2010 Northwest Division Preview and Predictions

2010 Northwest Division Preview

2010 Northwest Division Preview and Predictions

Written by Derek Felska
Saturday, 18 September 2010 11:28

Its fall, and much of the sports media is captivated by college football. As college football finishes up week 2 of play, the experts debate whether teams were underrated or overrated in the vaunted or despised Bowl Championship Series computer rankings. With "BCS busters" Boise State and Texas Christian University in great position to run the table and challenge this system's validity. I for one welcome these "BCS busters" to punch holes its in its computer logic. Yet, the main thing this situation proves is just how powerful a pre-season poll can be. The NHL does not have rankings, your record is all that matters and a win against the worst team in the league counts just the same as it does against the best. However that does not stop publications and hockey experts from prognosticating about a team's chances for the upcoming season. They are not necessarily going to pan out but its what independent "non-biased" people think of their teams.

I have to admit, every summer I await the Hockey News' annual yearbook with a level of eager anticipation. I read it from cover to cover as soon as it arrives and will continue to read portions of it throughout the year, it keeps my hockey mind sharp as well as serving as a terrific reference tool. I love great team by team reports, rosters, depth charts as well as the experts sharing their views as to how they feel the season will turn out. I'd recommend it for any hockey fan, as it really gives you all the information any fan could possibly want from who each team drafted, complete statistical overviews of the American Hockey League and major junior Canadian Hockey League teams. Yet, I think most fans are probably drawn to the team reviews which are put together by the beat writers who the Hockey News works with. In the case of the Wild, its Minneapolis Star Tribune's Michael Russo giving his overall analysis of what has to work right for the Wild in order for them to make the playoffs. In all honesty there is not much I disagree with in Russo's analysis of the team but there are some differences.

Before I go into the team-by-team analysis of the members of the Northwest Division, I will concede that no one can say positively how things will turn out. Yet if I was able to predict the future with 100% accuracy I'd probably be doing something else and be a helluva lot more wealthy than I currently am. If you disagree with what I have to say, that is perfectly fine. In fact I encourage you to share your opinions by the comment section below. (click on the link for the rest of the article)

Enjoy...

shove this these predictions up your ass newb maggot. Put them where the admins want them