Articles by magnum

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: ASSMAN GM: ROB CAMPOPIANO FORWARDS – KEEPERS 1. Sidney Crosby, Penguins – Crosby shook off any doubt that he wasn’t the very top of the elite in the game in early 2010. His 26 game point streak helped remain atop the league scoring standings for quite some time, despite having suffered a major concussion on New Year’s Day and another the following game following hits from Dave Steckel and Victor Hedman. Crosby is a perennial 110-130 pt threat, he has eclipsed 120 before and will again, and assuming he returns to full health following a scary concussion spell in the 2011 half of the season, should be able to rebound very well given his drive and his level of competiveness. 2. Ilya Kovalchuk, Devils – the $100 million dollar man really delivered underwhelming results in 2010, especially to start the season, as New Jersey’s coaching change and playing philosophy only regained form under the guise of Jacques Lemaire mid-season. With that in mind, Kovalchuk is a career PPG player, a five-time 80 pt scorer and excellent all-around forward. Given the right situation, he has the talent to eclipse 90 pts, but under the assumption of a defensive-minded system (which remains to be seen to this point), expect more of an 80+ performance. 3. Jason Spezza, Senators – a true band aid boy, Spezza has only played one full 82 game season in his eight year career. And while has demonstrated in the past that 90 pts is not in the realm of impossible, as time goes on Spezza seems to be fitting the mold of the 70 game, 65-70 pt player rather than the dominant franchise center he once was. If he can keep himself on the ice and off the shelf for a full-year, he can surprise with 80 pts or more, as his 532 career pts in 526 games demonstrates. 4. Marian Gaborik, Rangers – after a seemingly endless parade of injuries, Gaborik has strung together Spezza-esque seasons (go figure) and remains a top line threat when he is healthy. Only 29, there may very well be a lot of hockey in him, and given the right centerman (ahem, Brad Richards perhaps?), Gaborik may eclipse 80 pts once again over 70+ games. 5. Evander Kane, Jets? – Evander Kane became a fan favorite after having clocked perennial pest Matt Cooke in 2010, and despite his ability to knock out players, Kane has taken great strides in developing his game as a power forward, scoring 43 pts in his sophomore year. The size and talent cannot be denied and Kane will likely crack 50 or more pts in the coming year, with a ceiling probably up in the 70s when he gets into his prime. 6. Dustin Brown, Kings – for a little while, it looked like Dustin Brown would finally deliver that 70 pt season people thought he could deliver. Not so much – the physical captain of the burgeoning Kings delivered another decent 57 pt finish, despite showing some potential alongside Kopitar on the top line. Inconsistencies brought Dustin back to earth, and with it, the Kings offensive numbers also suffered, with the team hitting a big dry spell near the end of the season. Expect more of the same, 50 to 60 pts, unless Brown can hit another level with his top linemate and any potential forward that may enter the mix from free agency. 7. Michael Grabner, Islanders – prior to the all-star break, Grabner looked to be dwindling in mediocrity after being shipped from Vancouver to Florida and then being picked off waivers by the Islanders. At some point in January, Grabner decided he’d score 30 goals in about 50 games, and the rest is history. Now firmly entrenched as part of the Long Island core of young forwards, expect Grabner to try to build on his second half success and likely score 30 goals with 15-20 assists, with upside for more as he grows stronger. FORWARDS – RESIGNS 8. Devin Setoguchi, Sharks – Devin showed signs of a return to his 65 pt form from 2008-2009, but only finished the year with 41 pts as the Sharks relied on other top six forwards for offense over the course of the second half. His role will continue to be among the top six, and a slight improvement might be expected in the coming year. 9. Teddy Purcell, Lightning – Teddy never really became what the Kings drafted him for and was dealt at the deadline in 2010 despite never being given a decent chance. Under the guidance of Guy Boucher, Purcell found his touch and became an agitating and physical component of the Tampa top nine, playing the majority of his time in 2011 with Vincent Lecavalier, or alongside Dominic Moore. Purcell followed up his 51 pt effort in 2011 with a very strong playoff, instilling great faith that the big winger could contribute in a top six role as he enters his prime. 10. RJ Umberger, Blue Jackets – Umberger continues to produce at a 55 pt level despite the Blue Jackets’ dire need to improve on the back end and in goal to ever be considered a playoff threat. Having not been paired up with Rick Nash for very much in 2011, he led the 2nd line for the majority of his ice time and never quits, important for a player of his size. Expect more of the same unless a major shakeup comes about in Columbus’ lineup. 11. Max Pacioretty, Canadiens – Pacioretty was rushed to the NHL in his early years and made the right decision to return to Hamilton to further his development. The dividends are now starting to come in for the Habs, and everyone in the Canadiens management team hopes MaxPac can regain […]

The three final keeper analyses will be posted after this Saturday, beginning with Assman, and then depending on Mr. Marra, Magnum and finally Hot Liquid.

