Better Late Than Never
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
*RED WINGS (2)
*BLACKHAWKS (4)
*BLUES (7)
*PREDATORS (8)
BLUE JACKETS (15)
NORTHWEST DIVISION
*CANUCKS (1)
*WILD (5)
AVALANCHE (10)
FLAMES (11)
OILERS (12)
PACIFIC DIVISION
*KINGS (3)
*SHARKS (6)
COYOTES (9)
STARS (13)
DUCKS (14)
WESTERN FINALS
CanucksoverBlackhawks
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
*PENGUINS (1)
*RANGERS (4)
*FLYERS (5)
*DEVILS (7)
ISLANDERS (13)
NORTHEAST DIVISION
*BRUINS (2)
*SABRES (6)
SENATORS (10)
MAPLE LEAFS (11)
CANADIENS (12)
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
*CAPITALS (3)
*LIGHTNING (8)
PANTHERS (9)
HURRICANES (14)
JETS (15)
EASTERN FINALS
PenguinsoverRangers
STANLEY CUP FINALs
PenguinsoverCanucks
*Denotes playoff team
Stuff We'll Miss
The mediators and make-whole proposals were no fun, but the lockout did have its lighthearted episodes. A few moments and memes that we will remember fondly from hockey's nuclear winter:
THE NHL PODIUM On Dec. 5, after reporters spent hours waiting for a press conference after yet another fruitless negotiating session, someone created a vehicle for much-needed comic relief: the @NHLPodium Twitter handle, which within hours had nearly 15,000 followers. Sample tweet: "Media asking for interviews. I explained I'm an inanimate object incapable of sentient thought. They say no problem, we're used to [Sidney] Crosby."
"CALL THE UNION" The song and video were Yahoo! Sports blogger Harrison Mooney's tongue-in-cheek YouTube plea for CBA negotiations to resume, sung to the tune of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend." The clip was fun, but no one will miss the sight of Mooney dancing in a Canucks sweater and spandex.
KRYS BARCH RUMINATES BY THE FIRE On a late-September evening, Devils tough guy Barch tweeted a 26-part missive that was at turns introspective and poetic: "As my pen warms from the fire, Neil Young and a fall Canadian night, I wonder how this work stoppage effects [sic] the owners?"
PATRICK KANE'S EUROPEAN VACATION The hard-partying Blackhawks winger was all business while playing 20 games in the Swiss hockey league for EHC Biel (13 goals, 10 assists)—maybe because he was living with his mother, Donna, in a three-bedroom apartment near the rink.
Thanks For The Extra Rest, Commissioner
The late start to the season was a blessing in disguise for a handful of injured players who wouldn't have been ready to start the season in October.
JONATHAN QUICK
Kings G
Herniated disc in back: Ready
MARIAN GABORIK
Rangers RW
Torn labrum in shoulder: Ready
DEREK ROY
Stars C
Shoulder surgery: Ready
MARIAN HOSSA
Blackhawks RW
Concussion: Ready
Fresh Legs For A Postseason Run
Another group grateful for the shortened season: over-40 players. Expect fresher legs from these aging All-Stars if they make the playoffs in the spring.
TEEMU SELANNE
Ducks RW42
RAY WHITNEY
Stars LW40
JAROMIR JAGR
Stars RW40
NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN
Oilers G40
MARTIN BRODEUR
Devils G40
DANIEL ALFREDSSON
Senators RW40
Shaking Off The Rust
AFTER MISSING most of last season recovering from a concussion, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was forced to sit out again. He flirted with playing overseas but never did. The superstar center is finally at full health, but he has played just 28 games, including playoffs, since Jan. 5, 2011. He's not alone, though. Of last year's top 55 scorers, 31 opted to stay home during the lockout, including the Lightning's Steven Stamkos, the Maple Leafs' Phil Kessel, the Rangers' Brad Richards and twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin of the Canucks.
I'd Rather Be Rusty
For some players the decision to stay in game shape during the lockout didn't work out so well.
CLAUDE GIROUX
Flyers C
He says he's O.K., but a neck injury limited him to nine games in the German league this fall.
