NHL Analysis: Expert vs. Joe Six Pack

Tim Williams - AccuScore Analyst
Read Blog

Co-authored by Richie Solomon

Tim Williams is an AccuScore analyst who has written for Yahoo!, AOL Sports and more. Richie Solomon is a top-tier graphic designer. Tim Williams makes a living analyzing sports. Richie Solomon is a loud New York Rangers fan. Tim Williams voice represents AccuScore. Richie Solomon’s voice represents the public.

Although neither are “Hockey Moms,” they help to make up a passionate, hockey loving public that is eagerly anticipating the puck to drop. AccuScore wanted to look at the variance between an NHL expert and an everyday season ticket holder.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Tim Williams

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins may have lost Ryan Malone and Marian Hossa from last year’s Eastern Conference championship team, but they still retain two of the best players in the game in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Throw in some suitable replacements on offense in Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko, and the Penguins’ offense should be a power house in the Eastern Conference once again. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was a wall in the second half of the season, and if he carries that success over in to the 2008-09 season, the Penguins should have no problem coasting to another Atlantic division title.

Richie Solomon

Pittsburgh Penguins

I believe this to be the strongest overall division in the NHL and the Penguins have two of the best shooters on the ice. Crosby and Malkin make up the most dynamic duo in the league and if they can produce the same numbers as last year, they will easily lock up the Atlantic division again. I am also paying attention to the Rangers and the Flyers, who made good off-season acquisitions, but it won't be enough to beat this powerhouse.

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Tim Williams

Montreal Canadians

Montreal was the best team in the Eastern Conference last year, but failed to make it out of the second round of the playoffs. Winning the Northeast division won’t be a problem this year. The Canadians traded for Robert Lang at center, and forward Alex Tanguay in the off-season. Those two will add to a talented offense in Montreal that already consists of Saku Koivu, Alexei Kovalev, and young promising players like Tomas Plekanec, Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, and Christopher Higgins. The key to the success will lie in net with Carey Price, who went 11-3 for Montreal last year, following the trade of Cristobal Huet.

Richie Solomon

Montreal Canadians

The Habs were the Eastern Conference points champ last year and I don't see this young, fast exciting team slowing down. The only thing standing in there way of this storied franchise is Ottawa. The Senators will have another very strong team with Heatley and Spezza leading the offense, but not strong enough to play catch the Canadians.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Tim Williams

Washington Capitals

Last year the Capitals finished first in the Southeast for the first time since the 2000-01 season. This was mostly due to the emergence of young players like Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin, and of course Alexander Ovechkin, easily one of the best in the league, if not the best. Washington returns a similar roster as last year, with one key change coming in net. Cristobal Huet was brought in at the trade deadline, and sparked the run that carried Washington to the top of the Southeast. Huet departed in the off-season, but was replaced with Jose Theodore, who helped carry the Colorado Avalanche to the playoffs last year. Washington might have a challenge with a talented Tampa Bay squad, but should win a close division race on the back of Ovechkin and Theodore.

Richie Solomon

Washington Capitals

The Southeast is the weakest division in the NHL. So when there are average teams, I look at who has the best players, or in this case player. That guy is Alexander Ovechkin, who once again lead this team in scoring and the 3^rd seed in the playoff. I also think that the Carolina Hurricanes are the only team in this division that might make the playoffs.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Tim Williams

Detroit Red Wings

Detroit is a scary team. They dominated the regular season, and cruised through the playoffs, only to complete their season by manhandling the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Pittsburgh Penguins. To follow that up, they retained their star players, and added the best free agent on the market, Marian Hossa. The emergence of Johan Franzen late last season, combined with the addition of Hossa, gives Detroit a solid number two line, which could easily be better than the number one line on most teams. The only question mark will be the durability of Chris Osgood in net without Dominik Hasek. However, Detroit added Ty Conklin, who fared well for Pittsburgh last season. Detroit should coast to another Central division title, and most likely another Stanley Cup.

Richie Solomon

Detroit Red Wings

I am just not capable of putting together a long paragraph on this one. It is cut and dry. The Detroit Red Wings are the defending Stanley Cup champions and are once again the favorites with the acquisition of Marian Hossa. They are loaded. It's just wrong. Nothing more to say.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Tim Williams

Edmonton Oilers

After just missing the playoffs last season, the Edmonton Oilers are my sleeper team in the Northwest division. Edmonton suffered a lot of injuries last year to guys like Shawn Horcoff and Sheldon Souray, but despite the injuries, saw their younger players rally to finish the season 14-5-1. The addition of Erik Cole from Carolina will help the offense, while Lubomir Visnovsky from Los Angeles will boost an already strong defensive unit. Edmonton has one of the deepest goaltending units in the league, adding another advantage. Probably the best advantage of all would be the division. Colorado has a big question mark in net with Peter Budaj, and aging leaders of offense in Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. Minnesota lost a lot of players from last season, which could make it hard to improve on their results. If Edmonton can avoid the injuries this season, they have a great shot of going from a team that barely missed the playoffs, to the Northwest division winners.

Richie Solomon

Calgary Flames

I am of the opinion that this division is a toss up where nobody stands out as a dominate team. In a division that I perceive to be mediocre at best, I am going to parlay Jerome Iginla and his persistence as one of the league top scorers to lead the the Flames into the playoffs as the Northwest division champions.

PACIFIC DIVISION

Tim Williams

Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim was 15-15-4 to start the season last year without Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne. Niedermayer returned on December 16^th, and Selanne returned on February 5^th to lead the Ducks to an amazing 32-12-4 finish, with a 20-5-2 record after Selanne’s return. Niedermayer and Selanne will start the season with Anaheim this year, hoping to avoid the 15-15-4 start that cost them the division last season. The Ducks have a great defense with Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger, one of the best goalies in the league in Jean-Sebastien Giguere, and a talented offense that includes Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Chris Kunitz, and newly acquired center Brendan Morrison. The question shouldn’t be “Can the Ducks win the Pacific?” The question should be “Can the Ducks win the Cup?”

Richie Solomon

Dallas Stars

At the top division in the west are three team that should absolutely make the playoffs and can handle most teams in the east; the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and my pick, the Dallas Stars. I am taking Dallas assuming they stay healthy and getting the most out of bad-ass Sean Avery. However, the X-factor is whether or not Marty Turco decides to show up.

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (3) add comment

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Steve Weissman said:

Hey Solomon are you Joe Six Pack or what? or Are you are just a NY Blowhard? Did not know you could find a hockey puck unless it hit you upside the head!!! You are just SOOOOOO Wrong!

October 10, 2008