The Wide Open West

[Rudi]

Wings over Avs in the WCF

[The Buddha]

While the Hawks lost depth, to date they still have their top 6 forwards, their top pairings on D, and their #1 Goaltender.

The guys that were dealt are replaceable (Buff being the biggest void to fill), and guys coming up from Rockford can do the same job.

[killgod]

sharks win the west

/thread

[Berowsk]

Kings will go far.

[The Buddha]

Niemi isn't a number 1 goaltender and I'm pretty sure they need to resign him still?

Huet is going to be loant to a DEL team/European team is the rumours and Toivonen will probably play backup.

Toews/Kane are the only real decent pieces to that puzzle.

I'm glad we finally have some people who know hockey instead of these footballers.

I will have to disagree with Niemi, while he is not a lights out goaltender, he does not have to be playing behind that defense. He made the saves he needed to and even made ones he wasnt supposed to...sounds like a #1 to me.

Toews/Kane are the most recognizable piece to that puzzle. You are discrediting Hossa's ability to play both ways, Sharps ability to play Center or Winger and thrive at both. And if you are talking the whole team, its kind of retarded to leave Keith out of that as a piece to the puzzle.

[The Buddha]

With the defence they have, they gave up the 4th fewest goals last year, it doesn't matter if Niemi isn't a true number one. He's good enough to get the job done. And he will be resigned once Huet is gone.

Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Bolland, Brouwer, and Stalberg they should have then enough offence to get the job done plus they have two decent rookies coming up in Jack Skille and Kyle Beach so it will be interesting to see how they do.

Correct. Niemi does what we need him to do.

I would not bank on Beach being up this year, after doing some cap numbers yesterday, unless they deal someone like Sharp there is no way they can afford his 1.17mil contract. Chances are you will see Bickell/Kruger/Markov up instead of Beach.

[Senators26]

I'm thinking that it will be Canucks/Kings Western Conference Final. The Kings still have around 11 million to add players to their already good roster. They could bring back Alex Frolov then sign guys like Lee Stempniak. They could make a trade and bring in Kevin Bieksa, Tomas Kaberle or Marc Savard, or maybe later in the season they will make a play for a guy like Brad Richards. The Canucks are a good team that needed some more defense to get over the hump and that's what they did this off-season.

[killgod]

1. Canucks
2. Hawks
3. Sharks
4. Ducks
5. Wings
6. Kings
7. Predators
8. Coyotes
_____________

9. Blues
10. Wild
11. Avs
12. Stars
13. Flames
14. Oilers
15. Blue Jackets