October Report Cards, Part 1

Note: Records are prior to games on November 1st.

Anaheim Ducks (10-3-1)
Grade: B+
It's nothing short of a miracle that Anaheim has notched 21 of a possible 28 points with their special teams being this bad. They cannot sustain this streak if the power play and penalty kill continue to falter. I don't care how good their other metrics are, when you don't punish teams for committing penalties and don't bail yourself out when shorthanded, you're not going to see long-term success.

Boston Bruins (8-4-0)
Grade: B+
An uncharacteristically sloppy penalty kill is the story here. Boston is getting enough goal scoring and playing stellar defense as usual, but that PK needs a boost. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand are off to slow starts, but the slack has been picked up by David Krejci (11 assists) and Milan Lucic (12 points) thus far. They suffered a tough loss to Pittsburgh the other night but rebounded nicely in a shootout win over Anaheim.

Buffalo Sabres (2-12-1)
Grade: F
I really didn't want to give this team an F simply because this is a rebuilding year and many correctly pegged this team to be the worst in hockey, but after scanning their stats I couldn't justify giving them a better score. If the PK were in the top ten I probably would've bumped them to a D- on the grounds that they were doing something right. However, 82%, while serviceable, isn't anything to celebrate. Trading Thomas Vanek for Matt Moulson was a complete fleece job by Darcy Regier as he continues to stockpile picks.

Calgary Flames (5-5-2)
Grade: B-
Was going to give them a higher grade until I saw the defense and special teams. Make no mistake, their record is still a surprise to me (hence the probably inflated B-), but it's a far cry from their hot start in the first few games. Sean Monahan has been the catalyst for this group, though he's disappeared a bit in their last few outings. They need to get him going again. They also need to figure out the goaltending situation, because the committee so far hasn't gotten it done.

Carolina Hurricanes (4-5-3)
Grade: D+
They should thank the rest of the Metropolitan Division (sans Pittsburgh) for being so putrid this season, because somehow the 4-5-3 Hurricanes are in second place. Nobody has reached double digit points yet and only four players have a plus rating. The goaltending has quite literally been a three-ring circus, with Cam Ward and Justin Peters faltering while Anton Khudobin has been sharp. Khudobin's on IR now though, so Ward and Peters have to play better... Ward especially, since he's the starter.

Chicago Blackhawks (8-2-3)
Grade: B+
They're scoring, they're converting on the power play, and they're getting a lot of pucks to the net. Defense has been an adventure so far, though, with the NHL's worst PK not helping matters. You can only mask bad defense with good offense for so long, but if the Hawks are driving possession and applying a solid forecheck, the penalty kill numbers will come up some.

Colorado Avalanche (10-1-0)
Grade: A
This team was doing everything right until Semyon Varlamov turned himself in to police amid charges of kidnapping and domestic violence. Backup Jean-Sebastien Giguere has been great so far, so it looks like the Avs will be alright for the time being in net. Who would've thought they'd be 10-1 through the first month and that it would be the defense that got them there? The trade that brought in Max Talbot will only help them continue to be solid in their own end.

Columbus Blue Jackets (5-6-0)
Grade: C
The Blue Jackets look like a team that is just trying to stem the tide right now. They're still without Nathan Horton for the foreseeable future so they will be missing a major offensive weapon going forward, but even at 5-6 they're right in the thick of it in the Metropolitan Division, where they sit in 4th place. They have to improve the special teams and find some more scoring, but if they're above .500 when Horton comes back, look out.

Dallas Stars (5-6-1)
Grade: D+
Given the fact that the Central Division has delivered in terms of being iffy in the middle, the last-place Stars don't deserve any better of a grade. They're 1-2-1 against their division rivals thus far and that will not get it done. They've been the model of mediocrity to this point in the NHL and have to improve in all areas of the game if they want to climb up the mountain. I believe it's an issue of depth with this team, as they simply don't have enough on the wings or on defense.

