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Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

Oh, Western Conference … how you baffle us.

Can Dany Heatley(notes) turn the San Jose Sharks from chokers to champs? Will Roberto Luongo(notes) cry tears of joy rather than embarrassment at the end of his postseason run? Will teams like the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets continue to improve, or is it time for a team like the Los Angeles Kings to become the flavor of the year?

Do the reigning conference champs, the Detroit Red Wings, have one more Cup run in them? Can conference runners-up the Chicago Blackhawks overcome the self-inflicted injuries to their own hockey karma to win it all?

So many questions. As we did this morning with the Eastern Conference predictions, the so-called experts — Wyshynski, Leahy, Two-Line, Dmitry and Dobber – are back to figure out a thing or two about the West. (Stanley Cup predictions will be up on Thursday.)

Who will win the Campbell?

Here are the standings:

Greg Wyshynski, editor

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Calgary Flames
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
8. Dallas Stars

Conference Champion: Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver’s the pick in the West, despite the Tolkien-length road trip and the fact that many of their top players are going to log serious minutes during the Olympics. I love the scrappy mix up front. I believe Luongo’s finally going to put it together in the postseason. But I have a confession here: This pick is made with the hope that Mike Gillis adds that final, veteran forward (that isn’t an aged bald Swede) later in the season. The lineup needs its Trevor Linden(notes) type, and here’s hoping they find it.

It came down to the Canucks and the Blackhawks for me, and Vancouver’s the pick for two reasons: Goaltending and good karma. As in what the Canucks possess that the Blackhawks do not.

The San Jose Sharks don’t want to be on autopilot again for the conference regular-season title, but they will be; especially with the Dany Heatley/Joe Thornton(notes) combo putting up huge numbers. The Detroit Red Wings will once again be dogged with questions about their goaltending because they have few flaws otherwise.

The Ducks have strong goaltending and a couple of solid lines. I’m not in love with Calgary as much as other people, simply because of its offense — although Brent Sutter teams score more than anyone gives them credit for. The Blue Jackets will make the cut and lose in the first round again. The Dallas Stars have too much talent at forward not to rebound, although you’d like a little more on the blue line with Marty Turco(notes) back there.

If there’s a sleeper, it’s the Los Angeles Kings, but I trust their goaltending about as far as I can throw Drew Doughty(notes).

Sean Leahy, associate editor

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Anaheim Ducks
6. Calgary Flames
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
8. Edmonton Oilers

Conference Champion: Chicago Blackhawks

San Jose is one of the best regular-season teams in recent memory. That’s why they’re an easy pick to finish atop the Western Conference, especially with the addition of Dany Heatley. That isn’t to say they’re going to do damage in the playoffs. Oh, no, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’ve been burned by the Sharks before and I’ve learned my lesson. Having Edmonton claim the final spot in the West also ensure the juicy, upset special of Oilers-Sharks, with Heatley enjoying a Bronx cheer every time he’s on the ice at Rexall Place.

Ryan "The Two-Line Pass" Lambert, "What We Learned" columnist

1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Calgary Flames
4. Detroit Red Wings (more points than Calgary, but you know how it goes.)
5. Vancouver Canucks
6. St. Louis Blues
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Phoenix Coyotes

Conference Champion: Detroit Red Wings

This is the year someone unseats the Red Wings, and the Sharks will take a step back because I really think Evgeni Nabokov’s(notes) a bit past it. Detroit will finish with more points than Calgary, which will edge Vancouver by the slimmest of margins to win the Northwest, to take the fourth and final home playoff spot. St. Louis made the playoffs last year despite having about 65 of their best players out for most of the season. I think coaching changes will energize both Minnesota and Phoenix into surprisingly strong seasons.

