Predictions for the 2006-07 NHL year

By Mike Petty
Collegian Staff
October 4, 2006

Last season, the NHL was returning from a lockout, and nearly all efforts to advertise were spent on trying to get fans back to games. This season, all advertising efforts can be spent on the sport and the nature of the game.

The Explorers battling in a game from last season.

This off-season was as wild as ever, with teams having a season under their belts with the salary cap and needing to be under the maximum. The off-season saw names like Chris Pronger, Dominick Hasek, Roberto Luongo, Todd Bertuzzi, Ed Belfour and Brendan Shanahan change teams and alter the landscape of the league.

The Buffalo Sabres have finally dropped the black, red and white to go back to the traditional blue and gold, but their new logo looks like Donald Trump’s hairpiece. The superstar rookie class of Alexander Ovechkin, Eric Staal and Sidney Crosby (diving and dramatics too) are all back and expect to be even better. The storylines are all laid out, so let the predictions begin.

The Western Conference will see a distinct change in its major forces and mainstays in the playoffs. Detroit, Dallas and Colorado will all have a tough job just making the postseason.

In the Central Division, the Nashville Predators have added Jason Arnott, Josef Vasicek and J.P. Dumont to an already strong team, and they have a healthy Tomas Vokoun. In the weakest division in hockey, the Red Wings will benefit from an easy schedule.

Central: 1. Nashville (#1 seed), 2. Detroit (#5 seed), 3. Chicago, 4. St. Louis, 5. Columbus.

The Northwest Division saw a change with Colorado not winning the division last year, and that trend will continue this season. The Calgary Flames added Alex Tanguay and a reborn Jarome Iginla along with the best goaltender in the NHL, and these factors will all contribute to a division crown. Last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, the Edmonton Oilers, will fade and not be as strong. Look out for the Minnesota Wild.

Northwest: 1. Calgary (#2 seed), 2. Edmonton (#6 seed), 3. Minnesota (#7 seed), 4. Vancouver, 5. Colorado.

The Pacific Division-winning Dallas Stars were nearly unstoppable until the playoffs and this year the team, with no improvements, will fade. The San Jose Sharks improved greatly by adding Mike Grier and Mark Bell along with MVP Joe Thornton and goal-scoring champ Jonathan Cheechoo. They are the team to beat. The Ducks (no longer Mighty) with Pronger and a strong team will make a run and just miss out on the division title.

Pacific: 1. San Jose (#3 seed), 2. Anaheim (#4 seed), 3. Dallas (#8 seed), 4. Los Angeles, 5. Phoenix.

In the playoffs, Nashville will have no problem with Dallas, Calgary will cruise past Minnesota, San Jose will get revenge on Edmonton and Anaheim will eliminate Detroit.

In the second round, Nashville will get past Anaheim and San Jose will win in seven over Calgary. The Western Conference champions will be the San Jose Sharks, as they will beat Nashville in the conference finals.

Now let's take a look at the Eastern Conference.

In the Atlantic Divison, the Philadelphia Flyers have the best goalie tandem in the NHL, a healthy Peter Forsberg, and a more experienced team that will win the division but by less than three points in the closest divisional race. The New York Rangers brought in some quality depth players and will just miss out on the division title in the final games.

Atlantic: 1. Philadelphia (#3 seed), 2. New York Rangers (#4 seed), 3. New Jersey (#7 seed), 4. Pittsburgh, 5. New York Islanders.

The Northwest Division will see improved play, but the Ottawa Senators are still the class of the division. The loss of Zdeno Chara hurts, especially because he’s still in the division. Even so, this team is too strong not to win. The Montreal Canadiens will be the surprise team in the East and will be a force.

Northwest: 1. Ottawa (#1 seed), 2. Montreal (#5 seed), 3. Buffalo (#8 seed), 4. Boston, 5. Toronto.

The Southeast Division is always regarded as the weakest in hockey, and rightfully so, but it did produce the Stanley Cup Champion last season. As long as playoff MVP Cam Ward can avoid a sophomore slump, the Hurricanes will repeat as division champs. The other surprise team will be the Atlanta Thrashers, who will finally make the playoffs behind up-and-coming goalie Kari Lehtonen.

Southeast: 1. Carolina (#2 seed), 2. Atlanta (#6 seed), 3. Florida, 4. Tampa Bay, 5. Washington.

For the right to play San Jose, Ottawa will breeze by Buffalo, Carolina will battle but defeat New Jersey, the Flyers will end the fun for Atlanta and the Rangers will win a tough series against Montreal.

The Rangers will knock off the top seeded Senators and Carolina will continue the championship drought in Philadelphia. The surprise of this season will be the Rangers beating Carolina and going to the finals. And in a high scoring, exciting six-game series, the San Jose Sharks will win the 2006-2007 Stanley Cup.

pettym1@lasalle.edu