With the NFL headed into its third weekend, MLB in the heat of pennant races, and the NBA in a grueling lockout, it seems the NHL has once again taken a backseat to the other three major sports.
But with just a month to go before regular season games hit the ice, it's time to look at the good, the bad and the ugly of the National Hockey League.
The Misers: Just stop watching these teams, please. Save your eyes and go watch some grass grow because their playoff chances look bleak.
1. Ottawa Senators (2010: 32-40-10, 5th Northeast, 13th East)
2007 seems like a long time ago when the Senators, on the backs of Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, dominated the regular season and made a strong playoff run, only to fall to the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals. Or perhaps it isn't.
The 2011 Senators will still rely on the backs of Alfresson and Spezza, albeit their aging backs by now as the two have a combined 66 years between them. Throw in the 37-year old Alex Kovalev and you have one of the oldest teams in the NHL with an average age of 28.
While drafting 18 year- old forward Mike Zibanejad in this year's draft was certainly a step in the right direction, he may not be ready for the NHL just yet. And so that leaves a bottom-feeding team with no new talent coming in and lots of aging talent coming back. Not exactly the recipe for success that 2007 Ottawa team would recommend.
2. Calgary Flames (2010: 41-29-12, 2nd Northwest, 10th West)
I hate doing this because Jarome Iginla is one of the class acts of the NHL. He's played his heart out for the Flames since joining the team in 1996. But like the Senators, the Flames have certainly seen better days.
Sure, they finished with a respectable 94 points and just barely missed the playoffs in 2010, but this team is now on the downturn.
This year they are relying on the 34-year old Iginla and the inconsistent, yet high-priced Jay Bouwmeester to bring this team back to its prime. In an incredibly competitive Western Conference, even die-hard Flames fan would agree that a run for the postseason seems unlikely.
The Disguisers: Sure, they give you a good feeling and get a lot of coverage, but look again real close and it's not so pretty.
1. Winnipeg Jets (2010: 34-36-12, 4th Southeast, 12th East)
Last season, the team formerly named the Atlanta Thrashers finished fourth in the Southeast division and 12th in the Eastern Conference, yet they moved to Canada in the offseason and talk around the league is that this team is ready for the big stage.
However, last time I checked, this team made no major offseason acquisitions and even lost top-six forward Anthony Stewart to free agency. They have a great group of young forwards with players such as Alexander Burmistrov, Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd, but if the past two Stanley Cup champions have taught us anything, it's that depth is essential. And depth the Jets have not.
2. Philadelphia Flyers (2010: 47-23-12, 1st Atlantic, 2nd East)
How could this be? The second-place team in the East and a second-round qualifier in 2010 as a disguiser in 2011? Well when you look at their offseason, it doesn't seem so farfetched. Despite what the naysayers may say, when a team is blown up like the Flyers were this summer, it rarely works out for the best.
Just ask the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks, a team that went from 2009 Stanley Cup glory to 2010 first-round exit after losing nearly half their team due to salary cap restrictions.
In Philly's case, general manager Paul Holmgren gave away 185 points from last season in team captain Mike Richards, right wing Jeff Carter and left wing Ville Leino.
While they certainly acquired a bevy of excellent young talent which will prove invaluable three to four years down the road, what does that do for them this season? It's just too much turnover to expect anything more than a seventh or eighth seed from this version of the Flyers.
The Risers: Here we come.
1. Edmonton Oilers (2010: 25-45-12, 5th Northwest, 15th West)
The Oilers as a riser may be a given considering they have finished last in the NHL the last two seasons. However, the Oilers won't just be going from 30th to 29th. At the same time, they won't make the leap all the way to first either.
Edmonton will make a solid leap out of the basement of the Northwest Division and will start to make people recognize a resurgence.
While drafting in the top 10 year after year means you haven't done particularly well in the regular season, it also means you get to stockpile young talent for the future, and the Oilers have done just that. And ask the Penguins and Blackhawks how that works out.
In a span of 4 years from 2004 to 2007 the Penguins went from last in the Atlantic to Stanley Cup champions with smart draft picks such as 2004's Evgeni Malkin and 2005's Sidney Crosby.
Likewise, the additions of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane marked a turning point for the long time bottom feeding Blackhawks, leading to a Cup in 2009. I see a similar story playing out in Edmonton.
They may not be in contention this year, but watch out for this team lead by young stars Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jordan Eberle in seasons to come.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning (2010: 46-25-11, 2nd Southeast, 4th East)
On the other end of the spectrum is the Lightning who reached Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. That said, it was no Stanley Cup title, so there is still work to be done.
Contrary to some teams like the Senators and Flames who have yet to cut ties with several obsolete talents, general manager Steve Yzerman has helped transition Tampa Bay from their old guard to the young guns seamlessly.
While players from the 2004 Cup winning team such as Martin St. Louis and Vincent LeCavalier are still around, they are quietly making way for up-and-comers like Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman.
With the perfect mix of veteran experience and young energy on this team, the only thing holding them back is goaltending. 41-year old Dwayne Roloson played admirably last season, but it's tough to predict what the elder statesmen may still have up his sleeve for 2011. However, if 2010 is any indication, expect big things coming out of Tampa.
The Prizers: Be afraid. Be very afraid.
1. Boston Bruins (2010: 46-25-11, 1st Northeast, 3rd East)
The NHL hasn't seen a repeat champion since the Detroit Red Wings did it in 1997 and 1998, but many believe the 2011 Boston Bruins have what it takes to get it done.
The key lies in their experienced roster: the Bruins return nearly every player from their 2010 run, giving Boston the type of chemistry necessary to stay the course over a long 82-game season.
Add in the addition of a few good role players like blue-liner Joe Corvo and the Bruins look set to once again contend for a title. Perhaps the lynchpin to the entire operation lies in the development of second year center Tyler Seguin.
No one questions the ability of this defense, led by captain Zdeno Chara and wily vet goaltender Tim Thomas. What people do question is the potency of their offense, as evidenced by the team's 10-88 mark on power-plays in the playoffs.
Those questions can be answered if Seguin can make a sophomore leap while avoiding the sophomore slump to give the Bruins the offensive firepower to complement its stalwart defense. If the past 13 years is any indication, however, winning the second time around is often far harder than the first.
2. Chicago Blackhawks (2010: 44-29-9, 3rd Central, 8th West)
The Blackhawks have always had talent in the likes of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, goal-scoring winger Marian Hossa, and puck-moving blue-liner Duncan Keith, and it was that talent, coupled with incredible depth that brought the ‘Hawks the Cup in 2009.
However, due to cap constraints in the offseason, the Chicago front office was forced to essentially remake a Stanley Cup winning team.
The major overhaul was evident during the 2010 season as the team barely scratched its way into the playoffs as an eight seed, only to fall to the eventual Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks.
Beyond depth, if there was one knock on the 2010 Blackhawks, it was their utter lack of toughness. Enter former Flyers enforcers Daniel Carcillo and Sean O'Donnell, and you could say things look a little different in Chicago entering 2011.
The Blackhawks could be poised for another title run if rookie defensemen Nick Leddy and goaltender Corey Crawford continue to develop. While many will look to Vancouver or San Jose to come out of the West, Chicago has all the pieces necessary to make a playoff run.
They have strong goaltending, good depth at every position, and perhaps most importantly, the motivation to prove their many doubters wrong.
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