Last season: 35-39-8, 78 points. Fourth in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Ron Wilson.
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Comment: A full season with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne together should translate into the Ducks’ first trip to the playoffs in season No. 4 for the franchise. Goalie Guy Hebert is solid, but the defense is suspect.
BOSTON BRUINS
Last season: 40-31-11, 91 points. Second in Northeast Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Florida.
Coach: Steve Kasper.
Comment: The question isn’t whether the Bruins can post their 30th straight winning season, which they will with the likes of Ray Bourque, Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford, but rather: can they do anything in the playoffs?
BUFFALO SABRES
Last season: 33-42-7, 73 points. Fifth in Northeast Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Ted Nolan.
Comment: Don’t blame Dominik Hasek for the club not making the playoffs for the first time since 1987. He had the best save percentage in the league last season, stopping 1,850 of a whopping 2,011 shots. Pat LaFontaine will help pack the new Marine Midland Arena, as will a fight-happy defense.
CALGARY FLAMES
Last season: 34-37-11, 79 points. Second in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Blackhawks.
Coach: Pierre Page.
Comment: Theoren Fleury is a thorn in every teams’ side, and rookie Jarome Iginla could become one too. Robert Reichel, who twice had 40-goal seasons for the Flames, returns after a year in Germany. The Flames’ power play was 0 for 21 in the playoffs.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Last season: 40-28-14, 94 points. Second in Central Division.
Playoffs: Lost in second round to Colorado.
Coach: Craig Hartsburg.
Comment: The Hawks lost their top three scorers from the playoffs last season–Jeremy Roenick, Joe Murphy and Bernie Nicholls–but defense will carry them a long way. If they get solid seasons out of Alexei Zhamnov (still unsigned), Tony Amonte, Kevin Miller and Eric Daze, they’ll be fine.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
Last season: 47-25-10, 104 points. First in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Swept Florida to win first Cup.
Coach: Marc Crawford.
Comment: As if Stanley Cup MVP Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg aren’t enough, teams have to contend with Valeri Kamensky (if he comes to contract terms) and Claude Lemieux too. Colorado was 28-2 in games Lemieux scored. Add Patrick Roy to the mix, and the Avalanche will make another run at the Cup.
DALLAS STARS
Last season: 26-42-14, 66 points. Sixth in Central Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Ken Hitchcock.
Comment: The addition of Pat Verbeek and Sergei Zubov should give Dallas’ dreadful offense an instant boost. The Stars went one stretch in March where they failed to score a power-play goal in 42 attempts. They need big seasons out of Mike Modano, Kevin Hatcher and goalie Roman Turek.
DETROIT RED WINGS
Last season: 62-13-7, 131 points. First in Central Division.
Playoffs: Lost in Western Conference finals to Colorado.
Coach: Scotty Bowman.
Comment: Things could be better in Motown. Keith Primeau wants out and Vladimir Konstantinov is returning from a severed Achilles tendon injury suffered playing tennis in June. But that’s nothing loads of offense, solid defense and great goaltending can’t overcome.
EDMONTON OILERS
Last season: 30-44-8, 68 points. Fifth in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Ron Low.
Comment: The Oilers haven’t qualified for the playoffs since 1992, but with young talents like Doug Weight (25 goals, 104 points last season) and Jason Arnott and Curtis Joseph in goal, that could be changing soon.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
Last season: 41-31-10, 92 points. Third in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: In just third season, swept by Colorado in Cup finals.
Coach: Doug MacLean.
Comment: Was last season’s surprising run for real or a fluke? If nothing else, it gave a lot of other teams hope. Defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who just turned 20 in June, is the real deal, as is center Rob Niedermayer, who will be 22 in December. If goalies John Vanbiesbrouck and Mark Fitzpatrick play like last season . . .
HARTFORD WHALERS
Last season: 34-39-9, 77 points. Fourth in Northest Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Paul Maurice.
Comment: Team captain Brendan Shanahan wants out, and with a $3.9 million salary, a team that has lost $30 million since 1994 will probably grant his wish. Goaltender Sean Burke is solid, recording four shutouts last season. Unfortunately, the Whalers were blanked a league-high eight times.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
Last season: 24-40-18, 66 points. Sixth in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Larry Robinson.
Comment: Goalie Stephane Fiset didn’t get any work in Colorado’s Stanley Cup run sitting behind Patrick Roy, but he’ll be a busy man in L.A. The Kings allowed 40 shots on goal 19 times last season. If often-injured defenseman Rob Blake returns to form, that will be a big plus.
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MONTREAL CANADIENS
Last season: 40-32-10, 90 points. Third in Northeast Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Rangers.
Coach: Mario Tremblay.
Comment: Pierre Turgeon, Vincent Damphousse and Mark Recchi are solid scorers, and they have plenty of help in reserve. Jocelyn Thibault is solid in goal. It could be a big year for Habs.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Last season: 37-33-12, 86 points. Sixth in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Jacques Lemaire.
