NHL Four-cast: Anaheim Ducks

Ah to step into the shoes of a meteorologist, you get to make predictions based on basic indicators and you somehow don't get fired if you are wrong. A blizzard is coming! Gale force winds! Sixty and sunny!

Whatever.

Here at Scotty Hockey the weather outside is frightful so we think of the time when it's delightful ... hockey season. And that time is coming soon. So to prepare for the puck to be dropped, I'll take a look at the 30 teams of the NHL, one or two per day and give you a Four-cast where I will ask and answer four questions about that team (get it? four-cast? I need sleep.):

1 - Why is this team worth watching?
2 - Are they better or worse than last year?
3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy?
4 - Random Question (differs per team)

As always, if there is something I missed, feel free to leave a comment ...

Anaheim Ducks

1 - Why is this team worth watching? They play power hockey. They won the Cup with big, strong forwards and slick puck movement and despite last season's disappointment, they were still fun to watch. Plus, you never know when Chris Pronger is going to try to kill someone next. Scott Niedermayer puts on a clinic every time he steps on the ice and George Parros - the Princeton Punisher - is worth the price of admission, if only for the mustache.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Better. They made it through the Cup hangover year and showed flashes of the team that won in the first place. The big parts to the puzzle are still there - Niedermayer won't be causing controversy this time around as he will play for sure - and they got rid of Todd Bertuzzi. In his place will be an older Bobby Ryan (the No. 2 pick from a few years back) who has something to prove. They also took a smart gamble on signing Brendan Morrison who is a solid second line center when healthy. When healthy. But they should make a good run in the West, likely falling in the conference semis.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Ryan Getzlaf = stud. Niedermayer = stud. J.S. Giguere = stud. Pronger is solid, as are Corey Perry and Chris Kunitz. Perry should become a point-per-game performer this season, even if he just signed a big money deal. Morrison has something to prove on a one-year deal but is a risk, as is Matt Schneider, who may be dealt before the season starts and who knows where-to. Dark horses are Ryan, who had 10 points in 23 games while getting his feet wet, and Jonas Hiller. The Swiss backup goaltender has a .927 save percentage through 23 games but who knows how much action he will get or when, depending on Jiggy.

4 - Where can I send them money? Here. Why would you want to send them money? If you go to that link you can see that some fans are collecting cash to give to the charity of the player who scores first against the evil Kevin Lowe's Edmonton Oilers. It is a wonderful idea that brings the fans closer to the player, adds more venom to the rivalry and helps out a good cause. Could you imagine the turnout if someone did this walking around the Garden asking for money before the first game against the Isles?

NHL Four-cast: Washington Capitals

1 - Why is this team worth watching? AO. When you have a player who can do this, and this, and this, and especially this and enjoys it this much, you have it made. Ovechkin's enthusiasm is infectious and a true pleasure to watch.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Worse. Yes Ovie and Backstrom and Semin all have more experience under their belts but they don't play defense. Letting Cristobal Huet go and replacing him with Jose Theodore is a definite downgrade, especially as Theodore stepped up his game purely to get a new contract, and he didn't even do that great in going 28-21-3 with a 2.44 GAA and .910 save percent. Huet, who went a remarkable 11-2 with a 1.63 and .936 in 13 regular season games with them, is still proving he is a top goaltender in the NHL and this team needs a star in net, especially with their poor defensive corps. Mike Green was a revelation last season with his offense from the blueline but there are no Rod Langways, Scott Stevenses or Brendan Witts back there to help out the netminder. Letting Ollie the goalie go is just depressing as he was synonymous with Washington for a long, long time. They still have the rock solid Brent Johnson as a backup but they had better pray that their offense can average at least four goals a game ... And I don't understand why they let Matt Cooke go to Pittsburgh, he added good grit to a pretty soft roster, especially with Chris Clark injury-prone.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? I had the first overall pick in one of my (many) leagues and picked Ovie. Backstrom and Semin should both be good for 70 points. Viktor Kozlov is still dangerous and good for 50 points, and Michael Nylander will get that number easily if he stays healthy. If. Mike Green had a spectacular year and a lot of people think it was his arrival. Some people also draft Tom Poti for blueline points but I want to punch those people in the face. I hate Tom Poti. A lot. And, as you could guess, I wouldn't put much faith in Theodore either. Keep an eye on the Caps depth chart because Brooks Laich had a strong finish to his season and if he gets on a scoring line, he may be able to keep the momentum. While I am a fan of Clark, with his injury and the progress of the other forwards, he may have lost his spot among the scorers so he isn't likely to bounce back to his 30 goal form.

