Season 2010 - 2011 has arrived!

Welcome to the Auspuck preview of the 2010/11 NHL season. I will give teams Auspuck's quick preview of what to watch for with each team in the NHL this season. Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

(Continues after the jump!)

WEST

Calgary Flames: Veteran team lost direction last season. This sense of entitlement has gone and the players are committed to winning. Still considerably slow, will rely on grit and determination to win games. Roster is not deep enough to challenge for Western Conference title.


Colorado Avalanche: Young, quick and disciplined. Hopes rely on Craig Anderson's performance, which they plan to ride all the way to the playoffs. Won't catch teams by surprise this year and will be challenged every game. Look for a big seasons from Stastny. Prospect cupboard is very deep, so success is on the horizon.

Edmonton Oilers: Will be a learning experience for the entire team. Look for another 30th place finish however they be the most entertaining team to finish last in the NHL.

Minnesota Wild: Big expectations for Koivu this season after signing a monster contract. If Havlat rebounds, he will take a load of pressure of the rest of the roster. Team defense still the key to success.

Vancouver Canucks: The team, the city and the country all believe this is the year the Canucks win the cup. Have maintained their depth while other teams has taken a step back. Have cap troubles which might get in the way. With so many weapons that can hurt opposing teams, nothing looks like it can derail the Canucks this season.

Chicago Blackhawks: After an offseason of changes. The team has manage to retain key personel that still provide the best chance of winning. Turco will be up to the challenge of representing the defending cup champs. Top 6 forwards must produce as contributions from the bottom 6 six won't be as significant.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Must get off to a fast start and avoid chasing teams all season. Balanced scoring and defence are keys to success. Still lack a killer instinct as a team. This team needs to establish an identity early and believe in themselves.

Detroit Red Wings: Re-tooled and well rested. Look out. This team carries the mantra of being old which will catch teams off guard all season. Jimmy Howard has increased expectations in season 2. Look for Datsyuk to rebound and produce a point-per-game season.

Nashville Predators: Self imposed budget will always prevent this team from contending. Fantastic depth at all positions and defensive mindset continues to lead to success. If you are not a fan of the neutral zone trap, please avoid watching Nashville play.

St Louis Blues: Took a step back last year after a fantastic 08/09 season. Halak will play under the radar which may lead to improved results, or a step back. Still young and talented, St Louis will be in the thick of things in the west but there commitment to 82 games will be challenged.

Anaheim Ducks: Will make the playoffs after a step back last year. Motivated, skilled, big and the team has an excellent balance of youth and veterans. Will be active around the trade deadline as they thy are one or two pieces from c

Dallas Stars: Likely won't qualify for the playoffs again. Off ice issues continue to haunt the team. Has some pieces to work with moving forward... but another year in the basement is in the cards. Goaltending and defense will be the main issues. Brendan Morrow will give everything to the team and

LA Kings: Building towards a contender. Will take another step in that direction this season. Goaltending remains a questions as expectations have increased.

Phoenix Coyotes: Young and disciplined. Learned what it takes to win the NHL last season. Well coached and has some spunk. Questions circuling if/when the team will be moved may prevent success again, but they did not let it distract them last season.

San Jose Sharks: Playoff success is the only thing to watch for here. Niemi will have lower expectations are Nabakov failed to produce in previous seasons. Deep, talented and fast. Must develop a "win at all costs" attitude.


EAST:

Boston Bruins: Still too good to be forgotten. Blew a three games to none lead in the playoffs last season. Mistakes like won't happen this year. Rask will be given the starters nod and if he fails, Tim Thomas will jump at the opportunity. The offense is deep and the defense knows its roll.

Buffalo Sabres: A year to rebuild. Buffalo has lost a number of key personel since the lookout due to the teams self-imposed salary cap. This year they suffer because of that. Still a gritty, hard-working team but Buffalo lacks depth at every position and will rely on Ryan Miller to lead them to success.

Montreal Canadiens: Lofty expectations await this team. Still lacks physical forwards and is not intimidating at all. Carey Price carries the teams fate on his back. The teams youth will improve as the season goes on. Look for another low seed playoff appearance.

Ottawa Senators: Talented and deep. Questions regarding the team commitment to winning continue. Sergei Gonchar's performance is critical as well as a repeat performance from Brian Elliot.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Does the playoff drought end? Can the team score goals? Can the team prevent goals? If the team finds confidence, motivation and is committed to both end of the ice, the playoffs could be on the horizon. Look for break outs years from Clarke McArthur and Kris Versteeg.

New Jersey Devlis: Ilya Kovalchuk. The Devils have invested a lot of money in him. It's now up to him to return that investment. Broduer should be well rested due to the acquisition of Hedberg. Team first player mentality should still continue. New Jersey is built again this season from previous (pre-lockout) models of success, see Arnott, Elias.

New York Islanders: How good will Tavares be in season 2? Maybe not ready to carry the complete weight of the team, but look for a poor man's version of Steven Stamkos for inspiration. DiPietro's injury troubles and the worst arena in the league and at the top of the clubs issues.

New York Rangers: Will continue to get solid goaltending and be defensively minded. Relying heavily on Gaborik to perform. If injuries hit this team, they will be in the basement of the conference.

Philadelphia Flyers: Will have goaltending questions all season long. Mean, tough and big defence will be a hassle for the entire league. A roster loaded with talent. A team that relies on chemistry to develop amongst players. Similar to last season, if chemistry doesn't develop look for periods of ups and downs.

Pittsburgh Penguins: A deep and talented team should challenge for the Eastern Conference championship. Finding a winger for Crosby will be a season long challenge. Much improved defensive core will now be a focus of other teams. It's not just about the offence anymore in Pittsburgh.

Atlanta Thrashers: Currently going through a transition. Led by a motivational goaltender (Mason), this club has an outside chance of making the playoffs. The team should be able to score.... but who can prevent the goals against?

Carolina Hurricanes:  A long shot to make the playoffs. Pay attention to the injury bug affecting the teams performance again this year. Have lost steps in the Eastern Conference and are currently rebuilding.

Florida Panthers: Not much to look for here in 10/11. Have done a fantastic job of planning for the future though. One of only two teams to have NOT qualified for the playoffs since the lockout.... this streak will continue this season. Look for Thomas Vokoun to be traded at some stage this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning: A legitimate darkhorse. A scary good offence will score goals. Improved team discipline and a commitment to defense will lead to more W's in the standings.

Washington Capitals: The window for success might close quickly for this team. It's really now or (maybe) never to challenge for a cup. The horses are all in place. Look for Washington to acquire a veteran goaltender throughout the season. Still lacks some physical edge on defense.