Media Rankings / Previews / Predictions 2008-09

[tmash]

How does the media think we'll do this year? Discuss, agree with, or rebut Power Rankings and other predictions made by media outlets here.

[amp73]

For what it's worth

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/20...761596-sun.html

POWER RANKINGS

1. Detroit: Wings look untouchable -- again.

2. San Jose: Time for talk to turn to action.

3. Anaheim: Still a force to be reckoned with.

4. Montreal: Habs won't be a surprise this year.

5. Pittsburgh: The young guns should still be firing.

6. Washington: Alex Ovechkin only gets better.

7. Dallas: The Stars are always contenders.

8. Philadelphia: Set up for a strong future.

9. N.Y. Rangers: They've made positive changes.

10. Ottawa: Still plenty of offensive power up front.

11. New Jersey: Martin Brodeur can go a long way.

12. Minnesota: Not exciting, but consistent.

13. Chicago: Might surprise with a playoff berth.

14. Calgary: Jarome Iginla is the key.

15. Carolina: Will find a way to bounce back.

16. Boston: Claude Julien has a hard-working team.

17. Phoenix: They'll push for a playoff spot again.

18. Tampa Bay: Will changes bring success?

19. Nashville: This ranking will get better.

20. Edmonton: Oilers have a lot to prove.

21. Buffalo: Not sure they will succeed this year.

22. Colorado: This team could take a shocking fall.

23. Florida: Are Jacques Martin's changes enough?

24. St. Louis: Paul Kariya has to be dominant again.

25. Islanders: Coach Scott Gordon has a big task.

26. Atlanta: Thrashers didn't do a lot to improve.

27. Toronto: The Leafs are going to fall fast.

28. Los Angeles: GM Dean Lombardi deserves better.

29. Vancouver: Mike Gillis is all talk, no action.

30. Columbus: Haven't made necessary improvements

[koreysecord1992]

No surprise...Montreal is beginning to get the recognition they deserve.

[Y-ASK-Y]

I liked this one:

"27. Toronto: The Leafs are going to fall fast. "

Good laugh for the day.

[GIJAYNE]

I liked this one:

"27. Toronto: The Leafs are going to fall fast. "

Good laugh for the day.

Last in the Conference...I don't like that one bit. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would hate to see them get a high/top draft pick.

Than again what do I care, they'll trade their prospect for some old geezer and sign him for 5mil a year...right?

[RadioHab]

Last in the Conference...I don't like that one bit. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would hate to see them get a high/top draft pick.

Than again what do I care, they'll trade their prospect for some old geezer and sign him for 5mil a year...right?

And give him a no trade clause!

[zenderjetta]

Why is Vancouver rated so low?? Last year they had an unbelievably bad string of injuries on D. An intact defense core this season should keep them from regressing that badly.

[ruuvimeisseli]

Why is Vancouver rated so low?? Last year they had an unbelievably bad string of injuries on D. An intact defense core this season should keep them from regressing that badly.

I agree i could see Vancouver be in 5th to 8th place.

[amp73]

Why is Vancouver rated so low?? Last year they had an unbelievably bad string of injuries on D. An intact defense core this season should keep them from regressing that badly.

I suspect it is because they lost Naslund and Morrison

[Innis_Mor]

I suspect it is because they lost Naslund and Morrison

.... and picked up Gillis.

[leafs_rock_go_mccabe]

Last in the Conference...I don't like that one bit. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would hate to see them get a high/top draft pick.

Than again what do I care, they'll trade their prospect for some old geezer and sign him for 5mil a year...right?

Well, I'm sure Sundin's going to come back for another kick and the can, get them into 9th/10th place, and then they will lose out on their awesome draft choice.

I suspect it is because they lost Naslund and Morrison

Who did they gain, again? Demitra, and anyone else? I don't think it's the defence that anyone's worried about with Vancouver, but their offensive abilities are anemic.

[babinator77]

i'm surprised to see columbus at the bottom but i guess someone has to be last.