4 - "Maybe next year the Stanley Cup?" Sorry Ovie, you can keep winning individual trophies but it doesn't look like your team will take the hardware this year - not unless they make a big trade at the deadline and get a 2002-esque performance from Theodore. I think they can in a few years, if Ted Leonis can accept a few seasons of first or second round playoff exits and keeps Bruce Boudreau around while prospects like Simeon Varlamov, Karl Alzner, John Carlson and Chris Bourque grow up. The first three will secure the Caps end of the ice while Bourque will be another sniper up front to help draw attention away from Ovie.

NHL Four-cast: New Jersey Devils

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Did you enjoy Beijing? If so, then the second best diver in the world will be in the crease for the Devils. Fatso puts on a show every night, the overrated, classless ass. Other than Mmmmaaaarrrrttttyyy, the less-famous John Madden is really a defensive genius and Brian Gionta proves that members of the Lollipop Guild can make the NHL. And if those three are enough to convince you to watch these guys, then have fun with the other thousand or so Devil fans who sit in the empty Prudential Center. Hey, I never said these Four-casts weren't going to be unbiased - this is a Ranger blog after all.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Better. Bobby Holik is happy to be back in Jersey - I can't imagine why after a stint in Atlanta - and you can expect him to play happily and well. Holik, when used properly, is the best shut-down center in the league and that includes Madden, Draper and Datsyuk. Brian Rolston also is making a return to the Garden State and he adds a little offense.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? I said Rolston adds a little offense and that is it. Do not expect him to improve on his 59 points from last year, not in New Jersey. Zach Parise should be good for 70 points and Patrik Elias, aka Hepatitis B, should hit the 65 mark. If Gionta can find any chemistry with Rolston, then he could regain his 30 goal form. Jamie Langenbrunner showed signs of breaking out in coach Sutter's system so keep an eye on him. If you are in a deep league and PIM is one of many categories, then David Clarkson is worth picking up - 20 points, positive plus/minus and plenty of penalties as the only tough guy on the team. John Oduya should continue to improve across the board and get 30 points, plus 30 and 50 PIM. As for a dark horse, Noah Clarke played one NHL game and scored one goal and has a injury-filled-yet-solid AHL resume that had 230 points in 314 games.

4 - What are five ways that the Devils can sell-out the Prudential Center? 1 - Play the Rangers 41 times, 2 - Have Bon Jovi or Bruce Springsteen play during the intermissions, 3 - Slot machines since New Yorkers aren't willing to go all the way to AC, 4 - Free tickets for the mentally challenged, and 5- Cheap beer, E and bad techno music could bring da guidos in from da Shore.

NHL Four-cast: Colorado Avalanche

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Because Scott Parker is on their team and he is one scary lookin' dude. But seriously, while I don't hail Paul Stastny as a all-powerful hockey god like Kevin over at BMR, the fact remains that Peter's son is pretty damn special. They also should have an agitating edge thanks to father of the year Ian Laperriere, who will be joined by the former chief punk on that Toronto team, Darcy "It is NOT a girl's name" Tucker. There may also be that Joe Sakic guy, but he appears to be undergoing a Selanne-esque crisis of faith, and that Peter Forsberg guy, but he just can't stay out of the trainer's room.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Worse. Paris Hilton's boytoy Jose Theodore had some terrible seasons but he stepped it up last year (final year of his contract, typical) and actually played like a starting goaltender. He left to replace Huet in DC and the Aves replaced him with Andrew Raycroft. While I don't think Raycroft was nearly as bad as the Toronto media and fans made him out to be, unless he steps up his play significantly, Colorado is entering the season with two back-up goaltenders. And while super-skilled T.J. Hensick will get a legit chance to play with the big boys, the Aves didn't do anything to improve their offense or at least make up for the loss of Andrew Brunette. I guess they just hope that Ryan Smyth's head can be put back on.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Stastny is the only sure thing. Until they make public announcements, Sakic and Forsberg are tough choices. You would be gambling if you went after former sure-thing Milan Hejduk, who sees the end is near. Smyth, Svatos and Wolski could all provide some late-round points, provided they stay healthy. Hensick had six goals in 31 games, four on the power play, so if he has matured, he may be a good dark horse. Having Adam Foote on defense will be a good crutch for the goaltenders but Raycroft or Petr Budaj aren't worth more than a third-string spot on your team.

