Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Drop the puck

Hockey season is at hand. Alleluia!
The Canadian Bloggers Hockey League is about to begin, too. (More on that later).
Anyway, here, after further review of the teams in preseason, is the official either orr prognostication for this, the return of the NHL...
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
1. Philadelphia - Too much for the rest of the division
2. New Jersey - Despite the losses on D, don't count a team with Martin Brodeur out
3. Pittsburgh - Built to outscore you; they'll do that often enough
4. N.Y. Islanders - Counting too much on Yashin, which is a risky proposition
5. N.Y. Rangers - Playing for the 2006 draft
Northeast Division
1. Ottawa - Heatley will give them the skilled grit they've lacked
2. Boston - Lots of o but no D
3. Montreal - Thank Theodore for this
4. Toronto - I just don't think so
5. Buffalo - In the wrong division
Southeast Division
1. Tampa Bay - In a romp
2. Atlanta - all bets are off if Kovalchuk doesn't sign soon
3. Florida - old legs may help them sneak into playoffs
4. Washington - Kolzig, Ovechkin keep 'em out of cellar
5. Carolina - little o, no d, questions in goal
Western Conference
Central Division
1. Detroit - Last year for this streak of division titles
2. Nashville - Kariya adds pop; they could sneak in
3. Columbus - Good off-season signings, underrated in goal
4. St. Louis - How the almost-mighty have fallen
5. Chicago - Another team I just don't see
Northwest Division
1. Vancouver - Built for regular season; Cloutier a Cup hope-killer
2. Calgary - Watch out for the Red Sea
3. Colorado - Still good, but not title good
4. Edmonton - Probably a playoff team
5. Minnesota - Like Buffalo, in wrong division
Pacific Division
1. San Jose - Clearly the class
2. Dallas - Turco is the difference
3. Anaheim - Possible playoff club, if Giguere gets hot
4. Los Angeles - Due for an end to injury jinx, but it's already struck Roenick
5. Phoenix - Better only if Gretzky plays instead of coaches
Drop the puck and let's go!