*Official 06-07 NHL Thread* | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

*Official 06-07 NHL Thread*

Lets go Islanders....Yeah I know I like to dream. :)
 
Well, here are my picks. It's a little long and I have a few surprises. Pan me if you want but at least I'm giving an effort.

Without further ado...
Eastern Conference

(@) – Denotes division champion

#1 – (@) BUFFALO SABRES
Strengths: Depth, youth and goaltending
Weaknesses: Lack of depth on defense
Outlook: They got to the Eastern Finals with an AHL defense. If their defense stays healthy and Ryan Miller continues to grow into a franchise goaltender this is exactly the type of team that wins in today’s NHL. Young, fast, cheap and hungry.

#2 – (@) PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Strengths: Depth and youth up front.
Weaknesses: Goaltending, slow immobile defense, Forsberg’s brittleness.
Outlook: A top regular season team will continue to win in the regular season. That being said, the defense and the goaltending will once again hold them back in the playoffs unless Bobby Clark finally realizes that he needs a goalie to win in the spring.

#3 – (@) TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Strengths: The big three up front
Weaknesses: Defense and uncertainty in goal.
Outlook: “Uncertainty in goal†is a little misleading. Marc Denis can play in this league but he’s never had to play in tight, meaningful games. I think he’ll be alright and the Lightning win a weak division.

#4 - OTTAWA SENATORS
Strengths: Scoring and youth on defense
Weaknesses: Goaltending
Outlook: This team can score, they might have the best line in hockey. If Patrick Eaves, Antoine Vermette and Andrej Meszaros continue their growth this team will be even better. The issue is in goal. Both Ray Emery and Marty Gerber had horrid playoffs last year.

#5 - CAROLINA HURRICANES
Strengths: Youth, speed and depth up front
Weaknesses: Defense
Outlook: The Stanley Cup champs are still dangerous. They are fast, can score and have grit. That being said, their defense does not inspire confidence in my opinion. Can Cam Ward take the next step? He was great in the playoffs, winning the Conn Smythe but can he do it again, this time for 60+ games?

#6 – NEW DERSEY DEVILS
Strengths: Depth up front, Goaltending
Weaknesses: Defense
Outlook: This is not your Father’s Devils team. This team can fly and score. Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Patrik Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner are a scary top 4 and Marty Broduer is still one of the best 3 players in the World. That being said they are lacking on defense and that could be an issue.

#7 – NEW YORK RANGERS
Strengths: Depth up front, Goaltending
Weaknesses: Jagr’s health
Outlook: On paper this team is damn good. They have an ascending young goalie and added grit, something lacking last year. Team Czech can score almost at will. They could use some more toughness on defense but I don’t see a lot wrong with this team. Why are they 7th? They are in a tough division. They’ll be one of the best 7th place teams in years, the type of team no one wants in the first round.

#8 – BOSTON BRUINS
Strengths: Youth up front and defense
Weaknesses: Uncertainty in goal, lack of scoring depth.
Outlook: Pan me for this pick all you want. This is not the “same old Bruinsâ€Â. They added Paul Mara, Zdeno Chara, Marc Savard and Shean Donovan and drafted Phil Kessel, who will start the season on the #1 line. Add those players to a good young core and you have, what looks like a team built for todays NHL. Fast, young and hungry. The questions are in goal. Hannu Toivonen is a 22 year old, former first round pick who is very highly thought of in league circles. If he can handle the 50 game workload at his young age the Bruins will be a playoff team.

#9 – ATLANTA THRASHERS
#10 – MONTREAL CANADIENS
#11 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
#12 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
#13 – FLORIDA PANTHERS
#14 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS
#15 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Eastern Conference Awards

M.V.P. - Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay
Best Defenseman – Zdeno Chara, Boston
Best Goaltender – Ryan Miller, Buffalo
Coach of the Year - Lindy Ruff, Buffalo
Eastern Conference Champions – Buffalo Sabres


Western Conference

(@) – Denotes division champion

#1 – (@) ANAHEIM DUCKS
Strengths: Depth, youth and defense
Weaknesses: Goaltending
Outlook: This team is loaded. They have two of the best defenseman in the World and they are stacked up front with youth, size and speed. They are a tough team to play against because of their style. When this team makes the playoffs they are a tough out. They’ll be able to have a #1 defenseman on the ice at all times. The only issue is in goal. Is it Jean Sebastien Giguere or Ilya Bryzgalov?