4 - What is the best instance of self-expression in the NHL? The back of Budaj's goalie mask. Budaj has Ned Flanders holding the Slovak flag - shows his patriotism, devotion to his faith and sense of humour all at once. Good stuff.

NHL Four-cast: Calgary Flames

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Jarome Iginla is one of the most dynamic players in the NHL. He scores, he passes, he hits, he fights and he oozes class. What he did for Trevor Linden at Linden's last home game was one of the most impressive, wonderful gestures I have ever seen in the sport. He is worth the price of admission on his own and getting Dion Phaneuf and Mike Keenan too is just a bonus.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Worse. They lost Kristian Huselius, Alex Tanguay and Owen Nolan and replaced them with Mike Cammalleri, Todd Bertuzzi and Rene Bourque. Camms flashed his potential getting hot out of the gates last season but fought injury and inconsistency after that. Bert ... well, he hasn't been the same since he mugged Steve Moore. And Rene Bourque is a depth guy, nothing more. Huselius, while enigmatic, could create offense off the wing, Tanguay was a good soldier who also went through good offensive stretches and even in the twilight of his career Nolan was a solid lower-line power forward.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Iggy and Phaneuf are no brainers. Miikka Kiprusoff gets wins but last season his numbers dropped to 2.69, .906 - on par with Ryan Miller, who I said watch out for. I would give Kipper the edge between the two of them but he isn't the top-five or even top-10 pick he once was. Daymond Langkow quietly puts up solid numbers and should be around in the middle rounds. If you find yourself desperate for defense, after two injury-filled, disappointing seasons Adrian Aucoin bounced back last year and should even do better this year. You can pencil him in for 40 points with a solid plus/minus.

4 - Red Mile girls (NSFW), where have you gone? No, really, I want to know!

NHL Four-cast: Nashville Predators

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Well, I watch to see former Ranger Jed Ortmeyer (get well soon!) but for someone not in the Jed fanclub, you should tune in to see Jordin Tootoo. Tootoo is the Little Ball of Hate for the new generation and is a little crazy to boot. Other than that ... well, I donno what to tell you. They play some up-tempo hockey but don't necessarily have the guns to pull it off, at least not yet.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Worse. They gave away puck-mover Marek Zidlicky, goaltender Chris Mason and tough guy Darcy Hordichuk while acquiring a few minor leaguers and some draft picks. And you can't forget that sniper Alex Radulov jumped ship to go to home. So all of that adds up to one happy fanbase. All five of those guys must be pissed!

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? J.P. Dumont and Jason Arnott are both good for 70 points while the streaky Martin Erat should come in around 60. Ryan Suter is on his way to becoming a top flight defenseman and he is good for numbers across the board - points, plus/minus and PIM. Shea Weber will get a lot of ice time as well and he likes to shoot the puck. Dan Ellis put up some magical numbers last season so it will be interesting to see how he handles the burden of being a starter. If Steve Sullivan can actually make it back to the NHL from the back problems that kept him out of the league last year, then he will certainly be worth grabbing. But he is no Mario so I don't think we will see him again and that is a shame because he was a helluva player.

4 - What should we re-name this team ('cause Predators is lame)? Back in the early '80s there was minor, minor league hockey in Nashville named the Southern Stars. Why the hell didn't they go with that? It would have been fantastic and endearing and I would imagine that the jersey wouldn't end up on a zombie somewhere.

We Still Love You Jed ...

As I professed my fandom for Brendan Morrow in the Stars Four-cast, I figured I would take a look around to see if there was any update to Scotty Hockey favourite Jed Ortmeyer.

I couldn't find anything as to his progress recovering from ACL surgery but I was able to find something that flew beneath the radar: Jed doing a meet and greet and autograph session for some kids back in May. Glad to see Jed still carrying himself with class and doing the right thing. Best wishes for a full recovery and spot in the Predators' lineup come this fall ...

EDIT: Glad to see others miss Jed too ...

NHL Four-cast: Detroit Red Wings

1 - Why is this team worth watching? The reigning Stanley Cup champs must do something right ... lol. They can pass, they can shoot, they can score, they can do everything.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? They did add the top skill player on the free agent market ... It's true that the Dominator is finally done, but he was their backup goaltender come crunch time and the Wings replaced him with the Conk-blocker. They also added skilled depth guys in Darren Haydar and import Ville Leino. Not a bad haul. The Cup is theirs to lose.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? I would say that 3/4 of their roster is worthy of picking up. Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hossa and Lidstrom are all first round picks. Brian Rafalski wouldn't be bad in the second or the third. Many people like to hold off on goaltenders until at least the third round but Osgood should be among the first taken, just look at his numbers. Filppula, Franzen, Cleary, Kronwall and Holmstrom all will put up good numbers. Keeper league folks should take a close eye on Leino and Justin Abdelkader.

