Viewpoint

Although the Flames are my favourite team, they are in tough against the sharks and Ducks. On the other hand the greasers (Oilers, for all you "center of the earth" Torontonians) from up north need to stop shooting each other with firecrackers, burning down everything, and stabbing each other and they might have a chance (no wonder everyone wants to leave Edmonton).

But seriously the oiler fans should stop worrying about how their team does and start learning how to live together without attempting to kill each other. I know it smells horrible there, but deal with it.

Simple equation
Roloson(washed up) + Smyth (dirty mullet) + Hemsky (biggest puss out west) = 9th place in the west.

Hey:
What's wrong with Belfour. Do you think he'll end up playing well for the Panthers this season?

St louis will be dead last with carolina n pittsburg no where else. the goalie's wont cut it in all three joints. canada cup

What do you think of the goaltending situation in St. Louis. Can they win with what they have now?

Neither the Canucks nor the Leafs have had the goods to do half of what they've been asked to do the last few years.

I do like the Flames. They do have a solid foundation, but I think the boys up front need to stop relying on the defense and goalie

sure from vancouver, go Canucks, hey roberto is gonna be something, sedins naslund combo is good, jus not enough production from the other lines to get them deep, they'll make the playoffs but bumb out early, Calgary no. no offence there. edmonton yet to be proven if last yr was a fluke, toronto mate, i think they'll be top in the east, they have everything. same with montreal. but stanely cup finals goes to Toronto, they'll have to pass the Rangers to get there, Rangers are power house team, or the team to beat. from the west i say Minnisota. the wild are complete.
lets just see a canada team win mate. n bring the pens back to canada, crosby belongs at home

With the addition of Pronger in Anaheim I give them the best chance at taking the Cup. Despite giving up a lot in Lupul and the draft picks (both past and future), the team will only be better. Perry, Penner and various other young talent will more than compensate for the production they lose in Lupul. They skated Calgary into the ground last playoffs in game 7 and there's no reason to think they won't do it again. Remember that this is a team that is only 2 years removed from coming in second in the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes. Imagine they had won. I bet they miss Brian Burke in Van City.

I know you are the hockey pool king Scott, but Calgary?? ... the Oilers, Flames and Canucks will beat the hell out of each other season long and as a result fill in no better than the 4-10 slots.

I'm not a fan of either team however

who's paying that colour guy? Calgary

I am a diehard Flames fan but I'm afraid to get my hopes up again this year. I still think they need to get a top line centre to play with Iggy. Tanguay's a great addition but they need help. Too bad we ever got rid of Conroy. He and Iggy were great together. Wonder if we could get him back?

Canucks will not be making the playoffs this year, they have a terrible team. A good goalie and one good top line just won't cut it.

People need to realize it isn't the 90's anymore and teams like New Jersey and Detroit just don't have what it takes.

In the east I'll take teams like the seemingly cursed Sens, Sabres and Flyers and throw in the Rags as a darkhorse.

In the west San Jose and Edmonton are the two best teams followed very closely by Calgary and Anaheim. Nashville and Detroit will be dangerous, but not dangerous enough.

I'm going to go with and Edmonton/Rangers final.

HABS PLAY TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOO
GO HABS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry Leaf and Hab fans, but it has already been predicted that you will not see the playoffs. Make way for the SENS because they will be crashing through to the cup this year!! This for D-man, Chopper, and Sharpe and all you others wishfull thinkers!!!! Sorry!!!

Oh my beloved Canucks. What oh what shall ye be? I'm excited and terrified all at once.
Brian Burke's little Ducklings look like the meat eaters out west. Can't wait to see the jaw dropping size of that Stanley Cup parade. Surely all of SoCal will shutdown *wink-wink nudge-nudge*.
I mean, yeah, seeing a Canadian team win it all would be great, but what U.S. city wins it without canadians?! Go Montreal Lightning!!!

As a Flames fan, it's great to see that certain people still know they will be in the lineup for the Spring. I think with the addition of Tanguay and a new coach, it will help them tremendously. Sure, Edmonton will still be high on the Finals last year, but they have to have a healthy Roloson (former Flame, eh) and they have also lost Pronger, Samsonov, Peca and some offensive support.. And Vancouver? Cmon.. Quinn was the reason why the leafs never made it further. And now back to Van City? Luongo can only take the team so far. It helps the defensive aspect of their team, but they still need help on the blue line.
Calgary all the way. Kipprusoff will keep them in, and Iginla will have a career high!
Golf Leafs Golf!

