Out West, Hawks & Sharks will bow to Cancuks & Kings

Storylines

1. WINDY CITY REPEAT? In a word: No. The Hawks still have the core of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, but a lot of the role players were dropped to avoid salary-cap hell. Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd (Thrashers), Kris Versteeg (Leafs) and Antti Niemi (Sharks) are all gone; Marty Turco has come on to be the No. 1 goaltender, which is a serious downgrade.

2. RETURN OF THE WINGS. Goaltender Jimmy Howard is a year older and wiser and the most complete set of forwards in the league should make up for a slightly-too-old defense. Addition of hometown guy Mike Modano signifies the Wings are ready for one more serious run in the Nicklas Lidstrom era.

3. SURPRISE! COYOTES STILL A MESS. Don Maloney won exec of the year for putting together a winning team in Phoenix - though most of the credit should go to coach Dave Tippett - but the Coyotes are still in financial limbo and last season's success won't carry over either in the stands or on the ice. Too many good teams out West, and Ilya Bryzgalov has to prove last season wasn't an aberration.

4. SHARKS' MAJOR CHANGE. Out went Evgeni Nabokov to Russia, in came Niemi, a most unlikely Stanley Cup-winning goaltender. With fellow Finn Antero Niitymaki in goal, the Sharks' new duo should be solid behind the perennial West top seed.

5. RACE TO THE BOTTOM . . . The Oilers, with Tom Renney wisely taking over for out-of-touch Pat Quinn, won't make the playoffs, but they won't run away with the worst record again. The Wild has goaltending but little else; the Blue Jackets don't have enough of anything, despite a good young coach. The Flames, despite a world-class goaltender, are a mismatched collection of players, and it's time for the other team in Alberta to sink to the bottom.

Three of a kind

BEST FORWARDS

Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks. Not the most dynamic player on his squad, but simply the best all-round one.

Pavel Datsyuk, Wings. Best two-way player in the game.

Ryan Kesler, Canucks. Ready for a breakout year after Olympic success.

BEST DEFENSEMEN

Duncan Keith, Blackhawks. Norris Trophy win won't be his last.

Drew Doughty, Kings. These guys will be 1-2 on this list for a long while.

Shea Weber, Predators. Big shot, big hitter, becoming a big-time player.

BEST GOALTENDERS

Jonathan Quick, Kings. For all their young talent elsewhere, this guy is the key to making it all work.

Roberto Luongo, Canucks. Has to have a big postseason to keep his spot here.

Miikka Kiprusoff, Flames. Will never be more on his own than this season.

TOP NEWCOMERS

Taylor Hall, Oilers.Hasn't been this much excitement in Edmonton since a skinny kid donned No. 99.

Magnus Paajarvi, Oilers. Could play Messier to Hall's Gretzky in the great rebuild.

Logan Couture, Sharks. 2007 first-rounder ready for his NHL closeup.

ON THE BRINK

Jason Blake, Ducks. Made a career of overcoming adversity, but he's winding down out west.

Marty Turco, Hawks. Chicago can't win with a 35-year-old two years past his expiration date.

Olli Jokinen, Flames. Ripped Calgary after he got to New York; return is inexplicable.

Playoff picks

EIGHT WHO ARE IN

1. Canucks

2. Red Wings

3. Kings

4. Sharks

5. Hawks

6. Predators

7. Blues

8. Avalanche

CONFERENCE FINAL

Canucks over Kings in six games.

STANLEY CUP FINAL

Penguins over Canucks in six games.