[Flying_Lion]

I can't say it's a surprise to see the Habs getting some positive recognition. Still, after last year, we all know the value of these Media Rankings. To an extent, it might work against us. Noone really took the Team seriously last year, at least not until well in the year. This year, opponents will have a better idea of what to expect so Montreal will have to live up to the 'hype' and play to their potential, every not of every game.

Can't wait for the season to start. More and more hockey in the news with each passing day. 6 more sleeps until we open the silly season against Boston.

GO HABS GO!

[leafs_rock_go_mccabe]

i'm surprised to see columbus at the bottom but i guess someone has to be last.

I figured the NY Islanders or Atlanta Thrashers had to be THE worst this season.

[babinator77]

I figured the NY Islanders or Atlanta Thrashers had to be THE worst this season.

definitely the islanders. i find it disturbing to see talented players scraping the bottom: vinny, nash or kovalchuk but so far as i can tell the thrashers have done little to improve and it will wear down their few talented players. hopefully, toronto will steal the second to last spot from them.

[fourtrax]

I'm shocked to see the Oilers ranked so low. I think they're going to surprise a lot of people. The kids are a year older and wiser, Horcoff is healthy, so is their blueline, they've added firepower in Cole, and strengthened the backend with Visnovsky. For my money, they'll be the strongest Canadian team in the western conference, and should definitely snag a playoff spot.

[habenstien]

i feel the habs played over their heads last year, and were lucky to avoid the injury bug, but they did come together as a team and surprised everyone being tops in the east. they will build upon that and challenge for the top seed in the east again, but i think its gonna be tight. we wont be able to beat on boston all season again. 4th to 8th sounds reasonable.

i think boston is being underestimated, if any team was affected by injuries it was them, and they still did well considering. a healthier bruins will be a tough team. ryder could bounce back, especially playing under jullien. i think they will place near or in the top ten.

the canucks, meh. they had alot of injuries to their D, but they still had solid D regardless. their problem was scoring goals, and that didnt improve. they might place a few spots higher, but no way top 15. unless sundin signs that is.

washington that high? i dunno, ovechkin is a god....but 6th?

[Habcup]

i feel the habs played over their heads last year, and were lucky to avoid the injury bug, but they did come together as a team and surprised everyone being tops in the east. they will build upon that and challenge for the top seed in the east again, but i think its gonna be tight. we wont be able to beat on boston all season again. 4th to 8th sounds reasonable.

i think boston is being underestimated, if any team was affected by injuries it was them, and they still did well considering. a healthier bruins will be a tough team. ryder could bounce back, especially playing under jullien. i think they will place near or in the top ten.

the canucks, meh. they had alot of injuries to their D, but they still had solid D regardless. their problem was scoring goals, and that didnt improve. they might place a few spots higher, but no way top 15. unless sundin signs that is.

washington that high? i dunno, ovechkin is a god....but 6th?

And Boston now have Ryder!!!! The 4MM dollar Man!

[babinator77]

i feel the habs played over their heads last year, and were lucky to avoid the injury bug, but they did come together as a team and surprised everyone being tops in the east. they will build upon that and challenge for the top seed in the east again, but i think its gonna be tight. we wont be able to beat on boston all season again. 4th to 8th sounds reasonable.

i think boston is being underestimated, if any team was affected by injuries it was them, and they still did well considering. a healthier bruins will be a tough team. ryder could bounce back, especially playing under jullien. i think they will place near or in the top ten.

the canucks, meh. they had alot of injuries to their D, but they still had solid D regardless. their problem was scoring goals, and that didnt improve. they might place a few spots higher, but no way top 15. unless sundin signs that is.

washington that high? i dunno, ovechkin is a god....but 6th?

mckeen's hockey preview mag ranks the habs 3rd overall and tops yet again in the east. i'm inclined to agree. it bothers me that people keep throwing the boston wins around as a reason we finished so high (i'll give you the almost injury-free season). i like to think that all those losses we normally would have incurred *ahem jersey and the christmas slump ahem* were equally responsible for our strong finish. i don't think the habs played over their heads. i think they were grossly underestimated by most pundits strictly based on last year's off-season acquisitions.

as for washington: you forget semin, backstrom, green - who should be better if he doesn't let his contract go to his head and even federov. the only reason i don't see them finishing that high is because goaltending will be an issue.