The most underestimated team is Nashville. Nobody talks about them, but their D might be better than Calgary's and their goaltending isn't that far off. If Vokoun didnt' get injured last year in the playoffs, look out! Oh, and they have three solid scoring lines. Adding Arnott and Dumont to Kariya, Sullivan and company was genius! In the east, go with Buffalo or maybe Ottawa.

Well it's a good call Scott as Calgary will indeed make the final against the Habs. However, Montreal will win in 7! The Habs would have beaten Carolina last year if not for Koivu's eye injury and they're a better team this year. GO HABS GO!

We're all entitled to our opinions. Right or WRONG. LOL. Go Habs Go.

Oilers will not make it passed the first round. The Canucks lost to much this season to be considered good (Baumgartner, Bertuzzi, Allen, Auld, Carney, Jovonovski, Carter, and Noranen) they are no better then Luongo's Panthers of last year they won't make it. Calgary will be more offensive this year, and watch out for them (Kipper is on earth, he has had 2 stellar seasons, you telling me thats fluke???)
Out east, toronto will not do anything productive this year, they need pogge to come in and take over for the so over rated raycroft. Montreal is getting better every year watch out for them. And as a Sens fan i must say I'm glad Chara is gone, he is too slow, and I like Corvo and Preissing,they bring the speed and offence that is needed in that division, and the best 1-2 punch in net in the league. I didn't like havlat or hasek anyway. Boston may surprise people as well, if they get a goalie.

And this year i can say it with confidence, Ottawa will challenge for the cup this year, and Carolina will not make the playoffs, cause there is something about them winning the cup that doesn't seem right. Kind of like Tampa Bay.

Ottawa and montreal will fight it out for the east, and San Jose and Calgary for the west. other then that i have no idea

well i'am a true oilers fan and my ex g/f is a flames fan i tell her flames suck and she says nope but comon rolli pisani horcoff sykora lupal list gos on oilers got a good roster this year GO OILERS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some have it right (unfortunately, Scotty is not one of them). Mark my words: The Sabres will rattle (get it?) the Ducks in the finals this year. So sayeth yours truly. Somebody should save all of these predictions and print them again in June of next year... hope I don't find myself cringing at my own words at that time!

Playfair is in his first year as head coach and the environment posed by the cap generation creates the parity sought by those guiding the fortunes of the NHL

I had the great opportunity to read you durng my days in Toronto but cannot agree with your Stanley Cup choice for 2007.Instead I strongly feel that Lord Stanley's prized possession will be paraded in Montreal, hey, just kidding. This is finally the year of the Buffalo Sabres who will defeat San Jose in 7.

Why does it seem that everybody forgets Roloson's dominance last year during the Playoffs. This year the Oilers are going to have the goaltending that the Flames have relied upon so heavily the last couple years as well as the most awesome set of forwards in the NHL. There is no doubt in my mind that the Oilers will put up huge numbers this year and be a real force in the Playoffs. Everyone knows that Kevin Lowe will bring in a D-man or two at the trading deadline to help bring the cup to E-town. Flames stink.

I will always be a true leafs fan but i gotta say that the Sens have a gook looking future ahead of them. Of course the future has the playoffs in it and in order to win the cup you gotta win in the playoffs.

wake up hockey land. my prediction is the Sabers and ducks in the final with Buffalo stealing a game seven.
Now that will be a switch. But the gog will have left the aud if you know old hockey.

ottawa will win the east and beat detroit in the final.finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bet Canucks will beat the Flames badly this year.

Shhhhhhhhhhh
Canucks will win the cup...new team, new coach, and Luongo!!

Take off you snow blower! Calgary might be a great team! but Edmonton is ready to prove that Prongers wife isnt the only one who wears the pants in Edmonton! lol

Steven Cook

Nashville over Ottawa in 6.

My boldest prediction is that neither Edmonton or Carolina will even make the playoffs. A breakout playoff success doesn't suddenly make a goalie a consistent star goalie, and I suspect Ward, Roloson and even Markanen will likely resemble their regular season form from last year more than their excellent post-seasons. Add that to the extreme loss of defensive depth for Edmonton (they may not have had Spacek and Tarnstrom all year, but they DID have Pronger!) and Carolina's veterans being one year older and a little less hungry, and I smell disappointment.

