Best NHL Players By The Numbers They Wore

 Opinion Pieces  No Responses »
Nov 132010
 

Now into its 93rd season of existence the NHL has seen hundreds of legendary players grace rinks throughout North America. Since those earliest days, fans have identified the players they cheer for by the numbers on the back of their sweater. Some players were so great their numbers ended up retired by their respective clubs and now hang in the rafters of the arenas they played in so new fans can share in a history they never got to witness personally. Coming up with this list was an interesting challenge. In certain cases choosing the greatest NHL player by a specific number was dead simple. Numbers 99 and 66 are two examples. Other numbers had only one or two potential candidates, so they were quick to check off the list. Certain numbers were a much greater challenge, however. Numbers 9 and 19 each had a plethora of candidates, and required much deliberation before I finally settled. I suspect there will be many who disagree with my decisions. In the end that is half the fun in creating these posts – for the debate they are certain to spark. Read on for my picks for the greatest NHL players by the numbers they wore:

0 - Neil Sheehy

Right off the bat I get an easy one. Yes, John Davidson and Martin Biron both wore 00 early in their careers, but I decided to go with the single digit for this selection. Neil Sheehy is the only player in history to wear 0, doing so as a member of the Hartford Whalers. Not exactly a household name, but hey, with no competition what can you do?

1 – Jacques Plante

Only on my second selection and already I had my first challenge. Many people would have taken former shutout king Terry Sawchuk, and would certainly have a compelling reason for doing so. For my money, Plante got the nod (barely). Not only did he popularize the goalie mask he also won 7 Vezina Trophies (including 5 straight), a Hart Trophy (a rare feat for a goalie), and helped the Montreal Canadiens win an NHL record 5 straight Stanley Cups from 1956-1960.

2 - Doug Harvey

Three selections in and I’ve already got two Habs legends. Well, they are the most successful franchise in NHL history so it really shouldn’t be a big surprise. Before a guy named Bobby Orr came along, Harvey held the record for the most Norris Trophies with 7 and was widely considered the greatest defenseman to ever play the game.

3 - Pierre Pilote

Sandwiched right between the respective primes of Harvey and Orr came this Chicago Blackhawks all-star. Pilote was a key component of the powerful Blackhawks team that won the Stanley Cup in 1961 and he won three consecutive Norris Trophies between 1963 and 1965. While his 498 career points might pale against the totals of some of the other superstar defensemen on this list you have to remember that Pilote played in an era where d-men didn’t rack up a lot of points.

4 - Bobby Orr

Much like 66 and 99, the greatest player to ever wear #4 in the NHL isn’t in doubt. Bobby Orr dominated the game from the back end like no player before or since. He shattered numerous NHL records, many of which stand today. He helped his Boston Bruins win two Stanley Cups in the 1970s, scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal both times. He won 8 Norris Trophies and 3 Hart Trophies. The list of his amazing achievements go on and on, but perhaps the most incredible feat of Orr’s career was winning the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer, not once, but twice! It is a tragedy that chronically bad knees forced him from the game he loved so early, otherwise it is quite likely that Orr’s name, not Gretzky’s would be the first mentioned when discussing the greatest players of all time.

Honorable Mention: Jean Beliveau - Yes 10 Stanley Cups, 2 Hart Trophies and 1,219 points are only good enough to merit HM status when matched up against Orr.

5 – Nicklas Lidstrom

Up until a few years ago, Denis Potvin would have been an easy choice for best NHL player to wear #5. However, one simply cannot ignore what Lidstrom has done during his tenure with the Detroit Red Wings. His 6 Norris Trophies are the third most in history, behind only Orr and Harvey, and he has been a key part of the powerful Red Wings squad that has won 4 cups between 1997 and today, including in 2008 when he made NHL history by becoming the first European-born player to captain his team to a Stanley Cup.

6 - Larry Aurie

The Detroit Red Wings have seen many superstars grace their roster. From Gordie Howe and Terry Sawchuk to Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom this “Original Six” franchise has been a home to some of the biggest NHL legends past and present. Gordie Howe might be the team’s most famous star, but he wasn’t the first. The #6 hanging from the rafters of the Joe Louis Arena belongs to a player that donned a Wings jersey well before Howe’s time. Larry Aurie was a star two-way forward for the club, and helped the franchise win their first two Stanley Cups. Despite being a defensive standout, Aurie had no trouble putting the puck in the net, and his 23 goals were the most in the NHL during the 1936-37 season.

