BY MIKE BROPHY
sportsnet.ca
We continue with our previews leading up to opening night on Oct. 7 as sportsnet.ca NHL analysts Mark Spector, Mike Brophy get you ready for the season by asking a few of the burning questions surrounding each team.
In addition, Hall of Fame writer Jim Kelley presents five features that examines the top prospects to watch, top rookies, coaches on the hot seat, season storylines and narrowing down who has a shot at supplanting Henrik Sedin as league MVP.
Today, we examine the Northeast Division.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will not win the Stanley Cup this season and its championship drought, the longest in the league, will live on.
But there is every possibility that the Leafs will be a much tougher opponent to play against. By adding some nice pieces in left winger Kris Versteeg, truculent right winger Colby Armstrong and solid defensive defenceman Brett Lebda it is actually quite likely that general manager Brian Burke is well on his way to getting the club on a winning path.
The problem is the Leafs do not have a No. 1 line. Phil Kessel is a sniper who could hit the 40-goal mark this season, but if you think Versteeg and Tyler Bozak are frontline material, you're dreaming. Fact of the matter is the Leafs probably don't even have a decent second line. That will put a lot of pressure on the defence and goaltenders.
On to the Burning Qs:
Who will be the Leafs' No. 1 goaltender?
The team insists veteran Jean-Sebastien Giguere can still carry the mail, but that remains to be seen. He was injury prone and was 6-7-2 in his short stint in Toronto last season. It is more likely that sophomore Jonas Gustavsson will win the battle of the crease. He is tall and lanky, but showed definite potential as a rookie.
Is the defence as good as it is cracked up to be?
It will certainly help if Mike Komisarek comes back healthy and plays to his potential and if Tomas Kaberle continues to be a consistent point producer. The reality is, however, as much as the Leafs have a bunch of veterans on the blueline, there are also a bunch of question marks. After back-to-back seasons of 17 goals, Dion Phaneuf slipped to 11 and 12. He managed just two goals in 26 games with Toronto and wasn't the physical force he was early in his career with Calgary. Francois Beauchemin is a nice piece, but gets in trouble when he tries to do too much. Luke Schenn remains a work in progress.
Will Kaberle play the entire season with the Leafs?
Not a chance. Although Burke insists he won't ask the veteran to waive his no-trade clause, it is bound to be an issue come trade deadline. Kaberle has already given the Leafs a list of teams he would consider going to so it's not like he hasn't considered the possibility of being moved. There's no way Burke will allow this valuable asset to walk for nothing at the end of the year.
What do the Leafs need to do to improve?
A nice place to start is the special teams; a unit which ranked dead last in both power play and penalty killing last season. If the Leafs start poorly in one or both categories this season, there will be immense pressure on the coaching staff.
Is Nazem Kadri ready for the NHL?
This kid is a pure scorer and while his game may be a little rough around the edges, he could add some offensive spark to the club. However, he has not played well and there is a distinct possibility he'll start the year in the minors with the Marlies. That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Getting a little pro experience under his belt before he joins the Leafs might make him a better player in the long run.
How will the Maple Leafs do this season?
They probably won't make the playoffs, but there is a good chance they'll at least be in the hunt for most of the year. Burke's Leafs will be gritty and competitive if nothing else.
There is one word, more than any other, that athletes hate to hear: Choke.
And yet, when you build a 3-0 lead in games in a playoff series and then lose it 4-3, how else do you describe the situation? To be fair, the team that pulled off the seemingly impossible, the Philadelphia Flyers, did make it to the Stanley Cup final.
Luckily, there is no carryover affect. What happened last year is in the past and has nothing to do with this season, unless, of course, it actually works as motivation for the Bruins.
For most of the summer there was actually a lot to be excited about in Boston. The Bruins had the good fortune of getting the second overall pick in the draft and took exciting left winger Tyler Seguin. The team also acquired right winger Nathan Horton who has 30-goal potential, although his production has been in decline the past few years.
Then came the news that star centre Marc Savard is suffering from the effects of post-concussion syndrome. With no Savard, it will be a challenging year to say the least for the Bruins.
On to the Burning Qs:
Will Savard return to the Bruins?
First it was trade rumors and then it was the return of post-concussion syndrome. One would think Savard's days in Boston are numbered. In fact, the opposite is probably true. For starters he has seven years remaining on his contract, although the last two are at $525,000 a year and he could walk away from them. Still, with $27 million to be paid out in the next five years, and his health in question, there aren't likely to be a lot of takers for his services.
