For everyone who is following NHL, (I figure a couple of Canadians do..... ) what are your profecies for this season.....

My own rankings are this (as winners)

1 New Jersey Devils

2 Ottawa Senators

3. Detroit Red Wings.

Do I here any other "hot tips" for the season.....

I think Carolina is still a team to beat.

My thoughts as of now, after the off-season moves and preseason outcomes.

East (in order)

Boston
Carolina
Ottawa (interesting to see how they'll do w/out Chara and Hasek.)
Buffalo

West (in order)

San Jose
Detroit (bias pick, one of my fav teams. not sure how they'll do w/out key vets.)
Dallas
Nashville

My top 5 for each conference:

East:

Carolina
Buffalo
Jersey
Ottawa
Montreal


West:

Nashville
Calgary
San Jose
Detroit
Dallas


Should be another exciting season!

I think 2 of you have New Jersey way to high. They are STILL over the cap and STILL haven't signed Gionta or 2 of their NHL d-men. They are going to require a mini-firesale just to play their first game. They'll be lucky to make the play-offs IMO.

I'm not sold on Boston being that great. Carolina should still be near the tops. Tampa should be better. Ottawa will fall back some. Boy, thinking about it is tough. There's been so much movement. Really tough to try and rank. Guess that's why they play the games, huh?

MoD

My prediction..... no one south of Niagra Falls will follow hockey.... as hockey has been relegated to the women's underwater basket weaving channel for T.V. viewers here in the states... is it me or is Hockey as a professional sport in trouble? Maybe it's just my perception since I'm in the South but if I'm not mistaken they didnt even show the playoffs on network T.V. last year......

Junkie

Well, you figure the strike hurt them and then last year the NHL didn't get a deal setup with ESPN in time and ended up with misc games on the OLN. Granted, OLN did a great job in the playoffs... but regular season sucked.

I think last year's revamp with scoring up, new exciting players, and better referee calls made a huge difference and could help the sport a lot.

Click to view attachment

Damn i can't wait for the 1st showing of HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA! GO LEAFS GO! Yes it's true, i'm one of those die hard leaf fans who has not lost all hope, especially seeing as they now have a chance to be a team as they have deleted one of there biggest flaws; Pat Quinn!

As far as cup hopefull, I'm just praying they make the playoffs!

ps- My favourite player in hockey was also let go by the leafs and forced into retirement!

Hats off to a true warrior!

DOMI! End of an era.

And in the middle of a divorce to boot..

Nobody have mentioned Phoenix. I think this could be their season.

With new players as Jovanovsky, Nolan, Roenick (+ fighting machine Laraque) they are in my opinion underestimated by experts. We'll see....

To Crazy Canuck......I see in your pic that Domi is beating the shit out of Pandolfo I think....No good - Devils is my favorite team. If Domi wanted som real action he should challenged Stevens before he retired

Ofcourse Phoenix looks good, or atleast better, on paper. I've noticed that Gretsky keeps pulling players over to Phoenix kind of after their prime... guys he knows. Not sure if that will work for him down the road. Nolan didn't even play last year, Roenick is still strong... but how far can he go if he's carrying the team? Laraque? I think they could've gone better with Chris Simon, atleast you have a scoring potential.

All and all, every team looks decent at the beginning of the season... hell, even my Caps have looked good in preseason so far. As much as I'd love for them to play well and make the playoffs, I'm realistic and understand that they don't have the same punch as other teams in the league and will most likely be a bottom feeder from December on. Ovechkin is still too fun to watch though, he makes the games worth going to. He's like an X games athlete, you never know what he's going to do.

Sweet Ovechkin Highlight Clip

is it agood game

Columbus

Ok.

Yeah right

Columbus and St. Louis........Need all the support they can get..

Go "all in" at a bookmaker and you are a rich man if it comes true. Anyway supporting is what matters.... .

Ya, sorry to say it but there are a few teams that won't get far at all. Colombus and St Louis are two of them. Caps are another. I love the parity in the league though... where these teams still do have a shot at making it. Look how well Nashville and Minnesota have gotten in just a year or two.

Sorry to say, but the Blue Jackets will make the play-offs this year. They were awesome the 2nd half of the season, and half the team was hurt the 1st half. Can they beat Detroit or Nashville. No, but they will be a lower ranking play-off team. I think Nashville will take the division.



Geallor

Hey crazy you and me both buddie GO LEAFS GO. I will be a leafs fan tell i die . Just wish the would get owners that wanted to win as much as make money. It so easy to make money with the LEAFS because of the huge market their in. It's a shame if they'd spend some of that money on the getting top players all the time
oh well i'm ranting but hey iTS ALL ASBOUT THE LEAFS

oh ya and don't forget can't wait to watch DON & RON again

Blue Jackets hve a way better team then last year they hve 3 points so far tie and a win we will do good as long as no one gets hurt on our team