Honorable Mention: Phil Housley - One of the greatest offensive defensemen of all time, with more than 1,200 career points. Only Housley’s questionable defensive game kept him from this spot.

7 - Howie Morenz

He’s been called “the best ice hockey player of the first half of the 20th century”, and the “Babe Ruth of hockey”. He was dubbed the “Stratford Streak” for his incredible speed and his dazzling rushes up the ice. In many minds he was the first true NHL superstar, and it is little surprise to find this Montreal Canadiens’ legend listed as the best player to ever wear #7. He played during an era where forward passing was illegal and so end to end rushes were much more common. No one could rush the puck like Morenz, and much like Rocket Richard and Pavel Bure he could pull fans right out of their seats with his electrifying play. In 550 career games he scored 271 goals, including 40 in 44 games in 1929-30, and when the Hockey Hall of Fame opened in 1945 he was one of the original 12 inductees.

Honorable Mention: Phil Esposito - With 717 goals, 1,590 points and as one of only a handful of players to score 70+ goals and 150+ points in a single season Espo certainly gives Morenz a run for the money as the greatest #7 of all time.

8 - Teemu Selänne

#8 was another tough decision for me, but ultimately the “Finnish Flash” earned the nod. Selanne annihilated the record book when he burst on the NHL scene in 1992-93. In his rookie year with the Winnipeg Jets he potted a jaw-dropping 76 goals, smashing Mike Bossy’s record for goals by a rookie by 23. His 132 points were also 23 more than Peter Stastny’s previous mark for points by a rookie. Selanne would earn the Calder Trophy in a landslide. Though he has never duplicated that remarkable first season, Selanne has continued to put up impressive numbers throughout his career, twice more topping 50 goals and twice more eclipsing 100 points as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. With 613 career goals and counting Selanne has more goals than any other Finnish-born player in NHL history, including legend Jari Kurri.

Honorable Mention: Cam Neely, Alexander Ovechkin - As great as Selanne is this choice wasn’t a slam dunk. Neely is a Hall of Famer, one of the greatest power forwards of all time, and one of just a handful of players to score 50 goals in 50 games or less. Ovechkin’s career is only in its infancy, yet already he’s established his legend. With a pair of Hart Trophies, a Calder Trophy and an Art Ross Trophy already under his belt, this Russian superstar will quite likely one day be considered “The Greatest 8”.

9 – Gordie Howe

No shortage of competition for this number, but “Mr. Hockey” takes the title of best player to ever wear #9. Howe is not only one of the most skilled players of all time, he is also one of its most feared. Unlike other stars Howe needed no one to protect him. His left and right elbows took care of that quite well. Howe was the dominant player of his era, nabbing 6 NHL scoring titles and adding 6 Hart Trophies for good measure. At the time of his retirement he was the all time leader in goals (801), assists (1,049) and points (1,850) despite spending two years in retirement and another 6 years in the WHA.

Honorable Mention: Maurice “The Rocket” Richard, Bobby Hull - What can you say about these two legends? The Rocket was as determined a goal scorer as the NHL has ever seen, and was the first player to score 50 goals in a season (doing so in 50 games), 500 goals in a career, and is to this day the Montreal Canadiens’ all time leading goal scorer with 544. Hull was another pure scorer, whose combination of speed, strength and unparalleled shot made him nearly unstoppable. He scored even more goals than Richard (610) despite spending 7 years with the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA.

 
Players Who Wore Hockey Jersey Numbers 10-19 »

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 Posted by at 10:40 pm  Tagged with: , , , ,

NHL 2010-11 Power Rankings – Eastern Conference

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Sep 292010
 

If you stopped by the site earlier this week you saw that I posted my NHL Western Conference Power Rankings going into the 2010-11 season. I meant to give the Eastern Conference the same treatment sooner, but as usual, life interfered. I finally got around to finishing up my predictions for the East, so without further ado, here are my 2010-11 NHL Power Rankings for the Eastern Conference:

15 – New York Islanders

Long gone are the glory days of Al Arbour’s dynastic New York Islanders. Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin and Billy Smith have long since retired, and the franchise has never been the same since they left Long Island. The drafting of John Tavares last year with the #1 overall pick generated some much-needed buzz around the club, but as good as he will one day be he cannot carry this franchise on his back just yet. Goaltender Rick DiPietro is back between the pipes, but after a long layoff due to injury it will likely take awhile for him to find his form. If the Isles didn’t have it tough enough serious injuries to #1 defenseman Mark Streit and up and coming forward Kyle Okposo in pre-season play have seriously hurt the club’s chances of challenging for a playoff spot. Instead, in my opinion, they will have their work cut out for them just staying out of the Eastern Conference cellar.