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: RED MENACE GENERAL MANAGER: DEREK GROSSI FORWARDS KEEPERS 1. Paul Stastny, Avalanche – the talented Paul Stastny is an excellent playmaking center with good vision, hands and above all else, excellent hockey IQ. Often compared to his father, he has a proven track record after having scored 70 pts or more in 3 of his five seasons in Colorado, with the remaining two under that mark due to injuries and a change in team direction. With the sudden changes that came in 2011, Stastny will likely continue to provide a 1-2 punch down the middle with Matt Duchene, and is capable of posting 75-85 pts in a full season. Only 25 years of age, he will likely begin to step up his production if he can find decent chemistry with a strong scoring winger, at which point, 90 pts is in reach. 2. Ales Hemsky, Oilers – while performing at nearly or at a point per game pace, Hemsky continues to have significant difficulty staying healthy since 2005 when he posted a career-best 77 pts in 81 games. With the rise of young talent around him, the talented winger, if healthy, can produce 70-80 pts in 70 or so games, but needs to keep that consistency if he plans on remaining a key element to the Oilers forward corps into the future. At 27, he is now in his prime and is capable of hitting his best numbers once more. 3. Andy McDonald, Blues – Since posting an excellent 78 pts in Anaheim centering Teemu Selanne, McDonald has struggled to replicate his performance over a full season with the Blues. Having averaged 58 games played in his last 4 seasons, he is a definite injury risk, but manages to produce nevertheless as a top line center. With the continued development of the young core in St. Louis, McDonald may figure more into a leadership role going forward, but still has the offensive skill to put up 60-70 pts in a full season. 4. Jakub Voracek, Blue Jackets – there is a rare breed of NHL talent that appears every 5-6 years that can deliver no matter what the situation. Those players become generational talents while the majority of highly-rated prospects need three major ingredients to succeed: talent, opportunity, and a good supporting cast. Voracek has the talent, but has not been able to build on so far pretty modest production because of a dire need for the Columbus organization – a talented defender who can move the puck up the ice. All the Jackets forwards have the innate talent to produce at an elite level, but will continue to be stifled because of this need. Voracek is no exception, however no one should be forgetting him quite so soon – the young winger is only 21, and was once projected to become a top line winger with excellent vision, size and strength. There have been flashes of brilliance and other segments of total disappearance. With the right team, Jake can break out, but it will take time. An improvement is to be expected in the coming year, with anywhere from 50-60 pts being achievable, and much more (70-80) being a possibility once things are set in motion. 5. Jason Pominville, Sabres – Pominville has hit 80 pts before in his career, but that performance screams one-year peak rather than a true indication of what’s to come. The picture of consistency for the Sabres missed some time to injury for the first time since joining the NHL, but continues to score at a 60+ pace. Expect more of the same, with some competition from healthy youngsters who are on the brink of breaking out in Buffalo. 6. Wojtek Wolski, Rangers – with an 18 game, 18 pt performance with the Coyotes to end 2010, Wolski looked like he was on his way to finally living up to his potential as a solid top six winger. But after a less than stellar start to the 2011 season, Wolski would be dealt to the Rangerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs. At 25, there is still a lot of time left for him to become the scorer he was once pegged to become, but time is quickly running out for the inconsistent winger. Expect 45-60 pts depending on where he plays. 