Detroit Red Wings (7-4-2)
Grade: C+
Let me put it this way: this team is not trending in the right direction. The offense has not produced, they've gotten almost nothing from Stephen Weiss so far, and the special teams have been meh. Defensively, they've been good enough to have a winning record, but again the scoring isn't there. Detroit has just 20 points from its defensemen so far, led by Niklas Kronwall with eight. They need more from the backend.

Edmonton Oilers (3-9-2)
Grade: F
This team has been a complete trainwreck after such high hopes to begin the year. Taylor Hall is hurt, Nail Yakupov has been nonexistent, the defense has continued to suck as only they can, and the special teams continue to not produce. This squad is doing nothing well right now. Mark Arcobello is off to a nice start with 10 assists, but when he's tied for your team's lead in scoring, there are serious issues that need to be addressed.

Florida Panthers (3-7-2)
Grade: F
This grade is another case of me wanting to be soft on a team that everyone knew was bad preseason but being unable to justify it. The Panthers have been absolutely brutal so far. Tim Thomas has not been healthy and it's been clear that his body isn't in playing shape yet. Brad Boyes has slowed down, Jonathan Huberdeau hasn't gotten untracked yet and Shawn Matthias is struggling. They need more from their best players.

Los Angeles Kings (9-5-0)
Grade: B
They're currently sitting in fifth place in the stacked Pacific Division, but that's no reason to count the Kings out. Aside from their goal scoring, they've been solid overall. Anze Kopitar is off to a great start and the defense has both kept them in and won games. They'd like to see an increase across the board; these are not the numbers of a Stanley Cup contender. However, they don't need to be yet, that can wait until the playoffs.

Minnesota Wild (6-4-3)
Grade: B-
I can't figure this team out. They aren't scoring, but have a great power play. The defense has been stingy, but the penalty kill has been a sieve. Josh Harding has played admirably in net so far, but this team needs Nicklas Backstrom to be healthy and playing his best hockey if they're going to improve upon their success from a season ago. Also, where has Dany Heatley been? Has anyone seen him?

Montreal Canadiens (8-5-0)
Grade: B+
With the statistics that they've put up across the board, Montreal should probably have a better record than they do. They're trending in the right direction, but they need to get more pucks to the net. It's going to be tough to maintain such a low goals against average, so the more they can help out the goaltending by driving possession, the better off they'll be.

30 Teams, 30 Days - Dallas Stars

The recent memory of Stars fans is not currently a good one. Dallas has missed the playoffs for five straight seasons now, and they have also undergone an ownership change, a general manager change, and two coaching changes in that time period. The Stars recently rebranded, dropping what were without a doubt the most boring and ugly jerseys in the league in favor of some sharp looking sweaters (see logo above, it's the new one), and they are certainly hoping that with a new look comes a new winning attitude. They were busy in the offseason, addressing their biggest need by bringing in centermen Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley in a trade with Boston that sent Loui Eriksson to the Bruins, and signing former Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff. They are now, however, not so deep on the wings, but centers are a more valuable commodity.The Stars will be a better team than they were last year.

Projected Forward Lines:

Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Rich Peverley
Ray Whitney - Cody Eakin - Valeri Nichushkin
Erik Cole - Shawn Horcoff - Alex Chiasson
Ryan Garbutt - Vernon Fiddler - Antoine Roussel
Chris Mueller - Lane MacDermid

For the first time since their last playoff appearance, Dallas looks like they're strong down the middle. Seguin will get the 1C role he so desperately coveted in Boston but could not get because of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, who were far too good to drop on their depth chart. He'll play alongside captain Benn and his teammate from Boston, Peverley. Youth abounds on the right side, with rookies Nichushkin and Chiasson likely to see big roles in their first full seasons. Each one is playing with veterans on his line, so mentoring will be key for guys like Whitney, Horcoff, Cole, and Fiddler. You probably won't see more than Benn and Seguin top the 60-point mark, but there will be plenty of depth scoring with this group. This is a forward group that will find ways to win games, and it will probably be different heroes each time. The most obvious flaw here is consistency, because they can't simply rely on the top line to win games.

