If Colorado gets a good goalie, and have a good chemistry before the playoffs, how could you not fear them. As much talent as they have though, they lose a lot of chemistry because this is the first full year with a new coach. So much talent, but Minnesota proved to them that a good system is what it's all about.
On that note, Bob Hartely's first full season with Heatly, Kovalchuk and a good young team- and a healthy Dafoe- will take the Thrashers to finish 6th in the east and their first ever playoff birth. They'll be fun to watch till they lose in the second round.
I think the Rangers are finally fed up of not making the playoffs. See them in and out in the first round.
With new teams making the playoffs, there will be no room in the post season for the over-rated, aging Laughs. Their fans will still claim they're the best team and claim they were cheated out of the playoffs, because everyone knows that the NHL (and the rest of the world) is againt them.
Back into the West, Detroit has a lot of redeeming to do. Unfortunately (for hockeytown), they'll finish second to Ottawa in the race to the Presidents Trophy and Ottawa will finally solve Hasek in a satisfing 5 game final.
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