7. Kyle Turris, Coyotes – Turris was simply brought along too quickly in what seemed like a no-fail decision in 2008 to put the young forward with the big club full-time. Stunting his development curve, Turris would have to be sent back to the AHL to hone his skills accordingly, as the young phenom who scored 121 pts in 53 games in junior has yet to deliver at the professional level. A peak performance with the San Antonio Rampage in 2010 of 63 pts in 76 games gave many people hope Turris could be a producer once more, and it is still possible that 21 year old delivers on his draft pedigree, and breaks out in 2011, 50 pts being in reach, with a ceiling in the 70s attainable in the long term. RESIGNS 8. Olli Jokinen, Flames – the aging Finn has likely seen his best days pass him, as his Florida heyday of 91 pts would dictate, and while Jokinen’s performance in 2011 showed encouraging signs of a return to greatness, consistency still remains an issue at 32. While such a problem is usually okay for a 22 year old player, 32 year old players should be well into their prime and leading by example, which Jokinen is not doing anymore. Ever since his best season in 2006-2007, Jokinen has gradually declined and unless he can find the drive and fire back, he will continue to produce at this level. 9. Cody Hodgson, Canucks – while its undeniable that Hodgson has […]

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: PATRIOTS GENERAL MANAGER: VINCE SPADAFORA FORWARDS KEEPERS 1. Patrick Kane, Blackhawks – Kane continues to be an integral part of the Hawks core, with four straight 70+ pt seasons, among which his career best 88 was hit in 2010. At 22, he is a dominant playmaking forward and part of the NHL elite. He also possesses excellent puck coverage skills continues to be a very good bet to flirt with 80-90 pts throughout his career, with a ceiling above that when he enters his prime. 2. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings – Zetterberg is a long-standing part of the Red Wings dynasty that has had so much regular season success and playoff success in the last decade. He is a five-time 70+ pt scorer, whose career best of 92 pts is consistently within reach, with the Swede having scored 80 pts in 80 games in 2011. While it may seem he has shaken his tenacity to miss 10+ games per season, he continues to be a small risk, but will likely produce at a point-per-game level regardless. Expect 75-85 pts. 3. Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks – Sharp’s scoring took on a new level in 2011, when the talented forward was on pace for 40+ goals early on in the season. A fall back to earth resulted in an excellent season nonetheless, with Sharp nearly eclipsing the point-per-game mark in 74 games with 71 pts. He remains a threat to hit 60-70 pts year in, year out. 4. Mikko Koivu, Wild – now in his prime, Mikko Koivu has led the Wild by example throughout his tenure in Minnesota, having scored three straight 60+ pt seasons, and averaging a 70+ pt pace throughout this time. Assuming he continues to partnered with decent wingers, he can continue to put up pts well into the decade at this current rate. Expect 70+ pts. 5. James Neal, Penguins – the big winger who was a prized member of the Dallas Stars top six was traded off to the Penguins to fill a need in Alex Goligoski late in the 2011 season. While many saw the Pens as the clear winners of the deal, Goligoski quickly made an impact with Dallas while Neal’s impact required more patience. The big goalscorer awaits to be paired with one of Pittsburgh’s top centers, likely Crosby, where its anyone’s guess if some chemistry will form or not. Given the right chemistry, Neal’s upside with Crosby centering him can blow his 55 pt career best out of the water, and the talented winger may even potentially breach the 40 goal barrier. A conservative expectation for 2011-2012, assuming Crosby returns at 100%: 60+ pts. 6. Nik Antropov, Thrashers – Antropov’s career looked like it would get into high gear after the gigantic center scored 67 pts in 2010, but the progress would hit a skid as 2011 would see a regression back to 41 pts in 76 games. He is nevertheless Atlanta’s top center option at this time, and with Evander Kane likely hitting his stride and becoming the dominant power forward so many people have him pegged to become, a bounceback campaign may well be in the cards. Expect 50-60 pts if not more, depending on the emergence of Kane as Atlanta’s go-to forward. If so, Antropov will be the benefactor. 