NHL 2010-11: New Faces of the Northwest Division

Vancover Canucks: Beefing Up For The Long Haul

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO - APRIL 18: Dave Bolland #36 of the Chicago Blackhawks has words with Dan Hamhuis #2 of the Nashville Predators in Game Two of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center on April 18, 2010 in

The Canucks won the Northwest Division in 2009-2010, their 103 points good enough for third in the Western Conference. Being the only team from the division to make the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, it's unlikely they'll relinquish their top spot.

Unlike reluctant predecessor Dave Nonis, current Canucks general manager Mike Gillis has gone out and added lost of players to address needs in his three off-seasons at the helm. No, not every addition has worked out perfectly (Pavol Demitra, Mats Sundin), but like the signing of 30 goal man Michael Samuelsson last summer, the moves the Canucks have made this off-season are likely home runs.

When they were ousted in the Western Conference Quarterfinals (again) by the Chicago Blackhawks (again), it because painfully obvious that the Canucks needed to re-tool their blue line. The Canucks didn't wait till free agency, dealing for defenseman Keith Ballard at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Ballard, who averaged over 22 minutes per game with Florida a season ago, will give the Canucks another rock solid top four defenseman to go along with Alex Edler and Christian Ehrhoff.

Vancouver didn't stop there, however, adding free agent defenseman Dan Hamhuis. Hamhuis, like Ballard, logged over 20 minutes per game on his former club, the Nashville Predators, and gives the Canucks another top four defenseman. They also added veteran forward Manny Malhotra, who gives them more depth down the middle and is a warrior in the playoffs.

You can never really tell how well a team did in the off-season until the actually prove it on the ice, but when a team manages to turn a weakness into a strength, all signs point to success.

Colorado Avalanche: Addition By Subtraction?

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DENVER - NOVEMBER 04: Marek Svatos #40 of the Colorado Avalanche is congratulated by Cody McLeod #55 after Svatos scored the game winning goal against the Phoenix Coyotes in the thirdd period at the Pepsi Center on November 4, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. (P

As of Monday, August 16th, a month and a half after teams granted permission to begin negotiating with free agents, the Colorado Avalanche have added not one. Flash back a year to the 2009 off-season, where they only added goaltender Craig Anderson and tough guy David Koci, and the Avalanche's approach is obvious: they're trying to establish a core group of players from within.

Even though they haven't added anyone, the Avalanche let seven 30+ veteran players go this off-season, fully embracing their "youth movement". The tactic worked last year, as the Avs spring boarded from 15th to 8th in one season. There's concern in Avaland that, even though the team was successful last season, they caught some teams off-guard early in the year, and still some noticeable holes in the roster.

It's likely those holes - particularly on defense - will be filled by prospects already in the system, such as puck movers Kevin Shattenkirk and Colby Cohen, as well as the gritty Cameron Gaunce and Norway Olympian Jonas Holos. Not all will make an impact, but chances are Northwest Division rivals will be well acquainted with at least a couple of them as the season wears on.

Colorado also made a minor trade with Phoenix for forward Daniel Winnik, who provides depth as well as penalty killing ability.

It remains to be seen how the inactivity of Colorado will play out; they'll either look like geniuses for not investing top dollar in what often isn't top talent, or a year from now they'll be scrambling to add players after not getting miracle rookie performances for the second consecutive year.

Calgary Flames: What's Old Is New Again

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 03: Olli Jokinen#21 and Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames stand for the National Anthem before the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on December 3, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the

Insanity is define as repeating the same actions and expecting different results. This definition about sums up the Calgary Flames GM Daryl Sutter's off-season game plan.

In two shocking July 1st signings, the Flames brought back two old faces who didn't leave on the best of terms. First, they re-signed forward Alex Tanguay, who's coming off a 10 goal, 37 point (both career worsts) campaign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tanguay had previously played in Calgary from 2006-2008; his first season there he scored a career high 81 points, but dropped to 58 the following season and the Flames subsequently parted ways with him.

