Bullied Into A Prediction

Zan at Waiting For Stanley put up his Western Conference predictions, and told me that if I didn't do the same, he would invade Colorado (the state, not the city), and take away my Avalanche toque. Well, I can't part with that, so here we go, out together with haste and little fore thought:

1) Nashville: Vokoun stays healthy, the new guys rock, Kariya keeps getting better from 3 years ago's slump

2) Ducks: Can't put them first, but damn close. Goaltending will tell.

3) Flames: Only improved in the offseason, took care of the one problem (scoring), and know how to use it.

4) Sharks: Scary good, with things clicking well for them. Expect point totals very close to the Ducks. They are just missing a plan, which will come about soon.

5) Red Wings: Never count them out. Osgood can carry in net if/when Hasek gets hurt

6) Oilers: They aren't giving up. Pronger and Peca were non-factors in the regular season, and Lupul is going to explode.
(this is where things get tough)
7) Wild: People expect good things from them this year, but Jaques Lemaire is going to out-coach the new scoring players. It will be a tug of war, but they will make it.

8) Avalanche: Squeaking in, so long as Theodore is decent. He doesn't even have to be great, just good enough to deserve the job. He will stay no matter what, nobody will pull the plug until next season.

9) Stars: Turco is the question, but the rest of the team didn't get any better. They will challenge for 8th, but just miss.

10) Vancouver: One goalie doesn't make a team. I am waiting for Luongo to win something, so will the rest of the league

11) Columbus: If the Avs stumble bad, expect the Blue Jackets to slip into the 8th slot. Better team than everyone thinks right now. Will it last?

12) Coyotes: Building something good here, with a plan, but time will tell, and not this year.

13) Blues: Building, but not yet there.

14) Kings: Whatever.

15) Blackhawks: Frist round draft pick contender. Why? Who thinks signing Lalime is a plan? No one.

I hate doing predictions. I never have enough info, nor enough confidence in my choices.
Places 7 through 15 were hard. 11-15 are almost interchangeable. The West is going to be the really close race. It's going to be tighter than a wild card race. This is where the focus of the league will be at the end of the season. Sometimes, it's good to be in the West.

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