately needs to answer their questions up front sooner rather than later. Even though he’s shown his fair share of immaturity the last two years, a Radulov sighting in the next week or so would be excellent for most Preds followers.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Flames

2007 Recap:
Record- 42-30-10, 94 points
Playoffs- Lost to SJ in WCQF (4-3)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 2nd Northwest
Conference- 6th West

Key Additions- Mike Cammalleri, Todd Bertuzzi, Rene Bourque
Key Losses- Alex Tanguay, Kristian Huselius, Owen Nolan

X-Factor- Dion Phaneuf
Breakout- Eric Nystrom
Prospect to watch- Andrei Taratukhin

Bold Prediction: Mike Cammalleri and Jarome Iginla will become one of top scoring duos in the league.

Team Overview: There are some considerable changes to the Flames locker room this season. They welcome in new forwards Todd Bertuzzi, Mike Cammalleri, and Rene Bourque – while saying goodbye to Tanguay, Huselius, and Nolan. But one thing’s for sure: they still have the trio of Iginla, Phaneuf, and Kiprusoff. If those three stay healthy, a fifth straight playoff berth is basically a lock for Calgary.

Mathieu Schneider on waivers...

Per TSN
Here are some potential suitors for the veteran d-man: Canucks, Kings, Canadiens, Islanders, Blues, Lightning, Thrashers, Capitals, Blue Jackets, and Senators. Phew, that's 1/3 of the league!!
Whoever signs Schneider will be getting a bargain this close to training camp...

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Oilers

2007 Recap:
Record- 41-35-6, 88 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 1st Northwest
Conference- 3rd West

Key Additions- Erik Cole, Lubomir Visnovsky, Gilbert Brule
Key Losses- Joni Pitkanen, Jarrett Stoll, Raffi Torres

X-Factor- Dustin Penner
Breakout- Andrew Cogliano
Prospect to watch- Rob Schremp

Bold Prediction: Edmonton will be the fourth different team in the last four years to win the Northwest Division.

Team Overview: The Oilers’ brass certainly pushed the right buttons this summer with the acquisitions of Cole, Visnovsky, and Brule. Edmonton was also the hottest team to end the ’07-08 season, going 14-5-1 in their last 20 games. In goal, Mathieu Garon is ready to lead the Oilers to a playoff berth. A combination of these three things could ultimately result in a division title for Edmonton.

Fantasy Hockey owners wanted

I have created a fantasy hockey league on Yahoo! It will be a 12-team keeper league. I'm looking for experienced fantasy players who are committed for the long run, just not the 08-09 season.

If you are interested, here is the info. The ID is 1794, and the PW is hockey. The settings are simple/basic, with a couple extra roster spots. It's head-to-head, and I have 5 spots open. The draft is tentatively set for Tuesday, September 23 at 9:00 ET.

If you have any interest at all, we encourage you to join the league!!

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Maple Leafs

2007 Recap:
Record- 36-35-11, 83 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 5th Northeast
Conference- 12th East

Key Additions- Niklas Hagman, Jeff Finger
Key Losses- Mats Sundin, Darcy Tucker, Andrew Raycroft

X-Factor- Nik Antropov
Breakout- Alexander Steen
Prospect to watch- Nikolai Kulemin

Bold Prediction: The departure of Mats Sundin will have a lasting effect on the Leafs organization.

Team Overview: The loss of Mats Sundin is obviously a huge blow to the Leafs’ lineup and locker room. And GM Cliff Fletcher didn’t do much to replace his production. They overspent on average free agents like Niklas Hagman and Jeff Finger. They also don’t have a pure goal scorer, which should keep them in the Northeast cellar this season.

Just an internet TV note...

As the season approaches....the hockey fan may be looking for things to watch. Well internet television can save the day at times. Here are two sites real fast that may help alleviate some hockey withdrawal from time to time.

One is Channelsurfing.net. They mostly have network tv things but occasionally the NHL Network and other surprises.

The other is justin.tv. You do never quite know what hockey will be on there....could be anything from College Hockey to Juniors to Minors to NHL or KHL. One thing is for sure, you can get a little fix for your withdrawal from these sites. Enjoy them!!!

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Sabres

2007 Recap:
Record- 39-31-12, 90 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 4th Northeast
Conference- 11th East

Key Additions- Craig Rivet, Patrick Lalime
Key Losses- Dmitri Kalinin, Steve Bernier

X-Factor- Jason Pominville
Breakout- Drew Stafford
Prospect to watch- Andrej Sekera

Bold Prediction: Buffalo will get further away from returning the playoffs as they’ll have problems on both sides of the puck.