14 – Atlanta Thrashers

Though the Thrashers did benefit from the Chicago Blackhawks’ fire sale during the off-season, they are still far from a playoff contender. Following the departure of Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils the Thrashers are now a team that doesn’t boast a single star player, let alone a superstar. Nik Antropov, Niclas Bergfors, Evander Kane and Rich Peverley – hardly household names – will anchor the offense. On D the team looks a little more solid, with Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien (who also plays right wing), Ron Hainsey, Johnny Oduya and Zach Bogosian all highly capable blueliners. In net, Chris Mason will take the reins as #1, and though he has been consistently good throughout his career, he lacks the game-stealing capability of the NHL’s best keepers. Utlimately it will be a severe lack of offense that will cripple this team and keep them well out of next spring’s playoff race.

13 – Florida Panthers

Speaking of anemic offense, the Florida Panthers certainly fit that description. They were far from an offensive juggernaut to begin with and the loss of sniper Nathan Horton to the Boston Bruins won’t help matters in the goal scoring department. David Booth will be back in the line-up this season, but it remains to be seen how effective he will be following a devastating concussion he suffered last year after taking a brutal hit from Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers. Booth’s offensive output will be supplemented by contributions fromveterans Cory Stillman, Radek Dvorak, Stephen Weiss and Steven Reinprecht, and youngster Michael Frolik will be looking to improve a solid campaign last year. On defenseman the picture is even bleaker. Bryan McCabe and newcomer Dennis Wideman will anchor the blueline, but after those two the depth chart dips alarmingly. The lone bright spot for the Panthers remains between the pipes, where they boast one of the league’s most underrated keepers in Tomas Vokoun. Vokoun put up stellar numbers last year, including a .925 save percentage and 7 shutouts. He’ll have to at least match those stats to give his team a shot of challenging for a playoff spot.

12 – Toronto Maple Leafs

Brian Burke may be slowly turning the ship around in hockey-mad Toronto, but his job of building a cup contender like he did with the Anaheim Ducks is a daunting task yet. Landing Kris Versteeg from the Blackhawks and Colby Armstrong, formerly of the Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins helped shore up their offense a little, but aside from sniper Phil Kessel this team doesn’t boast much in the way of offensive firepower. Though coach Ron Wilson’s offense might give him headaches this year, his blueline should help alleviate the pain. Toronto boasts one of the most solid defensive cores in the league now, with new captain Dion Phaneuf, Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek, Francois Beauchemin, and young star Luke Schenn anchoring the back end. In net the Leafs should be better than in recent years, with J.S. Giguere providing a steady presence and back-up Jonas Gustavsson (AKA: The Monster) looking to improve upon a solid, if unspectacular, rookie campaign. Sorry Leafs fans, no post-season for your beloved Buds this year, but if Burke can rustle up some more offense, and keep his All Star blueline together the club has a bright future ahead.

11 – Ottawa Senators

What a difference a few years makes. It doesn’t seem like long ago that the Sens were perennial Stanley Cup contenders, consistently topping the 100 point plateau in the regular season and reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007. Since then they’ve seen several key players, including sniper Dany Heatley, leave town, and have had to readjust their goals from winning the Stanley Cup to simply making the playoffs. On the front end they will once again be led by captain Daniel Alfredsson, along with Jason Spezza, Alex Kovalev and Mike Fisher. On defense they made a pretty big splash in the free agent pool this past summer, landing prized blueliner Sergei Gonchar during the free agent feeding frenzy. Unfortunately, beyond the 36 year old Gonchar and Chris Phillips the team’s defensive core more closely resembles that of an AHL franchise, particularly with #3 man Filip Kuba out with long term injury. However, the Sens’ biggest problem is between the pipes. Pascal Leclaire showed flashes of brilliance during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but is almost as injury-prone as Sami Salo of the Vancouver Canucks, and has yet to have a really healthy stretch in Ottawa to show what he can do. Backup Brian Elliott has been good when called upon, but his lack of experience as a true #1 is a concern should Leclaire get bitten by the injury bug again. If the tandem can provide solid goaltending this year, the Sens might challenge for a playoff spot.

