In anticipation of the new NHL season, sportsnet.ca previews a division a day leading up to opening night.
The Southeast Division is home to the most-electrifying player in the league, but last season proved that depth and goaltending will trump raw talent in a seven game series. Alex Ovechkin will likely lead the league in goals, but he will also need to up his assist tally if the Capitals want to progress. In Tampa Bay, new defenceman Victor Hedman joins sophomore Steven Stamkos and all-star Vincent Lecavalier while fellow Floridians, the Panthers, try to move on without Jay Bouwmeester.
As for the Hurricanes, solid goaltender is all the ‘Canes can hang its hat on going into the new year. Then there is the Thrashers …
By Mike Brophy, sportsnet.ca columnist
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
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Inch by inch the Washington Capitals are creeping closer to a Stanley Cup.
With a wealth of young talent, including the most electrifying player in the world in Alexander Ovechkin, the Caps have served notice they are not only a good team, but they are getting better. And when they peak, they should be good for a long, long time.
All of that said, it was bitter disappointment that met the Capitals at the end of last season when they bowed out of the playoffs in a bitter seventh game defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins and then had to watch as the Pens dethroned the Detroit Red Wings to win the Cup. A season of very high hopes came to a crashing halt.
Washington coach Bruce Boudreau has gone on record as saying he hopes the Conference Semifinals loss to the Penguins is motivation for his team to go all the way this season.
Burning Questions:
What does Ovechkin have to do to take his game to the next level?
If he never changed a single aspect of his game, Ovechkin would remain one of the best players to ever skate in the NHL. But if he wants to win, he has to learn to use those around him better. There is a tendency for the best players, regardless of the sport, to try to take on too much when things aren’t going well for their team. We saw evidence of that against Pittsburgh when Ovechkin tried to beat Pittsburgh all by himself. But history shows the game’s best players, from Gordie Howe to Bobby Orr to Wayne Gretzky to Mario Lemieux, all looked for help at crunch time. That doesn’t mean he has to critically alter his game, but he may want to re-think taking a low percentage shot over making a high percentage pass.
Will the Capitals miss Sergei Fedorov?
Absolutely! There’s no question the 18-year veteran slowed down over the years, but his effect is not only felt on the ice, but off the ice, too. He is a leader, a solid defensive citizen and can fill in on defence when necessary. All good things come to an end and obviously Federov wasn’t going to play forever. It will be interesting, though, to see who steps up to replace his lost leadership.
Perhaps newcomer Mike Knuble?
Does Mike Green have some making up to do after a disappointing playoff performance?
The past is the past. Indeed, after scoring 31 goals and 73 points in 68 regular season games, his output of one goal and nine points in the playoffs was disappointing. What Green needs to do is add a level of consistency and maturity to his game. He has the skill and creativity to be one of the best defencemen in the NHL for the next 10 years, but hockey is mental as well as physical.
Do the Capitals have the goaltending to go deep into the playoffs?
At this stage of the game there is no reason to believe goaltending will be anything except a question mark with Jose Theodore and Simeon Varlamov sharing the crease. Since winning the Hart and Vezina Trophies in 2002, it has been a bumpy ride. Varlamov actually looked pretty good when he was thrown to the wolves in the playoffs, but NHL history is riddled with one-hit wonders. It’s what you do over the long haul that determines your ultimate reputation. He is a work in progress.
How will the Capitals do?
When you think about the Capitals you obviously immediately think of Ovechkin. He is the face of the organization, if not the league. But the Capitals also have a couple of other emerging stars in Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom who also have Top 10 potential in terms of scoring and overall game. The Caps will be in the mix along with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to represent the East in the Stanley Cup final … if they get the goaltending.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
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You never really know what to expect from the Carolina Hurricanes. One year they are up, threaten to go deep into the playoffs, and the next year the ‘Canes disappear from the face of the earth.
Example: The Hurricanes went to the Stanley Cup final, losing in five games to Detroit in 2001-02 and then missed the playoffs the next two seasons. The ‘Canes won the Cup in 2005-06 and, you guessed it, missed the playoffs the next two seasons.
Well, the Hurricanes lost the conference final last season so can we expect to years of misery? Coach Paul Maurice, who had a wonderful affect on the team after replacing Peter Laviolette partway through last season, will do his best to see it doesn’t happen.
Burning Questions:
Does this pattern have to continue?
