NHL Season Preview: Washington Capitals

My Caps preview is now up over at FanHouse (and I shared a few thoughts with FrankD at Pensburgh as well). If you've been reading this blog for any significant period of time, nothing I've written in those other places will surprise you, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook... go read 'em.

As for last year's FanHouse preview, let's look at one each of my hits and misses:

Hit:

Who's On The Hook: The media may say Ovechkin, the fans may say McPhee and Kolzig would no doubt say Kolzig, but I think it's Hanlon. Leonsis has opened his checkbook, McPhee has written some checks and the talent he has drafted has matured, so the pieces are there for Hanlon to make it all work. A powerplay that finished in the bottom-third of the League last year could be blamed on a lack of personnel, but no longer. A team that struggled to hold leads and win games could be explained away by inexperience, but that reasoning is quickly losing its validity as skaters barely old enough to drink legally in the States have multiple NHL seasons under their belts. It's up to Hanlon to show that he can not only shepherd a young team through tough teams, but coach a talented squad to success.

Nailed it.

Bonus hit:

The Southeast Division probably has the most top-to-bottom parity (read: is the most mediocre) in hockey, and honestly, you could make a reasonable argument for any of the five teams as division winners (or losers). So here's the argument for the Caps: only Carolina has a better top-nine forwards, only Florida has a better number one goalie and only a healthy Tampa has a better top-four defensemen. And here's the kicker -- the Caps have tons of cap room, an owner willing to spend and prospects to burn should they need a piece or two at some point.

You can look at all of the smaller reasons the Caps and their fans are smiling this Fall, but they'll all add up to one big reason in the Spring -- a Southeast Division Championship.

Nailed it, Part Deux.

Miss:

The third line should provide the Caps with both shut-down capability and a decent amount of offense, as left wing Matt Pettinger (a 20-goal scorer two years ago who never really seemed 100% healthy last year) and Chris Clark (a 30-goal scorer last year playing opposite Ovechkin on the top line, who is everything you could want in a captain) will flank the defensive-minded Boyd Gordon, who came into his own as a checker last year, as evidenced by his team-leading plus-10 rating. The trio provide the Caps with their best checking line since Steve Konowalchuk, Jeff Halpern and Ulf Dahlen did the job around the turn of this century.

I had high hopes for that trio. Oh well.

Bonus line combo miss:

Joining Ovechkin and Kozlov on the top line (at least to start the season) will be Tomas Fleischmann, a 23-year-old Czech who has little left to prove at the AHL level, but needs to show that he can stick in the NHL.

That's not my miss, of course, but considering that Hugs' Opening Night top line was Ovechkin-Kozlov-Fleischmann, it's amazing he made it to Thanksgiving.

So my previewing is done and I've said just about all I can say (though that won't stop me from saying more). If you've got any thoughts, concerns, predictions, etc. on the upcoming season, now would be the time to throw 'em in the comments for posterity.

On a sidenote, I can't believe there's another week-and-a-half before the season starts... drop the damn puck already!

NHL Season Preview: Carolina Hurricanes

Remember at the end of last season, when Carolina needed to win just two of their final four games (two of which were against the worst team in the League) to make the playoffs? And when they only needed to beat the lowly Florida Panthers, at home no less, to get in? Remember when you were with the Beatles and you were supposed to be dead, and there were all these clues, like you play some song backwards and it'd say, like "Paul is Dead" and everybody thought you were dead and, um, that was a hoax right? Wait, what?

Anyway, my 'Canes preview is up over at FanHouse, which means it's time to look back at my effort from last year.

Hit:

Where They'll Finish: Carolina could finish anywhere in the Southeast Division, and really just about anywhere in the Eastern Conference -- it all depends on how healthy they can stay and how well Cam Ward can play (no pressure, kid!). But even healthy, the defense is among the Conference's worst, and for that reason, while the 'Canes will win a number of high-scoring affairs, they won't win enough games overall to make the playoffs.

The Hurricanes were decimated by injuries last season, but still scored the fifth-most goals in the League. Ultimately, it was their defense (or lack thereof - they were 25th in the League in goals against) that secured them an early tee time last April.

Miss:

Andrew Ladd and should get his first [25-goal] season sooner rather than later.

Maybe this will be Ladd's year, as he only found the net 14 times in 2007-08.

