by Spector

Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are loaded with swift young talent which should continue to improve, especially forwards Thomas Plekanec and the Kostitsyn brothers, defenseman Mike Komisarek and goaltender Carey Price. Alex Kovalev, Andrei Markov, Roman Hamrlik and team captain Saku Koivu provide veteran talent and leadership and will be bolstered by the offense of Alex Tanguay and the toughness of Georges Laraque. Price must bounce back from a shaky playoff performance and their forwards must drive more to the net rather than play the periphery but otherwise there appears to be few weaknesses in the Canadiens' game.

Philadelphia Flyers. Not many clubs can match the Flyers' depth at forward. Rising young stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter combined with veterans Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell, Mike Knuble and a healthy Simon Gagne make the Flyers a tough team to defend against. Martin Biron proved his worth as a starting goalie last season, especially in the playoffs. Kimmo Timonen anchors the defense corps while young blueliners Braydon Coburn and Randy Jones have made significant improvement. Management failed to land an experienced puck-moving defenseman and the overall speed of the blueline remains a concern but the Flyers appear in good shape to challenge for the top spot in the East.

Washington Capitals. This team possesses a lethal scoring punch spearheaded by young superstar Alexander Ovechkin, second-year center Nicklas Backstrom and winger Alexander Semin. The return of veteran center Michael Nylander should further bolster their attack while young defenseman Mike Green and veteran Tom Poti provide the Capitals with blueline offense. Goalie Jose Theodore must adapt to his new team and the Caps lack experienced defensive depth, but head coach Bruce Boudreau has proven capable of getting the most out of his players. Another MVP caliber performance by Ovechkin should keep the Capitals at the top of the Southeast Division.

Pittsburgh Penguins. With superstar forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin powering their offense, the Penguins should remain among the East's best teams. Marc-Andre Fleury established himself among the league's best goalies with an outstanding performance in last year's playoffs, while young forward Jordan Staal earned praise for his strong two-way play. Losing six key players to free agency could adversely affect team chemistry if replacements like Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko struggle to adjust, and with defensemen Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney already sidelined by injury, there will be considerable pressure on their younger defensemen to step up.

Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur may have to do some extra heavy lifting this season with new faces on his Devils team. (Al Bello / Getty Images)

New Jersey Devils. This club is no longer the force it once was in the East but it would be foolhardy to write them off. Vezina-winning netminder Martin Brodeur gives the Devils a chance to win every game he plays. They lack the strong defensive depth of the past but head coach Brent Sutter has them playing the stifling checking game that is the Devils' hallmark. Winger Zach Parise is a rising young star and the off-season additions of Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik provide experienced depth at center. The absence of a quality puck-moving defenseman and the declining offensive production of Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta mean goals could still be hard to come by for the Devils this season.

Buffalo Sabres. This club possesses the talent to make the postseason. Ryan Miller is one of the NHL's best goaltenders and forwards Derek Roy and Jason Pominville have emerged as offensive leaders. Thomas Vanek and Maxim Afinogenov should rebound from their sub-par performances last season. The anticipated improvement of Drew Stafford, Dan Paille and Paul Gaustad should also bolster their forward lines. The defense corps, led by veterans Jaroslav Spacek, Henrik Tallinder, Toni Lydman and Craig Rivet may not be flashy, but can get the job done. Concerns over leadership and grit remain but could be alleviated if the aforementioned players can step up their respective performances.

Boston Bruins. The return of a healthy Patrice Bergeron at center should provide a significant boost to their offense. A consistent performance this season by goaltender Tim Thomas should bolster the Bruins' postseason hopes. The improvement of young forwards Phil Kessel, Milan Lucic and David Krejci could also boost their forward depth, while head coach Claude Julien's defensive system should make the Bruins tough to score against. Captain Zdeno Chara is still nursing a shoulder injury from last season and management is on the lookout for another puck-moving defenseman. While some gaps in the roster remain to be addressed, the Bruins appear in better shape this season than they were a year ago.

Carolina Hurricanes. Franchise player Eric Staal, veteran winger Ray Whitney and team captain Rod Brind'amour should continue to lead this team offensively. Forwards Sergei Samsonov, Tuomo Ruutu and Patrick Eaves showed marked improvement once they joined the 'Canes last season and the additions of Joni Pitkanen and Joe Corvo give their offensive attack two good puck-moving defensemen. Injuries crippled the Hurricanes the past two seasons and struck again in preseason with Justin Williams sidelined for months with a torn Achilles tendon. If the rest of the roster can stay healthy and goalie Cam Ward regains his 2006 playoff form, the Hurricanes should make the playoffs.