As for my home team, I think the Canucks will surprise a lot of people and get into the playoffs, and that will be good enough for me.

Everybody talks about the departure of Chara and Havlat as the downfall of Ottawa. Where was Chara last year in the playoffs? Ottawa got two forty point defencemen who make them faster on the back end in Corvo and Preissing, just nobody in the east knows about them because they played in California. And Havlat missed all of last year (except the three games he showed up for in the playoffs), and they still scored 300 goals. Now that they have a starter who might make it to the playoffs, Ottawa is the team to beat in the east.

As a Toronto fan it pains me to say that, but with NHL quality goaltending (sorry, but Emery let in two soft overtime goals against Buffalo), nobody will touch Ottawa.

Yep. I must say, I agree. Flames in four. Sorry, oiler fans!

There is no loyalty in hockey anymore. I cheer for the Canadian teams and hope that others like Selanne

Imagine what last year's Sharks would have been with Kiprusoff still between the pipes. Now pinch yourself and wake up to realize that Toskala has arrived. Add a tough-as-Joe wing to the Cheechoo/Thornton connection, and watch Matt Carle light it up on one end and close it down on the other. No other way to look at it: Sharks in '07.

I hope they kick the cup into the rideau canal this year.

Calgary isn't any closer this year... fear the teams who have been quietly rebuilding... with results. Nashville has made progress in the west and Montreal in the east..as long as politics can stay out of the habs system. They need to install a lock on the door. My heart is still with the team I grew up with.. GO OILERS!!

To Unidentified from Buffalo sounds like)

The Sabres will win the Stanley Cup?? Yeh right and the Bills will win the Super Bowl.

Sabres fans just can't get over the fact that they lost to Carolina last year. What am I saying... they still aren't over Brett Hull's goal from a number of years ago when Dallas and the NHL conspirators stole the Cup from Buffalo. Wahhhhh!!!

Scott, it is to see that you are willing to stick you neck out for the Flames but the fact is that the new NHL medocrity (Bettman calls it parity) means at this pre natal point in the season, that there are at least 6-8 teams with a legitimate shot at the Cup (including Buffalo.

I think it will be San Jose against New Jersey, San Jose in 7. As much as I hate the system the NJ play, (boring) it work.
I also want to say to the guy name Steve. On every team that wins the Cup, there's always more Canadians than americans. Just a fact we are the best. Ta ta!!

why do Canadians always pick Canadian teams? why not pick the team that should have one it last year? If 5/6 of the sabres d-men were healthy they would have beaten Carolina easily. The Buffalo Sabres will win the Stanley Cup and all you Canadians can watch the parade from the Peace Bridge!! Make sure you say Hi, because thats as close as the cup will get to Canada. With an American Captain lifting the Cup and Passing it to an American Goalie!!!!

Flames?!? While I think that Jerome is an excellent hockey player, I don't think he has the leadership qualities it takes for a captain to help steer his team through the gruelling stanley cup playoffs. Of the other teams in the west of course the Sharks and the Ducks look great but I really still do like the Oiler's chances.
Now if someone in eastern Canada can do something............

I'm not one that likes to make predictions, with that said: I will agree that the Flames would be my choice, far as which Canadian team could win!!
Man that's hard saying that, when I am a Montreal Canadiens fan - I feel they are another year before they enjoy a shot at the Cup!
On the American side, I feel that Tampa Bay will once again be in the final!!!

That's my say!!!

Boy hats off to the sports writer who goes out on a limb. Calgary is always a good choice with Iginla and Kipper. No brainer. Spice it up a bit tips.

Finals will be Sharks and Sabres........Sharks in six.

Kessell gets the Calder....MVP goes Thornton.

Raycroft will win the Vezina.

Philanthropy award for farming out good talent will go to....Harry Sinden.

Maybe Ovechkin for MVP if the caps make the playoffs.

Thornton for who cares.....Yeah I wish the trade was all just a joke.

Regards,
Bruins Fan

It is truly wierd to see another person with the same name as me, Ii did not even know another "Scott" till my early 20's. It is my 2nd name but Scott has always been what they called me. I was born in 1951.