Dobber, Fantasy Hockey Columnist

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Chicago Blackhawks
3. Calgary Flames
4. Detroit Red Wings
5. Vancouver Canucks
6. St. Louis Blues
7. Columbus Blue Jackets
8. Los Angeles Kings

Conference Champion: San Jose Sharks

The Kings are the next young team to have a surprise season. The Red Wings’ impenetrable armor is finally showing some cracks after nearly two decades — weak goaltending and an aging Lidstrom. They’re a season-ending Zetterberg injury away from missing the playoffs altogether. The teams of the future — Chicago, St. Louis, Columbus, Los Angles and Phoenix all make strides. Anaheim looks like they have a second line — but it’s an illusion.

Dmitry Chesnokov, writer and interviewer extraordinaire

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Calgary Flames
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Edmonton Oilers
8. Columbus Blue Jackets

Conference Champion: San Jose Sharks

Heatley will breathe better following his departure from the pressure that is Canada, and will lead the Sharks to the President Trophy. Nikita Filatov(notes) will have a Calder year and Columbus will make it. Detroit will still have more experience than the young Blackhawks. Luongo will have a Vezina year. Edmonton — the surprise of the season.

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Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

Throughout the Phoenix Coyotes‘ bankruptcy case/ownership squabble, Judge Redfield T. Baum appeared perturbed that the parties couldn’t figure out their problems on their own. He also was steadfast in wanting all of those owed money in the bankruptcy to be properly reimbursed by the winning bid.

Those two desires were at the forefront of his decision to reject both the NHL’s bid and that of Jim Balsillie for the troubled franchise on various legal grounds today. The NHL’s bid, however, still has life. From the Globe & Mail:

"In hockey parlance, the court is passing the puck to the NHL, who can decide to take another shot at the sale net or it can pass off the puck," Judge Baum wrote.

Judge Baum threw out a bid by Jim Balsillie saying it could not succeed because he cannot properly satisfy the NHL’s rights regarding relocation.

"In the final analysis, the court cannot find or conclude that the interests of the NHL can be adequately protected if the Coyotes are moved to Hamilton without first having a final decision regarding the claimed rights of the NHL and the claims of the debtors and [Balsillie]," the judge ruled.

As that last statement indicates, Baum’s ruling soundly rejected the Balsillie plan to use the courts to own the team, reinforcing the NHL’s claim that it should be able to control the identity of its owners and location of its franchises. Or as the AP put it:

Balsillie’s bid, which rose to $242 million in an effort to persuade the city of Glendale to drop its opposition, was denied outright by the judge, who said the NHL had the legal right to determine who owns its member teams and where they play.

"This conclusion effectively is the end for the efforts of PSE, Balsillie, Moyes and the Coyotes to force a sale and relocation of the hockey team. …," Baum wrote.

The NHL’s $140 million bid was rejected, but Baum indicated that there were fixable problems within the bid; namely, the picking and choosing of creditors who are compensated, such in the case of former Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes and former coach Wayne Gretzky.

Coming up, two revealing passages from Baum’s ruling.

A .pdf of the ruling can be found here via NHL.com, so that should tell you how things went for the League today.

First, on the NHL’s bid:

Clearly, Moyes and Gretzky are going to get paid if the NHL wants this bid approved. On Balsillie’s bid:

It was always expected that Baum wasn’t enthusiastic about rewriting NHL bylaws in his eventual ruling, and that’s obviously the case.

Where do we go from here? There’s obviously still a good chance the NHL can amend its bid and win the auction. But at first glance, the ruling seems to take away the court option from Balsillie so long as he’s been rejected by the NHL Board of Governors. Which brings us back to what Bill Daly said over the weekend in DC: The side door is closed. Next time, try the front again.

Check out AZCentral reporter Brahm Resnik on Twitter for much more coverage. The NHL seems like it’s in prime position to keep the team in Phoenix … but it still needs an owner willing to take a mighty financial risk on what is, after this court fiasco, "dead franchise walking" at the moment.

UPDATE: Here’s Balsillie’s statement. It’s actually, finally over.

"From the beginning, my attempt to relocate the Coyotes to Hamilton has been about Canadian hockey fans and Canadian hockey.  It was a chance to realize a dream.  All I wanted was a fair chance to bring a seventh NHL team to Canada, to serve the best unserved hockey fans in the world. I believe I got that chance.  I respect the court’s decision, and I will not be putting forward an appeal."

