The puck drops in 44 days folks.
The player movement has slowed to a Jaroslav Balastik here and a Janos Vas there. Oh, we've still got our eye on places like Atlanta, courting Peter Bondra's scoring and Ottawa as player arbitration hearings get underway this week (good luck, Marian Hossa).
But we take this space today to ask for your predictions for the 2005-06 NHL season.
Send us your (very) early predictions. What's your final four look like? Who'll be MVP? And of course, your forecast for the Maple Leafs in the new-era NHL. As always on this page, click the comments link below to send your opinion.
We're not expecting many votes of confidence in the Sabres, where the biggest summer addition has been Teppo Numminen after losing Miroslav Satan and Alexei Zhitnik. A story in yesterday's Buffalo News alleges:
Said Slava Kozlov after he became a member of the Thrashers:
"I couldn't stand it."
Yikes.
Meanwhile:
In New Jersey, 41-year-old Scott Stevens is still mulling retirement.
Would the Florida Panthers consider trading Jay Bouwmeester?
Top 4 - In No Real Order
East
Pittsburgh Penguins - Defense.Goaltending, big questions. Alot of firepower upfront, but can Thibault/Fleury preform.
Tampa Bay Lightning - Goaltending a question. Otherwise haven't changed much.
Philadelphia Flyers - Big changes, and trying to buy a championship. Goaltending? Can Forsberg stay healthy?
Ottawa Senators - Haven't changed much.
Toronto - I think, barring any health problems, The Leafs could be a real contender for the top 4. But Id say a lock for the back 4.
Add - Atlanta, Montreal, Flordia..to round it out.
West
Calgary Flames - Not bad looking team again, will be interesting.
Vancouver Canucks - Will be a force with Bertuzzi back, if he isn't gun shy. Haven't changed much.
Edmonton Oilers - Looks good, should be interesting.
San Jose Sharks - Haven't chnaged much, good young club.
Rounding it out: Colorado, Detroit, Dallas, Nashville, Columbus
MVP: I don't know, it depends oh who get how far, maybe Wings win the cup again, and it is because of a passionate Stevie Y. Or Lindros returns to form. Who is too say?
Posted by: Tim | August 22, 2005 at 11:46 AM
To use the parlance of our times, the NHL's final four:
In the West, Calgary and Anaheim.
In the East, Philadelphia and Ottawa.
The Flames made some great off-season moves, coach Darryl Sutter is outstanding, and with Kipper back in goal Calgary has got the best keeper in the Pacific Division.
The Mighty Ducks (who I could have sworn announced earlier this year they would switch their name, logo, and colours to the California Golden Seals) have GM Brian Burke, and that guy can build teams. He's not done yet methinks.
The Flyers are one of the most improved in the East, though their goaltending is questionable.
The Sens are gonna do it this year, if they make peace with Hossa.
That said, Pittsburgh could make it interesting if they managed to get all those new faces to gel as a team.
Meanwhile, the Leafs will finish third in their division, make the playoffs, and be dismissed in the first round. Injuries will be blamed.
Posted by: Andrew Spencer | August 22, 2005 at 12:14 PM
Hmmm Final Four. In the West it'll be an all Canadian final. Calgary vs Vancouver. Both exciting and young teams, both doing their part in the free agent signings market to improve/keep their stars. - FLAMES in Six.
West Also rans....Colorado, Great White Sharks of San Jose.
In the east it'll be Detroit (Stevie's last hurrah) and New Jersey. Goaltending the key in this series. Marty and company to come through....Devils in Seven.
East Also-rans: Tampa Bay, and a surprising Pittsburgh team.
Stanley Cup will see the Flames' torch extinguished in six games by the Devils.
As for The Leafs, they are so far behind everone else in the NHL, they think they're in first place. They are NOT making the playoffs. and if they don't do something to right the ship, (Get rid of Ferguson, dump salaries like Sundin's and start over) they won't be in the playoffs for several years. It's a sad situation in Leaf Land for the once-proud franchise, all those years of having all kinds of money to buy players. and what did they do? they kept buying players that were long in the tooth and/or overrated.
Posted by: David Holmes-Makcrow | August 22, 2005 at 02:04 PM
I really don't have high hopes for the Leafs this season after watching many of the other teams improve their roster in the last month.
Philly, Ottawa, NJ, will make the playoffs for sure.
Then on the other end of the scale, Buffalo, Carolina, Washington, are pretty much out of it.
Tampa, Boston, Montreal will be the 2nd tier that will most likely make the playoffs.
That leaves Rangers, Islanders, Leafs, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Florida to fight for the last 2 spots.
Out of that group I would say the Leafs rank somewhere in the middle so they will be hard pressed to get into the playoffs.
Posted by: KEN66 | August 22, 2005 at 02:36 PM
Most of you are forgetting that 10 teams will make the playoffs on each side. The Leafs aren't that bad, but they aren't that good either. And since when is Detroit in the east?
West: Calgary and Edmonton
East: Montreal and Pittsburgh
Posted by: Jlo | August 23, 2005 at 08:16 AM
EAST WEST
1 *Ottawa 1 *Vancouver
2 *Tampa Bay 2 *San Jose
3 *Philadelphia 3 *Detroit
4 Boston 4 Calgary
5 Pittsburgh 5 Anaheim
6 NY Islanders 6 Edmonton
7 Toronto 7 Nashville
8 Montreal 8 Colorado
9 Atlanta 9 Columbus
10 New Jersey 10 Dallas
11 Florida 11 Chicago
12 Buffalo 12 Los Angeles
13 Carolina 13 Phoenix
14 NY Rangers 14 Minnesota
15 Washington 15 St. Louis
Round # 1
OTT def MTL 4-1 VAN def COL 4-2
TOR def TAM 4-2 SJ def NAS 4-2
PHI def NYI 4-0 EDM def DET 4-3
BOS def PIT 4-2 CAL def ANA 4-1
Round # 2
OTT def TOR 4-1 VAN def EDM 4-2
BOS def PHI 4-3 CAL def SJ 4-1
Round # 3
OTT def BOS 4-3 VAN def CAL 4-3
STANLEY CUP
OTT def VAN 4-2
Posted by: Kevin D | August 23, 2005 at 08:59 AM