I cannot tell you how many times Ii have been complimented for your hockey savvy. You are very astute, normally, but I cannot help but disagree with you here. I do not believe the Flames will win. They are a good team but I think Anaheim or the Sharks will come out this year for the west.

I also think the Leafs are going to be awful, bottom 10 in my opinion. And that they gave away another potential star in the Finnish kid. Raycroft has not impressed much if I read the right papers.

I enjoy your work and sense of humour, I have often wished I was the "Scott Morrison" from TV and the Sun. That life would be a heck of a lot more fun than grinding it out in the office all day (and night).

P/S I lived next to a couple for 3 years in the late 80's, who saw me go out to work at night and assumed I was you. They only got up the nerve to ask me as my ex and Ii were moving out. We had a great laugh over that one.

All the best to you, I will follow your career with interest and envy.

Robert "Scott" Morrison
Toronto

Good call Scott. The Flames will go as far as Kipper can take them... you have made the easy choice.

In the West, the Ducks (no longer mighty) were close last year and have a strong young team. Out East, I'll say the Leafs will surprise and make the playoffs

Fantastic, i'm so glad that a torontonian, is talking about another team other then the leafs. Calgary will be amazingly strong, and teams will fear to play them. Calgary will have the perfect combination of offence, defence, and goaltending. The key will to win all the division matches, witch are always important. Thanks

Matt from Switzerland

After last year you'd think these pundits would learn that you can't pick cup, conference or even divisional winners in early October. If anyone out there wants to take the Flames (or the Oilers) and give the field, I'm sure they will find lots of people willing to take their bet.

The new NHL is very balanced and one or two critical injuries can make even the best team miss the playoffs. The Oilers wouldn't have even made the playoffs last year if several of the Canucks stars were healthy for the last 10 games.

With Juice as a backup the OIL have no goalie issues, the young D will step-up under Gator and Staios'leadership and all four lines will score. OILERS ALL THE WAY!

P.S. When Pecca said that you never know when you will get an oportunity to win the cup again was he ever being prophetic, or did he know he was going to be a Leaf this year?

67-EXPANSION

40-ANNIVERSARY=

07-STANLEY CUP/FLYERS

PRICELESS!!!

I Love the way the oilers play with passion and heart...just like the flames. Oiler fans need a reality check though, they did not make it to the stanley cup finals last year by out shooting their opponents 4 - 1 did they?

Solid defensive play, fierce forechecking, relentless backchecking...Calgary Flames hockey...

If the flames play the oilers in the play-offs is it going to be run and gun oilers style hockey or grind it out to create chances flames hockey? If the two teams meet it will be a great series and either team may win...kipper or roloson...smyth or iginla...each team at the end of the day and for all their talent has two players that have to make the difference. Who will? well let's sit back and have a few pops and enjoy the regular season and then fire up the bandwagon for which ever Canadian team can make the final step and bring Stanley back home where he belongs.

Flames? Can't see it. Still something missing in the goal scoring department. I think the Oilers have the best chance along with the Senators if they change their choking habits and the dark horse candidate in Montreal. They're as good as Calgary defensively and if they get some of the scoring that the Flames are hoping for, they could surprise.
Then again maybe Paul Maurice can put on skates.

I know people will think and say that I'm pathetic, delusional, and naive, to think the leafs are going to win the cup this year, but what kind of leaf fan would I be if I don't pick them. Not only that, but I would like like a total idiot if they did win and I didn't pick them to win.

I am excited as the canes start defense of the cup, agree its either the flames or oilers in the west, wow 1980's all again. From down south in the states its clear the champs have gotten no respect so that edge and awesome mix of veterans and youth, along with stillman back in nov, means we look forward to visiting western canada again in the early summer. Go canes, go hockey nite in canada (we watch every saturday on dish) and Grapes he rocks! Hockey is back YES!

I think you might have it about right. I hope so.

Scott, I have enjoyed your writing over the years and respect your knowledge of the NHL.

I feel it will be Tampa Bay and Vancouver in the finals, but how do you forget about New Jersey as a contendor in the East? All they did was win their division and sweep the Rangers in the first round. I know they are only one scoring line, and aren't as good as past year's champions. But as long as they have Martin Brodeur between the pipes, anything is possible, including another Cup run.

