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Rank
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Team
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ESPN.com says
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1
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Dallas Stars
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They earned it. Now, they have to fight to keep it -- and hope some young guys step up.
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2
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Detroit Red Wings
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Old habits die hard. If Fedorov plays to his potential -- and Lidstrom earns his money -- Scotty's bunch is dangerous.
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3
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Buffalo Sabres
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Dominik Hasek's farewell tour isn't pulling many heart strings. Message to management: Sign your players!
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4
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New York Rangers
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GM Neil Smith paid a lot of money for this high-rise real estate. But the Blueshirts ain't in the Jeffersons' penthouse yet.
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5
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New Jersey Devils
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On paper, they may not look this good, but on the regular-season ice, they win.
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6
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St. Louis Blues
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Remember the Czech goalie in the funny helmet backing up Ed Belfour in Chicago? Roman Turek isn't Hasek, but he'll leap out of Belfour's shadow to lead the Blues.
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7
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San Jose Sharks
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Vincent Damphousse re-signed. A healthy Gary Suter. And a team that plays hard for their coach.
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8
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Pittsburgh Penguins
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Mario's back. The roster looks great for a bankrupt team. Positive karma contingent on Tom Barrasso's health.
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9
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Colorado Avalanche
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Equation for a downslide: Subtract a lot of talent, add next to none and don't add Peter Forsberg until December.
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10
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Philadelphia Flyers
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When healthy, the Flyers are desperate and dangerous. But they're not healthy.
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11
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Florida Panthers
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Pavel Bure for a full season is exciting, maybe enough to exaggerate their prospects. But until he gets hurt again, let South Florida smile.
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12
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Boston Bruins
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Here's a poem for Lord Byron: Sign soon, sign soon, or the B's will swoon.
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13
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Toronto Maple Leafs
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Holdouts sign late, which will affect them at season's start. Pressure's on to prove last season wasn't a fluke.
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14
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Ottawa Senators
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No one knows how this team will play without Alexei Yashin. Coach Jacques Martin has enough talent to do just fine.
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15
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Anaheim Mighty Ducks
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Is Paul Kariya like porcelain, extremely valuable but easily breakable? The Ducks hope he's on display all year -- on the ice, not in the stands.
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16
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Phoenix Coyotes
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The Bulin Wall hasn't just crumbled; it's plain disappeared.
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17
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Edmonton Oilers
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Oozing with talent. Unfortunately, some of it isn't under contract.
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18
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Los Angeles Kings
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Made nice offseason moves, but it's difficult to tell if it will mesh into a winner.
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19
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Chicago Blackhawks
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No one wants to play these guys, but it has little to do with their ability to score more than opponents -- unless you're talking knockouts.
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20
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Calgary Flames
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Grant Fuhr is aging, but aging well. The question is whether Theo Fleury's offense can be replaced.
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21
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Carolina Hurricanes
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Most of October on the road with no captain Keith Primeau. Good luck.
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22
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Vancouver Canucks
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They'll be better because of a full season under coach Marc Crawford and that guy named Messier.
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23
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Atlanta Thrashers
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They may not be better than the teams below them, but they'll certainly generate more excitement.
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24
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Washington Capitals
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GM George McPhee should suit up. He's got more passion than most of his players. Olaf Kolzig will play better.
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25
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Nashville Predators
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Thankfully, Mike Dunham signed. But building a winner will take time, a long time.
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26
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Tampa Bay Lightning
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Lots of positives in Tampa Bay. It's way too early to tell if that translates into wins.
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27
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Montreal Canadiens
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Les Habitants sont Les Miserables.
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28
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New York Islanders
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It's a good thing they're on an island, so the stink can blow out to sea. Ouch.
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