Last Year: 34-42-10, 78 points, 11^th in the West

The Good: Getting Marion Gaborik really adds a huge offensive punch to the lineup and becomes their most deadly player. Sheldon Souray adds a top presence on the back end.

The Bad: After Gaborik there really isn’t much threat anywhere else in the lineup. The defense is weak and goaltending will cause a lot of headaches this year.

And The Verdict: Will be a lonely year in Duck’s land this year. They could be there for a while too as they don’t have much in the pipeline other than Gudbransson. They better hold onto their 1^st this year.

13.Dallas Stars

Last Year: 20-59-7, 47 points, 15^th in the West

The Good: Have an elite young forward core after being at the bottom for the last few years. Stamkos and John Tavares are expected to put up numbers and really show a true offensive talent this team has lacked. Finally have a potential #1 goalie on their pro roster and got a good young stud in Luke Schenn on defense.

The Bad: Their forward core is pretty weak after their top 3 young forwards (Neal, Tavares and Stamkos) and the D needs some work. Goaltending is getting there but still could cost them a few games this year

And The Verdict: The bottom of the standings is likely over for this franchise. Still need work to see the playoffs but are getting closer and still have a lot of good young players waiting in the wings.

12.Phoenix Coyotes

Last Year: 48-34-4, 100 points, 3^rd in the West

The Good: A good young forward group that will centre on Patrick Kane. A great top 4 D core and the teams hope hanging on the shoulders of rookie goalie Tuukka Rask.

The Bad: Trading one of the best snipers hurts, and trading another top sniper doesn’t help either. The team did a lot of work and because of that they are much weaker team right now especially at forward and their bottom D pairing. Have no backup and will put a lot of burden on their young goaltender.

And The Verdict: A playoff team no more, traded away a lot of their top players, though are set in motion for a better team in the future.

11.Calgary Flames

Last Year: 25-56-5, 55 points, 14^th in the West

The Good:  They have top end depth at centre with Marleau and the Koivu’s. A solid top line in defense, with Markov and new addition Ryan Suter. They’re goaltending is going to give them a lot of wins with Bryz in net and Niemi being the backup.

The Bad: Have poor depth at D after their top 2 which could cause a lot of stress for the team’s goaltender. They have no legit top line winger, and have borderline 2^nd liners, a far cry after having the best winger in the league.

And The Verdict: Trading Ovechkin filled some holes, but created an even bigger one. The problem is there are too many holes to fill and the overall depth of the team won’t be intimidating to other teams. They will have a better year than last, but not by much.

10.San Jose Sharks

Last Year: 35-44-7, 77 points, 12^th in the West

The Good: A really good D that is corner stoned by Dan Hamhuis, which sets a good tone for the rest of the core. Have 3 potential #1 goalies which has a healthy competition and the hopes one emerges.

The Bad: John Madden, 1^st line center? That really puts a weakness on the offense. The team has D and goaltending but their offense might have them pushing for low scoring wins all year.

And The Verdict: They don’t have a top line goaltender to win every game 2-1 or 1-0 so that will cause a lot of trouble for the Sharks as the West is loaded with offensive power threats.

9.St.Louis Blues

Last Year: 47-34-5, 99 points, 8^th in the West

The Good: They have a good forward core especially with the addition of Matt Cullen; their D is also very solid bringing in Volchenkov. And to top it all off they have Vokoun in net which can steal them a lot of games.

The Bad: A good squad, but not great. And that’s what you need to be in the West. Their team lacks a huge offensive threat which every team ahead of them has.

And The Verdict: A good squad that sneaked into the playoffs last year, which has been added onto. Though sneaking in is probably what they will need to do again.

8.Colorado Avalanche

Last Year: 41-35-10, 92 points, 10^th in the West

The Good: They have a very solid top 6 forward group with the likes of Parise and Stasty. There D is a quietly solid group that can get the job done. MAF is solid between the pipes and have rising star Jonathan Bernier close behind.

The Bad:  Really solid team, though their overall depth is good, the question is can it keep up with the big boys. If injuries hit they could be in some serious trouble. MAF is a good goalie but can he play well enough to hold this team in it.

And The Verdict: They could be a surprise team, but can they compete with the big boys in the West.