4 - Just how many Cups can they win in a row? As good as teams like Dallas and Montreal are and as good as teams like Pittsburgh, Washington and Chicago will be, Detroit has the tools and personnel to win three in a row. Hossa and Z will both be free agents after this season but if you think Ken Holland will let them go, then you are sadly mistaken. The best GM in hockey has built the best team in hockey and I can't imagine them as a one-and-done team.

NHL Four-cast: Florida Panthers

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Did you ever wonder what it was like during Custer's Last Stand? You can see the hockey version of it in Florida where Tomas Vokoun stands alone amid attackers from all sides. Some of the greatest goaltending I have ever seen was by Curtis Joseph on a beleaguered St. Louis squad back in the early '90s; you can expect some marvelous displays by Vokoun this season.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Worse. They gave away their captain and leading scorer for two mediocre defensemen and a draft pick. They replaced his offensive output with Cory Stillman, who was -8 in 24 games with Ottawa, something that extrapolates to -30 or so when you consider he will be with Florida this coming season.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Vokoun is the only fantasy stud guarantee. Even on a team as poor as the Panthers, he will get some wins and will have a fantastic save percentage. As I mentioned, they added more defensemen so his g.a.a. should improve from last season's 2.68. Jay Bouwmeester has something to prove as he plays for his next contract outside of Florida so I would say he is good for 45 points. Also, the Panthers may deal him so he may end up in a better place where he can get better numbers after the deadline. David Booth/Stephen Weiss/Nathan Horton will be the team's first line and will play in all situations so they should be able to pick up 55-65 points each. If Cory Murphy can stay healthy, he will be a power play point machine - he played just 47 games and had 17 points, 12 of which came with the man advantage.

4 - What city should the Panthers move to? Hamilton, Ontario. They aren't flashy enough for Vegas and don't have any marquee names. They don't have the work ethic that Kansas City would appreciate. They are fast enough for Quebec but don't play the beautiful game that old Nords fans remember from the days of Goulet. They aren't the Coyotes so they shouldn't go to Winnipeg (the Manitoba folks deserve their team back). So that leaves Hamilton. The folks there were willing to take the Preds when Vokoun was the backbone of that team, so they would be willing to take the Panthers. And they would probably help make Horton and Bouwmeester into the superstars that they can be.

NHL Four-cast: Chicago Blackhawks

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Because Jon Toews can do this and because Pat Kane can do this and because new addition Brian Campbell can do this. A young, exciting team, you need to Commit To The Indian as they revive an Original Six franchise.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Much, much better. The kids are a year older, Crazy Khabibulin has a motivated backup to challenge him, Soupy came from San Jose ... Denis Savard has them playing exciting hockey and I am more than willing to say that I am jumping on their bandwagon. After the Blueshirts I root for Original Six teams and these guys are making it really easy to join the fanclub.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Expect good offense - upwards of a point per game - from Campbell, Kane, Toews and Pat Sharp. I would add Marty Havlat to that but he is such a huge injury threat that you never know. If he stays healthy for an entire season, he could score 100 points easy; too bad that's a big IF. Robert Lang will be available later and will get 50 assists. On the blueline Dustin Byfuglien, James Wisniewski, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook would fit in great as second or third defensemen to get 40 points or so, some PIM and solid plus/minus. You will be taking a big risk drafting either Khabibulin or Huet early because no one knows how many starts either will get or when they will come.

4 - What will the Winter Classic be like? It will be extremely difficult to get tickets; people are considering buying season tickets just for that game, then reselling it to pay for the season tickets. While I didn't want it in New York, you can be sure I will be doing my damnedest to get to Wrigley. After going to Buffalo and experiencing that wonder, you can be sure the Chicago version will be impressive. And it should have better ice as the league will have longer than a week to build the rink ...

NHL Four-cast: Ottawa Senators

1 - Why is this team worth watching? They have the best line in hockey. Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza are simply scintillating (sorry Tampa, they are better than the reunited Vinny, Vinny and Marty). But you had better tune in early: Ottawa flew out of the gates last season with some of the best hockey played since Montreal in the '70s but the sheer amount of ice time took its tole on their superstars and all three of them experienced injury woes to some degree later on. One would think that management would work to fix that but ...

