| In the last 12 months the National Hockey | | | | (who's said he's not even close to a deal) |
| League has undergone as massive of an | | | | and/or Henrik Zetterberg. This team has |
| overhaul as any sports league in the last | | | | holes, and now they can't plug it with |
| half century. With revamped rules, a | | | | money.Philadelphia Flyers (9/1) - The Flyers |
| restructured salary system and a new | | | | waived goodbye to its nucleus of Jeremy |
| television partner, professional hockey is | | | | Roenick, John LeClair and Mark Recchi. Their |
| the shell of the sport that locked its doors | | | | absence will open up the ice for young |
| a year ago. The changes reflect the NHL's new | | | | speedsters Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. |
| mantra - more scoring, increased parity and | | | | Also, they managed to pilfer Peter Forsberg |
| cost certainty. So forget everything you | | | | and Derian Hatcher, adding two of the top |
| know or think you know about the NHL, which | | | | free agent talents to an already strong team. |
| begins preseason play on Sept. 16, as even | | | | The Flyers should have a slight edge over New |
| the most faithful and ardent fan has to admit | | | | Jersey in their quest to defend their |
| that they have no clue as to how the game | | | | Atlantic Division championship.Ottawa |
| will look in 2005-06.First, hockey viewers | | | | Senators (11/1) - The Sens were the top |
| will have to get used to watching their game | | | | scoring team in the Eastern Conference in |
| on a new station. ESPN took a gamble and | | | | 2003-04 (262 goals), and they added the |
| refused to pick up the network's option on | | | | dynamic Dany Heatley in a blockbuster deal |
| the NHL's broadcasting rights. The idea was | | | | that included Marian Hossa. As long as no one |
| that ESPN would be able to opt out of their | | | | asks Heatley to be the designated driver, he |
| deal, and then repurchase the rights at a | | | | should add some more pop to Ottawa's offense. |
| substantially reduced rate. Instead, the | | | | Daniel Alfredsson led the team with 48 |
| Outdoor Living Network, a subsidiary of | | | | assists in 03-04, and will be setting the |
| Comcast Cable, swooped in with a very | | | | table for Heatley. This squad is deep and |
| lucrative offer and purchased the rights to | | | | strong, and will be relying on Ray Emery and |
| broadcast the NHL regular season and playoffs | | | | Dominick Hasek in the net.Calgary Flames (13 |
| for $65 million this season, $70 million in | | | | 1) - The runners-up to the 2004 champion |
| 2006-2007, and $72.5 million in 2007-2008. | | | | Tampa Bay Lightning (man, that still sounds |
| Not to worry though - Barry Melrose and his | | | | strange) will be even better this season. The |
| man mullet have signed on with OLN.However, | | | | key move they made was retaining superstar |
| OLN only reaches an estimated 65 million | | | | Jerome Iginla. Iginla was tied for the NHL |
| homes throughout the United States and | | | | lead with 41 goals in 03-04. The Flames |
| Canada. That's a substantial reduction from | | | | upgraded the offense by bringing in Tony |
| the 90 million subscribers that ESPN boasts, | | | | Amonte and Darren McCarty. Also, Roman |
| and the 89 million viewers that ESPN2 can | | | | Hamrlik was acquired to shore up an already |
| reach. Also, since ESPN doesn't own the | | | | stout defense.New Jersey Devils (14/1) - This |
| rights, the league shouldn't expect too much | | | | is a very interesting team going into the |
| coverage from those Bristol bastards. The new | | | | preseason. As Detroit and Colorado will be |
| deal - while a relative windfall for a sport | | | | most affected by the salary cap, New Jersey |
| with flailing TV ratings - definitely | | | | will be most affected by the rule changes. |
| relegates the NHL to Niche Sport status. | | | | Many blame the Devils for pioneering the |
| Well, that and a 309-day lockout will turn | | | | neutral zone trap and the clutch-and-grab |