10 – Carolina Hurricanes

Is there a more up and down franchise in the NHL than this one? If you read the Canes’ recent history like a stock chart the peaks and valleys would be enough to scare off even the boldest investor. Though the team boasts some of the game’s best players in Eric Staal and Cam Ward a lack of depth is their biggest downfall. Beyond Staal’s contributions the offensive production drops off precipitously, with players like Tuomo Ruutu, Erik Cole, Jussi Jokinen and Sergei Samsonov – who’d be third line role players on most other teams – expected to contribute as first and second line offensive weapons. The blueline is nothing to write home about either. With a top three that features Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason and Joe Corvo their depth on D suffers in comparison to most teams around the league. Staal and Ward will have to be at their absolute best for this team to reach the playoffs, and even if they do it is hard to imagine them surviving a 7 game series against any of the Eastern Conference superpowers.

9 – New York Rangers

Though he had a nice run with the Oilers in the 1980s it seems the wizardry of Glen Sather has long since fizzled out. The Rangers GM has struggled mightily in a post-salary cap era, and a string of bizarre signings has left the team too financially handicapped to compete with the best teams in the East. Recently veteran defenseman Wade Redden – another Sather signing gaff – was assigned to the Hartford Wolfpack of the AHL to free up cap space. Unfortunately for the Rangers they are still on the hook for Redden’s 6.5 million dollar annual salary, for four more years! The two keys to the Rangers success will be goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and superstar Slovakian forward Marian Gaborik. Lundqvist will need to be magical and Gaborik will need to stay healthy all season – a rare feat for him – if the Rangers are going to challenge for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East.

8 – Montreal Canadiens

Despite the fact that the Habs made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals last year before bowing out to the Philadelphia Flyers I have a hard time picking them to finish any better than eighth place this go-around. You have to remember they barely squeaked into the playoffs as the eighth seed last year, and it was mainly the goaltending brilliance of Jaroslav Halak – since traded to the St. Louis Blues – that was the reason for their Cinderella run. However, the return of Andrei Markov – one of the NHL’s most underrated defensemen –, the maturation of P.K. Subban, and another year for Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta to build chemistry does give reason for optimism. If Carey Price can avoid crumbling under the immense pressure of playing in Montreal, and can recapture the brilliance he showed in his rookie campaign this team could surprise many naysayers around the league.

7 – Tampa Bay Lightning

The Steve Yzerman era begins in Tampa Bay, and I believe the Lightning will reach the playoffs under their new Hall of Fame manager. The Lightning boast a forward core that is the envy of most of the league. Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis have been one of the most dangerous hockey duos for years now, and Steve Stamkos, co-winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy last year, has swiftly emerged as one of the best snipers in the league. The addition of Simon Gagne certainly doesn’t hurt either, and superpest Steve Downie showed last year that he has a fair bit of offensive flash to go along with his grit. On D the additions of Pavel Kubina and Brett Clark will be a big boost, and former 2nd overall pick Victor Hedman should improve. In goal Dan Ellis brings some depth to the position. Ellis is capable of taking over the #1 spot should Mike Smith falter. Overall there is a lot for Lightning fans to be excited about, and if they start firing on all cylinders this club could finish significantly higher than the seventh spot I’ve pegged them at.

6 – Buffalo Sabres

When you look at the Sabres roster the phrase, “playoff contender” probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, at least before you reach Ryan Miller’s name. The defending Vezina Trophy winner was brilliant for the Sabres last season, and if he can duplicate that performance the Sabres should comfortably secure a playoff spot. Calder Trophy winner Tyler Myers will anchor the blueline, and after packing on 15 pounds of muscle in the off-season will be even more intimidating to opposing forwards than he was in his rookie campaign. Up front the offense will be by committee, as has been the case for years in Buffalo. Coach Lindy Ruff will squeeze a surprising amount out of Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Tim Connolly, Derek Roy and crew, and they will score just enough goals in front of Ryan Miller’s stingy goaltending to win those all-important tight games.