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? ... but management didn't. This team has no secondary scoring and they did nothing to get any. Cory Stillman and Martin Lapointe weren't successful so they were let go and weren't replaced. They let Wade Redden, Mike Commodore and now Andrej Meszaros go and subbed them with Jason Smith, Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard - unless Picard matures into a Norris candidate, that is a tremendous downgrade. Ottawa also worsened by allowing pariah Ray Emery go. The media may have made him an outcast but he was incredibly talented and a helliva lot better than Alex Auld, who couldn't get playing time on his last three teams, even though they all gave him opportunity and frankly all sucked (Florida, Boston and Phoenix). The only decent deals they made were to trade tough guy Brian McGrattan away and add pain-in-the-ass Jarkko Ruutu to a team that already includes the aggressive Chris Neil. They won't be fun to face but shut down the one line and you can chalk up a win.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Heatley, Alfredsson and Spezza are all first rounders. Antoine Vermette should be good late in the draft as he will nab 60 points. Mike Fisher will get 50 but be careful as he somehow got nailed for a -10 plus/minus despite getting good ice time, especially when Spezza went down for a half dozen games. I'm a fan of Nick Foligno but, like his dad, he isn't going to put up great numbers. Martin Gerber is Ottawa's No. 1 and with Auld behind him, you can expect him to get the majority of starts which means at least 30 wins but beware shaky numbers.

4 - What the hell? The Senators are a pretty good team, they put on a good show and have a nice arena so why do they have to sweeten their ticket packages with tickets to the sold-out 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship?? Or hmmm, is it the other way around? To get to the good stuff, you have to submit to the Sens ... ? Man, that's sad.

NHL Four-cast: Los Angeles Kings

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Dustin Brown is six feet tall, two hundred pounds and hits like a Mac Truck, Patrick O'Sullivan has some serious skills and Anze Kopitar is growing into the roll of a NHL superstar. Oh yeah, and they have the next generation's Scott Stevens in Jack Johnson.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? You know, I think they got better. Sure they shed proven scorers Mike Cammalleri and Lubomir Visnovsky but they brought in decent young talents Matt Greene and Jarret Stoll as well as solid defenseman Denis Gauthier. They also sucked bad enough to get Drew Doughty in the draft, who scouts have raved about and expect to contribute immediately alongside '07 pick Thomas Hickey.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? If you play in a league that has plus/minus, you might want to look elsewhere - even though Kopitar put up 77 points, he was -15. You can expect him to top 80 this year while Brown and O'Sullivan will come in around 70. Alexander Frolov was shockingly +1 while putting up 67 points in 71 games so he is the closest thing to a safe bet on this squad. While it would seem like common sense to avoid their goaltenders at all costs, Swedish netminder Erik Ersberg showed up late last season and played in 14 games. I watched several of them and can say that he played even better than his impressive numbers showed - two shutouts, a 2.48 g.a.a. and a .927 save percentage. If he can bring back the same poise and maintain it over 45 or 50 games, than the Kings won't suck as bad as everyone is saying they will.

4 - How can the Kings become relevant again? Let's face it, falling short to the Habs in '93 signaled the downfall of this franchise. John LeClair's overtime heroics helped get the ball rolling that ended up in Wayne Gretzky and Barry Melrose leaving a few years later. Once Luc Robitaille retired, this team hit rock bottom. Having a terrible team in a major market like LA hurts the NHL as a whole so what can be done? They are on a good track with solid young talent coming through the system but that doesn't mean fans will come. So how to make them relevant? Play 10, 20 regular season games in Las Vegas. They have played preseason games at the MGM Grand for years, so it isn't like they are unfamiliar with the town. Less games in L.A. should result in higher demand for the ones still there and the team expands their fanbase to another big city. Offer free bus service to Vegas for season ticket holders or just cut those games off of their packages. The NHL has flirted with the idea of a Vegas franchise for years, so why not?

