NHL 2010-11: Notable New Faces in the Southeast Division
The Southeast Division underwent a lot of change in the offseason.
The Capitals took advantage of a weak division last year and were able to run away with the Eastern Conference. Washington will look to avenge its early exit in the playoffs with a strong showing in 2010 and are still the favorites in the division.
Carolina showed promise after going to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2008 season. The team, led by Rod Brind'Amour, Ray Whitney, and Eric Staal stumbled out of the gates and was unable to make up lost ground when they got hot late in the season.
The 'Canes decided to go young and turned the team over to newly-anointed captain Eric Staal. This year they will look to younger players for bigger roles after Whitney's departure and Brind'Amour's retirement.
The Lightning came into the 2009 with large expectations as well. At one time the team was holding down the sixth seed in the playoffs and looked primed to avenge the two pitiful seasons preceding their 2009 campaign.
Instead the team finished poorly down the stretched and finished with the same amount of points (80) as the Hurricanes.
The Thrashers surprised the NHL with a strong showing early in the season. By midseason the team was in playoff contention and looked as though they may keep Ilya Kovalchuk, the cornerstone of their franchise since he was drafted first overall in 2001, in Atlanta.
However, they to disappointed late in the season. Kovalchuk said "Thanks, but no thanks" to a 12-year, $101 million offer and left for New Jersey.
The Thrash begin the post-Kovalchuk era looking to young stars Evander Kane, Zach Bogosian, and Niclas Bergfors along with a package of newly-acquired players from Chicago to turn the franchise around.
Finally, Florida sat in the cellar all season. There were signs of promise, but the team is going through a major rebuilding phase under new GM Dave Tallon -- the man who turned the Blackhawks franchise around.
Niklas Persson (Lightning)
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Persson, a Swedish right winger, was brought over from the KHL after a 13-goal, 37-point season in the 50-game league.
At 31 Persson brings experience to a young team, but the forward has spent a majority of his career in the Swedish Elite League and has never played an NHL game.
He is a low-risk, high-reward pickup for the Bolts.
T.J. Fast (Florida)
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The Calgary native spent one-and-a-half seasons at the University of Denver before leaving college to join the Tri-City Americans of the WHL.
Fast had a breakout season in 2007, when he notched 17 goals in a 54-point season, and caught the eyes of the Blues' scouting staff. He was traded to St. Louis after his final junior season.
The Cats acquired Fast in the offseason in a trade with the Blues, hoping he will become a productive blueliner in years to come.
Bobby Sanguinetti (Hurricanes)
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Sanguinetti -- a lifelong Ranger fan from Trenton, NJ -- was probably upset when his favorite team sent him to Carolina for draft picks last year.
The 'Canes get a quality defensemen, who models his game after legendary Ranger Brian Leetch, that was able to notch 20-plus goals in the OHL and average around 40 points in the AHL.
In five games with the Rangers last year Sanguinetti went pointless, but showed upside and will be a major part of the youth movement in Raleigh.
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Michael Santorelli (Florida)
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The Vancouver native and Northern Michigan University star spent two years in the Nashville Predators organization with his brother, Mark, before being shipped off to South Florida for a 5th round pick.
He had 20-goals in his first two AHL seasons, but was pointless in seven games with the Predators in 2008. Last season he split time between the AHL and NHL, notching two goals and an assist in 25 games with the Preds.
Santorelli still needs to prove he's worth of an NHL roster spot, but should see plenty of ice time if he proves himself in Florida.
Riley Nash (Hurricanes)
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Originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2007 NHL Draft, Nash was recently traded to the 'Canes for a second round pick in last year's draft.
The centerman recently signed a three-year deal with Carolina after spending three seasons at Cornell.
With the Big Red he was named ECAC Rookie of the Year during the 2007 season and had 30-plus points in each of his three seasons.
Nash has the potential to be an impact player on the young Hurricanes, but probably will start the season in the AHL.
D.J. King (Capitals)
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Via a trade with St. Louis the Capitals acquire an NHL-proven enforcer in DJ King.
King had a great 2007 season when he established himself as a fighter in the NHL. However, King has had injury-riddled seasons and may be a liability for Washington going forward if he is unable to stay healthy.
Brett Clark (Lightning)
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Acquired via free agency, Brett Clark brings experience to a young team in Tampa.
Clark, 33, has spent 13 seasons in the NHL, often splitting time between the NHL and the AHL.
A late bloomer, Clark established himself in Colorado since the 2003 season, two years after being traded by the Atlanta Thrashers.
Clark had a breakout season in 2005, when he had 36 points in 80 games. His production has slowed down with age, but he still is productive and will be a great locker room presence for the Bolts.
Marty Reasoner (Panthers)
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Marty Reasoner -- a 33-year-old, 11-season veteran -- has had a busy offseason.
Reasoner was traded from the Thrashers to the Blackhawks in the deal that brought Dustin Byfuglien to Atlanta.
Subsequently he was traded from Chicago to Florida in a cap-space-saving move.
In Reasoner the Cats get a reliable veteran who will play aggressively at both ends of the rink.