| off any fan base. Right now hockey's | | | | style that took over the league in the last |
| popularity lies somewhere around the WNBA and | | | | decade. Offensively, they still have Scott |
| extreme dodgeball.Next, besides the | | | | Gomez (team leader in assists) and Patrick |
| ideological alterations that the league has | | | | Elias (leader in goals and points) and I |
| experienced, there have been considerable | | | | expect big numbers from both. They've won at |
| changes to the practical aspects of the game. | | | | least 41 games in each of the past three |
| A competition committee revisited several | | | | seasons, and with Martin Brodeur in goal they |
| issues that were pinpointed as problem areas | | | | always have a shot.Colorado Avalance (14/1) - |
| during the pre-lockout days. The highlights | | | | The Avs still have Joe Sakic and Pierre |
| of their adopted rule changes are:1) No more | | | | Turgeon in the center, Brad May and Alex |
| ties. Instead of records that read like Lotto | | | | Tanguay on the left and Milan Hejduk on the |
| picks, the league has gone back to good ol' | | | | right. So in other words, they still have a |
| fashioned wins and losses. At the end of | | | | chance. Colorado has put up an average of 42 |
| overtime a six-player shootout will ensue, | | | | wins per year the last three seasons, and its |
| followed by a sudden death shootout if | | | | core remains intact. Rob Blake is back to |
| necessary. | | | | anchor the defense and David Aebischer is the |
| | | | man in the cage. I expect them to figure |
| 2) Goalies will no longer be allowed to be | | | | prominently in the Western Conference, but I |
| built like Optimus Prime. Their allotted | | | | don't think they have enough depth to hoist |
| padding has been reduced 11 percent. The rule | | | | the Cup.Boston Bruins (15/1) - The Bruins |
| is backed by $25,000 fines and suspensions. | | | | were one of the teams that benefited the most |
| | | | from the outlandish free agency. They were |
| 3) Goaltenders can no longer "freeze" the | | | | able to lock up captain Joe Thornton for |
| puck, and a trapezoidal area has been set up | | | | three years, and keep Glen Murray on the |
| behind the goal line. The goalies are only | | | | club. Also, they were able to add seasoned |
| allowed to handle the puck within that area | | | | vets Shawn McEachern and Brian Leetch, as |
| when behind the goal line. | | | | well as Alexi Zhamnov and Dave Scatchard. |
| | | | That talent infusion improves a team that was |
| 4) The offensive zone will be larger. The | | | | already pretty tough (defending Northeast |
| bluelines were each moved two feet closer to | | | | Division champions). The pressure will be on |
| one another, shrinking the neutral zone. | | | | Andrew Raycroft, the only goalie on the |
| Also, the goal-lines have been moved two feet | | | | roster.Pittsburgh Penguins (15/1) - The March |
| further from the boards, leaving more room | | | | of the Penguins back to hockey's elite may |
| behind the net. | | | | start this season. Besides being a fiscal |
| | | | farce off the ice, they've been one of the |
| 5) The red line is gone, and two-line passes | | | | worst teams on it for the past several years, |
| are now legal. | | | | managing just 78 wins in the last three |
| | | | seasons. They put up only 2.3 goals a game |
| 6) Other minor changes have occurred. | | | | while winning 23 games in 03-04. But the |
| There's no flopping, a point of emphasis on | | | | Steel City won the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes, |
| clutching and grabbing, anyone who instigates | | | | and the "next Gretzky" gives them instant |
| a fight in the last five minutes gets | | | | credibility. They resigned leading scorer |
| suspended, no flipping the puck into the | | | | Dick Tarnstrom and acquired Lyle Odelein, and |
| stands in your defensive zone, and no public | | | | that young talent may be ready to take the |
| complaints about the league.The idea is that | | | | next step.Tampa Bay Lightning (15/1) - |
| all of these rule modifications will open up | | | | Winning the Stanley Cup a few weeks before |