NHL Four-cast: Phoenix Coyotes

1 - Why is this team worth watching? There are so many reasons ... I heart Dan Carcillo. Dave Strader and Darren Pang are probably the best announcing pair in the NHL. Gretzky freaks out with the best of them. Shane Doan holds the flag as the last Winnipeg Jet with the franchise. He is joined by a ton of young talent and play a fun up-tempo game. And let's face it, even when they are bad, you never know what wonderful things can happen.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Definitely better. Phoenix shipped two mediocre defensemen to Florida for Olli Jokinen, who will easily put up a point per game alongside Doan. He will be a better scorer than Radim Vrbata, who jumped ship to Tampa, and probably the best playmaker the team has had since Alexei Zhamnov or even Dale Hawerchuk. And while it may have hurt to deal away Keith Ballard, the Coyotes turned around and picked up a more-than-adequate replacement in Kurt Sauer. Brian McGrattan will be their first heavyweight since Georges Laraque left and he should help keep Carcillo in the lineup.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Ilya Bryzgalov had a 2.42 g.a.a. and a .921 save percentage with Phoenix last year. Look at that, he is incredible and incredibly underrated in most drafts. Carcillo was a stud last season grabbing points and PIM and even with McGrattan he should do well again. Jokinen and Doan are both quality and Peter Mueller should only improve upon his 54 point rookie campaign. All of the hype around Kyle Turris is well deserved; he is definitely a early candidate for the Calder, especially with Doan and Jokinen around to show him the ropes.

4 - Do they have the funniest promotion in the NHL? Perhaps ... On November 29th, the night they play the San Jose Sharks, the Coyotes will give out winter gloves. Winter gloves. In Arizona. Yes, the desert temperatures can dip to the low 40s, but they are giving out winter gloves. In Arizona.

NHL Four-cast: Columbus Blue Jackets

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Hitch is a helluva coach and he should be able to make his newly rebuilt squad into a winner - they even may make the playoffs! Oh yeah, and Rick Nash can play like a HOCKEY GOD.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Much, much better. They made a ton of moves and only one of them was bad - being stuck with Christian Backman in the Zherdev deal. Still they lost Zherdev's talent but also his moodiness and gained Fedor Tyutin, who can step right in and replace Adam Foote (that traitor). Columbus' other big trade was also a steal - grabbing gritty big hitter Raffi Torres for disappointing Gilbert Brule. These guys will also join their big signings, R.J. Umberger and Kristian Huselius. Umberger is a growing talent, as everyone saw in the playoffs last season and he should work well on a line with Huselius. And they also added the solid Mike Commodore to give them sex appeal.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? There is Nash, then Huselius and Umberger. Pascal Leclaire put up some great numbers last year and if he stays healthy, he should do even better. And if he falls, Fredrik Norrena is perfectly capable of putting together a string of good starts. Jared Boll will get you penalty minutes and a dozen or so points, which is always nice. But the one player to really keep an eye on will be rookie Jakub Voracek, if he makes the team. Voracek has mad skills and could turn into a Jagr-type player.

4 - Why don't more owners in the NHL act the same way the dearly departed Mr. Mac did? I wish I knew, I wish I knew ...

NHL Four-cast: Boston Bruins

1 - Why is this team worth watching? They do play boring hockey thanks to former Devils coach Claude Julien but you never know when Milan Lucic will channel his inner Cam Neely and go nuts. The scary thing? He is still learning how to play in the NHL ... and their Ice Girls are pretty nice to look at.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? I would say slightly better. The Bruins bought out Glen Murray, who has slowly been getting worse as he gets older, but they didn't necessarily replace him by signing the enigmatic Michael Ryder. They did steal Blake Wheeler, and the kid has to be considered an early candidate for rookie of the year but, as with any rookie, who knows? Having Patrice Bergeron back from that concussion he got from that sick hit should help.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Marc Savard and Zdeno Chara are no-brainers. Bergeron claims to be in good shape which should translate into a point-per-game and he will slip under many people's radars. Lucic will get you numbers across the board. David Krejci should put up some good power play points as will Phil Kessel, who has something to prove in the last year of his contract. The opposite should be said for Dennis Wideman and Ryder, who both got raises, something that often leads to complacency - and they weren't that great to begin with. Tim Thomas may scramble alot to make big saves, but he still ended up with 28 wins and a .921 save % so he is a worthy second goaltender.

4- Who don't the Bruins ever want to face again? Montreal. Aside from the Ghosts of the Forum, the Habs, who beat them in a surprisingly close seven-game first round series last year, scored 58 goals against the Bruins in the 15 games they played over the course of last season.