7.Edmonton Oilers

Last Year: 57-28-1, 115 points, 2^nd in the West

The Good: The offense is just deadly; their top 9 is deep enough to even give some of the best goalies a hard time. The D is very solid but not flashy. Cam Ward is a top young goalie and he is crucial to the success of this team.

The Bad: The D is solid but can be defeated by a good offensive squad. Ward is good, but can he carry a full load this year is the big question. He might have to, considering their backup.

And The Verdict: Still a great team that finished 2^nd last year, but they do show some weaknesses which could cause some trouble for this team. They are no longer division leader

6.Nashville Predators

Last Year: 61-21-4, 126 points, 1^st in the West

The Good: A great forward group….last year, will continue to be a great forward group. The defense is solid but aging. Backstrom will continue to win big games for this team, which might be needed more than it was last year.

The Bad: Something seems missing, you don’t know what but it’s not as scary to look at like it was last year. Good D’s could really hamper the offense.

And The Verdict: Ladies and Gentlemen, your defending champs. Though that’s the past and it no longer seems they are there anymore. Though don’t be too easy on them, they are still a force in the West.

5.Detroit Red Wings

Last Year: 57-23-6, 120 points, 4^th in the West

The Good: Two of the top 5 scorers in the league last year, including the Art Ross winner (Datsyuk) will continue to be the huge offensive threat they are. Team needed a huge shot in the arm on defense which should help with the acquisition of Dion Phaneuf.

The Bad: Their goaltending could use a little help but Halak can steal a game which will be crucial in this conference. After Zetterberg there really isn’t much scoring help on the wings, though the thought is the team is going to hope that Giroux or JVR can step up in that department.

And The Verdict: Scoring goals shouldn’t be a problem and the D is improved. They should continue to be a force in the West.

4.Minnesota Wild

Last Year: 51-27-8, 110 points, 7^th in the West

The Good: They have a great top nine forward group, headed by the Sedin twins. D is great and being lead by the one and only Zdeno Chara. And Kipper still can be a Vezina candidate in net.

The Bad: Would like to see more grit in their bottom line, though might not be a concern till playoff time. Other than that this team is all around solid.

And The Verdict: In the East, they would be one of the best, though they are stuck in the West. The West in which you get 110 points, yet still finish 7^th. Still what’s not to like about this team.

*3.Los Angeles Kings

Last Year: 46-33-7, 99 points, 9^th in the West

The Good: Pronger……………….really that’s all you need to know, the best of the best and can make any forwards life miserable, just watch for elbows. The offense has some weapons, and the D has good depth.

The Bad: Gerber is a former #1, but the key word is former so he will be a huge question mark all year. Offense has some good weapons, but only some and need a little more help.

And The Verdict: A team that say their division lead fall in the last week of the season, so much that it made them miss the playoffs. The Kings are looking for revenge this year. Though, goaltending is the key. Plus playing in the weakest division in the West could give them an easier playoff spot.

*2.Chicago Blackhawks

Last Year: 53-26-7, 113 points, 5^th in the West

The Good: Pretty much everything, a top tier goaltender in Bobby Luo. Their forward depth is carried by 3 top line centers and they have some deadly wingers to support. Their D is also scary and teams will not only have a hard time scoring on them, but also will have an even harder time stopping the offense that is created from the backend.

The Bad: Not much wrong with this team, though a top sniper is the only missing piece on the roster. Plus, Iginla is not getting any younger.

And The Verdict: Chicago lost the title this past year, and they are hungry to get it back and their 3^rd MRFHL title. They are probably one of the most deadly teams in the entire league.

*1.Vancouver Canucks

Last Year: 54-28-4, 112 points, 6^th in the West

The Good: Adding Ovechkin to play with Thornton is never a bad thing. Getting a top scorer without really sacrificing the depth of the team was a huge move.The teams forwards are great and their D is even better. Add in King Henrik and it’s the makings of a championship year.

The Bad: Backup net minder, but when that’s your only minus than things are headed your way. With Henrik looking to play 70+ games than backup goaltending is not a pressing need.

And The Verdict: They are on top, nothing looks better than this team. They have everything and they are the king of the west, so be afraid.