by Spector

NHL previews

Check out complete coverage of the upcoming season for the NHL.

Photos: See previews from Inside Hockey and the best players this season.

Video: Darren Pang previews each division.

Detroit Red Wings. The defending Stanley Cup champions not only kept their roster virtually intact, losing Dominik Hasek and Dallas Drake to retirement, and actually improved their offensive depth by signing Marian Hossa in the offseason. The Wings have depth at every position and a terrific mix of rising talent and established skill. Led by award-winning superstars Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings are the best puck possession team in the league. Little wonder many observers like Detroit's chances to repeat.

San Jose Sharks. They're one of the best clubs in the league and on paper have the talent to challenge for the Cup, but they've come up short in the playoffs over the past three seasons. That prompted a head coaching change in the offseason plus the bolstering of the defense corps by trading for Dan Boyle and signing Rob Blake, who should provide the Sharks with a smoother transition game. With an offense powered by superstar Joe Thornton and the solid goaltending of Evgeni Nabokov, the Sharks should remain among the elite in the West this season, but they'll still have to prove themselves as more than a strong regular season team.

Edmonton Oilers. Injuries to key players like Shawn Horcoff and Sheldon Souray sunk the Oilers last season but cast a spotlight on promising stars like Sam Gagner, Andrew Cogliano and Tom Gilbert. With a healthier roster this season, budding young talent, Ales Hemsky's playmaking wizardry and the offseason additions of Erik Cole and Lubomir Visnovsky, the Oilers could possess one of the best offenses in the league. Their season will ultimately depend on their goaltending as critics wonder if Mathieu Garon can repeat his strong 2007-08 performance. If he can, the Oilers should dominate the Northwest Division.

Dallas Stars. One of the league's best defensive teams, the Stars aren't going to deviate from what's worked so well for them in recent years, but they're also likely to be a stronger offensive team this season. Brad Richards will be playing his first full season with the Stars and should recapture the form that made him a four-time 70-plus point man while Mike Ribeiro has proven himself a capable first-line center. Free agent addition Sean Avery will provide a significant shot of toughness, and their goaltending is sound with Marty Turco between the pipes.

Anaheim Ducks. The 2007 Stanley Cup champions should have a better start to this season with veterans Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne in the lineup to start the 2008-09 campaign. Expect young stars Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to have their best seasons yet and for J.S. Giguere to once again provide the Ducks with strong goaltending. The blueline however is not as deep as in previous seasons as cap issues forced management to dump veterans Mathieu Schneider and Sean O'Donnell, and secondary scoring remains an area of concern despite the off-season acquisition of center Brendan Morrison.

Chicago Blackhawks. After narrowly missing the 2008 postseason, the Blackhawks were major players in this summer's UFA market, signing goalie Christobal Huet and puck-moving defenseman Brian Campbell, both of whom should be significant upgrades to their roster. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are impressive young blueliners while young forward stars Jonathan Toews and 2008 Rookie of the Year Patrick Kane should avoid the "sophomore slump" this season. Two problem areas, however, are the lack of experienced depth at center and the health of oft-injured winger Martin Havlat. But given the improvement of their young stars and the additions of Huet and Campbell, the Blackhawks should make the 2009 postseason.

Minnesota Wild. The loss of scorers Pavol Demitra and Brian Rolston raised concern over the Wild's offensive production this season, but their team defensive game still makes them a very tough opponent. In Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding, the Wild have one of the better goaltending tandems in the league. Young forwards Mikko Koivu and Pierre-Marc Bouchard have made significant improvement and despite the potential distraction of Marian Gaborik's contract talks, he gives this club's first line significant offensive punch. The Wild won't be among the league's higher scoring teams, but their defensive game and goaltending gives them a good shot at securing a playoff berth this season.

Phoenix Coyotes. After several seasons of rebuilding, the Coyotes seem poised to finally break through as a playoff contender. They'll have the services of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov — acquired via waivers last year — for an entire season. The offseason acquisition of first line center Olli Jokinen will provide a significant boost to their offensive attack as should promising young forwards Peter Mueller, Martin Hanzal and Kyle Turris. The one area of concern could be the blueline where Ed Jovanovski and Derek Morris could end up carrying much of the load if young defensemen Keith Yandle and Zbynek Michalek struggle.