Team Overview: There wasn’t much turnover on the Sabres’ roster when the off-season was all said and done. But this group still has some hope for a playoff berth, though. Ryan Miller is coming into the year with a new contract, and Thomas Vanek is poised for a bounce-back season. A lot of other things will need to go right for Buffalo, but the postseason is not out of the question.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Senators

2007 Recap:
Record- 43-31-8, 94 points
Playoffs- Lost to PIT in ECQF (4-0)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 3rd Northeast
Conference- 9th East

Key Additions- Jason Smith, Filip Kuba, Jarkko Ruutu
Key Losses- Cory Stillman, Ray Emery, Wade Redden, Andrej Meszaros

X-Factor- Mike Fisher
Breakout- Nick Foligno
Prospect to watch- Brian Lee

Bold Prediction: This will be the last season that the Alfredsson/Heatley/Spezza line is intact as one will be moved in a trade sooner or later.

Team Overview: GM Bryan Murray had big plans for this summer after the Sens’ dismal second half of last year. He hoped to bring in some help on both defense and offense to help Ottawa return to a formidable foe. But his biggest signing was goon/pest Jarkko Ruutu, and they have no goaltending depth if Gerber doesn’t turn things around. There’s much doubt that the Sens can stay with Montreal in this division, even with the top line in the league.

Good evening folks....

Well what do you know....Montreal decided to do something after all. A move that was talked about in February has finally come to fruition as Robert Lang was traded this afternoon to Montreal. Chicago gets a 2010 2nd round pick. The Blackhawks shed a four million dollar salary which gives them some room for the ongoing work they still have yet to do.

So that muddy, nearly dead part of the offseason is starting to get a move on...at least a bit. Plan B's could be enacted everywhere in the coming days and weeks. Finally, the dullness will be soon replaced by the drop of the puck. Be it ever so humble...there is nothing and I mean nothing like hockey!!

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Bruins

2007 Recap:
Record- 41-29-12, 94 points
Playoffs- Lost to MTL in ECQF (4-3)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 2nd Northeast
Conference- 6th East

Key Additions- Michael Ryder
Key Losses- Glen Murray, Alex Auld

X-Factor- Tim Thomas
Breakout- Milan Lucic
Prospect to watch- Vladimir Sobotka

Bold Prediction: Tim Thomas will take his game to another level, and become a top ten goalie in the NHL.

Team Overview: Even though they barely made the playoffs and lost in the first round last year, the B’s are very capable of competing for home-ice, and possibly the division title. Goaltender Tim Thomas is expected to have a monster season as he anchors a potent Boston hockey club, along with captain Zdeno Chara. Newcomer Michael Ryder should also a big piece to the Bruins’ puzzle, and a new weapon for pivot Marc Savard.

The RLD preview is out!

My annual RLD preview magazine look-a-like is finished... but it cannot be posted on this blog.

So if you would like to receive it, please e-mail me at the address to the right. It's completely free, and I will send you an attachment via e-mail. It includes 76 pages of predictions and analysis!

Thanks,
Ryan (RLD Director)

Hurricanes lock up Staal

Story per TSN

A day after the 'Canes unveiled their sweet new third jerseys, they've locked up the face of the franchise. Eric Staal has signed a 7 year, $57.5 mil contract. It feels like things are finally turning around in Raleigh...

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Canadiens

2007 Recap:
Record- 47-25-10, 104 points
Playoffs- Lost to PHI in ECSF (4-1)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 1st Northeast
Conference- 1st East

Key Additions- Alex Tanguay, Georges Laraque
Key Losses- Mark Streit, Michael Ryder, Bryan Smolinski

X-Factor- Tomas Plekanec
Breakout- Sergei Kostitsyn
Prospect to watch- Ryan O’Byrne

Bold Prediction: Josh Gorges will fill Streit’s shoes and become a force on the blue line.

Team Overview: Montreal is coming off a disappointing showing in the postseason this past spring. After checking out in five games in the second round, the Canadiens’ front office went to work, bringing in Alex Tanguay and enforcer Georges Laraque. They seem like the favorite in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. If Carey Price overcomes his playoff woes from a year ago, the Habs should be on top of the east once again.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Blues

2007 Recap:
Record- 33-36-13, 79 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 5th Central
Conference- 14th West

Key Additions- Chris Mason
Key Losses- Ryan Johnson, Matt Walker

X-Factor- Brad Boyes
Breakout- Erik Johnson
Prospect to watch- Alex Pietrangelo

Bold Prediction: The Blues will finish dead last in goals scored this season.

Team Overview: Blues management had hoped to bring in some top-tier free agents this summer, but failed to do so. Now they’ll pay for it by singing the blues for six months. Paul Kariya and Brad Boyes give St. Louis some hope offensively, but the blue line is young and lacks offensive abilities. An in-season blockbuster trade seems to be the only way the Blues could return to the postseason.