NHL Four-cast: Montreal Canadiens

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Because they are pretty damn good and if destiny has anything to say about it, they will win the Stanley Cup in their Centennial season (even though there is controversy over this as they don't turn 100 until December 4th, 2009 and the lockout robbed a year). But whatever, they decided to celebrate it and have more Cups than anyone else so what better way to celebrate than to add another one? Along the way, you should also watch Long Island boy Mike Komisarek, who is steadily becoming the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. Komisarek plays his position strongly, blocks shots and makes some huge hits. They really need to start giving out the Rod Langway Award.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Better. I don't think Alex Kovalev will slack off like some pundits are predicting and they added Alex Tanguay to help carry the offensive burden. They also added big Georges Laraque, the top tough guy in the NHL and a gentleman to boot. The Kostitsyn's are only getting better and Carey Price now has some actual experience under his belt - even though I think he will prove to be a modern day Steve Penney. It's true that Mark Strait has left to piss his career away with the Islanders, but I wouldn't be shocked if they make a deal to replace his offense from the blueline by the deadline.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Tomas Plekanec is one of the most underrated players in the NHL. He works hard, goes to the net and does well on both sides of the ice. He should put up a point per game this season, as should Kovy and Tanguay. The Kostitsyns should be good for 60 points or so, as should Andrei Markov - a solid offensive defenseman. Buyer beware with their goaltenders as Price could well be supplanted by Jaroslav Halak (who subbed in for a game in the playoffs) and don't be shocked if Marc Denis bounces back to push them because he used to be a helluva goaltender when he had no pressure in Columbus.

4 - Is there any way they can top last year's Comeback? I really don't think so. As a Ranger fan, it was one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen, utterly disgraceful. As a hockey fan, it was one of the most remarkable. Watch out NHL, no five-goal lead is safe when the Habs are around ...

NHL Four-cast: Buffalo Sabres

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Because you never know when Max Afinogenov will pull something like this or this. It doesn't happen all that often, but man is it fun to watch. Also, they re-signed Teppo Numminen and watching him play is a beautiful thing. Teppo, one of the few Jets left in the NHL, plays a silky smooth style of defense with poise and class.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Par for the course. They added Craig Rivet and Patrick Lalime so they are a little better defensively, but that is it. They didn't replace Soupy Campbell, they didn't replace the guy they got for him, Steve Bernier ... they just have to hope that their top guys - Vanek, Roy and Pominville - continue to grow and put the puck in the net. All three have the potention to score 40 goals (Vanek and Roy came close, Pominville needs to shoot more).

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Ryan Miller is a dangerous pick. He plays a lot, but he also gives up a lot of goals for an elite goaltender. He had a GAA over 2.6 and a save percentage around .900 ... not top tier numbers and even with Rivet in front of him, they won't get that much better. An extremely dangerous fantasy choice would be Tim Connolly. There is no mistaking Connolly's skill, but he has played 113 of 246 regular season games since the lockout. Jaroslav Spacek is also an injury case. If you have just to have to have a Sabre on your roster, stick with their top line guys.

4 - Is there anything more annoying than Rick Jeanneret's 'population of Pominville' call? I don't think so, unless you count Joe Micheletti's entire body of work. I find it dumbfounding that the people of Buffalo worship Jeanneret's loud, ranting, homer style of broadcasting, but whatever works, right? BTW - you too can work with him! The NHL has had the MSG director's position open for months now.

Peepin' Foes: New Jersey Devils

Seeing as the big storm that has freaked people out is now only expected dump all of two to four inches on New York (as of 2:45am), the Ranger game Saturday night should go on without a hitch. Well, it should start on time, but the New Jersey Devils will definitely muck things up a bit. Puck drop is still scheduled for 7 p.m. and it will be on MSG2 for the Ranger-cast and MSG+ for the Devils.

Where We Are: Coming off of the seventh loss in eight games, one where the power play finally scored (three times!) and players other than Marian Gaborik found the back of the net but the team still blew a two goal lead to steal defeat from the jaws of victory. Despite the slide, the team is still in the thick of the playoff hunt in the Least.

Where They Are: Second place in the Least. They played Toronto three of the last four games and won two of them, including a wild one Friday night where they did a reverse-Rangers by not folding and blowing a lead at the end of a period and instead scoring three goals in three minutes to come from behind and win.

Who To Watch For: That game marked the Devil debut of Ilya Kovalchuk and he contributed two assists for his new side. He may do even better on Saturday should the rumours prove true and Patrik Elias return from that big hit last month. David Clarkson and Paul Martin will still be on the IR, but Jersey still has Zach Parise, still has Travis Zajac and still has Jamie Langenbrunner. But, the Rangers being the Rangers, Dainius Zubrus or Rob Niedermayer could just as easily strike or Vladimir Zharkov could score his first NHL goal.

