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