Of course not. When you have one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL in Cam Ward and one of the most gifted young forwards in Eric Staal, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be in the hunt for the playoffs. Still, the Hurricanes seem to have a number of veterans capable of flourishing or falling flat; the likes of Matt Cullen, Tuomu Ruutu, Sergei Samsonov, Erik Cole. One big worry is the lack of activity in the off-season to make the team better.
Is the defence a little too D-Lite to be a delight?
Gulp! Unless you think the return of 36-year-old Aaron Ward is the Hurricanes ticket back to the final, it could be a long year for Ward. Aside from Joe Corvo, who had 38 points in 81 games, and Joni Pitkanen, who had 33 points, there isn’t the potential for much production from the backline. Neither of those guys will ever be mistaken for a Norris Trophy winner.
Has Brind’Armour hit the wall?
If you want to tell him that, feel free, I certainly won’t. There’s no denying veteran centre Rod Brind’Armour suffered through a miserable season last year. Brind’Amour won’t be able to pile up points like he did in his prime, but he should be able to play the role of shutdown centre. To do that, though, his defensive play must be better than last season when he finished minus-23.
Can Ward save the day?
This could be a very interesting year for the fifth-year stopper. Although he won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2006, it wasn’t until last year when he emerged as one of the best goalies in the league. There are many, in fact, who believe he’s a solid candidate to be one of the three goalies for Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. But if his team is lousy, it could hurt his chances.
How will the Hurricanes do?
It is going to be awfully difficult for the Canes to make it back to the eastern final. Think about it, they finished sixth in the conference last season and there’s no reason to believe they’ll be any better of an 82-game season. That doesn’t mean they have to bottom out, but they have left themselves with a tough act to follow.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
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The Florida Panthers made strides under rookie coach Peter DeBoer last season, but all the good they accomplished was undermined by the fact they allowed defenceman Jay Bouwmeester to walk at the end of the year and got nothing in return.
Suggesting it was more important to the organization to try to make the playoffs, former GM Jacques Martin elected to keep Bouwmeester at the trade deadline rather than move him for a package that certainly would have helped the Panthers as early as this season. Well, you know what happened. The Panthers didn’t make the playoffs, Bouwmeester walked and Martin now coaches the Montreal Canadiens.
The Panthers have some quality young players and DeBoer is an excellent young coach. But at the end of the day they lack high-end top six forwards and with Bouwmeester gone, and not replaced, it is going to be tougher to keep pucks out of the net.
Also simmering is an ownership issue that could become huge as the season wears on. You think Phoenix has money problems.
Burning Questions:
Who replaces Bouwmeester’s 42 points on the year and 27 minutes of ice time per game?
Let’s see, Jordan Leopold? He had 24 points and averaged around 19 minutes per game with Colorado and Calgary last season. Ville Koistinen? He had 11 points and played 15 minutes per game with Nashville. Let’s be honest, the Panthers did nothing to replace Bouwmeester.
Can Stephen Weiss and Nathan Horton take their games to the next level?
The Panthers would like to think so, but both guys seem to be what they are and what they will be for the foreseeable future. That isn’t all bad, but neither has given any indication they can carry a club. Both a skilled and consistent, but are better suited to being second-liners. On the Panthers, they are expected to lead the way.
Will the goaltending be as strong as it was last season?
It can actually be better. Craig Anderson and Tomas Vokoun formed a nice 1-2 punch last season, but Anderson departed for Colorado. (Good luck with that move.) So in comes Scott Clemmenson, one of the great stories of last season when he filled in admirably for injured Martin Brodeur. Clemmenson demonstrated he belongs in the NHL and now it’s up to him to prove he deserves to be a starter. Or at list split the games.
Where do the Panthers need the most help?
Their top four centers, Weiss, Gregory Campbell, Karmil Kreps and Steve Reinprecht scored a grand total of 45 goals combined last season. That is one fewer than centre Jeff Carter scored for the Philadelphia Flyers. All of which makes it even more incomprehensible that the Panthers held on to Bouwmeester at the trade deadline.
How will the Panthers do?
Make it nine years in a row without playoffs. DeBoer will continue to teach the young players on this squad and they will scratch out their share of victories. But they simply don’t have enough talent or depth to make a serious run at the post-season. Even with Bouwmeester they couldn’t do it.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
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In four short seasons the Tampa Bay Lightning went from being Stanley Cup champs to a complete and utter joke. Starting with questionable ownership to a lack of direction to underachieving stars, the Lightning finished 29th out of thirty teams.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is GM Brian Lawton has retooled the club and there is every possibility the Lightning will not only compete for a playoff position, but could be one of the surprise teams in the league this season. On top of that, last year’s lousy season allowed them to choose defenceman Viictor Hedman second overall.