Chris Higgins (Panthers)
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The rebuilding Panthers only picked up one player, Chris Higgins, in free agency.
In the Yale-educated New Yorker the Cats believe they have acquired a consistent 20-goal scorer.
During his first five seasons in Montreal Higgins was a consistent 20-goal scorer, but his production slumped in his final season and was traded to New York in the Scott Gomez deal following the 2008 season in which he only notched 12 goals in 57 games.
Higgins struggled in New York last year and was traded to Calgary at the deadline in the Olli Jokinen deal.
If Higgins can turn his career around and be productive in South Florida, the Cats may have gotten a steal during this year's free agency.
Donald Brashear (Thrashers)
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Donald Brashear has established himself as one of the toughest players in the NHL.
An 18-year veteran who has been involved in multiple altercations -- on and off the ice -- during his career, Brashear brings intensity to a young Thrashers team that has players on its roster that would greatly benefit from his protection.
Although Brashear may be the big name in this transaction, Patrick Rissmiller, who was also received in the Todd White trade, may become a star in the NHL.
The Holy Cross product already has NHL experience and may benefit from being surrounded by a young team in Atlanta. Last year he had 20 goals in 69 AHL games.
Dan Ellis (Lightning)
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The University of Nebraska-Omaha product made a name for himself as a solid goaltender over the last three years with Nashville.
However, the emergence of young Pekka Rinne in Tennessee made Ellis expendable.
He joins a team in the Lightning that is in need of a consistent goaltender. If Ellis can play in his 2007 form the team will be in good shape to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season.
Steve Bernier (Panthers)
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A once-promising prospect in the Sharks' organization, Steve Bernier will be looking to live up to his high expectations with a larger role in South Florida.
Bernier has yet to eclipse the 20-goal mark in his five-year NHL career. In his last two seasons in Vancouver he displayed his ability to play at a high level, but was never a go-to player on the Canucks' high-powered offense.
Although Bernier may make a big impact in Florida, Michael Grabner may be the most important part of this trade.
After spending three-plus years with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, Grabner made a solid showing in his short NHL debut.
He has the potential to be an important part of the Cats' youth movement going forward.
Chris Mason (Thrashers)
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Steve Mason, a longtime Nashville Predator, spent the last two seasons with the young St. Louis Blues before joining the Thrashers this year.
Mason is not a spectacular goaltender, but gets the job done and should be a good alternative as prospect Ondrej Pavelec develops.
Dennis Wideman (Panthers)
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The 241st overall pick in 2002, Dennis Wideman had a breakout season with the Boston Bruins in 2007 with a 13-goal, 36-point season.
Wideman was not as productive in 2009, but he has the potential to be a threat on the blueline for the young Panthers.
He is entering his prime and will be expected to be a major contributor from the Cats' back end next year.
Joe Corvo (Hurricanes)
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Joe Corvo re-joins the Carolina Hurricanes after a short stint with division rival Washington last year.
Corvo, who had 14 goals in the 2008 season, will be expected to have a better season than he did last year. In 34 games with Carolina, Corvo only tallied 8 points before being shipped off to the Capitals.
On the wrong side of 30, Corvo (33) will be a question mark for the 'Canes moving forward.
Pavel Kubina (Lightning)
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A longtime member of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kubina re-joins the Bolts after stints in Toronto and Atlanta over the last three years.
Kubina had a down year with the Thrashers last year, but had 10-plus goals in the previous two years and could be a threat in Tampa's offensively-focused system next year.
Anton Babchuk (Hurricanes)
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Anton Babchuk is a great low-risk, high-reward pickup for the rebuilding 'Canes.
Two years ago he scored 16 goals and tallied 35 points from the blueline, but after a contract dispute he joined Avangard Omsk of the KHL last year.
If he is able to adjust to a higher level of play in the NHL and gets up to speed quickly next year Babchuk could greatly accelerate the rebuilding process in Raleigh.
Dustin Byfuglien (Thrashers)
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Fresh off of a Stanley Cup-winning season, Dustin Byfuglien, the hulking forward who tormented goaltenders throughout the playoffs, joins Atlanta looking to help another struggling franchise turn it around.
The Thrashers -- who have seen their 2006 Division Championship-winning line of Ilya Kovalchuk, Marc Savard, and Marian Hossa all leave Georgia -- are in serious need of a solid rebuilding year.
By adding Byfuglien -- as well as Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, and Andrew Ladd -- the Thrashers bring brand-name players to Georgia in order to encourage fans to return to the seats in hopes of changing quiescent atmosphere of Philips Arena into an arena packed with boistrous fans.
Simon Gagne (Lightning)
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Once believed to be a lifetime Flyer, Simon Gagne has spent the last 10 years in the City of Brotherly Love, the Lightning have acquired perhaps the missing piece in their puzzle by adding Gagne.
With an all-star lineup of forwards, the Lightning should be one of the most offensively-potent teams in the NHL next year.
Gagne, a two-time 40-goal scorer, joins Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, and Steven Stamkos in Florida. The four forwards have six 40-goal seasons split among them.
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