Well, after a long October, things are finally beginning to take shape in the National Hockey League. Some teams got off to slow starts (ie. Toronto, Montreal), while others were flying from the start (ie. Ottawa, Detroit).
Overall, the second season post-lockout has proven to be exciting with some aspects of old time hockey returning. Although the refs have not co-operated, the tough guys have come through. When the Kings and the Ducks squared off in London earlier this season, the fans were more excited to see a fight than to see the teams put the biscuit in the basket.
In the Eastern Conference, Ottawa has lived up to all the hype as defending Conference champions by winning twelve of their thirteen games and landing in first place. Ray Emery, the Senators post season savior in net went down with an injury, but Martin Gerber has risen to the challenge and posted incredible numbers (1.88 GAA; .938 SV%). Earlier this week, Jason Spezza inked a long term contract with the Sens putting him in the spotlight for the next few seasons.
A resurgent Canadiens team has played very well this season and is currently in second place in the Northeast with 17 points. Cristobal Huet has been solid in net and the rest of the team has figured out how to play team hockey for a full 60 minutes with a less than stellar roster. The Habs have a tough schedule coming up with a number of division games. They fell to the inconsistent Maple Leafs this weekend and played extremely sloppy.
The Leafs have one of the most promising rosters, but have been extremely inconsistent. The team has a seemingly perfect mesh of seasoned veterans (Sundin, Tucker, Blake, McCabe) and young stars (Wellwood, Steen, Colaiacovo). Raycroft and Toskala have split the duties in net with Toskala getting the slight edge, but both have been inconsistent. Toskala plays a great game and looks like the second coming of Cujo, and then gives up seven or eight goals the next night. If the Leafs can put it all together, they should return to postseason glory.
Tied with the Leafs for third place are the Bruins. The Bruins came out strong out of the gate with Tim Thomas carrying the load in net. Unfortunately, the Bruins have also played inconsistent with the superstars (Bergeron, Murray, Chara) taking a back seat to newcomers. The loss of Bergeron for a month or more hurts the Bs immensely, but it will allow the tough guys to get more starts and grind their way to victory.
The Sabres have extremely underachieved and look like they might miss the playoffs after a strong runs the past few seasons. Look for a shakeup in Buffalo at some point this season. It is still early, but if the Sabres want to win, Ryan Miller is going to have to step up and carry the team.
A young Flyers team has overpowered Atlantic Division opponents with their tough style of hockey, similar to that of the Bruins. The Flyers are an improved team from last season, but do not have the talent or depth on offense to take them to the playoffs. The Flyers are in first place, but in a weak division.
The Islanders are winning early, but have yet to prove themselves against a tough opponent. Goaltending and defense has been a problem and should cause havok later in the season. If the offense can keep up their pressure and DiPietro can put it together, the Islanders might make a run at the final spot.
The Rangers started off very slow but have picked it up of late. Drury is finally heating up and when the offense comes together, the Rangers will be unstoppable. Lundquist has been just average this year and needs to pick up his game.
The last place Devils are as consistent as ever with Gionta, Parise, and Pandolfo coming through in the clutch and Marty Brodeur is still stopping pucks like a brick wall. Unfortunately for New Jersey, the trap-style defense that dominated the 90s has yet to find a way to stop high-flying offenses. Catch the Devils on a good night and you'll be in for trouble. The Devils won't go away easy and could pose a serious threat to the Rangers as the season progresses.
The Hurricanes have proven themselves on offense and defense and Cam Ward is a viable NHL goalie. With a terrific power play, the Hurricanes are poised to strike at any time. The defense is still evolving, but the offense has made up for the deficit. The Hurricanes should win the weak Southeast Conference, but Tampa could have a shot if the Canes offense falters. Atlanta, like Buffalo, has underachieved a year after making the playoffs. The Thrashers have a solid core of players, but not enough to compliment them. The defense is clearly the biggest problem for the Thrashers (aside from the fact the HC draws better than them). Florida is rolling along consistently and Washington has surprised some teams with their potent offense. The Caps, however, do not have the defense to sustain a long term run.
The second month of the season should help to weed out the cinderellas from the rest of the contenders.
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