By the way, I'd like your take on something: I was very angry a few years ago when columnists here in America like Christine Brennan (who doesn't cover hockey and loathes the sport) called for the abolishment of the sport after the Bertuzzi incident. Isn't it interesting, in light of Albert Haynesworth's disgusting attack on Sunday that Brennan and her cronies aren't calling for the abolishment of the NFL for the same reasons? I'd appreciate people like you sticking up for our sport and putting blowhards like her in her place.

edm is being under-estimated and as w/ the 2005/2006 season, calgary is being over-estimated. they have still not improved their ability to score. iginla is approaching free agency and between kipper, iggy and tanguay, something has to give and it will likely be iggy.

edm, ana and san jose ar the teams to watch in west.

Go OILERs

IF I were to make a prediction it would be that Montreal will win the cup or at the very least will be a great contender. Keep in mind that Huet only played 35 games and managed to be the goalie with the best save percentage and tied for second most shoutouts. Top that with the fourth best goals against average and Abeischer as a backup, montreal will have a solid net. Look out for Chris Higgins and Latendresse to score lots of goals and with the addition of Ninimaa, Montreal is looking good. Ottawa could also contend if Gerber continues his goalie streak into the 2006-07 season.

I'm not worried about Calagary. I want my Maple Leafs to make the playoffs.

It's a younger man's game these days in the "new NHL". The way it stacks up for me is,Paul Maurice has the right idea. Go Leafs Go

I think Ed needs to lay off the Oil fumes. While they may have the deepest crew of forwards in the league, their defense and goaltending arent goign to cut it. Roloson played 2nd fiddle to Manny Legace and I bet his 37 year old body wont be able to play more then the 30-40 games he is used to.

I dont think my Canucks are going to be a huge factor come playoff time but at least Im realistic.

Oilers in the west. Senators in the East. Leafs won't make playoffs. Ray Emery is a future Hall of Famer. Ray knows it, I know it, but Murray/Muckler will discover it when Emery leaves Ottawa. Lets just hope he doesn't end up in Toronto!

Personally, I want any Canadian team (except the leafs) to win the whole she-bang,but I think this year, no canadian will make the final at all. That's 2 teams that lost in the final in 7 games and its very heartbreaking to see. I don't wanna sound pessimistic, but if any canadian teams do well in the regular they will pull a Detroit and choke in the 1st round. That's how I see it.

I think Oiler fans need to come down to earth

Yes the Flames will win! And all you Oiler fans ,never again will you EVER win the stanley cup,mortal enemy!!!!

Finally a sports writer that sees there are western teams in this league. I am so tired of hearing about the leafs and the Canadiens. The Oilers deserve way more respect than they are receiving. They did some retooling and as the above writers stated why do you need to worry about defense when you are destined to oustshoot the opponent 4to 1 every night. After the first month they are going to be talking about all the scoring the Oilers are doing and all the other teams are going to try to copy them, to their total disappointment as they have not yet caught on to what the new NHL is all about OFFFENSE. Oilers may not win this year but they will go deeper than any other Canadian team.

Too much faith is being placed in Tanguay. The Flames will struggle offensivley again this season. If the Flames succeed in the quest for Lord Stanley it will be due to one man, Mikka Kipprusof.

A computer simulation of the NHL 2007 season, picked the Flames to one the cup as well.

Oilers all the way. They'll be anywhere from 4th to 8th in league scoring. (Remember Paul Coffey never really had to play defense, because he was too busy in the oppositions end.) Roloson and The Juice will provide solid goaltending. MacT will have a good defensive system down. And if the defense faulters a bit, Mr. Lowe will swing some trades like he did last year. Rember last year they didn't have Spacek, Samsonov, Tarnstrom, and Roloson at the beginning of the year. Go OIL.

Flames?! I don't think so. Kipper is coming back down to earth this year and Iginla isn't himself and won't be until he gets traded- which may happen sooner rather than later. They can't score...period.
I believe Edmonton is the team to watch in the west. They are the deepest team and will be in my opinion the favorite team in Canada to bring home Stanley. The Nucks and the Lafs are hopeless (as usual) and the Sens and Habs should do well, but question marks remain for them.
GO OILERS!

I agree (but go Sens)

Tough to call - everyone is so close. You can make a case for Calgary if they can become a mid pack offence and maintain defense at the top of the charts. This will take more than Tanguay, Kobasew Lombardi and Lundmark need to step up.