5 – Philadelphia Flyers

Though they reached the Stanley Cup Finals last spring before bowing out to the Chicago Blackhawks the Philadelphia Flyers still haven’t addressed their main problem: goaltending. The duo of Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher is certainly amongst the weakest in the league, and with Leighton out for at least a month with injury now, the uncertainty between the pipes is even more pronounced. However, despite their goaltending woes, with a roster that boasts Chris Pronger, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Daniel Briere, Claude Giroux and Kimmo Timonen the Flyers certainly should have no problems reaching the post-season. If they can find a bona fide number one goalie, or Leighton or Boucher plays well beyond expectations Philly fans could see their beloved Flyers again challenging for the cup come next spring.

4 – Pittsburgh Penguins

Stanley Cup finalists in 2008 and champions in 2009 the Penguins – after a disappointing quarter-final loss to the Canadiens in 2010 – will be anxious to get another shot at Lord Stanley’s mug next spring. However, they will have their work cut out for them. The Pens once again boast the biggest one-two punch in the league in the superstar pairing of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Jordan Staal is currently out with an infected foot, but when he returns will again be a force as one of the best two-way forwards in the league. The Pens will sorely miss the presence of Russian defenseman Sergei Gonchar on the powerplay, and Alex Goligoski and Kris Letang will have to step up and try and fill the big skates of Gonchar both with the man advantage and at regular strength. The Pens also made a couple of interesting acquisitions in the off-season, landing Paul Martin, formerly of the New Jersey Devils, and the well-traveled Mike Comrie. In net, Marc-Andre Fleury will once again be “the guy”. If Fleury plays his very best then the Pens have a shot of challenging the mighty Capitals for the title of best in the East.

3 – Boston Bruins

Despite the bad news that Marc Savard is out indefinitely with post-concussion syndrome I think the Boston Bruins still have plenty of reason to be optimistic this season. The addition of Nathan Horton from the Florida Panthers should provide a big offensive boost, and should #2 overall draft pick Tyler Seguin crack the line-up then the absence of Savard in the middle won’t be so keenly felt. Hulking winger Milan Lucic – who many feel has the potential to be another Cam Neely – will return to the lineup full time as well, after an injury-riddled campaign that saw him miss most of last season. On D the Bruins will again rely heavily on Zdeno Chara. The former Norris Trophy winner is a force at both ends of the ice, and is an absolute nightmare for opposing forwards. And in net the B’s boast one of the league’s best tandems in youngster Tuukka Rask and former Vezina winner Tim Thomas. If Rask can equal his incredible campaign of a year ago he should help the Bruins challenge the Devils, Penguins and Caps for the Eastern Conference title.

2 – New Jersey Devils

After an off-season soap opera surrounding the signing of superstar Russian winger Ilya Kovalchuk the Devils are ready to put that behind them and get down to business. With the addition of Kovalchuk and of Jason Arnott – formerly of the Nashville Predators – the Devils, always known as a stalwart defensive team, suddenly find themselves with one of the deadliest offensive squads in the league. Zach Parise is already a superstar and with Kovalchuk’s presence taking focus off him, could threaten the 100 point plateau. With Patrik Elias, Travis Zajac , Jamie Langenbrunner and Brian Rolston providing support the Devils should have no trouble scoring goals this season. One the blueline newly acquired shot-blocking machine Anton Volchenkov will lead the way, and should help 4-time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur post even stingier numbers than usual. As long as the Kovalchuk drama hasn’t upset the apple cart too much the Devils should be a force to be reckoned with in the East from wire to wire.

1 – Washington Capitals

Is this finally the Capitals year? The club is loaded with stars like Alexander Ovechkin, Alex Semin, Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom. This core of players led the Caps to the President’s Trophy last year, and a year older and a year hungrier there is little reason to believe they can’t repeat the feat this season. Ovechkin will once again be the key. The captain should again challenge for the Art Ross, Hart and Rocket Richard Trophies. The biggest question for the Caps is in goal, where Semyon Varlamov, Michal Neuvirth and Dany Sabourin will share duties. Varlamov should be #1 throughout the season, but with only 32 NHL games under his belt experience is a big concern. Even if their goaltenders struggle Washington’s offense is powerful enough that they should cruise to first place in the conference during the regular season. The playoffs, however, could be another story…