Projected Defensive Pairings:

Alex Goligoski - Brenden Dillon
Sergei Gonchar - Stephane Robidas
Kevin Connauton - Trevor Daley
Aaron Rome

This defense will be a factor in the offensive zone for sure. Goligoski and Gonchar are the bombers from the point, and they will each score their fair share of goals. The top pair is pretty well set in stone, but past that it's a toss up. Gonchar will be on the second pairing, but I wonder who he'll wind up playing with. My (complete) guess is Robidas, as he is a good two-way defenseman that will complement Gonchar's more offensive style. Connauton appears ready to step up and make the team as well. He'll be competing with Rome and Jamie Oleksiak for a spot on the team and playing time. Daley provides both a veteran presence and surprising scoring touch to the group, and he'll find a home on the third pair.

Goaltending:

Kari Lehtonen
Dan Ellis

Lehtonen, when healthy, can be one of the best goalies in the NHL. It's great for Dallas, then, that he's been relatively injury-free for the last three years. Ellis was brought in to be the backup, a spot previously held by Richard Bachman, who is now in Edmonton. Lehtonen saw a drop in his stat totals last season, going 16-15-3 with a 2.66 GAA and a .916 save percentage. He should have better offensive support this season, and if he puts up numbers like the ones above again the Stars will need to score plenty to win games. Lehtonen is now the highest-paid player on the team after signing a five-year, $29.5 million contract, and he needs to play like he's deserving of that contract for this team to snap the playoff drought.

Special Teams:

With greater forward depth and Gonchar quarterbacking the power play, their 17% success rate will go up. The Stars were inconsistent with the man advantage last year and in today's NHL you have to be able to punish teams when they take penalties. What makes Dallas a potentially dangerous team with the man advantage this year is that they might be able to wheel out two full units where every player can score. One thing that Dallas has to get better at is discipline. They had the third-most penalty kills (179) in the NHL and were -8 on total special teams chances a season ago. The penalty kill was decent with an 81% success rate, but it's tough to keep your guys fresh when you're killing almost four penalties per game. Having a deeper group of centers should help in this area, with Fiddler and Horcoff getting the bulk of the work.

X-Factor:

Seguin's displeasure with being the 3rd line center is what got him traded out of Boston. Now that he's the man in Dallas, he has to prove that he's capable of being a #1 at this level. He's getting paid to be the best player on this team, and anything less than a career year from him has to be seen as a disappointment. He and Benn have to be the best players for the Stars on a nightly basis if they're going to contend for a playoff spot. They might both have to be point-per-game players this year, especially early on while the kids are still getting up to speed.

The Stars will make the playoffs if...

... the defense and Lehtonen can shoulder the load on nights that the offense doesn't produce, the right wing position doesn't prove to be a liability, and Seguin plays up to his contract. With the move to the Central Division comes all-new opponents for the Stars, and aside from Chicago and St. Louis they have very beatable opponents. It's going to be a race for third involving everyone else in that division, and winning that battle will be huge because I believe that the Pacific will get both wild cards and therefore five teams into the playoffs. If guys like Chiasson and Nichushkin stick and put up 40-45 points, the Stars will have a much better chance of ending their playoff drought.

The Stars will miss the playoffs if...

... Lehtonen gets injured, they fail to find secondary scoring, and Benn or Seguin gets injured. Dallas has a ton of uncertainties heading into this season, and they will not be consistent in the early going. They cannot afford injuries to the forwards or Lehtonen this season. Losing a defenseman wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, as it is their deepest position. Healthy or not, Dallas has to improve their discipline, the power play, and get the rookies up to speed as soon as possible in order to get where they want to be.

Ten Breakout Players Next Season

With the preseason just over a month away, it's time to take a look at who has the best chance to give themselves a coming out party this year. I've taken my ideas for this list and narrowed it to ten. Here's who I think will be the biggest breakout stars of the 2013-14 season:

Brent Burns - The defenseman has been converted to forward and should play on the top line in San Jose this coming season. He figures to have Patrick Marleau on the opposite wing and either Joe Thornton or Logan Couture as his pivot. I'm expecting at least 60 points from Burns this season, and potentially more if he gets off to a fast start.

