NW Division Preview - Minnesota

Robert Cleave
October 08 2010 09:44AM

 

EDMONTON, CANADA - MARCH 5: Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Edmonton Oilers on March 5, 2010 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dale MacMillan/Getty Images)

 

 Flames Nation continues its review of the other Northwest Division squads. Next up, Minnesota.

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NW Division Preview - Colorado

Robert Cleave
October 06 2010 08:24AM

Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny stretches before game six of the NHL quarterfinal playoffs against the San Jose Sharks at the Pepsi Center on April 24, 2010 in Denver. San Jose leads Colorado 3-2 in the series. UPI/Gary C. Caskey Photo via Newscom

 

Flames Nation continues its preview of the other teams in the Northwest Division with a look at Colorado.

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NW Division Preview - Vancouver

Robert Cleave
October 04 2010 09:35PM

MONTREAL- FEBRUARY 2: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Vancouver Canucks skates during the NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens on February 2, 2010 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeated the Canucks 3-2. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

 

Over the next few days, Flames Nation will offer previews of every team in the Northwest division. To start off, here's an overview of the Vancouver Canucks.  

Regular season – NW division champions: 103 points, 3rd seed in WC playoffs

Playoffs - Beat L.A. 4-2 in first round, lost 4-2 to Chicago in second round

Significant additions - Manny Malhotra, Raffi Torres, Dan Hamhuis, Keith Ballard

Injuries – Alexandre Burrows, and shockingly, Sami Salo

Key players – Sedins, Kesler, Luongo

Cap position – tight

Predicted finish - 1st in the division

 The Canucks are this season's semi-fashionable pick to end Canada's Stanley Cup drought, given that they didn't lose any major contributors and might have added a couple of very nice, albeit somewhat overpaid D. The team also appears to have filled in a hole or two in their bottom six. As much as I might like to see them fail, Vancouver are division favourites for good reason.

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Pre-Season Post-game #6 - Easy Pickings

Robert Cleave
October 01 2010 11:13PM

 

Calgary Flames' Jarome Iginla and Edmonton Oilers' Jim Vandermeer collide during the first period of their NHL pre-season hockey game in Edmonton October 1, 2010.  REUTERS/Dan Riedlhuber (CANADA - Tags: SPORT ICE HOCKEY)

 

 

Normally, I take considerable satisfaction in a Flame victory over the Grease, even in pre-season. I won't throw the win tonight back or anything, but the quality of the opposition tonight was poor enough that the injuries Calgary suffered are much more noteworthy.

 

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October 1 News and Notes

Robert Cleave
October 01 2010 11:34AM

 

 

EDMONTON, AB - OCTOBER 3:  Sheldon Souray of the Edmonton Oilers walks to the ice before a game between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers in an NHL game on October 3, 2009 at Rexall Arena in Edmonton, Canada. The Calgary Flames defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3. (Photo by Jimmy Jeong/Getty Images)

October. It's the time of year when the evenings finally cool, the leaves turn and fall, and we can finally focus on real hockey. Or, if you live where I do, it's the first time in several months where it isn't going to rain every second damned day and I can sneak a few last rounds on the golf course before the Manitoba winter takes hold. 

Ah, but that's not important now, and there is plenty to discuss in this week's round-up. The Flames finally shed a few bodies, the neighbours have one that they'd really like to have disappear, and injuries are not just an issue in Cowtown.

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