"Nobody can deny that we are now a big step closer to having a seventh NHL team in Canada.  It doesn’t matter who owns that team.  When that day comes, I will be the first in line to buy a ticket to the home opener."

"I want to take this opportunity to thank my family for all their love and support. I also want to thank the more than 200,000 fans who supported the bid online and the countless others who contacted me personally to show their support. This bid always was about the game we all love."

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Tags: AZCentral reporter, Bill Daly, Brahm Resnik, Canada, coach, GLENDALE, hockey, Jerry Moyes, Jim Balsillie, Judge, nhl, NHL Board of Governors, NHL's, owner, Phoenix, Phoenix Coyotes, Redfield T. Baum, Twitter, USD, Wayne Gretzky

Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

You may have heard about "The Body Issue," which is ESPN The Magazine’s attempt at an annual "SI Swimsuit Edition"-esque collector’s item and guilty pleasure.

Hitting newsstands on Oct. 9, there are more than 30 male and female athletes featured in various states of undress, from NASCAR driver Carl Edwards doing the country stud thing next to a Ford to Major League Soccer players "jumping around in a way that was both appropriate and hilarious."

Since we’re writing about it here, you obviously already know there are NHL players involved in "The Body Issue." ESPN informed us today that Edmonton Oilers players Sheldon Souray(notes), Ethan Moreau(notes) and Andrew Cogliano(notes) were photographed together for the magazine, as was Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara(notes) by himself.

Yes, we know: Mike Commodore was criminally ignored …

(Ed. Note: Bill Guerin(notes) of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chris Higgins of the New York Rangers, Eric Nystrom(notes) of the Calgary Flames and Mike Komisarek(notes) of the Toronto Maple Leafs are all also in the issue, according to ESPN, in a featured called "The Sweat Spot" that’s different than the photo portfolios.)

Matt Chmura, Boston’s director of communications, said the ESPN shoot for Chara was done at the TD Banknorth Garden recently, and that the team isn’t aware what photos have been chosen. We’re not sure what state of undress the Oilers are in for their exhibition, but the Bruins told us that Chara took photos that were partially clothed as well as ones where the Norris Trophy winner was in the Full Monty, the all-together and/or his birthday suit.

Normally, we’d assume there’d be some good-natured razzing of Chara for taking part in this beefcake issue. But openly mocking a 6-foot-9 behemoth of hockey brutality probably isn’t all that healthy, in a "let the Wookie win" sort of way.

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Tags: Andrew Cogliano, Bill Guerin, Boston, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Carl Edwards, Chris Higgins, collector, director of communications, Edmonton Oilers, Eric Nystrom, ESPN The Magazine, Ethan Moreau, Ford, hockey, Major, Major League Soccer, Matt Chmura, Mike Komisarek, NASCAR, New York Rangers, nhl, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sheldon Souray, TD Banknorth, Toronto Maple Leafs

Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins have received their Stanley Cup rings, and they look slightly less impressive than the giant Roman column of diamonds the Ocean’s crew stole from Pacino in ‘13′. The rings have 165 diamonds for the 165,000 charges that the NHL fixed the playoffs for Sidney Crosby(notes) that have been made since June. [WPXI]

• For those waiting years to see the great Satan’s name on the Stanley Cup, your time has arrived. [Pensburgh]

• The San Jose Sharks have announced that Rob Blake(notes) is your captain this season, with Joe Thornton(notes) and Dan Boyle(notes) wearing the A’s. [Fear The Fin]

• The Toronto Maple Leafs will defer their decision on a captain, giving the A’s to Mike Komisarek(notes), Francois Beauchemin(notes) and Tomas Kaberle(notes). The Canadiens, meanwhile, will not have a captain to start the year either. [TSN]

