NHL 2011-12 Season Primer: 7 Things You Need To Look For

Excitement and anticipation flows throughout the hockey world this week, as day one of the 2011-12 regular season rapidly approaches. 

Though some teams have improved and others have regressed over the offseason, every fan has high expectations for their respective club and hopes that their favorite team will overcome the many obstacles that lie ahead and earn a playoff berth.

Not every fan will have those expectations met, however. At the end of the day, only 16 of the league's 30 squads will be competing for the Stanley Cup this spring, and it's nearly impossible to predict how it'll all play out. 

With that said, here are seven things every fan must be aware of before the season begins on Thursday evening. 

Upgraded First Line in Columbus

After years of relying on captain Rick Nash to carry the bulk of the offensive load on his back, the Blue Jackets finally went out and acquired a legitimate first-line center to help alleviate some of that pressure.

They dealt young winger Jakub Voracek and their first-round pick in the 2011 entry draft to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for sniper Jeff Carter. 

Scoring 46 goals in 2008-09, Carter brings speed, physicality and high-end offensive talent to a team that was in desperate need of a top-line pivot to complement Nash.

Now that they have their man, Columbus is home to two of the NHL's best goal-scorers and is a much more dynamic club.

Don't be shocked to see them in the playoffs this year.  

New York Islanders on the Rise

Former first overall pick John Tavares headlines a young group of players ready to break out on Long Island.

Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo, Nino Niederreiter, Blake Comeau, Travis Hamonic, Andrew MacDonald and Calder finalist Michael Grabner all join Tavares in the young core of the Islanders organization and enjoyed strong seasons last year.

Now, it seems as if the Islanders' strong drafting is going to start paying off.

Tavares and Comeau both set career-highs for points and were key offensive contributors last season. Waiver-wire pickup Michael Grabner hit the 30-goal mark, Kyle Okposo is set to return to the lineup after missing significant time last year due to injury and Bailey, Niederreiter, Hamonic and MacDonald have all earned themselves full-time spots on the roster.

The Islanders will also benefit from the return of veteran rearguard Mark Streit, who was sidelined for the entire season last year with an injury, and the addition of experienced goaltender Evgeni Nabokov.

With a solid goalie tandem, a deep group of forwards and a youthful No. 1 center poised to put up a point per game, the New York Islanders will be a tough team to play against this season.   

Minnesota's New-Look Offense

Wild GM Cliff Fletcher had a very busy offseason this summer.

It started on draft day when he shipped young defenseman Brent Burns and a second-round pick in 2012 to the San Jose Sharks for winger Devin Setoguchi, top prospect Charlie Coyle and the Sharks' first-round pick in this year's entry draft, which was used to select promising center Zack Phillips. 

Just days later, the Sharks and Wild completed another deal that sent sniper Dany Heatley to Minnesota in exchange for Martin Havlat. The two clubs performed a much smaller trade a few weeks later, when the Wild dealt injured forward James Sheppard to San Jose for a third-round draft pick in 2013. 

With Heatley and Setoguchi joining the ranks in the top six and Darroll Powe providing some stability to the bottom six, as well as young power forward Guillame Latendresse returning to the lineup, the Wild have a completely revamped offense.

They also have one of the league's most dangerous first lines in Heatley, captain Mikko Koivu and Setoguchi. 

Phoenix Without Ilya Bryzgalov

After being a perennial bottom-10 team for most of the last decade, the Phoenix Coyotes finally managed to secure a playoff spot in 2009-10 and did so again last year. But, they were ousted in the first round both times.

The lack of success coupled with an unstable ownership dilemma, has fans feeling uneasy about their hometown club. Adding to the uncertainty is the loss of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who signed a long-term contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in July.

Without their starting netminder, the Coyotes will likely find themselves struggling to win hockey games this season.

Mike Smith, who was signed to a two-year deal worth $2 million per year this summer, is expected to take on the starting job despite displaying a severe lack of consistency and high-end ability during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Phoenix also lost minute-eating rearguard Ed Jovanovski, and is currently in a contract dispute with young pivot Kyle Turris, who was expected to be a key piece of their top six this year.

They have lost much of their depth, have one of the NHL's weakest goaltending tandems and failed to fill the biggest hole in their roster: a first-line center.

Life without Bryzgalov, who bailed his team out on several occasions, will be ugly for the Coyotes. 

Toronto's Signing of Tim Connolly Could Ignite Phil Kessel

The Toronto Maple Leafs paid a hefty fee for young sniper Phil Kessel when they dealt a first- and second-round draft pick in 2010 and a first-round pick in 2011 to the Boston Bruins in 2009. 

Both of the first-round picks ended up being in the Top 10. The 2010 first-rounder was the second overall pick in the draft, and the first-round pick in this summer's entry draft was ninth overall. 

Kessel, who was expected to lead Toronto's offense and emerge as a bona-fide top-line forward, has struggled to match the career-high 36 goals he scored as a Bruin in 2008-09, let alone hit the 40-goal mark.

While this can be attributed, in part, to a lack of consistency, it is also the result of playing with poor line-mates. Kessel has played on a line centered by the unproven and inexperienced Tyler Bozak for the majority of his tenure with the Leafs and didn't have a true scoring threat playing on his line until GM Brian Burke traded for Joffrey Lupul mid-season last year.

Toronto may now have a solution, however, in veteran pivot Tim Connolly, who was signed to a lucrative two-year deal this summer.

Plagued by injuries for much of his career, Connolly is a dominant force in the offensive zone when healthy and could be the set-up man Kessel desperately needs.

A line consisting of Joffrey Lupul, Tim Connolly and Phil Kessel could be electric and may finally propel Kessel into 40-goal territory. 

Offense Makeover in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Flyers got rid of two of their top players this offseason in two separate blockbuster deals.

First, captain Mike Richards was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for gritty winger Wayne Simmonds, prospect Brayden Schenn and a 2011 first-round pick. Later that day, the Flyers sent Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets and received Jakub Voracek and another first-round pick in the 2011 entry draft in return.

The Flyers were also active in the free-agent market, where they signed agitator Max Talbot and Czechoslovakian superstar Jaromir Jagr to strengthen the forward ranks. 

With five new forwards currently penciled into the lineup, two of which will likely be featured in the top six (Jagr and Voracek), Philadelphia has a whole new look this season.

It'll be interesting to see how all the new faces mesh. 

Brad Richards' Impact on New York Rangers

Easily one of the top clubs in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers boast a lineup riddled with talent and heart.

They have an elite goal-scorer in Marian Gaborik, a terrific two-way rearguard in Marc Staal, a fierce leader in Ryan Callahan and a world-class netminder in Henrik Lundqvist, who is heralded by many as the best goalie in the league.

Despite their many strengths, the Rangers have lacked a true No. 1 center for several years, and it has cost them dearly. That issue was addressed this summer, however, when GM Glen Sather locked up top free agent Brad Richards for nine years. 

The addition of Richards renders New York's offense one of the deepest in the NHL and gives them an ideal center for sniping winger Marian Gaborik. Richards' incredible patience and puck control should open up a lot of ice for Gaborik, who possesses a lethal shot and strong skating ability. 

The Rangers have found the final piece to their puzzle and are now serious Stanley Cup contenders.

Look for Brad Richards to rejuvenate their offense and finish the year among the league's Top 10 scorers.