| scoring and increase the speed of the game. | | | | the lockout must've been kind of like winning |
| They're hoping that the new NHL will be | | | | the lottery and then finding out we're going |
| similar to the hockey played in the Olympics, | | | | back to the barter system. Tampa Bay caught |
| which features more scoring and skill rather | | | | lightning in a bottle in the summer of 2004, |
| than neutral zone traps and the grind-it-out | | | | and the defending Stanley Cup champions have |
| garbage that had permeated the NHL over the | | | | brought back the principals involved in that |
| last decade.Finally, a whirlwind of player | | | | run. Dave Andreychuk, Martin St. Louis, and |
| movement has completely reconfigured the | | | | Vincent Lecavalier are all back and ready to |
| balance of talent throughout the league. | | | | go. They roster reeks of old age, but they're |
| Trying to figure out who is going where has | | | | still the champs and should be shown the |
| proven more tiresome than trying to keep up | | | | proper respect.Anaheim Mighty Ducks (30/1) - |
| with which pitcher Alyssa Milano is banging | | | | Team Teemu returns as the head of the Flying |
| now. In fact, when opening night comes (the | | | | V. Sergie Federov is looking to salvage a |
| Rangers open against the Flyers on Oct. 5) | | | | burnt out career, and Scott Niedermeyer |
| most fans will feel like Guy Pierce's | | | | should flourish in Anaheim's wide-open |
| short-term-memory depraved character in | | | | attack. Also, the Ducks have a huge advantage |
| Memento. They'll vaguely recognize where they | | | | with J-S Giguere minding the net. That's one |
| are but have no idea how they got there.I saw | | | | guy who won't need the extra padding to |
| a post on another sports site that I felt | | | | dominate. A drawback is that they traded |
| best sums up the player movement that's taken | | | | captain Steve Rucchin to the Rangers.Atlanta |
| place since the league went back in business: | | | | Thrashers (33/1) - I like this pick for the |
| "Don't you feel like the new NHL is the | | | | value. The Hossa-Heatley trade was pretty |
| equivalent of someone stealing your NHL '95 | | | | much a push, but getting a solid veteran |
| game for Sega, randomizing the rosters, and | | | | defenseman like Greg deVries in the deal may |
| then giving it back to you?"Laying a bet on | | | | shift the advantage in the Thrashers favor. |
| NHL futures trying to predict who will hoist | | | | They already posses a young core led by the |
| the Cup next summer could be a great | | | | very talented Ilya Kovalchuk (team leader in |
| opportunity to fleece some unsuspecting | | | | goals and assists) and Hossa's playmaking |
| oddsmakers. But, as always, wager at your own | | | | style (36 goals and 82 points) will fit right |
| risk. Here's a quick overview on some teams | | | | in. They signed Mike Dunham to mentor |
| that will be worth watching and could be | | | | talented youngster Kari Lehtonen, and brought |
| worth the gamble:Detroit Red Wings (17/2) - | | | | in Bobby Holik to add even more firepower. |
| The favorites for the upcoming season reside | | | | They might be a year away, but it may be |
| in Hockeytown. It's a terrible bet, and don't | | | | worth it to take a $10 or $20 flier on |
| bite. Yes the Red Wings were the best team in | | | | them.Doc's Sports Recent Articles:2005 Big |
| the 2003-04 regular season with 109 overall | | | | Ten preview2005 MAC PreviewNFL RookiesDoc's |
| points, but perhaps no team was hurt more by | | | | Sports Handicapping Service |
| the year off. Steve Yzerman is now 40, Chris | | | | |
| Chelios is 43 and Brendan Shanahan is turning | | | | 1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports has |
| 37. The window may have closed for the Wings | | | | been recognized as one of the leaders and |
| and their AARP roster. Also, Detroit has only | | | | most trusted names in sports handicapping |
| about $7 million to resign Pavel Datsyuk | | | | information. |