• Cap Geek broke the news this morning: Goalie Cam Ward(notes) gets a six-year extension with the Carolina Hurricanes at a $6.3 million a year cap hit. He was set to go restricted next summer. Taking into account what he did for that team last season and what a guy like Henrik Lundqvist(notes) is getting paid, it’s about right money wise. Six years for a goalie, not named Luongo … hmmm. [News & Observer]

• Michael Russo passed along many a waiver transaction on Twitter: Paul Bissonnette(notes) claimed by the Phoenix Coyotes; the Pittsburgh Penguins claiming Chris Bourque(notes) from the Caps. And how about this: Goalie Corey Crawford(notes) (no longer "of the future") and  defenseman Aaron Johnson(notes) (remember him from Qualifying Offer-Gate?) are put on waivers by the Chicago Blackhawks. Congrats to Antti Niemi(notes) for apparently winning the backup job; condolences to Hawks fans who go into battle with Cristobal Huet(notes) and a player with two NHL starts to his credit. (Note: Hawks could not confirm Crawford is on waivers.) [@russotrib]

• Good rundown of the big cuts at camps around the NHL. [NHL.com]

• Agent Allan Walsh tweets that Rostsilav Olesz of the Florida Panthers is planning on wearing "Ocho Cinco" on his jersey during a pregame skate. Defiant announcers will still refer to him as Rostsilav Johnson. [@walsha]

• Paint It Blackhawks presents 10 questions about the Chicago Blackhawks, none of which specifically involve proper cab etiquette. [Part One and Part Two]

• We were going to do a Mats Sundin(notes)/Hall of Fame pass or fail, but like Leahy said: It’s a pretty slam-dunk case for the former Toronto Maple Leafs star’s induction, even without the ring. [Globe & Mail]

• For those who follow the drama of the NHLPA behind the scenes, George James Malik’s rundown of this week’s players’ conference call fallout is a very interesting and revealing read. For the rest of you … well, we imagine you don’t go to city council meetings, either. [Snapshots]

• Really nice "keep yo head up" column by Ryan Kennedy concerning Cody Hodgson’s(notes) still-stunning demotion to the OHL from the Vancouver Canucks. [Hockey News]

• Epic find from a UniWatch reader: "That’s Eric Louis-Seize, a forward from Quebec, who recently joined the Truro Bearcats of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL). ‘Louis-Seize’ translates literally to ‘Louis the 16th,’ which explains his unusual nameplate. This is in contrast to last year, when he played with Halifax of the QMJHL and had his name fully spelled out." [UniWatch, from photographer Richard Lafortune]

• FOR THE BLOG-OGLERS: A glorious kiss-off from Alan Bass of the Bleacher Report. [BR]

• Part Three of Adam Gretz’s series of chats with Penguins GM Ray Shero. [FanHouse]

• Wait, did Damien Cox just somehow work "Curb Your Enthusiasm" into a column about Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs? [Toronto Star]

• DC hockey fans are stunned to find an NHL pullout section in the Washington Post, nervous that perhaps the Capitals had hired Joe Gibbs under their noses. [On Frozen Blog]

• Behind the huge upset of the Chicago Blackhawks by ZSC Lions in the Victoria Cup. [NHL.com]

• Finally, Owen Nolan(notes) fights are always getting a spot in the headlines. Here’s the old man, taking out Braydon Coburn(notes). AARP, for the win!

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Tags: Aaron Johnson, Adam, Adam Gretz, Alan Bass, Allan Walsh, Antti Niemi, Atlanta Hawks, Brian Burke, Cam Ward, Captain, Carolina Hurricanes, Chris Bourque, Cody Hodgson, Corey Crawford, Cristobal Huet, Damien Cox, Dan Boyle, Eric Louis-Seize, Florida Panthers, forward, Francois Beauchemin, George James Malik, goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, hockey, Hockey League, Joe Gibbs, Joe Thornton, mainstream hockey media, Michael Russo, Mike Komisarek, News & Observer, nhl, Owen Nolan, Paul Bissonnette, Phoenix Coyotes, photographer, Pittsburgh Penguins, player, Quebec, Ray Shero, Richard Lafortune, Rob Blake, Ryan Kennedy, San Jose Sharks, Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup, the Victoria Cup, the Washington Post, Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Star, Twitter, USD, Vancouver Canucks, WPXI

The Globe and Mail - Globe on Hockey RSS feed | September 30, 2009

Swede’s heart never left Toronto even after he took his skates and stick to Vancouver for the final months of his NHL career

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Tags: Toronto, Vancouver

Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

The end of training camp brings the beginning of angst for players who suddenly find themselves out of an NHL gig.