So are you feelin' this year's 'Canes or has the injury to Justin Williams derailed their season before it even started? Is Cam Ward a legitimate number one NHL netminder? Is Eric Staal worth the big bucks he just got? Most importantly... are the 'Canes a threat to win the Southeast Division?

NHL Season Preview: Florida Panthers

I've always thought that the perspective in the Panthers logo was way off. I mean, how far away can those hind legs possibly be? Maybe she (right?) was just born with small feet.

Anyway, my Cats preview is up over at FanHouse, and here's a bit from last year's tour de force:

Hit:

Who's On The Hook: Jokinen. In a League in which more than half the teams make the playoffs each year, no one in the NHL has played more regular season games without a playoff appearance than the Panthers captain, whose streak currently stands at 641games. While the blame for the team's failure to make the postseason since the ridiculous-in-retrospect trade that brought Jokinen and Roberto Luongo to South Beach in exchange for Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish can't be heaped entirely upon the 28-year-old Finn, he's the guy wearing the "C," he'll be the team's all-time leading scorer by Halloween, and he has posted back-to-back career seasons that have been relatively meaningless, as the Cats finished in fourth place in the Division both years. Jokinen can't do it alone, of course, but it's time for him to start earning those big bucks the team shelled out to extend his contract back in March of 2006, and he can start doing that by leading the Panthers to the playoffs.

You can't spell "Jokinen" without "joke."

Miss:

Bouwmeester is now entering his fifth NHL season, and this is the year that his name should start to become a part of any and every Norris Trophy discussions for the next decade or so.

Meh. I'd still take him on my team any day (but seriously, he couldn't even get one fifth-place vote last year?).

So how 'bout dem Kitties? Can they challenge for a playoff spot or are they headed back to Lotteryville? Which crappy Panther will own the Caps this season and win this year's Jon Sim Award (can anyone dethrone reigning award winner Kamil Kreps)?

NHL Season Preview: Atlanta Thrashers

Working our way up last year's standings from horrible to crappy, we find ourselves today previewing the Atlanta Thrashers. Head over to FanHouse to see where I predict the Thrash to finish (hint: DFL), and here's a hit and a miss from my preview a year ago:

Hit:

[S]ince [Don Waddell] can fire head coach Bob Hartley and Hartley cannot fire Waddell, it's Hartley who will take the blame and be the first casualty should things start going awry in the ATL. Heartless, err, Hartley has seen his Thrashers improve in each of his first three full seasons with the club, but was outcoached in the playoffs and his handling of Lehtonen (playing him without rest for long stretches of the regular season and going back and forth between he and Johan Hedberg in the playoffs) could have a lasting impact on the youngster's psyche. Coaching is very much a "what have you done for me lately?" vocation, and should Atlanta get off to a slow start, don't be surprised if someone else is behind the bench come Christmas

Hartley was fired after six games (sidenote: enjoy Omsk, Bob, where Jaromir Jagr seems to have already donked off the head coach).

Miss:

Prediction: 2nd Southeast Division and into the playoffs by a feather.

Hey, you guys get what you pay for from me.

So what do you think - is there any chance Atlanta isn't lottery-bound? How many players on their entire roster would even make the current Caps' lineup?

NHL Season Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

Once again this year I'll be previewing each of the teams in the Southeast Division over at FanHouse. We're counting down from worst to first in each Conference based on last year's standings, which means the Lightning are up first.

I also thought it'd be fun (and moderately embarrassing) to look at a hit and a miss for each team from last year's preview, so...

Hit:

Who's On The Hook: It'd be easy to say Feaster (especially considering some of his more notable failures coupled with MacLean undoubtedly looking over his shoulder) or Tortorella (given the way the players seem to be tuning him out more and more each year), but I'm going to go with Richards. Whether or not his linemates are legitimate NHL scoring threats on their own, $7.8 million is "make everyone around you a legitimate NHL scoring threat" money. It's a cool million more than Lecavalier makes and two Michel Ouellets more than St. Louis makes. Richards needs to elevate the second line to a point where teams actually have to pay some attention to it, otherwise, the Bolts are toast.

Both Feaster and Richards, of course, are long gone in Tampa Basement.

Miss:

The penalty kill should be better and the netminding can't be worse, so I'm going to predict that Tortorella coaxes another playoff berth out of this squad -- and we're all left wondering just how the hell he did it.

Or they'll finish DFL in the entire League.

So what do you expect from this year's Lightning? Go on record with your predictions - the bolder the better - in the comments.

