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A few days after the start of the new NHL season we take a look at the situation of the 31 teams, division by division. We leave for our trip with the Central Division of the Western Conference, one of the most compelling groupings of the whole league. Nashville and Winnipeg are two of the favorites. Chicago has many champions, Colorado a young and intriguing team. Dallas and Minnesota present themselves with two solid rosters and St. Louis has enormous potential.
Wednesday 26 September 2018 23 minutes reading time
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
A vintage to forget, that last one, for Chicago. Everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Quenneville team. Beginning with the December injury of goalkeeper Corey Crawford. For him big problems because of the consequences of a concussion. For the new season should be fine, but Bowman, for security, has signed Cam Ward. A special note deserves the vintage of superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. This also contributed to the lack of qualification for the playoffs after nine consecutive appearances. And at the first season under 100 points (a lot under ...) after years. Only a road accident? The fans hope so.
ATTACK as the Blackhawks have suffered above all the crooked vintage of their superstars. Toews just 52 points, Kane better with 76, but in sharp decline compared to the previous two years. Brandon Saad was also very disappointing with just 35 points. The knife in the wound? Saad in the summer had been exchanged with Panarin, who exploded in Columbus with 82 points. In the new season the hopes fall on the young DeBrincat and Schmaltz. Bowman also tried to add experience to the mix with Kunitz, Kruger and Schroeder, but the feeling is that it is not enough. Also because the thing that worries the most is the slowness of the team, starting with the big ones. A feature that until a few years ago was not from Chicago.
DEFENDS defense of the Blackhawks leaves hope for the future. Behind the great veterans Keith and Seabrook, Bowman has set up a promising young department. Forsling and Jokiharju may have some chances this year, especially the first. But if they can not get into the first team immediately after the camp, Quenneville can rely on very solid choices like Rutta, the newcomer Brandon Manning, Gustafsson and Murphy, another who last year played a championship at the below their potential.
Due to Crawford's injury last year, the Blackhawks had to use as many as six different goalkeepers, including a hockey accountant due to the rampant emergency. For this reason Bowman ran immediately this summer, taking Cam Ward. If Crawford recovers completely this season, Chicago will have a very solid duo of goalkeepers that can divide the job.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
Forgotten the 'vintage 2016 /' '17, in which they recorded the worst record of their history with only 48 points, in the last season the Avs have definitely reversed the route: 95 points in the regular season, qualification to the playoffs and a very lit against the Predators, against which they were defeated in six races. If we add that Colorado also had to cope with the injuries of Varlamov and the top-D Erik Jonhson, the future looks rosy, although playing in the Central Division is never easy enterprise.
Attack, young and explosive offensive, led by Nathan McKinnon (23) with 97 points in only 74 games, Mikko Rantanen (21 years, 84 points last year) and Gabriel Landeskog (25 years, 62 points). To support this super line, there are also Kerfoot, Compher and Jost.Gli Avalanche also place great confidence in the prospect Vladislav Kamenev: 21-year-old center, bought in the three-Colorado-Ottawa-Nashville exchange that brought Kyle Turris to the Predators and Matt Duchene to Senators and who last year achieved 16 points in 17 AHL games.
DIFESASe a year ago no one would have said it, Tyson Barrie and Nikita Zadorovov have proven to deserve top spot in the top 4 in defense, along with Girard and Johnson. Also Ian Cole was purchased to ensure the right depth to the department. Probably in the course of the year will also be the prospect Conor Timmins, selected at the 32nd absolute position in the draft 2017.
PORTSWhile the draft, Colorado has bought goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer from Washington, who will try to earn the place of starter, against Semyon Varlamov (whose contract expires next June). The latter, despite the 'unquestioned talent, is often injured, so Colorado hopes to have found in Grubauer the goalkeeper of the near future.
DALLAS STARS
Dallas Stars have a lot to forgive their fans. With a good roster last year they missed the playoffs in the last month of play due to eight consecutive losses. A debacle that has the incredible if you think it was the eighth time in the last ten seasons. This led GM Jim Nill to hire the third manager in three years. And the feeling is that, in case of further disappointments, the next one to go away will be him. In the summer the team has not been touched too much. A decision that has made some fans turn up their noses, but that is not necessarily wrong. Dallas for three quarters of the season has been widely in the playoff area. Rather, the problem seems more psychological than quality. And that's where we'll have to work.
