IC Radio: Western Conference Preview

The following team previews have been paraphrased from Saturday’s Illegal Curve Hockey Show Season Preview. Download the podcast from IllegalCurve.com or subscribe to the Illegal Curve Hockey Show on iTunes.

Central Division

St. Louis Blues

Last season: Place in NHL 3^rd, Goals for rank 21^st, Goals against 1^st, Power play 19^th, Penalty kill 7^th, Face-offs 14^th.

Additions: Wade Redden, Jeff Woywitka

Subtractions: BJ Crombeen,

Drew: The big addition will be Vladimir Tarsenko who is their 2010 first rounder.

Ezzy: They don’t have any superstars, but are so strong at every position. They are like the Boston Bruins of the Western Conference. I think they are going to be a top 4 team in the West for sure.

Richard: I really like this team; they have depth, speed, size. I think this team wins the division.

Nashville Predators

Last season: Place in NHL 5^th, Goals for rank 8^th, Goals against 8^th, Power play 1^st, Penalty kill 10^th, Face-offs 22^nd.

Additions: Chris Mason, Scott Hannan

Subtractions: Ryan Suter, Alex Radulov, Anders Lindback, Andrei Kostitsyn, Francois Boullion

Drew: How far is the drop for the Nashville Predators?

Ezzy: Shea Weber wins the Norris Trophy finally this year. The Nashville Predators are still good defensively, I just don’t think they have enough firepower to make up for the loss of Ryan Suter. I think they are going to miss the playoffs this year.

Richard: They lost a lot of offense. But in determining whether or not they can be a playoff team, they were top ten in every category last year except for face-offs. The truth of the matter is, if they drop down to the middle of the pack, they could still make the playoffs. I don’t think the West is as good as it was last year. Nashville is a team where if they bet against you, they’ll end up making it.

Chicago Blackhawks

Last season: Place in NHL 10^th, Goals for rank 5^th Goals against 22^nd, Power play 26^th, Penalty kill 27^th, Face-offs 12^th.

Additions: Sheldon Brookbank

Subtractions: Sami Lepisto

Ezzy: The Hawks are a number one goaltender away from being a Stanley Cup Winner. Bold prediction: The Blackhawks will acquire a goaltender.

Richard: I think the Hawks are an aimless team, what has Stan Bowman done to make this team productive? It’s a hodgepodge of talent, how do they fill out the bottom of the roster? What about the goaltending? I think Quenneville will be the first coach to get fired this season. I think the Blackhawks miss the playoffs.

Detroit Red Wings

Last season: Place in NHL 8^th, Goals for rank 7^th, Goals against 7^th, Power play 22^nd, Penalty kill 18^th, Face-offs 6^th.

Additions: Jonas Gustavsson, Mikael Samuelsson, Damien Brunner,

Subtractions: Nik Lidstrom, Jiri Hudler, Brad Stuart

Richard: I think Detroit makes the playoffs.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last season: Place in NHL 30^th, Goals for rank 26^th, Goals against rank 28^th, Power play 24^th, Penalty Kill 30^th, Face-offs 9^th.

Additions: Artem Anisimov, Adrian Aucoin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixon, Nick Foligno

Subtractions: Rick Nash, Mark Methot, Curtis Sanford

Ezzy: The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t make the playoffs this year, everyone is picking them last. It’s a transition year. I can’t go against the grain; I think they’ll be one of the bottom teams.

Richard: They will be harder to beat this year, overall they are better, I think Columbus will surprise some teams and are making progress, but they won’t make the playoffs.

Northwest Division

Vancouver Canucks

Last season: Place in NHL 1^st, Goals for rank 5^th, Goals against rank 4^th, Power play 4^th, Penalty kill 6^th, Face-offs 3^rd.

Additions: Jason Garrison

Subtractions: Sami Pahlsson, Marc-Andre Gagnani, Aaron Rome

Drew: The Northwest was probably the worst and most top heavy division last year; looking at the Vancouver Canucks roster, is there any way they can replicate being the first overall team this year?

Ezzy: The injury to Ryan Kesler is a huge concern because they don’t know when he is coming back. If he comes back in March, will the Canucks even make the playoffs? The second line is such a huge drop off, their elite status is in question and it concerns me that they haven’t done much to improve. I think the Canucks take a step back this year.

Richard: There are some serious question marks after the first line, but you look at their defense, it’s a pretty darn good top four and their goaltending is solid. I don’t think the window has closed on them, but it’s closing. It’s highly dependent on if Alain Vingeault adjusts his style of play.

Calgary Flames

Last season: Place in NHL 18^th, Goals for rank 24^th, Goals against 13^th, Power play 13^th, Penalty kill 9^th, Face-offs 30^th.

Additions: Roman Cervenka, Jiri Hudler, Dennis Wideman

Subtractions: Scott Hannan, David Moss, Olli Jokinen

Drew: Is this the same Calgary Flames where they are fighting tooth and nail to get to the 8^th seed in the playoffs and fall short.

Richard: I like the Bob Hartley hire, I don’t like the contracts they gave out, but I like the players they acquired. They will coach offense for the first time in a while. The issue I have is that the strength of successful franchises is at the centre position. They finished 30^th in face-offs last year because they have a number of players (i.e. Tanguay) playing out of position. They’re probably back to a similar situation from years past.

Ezra: I don’t think that their secondary scoring is good enough. Again, they will be in that 9^th or 10^th position.

Colorado Avalanche

Last season: Place in NHL 20^th, Goals for rank 24^th, Goals against rank 15^th, Power play 9^th, Penalty kill 12^th, Face-offs 5^th.