 Posted by at 11:15 am  Tagged with: ,

NHL Power Rankings 2010-11 – Western Conference

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Sep 272010
 

With the start of the 2010-11 NHL season now little more than a week away I figured it was time to pull out my crystal ball and try and predict which Western Conference teams will be Stanley Cup contenders this year, and which teams are going to be dusting off the old golf clubs come early April. Last year the Phoenix Coyotes and the Colorado Avalanche were predicted to be cellar dwellers but surprised hockey experts around the league by making the playoffs. With parity the name of the game in the NHL these days, there is little doubt that similar surprises will occur in the 2010-11 season. Here are my 2010-11 regular season power rankings for the NHL’s Western Conference:

15 – Minnesota Wild

This is a franchise that just seems to be heading in the wrong direction. It is a new era in Minnesota following last season’s departure of superstar Marian Gaborik and coach Jacques Lemaire, and this team has a long way to go before they will again contend for a playoff spot. Martin Havlat was brought in to try and take the place of Gaborik, but was largely unimpressive in his first season with the club. Both Mikko Koivu and Guillaume Latendresse had career years last year, and will be hard-pressed to match their offensive totals from the previous campaign. With an anemic offense goaltender Niklas Backstrom will have to have a Vezina-caliber season for the Wild to even have a shot at the playoffs. Personally I think even that goal is pretty ambitious and it will likely be a few seasons before the Wild contend again for a playoff spot.

14 – Columbus Blue Jackets

Another team with offensive challenges the Columbus Blue Jackets have been treading water ever since joining the league at the beginning of the new century. Rick Nash will of course be the go-to guy for the club, but beyond him the team doesn’t really boast any offensive stars. Sure, Kristian Huselius, R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette will all do their part, but their contributions won’t be enough to push this team into playoff contention. If Steve Mason can recapture the form he had in his rookie campaign then perhaps the team could move up the list a few spots, but young goalies are notoriously inconsistent, so that scenario is hard to bank on at this point.

13 – Nashville Predators

Though the Predators were a playoff team last year, and actually gave the Chicago Blackhawks a tough go in round one there is little reason for optimism in Nashville going into the 2010-11 season. Rock steady defenseman Dan Hamhuis has found greener pastures with the Vancouver Canucks, and captain Jason Arnott has returned to his old stomping grounds in New Jersey. Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne will be keys to the team’s success, but they can only do so much on a roster that boasts several other good, but no other great players.

12 – Edmonton Oilers

Looking around at 2010-11 regular season predictions from hockey bloggers I’ve found the Edmonton Oilers on the bottom of most power rankings. It seems that the consensus opinion is that the Oilers fans will be forced to endure a second straight dreadful season. In my opinion the team actually underachieved last year, and their 30th place finish was not indicative of their potential. The addition of young stars like #1 overall draft pick Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Magnus Paajarvi should make the team a dangerous offensive opponent, and the return of goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin should shore up the team at the all-important goaltending position. I still don’t think they’ll make the playoffs, but they should climb a few spots in the Western Conference standings this year.

11 – Dallas Stars

Another team in transition the Dallas Stars will have a much different look this year. Team mainstays Marty Turco and Mike Modano have moved on to the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings respectively. However, the emergence of players like Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson and James Neal give Stars fans reasons for optimism, and veterans like Brad Richards and Brenden Morrow should help fill the leadership void left by the departure of Modano and Turco. Ultimately it is goaltending that is the biggest question mark in Dallas this year. If Kari Lehtonen can elevate his game with his new club then this team can make a run at a playoff spot.

10 – Anaheim Ducks

Though the Ducks boast stars such as Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan and the ageless Teemu Selanne up front it is their blueline that has them ranked 10th on this list, sitting outside the playoff picture looking in. The retirement of Scott Niedermayer has left a gaping hole on the back end, and Jonas Hiller is still struggling to prove himself a bona fide number one. That being said the Ducks are still a tough team to play against and should they manage to squeak into the playoffs they have the experience and capability to play the spoiler role against the powerhouse teams of the Western Conference.

9 – St. Louis Blues

Of all the teams in the Western Conference the Blues were the hardest to place for me. In my opinion this squad could finish anywhere from 6th – 13th place without surprising anyone. They are a team that scores by committee and though they have young players with plenty of potential they are one of the few teams in the league that doesn’t boast a single star. The biggest key to the Blues season, as is the case with many of the teams in these power rankings, will be the play off newly acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak. If Halak can perform at or near the level he showed during last spring’s playoff run with the Montreal Canadiens then the Blues should be a shoe-in to make the playoffs.

