| Subject: Western Conference Preview |
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Date Posted: 16:58:50 08/21/04 Sat
Western Conference Preview
Home of the reigning Hoser Cup Champions, the GWHL?s Western Conference is tough from top to bottom, and seven of its eight teams amassed enough points to claim a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference last year. This year looks to be just as tough, as all the contenders kill each other in a battle for one of the coveted four playoff berths. What follows is one of the best-researched, half-assed collections of half-truths and best guesses that money can buy.
First Place ? Victoria Totems: The Totems one truly scary squad. With a solid core of skaters up front and on the back end, they also happen to have one of the best goalies in the league in Nikolai Khabibulin. If they miss the playoffs again this year, it?d be stunning. Once in the playoffs, anything short of a Cup appearance would be a disappointment to GM Macdonald.
The forwards, led by the strongest group of right wingers in the league (Iginla, Guerin and Murray) can get scoring from any line at any time. With Roenick, Elias and Rolston filling out the rest of the scorers, they are uber-dangerous. Defensively, they have the vets like Chelios and Numminen, young pounders like White and Brewer and they have other studs like Lyman and Klesla. The Bulin Wall in net speaks for itself.
The Totems will be a force this year. How far they take it is up to the players at this point.
Second Place ? Yellowknife Blades: The defending Hoser Cup Champions are poised to make yet another run. Despite eking into the playoffs by one point last year, they proved that their team was built for the second season. This year, they?re likely to seed higher than fourth and will give any other contenders a good ride. Build around the strongest group of centermen in the league, the Blades also boast great scorers, power forwards and role players up front. Defensively they give no quarter. With Scott Stevens and Ed Jovanovski setting the physical tone, they follow with great defense from Kenny Jonsson and Jason Smith. Toss in an effective Andreas Lilja and young, tenacious Scott Hannan and the Blades ice a deep and angry blueline.
In goal the Blades count on Felix Potvin to win games simply by stopping all the shots he should stop. If he gives up breakaways and ?no chance? goals, it usually won?t matter, as the defense will clear most of his rebounds and the forwards will usually score enough goals to support him.
This team is in its collective prime and will be looking for nothing less than another Hoser Cup.
Third Place ? B. C. Huskies: The Huskies are a Western team that is build for now. With a high-octane offense and a wily vet like Ed Belfour in net, the Huskies are poised to rattle some cages this season. The luxury of having Peter Bondra and Jaromir Jagr patrolling the right side means that opponents will get only a few minutes a game that a potent, proven sniper isn?t on the ice. Add to that a point-per-game stud like Mats Sundin and one of the better two-way centers in the game like Craig Conroy and the Huskies offense is very intimidating.
The freewheeling Huskies forwards are backed up by a somewhat younger and slightly porous defense. The Huskies would do well to add a couple defense-first veterans along the blueline, but BC should score a ton of goals to overcome a somewhat weaker defense. Plus, even if the blueliners completely fail, veteran Belfour has the ability to bail them out. This is a team that is a serious contender. A couple tweaks would make them Western favorites.
Fourth Place ? Winnipeg Wolves: Under the direction of a new GM, the Wolves look strong enough to return to the playoffs again this year, but they will probably need to make a move to bolster a hit-or-miss defensive corps.
Led up front by flashy Alexei Yashin, gritty Brendan Shanahan and dangerous Daniel Alfredsson, the Wolves also have solid depth from their other lines, and they can get scoring from multiple sources. The situation in net is solid, despite the fact that it is anchored by Roman Turek, who has been known to be a bit flaky. If Turek can live up to expectations, the Winnipeg fans will have plenty to cheer for this year. On the defensive end, there are shining stars like Scott Niedermeyer and Tomas Kaberle as well as a couple useful players like Darryl Sydor and Brent Sopel. But the truth is that after Niedermeyer, all the other defensemen have their weaknesses, some of which are glaring.
The bottom line is that the Wolves are counting on one great line and one enigmatic goalie to win games for them night in and night out. Any adversity to those two elements and Winnipeg?s GM Budd will be working the phone lines harder than
Fifth Place ? Edmonton Eagles: Last year?s regular season Western Conference champs fell short in the playoffs, and they could find themselves in a battle just to make it into the playoffs this season. With Marty Turco in goal and a mobile, pressuring defense, the Eagles are in good shape on the back end. Up front, they have plenty of playmakers (Morrison, Zhamnov, Hrdina) but are a bit short on proven shooters. GM Provencher has one big need to address to improve his team?s chances, and it is to acquire another finisher or two for his top two lines.
As it stands now, Ray Whitney, Viktor Kozlov and Brian Smolinski will be counted on to score the majority of the goals, but the trio has historically proven to be a bit inconsistent to shoulder that kind of load.
GM Provencher is not one to sit back, however, so it?s likely that he?s already working the phone lines to bolster his lineup. This team is on the older side, so the time to compete for a Hoser Cup is now. They?ll need a couple tweaks to do so.
Sixth Place ? Calgary Cougars: The heartbreak of just missing last year?s playoffs, compounded by watching the team that edged them win the whole thing, will likely give this team focus. The Cougars aren?t super-strong in net, and their overall depth is an issue, so they?ll either have to make a bucketful of trades this year, or count on lady luck to see them through. This Conference will be tight again, so a couple points could mean the difference between 4th and 6th.
Joe Sakic can be counted on for another great campaign, but Michael Peca?s health is a concern. There are tons of scorers on this team, as they have Amonte, Hull, Gaborik, Satan and Havlat patrolling the wings, but with all the shooters, who will carry the puck up ice? Defensively the Cougars look to Zdeno Chara to set the tone offensively and defensively. The veteran influence on the backline is solid, but none are known for their ability to break out and move the puck up ice, again leaving the scoring forwards without someone to set them up.
In net, the Cougars will likely platoon Hedberg and Denis in a win-and-stay-in situation. If the Cougars want to avoid playoff heartbreak again, they?ll find a way to bring a better goalie to town.
Seventh Place ? W hitehouse Warriors: A team in rebuild mode, the Warriors are more concerned with first place in draft order than first place in the conference. The only thing preventing them from the head start on Draft Position Number One is the man in net, Martin Brodeur.
The Warriors will likely be looking to alter the Conference landscape with trades and an attempt to bolster a strong youth-oriented base. Brodeur, Brind?amour, Niinimaa and others will bring more return in trade assets than they will in the win column this year, especially considering the depth of the rest of the conference.
GM Grothier will be busy, but it?ll be a game of wait-and-see-who-offers-what. He has the resources available to make a major splash on the trade market?and an ability to get major assts for his rebuild as he does so.
Eighth Place ? Saskatoon Silos: The Silos are in no-apologies rebuild mode. Building around Frolov on offense, Jackman on defense and Miller in net, the Silos are on the right path. This season is more about whom they can trade to make themselves better in the future than about making the playoffs.
The Silos should have an interesting year in that they have tradable assets that can help others in their Conference?or hurt their own Conference, depending on how things go. The trio of veteran goalies, for instance, could all find new homes before this is over. Tommy Salo would help certain teams, as would Curtis Joseph. Even Arturs Irbe could get some consideration around the league as a veteran backup. Additionally, Mariusz Czerkawski, Ulf Dahlen and Dean McAmmond could help playoff teams while bringing certain return to the future. Saskatoon could have an impact on the playoffs, even though there is little chance they?ll get to participate.
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