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Western Mid-Season Reviews:
Pacific | Northwest
| Central With Christmas once again finished and the New
Year in just a mere few days, we take our annual look back at the first part
of the 2002-03 NHL season - all from a fantasy poolie's point of view of
course. We look at the teams, the guys that are doing what you'd expect for
their team (the workhorse), the unsung heroes, the disappointments and the
guys to watch in the second half. This week, we look at the Northwest
Division.
 Seemingly under the
radar, the Vancouver Canucks have amassed one of the best records in the
NHL. Perhaps the greatest factor has been the Canucks road record, where
they are an amazing 13-4-2-0. Young, hungry and looking to prove that they
are for real, the Canucks are playing with a huge level of confidence and
success. The real test will come in the playoffs. Workhorse:
Hard to imagine that at one time Markus
Naslund was dealt from the Penguins to the Canucks for the very
forgettable Alex Stojanov. The Canucks captain leads the league in goal
scoring (23) and has exceeded even our expectations to date. One has to
remember that Naslund also does this without playing on the PK - which, in
the long run, may be a good thing for the Canucks, as he may be more rested
come playoff time.
Unsung Hero: There are a few on the team,
but Dan
Cloutier has been the Canucks MVP to date, keeping the Canucks in games,
and often winning ones that they should not have. Hard to imagine that a
goalie tied for the NHL lead in wins (17), and with a solid 2.34 GAA and .921 SV%
can't even make the NHL All-Star ballot. All this said, Cloutier's critics
will still be focused on his ability to exercise the demon that is the Lidstrom goal from center ice in the Playoffs against Detroit last year. But
from our point of view, he's been gold so far. Disappointment:
The Sedin twins' third NHL season, has been better than last year, but
they're still not the impact players that the Canucks were hoping they'd get when they
drafted the brothers #2 and #3 a few years ago. Henrik
Sedin, the center and playmaker, has had more opportunity to make some
noise, as he's played many games with Naslund and Todd
Bertuzzi, and has had prime PP time. The result, only 2 goals and 18
points in 33 games. In Daniel
Sedin's case, the road has been a lot bumpier. His 6 goals and 13 points
aren't great and his lackluster play has led to him sitting in the press box
for a couple of games. The team still has high expectations, but they may be
never be the NHL All-Star players that the Canucks hoped and needed them to
be. Although the same could have been said about Markus Naslund at this
stage of his career. Guy to Watch: With just over 40 games left,
we are playing a hunch and telling you that Henrik may be the guy that shows
the most in the 2nd half. Last year, over the last 15 games, Henrik had 11
points and played an excellent two way game. The Canucks need Sedin to turn
it up to alleviate the tight checking that is sure to hit the top line of
Naslund, Bertuzzi and Brendan
Morrison as the playoffs get closer. If he doesn't, GM Brian
Burke may have to step up his efforts to find a bona fide #2 center for
the playoff run (someone like former Canuck Andrew
Cassels ).
 Someone has obviously
forgotten to tell the Wild that they are...well...the Minnesota Wild. After
38 games, the surprising Wild are 19-11-7-1 - 6th best in all the NHL. Their
real success has been at home, where they have 11 wins and only 6
losses. No longer an easy 2 points to visiting teams, the Wild's counter-punching 1-2-2 system, solid goaltending and timely scoring has given them a
huge measure of success and placed them firmly in the Western conference
playoff hunt.
Workhorse: Hard to imagine where the Wild
would be without Marian
Gaborik, and his 22 goals and 34 points. He's on pace to flirt with 50
tallies this season, and shows no sign of slowing down. The addition of
off-season free agent Cliff
Ronning has strengthened the Wild's PP, and given Gaborik a bona fide
set-up man.
Unsung Hero: It's not often on recent
expansion teams that the team's two goalies play beyond expectation, but
that's exactly what the Wild have this year. Manny
Fernandez (9-7-1, 2.29 GAA) and Dwayne
Roloson (9-2-5 1.98 GAA) have the combined third best goalie stats in
the NHL - both real and fantasy. Both have been excellent this year, and
reports have Coach Jacques
Lemaire not looking to anoint a #1. For owners, this is the
"rub" in terms of owning either of these 'tenders, but really, did
any poolie think they'd be their #1 guy going into this season?
Disappointment: Hard to find one on a team
that is playing so well, but Filip
Kuba has been just OK, and that's when you factor in his skill. He mans
one of the points on the Wild's PP, and yet has only 2 goals and 12 points
in 37 games. He plays almost 25 minutes a game, and there is no complaint
about his defensive game, the Wild just wish he'd find the net more often. Guy to Watch: Last year, Pascal
Dupuis was a pleasant surprise for the Wild, with 15 goals and 27 points
in 76 games. This year, he already has 8 goals and 24 points, but the big
improvement is his +/- (where he's gone from a -11, to a +10). He is young, fearless, and plays with a lot of energy, which Coach Lemaire has been able to harness. The Wild will need his secondary scoring
if they plan on maintaining their current lofty record.
 After a very ho-hum start,
the Oilers have rallied over the past 20 games to amass a very nice
17-12-4-3 record. Not surprisingly, their improvement has been the result of
better play from goaltender Tommy
Salo, forwards Mike
York and Todd
Marchant, and continued solid blue line play from the likes of Brewer,
Smith and Niinimaa. Their style of play makes them always fun to watch, and
now that they are winning - it's a lot more fun for you the Oiler player
owner.