8 – Colorado Avalanche

Last season the Avalanche exceeded expectations by a wide margin, but I don’t see them getting more than marginally better this season, and it is very possible they could experience a precipitous drop should goaltender Craig Anderson not be able to duplicate his incredible performance of a year ago. With plenty of young firepower in the form of Stastny, Chris Stewart, Peter Mueller and Matt Duchene the team shouldn’t hurt for goals. The departure of defensive stalwart Brett Clark does leave a void on the back end, however. All in all this team should hover right around the bubble all season, and if they do make the playoffs it is unlikely they will depart quickly without more than a whisper.

7 – Phoenix Coyotes

Another surprise from last season the Phoenix Coyotes have earned every ounce of respect they are being given this season. Most are predicting the Coyotes to comfortably make the post-season. Another team like St. Louis that likes to spread the offense around the Coyotes are short on superstars. What they don’t lack though is a strong work ethic. Coach Dave Tippett was masterful at getting the most out of his players last season, and providing his players haven’t tuned him out there is no reason to doubt that this hard-working bunch can make it into the playoffs for the second straight year.

6 – Los Angeles Kings

If you are looking for a reason why the Los Angeles Kings will make the playoffs this year then you need look no further than franchise defenseman Drew Doughty. Doughty established himself as a superstar last season, and should only get better as the years pass. In addition to this likely Norris Trophy candidate the Kings also boast a strong core of forwards that includes Slovenian star Anze Kopitar, hitting and goal-scoring machine Dustin Brown and the indomitable Ryan Smyth. In net Jonathan Quick will likely continue to live up to his name, and should he stumble Jonathan Bernier is waiting in the wings, ready to assume the number one job. The Kings should easily nab a playoff spot, and could conceivably pull off a first round upset in the 2011 playoffs.

5 – Calgary Flames

Some might feel I’ve ranked this club a little high, but Brent Sutter is just too good a coach to imagine a lower finish. Of course a coach can only do so much – the players have to perform on the ice. However, with captain Jarome Iginla – arguably the greatest leader in the game today – and former Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff in between the pipes on-ice performance shouldn’t be an issue. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester’s second year with the Flames should be far better than his first and the return of former Flames Olli Jokinen and Alex Tanguay should provide the Flames with enough scoring punch to win those tight one goal games they always find themselves in. No, they won’t challenge the Canucks for the Northwest Division title this year, but they will be a tough team to play against, and should make the playoffs with plenty of points to spare.

4 – Detroit Red Wings

Though the Red Wings aren’t as mighty as they were just two short years ago, they are still a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. Both Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg should produce higher offensive numbers than they did last season, particularly in light of the fact that it looks like they will be playing together this year. The addition of Mike Modano and the return of Jiri Hudler should add even more scoring punch to a team that never seems to have trouble scoring goals as it is. On the blueline Nicklas Lidstrom will again be the lynch pin, and though he is getting long in the tooth will likely again challenge for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman. With great coaching and solid team defense sophomore goalie Jimmy Howard should have a lot of easy nights between the pipes and the Wings should finish in the top half of the West.

3 – San Jose Sharks

A perennial regular season powerhouse the Sharks should once again find themselves challenging for the top spot in the Western Conference. Boasting stars like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley and Joe Pavelski the club should have no problem scoring goals. Over the past few seasons they’ve been masterful at limiting the number of shots on goal their opponents get and that trait should help ease the sting of losing long-time number one netminder Evgeni Nabokov to the KHL.

2 – Chicago Blackhawks

Many hockey experts are predicting a precipitous drop in the standings for the defending Stanley Cup champions, following the dismantling of the roster in the off-season due to salary cap issues. However, though they’ve lost guys like Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg this roster is still as powerful as any in the league. It is hard to cast doubt on a team that boasts the like of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa in its line-up. If goaltender Marty Turco can recapture his form of a few years ago then the Hawks should have little problem overcoming the loss of Byfuglien and crew and should contend for the Western Conference title.

1 – Vancouver Canucks

Looking at the Canucks roster going into this season it is hard to predict anything but first in the Western Conference for them in 2010-11. Led by Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy winner Henrik Sedin and his brother Daniel, goaltender Roberto Luongo and a strong supporting cast that includes Ryan Kesler, Mason Raymond, Alex Burrows, Keith Ballard and Dan Hamhuis, the Canucks are strong at every position. For long-suffering Canucks fans who’ve been waiting four decades for glory might finally get to see their team go all the way this year.

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