*cricket sounds*...nothin', eh? Well, anyway, lets get rolling with this...
After a long, pointless lockout, the NHL is finally ready to roll out the new season. This time, no ESPN, but now its OLN and NBC (wait...FUCK, I don't have OLN...oh well, maybe Fox Sports Net will have some decent games)
So, lets get down to who's gonna take Lord Stanley's prize:
- -Eastern Conference-
- --Atlantic Division--
- ---New Jersey: They just lost Stevens, so the Devils will probably won't be top notch this year. Then again, Gomez and Brodeur will probably be some good support.
- ---New York (Islanders): DiPietro got resigned today, good for the Islanders, plus Satan (pronounced Suhtan for those of you) and Zhitnik.
- ---New York (Rangers): Sad to say, but another year of sitting on their asses waiting for the next paycheck is probably not a good idea for the Rangers. Btw, Jagr...you're a fucking whore...you don't deserve $8.4 mil. for your salary if you don't do JACK SHIT!
- ---Philadelphia: The smartest team during the offseason, they got almost every good player, the Flyers will dominate this year, probably even taking the Cup.
- ---Pittsburgh: Another dominating team, and yes, they have Crosby. LeClair, Gonchar, Lemieux, Malone, lots of good players. This will be the Flyers rival this year.
- --Northeast Division--
- ---Boston: They'll be ok...maybe...not too much good talent...but the Bruins will make a worthy opponent
- ---Buffalo: Again, not too many superstars, but the Sabres are probably not gonna go too well this year. With time, they will...
- ---Montreal: I always see the Canadiens (Montreal's team, that is) having some kind of secret every year. I don't know what it is yet, but what I do know is they have Theodore at the nets, and Koivu and Kovalev at the front line. Good things are bound to happen
- ---Ottawa: Ah, the Senators. My most favorite team. Recently got Heatly, so thats a big plus...however, if Hasek has another groin injury like last season, they're in big trouble.
- ---Toronto: The Maple Leafs also had some good buys during the offseason, not as great as the Flyers, but we'll see. Got guys like Lindros, Nolan, Belfour, and O'Neill.
- --Southeast Division--
- ---Atlanta: Oh man, the Thrashers are going to dominate the Southeast Division. Man, you have to see this roster: Sutton, Kovalchuk, Mellanby, I mean, damn man...
- ---Carolina: Please...we don't need this team...send them back to Hartford...FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...PLEASE!!!
- ---Florida:...this one's hard...because the Panthers pretty much have Luongo...oh, and Nieuwendyk. So they'll be so-so.
- ---Tampa Bay: Defending Champions, still contenders. Lecavalier, St. Louis, Modin, Richards, etc. Probably maybe 2nd in the SE, close to 1st.
- ---Washington:...um...er...hmm...let me put it this way...it's not their time...pretty much the whipping boy of the NHL. Sorry, Capitals, you'll get your chance.
- -Western Conference-
- --Central Division--
- ---Chicago: eh...Aucoin, Khabibulin...can't complain...
- ---Cloumbus: The Blue Jackets are on their way to become a top contender: Nash, Marchant, Hrdina, Foote.
- ---Detroit: Fairly decent, not to bad, lost some good players...
- ---Nashville: Probably another top contender, Eaton and Markov are good players.
- --St. Louis: Macinnis just announced his retirement today, but I didn't see him as much of a factor for the Blues (to tell you the truth, I thought he retired already). But, there's still hopefuls, like Salvador, Tkachuk, Weight, and Brewer.
- --Northwest Division--
- ---Calgary: Turek and Kipursoff are some good goalies. There's also Iginlia, Langkow, and Hamrlik. The Flames will do ok.
- ---Colorado: They'll bomb...lost A LOT of good players. Aebischer, Sakic, Blake, and Tanguay are some good picks, but the Avalanche are still probably gonna bomb.
- ---Edmonton: Same Oilers as always...not that great. Conklin, Peca, Smyth, and Pronger are some good picks though.
- ---Minnesota: I don't see too much in the Wild right now, but we'll see. White and Gaborik...yeah, thats pretty much about.
- ---Vancouver: The Canucks made some good moves during the off-season. They have Bertuzzi (which, btw, after seeing that hit he made that caused that concussion, THAT WAS A CLEAN HIT), Cloutier (watch the PIM on him
), Salo, The Sedin bros., Naslund, and Jovanovski. - --Pacific Division--
- ---Anaheim: Thank God their license with Disney expired. Now I don't have to hear people on campus going for the Ducks. They'll suck, through and through. Yet, the Niedermeyer bros. are playing for them, and so is Sykora and Ozolinsh, so we'll see.
- ---Dallas: The Stars will do ok, not great but ok. Modano, Guerin, Turco, Zubov, and Arnott are some great players.
- ---Los Angeles: The Kings have Roenick, Robitaille (who, btw, is one of the owners of the Omaha Lancers here), and Bure. You'll see some improvement in this team.
- ---Phoenix: Before I say anything about the Coyotes...YES, I KNOW GRETZKY IS COACHING THEM...big fucking deal. That ain't gonna do jack-shit for the Coyotes. However, Ricci, Nedved, Doan, and Morris may...
- ---San Jose: I feel bad for the Sharks. They lost some good players, when they really didn't have any problems concearning the lockout and the free agent situations. But, maybe their planning a diabolical plan (*shifting eyes*). Let's see...they have Cheechoo, Marleau, McLaren, Primeau, and Sturm, they'll do pretty good.
And, If there was a name I left off from a team that you think deserves to be one of the top players on that team, feel free to yell at me.