It is going to take some work, no question about it. But the Lightning has a number of proven veterans up front and should benefit from the addition of experienced Mattias Ohlund on the blueline. If Mike Smith comes through in net, eighth place should be attainable.
Burning Questions:
Can Vinny Lecavalier bounce back?
Shoulder woes coupled with trade rumors made it difficult for Lecavalier to play to his potential last season when he dipped to 29 goals from 40 the year before and 67 points from 92. Lecavalier is just 29 years old and, this being an Olympic year, you’d have to think he’ll want to put on a show to catch one of the centre jobs with Team Canada.
Will Steven Stamkos emerge as a star playing in the shadow of Lecavalier as the Lightning’s No. 2 centre?
Listen, if Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can coexist in Pittsburgh – and win a Stanley Cup – then you’d have to believe Lecavalier and Stamkos will be fine. After a slow start – largely because he didn’t get much playing time – Stamkos proved himself worthy of being the No. 1 overall selection in the 2008 finishing third in team scoring. He’ll improve on the 23 goals and 46 points he put up last year.
Can Hedman make an immediate impact?
You’d think a 6-6, 220-pound defenceman who some teams had ranked ahead of first overall pick John Tavares would be a lock to step in and become an instant star. But it doesn’t work that way. Being the second overall pick can be a little hit and miss. Bobby Ryan was chosen second overall and while he is now establishing himself with the Ducks, it took a while. Same goes for Jason Spezza. In Atlanta, Kari Lehtonen was selected second in 2002 and still hasn’t established himself as a top netminder. The Lightning was wise to bring in Ohlund to tutor the kid, though.
How effective will Rick Tocchet be as head coach?
One thing you know about Tocchet is players will things his way or they’ll be gone. Tocchet was a no-nonsense player and he’ll be the same as coach. While the team must improve on sits defensive play, it is worth noting the Lightning won a championship under John Tortorella who allowed his horses to run.
How will the Lightning do?
There is no reason to believe this team can’t make the playoffs providing Smith proves he’s a true starter and the stars up front play to their potential. Having a healthy Jeff Halpern as the team’s checking centre for a full year will help, too.
ATLANTA THRASHERS
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The Phoenix Coyotes are the NHL’s biggest black eye, but you don’t need to look too closely to see the Atlanta Thrashers aren’t too far behind.
They have been in the NHL for nine seasons and have made the playoffs once. Once! And that was three years ago.
They have one player of note, left winger Ilya Kovalchuk, and critics will tell you while he is a scoring machine, he is one-dimensional and doesn’t have a full understanding of the game. That said, we might never know if that is true until he is given a proper supporting cast.
This organization is living on borrowed time. There is very little interest in the Thrashers in Atlanta and chances are they will move before they ever make the playoffs.
Burning Questions:
Can Kovalchuk carry this team by himself?
There is no denying he is one of the most exciting and skilled offensive players in the NHL, but no player – not Mario Lemieux or Wayne Gretzky – can carry a team on his own. He is a scoring machine who can brings fans out of their seats with his electrifying rushes with the puck. But scoring 297 goals in 545 career games has led to the Thrashers playing in just four playoff games.
Will Kari Lehtonen ever live up to expectations?
He was hyped as the best player outside the NHL before his arrival, and that may have been the case. But he has yet to make an impact in the big leagues. Injuries have taken their toll on the second overall pick from 2002. As of September 14, Lehtonen is listed as day-to-day (back surgery). The feeling is he still has a chance to make good, but time is running out.
Who is running the show?
Well, Don Waddell is still the team’s GM, but Rick Dudley joined the organization as associate general manager and the feeling is he’ll have a huge say in the direction of the club. Dudley is a wonderful man, but the results simply have not been there under his direction. Also, John Anderson failed to have much of an impact in his first year as the team’s coach.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
When you finish as low as the Thrashers consistently do, you should be able to stock the shelves with quality young talent. In 2006 the Thrashers chose Bryan Little 12th overall and he scored 31 goals last season. Not bad. Zack Bogosian cracked the lineup as an 18-year-old defenceman and despite breaking his leg, he managed nine goals in 47 games. Evander Kane was the fourth overall pick last June and is a blue chip prospect.
How will the Thrashers do?
They will compete for last overall and the first pick in next June’s draft. Not only that, they will continue to fight for survival in a non-hockey market. Any way you paint it, the future looks bleak for the Thrashers in Atlanta.
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Poll
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Who will win the Southeast Division?
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