The next more was even more shocking. After trading him to the New York Rangers at the 2010 trade deadline, Daryl Sutter re-signed center Olli Jokinen to a two year deal with the expectations of him being the teams first line center, a role in which he was heavily scrutinized for failing to fill this past season. Jokinen isn't a bad player by any means, but the 11 goals he had in 56 games for Calgary last season was no where near the production he was expected to produce on what ended up being the lowest scoring team in the Western Conference.

The players the Flames added are indicative of a general manager with his back against the wall. The Flames were a contending team from 2004-2007, but have seen their players age after Sutter was never able to add the final piece to push the team over the top. Now, with one of the highest payrolls in the league, very few quality prospects, and a franchise player in Iginla who will be yet another year older, Sutter is doing anything he can to try to get the Flames back into the playoffs - and keep his job.

All I'll say is that Theo Fleury picked the wrong season to attempt a comeback.

Minnesota Wild: More Of The Same

Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images

OTTAWA, ON - MARCH 06: Matt Cullen #7 of the Ottawa Senators stretches during warm-ups prior to the start of a game agianst the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Place on March 6, 2010 in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Wild are in a transition phase. Formerly known for their trapping style under coach Jacques Lemaire, new head coach Todd Richards has began to shape the team into a more offensive variety. Year one things didn't go so great, as the Wild scored 214 goals - identical to their output the season before - while giving up 42 more goals than the previous years. But transitions take time, so in his second off-season as general manager, Chuck Fletcher added three forwards who he thinks would help the Wild succeed in this goal...which is a bit head scratching considering those forwards are John Madden, Matt Cullen, and Eric Nystrom.

Of the three, Matt Cullen is the biggest name they added. He's a cup winner, solid defensively, and has been good for over 40 points in each of the past five seasons. However, he's played most of that time with the Carolina Hurricanes, and stints with the New York Rangers in 2007 and Ottawa Senators at the end of last season showed Cullen wasn't quite the same player when not dawning the red, white, and black. Factor in that he's 33, and the three year, 10.5 million the Wild signed him to is the biggest of his career, and this signing is a bit of a gamble for a team that could have used that money to invest in a star forward - something they desperately need.

John Madden and Eric Nystrom will both fill roles on the bottom six forward units next season. Nystrom is a bit of an under the radar signing, with elusive speed and goal scoring ability, but Madden turns 38 next season and is clearly on his last legs. And at the end of the day, both players are defensive forwards on a team that needs more of the opposite.

The Wild finished 13th in the Western Conference last year, and it's unlikely the moves they've made thus far will do much to improve on that.

Edmonton Oilers: Out With The Old, In With The New

Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

SASKATOON, SK - JANUARY 3: Taylor Hall #4 of Team Canada scores a second period goal on Benjamin Conz #1 of Team Switzerland during the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship Tournament Semifinal game on January 3, 2010 at the Credit Union Centre in Saskato

After finishing dead last in the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers turned the page this off-season; first, by ridding themselves of dead weight on the roster (Ethan Moreau, Robert Nilsson), and then by selecting standout Taylor Hall first overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Hall will immediately make the Oilers, and likely be given first line duties on a team largely devoid of first line talent. Hall won't be alone, though. Top prospects Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson and Jordan Eberle will also be joining Hall, as the Oilers try to build an offense around the trio.

Having learned their lesson after being burned by several big contracts in recent years (Sheldon Souray, Nikolai Khabibulin), the Oilers made a few under the radar signings. Tough guy Colin Fraser and AHL superstar Alexandre Giroux were added to affordable contracts, and both will compete for roster spots this training camp. On the defensive side of things, the Oilers added third pairing depth with the signing of Kurtis Foster and acquisition of Jim Vandermeer. Neither will win the Norris Trophy anytime soon, but they'll patch up the defense for a couple seasons until the Oilers figure out what they want to do at the defense position moving forward.

The Oilers probably won't make the playoffs next season, but have overhauled their roster the most of all of the Northwest Division teams, and are likely on the track to future success.