A long time ago, my Dad once said, “If you can’t say one nice thing about someone, don’t say anything at all.”
With that in mind, here’s my one nice thing about every NHL team, and a few questions:
ANAHEIM: The Ducks are the deepest team in the NHL. But, are they deep enough to win the Cup?
ARIZONA: The new colour scheme and design of the Coyotes sweater is second to none!
BOSTON: New additions Beleskey and Hayes might be the catalysts to help a sputtering offence.
BUFFALO: As important as Jack Eichel is to the Sabres, the hiring of Dan Byslma might prove to be Tim Murray’s best move.
CALGARY: No playoff team upgraded better than the Flames. Hamilton and Frolik will be huge additions.
CAROLINA: Noah Hanifin, whether he plays a full season in Raleigh or not, might be the steal of the draft.
CHICAGO: Stan Bowman’s ability to master the cap, and keep business and sentimentality separate, puts the Hawks in great shape.
COLORADO: Is there any better place to play an outdoor game than in Denver? Just watch out for the Chinook!
COLUMBUS: The Blue Jackets appear to be poised for greatness, if they can stay healthy enough.
DALLAS: The Stars will score, we know that. Will the Finns in goal (Lehtonen and Niemi) keep the other team from doing the same?
DETROIT: Red Wings want to prove it’s the players, not the plan, that makes this team playoff-worthy as the post-Babcock era starts.
EDMONTON: McDavid and Sekera on the ice, Chiarelli and McLellan off the ice. This is the new age in for the Oilers.
FLORIDA: Has Dale Tallon accumulated the best crop of young talent in the NHL, and surrounded them with strong veteran presences like Jagr and Mitchell?
LOS ANGELES: Milan Lucic playing for Darryl Sutter could be explosive for the Kings in the West. Like nitroglycerin.
MINNESOTA: Ryan Suter just might be the best defenceman in the NHL, so why hasn’t he won the Norris?
MONTREAL: Marc Bergevin has always been labelled a great evaluator of talent. His reputation might be cemented if he can turn around flawed forwards Semin and Kassian.
NASHVILLE: If Peter Laviolette can do for Cody Hodgson what he did for Mike Ribeiro, he’s not a coach, he’s a magician.
NEW JERSEY: It is really strange to talk Devils hockey without Lou Lamoriello. If anyone can pick up the pieces, Ray Shero is the man.
NY ISLANDERS: The move to Brooklyn hasn’t been received well, but the product on the ice will be so good, people will gladly exchange the old rink for victories.
NY RANGERS: Alain Vigneault might have the league’s best defence, and his forwards got younger. But are they better?
OTTAWA: The Senators’ scouts have done an amazing job re-tooling this team. Karlsson, Zibanejad, Lazar, Stone, Hoffman … poised to be stars for years to come.
PHILADELPHIA: Ron Hextall is being deliberate in rebuilding the once proud franchise. It will happen, eventually.
PITTSBURGH: Is there any better story in hockey than the return of Pascal Dupuis? Hockey doesn’t have a “Comeback Player” award, but it should. And he should win it.
SAN JOSE: It will come down to Big Joe, Little Joe and Martin Jo…nes.
ST.LOUIS: While he won’t admit it, the person most surprised he’s still in St. Louis is Ken Hitchcock. He’s been given more character players to take one more crack at winning.
TAMPA BAY: The Steven Stamkos saga might overshadow the best new act: “Jon Cooper and the Triplets.” But you have to know the Lightning are poised for greatness.
TORONTO: Shanahan, Lamoriello, Babcock. Big names with a big job to do. They are being smart in trying to under-promise and over-deliver.
VANCOUVER: This edition of the Canucks is truly Jim Benning’s team, it has just taken him a year to structure this club (on and off the ice) to his liking.
WASHINGTON: Barry Trotz’s fingerprints were all over last season’s Caps. Can he will his players for a second straight season of career years?
WINNIPEG: To me, the Jets have such depth in goal. Beyond Pavalec and Hutchinson, Hellebuyck and Comrie have this team set in the crease for a decade.