Defenseman Brian Lee(notes) of the Ottawa Senators was "shocked and surprised" he didn’t make the cut. Montreal Canadiens winger Sergei Kostitsyn(notes) didn’t report to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs, was subsequently suspended by the Montreal Canadiens and has requested a trade (stick-tap Puck Buddy Jasmine D.). Hey, there’s really only one destination for players that don’t want to relocate to Hamilton, right?

We’ll talk about camp surprises in the triumphant return of our Hockey Rumors Chat, along with the Peter Forsberg(notes) saga; the Michael Nylander(notes) dilemma; the potential for some early season trades; as well as some predictions about the upcoming season.

Please welcome back Lyle "Spector" Richardson of Fox Sports and David "Dave" Pagnotta of The Fourth Period for our hockey rumors and scuttlebutt live chat at 1 p.m. EST. Bring your questions, bring your speculation and, above all, bring the funny.

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Tags: Brian Lee, David "Dave" Pagnotta, hockey, Lyle "Spector" Richardson, Montreal Canadiens, nhl, Ottawa Senators, Sergei Kostitsyn, winger

Eric Duhatschek | September 30, 2009

Perhaps it was because he played in the Centre of the Hockey Universe, but the former Leafs captain didn’t show the same flair with the media that he showed on the ice

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Tags: Captain, Centre of the Hockey Universe

Allan Maki | September 30, 2009

The super Swede has the credentials to receive hockey’s highest honour, writes Allan Maki

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Tags: Allan Maki, Hall of Fame The

Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

NHL season previews often sell you an impressive bill of goods before you realize, at the end of the season, you’re holding an empty box. Which makes using advertisements and infomercials the appropriate template for Puck Daddy’s 2009-10 NHL Season Previews, presented each day throughout September.

Last Season’s Ad Copy (See Also Caps Eulogy): Southeast Division champions and second overall in the Eastern Conference (50-24-8, 108 points). Defeated the New York Rangers in seven games before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games … and it was all Yanni’s fault.

The bitter defeat to Sidney Crosby(notes) and the eventual Stanley Cup champions lingered for most of the summer, but the refocused Capitals return this season with some new faces, younger players looking to make a splash and the player considered by many to be the best in the world looking for his third straight MVP trophy.

Coach Bruce Boudreau called the Capitals the team people "romantically want to see win" because of Alex Ovechkin, and there’s something to that. The Washington Capitals are going to be a glamour pick for many, and even Hollywood’s taking notice (See: Mike Green(notes) on "Cribs.") The hype is in place for the Caps to win their first Stanley Cup; but are the pieces?

Latest Gadgets (Offseason Additions): The addition of Mike Knuble(notes) as a free agent from the Philadelphia Flyers gives the Caps the Bill Guerin(notes)-type they sorely missed last season. He scored 27 goals and 20 assists for the Flyers, going to the net and collecting garbage in a way that the Capitals’ skill players infamously did not. No matter where he plays on the top two lines, he adds something valuable to DC. — besides, you know, an appreciation for Lady Gaga and Bud Select.

Brendan Morrison(notes) was injured and out of sorts with the Anaheim Ducks (10-12-22) before moving over to the Dallas Stars for 19 games of good hockey (6-3-9). If healthy, he could be a great second-line pivot for a reasonable cost (one-year, $1.5 million). Clearly the second-best offensive center on the roster … OK, not counting the bald dude with the no-movement clause.

To The Recycle Bin (Offseason Subtractions): As of this writing, Michael Nylander(notes) is still on the team, but a resolution of his acrimonious situation and hefty cap hit ($4.875 million) is expected soon.