How will Seguin do in his rookie season?
The NHL is a young man's league now and Seguin should have every opportunity in the world to succeed. He'll be motivated by the fact the Edmonton Oilers elected to use the first overall pick to choose his rival, Taylor Hall. Seguin has amazing speed and a willingness to drive hard to the net for his goals. If savard is out for long, it will be nice for the Bruins if Seguin is able to make a seamless leap to the NHL from junior.
Will Tim Thomas find the form he displayed two years ago when he won the Vezina Trophy?
certainly the possibility exists, but if Tuukka ask takes ownership of the crease, the way he did last season, it might not matter. Thomas could be moved if the Bruins are looking to create some cap room. He has three years at $14 million left on his contract. Of course Thomas would have to approve the deal because he has a no-trade clause. You'd have to think the chance to be a starter again would entice him to do so.
How will the Bruins do this season?
Obviously much depends on Savard's health. If he comes back strong and displays the form that enabled him to finish ninth in NHL scoring three times in his career, they could be a very good team. The Bruins are a very good defensive team thanks to the teaching of coach Claude Julien and the addition of Horton, Seguin and checking centre Gregory Campbell gives the team impressive depth. Even without Savard the Bruins will challenge for a playoff spot, but with him healthy they could go deep into the post-season.
Back in the day, Buffalo Sabres fans knew when they went to The Aud, they were in for an awesome display of offence.
Bring it on Gil Perrault. Light 'em up Rick Martin. Shoot the lights out Pat Lafontaine. Bring the fans to their feet Alexander Mogilny.
The Sabres could sure score goals.
These days it's a different story. The Sabres are coached by former stay-at-home defender Lindy Ruff and the emphasis, not surprisingly, is on checking and defence. Goaltender Ryan Miller is the face of the organization now and last season's top scorer, Derek Roy, had 69 points - 79 fewer than LaFontaine managed in his most productive year in Buffalo.
The Sabres are definitely not the most exciting team in the league, but they work hard and are generally in most games. They hope having one of the best goalies in the NHL and their tremendous work ethic will carry them deep into the playoffs.
On to the Burning Qs:
How good is Ryan Miller?
Good? Try great! Miller was a Hart Trophy candidate for most of last season and there's every reason to believe at 30 years old, he's entering the prime of his career. Miller ranked second in goals-against average (2.22) and save percentage (.929) last season and was fourth in wins (41). All of that added up to Miller winning the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender.
Do the Sabres have enough offence to go deep into the playoffs?
It would certainly help matters if Thomas Vanek comes back healthy. The Sabres most potent goal-scorer averaged 40 goals a season the previous three years, but injuries conspired to cause him to slip to 28 last year. Tim Connolly, who has been dogged by concussions in his career, was relatively healthy last year and produced 17 goals and 65 points. There is still room for growth in his game. The Sabers did nothing in the off-season that would suggest they'll be a more productive team this year so it would be nice if little Tyler Ennis, who had nine points in 10 games last season, steps in and makes an impact.
Is Tyler Myers the real deal?
In a season when there was a number of worthy rookie of the year candidates, it was really no surprise when Myers' name was announced as the Calder Trophy winner. The 6-foot-7, 204-pounder was rock solid at both ends of the rink in his freshman year, ranked 11th among all NHL defenceman in scoring with 11 goals and 48 points in 82 games. This kid absolutely has Norris Trophy potential.
Where do the Sabres need to improve most?
That's easy, on the power play. After ranking 17th in the regular season with a meager 17.6 percent success rate with the man advantage, the Sabres failed to score a power play goal in six post-season games against the Boston Bruins. Vanek returning to form would certainly help the Sabres attack on the power play.
How will the Sabres do this season?
As long as Miller is on his game, the Sabres will win more games than they lose. Do they have Stanley Cup potential? Probably not. They lack the scoring punch required to go four rounds.
The Montreal Canadiens were the talk of the NHL last season when they knocked the regular season champion Washington Capitals from the opening round of the playoffs.
And to prove it wasn't a fluke the Habs then bumped off Pittsburgh before succumbing to the Philadelphia Flyers. All in all, it was a remarkable year for a team that really did not have high expectations.
Something to build on, perhaps?
One might think so, but when the Canadiens elected to keep Carey Price as its starting goaltender over Jaroslav Halak, they put potential growth in doubt. That's not to say Price won't deliver, but he has not played to his potential the past two seasons.