ADAM HENRIQUE
Devils C
The playoff hero's surgically repaired left thumb—hurt in November playing in the AHL—will keep him out until at least early next month.
BLAKE GEOFFRION
Canadiens C
He's out indefinitely after fracturing his skull in a November AHL game.
New Goalies
Where in the world is Roberto Luongo? Through Monday, the Canucks' former No. 1 was still in Vancouver, but trade rumors are swirling. He won't be the only netminder with a new gig in 2013.
BRADEN HOLTBY
Capitals
After a breakout postseason during which he won seven games, he is Washington's new No. 1.
TUUKKA RASK
Bruins
He takes over from the enigmatic Tim Thomas (who chose to sit out the season), but the former backup has the luxury of having started before.
ANDERS LINDBACK
Lightning
Tampa Bay traded for the former Predators backup to replace retiring Dwayne Roloson.
New Faces In New Places
ZACH PARISEWild LW
A five-time 30-goal scorer, he brings a captain's poise to Minnesota.
RYAN SUTER
Wild D
The two-way defensive whiz is no longer lost in the shadow of former teammate Shea Weber.
RICK NASH
Rangers LW
The sniper emerges from obscurity in Columbus to become a Broadway star.
MATT CARLE
Lightning D
Signed away from Philly, he shores up a porous Tampa Bay blue line.
ALEXANDER SEMIN
Hurricanes RW
He can prove he's more than just Alex Ovechkin's sidekick.
JORDAN STAAL
Hurricanes C
He was the league's best No. 3 center in Pittsburgh; now he gets a bigger role.
Milestones
Some of hockey's biggest names are close to hitting big numbers:
85 shots faced to be first to 30,000
Martin Brodeur
Devils G
12 assists to reach 1,000
Jaromir Jagr
Stars RW
13 goals to reach 400
Patrick Marleau
Sharks LW
2 power-play goals to reach 250
Teemu Selanne
Ducks RW
2 games played to reach 1,000
Vincent Lecavalier
Lightning C
9 games played to reach 1,000
Milan Hejduk
Avalanche RW
Top Rookies
JUSTIN SCHULTZ
Oilers D, 22
A dynamic offensive defenseman who can already skate and pass as well as most players in the league today.
MIKAEL GRANLUND
Wild C, 20
He's not that big (5'10", 180 pounds), but he's hockey strong. He has played in major international events for his native Finland, so the NHL will not intimidate him.
VLADIMIR TARASENKO
Blues RW, 21
The gifted winger dominated in the KHL (31 points in 31 games for St. Petersburg SKA this fall) and should be a top 6 forward for the very deep Blues.
CHRIS KREIDER
Rangers C, 21
He has a major league shot—and with Rick Nash drawing defenders, the speedy Kreider should have more room to work, especially off the rush.
SVEN BAERTSCHI
Flames LW, 20
Calgary is starving for offense, and the skilled Swiss forward should deliver. He is nifty in tight areas and dominated junior hockey last year with 94 points in 47 games for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL.
New Coaches, Tough Jobs
BOB HARTLEY
Flames
He inherits a bad team, and Calgary made only marginal roster upgrades with forward Jiri Hudler and defenseman Dennis Wideman.
RALPH KRUEGER
Oilers
On the upside, Edmonton's former associate coach has a slew of young talent on hand.
ADAM OATES
Capitals
An offensive wizard as a player, he hopes to ignite Alex Ovechkin and a slumbering power play.
MICHEL THERRIEN
Canadiens
Montreal's impatient fans won't make his job easy.
From Lockout To Buyouts
To help teams transition to a tighter salary cap next season, each club is allowed two compliance buyouts to get bloated salaries off their books before the 2014--15 season. Montreal G.M. Marc Bergevin promptly sent center Scott Gomez(above) home with the intention of buying out the remaining $7.36 million on his contract this summer. Here are other targets for amnesty buyouts:
RICK DIPIETRO
Islanders G
Signed through 2020--21
MIKE KOMISAREK
Maple Leafs D
Signed through 2013--14
WADE REDDEN
Rangers D
Signed through 2013--14
ILYA BRYZGALOV
Flyers G
Signed through 2019--20
DANY HEATLEY
Wild LW
Signed through 2013--14
Free Agency 2013
This summer's unrestricted free-agent class could be one of the deepest in memory. Some teams will be able to re-sign their stars before July 1, but if even half these names make it to the open market, there will be an interesting spending spree this off-season.
