1. Chicago Blackhawks It’s hard to knock the defending champs from their top spot, especially not having played a single exhibition game at this point in the year, so why try? The Blackhawks proved to be deep enough to win Lord Stanley’s Cup, but that didn’t stop them from making moves this summer. Left wing, Viktor Stalberg, acquired via trade with Toronto, provides additional size and talent in an already potent offense, adding further depth to one of the elite frontlines in the game. It may be tough to repeat as league champions, but with the core of Toews, Kane and Hossa still intact, it may be even tougher to knock of the Hawks. (more…)

1. Pittsburgh Penguins Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, now joined by off-season additions Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek that should help the Pens answer questions about their grittiness on the defensive end, form arguably the most talented all-around team in the NHL. Without the pressure of defending the Stanley Cup, the Penguins are in great position to open their new arena with the 3^rd championship in franchise history. Marc-Andre Fleury was somewhat of a mixed bag a season ago, though by no means a major disappointment. Should the former 1 overall pick max out his potential in his 3^rd year full-time in net, delivering more consistently on a nightly basis, the Penguins could be considered league-wide frontrunners going into the year. (more…)

Paul Martin, Defenseman, New Jersey to Pittsburgh Teams hoping to woo Martin didn’t have much time to prepare as the Penguins inked their new defensemen within 24 hours. Martin will fill Gonchars void in the Pittsburgh D, giving the team some fresh legs down the stretch.Keith Ballard, Defenseman, Florida to Vancouver With arguably the league’s best goalie Roberto Luongo in net, the Canucks could probably hold fan try outs for their defensemen slots and still remain competitive at least through a period or two. Fortunately for Canucks fans, Luongo’s job just got a little easier when Vancouver acquired Keith Ballard in a draft day trade from the Panthers. Ballard has led his team in hits every year in his NHL career and should be a three pronged contributor for his new team, offense, defense and intimidation. (more…)

Though it the NHL off-season hasn’t garnered nearly the hype of Miami’s NBA coup d’etat, a lot of high impact players switched sweaters this summer and will be skating in new cities when the regular season kicks off in October. Here’s a look at the biggest additions and losses that will alter the league’s landscape.Evgeni Nabakov, Goaltender, San Jose to KHL There was no question as to whether Nabakov would cash in this summer, however he was expected to receive a big bag of American dollars, not Russian rubles. After 12 years of NHL service in San Jose, Nabakov has decided to pull an anti-Lebron and take his talents back to his home country. The goalie has been an integral part of the Sharks success over the past decade and will be sorely missed by fans in teal. (more…)

Apparently Americans aren’t the only ones asking for a little government assistance via federal funding. However, Canada’s plan to dish out finances is likely something almost all Canadians will support. The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers may soon be playing in The House That Stephen Harper Built, when the prime minister let on that federal funding made available to help construct a new hockey arena in Quebec might also be available in other instances, implying all of Canada’s major cities will be treated equally.Hockey fanaticism in Canada is well-documented, with Quebec serving as the country’s largest hockeyless metro area. Once upon a time, Quebec was a hockey fan’s paradise, as the Nordiques roaming the ice at Colisee de Quebec (Quebec Coliseum in an amateur translation). The Nordiques entered the NHL to start the 1979-80 season, following the league’s merger with the World Hockey Association. The Nordiques were among the WHA’s inaugural teams, as the upstart league posed the most serious direct competition to the NHL since the Western Hockey League folded in 1926. WHA owners paid a premium for top hockey talent, often luring free agents away from their NHL clubs. (more…)