ATTACCODallas has a very good first line: Benn-Seguin-Radulov. Last year alone they did almost half the points of the whole team. And paradoxically this is the weak point of the Stars: the offensive force concentrated only in the front line. In fact, this year the new coach Montgomery can also rely on Valeri Nichuskin, who has returned from KHL. Eyes also on Devin Shore and Radek Faksa. And then there's Jason Spezza, who certainly still has some cartridges to shoot.
DEFENSE The defensive department is where you should see great improvements. And when we talk about Dallas it's definitely news. Nill managed to create a mix of very interesting young people and some veterans to help them grow. Klingberg is undoubtedly the spearhead of this department, which also includes Miro Heiskanen (3rd choice in 2017) and Julius Honka, in addition to Esa Lindell. Marc Methot and Roman Polak will be their mother.
PORTIERII more doubts, in the roster, concern the goalkeeper. After the goodbye to Kari Lehtonen, the starting spot should be firmly in the hands of Ben Bishop. The problem is that last year it was not amazing. This is also why Nill, for the backup role, wanted to be on the safe side by taking Anton Khudobin. For him there are about thirty matches if the hierarchy will remain this. But it is not said. Patience, this year, in Dallas, could be less than usual.
MINNESOTA WILD
Six consecutive season posts, but three eliminations in the first round in the last three years. And so the owner of the Wild, Leipold, gave the well-served GM Chuck Fletcher. Assuring, however, that the team would not have gone through a reconstruction. The roster is strong according to Leipold and only needs a few adjustments. In place of Fletcher there is Paul Fenton, who comes after twenty years as a deputy in Nashville. Minnesota should not have problems with this roster to live a quiet season, but if you want to aim to go beyond the first round of the playoffs, by the deadline Fenton will have to invent something more than just some simple fix.
ATTACCOI Wild have a respectable attack, even if a real superstar is missing that can make the difference in the highlights. Last year Zucker, Staal and Granlund were the authors of a high season. Also helped by the defenders Suter, Spurgeon and Dumba, who together have collected over 200 points. Franks, second best in NHL. If this year too all will remain on the same levels, adding a Parise without injuries and a good year for Coyle and Niederreiter, the problem of Minnesota in 2018/19 will certainly not be the offensive aspect.
DIFESANel last season's Suter injured his ankle. For the defense of the Wild (and not only, as seen above) would be a blow if it were not to be 100% in the league. Besides him, Dumba and Spurgeon, the rose of the defenders is not quite so wide. The young Nick Seeler should have won a bit 'of confidence of coach Boudreau and could find space between the six holders.
PORTIERIDubnyk is undoubtedly the owner. The home walk, last year, was among the best of the NHL: 22-4-6. The problem, not insignificant, are the transfers. In any case, it remains a goalkeeper of absolute quality and a security to defend once again the cage of the Wild. Alex Stalock and the newly arrived Andrew Hammond will compete for the backup role.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
The Predators have lived the last years as protagonists, thanks to an excellent level. Two years ago they arrived for the first time in their history in the Stanley Cup final, lost against the Penguins in 6 races, while last year they won the Presidents Trophy, as best team in the regular season, except to get defeated in the second round of the playoffs against Winnipeg.After elimination, the players have repeatedly expressed the wish that the group was not upset, so as to have another chance to win the Stanley Cup.The GM Poile has supported this desire, keeping virtually unchanged the roster, except for the departures of Hartnell (which will be replaced by the prospect Eeli Tolvanen, 30th overall draft in the 2017 draft), Emelin, who moved to Russia and Mike Fisher, retired.
ATTACK for the first time in the history of the franchise, the Preds have a first production line and dangerous, with Ryan Johansen (54 points), flanked by Filip Forsberg (64 points in only 67 meetings) and Viktor Arvidsson (61 points). Support lines are also very good, with players like Smith, Turris and Fiala.
