Pre Season Western Conference Power Poll

Pre Season Western Conference Power Poll

- Joe Bartnick 9/17/13

This week I give you my Pre Season Western Conference Power Poll.

The West has gotten weaker due to the defection of the Detroit Red Wings to the Eastern Conference. While it may hurt attendance in cities that loved seeing Detroit come to town several times a year (Nashville, Phoenix) it does open up a playoff spot that has been given to Detroit as a birthright for two generations.

1. Chicago – The Champs return all of their key players for a run at a repeat. A short season last year helps that cause, having so many players participating in the Olympics doesn’t

2. Los Angeles – Four solid lines and a scary, young talented defense will make up for loss of steady defenseman Rob Scuderi . Can Quick withstand extra workload after ace backup goaltender Bernier was moved to Toronto?

V3. ancouver – Too much talent to just fall off a cliff but Tortorella will give them a shove in the near future.

4. Anaheim- The big three ( Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan) becomes the dynamic duo (sans Ryan) and BBQ Bruce Boudreau racks up regular season points.

5. St Louis – Captain Kangaroo Ken Hitchcock’s team is big and bad but they never score enough when it counts.

6. San Jose – Aren’t they always right about here? Maybe stronger than usual playoff run will inspire more out of this bunch of underachievers.

7. Minnesota –Head Coach Mike Yeo is on the hot seat because the Wild have too big of a payroll not to go deep in the playoffs.

8. Dallas- Lindy Ruff will prove good coaching is worth 10 points and the Stars will return to the playoffs.

9. Edmonton- The young guns are a year older. A deadline move for veteran grit could put the Oilers in the playoffs.

10. Colorado- Head Coach Patrick Roy will have an immediate positive impact so will avoiding the injuries that decimated the team last year.

11. Winnipeg- Moving to the Western Conference with help them with jet lag but now none of their division rivals will be afraid of their wind chill factor.

12. Nashville- This franchise is becoming a sad country song about what might have been.

13. Calgary- No Iginla. No hope. If this team was in the South you would hear relocation rumors.

14. Phoenix – It’s always golf season in the Valley of the Sun.