Workhorse: Yes, the big Oilers line of Mike
Comrie, Anson
Carter and Ryan
Smyth has been very good this year, but make no mistake - Tommy
Salo's improved play is the biggest reason the Oilers are where they are
today. Salo seemed to have reverted to his post-Olympic self earlier in the
year, - playing with no confidence, fighting the puck, giving up monster
rebounds. But over the last 20 games, Salo has a respectable 12-11-4, .912
SV% in 28 games. Expect more of the same as the Oilers try to battle for a
playoff spot.
Unsung Hero: From a fan perspective, you'd
likely give the nod to Steve
Staios, as he's really become a force on the Oilers blue-line - but he
doesn't post any fantasy numbers (short of minutes per game played at 22).
So, our selection here is Mike
York. Almost in the disappointment category early this season, York has
12 goals and 25 points so far, 9 tallies in December in only 11 games. All
the more amazing, is he's done it by playing with a multitude of different
linemates and not on the first PP unit. York's output is most welcomed by
Oilers fans, and Mike
York owners. Our advice, would be to deal him now.
Disappointment: Whoever said that Jiri
Dopita was the best player not playing in the NHL three seasons ago,
must have been his agent. Dopita's move to the Oilers seemed to be the
perfect marriage; a talented, offensively gifted center moved to a team that
plays an up-tempo, offensive style game that needed 2nd unit scoring. Well,
Dopita has been less than advertised. He just looks lost at times in his own
zone and his tendency to get knocked off the puck has not gone unnoticed by
Oilers fans, coaches and scribes alike. Throw in a knee injury and you can
see where this season's first 30+ games have been forgettable for Dopita. In
fact, the Oilers and Dopita have agreed on a buyout - effective immediately.
Guy to Watch: Eric
Brewer is our pick here, and it's because of a number of factors: he's
healthy, been playing better recently, is only 23, and is an unrestricted
free-agent this summer. Brewer has 3 goals and only 11 points, but has the
ability to really elevate his play if he chooses too. We think he does.
 If it wasn't for the
Avs solid 7-4-3-3 away from home ice, they'd likely be out of the playoff
hunt while opening this years' X-mas presents. With a woeful 3 home wins prior to
Bob
Hartley getting a pink slip, the Avalanche appear to be playing better -
despite injuries to their best players ( Joe
Sakic,
Peter
Forsberg and Rob
Blake all playing hurt or on IR). That said, there is too much talent to
count this team out - and if they do make the playoffs as a 6 or 7 seed, who
is gonna want to play them?
Workhorse: What's not to love if you own
"Burnaby" Joe? His 17 goals are very nice as well as his 32 points in 29
games. Perhaps the only thing is his recent foot injury that now has him on
IR. Fear not though, he should be back very soon. Unsung Hero: This guy would actually win
the award, if there was an NHL Award equivalent. Adam
Foote has put up a solid 14 points, a +15, while logging almost 27 minutes
a game. All this while facing the opposition's elite players every night.
He's not let the Avs slide go much further.
Disappointment: Where to start? Patrick
Roy and his indifferent play. Alex
Tanguay losing his confidence. Steven
Reinprecht and his apparent "snake-bitten" scoring? Take your
pick. Ours is the players that play on the Avs PP and PK. So brutal have the
Avs been on the PP (recently they have improved to #20) and the PK (where
they are #29), that one need to look no further to see why they would be on the
outside looking in if the playoffs started today.
Guy to Watch: Peter
Forsberg is our guy here. Hard to imagine that a guy with 32 points in
30 games could pick it up, but Forsberg has that room - and ability. He has
the talent to elevate his game when needed, and the Avs will need him
firing on all cylinders to make a run and some noise in the playoffs.
 The Flames are not going
to make the playoffs for the 6th straight season, and that is not sitting
well with ownership, media or the fans in Cowtown. Noggin' scratching moves
by current GM Craig Button (trading for and then re-signing Rob
Niedermayer, trading Marc
Savard for a bag of Euro pucks, re-signing now retired Mike
Vernon last year to the tune of $2 million) have also put him in the
noose as well. Problem is, there seems to not be much in the form of hope on
the horizon. New "no nonsense" coach, Darryl
Sutter, will ensure player accountability, but from a poolie's
standpoint, his hiring is death to any offensive upside for any Flame player.
Workhorse: The closest we have to a fantasy
workhorse on the Flames so far is Chris
Drury. His 8 goals and 24 points in 35 games in OK, but not when you
factor in his -13 and the fact the majority of his points came in the first
20 games. More is expected, and it's not for a lack of effort, but it would
be nice for him to get it going again. Unsung Hero: Mattias Johansson gets the nod
almost by default. His 4 goals and 8 points are not draftable numbers,
unless you point to the fact they have come almost exclusively in the last
20 games. He has played with poise and some measure of energy on a team that
has looked as listless as they come. Disappointment: Look no further than the
highest priced player on the team - Jarome
Iginla. For as nice a guy as he is in the community and great guy he is to
his team-mates, Iginla's job is to score - period. His career year of 52
goals and 92 points is now just a memory, as Iggy is on pace for an 18 goal
and 48 point season (in 71 games). A bad return on one's investment from a
Flames ownership, and poolie ownership, standpoint.
Guy to watch: Chuck
Kobasew has been out of the Flames line-up for some time and is now down
in Saint John getting back into playing shape. Kobasew is the closest thing
the Flames have to a "young gun", and he'll get lots of playing time
with the big club to earn his stripes and refine his game.
Western Mid-Season Reviews: Pacific |
Northwest | Central |