DEFENSE The defensive department, if we want to call it, is the flagship of the team. The pairs formed by Subban-Josi and Ellis-Ekholm guarantee great effectiveness, both in the phase of coverage and out of the area. Subban was the third scorer of the team, with 59 points, Josi the fifth with 53 points, the Ekholm pair- Ellis has put together 66 points.
PORTIERIPekka Rinne was exceptional in the regular season, with an SV% of .927, 42 victories in 59 starts: numbers that earned him his first Vezina Trophy as best goalkeeper of the season. He instead disappointed during the playoffs (SV% .902), so as to be replaced in the race 7 against the Jets by 23-year-old Juuse Soros.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
Before Christmas, the St. Louis Blues were leading the NHL on a par with Tampa Bay. Then, the injury of Schwartz, a sudden power-play inconsistent and the poor vein of Allen in the door, have transformed a season start from dream in a lack of qualification to the playoffs.This summer the GM Armstrong has strengthened the team from the point of view of character with targeted purchases like those of O'Reilly, Perron and Bozak and decided to once again give confidence to Allen, leaving Hutton with which a dangerous dualism had been established.
ATTACCOR is the first line that, with Schwartz, Tarasenko and Schenn in good health, led a team with more than 3 goals per game. The secondary lines were amply strengthened adding quality, character and even a pinch of malice, missed last year. The second line will see O'Reilly flanked by Fabbri and Steen.Terza line completely renewed with Perron, Bozak and Maroon and is right here the hopes of the Blues are founded for a successful season. In the fourth line will make his appearance at the Robert Thomas center (20th overall draft in 2017), MVP in the playoffs of the OHL last season.
DEFENSEEven in this case the mix of young and veterans who has well figured last year can only repeat if the physical condition will remain optimal and constant throughout the season.Future and Edmundson form the tested first couple, in second line Dunn will go to support Parayko for an injection of speed and danger, while in the third Schmaltz and Bouwmeester will have to give strength and coverage to the cage defended by Allen.
PORTIERIAllen won another runoff, first Elliott and then Hutton packed their bags to give him the starting spot. With less pressure on him he could manage to be constant and get the good results he is capable of.
WINNIPEG JETS
No team from the city of Winnipeg, not even the old Jets, had managed to get to the bottom in a season like the boys of Paul Maurice last year. Fighting for the Presidents Trophy and arriving in the Conference final put the city in fibrillation. A feeling that, perhaps, the Jets fans have not felt for seven years, since when it was announced the return of the franchise in NHL instead of the Atlanta Thrashers. With a young and quality team, both offensively and in defense, Winnipeg can dream and is a candidate for next season. Will they be able to return to winning a Stanley Cup for a Canadian team after 26 years or will they fall under the weight of expectations?
ATTACCOWinnipeg, in a year, has passed from the seventh to the second attack of the NHL. A team from an incredible potential offensive. Patrick Laine has now definitely exploded with 44 goals. The rookie Kyle Connor has scored 31. Blake Wheeler, at 32, was the author of the best season of his career with 91 points. But it's all the attack that scares the opponents. Five players scored at least 20 goals last year and seven at least 15.
DEFENSEOne of the best NHL attacks is supported by one of the best defenses. The top 4 is almost unrivaled: the first Byfuglien-Trouba line is synonymous with both offensive and defensive guarantees. Secondly, Josh Morrissey and Tyler Myers are almost a luxury. In the third defensive line there will certainly be Dmitry Kulikov, perhaps supported by rookie Sami Niku, who has won the trust of coach Paul Maurice. Otherwise, Winnipeg is still covered: Joe Morrow, Tucker Poolman and Ben Chiarot offer reliability as the sixth defender.
PORTIERL 'last year Hellebuyck is back to play at the level of its potential. This led him to fight for the Vezina Trophy. Even in this position, therefore, the Jets have a high-ranking to compete for the Stanley Cup. If we really want to find a weak point to this team, they are backups. Hellebuyck could play about 65 matches out of 82. But if he should get injured his replacement should come out of the duo Laurent Brossoit and Eric Comrie. On paper not really reliable choices for a team pointing to the title.
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