Report: Sundin now being pursued by Bolts?

Reported in a story on TSN this morning, the Tampa Bay Lightning have apparently entered the Mats Sundin sweepstakes. What!?!? You gotta be kidding me... the article also went on to say that Sundin met with Habs GM Bob Gainey in Toronto over the weekend, and that another new team is also in on Mats.

If he were to land in Tampa, I think the whole world would come to an end! There's no room for him down there!!! Lecavalier and Stamkos anchor the top two lines as centers, so they have absolutely no need for a center -- let alone a forward for god sakes! If this is true, which I highly doubt it is, the Lightning organization would be upside down, if it isn't already. Sundin in Tampa!?!? No way...

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Blue Jackets

2007 Recap:
Record- 34-36-12, 80 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 4th Central
Conference- 13th West

Key Additions- Kristian Huselius, R.J. Umberger, Raffi Torres, Fedor Tyutin
Key Losses- Nikolai Zherdev, Ron Hainsey, David Vyborny, Dan Fritsche

X-Factor- Fredrik Modin
Breakout- Derrick Brassard
Prospect to watch- Jakub Voracek

Bold Prediction: Pascal Leclaire will turn into a one-year wonder, as the Jackets’ goals against will be the worst in the league.

Team Overview: The front office in Ohio’s capital is making one last-ditch effort to make the playoffs with Rick Nash around. They’ve made a lot of changes, including the acquisitions of forwards R.J. Umberger and Kristian Huselius. Will their roster overhaul be enough to make an inaugural trip to the postseason?? We’ll find out in April, but they’ll need a lot of players to step up to do so.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Predators

2007 Recap:
Record- 41-32-9, 91 points
Playoffs- Lost to DET in WCQF (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 3rd Central
Conference- 9th West

Key Additions- none
Key Losses- Marek Zidlicky, Alexander Radulov, Chris Mason

X-Factor- Shea Weber
Breakout- Ryan Suter
Prospect to watch- Patric Hornqvist

Bold Prediction: Suter will score 15-20 goals and lead the team in plus/minus.

Team Overview: In the ’07-08 campaign, the Preds played with their backs against wall all season with the up-in-the-air ownership status. They did so with a team that was gutted due to the front office issues, but rallied together to sneak into the playoffs. Now with Dan Ellis running the show between the pipes, Nashville’s true colors will come out this year while playing in an improved division.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Blackhawks

2007 Recap:
Record- 40-34-8, 88 points
Playoffs- None

2008 Predictions:
Division- 2nd Central
Conference- 7th West

Key Additions- Brian Campbell, Cristobal Huet
Key Losses- Jason Williams, Yanic Perreault, Patrick Lalime

X-Factor- Duncan Keith
Breakout- Cam Barker
Prospect to watch- Dave Bolland

Bold Prediction: The ‘Hawks will make the playoffs for the first time since the 01-02 season.

Team Overview: What will Kane and Toews do for an encore in the Windy City?? Whatever they do, they’ll have new toys to play with. Defenseman Brian Campbell and goalie Cristobal Huet signed on July 1 to help Chicago return to the playoffs. The big question is health with this team. If Martin Havlat can stay healthy for 70-80 games, the ‘Hawks will likely make the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Red Wings

2007 Recap:
Record- 54-21-7, 115 points
Playoffs- Won Stanley Cup Finals vs. PIT (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 1st Central
Conference- 1st West

Key Additions- Marian Hossa, Ty Conklin
Key Losses- Dominik Hasek, Dallas Drake

X-Factor- Chris Osgood
Breakout- Niklas Kronwall
Prospect to watch- Jakub Kindl

Bold Prediction: The Wings will once again represent the West in the Cup Finals this season.

Team Overview: Detroit’s quest to repeat as Cup champs began with the shocking signing of elite winger Marian Hossa. They also brought in Ty Conklin to fill Dominik Hasek’s suddenly-not-so-big shoes. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk will obviously remain dominant in all phases of the game – and with the addition of Hossa, the Wings could raise Lord Stanley again in June.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Islanders

2007 Recap:
Record- 35-38-9, 79 points
Playoffs- none

2008 Predictions:
Division- 5th Atlantic
Conference- 14th East

Key Additions- Mark Streit, Doug Weight
Key Losses- Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Bryan Berard

X-Factor- Trent Hunter
Breakout- Kyle Okposo
Prospect to watch- Blake Comeau

Bold Prediction: Okposo will lead the Isles in goals this season.

