Tuesday, October 5, 2010 /
By Andrew Chong /
The 2010/11 National Hockey League season is upon us and there are some intriguing new additions to teams around the league (in no particular order):
TAYLOR HALL
Windsor Spitfires / Edmonton Oilers
Though he is not even legal drinking age yet, Taylor Hall is expected to be a franchise player for the Oilers.
He was given Kevin Lowe’s No. 4 jersey, a number arguably worthy of jersey retirement in Edmonton.
As it stands, it looks like Hall has too much fire and too much talent to fail.
TYLER SEGUIN
Plymouth Whalers / Boston Bruins
With top centre Marc Savard injured to start the season, Seguin will have an even better opportunity to make noise and try to stick with the big club.
Seguin looked noticeably bigger and stronger than Hall at the NHL Draft Combine and he beat him in the OHL scoring race.
Looking at the long-term, it looks like the Bruins have very likely reacquired the firepower they gave up in Phil Kessel.
DAN HAMHUIS
Nashville Predators / Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks were outmatched by the Blackhawks in the playoffs, as the ‘Hawks had arguably the best three defencemen in the series in Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Brian Campbell.
With a Hart Trophy winner up front, and an Olympic gold medalist in goal, the Canucks are counting on Hamhuis elevate their D.
On paper, the Canucks looked poised to make their most serious run since ’94.
ANTTI NIEMI
Chicago Blackhawks / San Jose Sharks
All of a sudden, the goalie that knocked the Sharks out of the playoffs is a Shark.
But is Niemi the real deal or was he just solid enough to get an already-unbelievable Chicago team to the Cup?
Oddly enough, that question may not even be answered this season because Niemi has joined a similarly stacked Sharks team.
But Niemi is not necessarily an upgrade in pure ability over Nabokov and though this move is okay, I just don’t see how it actually improves the Sharks.
KRIS VERSTEEG
Chicago Blackhawks / Toronto Maple Leafs
Versteeg moves from a situation in Chicago where opposing defences were worried about Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Brouwer, Byfuglien, Keith, and Campbell to a Leafs team where opposing teams are worried about Kessel and Kaberle.
How will Versteeg handle the pressure of being a focal point?
With a balanced pro-con scenario of more icetime and less skilled teammates, I see Versteeg remaining right around his usual 20-goal mark.
DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN
Chicago Blackhawks / Atlanta Thrashers
Dustin Byfuglien had a monster playoffs and proved he has it in him to score some big goals at key times.
He played a big chunk of last season on D and it looks like that’s where the Thrashers will start him.
I suspect new head coach Craig Ramsay will try Byfuglien on a number of D pairings and forward lines as this new-look Thrashers team starts to form. And that probably means it will probably take a good chunk of the season before the big-man can be in a position to excel.
In that sense, and with likely no playoff opportunity, I would expect less from Byufglien, this season.
WILLIE MITCHELL
Vancouver Canucks / Los Angeles Kings
Perhaps a player that many people had written off, a healthy Willie Mitchell could be an outstanding addition to a Kings team that seems close to being among the league’s elite.
Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Dustin Brown, Wayne Simmonds, Jack Johnson, and the Quick/Bernier goaltending duo are all young and presumably still improving.
With a supposed clean bill of health and the fact that Mitchell rarely gets laid out, I would bet that this two-year investment will pay off for the Kings.
JAROSLAV HALAK
Montreal Canadiens / St. Louis Blues
Before the Olympics, Zdeno Chara pointed to fellow Slovak Jaroslav Halak as the reason why their team would have a chance to win against anyone.
Well, in the same three-month time span, Team Slovakia and the Montreal Canadiens rode Halak to incredible heights in their respective runs.
With young studs Johnson and Pietrangelo on D, as well as some solid young forwards, the Blues look poised to make that jump into the playoff picture, after finishing one spot out last year.
SERGEI GONCHAR
Pittsburgh Penguins / Ottawa Senators
The Sens get that coveted elite offensive defenceman that all Cup teams seem to have (Chicago, Keith; Pittsburgh, Gonchar; Detroit, Lidstrom; Anaheim, Niedermayer, etc.).
Perhaps besides the goaltending position, a high-level offensive defenceman might just be the most impactful position on any given team.
If Gonchar stays healthy, the Sens have a chance to contend in the East.
SIMON GAGNE
Philadelphia Flyers / Tampa Bay Lightning
Steven Stamkos is coming off a Richard Trophy season, Victor Hedman is a year older, and the core includes Lecavalier, St. Louis, Malone, Kubina, Ohlund. And now, the Bolts add a proven goal scorer and a guy who can get it done in the playoffs (nine goals in 19 games in 2010) in Simon Gagne.
If Gagne’s arrival can contribute to Lecavalier returning to elite-status, T-Bay could make some noise.
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