#2 – (@) CALGARY FLAMES
Strengths: Toughness, defense and goaltending
Weaknesses: Scoring depth
Outlook: Adding Alex Tanguay addresses a need. This team simply could not score last year. Tanguay will help Jerome Iginla become what he is supposed to be. The depth on defense is unmatched anywhere in the league. Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr will play together, that will shut down most teams first lines. Add a great defense to the best goalie in the World and you have a tough team to play against.

#3 – (@) NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Strengths: Speed, depth, goaltending
Weaknesses: Lack of size and toughness
Outlook: Tomas Vokoun is simply one of the most underrated players in the entire league. His importance was shown when he fell ill last year and the Preds fell flat in the playoffs. They added J.P. Dumont and Jason Arnott to an already deep front line. They overtake the Red Wings and win the NHL’s worst division.

#4 – SAN JOSE SHARKS
Strengths: Youth, depth up front, scoring
Weaknesses: Uncertainty in goal
Outlook: This teams biggest weakness, horrible penalty killing, was addressed in a big way when they added Mike Grier and Curtis Brown. They have great depth on defense and two #1 center ice man. The only question is which goalie will take the job and run with it?

#5 - EDMONTON OILERS
Strengths: Youth, speed and depth up front
Weaknesses: Defense
Outlook: Yes, they lost Pronger and Peca. I don’t care. This team is perhaps the fastest in the NHL and they play a puck persuit style that drives other teams crazy. They will score with three lines, they will roll four lines and they will hit you all night. If the goaltending holds up there is no reason they don’t push Calgary for the Northwest division.

#6 – DETROIT RED WINGS
Strengths: Youth and skill
Weaknesses: Goaltending
Outlook: They lost a big chunk of leadership in the offseason. That being said they have more then enough skill up front to score in bunches. They will need to score a lot because their goaltending is questionable to say the least. If, and that is a big if, Dom Hasek stays in one piece this team could do a lot of good things.

#7 – COLORADO AVALANCHE
Strengths: Depth up front
Weaknesses: Defense and questions in goal
Outlook: I don’t know why I’m putting them in the playoffs. I just have a feeling that Marek Svatos and Wojtek Wolski will re-energize the scoring and Milan Hejduk will come back strong. If Jose Theodore plays well they make the playoffs, if he does’nt they could plummet, no matter how many goals they score.

#8 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Strengths: Goaltending
Weaknesses: Lacking of scoring depth and depth on defense
Outlook: Roberto Luongo gives this team their first legit #1 goaltender maybe ever. This teams top players at forward (Naslund, the Sedin’s) and defense (Ohlund, Salo and Mitchell) match up with anyone else’s top talent. That being said, secondary scoring and the 4th-6th spots on defense are suspect. I think Luongo does enough to drag them into the playoffs.

#9 – DALLAS STARS
#10 – MINNY WILD
#11 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
#12 – L.A. KINGS
#13 – CHICAGO BLAKCHAWKS
#14 – ST.LOUIS BLUES
#15 – PHOENIX COYOTES

Western Conference Awards

M.V.P. - Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary
Best Defenseman – Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim
Best Goaltender – Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary
Coach of the Year: Craig McTavish, Edmonton
Western Conference Champions – Anaheim Ducks


Stanley Cup Champions - Anaheim Ducks
 
I like Vancouver and Buffalo in the Finals. Just something to note their is a huge difference between teams that are built for the regular season and teams built for the playoffs as the Western Conference showed last year with the top 4 teams losing in the 1st rd.
 
im gonna say buffalo > anaheim

cant wait till tomorow, hockeys back!!
 
Uni, you need to put the Sabres on the bottom of your list like last year so we have a shot!

:D
 
Will mark Bell and Milan Michalek excel with the Sharks?

Will Hejduk break out

Will Arnason be great

Uni this is 4 u !!

Will murray Score 40 goals playing with Savard
 
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