Team Overview: The enigmatic front office on Long Island finally filled their head coaching vacancy in mid-August with the hiring of Scott Gordon. Whomever they hired, though, wouldn’t have been able to fix the many problems the Isles have in a short timeframe. They didn’t get any better with the signings of Mark Streit and Doug Weight, and they should be looking up at their division rivals for most of the ’08-09 campaign.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Rangers

2007 Recap:
Record- 42-27-13, 97 points
Playoffs- Lost to PIT in ECSF (4-1)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 4th Atlantic
Conference- 7th East

Key Additions- Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, Wade Redden, Dmitri Kalinin
Key Losses- Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, Sean Avery, Fedor Tyutin

X-Factor- Scott Gomez
Breakout- Nigel Dawes
Prospect to watch- Bobby Sanguinetti

Bold Prediction: Henrik Lundqvist will win the Vezina Trophy by carrying the Rangers to a playoff berth.

Team Overview: Jaromir Jagr’s departure to Russia didn’t come to much of a surprise, but the Rangers still had a major hole to fill. They filled it by signing veteran Markus Naslund and trading for Nikolai Zherdev. They’re also set on the blue line with the signing of Wade Redden. But in this very tough division, I don’t know if it’ll be enough to take the next step towards raising Lord Stanley.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Devils

2007 Recap:
Record- 46-29-7, 99 points
Playoffs- Lost to NYR in ECQF (4-1)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 3rd Atlantic
Conference- 5th East

Key Additions- Brian Rolston, Bobby Holik
Key Losses- Sergei Brylin

X-Factor- John Madden
Breakout- David Clarkson
Prospect to watch- Nicklas Bergfors

Bold Prediction: This season will be Brian Gionta’s last as a Devil.

Team Overview: The Devils turned back the clock a bit with the signings of forwards Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik. This seems to be one of the last chances for New Jersey to go after the Cup with the current group as Brodeur and Elias are getting older, and Gionta will be a free agent next summer. Lou Lamoriello and company will need to get a lot of help on the blue line if they want to advance in the playoffs.

Tuesday's happenings

McCabe to Panthers...
Today, the trade officially went down. The Leafs finally unloaded Bryan McCabe and a '10 4th rd pick to the Panthers for d-man Mike Van Ryn. McCabe should boost the Panthers blue line as he'd worn out his welcome in Toronto long ago. It'll be interesting to see if Florida will turn around and trade away fellow d-man Jay Bouwmeester in the next couple weeks. There's still teams looking for defense, and the Panthers need to upgrade their offense to have any shot at the postseason. Something to think about...
Minor trade...
TSN is reporting that the Canucks have traded Ryan Shannon to the Senators for Lawrence Nycholat... moving on!
Preds suspend Radulov...
Nashville has suspended defected-star Alexander Radulov indefinitely without pay for the 08/09 season. This could be the final nail in the coffin for Radulov's brief career in the Music City, or the NHL for that matter.
#11 to the rafters in DC...
Mike Gartner will have his jersey retired by the Capitals this season. The ceremony will be held on Dec. 28 when the Caps host Toronto. A nice (and long overdue) tribute to the heart and soul of the Caps in the 80's and into the 90's.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Penguins

2007 Recap:
Record- 47-27-8, 102 points
Playoffs- Lost to DET in SCF (4-2)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 2nd Atlantic
Conference- 4th East

Key Additions- Ruslan Fedotenko, Miroslav Satan, Matt Cooke
Key Losses- Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts

X-Factor- Evgeni Malkin
Breakout- Tyler Kennedy
Prospect to watch- Alex Goligoski

Bold Prediction: Malkin and Crosby will each crack the 90-point plateau.

Team Overview: With Pittsburgh advancing all the way to the Cup Finals last spring, you would assume they’d be the favorites to win the division again… but not so. Malkin and Crosby will have to adapt to new tools on offense with the losses of Hossa and Malone. It may take time to get used to the new additions, but once they do, they should be returning to their ’08 playoff form.

'30 Teams in 30 Days': Flyers

2007 Recap:
Record- 42-29-11, 95 points
Playoffs- Lost to PIT in ECF (4-1)

2008 Predictions:
Division- 1st Atlantic
Conference- 2nd East

Key Additions- Steve Eminger
Key Losses- R.J. Umberger, Jason Smith

X-Factor- Mike Richards
Breakout- Ryan Parent
Prospect to watch- Claude Giroux

Bold Prediction: Braydon Coburn will lead the Flyers’ blue line in point production

Team Overview: After the Flyers’ hectic off-season last summer, GM Paul Holmgren stood pat this summer. That may have been a wise strategy, as the Flyers lineup still looks very potent, and ready to overtake the Pens’ short reign in the division. The return of forward Simon Gagne should provide Briere another go-to-guy, who he might be able to use on the path to the Cup.