What To Watch For: More goals than the last time this two teams met (the insanely exciting 1-0 shootout loss). Kovy to get more comfortable with the Devils and get off more shots in space. Langenbrunner making himself comfortable around Hank thanks to the Charmin Blueshirt blueline. Dean McAmmond building off of his goal and assist against Toronto. I always liked his work ethic but easily hate him now that he went from Ottawa to the Isles and then the Devils.

What We'll (Hopefully) See: Marian Gaborik to keep his four-game point streak going. Ryan Callahan being better than Langenbrunner at his own game. Sean Avery re-introducing himself to Mmmmaaarrrrtttyyy. MDZ to regain a bit of a scoring touch. Michal Rozsival to get less ice time. Olli Jokinen staying out of the penalty box. Brandon Prust vs. either Andrew Peters or Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond (what a hockey name).

Also Check Out: The solid Fire & Ice, SBN's In Lou We Trust and Rich Chere's MSM blog.

NHL Four-cast: Dallas Stars

1 - Why is this team worth watching? I thought they were fun to watch with psycho Steve Ott, Modern-Day Mr. Hockey Brendan Morrow (one of my favourite NHLers) and can't-stay-in-the-crease Marty Turco. But now? Two words: Sean Avery. Two more words: Ice Girls.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? While I don't believe in all of this Fabian Brunnstrom hype, I have to say that this squad is definitely better. Brunnstrom may prove to be something valuable, and if not he will replace Nik Hagman, who left town. Brad Richards will actually have time to acclimate with his new teammates - he has great skills and more exposure to the system down in Dallas will only do him well. And, did I mention that they have Sean Avery? As long as Brett Hull can keep a leash on him, Avery's impact will be measured in wins (as it was in NY, thanks Glen - we didn't like winning anyway).

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Morrow, Richards, Turco, Avery, Mike Modano and Mike Ribeiro are all gimmies. Jere Lehtinen, Sergei Zubov and Phil Boucher are both coming off injuries but should be able to step right in and produce. Stephane Robidas starred in the playoffs but should end up with a reduced role once Zubov and Boucher show their fitness. All in all, this is one really damn good team.

4 - Who will Avery fight with first? Dallas starts the season at home against Columbus so maybe Jared Boll or Raffi Torres or even Rick Nash but I wouldn't be shocked to see some intra-squad fisticuffs during practice, like Avery did while with the Rangers. Maybe Ott? Morrow? We'll see ...

NHL Four-cast: St. Louis Blues

1 - Why is this team worth watching? Did you know Brad Boyes had 43 goals last year? Dude can score. Manny Legacy? Dude can stop pucks (I still don't understand why he was run out of Detroit). Barret Jackman and Jay McKee are two of the better defensive defensemen in the league. D.J. King is good at defending his teammates and Cam Janssen is insane.

2 - Are they better or worse than last year? Better. They did lose stellar penalty killers in class act Jamal Mayers and Ryan Johnson but they replaced them with younger grinders in Matt Foy and Brad Winchester. They gave the incredibly underrated Legace a safety net in Chris Mason, who flunked as a starter last year but was wonderful as a backup two years ago (some folks can't take the pressure I guess). Plus the kids they played last year have a year's experience and a new crop is already coming in - T.J. Oshie is a stud.

3 - Who should YOU draft in fantasy? Boyes is the only guarantee. Erik Johnson hasn't grown into a power play QB yet but is getting there. Andy McDonald has gotta do better, he can't be as bad as he was last year ... -17 in 49 games? Eesh, but he did have 36 points. If plus/minus doesn't scare you the the over-the-hill gang of Paul Kariya and Keith Tkachuk should be good for the 60 or so points they put up last year. David Backes is growing into a Tkachuk-esque player (some points, some PIM) and Lee Stempniak is only getting better. Keep an eye on them and while you are at it, take a peek at David Perron - he scored 27 points in 62 games and somehow put up a +16 on St. Louis. St. Louis. That's damn impressive. Legace had five shutouts and 27 wins and probably will better each number as the young Blues mature.

4 - If this on-going rebuild fails, if it doesn't result in a return to prominence (the kind that 25 straight playoff years gets you), will John Davidson have ruined his reputation in hockey? I don't think so. Davidson built a one incredible reputation around the league as an analyst after an above-average career. Many people complimented him for reaching out and taking this job, as crappy a gig as it seemed. If he fails, and I don't think he will, then those same folks will still think he is a great guy. You can't wash away 30+ years with a few bad ones in this business - Cliff Fletcher just got rehired for crissake. But if I'm right, and the team does bounce back and start making the playoffs (say, two, three years from now), then J.D. should be on the ballot for the Hall of Fame as a builder ...