7. Mikael Samuelsson, Canucks – The Canucks top six has become crowded with NHL stars. Whomever is lucky enough to play alongside the Sedins or Kesler will benefit, and Samuelsson is in top end of the list of players who spend the majority of their time with either of the three stars. With two consecutive 50+ seasons, more of the same can be expected from the aging Swede, however several depth players and prospects in the Vancouver system may have something to say about that in due time. RESIGNS 8. Linus Omark, Oilers – the highlight reel on skates, Omark made his first impression in the NHL pissing off its more traditional stars with a spinorama move that made all the Sportscentre highlight reels the next morning. While that goal left an imprint on most Edmonton fans, the Swede also impressed throughout the season with his skill, forming a little chemistry alongside Magnus Paajarvi and Sam Gagner in the process. He figures to be part of the Edmonton top six, and will likely continue to electrify the NHL with his antics. 9. Radim Vrbata, Coyotes – Playing in a defensive system often does wonders for goaltenders but will also tend to stifle the offensive group. Vrbata scored at a 50 pt pace in 2011 alongisde Ray Whitney and Martin Hanzal on what was arguably Phoenix’s top line, despite the constant shuffling by Dave Tippett. His consistency continued to improve as the year went on, so much so that one can expect further improvement from the Czech forward. 10. Valtteri Filppula, Red Wings – after showing an inkling of a breakout in 2010, scoring at a 50-60 pt pace that year in 55 games, Filppula regressed once again in a disappointing year to a paltry 45 pt pace, scoring 39 pts in 71 games. He has a tendency to miss time and hasn’t hit his stride offensively as many have hoped, but remains a fixture in the Detroit top six, playing with Johan Franzen and Todd Bertuzzi the majority of the time. 11. Frans Nielsen, Islanders – Neilsen once again surpassed his prior year totals with 44 pts in 71 games, playing the majority of the time with Michael Grabner as the two showed some chemistry, and Grabner went on a scoring spree in the second half of the 2011 season. The young Dane has top six potential and will offer good scoring production at his price on an increasingly interesting Long Island squad. 12. Milan Michalek, […]

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: BLACK SOX GENERAL MANAGER: ANTHONY CALZETTA FORWARDS KEEPERS 1. Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings – after a slow 2010 season where Datsyuk’s production declined to 70 pts in 80 games, the Russian Superstar bounced back with 59 pts in 56 games due to injury, scoring at an 86 pt pace. He rarely falters when he is healthy, and has rarely missed time to injury in his career as well. Having scored 87+ pts four years straight and only 2 years removed, Datsyuk, who is definitely still in his prime, can be expected to put up 85-95 pts in the coming year as he leads the Wings towards another playoff berth. 2. Alexander Semin, Capitals – a perennial band aid boy, Semin has not played more than 73 games since his rookie season, but remains a good threat to post point per game numbers. His numbers, like any other Capital, were stifled in 2011 due to a team philosophy change, one that may be permanent, depending on the team’s managerial plans in the offseason. Semin is a good bet for 70-80 pts when he plays a near to full season, but in the current Capitals system, will likely put up 60-70. 3. Patrik Berglund, Blues – after an horrendous sophomore season where the young Swede regressed to 26 pts, Berglund doubled his efforts and scored 52 in 82 in 2011. His talent and upside are undeniable, and with time on his side, figures to be a long-standing member of the Blues top six for a very long time. His consistency still remains an issue to resolve, as Berglund’s season was often marred by dry spells and hot streaks, including a 20 game, 18 pt run in the mid-season. He has the talent to put up 70 pts, but expecting 50-60 with a hint more in the coming year is a good expectation. 4. Brooks Laich, Capitals – the Wolf continued to impress the Capitals’ brass with his hard work ethic and agitating play among the Capitals’ top six. Laich did not build on his career best 59 pts from 2010, but no one on the Capitals squad exceeded expectations in 2011 with the new team system. Expect 50+ pts in 2011, assuming the big winger re-signs with the Capitals. If put into a top line role, anything can happen. 