Who Has The NHL's Best Top-Six Forwards?

Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules thinks his team has "the best top six forwards in the league." Frankly, I don't think they even have the best top six forwards in the Southeast Division, and I've taken a closer look at the claim over at FanHouse. Feel free to discuss the topic in the comments here or there - who has the League's best top two lines?

Fedorov And The 500-Goal Club

Over at FanHouse, I've taken a look at Sergei Fedorov's chances of joining the 500-goal club this coming season. Spoiler alert! He ain't gonna do it.

Congrats On Making It Through July

While we can finally say, "There's hockey next month," with news around here a little slow, I've been writing a bit more over at FanHouse, including taking a look at Pascal Leclaire as the next Martin Brodeur, "Fightin'" Fedor Fedorov, who's dumping on the Minnesota Wild now, marketing the Boston Bruins and what people aren't saying about Scotty Bowman's move to Chicago. Check it out, and feel free to discuss any and everything in the comments here.

Fedor-ov Dead

Alright, so the title doesn't exactly fit the subject matter of the post, but who knows when I'll get to pay homage to Sergei Fedorov's baby bro and a classic John Cusack flick in one fell swoop? You take these chances when you get them.

Anyway, head over to FanHouse to see what exclusive club now once again boasts Fedor Fedorov as an active member.

Oops!... They Did It Again?

Is it possible that less than a week after T-shirtgate, the NHL has accidentally revealed all of its award winners online on the eve of its big awards show? Yep. It's possible.

There's Been A Volchkov Sighting

The Orginal Alex has popped up again. Find out where over at FanHouse.

Game 5 Live Blog

We'll be live blogging tonight's game over at FanHouse (as has been the case all series), so stop on by and chime in. Good times guaranteed or your money back.

Who Knew? Besides All Of Us, I Mean

"Can you find even one person who imagined the Washington Capitals sitting on top of the Southeast Division awaiting tonight's game with the visiting Carolina Hurricanes?" - Red Fisher

Yup - some yokel over at FanHouse.

And speaking of over-reacting, let's let the season wrap up before everyone gets all worked up about who has home ice in the first round of the playoffs, shall we? (H/t Alex Ovetjkin)

The "[Expletive] Stupid Ice Bowl"

Apparently not everyone was excited to play in the snow. But hey - at least you didn't have to sit there and listen to three-plus hours of non-stop Sid love, Brian Campbell.

Saturday Roundup/Gameday: Caps @ Habs

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Brooks Laich said recently (and I paraphrase Peerless's paraphrasing) that over the course of a season, you're gonna lose some games - the key is to not let one loss become two losses. That's really the bottom line heading into Saturday afternoon's game, which is yet another four-pointer against a likely Eastern Conference bubble team (which includes every team in the Conference other than Ottawa, who may soon join the list if they don't straighten things out in between the pipes).

The Caps have won just once in Montreal since March of 2003 (a 5-1 win thanks to a 43-save performance by Olie Kolzig and a pair of Brian Sutherby goals), but last time I checked Montreal was still in Canada, where the Caps are a perfect 3-0-0 on the season so far (and where the Caps have outscored their Canadian opposition by a combined total of 19-8). The Caps are also a perfect 3-0-0 on the season in day games, and today's bizarre 12:30 start time would make this a day game.

For their part, the Habs have the fewest home wins in the Eastern Conference, but come into the game unbeaten in nine of their last eleven overall (6-2-3) and have given up two or fewer goals in seven of those games while scoring at least four times in six of them. Their power play is the League's best and they come in with two lines that are scoring in bunches.

Injuries and travel woes will make an already difficult task even tougher for the visiting Caps, but here's an encouraging stat to end the preview - the Canadiens have lost 13 of their 19 games following victories this season (6-9-4). Hopefully the Caps can make it 14 of 20 on Saturday.

Oh, and Go 'Skins!