The biggest changes are the departures of Sergei Fedorov(notes) (11-22-33) and Viktor Kozlov(notes) (13-28-41) for the KHL. That’s a lot of veteran presence that skated out that door, for better or for worse. 

Backup goalie Brent Johnson’s(notes) wonky hip left for the Penguins, while Glen Sather decided to pay Donald Brashear(notes) ($1.4 million) more than he paid Vinny Prospal ($1.1 million). 

And Now, a Short Message from Alexander Ovechkin(notes) for Eastern Motors

The Pitchman (Top Offensive Player): Dave Steckel(notes) is … just kidding.

Alex Ovechkin scored fewer goals (56, down from 65) and tallied more assists (54, up from 47) in winning his second straight Hart Trophy and Richard Trophy. He led the NHL in even-strength goals and was second in power-play tallies. He also led the NHL in goals per game (0.71) for the second-straight season; and while his sample size isn’t as comparable, he’s fifth in NHL history in goals per game (0.676), ahead of Pavel Bure and Wayne Gretzky.

Don’t tell Joe Thornton(notes), but legends are made in the postseason. Ovechkin now has 30 points in 21 playoff games and scored in every game of the Penguins series.

As for his off-season … well, we learned Ovechkin has an affinity for tramps stamps, sex before and after games, riding the zamboni in Manhattan and threatening to lead a mass exodus of Russian players to the 2016 Winter Games. So, yeah, it was a busy summer.

Introducing … (Potential Breakout Player): The Capitals have had a few players that they’ve been waiting to "breakout," like Tomas Fleischmann(notes) (19-8-37) and Eric Fehr(notes) (12-13-25), that simply haven’t due to injuries or ineffectiveness. So we turn to checking center Dave Steckel here, who showed a little bit more offense in the regular season (8-11-19) and then had the playoffs of his life. He’s entering his prime (27) and could continue to watch his offensive totals rise to the point where he’s a John Madden(notes)/Sammy Pahlsson type for a winning team.

Operators Are Standing By (The Defensemen): If you read this blog, you know the saga of Mike Green. He shattered scoring records as a defenseman in a star-making season (31-42-73) before battling conditioning issues, external pressures and injuries in a completely underwhelming postseason. He’s back in shape, focused on both the Cup and the Canadian Olympic team. In other words, he’s living The Green Life 52.

The Capitals’ defense remains unchanged from last season. Tom Poti(notes) and Brian Pothier(notes) are back as the puck-moving guys. Jeff Schultz(notes), John Erskine(notes), Milan Jucina and Shaone Morrisonn(notes) bring varying degrees of physicality to their defensive-defenseman games. Bright young prospects like John Carlson(notes) and Karl Alzner(notes) are still tapping their toes in Hershey, waiting for a shot.

It’s a sold group. The question continues to be if it’s a championship-caliber group.

And Now, a Short Message from Bruce Boudreau for Mercedes-Benz of Alexandria:

The Spokesmodel (The Goalies): Jose Theodore(notes) entered camp as the No. 1 goalie, but the vibe at the end of camp was that playoff hero Semyon Varlamov(notes) had played himself into "No. 1 and No. 1-A" status. They’ll both get their starts.

Theodore was widely inconsistent last season (2.87 GAA, .900 save percentage) and nearly lost his job to Johnson. In the playoffs, he finally did lose his gig to Varlamov, who carried the team (2.53, .918) until flaming out in Game 7 against Pittsburgh. If he gets his starts, he’ll be a Calder contender this year.

The X-Factor is Michal Neuvirth(notes), the Calder Cup-winning keeper from Hershey who has played his way into the conversation. He should begin in the year in the AHL, but seeing him with the parent club at some point isn’t an outlandish thought. 

The Inventor (The Coach): Boudreau has coached this collection to a pair of division championships, one conference quarterfinal defeat and a conference semifinal loss. He remains uniquely positioned as someone that coached most of the grunts on this roster in the minors before moving up. His system — propelled by Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom(notes) (22-66-88) and Alexander Semin(notes) (34-45-79) — puts offensive pressure on opponents but sometimes lacks defensive solvency.