5. Patric Hornqvist, Predators – Moving throughout the Predators’ scoring-by-committee system on all lines in 2011, Hornqvist ditched the goal-heavy label placed on him after his solid 30 goal performance of 2010, and scored 48 pts in a relatively good year. Having produced the most alongside Sergei Kostitsyn and Mike Fisher, Hornqvist is a candidate to top his career-best numbers and be the a top line winger with net presence in the coming year. Expect 50+ pts. 6. Magnus Paajarvi, Oilers – like many SEL imports before him (Kopitar and Backstrom were early comparables), the expectations from Paajarvi were very high for his rookie season. While he did not make the impact his fellow Swedish Elite League graduates made in their rookie seasons, Paajarvi’s 34 pt year was somewhat encouraging in that no one on the Oilers team would actually go on to score more than 50 pts in 2011. Figuring to be part of the top six in Edmonton for quite some time, Paajarvi has the talent to be a top winger in the NHL, and is big enough to do it right away. Expect a rebound effort in 2011-2012, with 50 pts not out of the question, and 70-80 down the line a definitive possibility once the team’s core begins to fire on all cylinders. 7. Brayden Schenn, Kings – After a small cup of coffee with the Kings in 2011 that didn’t go far in keeping Schenn with the big club, the feisty center with a Mike Richards-like edge went on to make the WHL his bitch. 53 pts in 27 games for the Saskatoon Blades, followed by 7 pts in 7 games to finish the season in Manchester of the AHL, Schenn will definitely be a factor for the Kings long-term, just when is the question. He will likely suit up the majority of his games with the Monarchs to begin the season, but smart bets may have Schenn pulling the same feat Logan Couture did last season in San Jose. Schenn in his prime will be a top six centerman with excellent hockey IQ, and has the talent to become a 70-80 pt player in his prime. RESIGNS 8. Tomas Fleischmann, Avalanche – the Flash as he was dubbed in Washington, Fleischmann had a rocky 2010-2011, having been dealt to the Colorado Avalanche, a team in transition, and then being diagnosed with pulmonary emboli, forcing him to miss the rest of the 2010-2011 season after playing 45 games and scoring 31 pts. That 56 pt pace would have surpassed his earlier seasons. With concerns over his health, Fleischmann may or may not figure into Colorado’s long-term plans, but assuming he returns to play soon enough, he is a top six forward with good upside. 9. Alexander Burmistrov, Thrashers – Burmistrov raised eyebrows at the 2009 WJC, where he scored 11 pts in 7 games for the Russian Federation. The diminutive center was selected 8th overall in the 2010 entry draft, but did not have a huge impact with Atlanta in 2011, despite playing the full season in the NHL. His 20 pts in 74 games are definitely only the beginning, as his move to North America to play with the Barrie Colts yielded 65 pts in 62 games in his junior year in 2009-2010. Burmistrov has top line talent and will figure in Atlanta’s long-term plans up front. 10. Niclas Bergfors, Panthers – the young Swede has now played for three teams in […]

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: CRAZY8 GM: ANTHONY CAMPANELLA FORWARDS KEEPERS 1. Joe Thornton, Sharks – Big Joe has consistently been an elite producer in the regular season until a small blip in the timeline occurred in 2011. With the San Jose depth catching up to the former ‘big line’ of Heatley, Thornton and Marleau, much more of the team scoring was done by the likes of resurgent players in Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Devin Setoguchi, among others. With that production across the board, the Thornton line’s responsibilities diminished, and so did overall production. Nevertheless, after what seemed like an interminable slump, San Jose’s numbers jumped in the second half, and despite the rough start, Thornton finished the season with 70 pts in 80 games. He is often going to put up at minimum 80 pts, and will often flirt with 90-100, and more of the same can be expected. 2. Loui Eriksson, Stars – Eriksson took his consistency to another level in 2011, replicating his 2010 performance with 73 pts in 79 games. Named the most underrated player in the NHL by his peers, the young Swede showed that his top line talent cannot be forgotten. Eriksson’s speed, scoring touch and work ethic make him a vital part of the Stars attack, and he will likely be able to replicate this scoring touch alongside another budding centerman in Jamie Benn in the event that Brad Richards departs the Dallas organization. Expect 70+ pts. 3. Mike Ribeiro, Stars – alongside Brenden Morrow and the mercurial Jamie Benn, Ribeiro saw another successful campaign as a top six centerman. Now having notched a third 70+ pt season, he is a legitimate threat to continue his production through his prime, and given the opportunity he will have if Brad Richards indeed decides to sign elsewhere. Amongst the top six in Dallas, Ribeiro will continue to put up 70 pts per season with upside in the 80 range, a feat he has hit before and can do again if paired with the right wingers. 