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| Rick Nash aims to put the Rangers over the top. Copyright Getty Images |
Hockey Night In Canada features Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” while rolling in our favorite highlights of the coolest sport on Earth. The classic 90’s slogan which fired up diehard puckers everywhere. Tomorrow, the NHL can finally put the lockout in the rear view mirror when the game’s best take center stage in what promises to be a chaotic shortened season.
For the first time since ’95, the league will play a condensed schedule. Teams will play a hectic 48 games over 99 days. Who will it benefit? Logic says the best conditioned clubs who are mentally prepared for a heavy workload. It should be unpredictable due to the uncertainty of players. Some might be more up to speed while others struggle to catch up. Injuries could play a significant role- putting an emphasis on depth.
If health is a key, then coming out of the gate fast should definitely benefit clubs. As Rangers coach John Tortorella and Devils GM Lou Lamoriello stressed during interviews with WFAN’s Mike Francesa, you don’t want to fall behind. It’s much different than a full 82 when recent Stanley Cup winners the ’09 Pens and last year’s ’12 Kings used strong finishes to come out on top.
It will be a mad scramble to the finish line. For favorites like the Kings, Rangers, Penguins and Canucks, they better establish themselves early. Otherwise, all bets are off. Anything can happen under a condensed schedule. Tortorella expects something crazy and so do I. It doesn’t always go according to plan. The Kings and Devils proved that last year. It’s all about timing. There’s just less margin for error.
Close buddy Patrick Hickey takes a look at some of the big questions entering 2013. We didn’t get to answer the obvious ones about the Rangers and Rick Nash. But did give our input on whether Tuukka Rask can fill Tim Thomas’ big skates in Boston. You’ll get a kick out of Mr. Hickey’s final topic regarding ex-Wild defenseman turned Sharks caveman Brent Burns. Maybe he’s trying to get Joe Thornton’s attention.
Can Nash put the Blueshirts over the top? Does a healthy Sidney Crosby mean the Pens win their second Cup in five years? How long will Roberto Luongo stay in Vancouver and when does Toronto acquire him? Do two Staal brothers equal success in Raleigh? Is the universe alright for Ilya Bryzgalov? Have we forgotten about Alexander Ovechkin? How much will the Wings miss Nicklas Lidstrom? Will the Kings become the first repeat winner since Detroit (’97, ’98). All this and more in our NHL Preview.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
+1.Rangers Stronger goaltending and D than Pittsburgh. Nash helps.
*2.Bruins Rask can steal games. Strong team led by Chara overlooked.
*3.Capitals Healthy Backstrom and motivated Ovechkin. Is Holtby legit?
4.Penguins Vokoun keeps Fleury on toes. Sid, Geno and Letang.
5.Flyers Depends on Schenn, Couturier and Mr. Universe.
6.Hurricanes Staal and Semin. Young D. Ward must perform.
7.Lightning Lindback improves goaltending. Stronger D (Carle, Salo).
8.Devils Here on merit. Questionable scoring. Elias/Brodeur/Clarkson keys.
9.Sabres Is Hodgson a top center? Young talent could sneak them in.
10.Senators Are Karlsson and Spezza enough? Big things expected for Silverberg.
11.Panthers A step back for division winner due to goaltending and D.
12.Canadiens Grittier (Prust, Armstrong). Younger (Galchenyuk, Gallagher). Better?
13.Jets Olli Jokinen doesn’t help their Achilles heel on blueline.
14.Maple Leafs they’ll score more with JVR but are a disaster everywhere else.
15.Islanders Tavares show. Visnovsky distraction won’t help.
+Conference winner
*Division winner
EASTERN PLAYOFFS
(1) Rangers over (8) Devils in 6
(2) Bruins over (7) Lightning in 5
(6) Canes over (3) Caps in 7
(4) Pens over (5) Flyers in 6
(1) Rangers over (6) Canes in 5
(2) Bruins over (4) Pens in 7
(1) Rangers over (2) Bruins in 6
WESTERN CONFERENCE
+1.Red Wings No Lidstrom. No problem. Is Howard ready for primetime?
*2.Canucks Even with injuries, still tops out Northwest. Strong D.
*3.Kings Will get competition from Phoenix. Kopitar is the key to repeat chances.
4.Blues Strong on D and in net. Will they score enough?
5.Hawks A healthy Hossa and Toews. Crawford remains giant question.
6.Coyotes Sullivan replaces Whitney. Solid defensively. Can Smith repeat?
7.Sharks Hate their roster. Hard to go against Clowe, Couture and Pavelski.
8.Avalanche Great talent (Duchene, Landeskog, McGinn). Still must sign O’Reilly.
9.Predators Rinne and Weber must dominate. Traditionally a second half team.
10.Stars Big changes (Jagr, Roy, Whitney). Is it enough?
11.Wild Suter anchors underrated D. Goaltending. Parise should help.
12.Oilers The best young talent might surprise if Schultz is ready.
13.Ducks Best offseason move was hiring Niedermayer. Perry will re-sign. Getzlaf?
14.Flames They’re old. Overpaid Hudler. Poor Jarome and Miikka.
15.Blue Jackets Bobrovsky is in for a long year. Johansen emerges.
+Conference winner
*Division winner
WESTERN PLAYOFFS
(8) Avs over (1) Wings in 6
(2) Canucks over (7) Sharks in 4
(3) Kings over (6) Yotes in 5
(5) Hawks over (4) Blues in 7
(2) Canucks over (8) Avs in 5
(3) Kings over (5) Hawks in 6
(2) Canucks over (3) Kings in 7
STANLEY CUP (2) Canucks over (1) Rangers in 7
Conn Smythe-Daniel Sedin
Calder-Mikael Granlund
Selke-Jordan Staal
Norris-Kris Letang
Vezina-Jon Quick
Hart-Sidney Crosby
Byng-Teemu Selanne
Adams-Joe Sacco
hasan4978
Derek
Battle Of Hudson 
I don't see the Wings beating out St. Louis or Chicago at all…no Lidstrom, Holmstrom and Stuart is going to be a struggle, even for them. They still have a good offense and decent goaltending but I see them as more like a fifth seed. I could see the Kings doing a reverse of last year, a dominant regular season and get picked off early in the playoffs, kinda like Boston last year only without the second-half contreversy. I do think Boston bounces back with a loaded team and without the Thomas distraction.Kings – loaded team with plenty of rest and time to get rid of SC hangoverBlues – solid team all around, few will be more prepared than HitchCanucks – win their division on talent, and taking advantage of other flawed teamsSharks – they might be the Caps of last year, a talented team that surprises with no expectationsHawks – I think Crawford will be fine, or at least closer to two years ago than last year and they're still very talentedCoyotes – I can't picture them not missing Whitney, but they always seem to get the most out of what they haveWings – Despite their post-Lidstrom issues, can't see Zetterberg/Datsyuk/etc missing entirelyWild – Parise/Suter plus all the young guys like Granlund/Spurgeon and a healthy Koivu is enoughKings 4, Wild 2Blues 4, Detroit 1Canucks 4, Phoenix 3Sharks 4, Chicago 3Sharks 4, Kings 2Blues 4, Canucks 2Blues 4, Sharks 1Not really going to bother to go through the east other than Boston winning, and probably winning another Cup.
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Interesting picks. You might be right on Detroit. They're in a very tough division. Boston I was this close to taking. They'll be tough. Looks like neither of us think Nashville makes it. You took the Wild for the reasons I stated. I took the talented Avs who need to sign O'Reilly.
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