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

Bill Clement lists Donald Brashear as the NHL's number three heavyweight (h/t to Kukla's Korner on the link).... Pop the cork on a nice cuvée de prestige - we've been named the biggest bunch of elitist snobs east of Los Angeles.... Flipping through the channels last night I landed on CSTV and found the North Dakota/St. Cloud State game. The game featured a pair of Caps prospects - UND blueliner Joe Finley and St. Cloud freshman goalie Dan Dunn, a tall goalie who gave up a bunch of rebounds (sound familiar?) but made 33 saves en route to an impressive 3-2 upset (Finley, from what I saw, did nothing of note).... Check out today's Ice Sheet for more from me on the NHL. You know you want to.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Martin Brodeur(36-save shutout win)
• Ross: Eric Staal (3 points)
  
• Norris: Andrej Meszaros (G, A, +2)
  
• Vezina: Martin Brodeur (36-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: 21 players tied with 1G apiece
  
• Calder: Jonas Hiller (W, 20 saves on 21 shots against)
  
• Aiken: Ryan Miller (3 goals allowed on 16 shots against in 30:30 of work)
  

Saturday Roundup/Gamenight: Bolts @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview]

Since we last saw our friends from Tampa back on October 24, the Bolts have gone 3-5-1, though they do come into town on the heels of their first road win of the year, a very impressive 5-1 win at Raleigh. Hopefully that slaked their thirst for victory away from home and they'll revert to form as one of the League's worst road teams. A win tonight would give the Caps and Lightning identical 7-9-1 records and could, believe it or not, vault D.C. into second place in the Southeast Division.

In his last two games - both wins - Tampa goaltender Johan Holmqvist has saved 62 of the 64 shots he faced, but the jury's still very much out on the Finn Swede, who had gone 0-4-1 with a 4.26 goals against average and an save percentage of .849 in his previous five starts. Plus, he looks like Clay Aiken. In his career against the Caps, Holmer is 3-2-0 with a 3.78 GAA and a .847 save percentage - not terribly intimidating numbers. And if Torts goes with Marc Denis? He's 4-4-1, 3.76, .879 against the Caps in his career and 0-3-0, 4.10, .855 so far this season. In other words, the Caps - yes, even the Caps - should have no trouble scoring some goals tonight.

Of course, the key to beating the Bolts continues to be effective containment of the triplets, a task that's always easier said than done. Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, their linemate Vaclav Prospal and Brad Richards are all among the League's Top 25 scorers. They'll get their points. But if it's one or two apiece, there isn't a heckuva lot of depth of scoring on Tampa (sound familiar?), and as long as one of the big (or little) guns doesn't go off, it's anyone's game.

A visit from the Bolts was good for what ailed the Caps a couple of weeks back when the Caps were riding a four-game losing streak, and there's no reason to think that they can't serve as a similar tonic tonight. See you there tonight.

Why The Lightning Will Win:

(coming soon)

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

I was on Ice Sheet duty today (as I am every Saturday) over at FanHouse, so head on over to see what else is going on around the League.

Daily Awards

• Hart: Henrik Sedin (2G, including the OT game-winner, +2 in 2-1 win)
  
• Ross: 12 players tied with 2 points each
  
• Norris: Nicklas Lidstrom (2A, +2, 3 SOG, 2 blocked shots)
  
• Vezina: Andrew Raycroft (30-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Dan Cleary, Henrik Sedin (2G each)
  
• Calder: Ondrej Pavelec (W, 36 saves on 37 shots against)
  
• Aiken: Tomas Vokoun (L, 4 goals allowed on 27 shots against)
  

NHL Season Preview: Washington Capitals

Today brings us the last of our 30 team previews over at FanHouse, and it's my take on the 2007-08 Caps (it's set to publish at 10:00 this morning, but y'all can take a gander at it now as my personal V.I.P. readers).

It's lengthy and optimistic - go bold or go home, right? - so check it out when you've got some time and don't be afraid to represent, as the kids say, in the comments.

NHL Season Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

If you liked my 1,200 word preview of the Florida Panthers, you'll really dig 1,400-plus on the Bolts. Check it out over at FanHouse, and get ready for Thursday's Caps preview - it'll be a biggie.

NHL Season Preview: Florida Panthers

Never in my life did I think I would end up writing nearly 1,200 words on the Florida Panthers - much less in a single post - but, well, I did. If you never thought you could read 1,200 words on the Florida Panthers, head over to FanHouse and try to prove yourself wrong (warning: I may be developing a mancrush on Jay Bouwmeester).

NHL Season Preview: Carolina Hurricanes

The second of my FanHouse Southeast Division Team Previews, my look at the Carolina Hurricanes, is now up.

I could see the 'Canes bouncing back and winning the Division, but I could also envision them bringing up the rear. At the end of the day, I think it's all going to come down to the play of one man. Find out who he is over at FanHouse.