NHL Northwest: Ups, Downs, Unknowns of the League's "Toughest Division"

In Minnesota it could be time for sophomore centreman James Sheppard and other youthful players to join the Wild’s top scorers.  Coping with their roster’s facelift, St. Paul’s finest young talent will have more room to advance this year.  Many are well integrated into the system and have already found franchise success: seven of Minnesota’s original eight 1st Round draft picks are currently valued members of the team, including captain-in-waiting Mikko Koivu.  Many also hold hope for newly acquired possible call-up Corey Locke.

A returning Andrew Brunette has a chance to revamp his game as second banana to oft-injured Marian Gaborik, while many of Minnesota’s other summer additions possess quality potential not yet fully realised (Marc-Andre Bergeron, Marek Zidlicky, Antti Miettinen).  Veteran leader Owen Nolan will undoubtedly make an impact in the locker room, but how another move late in his career will affect his play remains to be seen.

How well will a Division-title-defending club adapt to recent changes?  How will the youth respond in this strict environment?  The Wild can be incredibly stable, and players on this squad know their roles and how to play them.  Their frustrating-yet-dryly entertaining style of play, together with new step-up role-players give Minnesota a chance to surprise the critics once again.

 

In a somewhat predictable Colorado squad it may be the goaltending department which provides the biggest surprises.  Peter Budaj and Andrew Raycroft are set to start the season for the Avalanche, but Jason Bacashihua could capitalise on any failings.  Raycroft will have a chance to answer the consistency questions which have shadowed him since his Calder-winning season, and Budaj should improve with the departure of Jose Theodore.  Will the Denver-based backstops respond or flounder under such responsibility?  How long coach Tony Granato’s patience will last is a story which may yet dramatically unfold.

The Avalanche’s scoring sources are no surprise (Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Paul Stasny, Milan Hejduk), though there will be youngsters like Wojtek Wolski and TJ Hensick who will improve enough to be regular contributors.  Darcy Tucker may seem like a fish-out-of-Toronto, but the gritty and emotional spark-plug could flourish in pressure-free anonymity. Can the Avs aging roster keep up the pace and glory of years past?

This group is being counted out early this season, but include many skilled players and have shown in the past that they have the character to battle steadily forward.  They can give other Northwest squads trouble game-to-game; watch for possible upsets by the Avs.

 

Saving the best (if most hated) dark-horse team for last, the Edmonton Oilers have high hopes despite what detractors say.  Their young-guns stepped up in an injury-plagued 2007-08 and gained invaluable confidence and experience.  If Robert Nilsson, Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano, and Tom Gilbert build on last year’s successes, hopefully they haven’t tipped their hands too much and still catch the competition unawares.  They may help their team indirectly as well: while the name Gilbert Brule may sound familiar it has rung hollow in the NHL, but he could find renewed inspiration among other young and developing talent.

The Oil will be the division’s most promising underdog, carrying last year’s end-of-season momentum and a young lineup full of potential breakout performances into 2008-09.  There is also just enough veteran experience to shore up any slip-ups, especially on the back end.  Freshly-acquired Erik Cole and Lubomir Visnovsky (and to a lesser extent, Jason Strudwick) will join old familiars and help shape the new dynamic.  Can the Oilers' experienced reliables help newcomers and youth find Edmonton's old magic spark?

If the team receives depth production, and depending on how the goaltending situation plays out between Dwayne Roloson and Mathieu Garon, the Oilers could cause competitors fits this year even if they don't top the standings.

 

The rest of the NHL should always be wary of Northwest teams.  Because divisional rivalries and point-pilfering are so rampant in the upper corner of the continent, these survivalist clubs realise their best chance for “free” points is away from familiar terrain.  Many underestimate these teams, an advantage they all share.  Physical and fast, Northwest crews can throw even the best organisations for a loop.

As in all of hockey most of these issues affect every team to some degree, though every one relies on its own unique and often unexpected qualities.  Each could fail or succeed depending on endless factors.  There may be no arguing with the predictions, but there is an unofficial Northwest Division credo worth remembering: Expect the unexpected, and like the weather, if you don’t like it wait five minutes. 

 

** If Mats Sundin does miraculously appear in Vancouver then the team’s structure could change dramatically, but for now it’s safe to assume the Canucks will remain status quo.
 
Northwest Division Abbreviation Legend:
CAL - Calgary Flames
COL - Colorado Avalanche
EDM - Edmonton Oilers
MIN - Minnesota Wild
VAN - Vancouver Canucks

Thanks to DLH for the fresh perspectives and fantastic support.  Photo credit: C. De Neve, Calgary Herald.  Article syndicated through CBS Sports.

Also, discover and discuss what it takes to succeed in hockey, be it in the NHL's Northwest or down in Junior 'B' with Open Discussion.  More Northwest and Calgary Flames news to come.

M MacDonald Hall is the Bleacher Report Calgary Flames Community Leader, and is a regular columnist for the NHL department.  Future articles include a breakdown of Calgary Flames playoff performance in the 21st Century, prospect news (Parts One and Two are already published), roster changes and information, detailed hockey trivia, game reports, and more.  M’s Bleacher Report archive includes an wide assortment of Flames/NHL articles.

M also writes on various other topics, sport and non-sport related.  Enquiries regarding NHL writing or other subjects may be directed to M’s Bleacher Report profile or via email. 

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