One New Year's Resolution Every NHL Team Must Follow Through with in 2012

As the NHL heads into 2012, there is at least one New Year's resolution that each team must follow through on to be successful heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It is important to fix your problems now so they aren't a glaring issue when you're fighting for the playoffs. Some issues such as fixing the power play take time, but they are vitally important to a team's success.

Let's look at a New Year's resolution for each team.

Anaheim Ducks: Fix Problems on Road

The Anaheim Ducks have been brutal on the road this season, going just 2-10-4 away from home. If they want to climb out of the bottom of the Western Conference, then they must play good hockey on the road.

The Ducks have a ton of talent and veteran players who have won on the road before, so this shouldn't be a major problem for the whole season.

Boston Bruins: Keep the Cup-Winning Drive

The Boston Bruins have been a determined team this season that want to return to the Stanley Cup Final and become the first repeat champions since the Detroit Red Wings in 1998.

The Bruins have to maintain their focus and not get bored with the regular season.

Buffalo Sabres: Be More Physical

The Buffalo Sabres are having a pretty good season, but they need to be more physical in their play to really beat elite teams on a consistent basis.

They need to punish their opponents with big hits, stand up for each other (especially goaltender Ryan Miller) and just prove to teams that they won't be bullied by anyone.

Calgary Flames: Trade Jarome Iginla and Rebuild

It's time to rebuild the Calgary Flames organization, and the only way to do that is to trade star winger Jarome Iginla to a Stanley Cup contender.

The Flames are not going to win the Stanley Cup anytime soon and need to trade their best players before their trade value takes a significant hit.

Carolina Hurricanes: Let the Young Talent Show What They Can Do

The Carolina Hurricanes aren't going anywhere this season, so the team would be best served allowing their young and promising talent to get a lot of playing time to show how good they can really be.

The Hurricanes' future isn't a bad one, but there is nothing to play for this season, so they might as well shake things up a bit.

Chicago Blackhawks: Find a Solution Between the Pipes

The Chicago Blackhawks are good enough to win another Stanley Cup, and the only thing that could really hold them back is their goaltending.

Corey Crawford has not played too well this season, and Ray Emery isn't someone you can trust in the playoffs at this stage of his career.

Either Chicago must find a new goalie or get Crawford playing well on a consistent basis.

Colorado Avalanche: Continue Developing Young Talent

The Colorado Avalanche have a bright future, and this season, the team must continue to develop their young talent in hopes of being a playoff contender next year.

Players like Matt Duchene must show they are ready to take their games to the next level and become legitimate stars.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Find a New Goalie for the Future

Steve Mason clearly isn't the answer between the pipes anymore for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and if the team doesn't find a goaltender for the future soon, then the franchise will struggle mightily.

If finding a good goalie for the long term means giving up captain Rick Nash or center Jeff Carter, then so be it.

Dallas Stars: Play Well at Both Ends of the Ice

The Dallas Stars are in the top half of the league in goals per game, but their defense has been poor for stretches of the season.

They are last in shots allowed, which is not good news, because as the season approaches the playoffs, you need to be putting as little stress on your goalie as possible.

Detroit Red Wings: Prepare for Nicklas Lidstrom's Retirement

There will be a time when the Detroit Red Wings have to win without Nicklas Lidstrom, and that time could come sooner than you might think.

The team has to prepare to be ready for when the legendary defenseman does retire and have a stud d-man ready to take his place. Shea Weber maybe?

Edmonton Oilers: Find Consistency

After a blazing hot start to the season, the young Edmonton Oilers have cooled off and now sit third from the bottom in the Western Conference.

The team has to be more consistent, and while that's hard to do with a young team, the Oilers won't make the playoffs anytime soon unless they can win games on a consistent basis, especially away from home.

Florida Panthers: Don't Let Up

The Florida Panthers have surprised everyone by leading the Southeast Division at Christmas, but the team must not let up the competitive fire that has helped them jump out to a tremendous start this season.

The team has a number of veteran players who must not let the younger guys take the foot off the pedal.

Los Angeles Kings: Score More Goals

Until Monday's win over the Phoenix Coyotes, the Los Angeles Kings hadn't scored more than two goals in a game since Nov. 22.

For a team with offensive stars such as Anze Kopitar, there is no excuse for the Kings to not be scoring goals on a consistent basis.

Minnesota Wild: Don't Give Up on Northwest Division

After a great start to the season, the Minnesota Wild have allowed the Vancouver Canucks to overtake them in the Northwest Division.

The Wild must not let up on the gas and keep pushing for the division title and a playoff berth. Minnesota has the talent to get this done.

Montreal Canadiens: Don't Worry If Randy Cunneyworth Can't Speak French

It's really dumb how the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens not knowing French is a big distraction, and it's one the team does not need right now given their struggles this season.

