Probably a little late to get this out since the season starts tomorrow, but I figured I'd throw in some quotes and predictions from analysts from the NHL.

From Burnside's chat:


Jordan (Arlington, Tx): Are the Dallas Stars going to be playoff contenders?

Scott Burnside: Yes, and at the risk of scooping myself, they will be my preseason pick to win the Cup. They showed last year in going to the conference Final that they are the real deal, with Sean Avery and a maturing young blue line. I think, in a conference where four or five of the NHL's best teams would reside, they are poised to take the best step forward.


Gary -Fort Worth: Scott - I don't see how any team can beat the Detroit Red Wings. What are your thoughts?

Scott Burnside: There is no question, when you look at DET's lineup on paper and you compare every other team, it's hard to imagine they won't win the Stanley Cup. History shows that winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is incredibly hard. This is to take nothing away from the Red Wings, but the combination of defying history, the injuries to key players, the Cup hangover, is going to be too much. The fact that there are three or four elite teams in the Western Conference will make repeating difficult. That said, if any team can do it, these Red Wings can.

Scott Burnside: There is no question, when you look at DET's lineup on paper and you compare every other team, it's hard to imagine they won't win the Stanley Cup. History shows that winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is incredibly hard. This is to take nothing away from the Red Wings, but the combination of defying history, the injuries to key players, the Cup hangover, is going to be too much. The fact that there are three or four elite teams in the Western Conference will make repeating difficult. That said, if any team can do it, these Red Wings can.


I think that's a total cop out, by the way. If you're going to give a reason to why the Stars will beat the Red Wings this year, give a real reason, not "The Red Wings will get injured" or "they'll have a cup hangover." I love that he can predict injuries (the Stars won't get injured) and that the Wings won't be out of the cup hangover by the playoffs.

Here's the expert's predictions:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview2008/team?page=nhlpre08/0809picks

David Amber:
East Winner: Canadiens
West Winner: Stars
Cup Winner: Stars

John Buccigross:
East Winner: Canadiens
West Winner: Sharks
Cup Winner: Canadiens

Scott Burnside:
East Winner: Canadiens
West Winner: Stars
Cup Winner: Stars

Linda Cohn:
East Winner: Rangers
West Winner: Red Wings
Cup Winner: Rangers (Didn't see that coming)

EJ Hradek:
East Winner: Penguins
West Winner: Red Wings
Cup Winner: Red Wings

Pierre LeBrun:
East Winner: Flyers
West Winner: Sharks
Cup Winner: Sharks

Also, how is Linda Cohn still employed? I know sportscasters are allowed to have a hometown bias, but she doesn't even try to hide it. It's like they tried to hide her in the NHL analysts. She must have some juicy gossip on someone in the ESPN organization.

The Rangers? She thinks they're going to win the cup this year? Ugh.

Do you remember the subway series back in the day? The Yankees and Mets playing for the World Series, she was squirting all over the Sportscenter desk for the entire series.

I can't stand her.

The Rangers? She thinks they're going to win the cup this year? Ugh.


Henrik Lundqvist bandwagon. They lost Avery, Christian Backman & Jagr and added an over-the-hill Markus Naslund and Wade Redden.

They did manage to pull off a nice trade for that Zherdev kid from the Blue Jackets, but I don't know that he's a star just yet...

They're not cup material.

Dallas, on paper, is a damn strong squad though. But Turco's never proven anything in the playoffs.

Morrow, Ribeiro, Richards, Brunnstrom, Robidas, Boucher, Zubov, Lehtinen, Avery...that's quite a core

They'll miss Nik Hagman & Miettinen though. I think DAL/DET in the WCF is a lock.

A lot of analysts have Zetterburg winning the MVP.

Another Linda Cohn note: She has Melrose winning coach of the year.

Someone kill her. Please.

Somewhere along the line I completely missed them getting Zherdev. What did they trade for him?