[Wayne-1]

NHL Season Preview on Yahoo! Sports

Habs hit century mark

By Ross McKeon, Yahoo! Sports

File this under “too good to be true,” “sappy endings,” or “even Hollywood wouldn’t buy this script.” We’re talking about how in the centennial celebration season for the NHL’s most decorated franchise, the Montreal Canadiens win their 25th Stanley Cup.

That’s right, the Le Club de Hockey Canadien, which predates the NHL by eight years, would love nothing better during a season of one celebration after another, to save the biggest and best party for last in early June.

Two years ago this kind of talk wouldn’t even be heard. But considering how far the team came last season – winning its first division title since it was in the Adams Division, no less, and ruling the East as conference champs, too – maybe skating with the Cup at season’s end isn’t such an outlandish goal.

Some teams have made the adjustment to the new NHL’s premium on speed and skill faster than others, and Montreal has literally grasped the concept. The Canadiens emerged as one of the fastest teams last season, and it translated to a potent attack that bodes well for the future.

Players such as Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Kostitsyn, Sergei Kostitsyn, Chris Higgins and Mike Komisarek are household names now in the proud province of Quebec, if not all over Canada, where the Canadiens are followed more intensely than any team in any city anywhere in the NHL.

Even veterans had eye-opening seasons. Enigmatic forward Alexei Kovalev rebounded from a sub-par season two years ago to lead the Habs in goals and points. Defenseman Andrei Markov is either a late-bloomer or proof positive the new NHL fits his game much better than the clutch-and-grab old one. During the first four seasons of his career before the lockout, Markov never managed more than 37 points and scored 24 or fewer three times. Since the ice has opened up with stricter enforcement of interference tactics on defense, Markov has not scored fewer than 46 points. Last year he posted career-high totals for goals (16), assists (42), points (58) and average ice time (24:58).

But the biggest reason for Montreal’s optimism for now and long into the future is guarding that valuable 24-square-foot piece of real estate at each end of the ice – 21-year-old Carey Price. It’s no secret that playing goal in Montreal is possibly the ultimate hot seat in pro sports. The scrutiny never ends, and there’s no room or leeway for failure.

Besides having the physical attributes to be an outstanding puck-stopper, Price’s greatest asset may be his mental toughness and competitive edge. Yes, he was ultimately overmatched in the second round of the playoffs last season against Philadelphia, and the handling of putting such a young and inexperienced individual in that position has to be questioned. But my guess is he’ll learn from the experience and it will not scar him.

Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey must have had something go awry at the trade deadline when he surprisingly dealt veteran Cristobal Huet to Washington and didn’t do anything else to fortify the position behind Price. You’d figure he would have at least taken a similar tact as San Jose or Calgary, teams that acquired Brian Boucher and Curtis Joseph, respectively, just to provide veteran insurance should the go-to starter run into trouble.

But Gainey did not opt for that route, instead letting a 20-year-old rookie and a 22-year-old backup in Jaroslav Halak (no previous postseason experience) lead a conference champ with legitimate Cup hopes into the playoffs. It backfired when the Flyers rattled Price in Game 3, Halak wasn’t the answer in Game 4, and when a shaken Price was called upon again in Game 5, well, you know what happened.

Last season: 47-25-10, 104 points, first place Northeast Division, first in the Eastern Conference, third in the overall standings. After needing seven games to deny archrival Boston a first-round upset in a Nos. 1-8 matchup, the Canadiens fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round, a best-of-seven series that lasted only five games.