Say this about him: His move to Varlamov in the playoffs was one of the gutsiest made by a coach at any point during the 2008-09 season, and it paid off.

Matt from Simply Sensational says …

"Expect the worst and hope for the best?  I don’t think so.  I’m tired of reading about how Semyon Varlamov is just a ‘flash in the pan’. Officially, he is listed as the backup, but don’t think too much of that. Varly is the real deal and will prove it by carrying the Capitals deep into the playoffs."

Rob Yunich from Storming The Crease says …

"Saying the Caps revolve around Alex Ovechkin is like saying Germans love David Hasselhoff; it’s too easy. The real key is whether Alex Semin can put forth maximum effort in all 82 games. If he does, the Stanley Cup’s trip to the White House will be a short jaunt across town."

Jon Press from Japers’ Rink says …

"We all know the Caps are good. Good enough? That’s the real question, of course, and for a team that won 50 games last year and didn’t lose anyone whose spot in the lineup wasn’t upgraded, you’d certainly think that they can be ‘good enough.’ But will one of the three goalies step up and own the job? How about the defense? Are they tough enough for a deep playoff run? Springtime is a long ways away, and the Caps kept their powder dry at the deadline a year ago, but at some point, George McPhee is going to have to go all-in."

Murf from Homer McFanboy says …

"2009 is the year that Alex Ovechkin and the Caps go all Ron Burgundy on your ass and show why they’re kind of a big deal. Milk was a bad choice – the Capitals aren’t."

John Keeley from On Frozen Blog says …

"A big case of Pittsburgh Cup envy, and maybe the greatest fantasy line in the history of (on-ice) fantasy: Ovi-Backstrom-Semin (assuming Knuble sticks on line 2)."

Don Draper Says …

"You don’t market something like Ovechkin, gentlemen. He’s an instant sell, like the hula-hoop … in the sense that it’s captivating just leaning against the wall or gyrating around a statuesque woman."

2009-10 Preseason Report Card:

Forwards: A-
Defense: B
Goaltending: B+
Special Teams: A-
Coaching: B+
Management: A-

Results May Vary (Biggest Issues Facing the Team): Can the goaltending duel produce a winner that can lead this team in the postseason? Will the new pieces fit into the lineup as well as the Russian veterans who left did? Can this defense, in a key spot, come up with the sort of shut-down performance that championship teams require?

Warranty Expires (Prediction): The Capitals will win the Southeast, likely finish atop the conference and advance to the second round of the playoffs. Logic dictates that they’ll progress to the conference finals this year, but there’s still something off about some of the depth at forward and on defense. They’re loaded with star-power and coached well, however, and sometimes that’s good enough.

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Greg Wyshynski | September 30, 2009

Can Sidney Crosby(notes) and the Pittsburgh Penguins make the Cup final for the third straight season and join Mario’s Pens as the franchise’s back-to-back champs? Do the additions of Chris Pronger(notes) (Flyers) and Marian Gaborik(notes) (Rangers) change the game in the Atlantic? Will the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning go from laughingstocks to playoff teams?

Is the window still open for the Boston Bruins?

Is it Ovechkin’s turn now?

Thankfully, after an endless summer of off-the-ice frustrations and distractions, it’s time to start attempting to answer these questions in Puck Daddy’s 2009-10 Eastern Conference staff prognostications; featuring Wyshynski, Leahy, Two-Line, Dmitry and Dobber. Check back here this afternoon for the Western Conference predictions.

So who wins the Wales?