The Canadiens have to focus on the ice and not worry about whether their coach can talk to the media in French or not.

Nashville Predators: End the Speculation over Shea Weber's Future

The Nashville Predators have two major decisions to make this summer regarding big-time free agent defensemen Ryan Suter and captain Shea Weber.

The team would be best served to figure out their futures as quickly as possible so the team can move on and end the distractions.

New Jersey Devils: Find Martin Brodeur's Replacement

Martin Brodeur could be playing in his last season for the New Jersey Devils, and the team must look hard for his replacement this season, preferably by the trading deadline in February.

The team has rode the success of Brodeur for two decades, so it is vitally important they find a suitable replacement soon.

New York Islanders: Find a Goalie for the Future

Despite all the good young offensive talent the New York Islanders have, the team will never make the playoffs without a good goaltender who can win games against any team.

The Islanders need to find their goaltender of the future to help the team get to the next level and compete for the playoffs in a tough Atlantic Division.

New York Rangers: Get Martin Biron Games so Henrik Lundqvist Is Fresh

Over the years, the New York Rangers have relied on star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist so heavily that he is either tired or too overworked by the time the playoffs come around.

With backup goalie Martin Biron playing well this season, the Rangers should play him more and allow Lundqvist to be fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

Ottawa Senators: Ride Excitement of the All-Star Game

When the All-Star game arrives in Ottawa in late January, the Senators would be wise to ride the excitement of that game to a good stretch of play nearing the trading deadline.

The fans will be excited near the All-Star game, and it's important the Senators get fired up by this excitement and make a run at the playoffs.

Ottawa has a talented team that is ready for consistent success very soon.

Philadelphia Flyers: Find Another Top Defenseman

With captain and stud defenseman Chris Pronger out for the season, the Philadelphia Flyers must acquire another quality blueliner, or their chances of winning the Stanley Cup will really diminish.

The Flyers have good offensive depth and would be smart to use that to acquire more defensive talent. Someone like Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators, a team that needs offense, would be a good situation for Philly to take a advantage of.

Phoenix Coyotes: Get Back into the Playoff Race

After a nice start to the season, the Phoenix Coyotes have slipped a bit, and thus, have fallen out of the playoff race in the Western Conference.

The Coyotes rank No. 20 in the NHL in goals scored per game, and without Kyle Turris, they need to find more offense to help them climb back into a playoff spot.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Lock Up James Neal Long Term

With Sidney Crosby's future uncertain, the Pittsburgh Penguins need another offensive star that the team can depend on long term.

Winger James Neal is having a fantastic season and is currently third in the league in goals with 21. He is a restricted free agent next summer, and the Penguins would be best suited to lock him up sooner rather than later.

San Jose Sharks: Focus on Being Healthy for the Playoffs

The San Jose Sharks need to be healthy going into the playoffs to make a Stanley Cup run, and this should be the goal of the team, even ahead of winning the division.

The Sharks have a number of veteran players who won't be bothered by playing on the road a lot in the postseason. If everyone is healthy for San Jose, they will be one of the favorites in the West.

St. Louis Blues: Fix the Special Teams

Despite some terrible special teams play this season, the St. Louis Blues have played well and are a threat to overtake the Chicago Blackhawks for the Central Division title.

The Blues have a 10.6 percent success rate on the power play, which is just awful; they must fix this heading into the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Find a Goalie for the Future

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman has to find a young goalie to lead the team in the future.

The Lightning have a chance to win the Stanley Cup now if they have a good goaltender. The team cannot expect Dwayne Roloson to carry them to another deep playoff run at his age.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Get into the Playoffs at All Costs

Priority No. 1 for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season to get into the playoffs and end the franchise's postseason drought.

It looks like they'll make it this season, but they must not let up and give maximum effort each night. As the regular season draws closer to the end, the Leafs have to feed off the energy and excitement of the fans.

Vancouver Canucks: Be More Physical

The Vancouver Canucks have to be more physical to get back to and win the Stanley Cup Final.

The team has done well to get back on top of the Northwest Division after a mediocre start to the season, but unless they play more physical, teams will use that against them in the playoffs like the Boston Bruins did last year.

Washington Capitals: Get Alexander Ovechkin Going

Alexander Ovechkin needs to set the tone for the Washington Capitals for the rest of the season. The team has clearly under performed this season, but ultimately, his season will be judged by his play in the postseason.

If head coach Dale Hunter can get Ovechkin going, the rest of the team will be re-energized.

Winnipeg Jets: Be Buyers at the Trading Deadline

The amount of enthusiasm in Winnipeg this season over the success and return of the Jets has been tremendous, and the team should show their fans they are serious about winning this year and be buyers at the trading deadline.

The team is currently holding the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and could really make a push for the postseason and acquire some more talent at the deadline.