Imports: LW Alex Tanguay (2007-08 team: Calgary Flames), C Robert Lang (Chicago Blackhawks), RW Georges Laraque (Pittsburgh Penguins), G Marc Denis (Tampa Bay Lightning), D Alex Henry (Nashville Predators), D Shawn Belle (Minnesota Wild), RW Mike Glumac (St. Louis Blues), RW Ryan Flinn (minors), C Yanick Lehoux (minors).

Exports: D Mark Streit (New York Islanders), RW Michael Ryder (Boston Bruins), C Bryan Smolinski (available free agent), C Mikhail Grabovski (Toronto Maple Leafs), C Corey Locke (Minnesota Wild).

Three keys to the season: The Canadiens can’t assume they’ll sneak up on anyone this year. The team will not only have to be mentally prepared for each game but ready to get challenged physically, too. My guess is teams will try to push Montreal around a bit, test its makeup to see if it can be thrown off of its game and Gainey has already tried to be proactive in that vein. He acquired well-traveled, yet well-respected enforcer Georges Laraque to ride shotgun wherever needed to let opponents know in advance there’s someone to answer to wearing Le Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge.

Second, Price showed it during a short span late, but he’s going to have to prove from the outset he’s ready to take the reins as No. 1 goalie in Montreal, and be able to handle everything that goes along with it. Don’t think it’s easy. Great ones have eventually succumbed to the ultra-bright spotlight – Patrick Roy and Jose Theodore, included.

Third, the new additions could really complement the core group with solid seasons. Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang should be able to boost an already potent offense without feeling like they have to do too much. Everyone else has to basically just play as well as they did last season, and really no one had unbelievable numbers so what’s being asked is very realistic.

On the hot seat: Alex Kovalev is the key to the team, both on and off of the ice. Two years ago, the oft-moody Russian saw his offensive numbers dip to just 18 goals and 47 points, signaling to some his heart wasn’t really in it anymore. Last season, following a reportedly no-nonsense chat with Gainey, Kovalev responded to score 35 goals and 84 points at age 35. It seems like how Kovalev goes, so go the Canadiens.

Poised to blossom: Guillaume Latendresse had heaps of expectations to deal with, being a nearby Ste. Catherine native and getting chosen 45th overall in 2005. He seems to have handled the over-hype well, and after near identical seasons for goals and points (16 and 29 in 2006-07 and 16-27last year), the 21-year-old may be ready to break out with an even bigger year, especially considering there is plenty of offense surrounding him and he’s not being asked to take a big jump. That’s how players are put in a position to succeed instead of one to fail.

Analysis and prediction: The real key will be how well the Canadiens play on defense. They lost an under-rated regular in Mark Streit and didn’t replace him with experience. Everyone is a year older, Mike Komisarek has come into his own and there’s a lot of hype surrounding 6-foot-5, 234-pound rookie Ryan O’Byrne. Unless things have dramatically changed in the offseason, and they haven’t, teams can get away with a little less on the blue line than in the West, so here’s to Montreal ruling the roost in the Northeast again and going at least one step further in the postseason.

- 30 -

[habenstien]

mckeen's hockey preview mag ranks the habs 3rd overall and tops yet again in the east. i'm inclined to agree. it bothers me that people keep throwing the boston wins around as a reason we finished so high (i'll give you the almost injury-free season). i like to think that all those losses we normally would have incurred *ahem jersey and the christmas slump ahem* were equally responsible for our strong finish. i don't think the habs played over their heads. i think they were grossly underestimated by most pundits strictly based on last year's off-season acquisitions.

as for washington: you forget semin, backstrom, green - who should be better if he doesn't let his contract go to his head and even federov. the only reason i don't see them finishing that high is because goaltending will be an issue.

im not using the boston domination as an excuse why we finished in first. but going 8 for 8 against a team is not the norm, and to expect that again is a bit too much. just making a point that boston will be a lot better this year without all those injuries, partly why we dominated them so badly, also because we played damn good against them, im not trying to take away what the team did last year. but who thought we would finish 1st last season? i laughed at the predictions that said the habs wouldnt make the playoffs, but i also would have laughed if they said we would win the east.

