2009-2010 NHL Western Conference Standings Predictions

The Avalanche will go into their first ever season without their captain and face of the franchise Joe Sakic who retired this summer. Trading away their highest paid player (Ryan Smyth) this offseason is also an indication Colorado was spiraling into a rebuild and in need of a new look.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 15th

Highest possible finish this season: 12th

Key additions: Craig Anderson, Kyle Quincey

Key losses: Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Ian Laperriere

Overall Offense: 7

Overall Defense: 7.5

Goaltending: 7.5

Leadership: 6.5

Coaching: 6.5

Total: 35/50

Nashville has somehow avoided hitting rock bottom over the past couple of years after losing so many star players. In that same time they were able to restock their farm with some good prospects while making and flirting with the playoffs, so things are not all that bad...yet.

However, consistently good hockey only lasts so long, and eventually it catches up to you, and that will be the case with this years Predators who are looking thinner than ever, especially on offense.

Trending: Down

Last season final standing: 10th

Highest possible finish this season: 10th

Lowest possible finish this season: 15th

Key additions: None

Key losses: Ville Koistinen, Vernon Fiddler, Greg Zanon

Overall Offense: 7

Overall Defense: 8

Goaltending: 9

Leadership: 7.5

Coaching: 8.5

Total: 40/50

Whether you want to call them the Phoenix Coyotes or the future Hamilton Coyotes, they still are the same old Coyotes. A team that lacks an offensive punch, good defense and the right coach to guide them into the playoffs.

Too many young prospects flood this team, but their future is bright (the on ice part).

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 13th

Highest possible finish this season: 9th

Lowest possible finish this season: 15th

Key additions: Adrian Aucoin

Key losses: Enver Lisin

Overall Offense: 7.5

Overall Defense: 8

Goaltending: 8.5

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 7.5

Total: 40/50

This season will most likely be more of a feeling out process for the Wild as new head coach Todd Richards tries to transform a team that knew nothing but defensive hockey into a team that will play an up-tempo style.

Good news is the Wild have plenty of speedy skaters, but it will take time for it all to mold together.

Trending: Down

Last season final standing: 9th

Highest possible finish this season: 8th

Lowest possible finish this season: 14th

Key additions: Martin Havlat, Greg Zanon

Key losses: Marian Gaborik

Overall Offense: 7.5

Overall Defense: 8

Goaltending: 9.5

Leadership: 8

Coaching: 7

Total: 40/50

The Kings will be better this season with the additions of Ryan Smyth, Rob Scuderi and the maturation of some of their kids like Drew Doughty. However, to me, they still look like they are a bona fide player or two away from reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Trending: Up (I guess)

Last season final standing: 14th

Highest possible finish this season: 8th

Lowest possible finish this season: 14th

Key additions: Ryan Smyth, Rob Scuderi

Key losses: Kyle Quincey

Overall Offense: 8

Overall Defense: 7.5

Goaltending: 7.5

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 8.5

Total: 40/50

Before I made these predictions I had Columbus in my head to make the playoffs again. I really like this teams offense, coaching, and I love their goaltender Steve Mason.

I'm still not liking their defense, but this choice is based off more of the competitiveness of the West. In my opinion, their are just too many other teams better than Columbus.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 7th

Highest possible finish this season: 7th

Lowest possible finish this season: 13th

Key additions: Samuel Pahlsson

Key losses: Jason Williams

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 7.5

Goaltending: 8.5

Leadership: 7.5

Coaching: 9

Total: 41/50

Edmonton always has a tough time attracting free agents in the offseason, so they went out this past spring and hired two top notch coaches Pat Quinn and Tom Renney to help them get over the hump and reach the playoffs for the first time since their Cinderella Finals run back in 2006.

Edmonton has a lot of good young talent and could very well make the playoffs if they play up to their ability, but at the end of the day I have them nearly missing out because the teams ahead of them are the safer bet.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 11th

Highest possible finish this season: 7th

Lowest possible finish this season: 13th

Key additions: Nikolai Khabibulin

Key losses: Ales Kotalik, Dwayne Roloson

Overall Offense: 8

Overall Defense: 8.5

Goaltending: 8.5

Leadership: 7.5

Coaching: 9.5

Total: 42/50

St. Louis is one of the top up and coming teams in the NHL with one of the best prospect pools. They surprised most last season finishing sixth in the West, even with key players like Paul Kariya and Erik Johnson out with injuries for most of the season.