Mikkel Boedker - Another player who will be ascending into a top-line role, Boedker will have the added benefit of playing alongside the newly-signed Mike Ribeiro in Glendale. While his point totals have been pedestrian so far, he's only 23 and this will be his first crack at being the #1 left wing. Barring an injury or some other form of disaster, Boedker should shatter his career highs this season.

Jakob Silfverberg - Staying in the Pacific Division again, Silfverberg has the tall task of replacing Bobby Ryan in Anaheim's top six. He has already shown flashes of brilliance in his short time with the Ottawa Senators, and I believe that once he takes over as the #1 left wing (because, let's face it, Dustin Penner appearing there on the Ducks' depth chart is nothing more than 2007 nostalgia), he's going to be a force.

Jonathan Huberdeau - If you're reading this blog and you don't know who Huberdeau is, I highly recommend typing his name into the search bar on YouTube. You'll do well to spend time watching this kid's hands and some of the moves he has in his arsenal. He was already scoring at about a 53-point pace last season, and I fully expect that number to climb in 2013-14. He'll be given every opportunity to play in the top six in Florida, and there's some exciting young talent on its way up there.

Roman Josi - Here's a guy who will put up better numbers simply because he's going to see more ice time. He's firmly on the top pairing with Shea Weber, and given the current state of the Predators' depth chart, Josi figures to get a lion's share of the power play opportunities as well. Josi scored 9 points in 10 games for Switzerland at the World Championships, and was named the tournament MVP even though the Swiss came up short against Sweden in the Gold Medal Game. He will be a big factor for Nashville this coming season.

Mika Zibanejad - I'd be crazy not to have at least one Senator on this list, and Zibanejad is primed for a big season. He may not start the season on the second line, but he deserves to be there and I believe that Paul McLean will put him in the right place to succeed this season. He's only 20 years old and I believe that he will be a monster in this league someday, so why not now?

David Perron - Perron moves from a defense-first team in St. Louis to a defense-never team in Edmonton. His plus/minus will definitely take a hit with the Oilers, that much is obvious (he's plus-45 for his career). However, he'll be playing with some of the most gifted playmakers in the NHL. Edmonton's top six is absolutely frightening: Taylor Hall, Perron, Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Nail Yakupov. Throw in Ales Hemsky and you have a team where offense abounds. Perron's career high is 50 points, and I think he'll surpass that this season. The big if, however, is his health.

Vladimir Tarasenko - Perron's departure means more time for the big Russian, who battled a concussion that he suffered mid-season, missing 10 games. He was also a healthy scratch for all but one game of the Blues' first-round series loss to the Kings. However, this year he steps into a top six role and figures to shine for St. Louis. I like his chances of a 55-60 point campaign, if not more. He's going to make the Blues' front office very pleased that they spent their first round pick on him at the 2010 draft.

Marcus Johansson - Johansson will be asked to fill the void in the Caps' top six left by Mike Ribeiro, and they are certainly big skates to fill. Johansson was already scoring at a 53-point pace last season, and that was on the third line for coach Adam Oates. Playing alongside more established talent is only going to help his development and numbers increase. 60 points is a reasonable expectation for him, but he could put up a bigger number if he sees significant power play time.

Karri Ramo - If you follow international hockey (specifically the KHL in this case), Ramo is probably already a household name for you. Here's his stat line from the 2011-12 season playing for Avangard Omsk: 24 wins, 1.96 GAA, .925 SV%. As if that wasn't enough, he posted an obscene 1.54 GAA and .940 SV% in the playoffs as he carried his team to within one game of the Gagarin Cup, losing Game 7 against Dynamo Moscow, which was a 1-0 decision. He followed that up with 26 wins (in five fewer games than '11-'12), a 2.00 GAA and a .929 SV% last season. Ramo will step in as the #1 backstop in Calgary, and while the team will struggle to score, Ramo is already looking like a sleeper pick in fantasy leagues. He will definitely steal his share of games for the Flames this season.