The 2009-2010 NHL season has wrapped up with the Blackhawks taking the crown in a fast paced and excited Stanley Cup Finals. The question for hockey addicts, of course, is what can we expect next season? Who will be the breakout team? Let's take a look.
The NHL is current in a state of change. The dominant teams of the last five years are facing age and salary cap problems. The Detroit Red Wings are getting very old, but will make one more run at it. The Pittsburg Penguins aren't old, but they are starting to lose parts as the cap his of Crosby and Malkin really begin to show [Goodbye Gonchar!]. At the same time, new teams are starting to reap the benefits of investing in the draft and their minor league efforts.
So, who will break out next season? A couple of teams look ripe. The Los Angeles Kings are perhaps the most attractive choice. The team is young and has dynamic players. In fact, they look very similar to the Blackhawks. They have Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown up front. They aren't at the level of Toews and Kane, but the Kings are superior on the back end with two puck moving defensemen in Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty. The team also mirrors the Blackhawks in the plethora of role players it has to do the grunt work. The Kings had a taste of the playoffs this year, and one can imagine they will be primed for a deeper run next season.
The other choice might shock you - the Toronto Maple Leafs. One of the iconic franchises of the league has fallen on hard times. Well, those times are about to end. Bringing in Brian Burke was the first good move for the franchise in a very long time. He is building his usual bruising roster. This should work even better in the East which as become, dare I say it, soft. The Maple Leafs are no threat to make a run to the Cup, but they should make the playoffs and leave a lot of teams black and blue along the way.
The NHL seems to have really turned the corner these days. The hockey is exciting and aggressive, which makes for a great experience. Let's hope the 2010-2011 season continues the trend.
Boris Opach is with TheAngryBlade.com - a blog covering hockey and the NHL.