The standings, according to the so-called experts:

Greg Wyshynski, editor

1. Washington Capitals
2. Boston Bruins
3. Philadelphia Flyers
4. Pittsburgh Penguins 
5. Carolina Hurricanes
6. New Jersey Devils
7. Montreal Canadiens
8. Buffalo Sabres

Conference Champion: Philadelphia Flyers

The Capitals winning the conference regular season is more a function of the Bruins coming back to the pack; I just don’t see Boston posting 270 goals again. The Penguins edge the Flyers in a tight race, with the Devils Lemaire’ing their way into the postseason for the 19th time in 20 seasons. The Hurricanes are the clear No. 2 in the Southeast. The immature Habs of last season put on their big-boy pants and make the cut; a healthy Ryan Miller(notes), Olympics-willing, backstops a team held together by scotch tape and Lindy Ruff’s spit.

The Flyers pick is simple: That a team loaded up front that has at least two shutdown defensive pairings can overcome average goaltending. (See Red Wings, Detroit). 

About those on the outside: The Rangers could get in if Marian Gaborik plays 70 games and the kids are ahead of schedule. The Senators could get in if the players that were awful and underwhelming last year return to form. The Leafs … well, putting aside testosterone-filled fantasies of bludgeoning the conference into submission, it’s like this: The defense and Gustavsson (one assumes) could be good enough to make the cut. But it says here that Burke needs another summer and a few more pieces up front before they can.

Sean Leahy, associate editor

1. Washington Capitals
2. Boston Bruins
3. Pittsburgh Penguins
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. New Jersey Devils
6. Buffalo Sabres
7. Carolina Hurricanes
8. Montreal Canadiens

Conference Champion: Boston Bruins

The Capitals could be the NHL’s equivalent of the New Orleans Saints, with Alex Ovechkin their Drew Brees. Points are going to be accumulated at an astounding rate between Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom(notes) and Alexander Semin(notes); and with Washington playing in the easiest division in the NHL, so too will the points in the standings.

As far as Buffalo and Montreal go, I think Ryan Miller can carry the Sabres back into the playoffs as he comes off a deep Olympic run by Team USA. With the Canadiens, the 100th year celebrations are coming to a close and once the Habs stop parading out their old legends every home game, the pressure will subside just a little bit on Carey Price(notes) to deliver (it is Montreal don’t forget).

Ryan "The Two-Line Pass" Lambert, "What We Learned" columnist

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Boston Bruins
3. Washington Capitals
4. New Jersey Devils
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. New York Rangers
7. Carolina Hurricanes
8. Toronto Maple Leafs

Conference Champion: Boston Bruins

The Penguins are my favorites to win the East considering they fired their coach late last season and still, y’know, won a Stanley Cup (plus Crosby and Malkin are really, really good!). Boston and Washington will be a close 2-3 but Boston’s got defense and the Caps really, really don’t. New Jersey finishes fourth because it seems like they always finish right around there if they don’t win the division, and certainly they’re better than the rest of the field.

After Philly, there’s a big, big dropoff and not much to choose between the Rangers, Flyers and Leafs, or any other team for that matter; any three of six teams could finish in this spot and I wouldn’t be terribly shocked.

Dobber, Fantasy Hockey Columnist

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Washington Capitals
3. Boston Bruins
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. Carolina Hurricanes
6. Montreal Canadiens
7. New Jersey Devils
8. New York Rangers

Conference Champion: Pittsburgh Penguins

Leafs, Rangers and Panthers will battle it out on the final weekend. Tortorella won’t let the Rangers miss the postseason. Price will flourish under Martin’s coaching and thrust the Habs into the playoffs. The Top 4 teams will be surprisingly tight.

Dmitry Chesnokov, writer and interviewer extraordinaire

1. Washington Capitals
2. Philadelphia Flyers
3. Boston Bruins
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. New York Rangers
6. New Jersey Devils
7. Montreal Canadiens
8. Toronto Maple Leafs

Conference Champion: Washington Capitals

Brian Burke’s magic will start showing this season already, but it won’t be enough to win in the first round. The Rangers will get the chemistry back with Anisimov and Gaborik leading the way. Philadelphia will be as intimidating as ever, and we will keep wondering how on earth the low-scoring Devils get so high in the standings. The Pens, following last year’s success, will apply the same method – start winning consistently close to the Olympic break. Caps win the East.

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