The Blues have nowhere to go but up in the coming years, and they will soon be a force in the NHL for many years.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 6th

Highest possible finish this season: 5th

Lowest possible finish this season: 10th

Key additions: Craig Anderson

Key losses: Ian Laperriere

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 8

Goaltending: 8.5

Leadership: 9

Coaching: 8.5

Total: 42.5/50

Every year in the NHL it seems one of the favorites fails to reach expectations, and that's exactly how Dallas finished last season, out of the playoffs.

Dallas is still one of the best teams on paper in the NHL though, so it's hard for me to write them off, especially now that the Sean Avery drama which started their troubles last season is now a distant memory.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 12th

Highest possible finish this season: 5th

Lowest possible finish this season: 10th

Key additions: Karlis Skrastins

Key losses: None

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 8.5

Goaltending: 9

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 9

Total: 43.5/50

This Vancouver team is still in their peaking stage, which means they are still a very good team. But they didn't do anything noteworthy this offseason to help get them over that hump to be serious Cup contenders, in fact they have slightly regressed.

Good thing is a trade deadline in February exists if need be.

Trending: Sideways

Last season final standing: 3rd

Highest possible finish this season: 3rd

Lowest possible finish this season: 9th

Key additions: Mikael Samuelsson

Key losses: Mattias Ohlund, Mats Sundin

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 9

Goaltending: 10

Leadership: 8

Coaching: 8

Total: 43.5/50

Anaheim to me is one of the best mixes of young talent and experienced play-makers. This team also still has most of their core players that won the Cup back in 2007.

The losses of Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin will hurt them in playoffs, but they should have no major problems making it in with the pieces they added back.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 8th

Highest possible finish this season: 5th

Lowest possible finish this season: 9th

Key additions: Saku Koivu, Nick Boynton, Joffrey Lupul

Key losses: Chris Pronger, Francois Beauchemin

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 8.5

Goaltending: 9.5

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 9

Total: 44/50

Detroit took the biggest pounding this off-season with player loss of about 75 goals and only replaced that with a potential 40 goals at best. There is no doubt this team won't be as good unless some of their stars can really up their play.

However, they are still one of the best looking teams, and they will still be a major threat to the ones above them, if there are any.

Trending: Sideways

Last season final standing: 2nd

Highest possible finish this season: 1st

Lowest possible finish this season: 7th

Key additions: Todd Bertuzzi, Jason Williams

Key losses: Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson, Jiri Hudler

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 9.5

Goaltending: 8.5

Leadership: 9

Coaching: 9

Total: 44.5/50

The Flames lost some offensive punch this offseason, but they now feature arguably the greatest defensive corps in the NHL with the addition of Jay Bouwmeester.

The addition of hard nosed coach Brent Sutter will get the most out of his players could make Calgary the best in the Northwest, maybe the entire West.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 5th

Highest possible finish this season: 1st

Lowest possible finish this season: 7th

Key additions: Jay Bouwmeester, Brent Sutter (coach)

Key losses: Michael Cammalleri, Jordan Leopold, Todd Bertuzzi, Adrian Aucoin

Overall Offense: 8.5

Overall Defense: 9.5

Goaltending: 9

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 8.5

Total: 44/50

Chicago lost more players this offseason than they have added but they are clearly a better looking team now with 40-goal scorer Marian Hossa who should be skating with Jonathan Toews on the first line.

Last season was Chicago's coming out party and they finished fourth in the West. Expect them to dethrone Detroit and come out victors of the Central division this time around.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 4th

Highest possible finish this season: 1st

Lowest possible finish this season: 6th

Key additions: Marian Hossa, John Madden

Key losses: Martin Havlat, Nikolai Khabibulin, Matt Walker, Sam Pahlsson

Overall Offense: 10

Overall Defense: 9

Goaltending: 8.5

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 8.5

Total: 44.5/50

Last seasons winners of the West are looking to me like the favorites to repeat. No major additions were added to their roster, but they still have that tremendous offensive and defensive depth to plow through the regular season just like last season.

Trending: Up

Last season final standing: 1st

Lowest possible finish this season: 5th

Key additions: None

Key losses: Mike Grier, Travis Moen

Overall Offense: 10

Overall Defense: 9

Goaltending: 9

Leadership: 8.5

Coaching: 8.5

Total: 45/50