29. Colorado Avalanche

What seemed like a nice quick rebuild, with the perfect transition season turning from bottom feeder to top contender last season, turned horrendously wrong for the Colorado Avalanche. With a fantastic first half of the season, the Avs were second in the NW division and pushing the Canucks for first place at the end of January. But by April, they were challenging for 1st overall...that is 1st overall draft pick.

This season, the Avs are looking to be in the fight for a playoff spot and have made some significant moves to try and solidify that.

With Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny as a one-two punch up the middle, the Avalanche have no worries offensively up the middle. Add in Ryan O'Reilly and the chances of making any moves in the near future will only depend on money. They are set.

On the wing, Joe Sacco has been provided with a few additions in Patrick Rissmiller and Chuck Kobasew. They should both be able to add a bit of pop to the offense, while providing a bit of stability in their own zone - an element lacking last season and one of the main causes of their amazing dive in the second half. This should cushion the blow of losing skillful Czech winger Tomas Fleischmann to free agency, although his soft play might have been a reason they didn't fight to hard to keep him.

If the Avs continue to see strong development in their many young players such as David Jones and Ryan O'Reilly, the offensive group should click and become a bit more consistent in their production - the other element that led to their demise last season. With these type of players, the Avs can become quite a scary bunch to play against.

Key Additions - Chuck Kobasew, Patrick Rissmiller

Key Losses - Tomas Fleischmann


On Defense, there was, in my opinion, a huge hole created when John-Michael Liles was traded to Toronto. This hole will be difficult to fill. However, Greg Sherman seems to be handing the team's power play hopes over to so-far-disappointing St. Louis 1st overall pick Erik Johnson. It will be his team now and he will sink or swim. Sherman did, however, do his best to find support for Johnson - a steady hand, if you will - in Jan Hejda, who will be a great influence on Johnson in the coming years. He will help on the PP, as well as provide a calming presence in the defensive zone. He also provided a bit of beef in Shane O'Brien, which should help the still developing and still very young corps of defensemen suiting up in Denver this season.

Key Additions - Shane O'Brien, Jan Hejda

Key Losses - John-Michael Liles



For the longest time, since Patrick Roy left it seems, the Avalanche have been searching for someone to take the reigns as the #1 goaltender. Aebischer wasn't it. Nor were Budaj, Raycroft, Theodore or Anderson. And so they made two very significant moves this summer in acquiring both J.S. Giguere and Semyon Varlamov. If you ask this writer, this really provides some real stability in net not only for the next couple of years, but for the long term future. Putting Varlamov together with the professionalism displayed by Giguere and the skills of goaltending coach Kirk Mclean should ensure he becomes the premier tender his huge frame should allow him to be.


Key Additions - J.S. Giguere, Semyon Varlamov

Key Losses - Peter Budaj, Brian Elliott


If the new additions can do better than the recent castoffs, and the remaining crew can execute a Joe Sacco gameplan for more than 40 games, the Avalanche will be a playoff team. There is still some growing to do. However, they have the talent in Johnson and Duchene, the veteran leadership in Hejduk and Hejda, and now (finally) the goaltending in Giguere and Varlamov. The Avs are on their way. Its just a matter of how far they will go...and how fast.

Next up: Florida Panthers

30. Edmonton Oilers

I have decided to preview the teams in reverse 2010 standings order, which is quite a popular format, so why mess with it? It just happens that team number 30 last year is also my favourite team. So it works out quite well for me, at least.

Previewing the season for the team you have followed your whole life always brings in some type of favouritism, which will most likely disappear for all 29 remaining teams, but I will try to keep it in check here as well.

The Oilers are a team in transition. Comparison to the Chicago Blackhawks have been made numerous times all over the blogosphere and in paper print. With youngsters like Taylor Hall (pictured), Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, and 2011 #1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins emerging on the scene, the offensive future of this team seems bright. A few signings and trades so far this offseason have filled long standing holes in the lineup.

GM Steve Tambellini brought back Oiler fan favourite and mullet extraordinaire Ryan Smyth, bringing a sense of leadership few can match. His multitude of 20-goal season will help the scoreboard, as well, even if he is much closer to his final campaign than his rookie one. The Eric Belanger signing brings in the faceoff specialist the Oilers have been missing since the departure of Jared Stoll. And the signings of tough guys Darcy Hordichuk and Ben Eager were made in an attempt to bring muscle without fear (they had trouble in the past getting anyone willing to man up with giant Steve McIntyre).

Key Additions - Ryan Smyth, Eric Belanger, Ben Eager, Darcy Hordichuk

Key Losses - Andrew Cogliano, Colin Fraser, Steve McIntyre

Where it is hard to validate the Oilers/Blackhawks comparison is on the backend. They have yet to find a #1 thoroughbred for their d-corps. However, the return of Ryan Whitney, and a slight gamble in signing the bought-out Cam Barker could reap some rewards, particularly on the powerplay. Further development in last year's surprise Theo Peckham and the re-signed Ladislav Smid, as well as the "relative" steadiness of Tom Gilbert and the added muscle in Andy Sutton should result in improved results in the Oiler's zone. At least that is the plan...


Key Additions - Cam Barker, Andy Sutton
Key Losses - Jim Vandermeer, Kurtis Foster, Sheldon Souray

In goal, the Oilers remain the same this year. With two more seasons on what now seems to be obviously inflated contract, Nik Khabibulin will more than likely play something close to half games this season. However, with last years emergence of Devan Dubnyk, he might be on the smaller side of half. And with this being a contract year for Dubnyk, Khabibulin may well be on the docket come deadline. With Dubnyk's long awaited development finally showing some serious progress, the Oiler's are hoping that they won't have to go looking for any other starting goaltenders anytime soon.

Key Additions - none

Key Losses - none

The Oilers are on the right track. They are two to thee seasons and one premier defenseman away from legitimately challenging for the Cup. This year will, like last year, be a work in progress type of season. Unlike last year, though, they do have a slim chance of making the playoffs. And after a five year drought, even a 4 game series will help keep the wolves/fans at bay for another season.

Next up: Colorado

First Post

Well...its eleven weeks (yesterday) until the puck drops for the first time in the 2011-2012 NHL season, and so I would like to welcome you to a new NHL dedicated blog - Ice Picks.

In general these pages will bring you information and insight into the happenings around the league, from the big hit or goal the night before to the luxury board rooms of the owners and management meetings.

To kick off, I will preview 3 teams per week, reviewing their off-season moves, and what it means for their chances in the new season, and years to come. Enjoy the read, comment, cheer, jeer, whatever you feel is necessary.