4. James van Riemsdyk, Flyers – JVR progressed in his sophomore campaign, putting up 40 pts in 75 games, and doing so while shifting throughout the lineup’s second and third lines. While the Philadelphia depth continues to stifle all their forwards’ upsides, some have broken through despite this ice time spread (see Giroux, Claude), and JVR seems primed to be the next in line. His performance as an all-around forward in the 2011 playoffs did not go unnoticed, and JVR is primed to likely break out in his third year as an NHLer. He has the talent, size and potential opportunity to do it, now only time will tell if the young American has the drive to deliver on his former 2nd overall pedigree. Expect a breach over 50 pts, as the budding power forward begins to hit his stride. 5. Martin Havlat, Wild – Havlat got off to a hot start in 2011, on pace for nearly 75 pts in his first 40 games, only to slow down and top off the year with 62 in 78 games. He has shaken the old label of injury prone by playing more carefully, and can now be relied upon to compete in roughly 75-80 games per season as he has done so three years straight. Havlat is skilled, big and has the pedigree to put up big pts, and has done so before (77 pts with the Blackhawks in 2009), but as he no longer figures to be part of that successful team and has little offensive support in Minnesota, he can expected to put up 60-70 pts going forward. 6. Milan Lucic, Bruins – Lucic fits the 4th year breakout rule well, by having built on previous seasons’ point totals and becoming a cult hero in the Boston area with his physicality and offensive contribution, totalling 62 pts in 79 games to finish the 2011 season. He has found good chemistry with David Krejci and Nathan Horton on Boston’s top line, and with it, will likely produce more of the same as he enters his prime. At only 22, he has the opportunity and talent to put up 60+ pts and flirt with 70 in his best years. 7. Tyler Seguin, Bruins – while some might say the Taylor or Tyler debate is now over, it was always known that Hall would surpass Seguin for production out of the gate as an NHL rookie. Seguin simply has much more competition for ice time, and most develop his game over time as he always been touted as a much better two-way forward than Hall. Being brought up through the deep Boston forward corps, he will likely flourish after 2-3 years, and has the offensive upside to be an NHL star in the long-term. Look for a bigger role from Seguin in 2011-2012, but temper expectations, as this future first line center will not hit big numbers right away. 40-50 pts is not out of the question, assuming a bigger role in the coming year, with prime numbers surpassing 70-80 as current scouts have postured. RESIGNS 8. Johan Franzen, Red Wings – Franzen is a definitive lock to be a strong net presence for the Red Wings into the later stages of this decade, having signed an 11 year contract in 2009. Despite being already 31, the 6’3, 220 lb Franzen shows up when it counts, despite being notoriously prone to missing games each season. To date, only one of his six seasons with the Wings has breached 80 games played, but he remains a solid top six option and will likely continue his production throughout his prime. 9. Nikolai Kulemin, Maple Leafs – some say the most talented portion of the Grabovski-Kulemin-MacArthur line that was so successful in […]

The salamehockey.com site administrators, over the course the next few weeks, will be taking a look at each team’s roster and analyzing the likely scenarios for keepers and re-signs for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. TEAM: THE ROCKERS GM: DANNY PETTI FORWARDS KEEPERS 1. Eric Staal, Hurricanes – the big number one center who now has 7 full seasons in the NHL under his belt and is only 26 is one of the most reliable producers in the NHL today. Having averaged no less than 70 pts for six straight seasons, Staal is among the elite NHL forwards and he is just now entering his prime. He has broken the 100 pt barrier before and may do so again under the ideal circumstances, e.g. if he would be playing with an equally talented winger to set up. It is possible that Jeff Skinner can help with that in the coming years, but for now, expect anywhere from 70-80 pts from Staal, year in, year out. 2. Brad Richards, Stars – Since falling out favour in Tampa Bay