Quest For The Stanley Cup: Western Conference Preview

Wednesday, October 03, 2007
By Captain Canada

With the National Hockey League season less than a week away, Captain Canada continues in a series of editorials aimed to prepare hockey fans for the exciting season ahead. Today, The Captain previews all 15 teams in the Western Conference and offers his fearless predictions.

San Jose: The Sharks are gifted in all facets of the game. Joe Thornton and Jonathon Cheechoo are a formidable one-two punch and spearhead an absolutely deadly power play unit. The defense is young mobile, and talented. Evgeni Nabokov is a reliable goaltender. In a tough Western Conference, this squad returns virtually all its players, which means they are comfortable in their system and should come out of the gates flying. No question this team will excel during the regular season, but is this finally the year Thornton overcomes his playoff failures to lift his team to the Stanley Cup? Only time will tell. Captain Canada says FIRST in the West!

Detroit: The NHL's most consistent franchise has made it to the post-season for 16 years straight, and this season will be no different. The Wings defense defies the biological clock with 37 year old Nicklas Lidstrom still playing at a Norris Trophy level and 45 year old Chris Chelios contributing valuable minutes. 42 year old Dominik Hasek returns and as long as he remains healthy, he is one of the best in the business. The offense is spearheaded by Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. If they can get offensive production from the other lines, this team is capable of hoisting The Cup come June. Captain Canada says SECOND in the West!

Calgary: This is amongst the most talented teams in the NHL. Jarome Iginla is a force offensively and he has a stellar supporting cast. Few teams will light it up more than this bunch. Dion Phaneuf and Robin Regehr lead the charge on D, and Miika Kiprusoff is a goaltender with proven ability to excel in the post-season. The addition of Coach Mike Keenan is the wild card. Can he light a fire under a bunch that under achieved in 2006-2007? Captain Canada says THIRD in the West!

Colorado: Hockey fever has returned to the city of Denver, and with good reason. The Avs came on strong in the second half last year, narrowly missing the playoffs in a tough conference. Adding gritty yet talented forward Ryan Smyth and defenseman Scott Hannan to a team with the likes of Joe Sakic and youngster Paul Stastny all but ensures that this squad will still be playing hockey in the spring. The big question mark is between the pipes. Can Peter Budaj excel as an everyday backstopper? We're about to find out. Captain Canada says FOURTH in the West!

Anaheim: The Ducks take to the ice looking to defend their title, but there are question marks. Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne are still in limbo as they decide whether to retire or return for another run at Lord Stanley's mug. So there is increased pressure for star defensemen Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin to lead the charges night in and night out. They did add aging veterans Mathieu Schneider and Todd Bertuzzi, but the latter in particular could be subtraction by addition. It will be tough to repeat even if the big two return, but forget about it if they don't. Captain Canada says FIFTH in the West!

Nashville: This team was primed for a Stanley Cup run a season ago, but they stumbled yet again in the post-season, losing in the first round. Mass exodus followed, with their top two forwards and #1 goalie leaving town. How do you replace Forsberg, Kariya, and Vokoun? You don't. But Nashville still has its defense intact, with Shea Weber emerging as the quarterback of a mobile and hard hitting unit. The forwards are still capable of lighting it up, and the addition of Martin Gelinas gives this bunch a leader with proven playoff pedigree. Don't count this bunch out quite yet. Captain Canada says SIXTH in the West!

Minnesota: Being a Jacques Lemaire coached squad, the emphasis is always on team defense, and this unit will be no exception. They were #1 in goals against a year ago, and will be near that mark again. As for the offense? Marian Gaborik is a gem, and he seems to have found his niche alongside Pavel Demitra. The scoring thins out after the top line, but as long as everyone sticks to Coach Lemaire's system, they should make the post-season again. It will be tough to build on last year's 104 point outing though. Captain Canada says SEVENTH in the West!

St Louis: This is a hockey team on the rise. Coach Andy Murray had his squad playing with confidence in the second half of the season, and all the pieces are in place for that trend to continue. The defense is steady from top to bottom, with rookie Eric Johnson set to contribute from the get go. The addition of Paul Kariya up front should pay huge dividends. If Manny Legace remains healthy in goal, this could be the surprise team in the league. Captain Canada says EIGHTH in the West!

Vancouver: It's nice to have an MVP caliber goaltender such as Roberto Luongo, but what else does this squad bring to the table? Markus Naslund's skills are eroding, leaving the Sedin twins as the only legitimate scoring threats. But in the grand scheme of things, the Sedin's form a well below average one-two punch, supported by a well below average supporting cast on offense. The defense remains strong, but they will need another career year from Luongo just to repeat last year's success, let alone building on it. Captain Canada says NINTH in the West!

Los Angeles: The Kings longest winning streak last year was two games, which tells you all you need to know about the 2006-2007 season. But a closer look reveals a future with promise. Tom Preissing and Brad Stuart join an emerging crew of defensemen led by former Norris Trophy winner Rob Blake and potential future winner Lubomir Visnovsky. Don't forget Jack Johnson, a towering defenseman who could compete for Rookie of the Year. On offense, Anze Kopitar leads a slew of young talented forwards. If Dan Cloutier has a comeback year between the pipes, we may need to make room for a third playoff team from the State of California. Captain Canada says TENTH in the West!

Dallas: Can a team with aging veterans, solid team defense and proven goaltending compete for a playoff spot? No doubt Marty Turco is a great goalie, and no doubt the defense will form a tight noose around their star backstopper. So Dallas will be tough to score against. They'll need to be, because the offense lacks firepower. They continue to turn to Mike Modano to lead them offensively, but the former superstar is showing his age. Deep in the heart of Texas, the stars may not shine brightly this hockey season. Captain Canada says ELEVENTH in the West!

Columbus: The Jackets present a challenge for Coach Ken Hitchcock. The team is thin on proven talent, but there are an abundance of youngsters that need to be seasoned. Rick Nash is the lone superstar, but Nash has yet to play a full season for a coach who demands a two way game, as Hitchcock surely will. If Nash leads by example, there could finally be a light at the end of the tunnel and a playoff berth can finally be achieved. Next year, that is. Captain Canada says TWELVTH in the West!

Chicago: How far can the Blackhawks youngsters take this hockey team? #1 overall pick Patrick Kane and standout Jonathon Toews are the new faces of this franchise, and they will be looked to contribute from the start. Martin Havlat remains the top player, but the additions of Robert Lang and Yanic Perreault won't be enough to make this team competitive. But with the youngsters on board, optimism is abound in Chicago for the first time in a decade. Captain Canada says THIRTEENTH in the West!

Phoenix: The Great One returns to coach a team that appears to be rebuilding. Shane Doan and Ed Jovanovski are both go to players who wear their hearts on the sleeve, but the talent is thin all around them. The defense should be better than last season, but goals will be at a premium. The Coyotes will need to improve immensely on special teams, as they were near the bottom in both power play and penalty kill. It should be another long season for Coach Gretzky and his troops. Captain Canada says FOURTEENTH in the West!

Edmonton: Sixteen months removed from a Stanley Cup final appearance, the landscape has shifted dramatically for this storied franchise. They were last in the league in goals scored last year, with no significant help on the horizon. They've added Sheldon Souray on defense, but is that even a positive given his tendency to turn over the puck in the neutral zone? The Oilers will scratch and claw for a few wins, but the playoffs will be a pipe dream before the snow hits the ground. Captain Canada says FIFTEENTH in the West!