New general manager Pierre Gauthier, who took over when Bob Gainey stepped down last season, did little in the offseason to improve his club, but the Canadiens do have some decent scoring potential up front.
On to the Burning Qs:
Can the Canadiens repeat last season's success?
Hmm, knocking off the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and then sending Sidney Crosby & Co. home in the second; that is a pretty tough act to follow. You wouldn't want to bet the farm on lightning striking two years in a row.
Did the Canadiens make the right choice in keeping Price over Halak?
Too early to tell, obviously, but it is very reminiscent of when the Ottawa Senators had to choose between keeping wade Redden or Zdeno Chara. They chose Redden, the Canadian kid, and Chara, a Slovak, went on to win the Norris Trophy - for the Boston Bruins. Montreal chose Price, a Canadian, over Halak, a Slovak, and may live to regret the decision. Halak was Montreal's most valuable player last season; particularly in the playoffs when he stunned the Capitals in the first round and carried his team right to the Eastern Conference final. There are questions about Price's character, although to be fair, he is still just a kid.
Is there a silver lining in the fact the team's best player, defenceman Andrei Markov, will miss half the season revering from a knee injury?
It may be a stretch, but it will give rookie P.K. Subban some valuable playing time so that when Markov returns, the Habs will have a solid 1-2 offensive punch on the blueline. Subban showed great offensive instincts in his limited time with Montreal last season and appears primed to make a big contribution this season.
Who needs to step up this season?
While there is no denying he tries hard virtually every shift, more offence was expected from Scott Gomez when he was acquired from the New York Rangers. Twelve goals in 78 regular season games and just two in 19 playoff games just isn't cutting it. Gomez possesses a great shot, but is too reluctant to use it. Gomez took just over two shots per game. That needs to double if he wants to get to the 20-goal mark, not an unreasonable goal.
How will the Canadiens do this season?
Much depends on Price. If he is able to find his game, the Canadiens will be very competitive and should be among the top teams in the East. If his struggles continue, it will be a long season.
The Ottawa senators took steps forward last season and there is every reason to believe they'll be even better this year.
They had better be because time is running out on the team's chances of winning with Daniel Alfredsson as team captain. The dependable Swede turns 38 in December and while he remains the team's best player, and one of the best leaders in the NHL, the clock is ticking.
Injuries to key players, namely goaltender Pascal Leclaire, defenceman Filip Kuba and centre Jason Spezza, hurt the Senators last season and things are already looking rotten in the nation's capital with Kuba set to miss a few months with a broken leg suffered on the opening day of raining camp.
The good news is, young coach Cory Clouston has had terrific results in getting his players to be disciplined and strong in the defensive zone. Clouston is a no-nonsense type who places high demands on his players. So far, they have delivered.
On to the Burning Qs:
Will Jason Spezza win the Senators fans over?
Booed last season, Spezza expressed an interest in being traded during the offseason, but general manager Bryan Murray resisted the temptation to move him. Spezza is a very gifted player who should routinely be among the NHL's top 10 scorers. But talent is not the issue. Does he bring it every night? Does he play to his potential? Although he played most of the first half of last season injured, in a failed bid attempt to make Canada's Olympic hockey team, he had a strong second half and put up seven points in six playoff games. Spezza has 475 points in 464 regular season games and 46 points in 46 playoff games and he's only 27-years-old. The Senators were wise to hold onto him.
Who starts in net?
While Brian Elliott did a terrific job subbing for the injured Pascal Leclaire last season, the job is Leclaire's to lose. The eighth overall pick in the 2001 NHL entry draft had nine shutouts for the Columbus Blue Jackets two years ago, but was limited to just 34 games played last year. Elliott will definitely push Leclaire for playing time.
Will Sergei Gonchar make an impact?
Perhaps we should say, will Sergei Gonchar stay healthy for long enough to make an impact? The Senators big free agent signing is among the NHL's best and most productive blueliners when he is healthy, but he played just 62 games last year and only 25 the year before. The 36-year-old Russian should be a huge contributor to the Ottawa attack.
Who will be the breakout player for the Senators this season?
Based on his play late in the season and into the playoffs, defenceman Erik Karlsson - who turned 20 in late May - could be a point-producing defenceman for years to come in Ottawa. He is fast, has great vision and possesses an excellent shot. With Karlsson and Gonchar manning the points on the power play, there is a very good chance Ottawa's goal production will rise this year.
How will the Senators so this season?
Even with significant injuries last season, the Senators managed to finish fifth in the Eastern Conference. If they are healthy, a third- or fourth-place finish is entirely possible.
