The Countdown Begins

September 3, 2008   ·   Derek Felix   ·   Jump to comments

Believe it or not, the summer is coming to an end though you probably couldn’t tell as the temps have climbed back from Fall-esque low 70′s to high 80′s with humidity again. But then again, isn’t around this great time of year where summer always makes its last stand? Right when school starts up for our younger generation out there. Though when I reflect back, I kinda wish I still went as I never quite realized how fun a time it was. Enjoy it while ya can.

While kids go back to school or start up the next phase of their life at big college dorms all over, hockey is about to start up once again. After a long three months off (well really seven weeks if you include the FA frenzy, Draft and Awards), NHL training camps are right around the corner and that means finally, we can actually talk puck about our metro area teams. Here are some storylines to look forward to as the 2008-09 season approaches:

1.How will the revamped Rangers mesh?

2.Will Lou Lamoriello’s time machine experiment back to the year 1995 work in Newark?

3.Can new Islander coach Scott Gordon get his young roster to overachieve surprising the rest of a loaded Atlantic?

These questions and more will help answer how our respective teams perform. Thing is while the focus is on the locals, other teams have made changes looking to improve their playoff chances. Just look what the Panthers have done changing the whole look of their blueline by unloading star center Olli Jokinen for defensemen Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton. And just yesterday, they added Bryan McCabe to the fold acquiring the offensive minded power play quarterback from Toronto in exchange for Mike Van Ryn and a fourth round pick. Along with Jacques Martin’s wise addition of underrated shot blocker Karlis Skrastins, suddenly their D looks a lot better on paper. Two questions. Will they jell and do they have enough offense without Jokinen?

Tell ya one thing. That blueline looks to be deeper than anything the Rangers, Devils and Islanders boast. Especially when you remember that Jay Bouwmeester is still part of it. Who would you rather have anchoring your blueline? A younger Bouwmeester or an aging Wade Redden? Wonder what Glen Sather thinks.

By next week, we’ll be able to follow our respective teams camps and see who’s ready to make the cut and surprise.

For now, we can at least rest assured that they’re getting back in the swing of things.