and being traded to Dallas in a salary-cap deal, Richards has responded and has returned to the elite stage with two excellent point per game seasons and one injury-shortened one. Richards has broken the 90 pt barrier twice and is talented enough to do it once more, however it remains to be seen where this UFA will land in the coming year. Expect anywhere from 70-90 pts from Richards in the coming year, mostly depending on chemistry and which team he ends up signing with. 3. Claude Giroux, Flyers – Claude’s coming out party began in April 2010, when he would deliver a 21 pt effort in the 2010 playoffs for the Flyers en route to a Stanley Cup Final berth. Giroux had broken out, and many hoped he could turn his postseason success into regular season consistency. Giroux then went on to score 76 pts in 82 games, was the best Flyer on the ice for all situations. His offensive playmaking ability is at an elite level and at only 23 years old, Giroux will have tons more to prove going forward. While he is not the most physically daunting of players, his strength and conditioning prior to 2011 helped him battle consistent attack by some of the opposition’s best defensive pairings. He will be a threat for point-per-game production if he continues to work through his opponents, and is capable of breaching the 80 pt ceiling in the long term. By year’s end, he had climbed up the Philadelphia depth chart to the most ice time amongst the deep forward corps the Flyers have, so any argument against Giroux suffering because of the Flyers’ depth up front are now long gone. 4. David Backes, Blues – Backes, a former third round pick for the Blues, was brought up through the ranks slowly and really broke out of his shell in the 2009 season for the Blues as a budding power forward with leadership qualities. In 2011, as the Blues forward corps sustained heavy injuries, Backes helped carry the attack and finished the season with a career-best 62 pts in 82 games. Backes, at 27, will continue to produce throughout the prime of his career at the current level and has the talent to breach 70 pts in the long-term, at his best. 5. Andrew Ladd, Thrashers – after winning the Stanley Cup with the Hawks in 2010, Ladd was dealt to the Thrashers due to salary concerns and really broke out offensively as the season began. Ladd would go on to score 59 pts in 81 games and lead the Thrashers’ young core to a strong start, despite faltering in the late stages of the 2011 season. He has been named captain of the team and offers excellent scoring potential for the coming season, and will likely figure among the team’s top line for the majority of the year. Ladd has the talent to produce 60-70 pts with some upside above 70 when his linemates begin to hit their stride. 6. Shane Doan, Coyotes – Doan has produced six 60+ pt seasons with the Coyotes and has been the team’s heart and soul throughout its development into a playoff team in recent years. He remains, at 34, a strong offensive presence and good leader for the budding young talent on the Coyotes depth chart. Doan is capable of delivering more of the same in the coming years, assuming he can continue to withstand the rigors of NHL level physicality. Expect 60 or more in a healthy season. 7. Steve Downie, Lightning – Downie, a former first round draft choice of the Philadelphia Flyers, had not played more 32 games in an NHL season prior to 2009-2010 when the young bruising offensive forward scored 46 pts in 79 games. He would score at a similar pace in an injury-shortened 2011 season, and remains a good fit on the Stamkos-St.Louis line, providing ample breathing room for the duo to perform at even strength and chipping in on his own as well. The 2011 playoffs have seen Downie turn into a monster on the offensive end, with having scored 12 pts in 11 games so far as the Lightning have reached the Conference Finals. In the coming year, the physical forward can be expected to breach the 50 pt barrier. RESIGNS 8. Tuomo Ruutu, Hurricanes – Ruutu shuffled around the top two lines of the Carolina attack in 2011, and finished the year with a career-best 57 pts in 82 games. He is a good forward with some injury history but remains an excellent contributor for secondary scoring, and more of the same can be expected from the Finn in the prime of his career. 9. Rich Peverley, Bruins – Peverley broke out with the Thrashers in late 2009 when he went on a point-per-game tear to finish the season, leaving many hopeful he could break out over a full season in 2010. He did […]