JAROME IGINLA
Flames RW
Salary cap at $7 million
ALEXANDER SEMIN
Hurricanes RW
Salary cap at $7 million
RYAN GETZLAF
Ducks C
Salary cap at $5.33 million
COREY PERRY
Ducks RW
Salary cap at $5.33 million
PATRIK ELIAS
Devils C
Salary cap at $6 million
SERGEI GONCHAR
Senators D
Salary cap at $5.5 million
BRENDEN MORROW
Stars LW
Salary cap at $4.1 million
ALEX EDLER
Canucks D
Salary cap at $3.25 million
The Jets' Travel
[The following text appears within a map. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual map.]
Without interconference dates, no team in the East will suffer more than Winnipeg, which faces arduous trips simply to play against its rivals in the Southeast Division.
Teams That Could Have Used A Training Camp
The overhauled roster now includes rugged forward Jordan Staal, acquired from the Penguins to play with his brother Eric, and former Capitals sniper Alex Semin.
Columbus added goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Nick Foligno, then traded away star winger Rick Nash to the Rangers for forwards Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky.
G.M. Joe Nieuwendyk picked up skilled forward Derek Roy from Buffalo and defenseman Aaron Rome from Vancouver, but also signed 40-year-olds Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr. They need time to jell.
This Could Be The Year
SEVERAL TEAMS that have never won the Stanley Cup have a chance to end the drought. The Canucks still have a core of players who won two Presidents' Trophies. The perennially underachieving Sharks still have one of the NHL's most talented rosters. The Capitals bring a rested Alex Ovechkin into the season. The Blues can build on last season's 22-point improvement. Hey, if the Kings could get off the schneid last June, anything is possible.
Games To Look Forward To
PENGUINS VS. FLYERS
Jan. 19
An opening day rematch between the two clubs that combined for 56 goals and 314 penalty minutes in six games in the first round of the playoffs last spring.
RED WINGS VS. BLACKHAWKS
Jan. 27
The first of four skirmishes between two teams that will be vying for Western supremacy.
BRUINS VS. CANADIENS
Feb. 6
The bad blood still simmers after Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara's hit on Max Pacioretty two years ago.
East Vs. West
BECAUSE OF the condensed schedule, the NHL has scrapped interconference play for this season—bad news for teams that got fat last year off opponents on the other side of the country. Here's a look at the teams who padded their record the most against their rival conference in 2011--12:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Penguins13-2-3
Bruins11-6-1
Sabres11-6-1
Flyers11-5-2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Blues14-2-2
Avalanche13-4-1
Blackhawks12-3-3
Sharks12-5-1
Award Predictions
HART TROPHY
Steven Stamkos Lightning C
ART ROSS TROPHY
Evgeni Malkin Penguins C
NORRIS TROPHY
Drew Doughty Kings D
VEZINA TROPHY
Henrik Lundqvist Rangers G
CALDER TROPHY
Justin Schultz Oilers D
JACK ADAMS AWARD
Dan Bylsma Penguins
PHOTO
JOE SARGENT/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES
EVGENI MALKIN PENGUINS C
PHOTO
TWITTER.COM (TWITTER BIRD)
PHOTO
BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES (PODIUM)
PHOTO
NICK WASS/AP (STAMKOS)
PHOTO
LOUIS LOPEZ/CAL SPORT MEDIA (QUICK)
PHOTO
JEANINE LEECH/ICON SMI (BRODEUR)
THE DEVIL HIS DUE Brodeur (30) is already the NHL's alltime regular-season leader in wins, shutouts and games played.
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BRACE HEMMELGARN/US PRESSWIRE (PARISE AND SUTER)
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SCOTT LEVY/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (KREIDER)
PHOTO
DALE MACMILLAN/GETTY IMAGES (KRUEGER)
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PHIL ELLSWORTH/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (GOMEZ)
PHOTO
TODD KOROL/REUTERS (IGINLA)
THREE PHOTOS
MAP