Comment: The 1995 Stanley Cup champions kept saying once the playoffs began, they’d turn it on. But they never got there, becoming the first team since Montreal in 1970 to miss the playoffs the year after winning the Cup. If they can muster some offense in front of Martin Brodeur (2.34 goals-against average, six shutouts), they’ll be back in the playoffs.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Last season: 22-50-10, 54 points. Seventh in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Mike Milbury.
Comment: The Islanders used 18 rookies last season, the most impressive being Todd Bertuzzi (18 goals). Isles fans may be looking at another long season, but the future might be OK. A big plus was re-signing Zigmund Palffy (43 goals, 44 assists last season).
NEW YORK RANGERS
Last season: 41-27-14, 96 points. Second in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: Lost in second round to Pittsburgh.
Coach: Colin Campbell.
Comment: Goaltender Mike Richter already has one cup this season, the World Cup he helped the U.S. win in September, now he goes for the sweep with guys like Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Adam Graves and Brian Leetch working in front of him. It could be quite a ride.
OTTAWA SENATORS
Last season: 18-59-5, 41 points. Sixth in Northeast Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Jacques Martin.
Comment: Calder Trophy winner Daniel Alfredsson (26 goals, 61 points), Alexei Yashin and bona fide No. 1 goalie Damian Rhodes give the Senators a lot of hope. If former No. 1 pick Alexandre Daigle ever gets his act together, Ottawa may have something.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Last season: 45-24-13, 103 points. First in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: Lost in second round to Florida.
Coach: Terry Murray.
Comment: A veteran cast led by Eric Lindros, John LeClair and Rod Brind’Amour has the Flyers on the verge of their first Cup since 1975. Another solid season out of Ron Hextall (league-best 2.17 goals-against average, 31 wins last season), who has a great defense in front of him, could put Philly over top.
PHOENIX COYOTES
Last season: 36-40-6, 78 points. Fifth in Central Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Detroit.
Coach: Don Hay.
Comment: If Jeremy Roenick ever signs, fans at hockey’s newest venue will have a lot to howl about. Keith Tkachuk has distinguished himself as a prime-time player (50 goals, 98 points last season), and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin was super in his second season with a .908 save percentage.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Last season: 49-29-4, 102 points. First in Northeast Division
Playoffs: Lost in Eastern Conference finals to Florida.
Coach: Ed Johnston.
Comment: If this is Mario Lemieux’s last hurrah, it could be a memorable run. Kevin Hatcher strengthens the Penguins’ defense, and if anyone adds a little scoring behind Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis and Petr Nedved, look out. Power play is second to none.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
Last season: 32-34-16, 80 points. Fourth in Central Division.
Playoffs: Lost in second round to Detroit.
Coach: Mike Keenan.
Comment: Keenan has pretty much changed the entire team since arriving in St. Louis in 1994. Will Brett Hull finally go? Hull, who is just 15 goals shy of 500, was far from pleased when Wayne Gretzky got away, and wasn’t quiet about it. The Blues scored only 219 goals last season, 24th in the league.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
Last season: 20-55-7, 47 points. Seventh in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Didn’t qualify.
Coach: Al Sims.
Comment: No offense, no comebacks. That’s the Sharks in a nutshell. When trailing after one period last season, they were 3-34-6. Owen Nolan must put up bigger numbers than last season’s 33 goals and 69 points. Addition of Bernie Nicholls should help a little. Sharks allowed league-high 357 goals last season.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Last season: 38-32-12, 88 points. Fifth in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Philadelphia.
Coach: Terry Crisp.
Comment: Tampa rode goalie Daren Puppa’s monster season (29 wins, five shutouts) into the playoffs for the first time. If nucleus of Roman Hamrlik, Chris Gratton, Jason Wiemer and Alexander Selivanov continues to grow, Lightning will strike twice in postseason.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
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Last season: 34-36-12, 80 points. Third in Central Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to St. Louis.
Coach: Mike Murphy.
Comment: Mats Sundin was perhaps the best player in the World Cup of Hockey, and he might be on the verge of a huge bustout season (not that scoring 33 goals and 83 points last season was bad). Doug Gilmour isn’t getting any younger, but can still light the lamp. Felix Potvin needs a stellar year in goal.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Last season: 32-35-15, 79 points. Third in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Colorado.
Coach: Tom Reeney.
Comment: If Pavel Bure can come back from a torn ACL, the Canucks, especially on the power play, will be something to watch. Alexander Mogilny (55 goals) and Trevor Linden (33 goals) add a lot of offense.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Last season: 39-32-11, 89 points. Fourth in Atlantic Division.
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Pittsburgh.
Coach: Jim Schoenfeld.
Comment: Vezina Trophy winner Jim Carey (nine shoutouts) and a defense led by Mark Tinordi saved a mediocre Capitals offense last season. Aside from Peter Bondra (52 goals), there is little goal-scoring.