Here is a real-NHL topic no one expects to get brought up(as much as I'd rather rant about how much time I'm losing to the NHL 10 demo with the update puck physicals/goalies): I want to touch on the Atlanta Thrashers.
They are in what I think is going to be a pretty tough division this year. The Canes may have overachieved a bit, but they're coming off a conference finals trip. The Capitals are certainly hungry watching their rival Penguins lift the cup, and Tampa has improved a lot. lol the Florida Panthers.
But I will go as far to say that I think this Atlanta squad will make the playoffs this year if they don't have a major injury to a star player. I feel like they (understandably with how bad they've been) are a pretty uncovered team and there is a lot of talent here many people might not know about. I don't like them much for fantasy just because there are soooo many variables (especially on the blue line) and +/- is usually an issue but they have a pretty interesting team here.
You figure it looks something like
Kovalchuk-Antropov-????
Kozlov-Little-White
on the top two lines, which doesn't jump out at you at first, but when you consider as far as production goes that was basically the best second line in the league last year and Kovalchuk is getting a decent pivot, it is a pretty good set-up. That empty winger slot is interesting, too. They have a lot of talented young guys - Angelo Esposito and Evander Kane, for instance - they might try and bump up and try out there. Slava is getting a little old, but other than him(who presumably will be replaced with those two young guys take his spot and the filler one) this is a really young, talented forward core. They're building pretty well up front.
The back end looks something like
Enstrom-Bogosian
Kubina-Hainsey
Salmela-filler
I'm not sure what the pairings will actually look like, an the third pairing is pretty awful no matter what but this is a more talented blue line than it appears, I think. Enstrom had 40+ points his rookie year, Hainsey did the same last year, and Bogosian was nearly point per game the month of the season, even if it took him a while to get rolling. Kubina is a strong addition to the blue line as well.
The main issue, of course, is that this is a grouping of what amounts to exclusively "offensive defenseman"(except Bogosian?), but that should make the tempo of this team really fun to watch. All four of the top guys here are real strong in the puck movement department, and with the forwards being as quick and skilled as they are this could be a real interesting, aggressive offense. And a strong team if this sort of sketchy defensive core, combined with the sort of sketchy backchecking by the very offensive group of forwards, can keep the puck from getting fished out of the net being guarded by the really inconsistent Kari Lehtinen. It was only three years ago he seemed like he was going to be the next big thing, though, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him bounce back to have a strong, if not a fantasy dominating (6-4 wins don't look real good on your stats) season.
Just posting to say I think these guys will be a fun team to watch this year, y'all oughta tune in ;)