Hockey Day in America. A great day. A great day also to evaluate the top contenders in each conference. This evaluation is based on if the regular season ended today. The current updated rosters are taken into affect (Philadelphia Flyers acquisitions of Nick Grossman and Pavel Kubina) as the trade deadline is 8 days away and big names (Rick Nash) could be moved before the deadline. So here's the list.
Eastern Conference
New York Rangers.
Let's start with the New York Rangers. This team is on top of the Eastern Conference. They have arguably one of the top 2 goalies in the game today in Henrik Lundqvist (in my opinion the other one being Johnathon Quick). They are by far the top team in goals against per game, even better than Boston who has consistantly led the league in team defense the past few seasons. Questions exist though in the Ranger's offense, yes they have elite talents in Brad Richards and Marion Gaborik and great depth in Ryan Callahan but they lack an elite power forward which most other cup contenders are loaded with. And because they're missing a power forward their powerplay has been a disaster compared to where it should/could be. Also their question going down the stretch is how often they give Lundqvist rest. This is going to be a huge factor if they intend on making a cup run.
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Needs: A power forward. I don't know if they want to pay the price they would have to, to bring in Rick Nash (3-5 NHL quality assets) let alone add his $7.8 million contract to their books with Lundqvist, Richards, Gaborick, and even Wade Redden (even though he's not in the NHL the Rangers are still paying him every penny off of his rediculous contract) all making over $6 million dollars per season. That's around the same number of guys the Blackhawks had when they won the cup and the reason they had to shed half of that team's roster. I would wonder if the Rangers might go after a guy like Ryan Malone. A guy who has extensive playoff experience, can score, is a big body, and could be had for a combination of picks and prospects, which for a team chasing down a Stanley Cup is a small price to pay.
Teams the Rangers will struggle against: Pittsburgh Penguins
Boston Bruins
Next let's look at the defending champs, the Boston Bruins. I like this team a lot. Before the NHL All-Star break this team was in my opinion the top team in the league. But ever since Tim Thomas decided to skip the White House visit this team has struggled to find consistant wins. I still like this team to go deep and make another run in the playoffs. This team still has great goaltending, great team defense, and great special teams. All part of a recipie for playoff success. I also love the emergence of Tyler Seguin as an elite forward.
Needs: They don't really have a specific need, I think they may want to add a rental forward and/or defenseman.
Teams the Bruins will struggle against: Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
I like this team a lot. I like their balance up front and on defense. I like the emergence of Claude Giroux as well. But this team is struggling to keep the puck out of their net. Ilya Bryzgalov isn't living up any where near his big contract. But it's not all on him, the absence of Chris Pronger is really what is bringing this team down. We'll see how their recent additions of Nick Grossman and Pavel Kubina pay off.
Needs: They could use a nice two-way center, with a little grit, a little offense, and someone with experience. I would take a long hard look at Antoinne Vermette in Columbus, a guy that could be had for the right price.
Teams the Flyers could struggle against: Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins
This team is stacked, they are solid offensivly, defensivly, in net, and in special teams. As of today I like them to contend in the East. But this team has the biggest "if". Does Sidney Crosby come back in time to help in a playoff run. If he does, no one in the Eastern Conference can go toe-to-toe with Pittsburgh. If he comes back, Pittsburgh is the absolute favorite in my mind to win the cup. If he doesn't this team will have to compete to get through the Eastern Conference.
Needs: Sidney Crosby, this guy is flat out the best player in the game of Hockey. He is this team's unquestioned leader. If he doesn't come back I would like to see the Pen's add a top-6 forward. Someone that can score, brings some veteran leadership, and someone that wants to win a cup. A guy like Shane Doan would be a perfect fit although I don't think the Coyotes are willing to give him up that easily.
Teams that will challenge the Penguins: New York Rangers, Boston Bruins
Teams with an outside shot of contending:
Washington Capitals: They need Nick Backstrom and Mike Green back and playing at a level they're capible of. They should both be back next month but it may be too little, too late.
New Jersey Devils: This is a veteran led team that knows how to win when they want to. If Martin Brodeur can return to some of the form he had 2 years ago this team can be dangerous for the East's top contenders.
Western Conference
For my money 7 teams in the top 8 that make the playoffs have a legitimate shot at winning the cup this year.
Detroit Red Wings
Let's face it, the Detroit Red Wings are the elite team in the NHL, they have been consistantly over the last 2 decades. This team has elite two-way talents in Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg leading their offense. Nick Lidstrom is still an elite talent on defense leading the way of an incredibly talented group of 5 other defensemen. And Jimmy Howard is emerging as a top-5 goaltender in the game. This team's only question is can they win consistantly on the road. Their record now 23 straight home wins is impressive but their road record is quite pedestrian.
Needs: Any piece this team goes after isn't really a need but more of a want. I think if this team adds either a top-6 forward or a top-4 defenseman they will keep the first seed in the West.
Teams the Red Wings may struggle against: Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks
This team by far is the deepest team in the NHL. At forward, defense, and goaltending. The only team that can challenge the Canuck's talent is the Detroit Red Wings. That being said there are some questions surrounding Roberto Luongo. If he can't be the goalie to lead this team to the cup they may sturggle, even with an elite backup netminder in Cory Schneider.
Needs: The only thing this team needs going into the playoffs is minimal injuries to their top end talents and rest for Luongo.
Teams that this team could struggle against: Detroit Red Wings
San Jose Sharks
Right now this team isn't playing near a level they were expected to be at going into the season. But the moves they made this past offseason in acquiring Brent Burns will greatly affect this team going into the playoffs. Trading away Dany Heatley and Devon Settuguchi hurt this team's offensive depth which was their regular season strength over the last 5 years. But the addition of Brent Burns brings in a legitimate #1 defenseman which they lacked and was a huge reason for their past playoff struggles.
Needs: I think this team just needs some depth, the recent addition of Dominik Moore will help but they could use another piece. Trading Nittymaki could help attract a piece or 2.
Teams that they may struggle against: Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings
The top 3 contenders in the West are the clear-cut top 3, but there are other contenders in the West that could make a dent in the playoff race.
St. Louis Blues: This team is has played incredible since Ken Hitchcock took over the team earlier in the season. This team however lacks an elite talent, a special player that can take over a game. Also the Blues alternate starts for their goalies, so who takes the reigns for the playoffs is a question that needs to be answered in 2 or 3 weeks.
Nashville Predators: This team has 3 elite talents in Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Pekka Rinne. I think this team could make a splash in the playoffs but I think they need help in their offense.
Chicago Blackhawks: When this team wants to be the best they can be the best team in the Western Conference. But right now they're struggling mightily. I think this team needs to add a top-4 defenseman and they need their goaltending to pick up, if both pieces come into place I think they can contend for a cup.
Los Angeles Kings: This team is a bit of a wild card. Going into the season they were my favorite to come out of the West. This team is incredibly defensivly, and Johnathon Quick is playing out of his mind. Yet with elite talents in guys like Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, and Jack Johnson, this team bottom feeding in offense and powerplay. But with the way they can keep a game within 1 or 2 goals, any team in the West will struggle to beat them in a 7 game series.
That's the list of contenders. I'll revisit this issue after the trade deadline and evaluate any big trades to any of these contenders. And then we'll see how the rest of the season and playoffs play out.
Here's my cup prediction today.
Vancouver Canucks over Pittsburgh Penguins in 6 games.
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