but after watching their play all last season, like you said winning during the annual xmas slump, and getting the jersey devil off our backs and that rangers game, ya they could repeat. but how tight was it even with an injury free season? we could just as easily lose a couple of notches. which is no big deal, after waiting 15 years for this team to be competitive, finishing 1st or a close 3rd are all good. the point is this team has turned a corner, and is actually good. it will be an exciting year, with a playoff birth waiting at the end. the great thing is repeating as the #1 seed is a real possibilty, and would be a bonus.

[babinator77]

Poised to blossom: Guillaume Latendresse had heaps of expectations to deal with, being a nearby Ste. Catherine native and getting chosen 45th overall in 2005. He seems to have handled the over-hype well, and after near identical seasons for goals and points (16 and 29 in 2006-07 and 16-27last year), the 21-year-old may be ready to break out with an even bigger year, especially considering there is plenty of offense surrounding him and he's not being asked to take a big jump. That's how players are put in a position to succeed instead of one to fail.

very interesting take on latendresse. i hope he's right.

im not using the boston domination as an excuse why we finished in first. but going 8 for 8 against a team is not the norm, and to expect that again is a bit too much. just making a point that boston will be a lot better this year without all those injuries, partly why we dominated them so badly, also because we played damn good against them, im not trying to take away what the team did last year. but who thought we would finish 1st last season? i laughed at the predictions that said the habs wouldnt make the playoffs, but i also would have laughed if they said we would win the east.

but after watching their play all last season, like you said winning during the annual xmas slump, and getting the jersey devil off our backs and that rangers game, ya they could repeat. but how tight was it even with an injury free season? we could just as easily lose a couple of notches. which is no big deal, after waiting 15 years for this team to be competitive, finishing 1st or a close 3rd are all good. the point is this team has turned a corner, and is actually good. it will be an exciting year, with a playoff birth waiting at the end. the great thing is repeating as the #1 seed is a real possibilty, and would be a bonus.

well put. you're right, it's a very tight race especially with a number of teams in the east getting better. however, ottawa, imho, got worse.

here's hoping for a repeat but i'll be satisfied no matter where the habs finish if they make it to the conference finals...and keep going .

[go_leafs_go11]

im not using the boston domination as an excuse why we finished in first. but going 8 for 8 against a team is not the norm, and to expect that again is a bit too much. just making a point that boston will be a lot better this year without all those injuries, partly why we dominated them so badly, also because we played damn good against them, im not trying to take away what the team did last year. but who thought we would finish 1st last season? i laughed at the predictions that said the habs wouldnt make the playoffs, but i also would have laughed if they said we would win the east.

but after watching their play all last season, like you said winning during the annual xmas slump, and getting the jersey devil off our backs and that rangers game, ya they could repeat. but how tight was it even with an injury free season? we could just as easily lose a couple of notches. which is no big deal, after waiting 15 years for this team to be competitive, finishing 1st or a close 3rd are all good. the point is this team has turned a corner, and is actually good. it will be an exciting year, with a playoff birth waiting at the end. the great thing is repeating as the #1 seed is a real possibilty, and would be a bonus.

Even though you're right in that we probably won't have as much success against Boston this year as last, we are simply a better team now. You can expect us to perform better (on average) against all the other teams in the league. Also, on a side note, I don't think we play Boston 8 times next year so it's actually impossible to take 8 of 8!

[Wayne-1]

just a quick note about the conference win last year: I quickly went back a decade (before I got bored), and I unless I made a mistake, last year was the closest the 1st and 9th place teams have been since before 1998-99 when they went to six divisions...

so it was a regular season conference win, but it was by no means a domination as it often is...

[Wayne-1]

a slightly more irreverent take on the Habs

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_d...?urn=nhl,108192