Additions: John Mitchell, PA Parenteau, Greg Zanon

Subtractions: Peter Mueller, Jay McClement

Drew: Colorado is still not quite at a playoff team level, but are they on their way up?

Ezzy: The Colorado Avalanche are a team that has tons of skill, I think they will be better this year. It will be tough for them to make the playoffs, but they have tons of young offensive talent. They will be better than last year, but still out of a playoff spot.

Richard: Their season will hinge on whether or not a guy like Matt Duchene can take the next step. Their goaltending holds them back.

Minnesota Wild

Last season: Place in NHL 24^th, Goals for rank 30^th, Goals against 13^th, Power play 27^th, Penalty kill 15^th, Face-offs 8^th.

Additions: Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Zenon Kenopka, Torrey Mitchell

Subtractions: Erik Christensen, Guillaume Latandresse, Mike Lundin

Drew: Will Suter and Parise be enough to propel them into a playoff spot?

Richard: Last season they were 30^th in goals for. I definitely see improvement for the Wild, but the question is; how much improvement?

Ezzy: When you add superstars Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, they will obviously get better. They were the best team in the NHL last season until they came to Winnipeg. They are a bottom playoff team, or just outside with Calgary. It’s tough not to pick them for a drastic improvement after the additions of Suter and Parise.

Edmonton Oilers

Last season: Place in NHL 29^th, Goals for rank 19^th, Goals against 23^rd, Power play 3^rd, Penalty killing 14^th, Face-offs 27^th.

Additions: Justin Schultz, Nail Yakupov

Subtractions: None

Drew: Are they youthful enough to get into the playoffs?

Richard: They have speed, youth and energy in a shortened season. I see this team being able to threaten to win the division, they will make the playoffs. Bold prediction: Who’s to say Hall won’t score 40 goals (or the pro-rated equivalent for the shortened season).

Ezzy: Because they have so much offensive talent, they will make the playoffs. It’s not time to order the Stanley Cup rings yet, but two or three years from now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were lifting the Stanley Cup.

Pacific Division

Phoenix Coyotes

Last season: Place in NHL 11^th, Goals for rank 18^th, Goals against 5^th, Power play 29^th, Penalty kill 8^th, Face-offs 15^th.

Additions: Zybanek Michalek, David Moss, Steve Sullivan

Subtractions: Ray Whitney, Adrian Aucoin, Taylor Pyatt

Drew: Much like the Nashville Predators, each year people are wondering when the Coyotes will take a step back; is this the year they take a step backwards?

Richard: Their bread is buttered on the defensive side of the puck–can Mike Smith keep it up?. With Sean Burke mentoring him, and Dave Tippett being the best coach in the league, I don’t see how you can go against them.

Ezzy: My bread is buttered by peanut butter.

San Jose Sharks

Last season: Place in NHL 12^th, Goals for rank 13^th, Goals against 8^th, Power play 2^nd, Penalty kill 29^th, Face-offs 2^nd.

Additions: Brad Stuart, Adam Burish

Subtractions: Torrey Mitchell, Daniel Winnik

Drew: Every year, people say the San Jose Sharks should do better than they do in the playoffs–is this the year they take the next step in the playoffs?

Richard: I like the team top to bottom, but Thornton has proven year after year that he can’t do it in the playoffs. Larry Robinson should go a long way and is probably their biggest offseason addition. The issue is, can they win when it matters most? I think they’ve missed their chance.

Ezzy: I still think they will make the playoffs, but it comes down to Thornton, Marleau and Pavelski along with Logan Couture. In a shortened season, teams that didn’t make that many changes are at an advantage, San Jose is such a good veteran team, they’ll make the playoffs, but will fall short as they have continued to do year after year.

Los Angeles Kings

Last season: Place in NHL 13^th, Goals for rank 29^th, Goals against 2^nd, Power play 17^th, Penalty kill 4^th, Face-offs 7^th.

Drew: Is it possible that the LA Kings are better this year than last year because they’ll get a full season out of Jeff Carter?

Ezzy: It will be difficult for LA to repeat, but the big additions they made were at the end of last season. They are a top team; I have them winning the division.

Richard: “They are strong up the middle, with great defensemen and goaltending. I don’t see any reason why they don’t continue their success.”

Dallas Stars

Last season: Place in NHL 18^th, Goals for 22^nd, Goals against 15^th, Power play 30^th, Penalty kill 13^th, Face-offs 20^th.

Additions: Derek Roy, Ray Whitney, Jaromir Jagr, Aaron Rome, Cody Eakin

Subtractions: Mike Ribeiro, Steve Ott, Sheldon Souray, Adam Pardy, Adam Burish, Jamie Benn?

Drew: With all of their offseason moves, are the Dallas Stars a playoff team?

Ezzy: Jagr and Whitney had good years last year, but they were acquired to sell tickets. I don’t think they have enough talent offensively, especially without Benn.

Richard: I think they do make the playoffs. Last year they were short on offensive talent, their top two lines if Benn is signed are solid. Combined with goaltending, I like this Dallas squad; I think they make the playoffs.

Anaheim Ducks

Last season: Place in NHl 26^th, Goals for rank 23^rd, Goals against 19^th, Power play 21^st, Penalty kill 16^th, Face-offs 28^th.

Additions: Sheldon Souray, Bryan Allen, Daniel Winnik, Brad Staubitz

Subtractions: Lubomir Visnovsky, Sheldon Brookbank, George Parros

Drew: Any reason you see any improvement from the Ducks?

Richard: It can’t get any worse, especially with Getzlaf and Perry. I don’t see them as a playoff team, but they will be more competitive than last year.

Ezzy: They aren’t going to make the playoffs, the question will be will they trade Getzlaf and/or Perry, this year’s Parise and Suter.