Alex Ovechkin and Capitals eager to challenge for Stanley Cup

EASTERN CONFERENCE TEAM PREVIEWS

In predicted order of rankings (division leaders are 1-2-3)

Washington Capitals

2009-10 record: 54-15-13, 121 points.

Power play: 25.2% (first). Penalty killing: 78.8% (25th).

Team goals-against average: 2.72 (16th).

Leading scorer: Alex Ovechkin 50-59—109.

Outlook: They squandered a 3-1 series lead and were upset by the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs, which should fire them up this season. Ovechkin and center Nicklas Backstrom (33 goals, 68 assists) were the only teammates to exceed 100 points last season, boosting the Caps to a league-leading 318 goals. Mike Green led NHL defensemen in scoring with 19 goals and 76 points, but his defensive lapses are frequent. Their only key change is in goal, where Jose Theodore is gone. Semyon Varlamov, who played 26 games last season, is expected to take over.

Pittsburgh Penguins

2009-10 record: 47-28-7, 101 points.

Power play: 17.2% (19th). Penalty killing: 84.1% (ninth).

Team goals-against average: 2.82 (20th).

Leading scorer: Sidney Crosby 51-58—109.

Outlook: Their defense of their Stanley Cup title ended in a second-round upset loss to Montreal, leading to changes. They lost power-play quarterback Sergei Gonchar to free agency but recouped by signing steady Paul Mara and Zbynek Michalek. They also signed center/winger Mike Comrie to give them flexibility up front. Crosby had a hip flexor problem during training camp, but it wasn’t considered serious. The Penguins have left the Igloo for the new Consol Center, and it’s not difficult to picture them furnishing it with a Stanley Cup banner.

Boston Bruins

2009-10 record: 39-30-13, 91 points.

Power play: 16.6% (23rd). Penalty killing: 86.4% (third).

Team goals-against average: 2.28 (second).

Leading scorer: Patrick Bergeron 19-33—52.

Outlook: Recurring post- concussion problems will keep the gifted Marc Savard out of the lineup indefinitely, a tough blow. But the Bruins have beefed up an offense that was the league’s second-worst last season. No. 1 overall draft pick Tyler Seguin will get a lot of ice time and they’re counting on a rebirth for right wing Nathan Horton, who never quite lived up to being the No. 3 pick in the 2003 draft and might benefit from leaving Florida. Tim Thomas (2.56 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) and Tuukka Rask (1.97, .931) were sensational last season. They should have a bit more breathing room.

Philadelphia Flyers

2009-10 record: 41-35-6, 88 points.

Power play: 21.4% (third). Penalty killing: 83.0% (11th).

Team goals-against average: 2.68 (15th).

Leading scorer: Mike Richards 31-31—62.

Outlook: After making the playoffs on the last day of the season, the Flyers upset the New Jersey Devils, erased a 3-0 deficit against Boston, beat Montreal easily and took the more talented Chicago Blackhawks to six games in the Cup finals. They had grit and skill on every line and a strong defense led by Chris Pronger, who shut down opponents’ top scorers. Pronger had knee surgery over the summer, but is expected to be ready for the season opener. The Flyers haven’t changed much but will be without goalie Michael Leighton for a month while he recovers from a bulging disk in his back. Brian Boucher is expected to start with promising rookie Sergei Bobrovsky as the backup.

New Jersey Devils

22009-10 record: 48-27-7, 103 points.

Power play: 18.7% (11th). Penalty killing: 82.8% (13th).

Team goals-against average: 2.24 (first).

Leading scorer: Ilya Kovalchuk 41-44—85.

Outlook: They won the battle for Kovalchuk but lost a first-round draft pick and were fined $3 million for salary cap circumvention in their first offer to him, worth $102 million over 17 years. The final deal, for $100 million over 15 years, is a salary cap hit of $6.667 million per season. Ouch. He has scored 50-plus goals twice but that’s a huge cap hit. The Devils made two other moves that made more sense, signing free-agent defensemen Henrik Tallinder and Anton Volchenkov, and both will have to help shield Martin Brodeur (2.24, .916) and prevent him from seeing too many dangerous shots.

Tampa Bay Lightning

2009-10 record: 34-16-12, 80 points.

Power play: 19.3% (eighth). Penalty killing: 80.1% (22nd).

Team goals-against average: 3.03 (27th).

Leading scorer: Steven Stamkos 51-44—95.

Outlook: Two guys named Steve — third-year center Stamkos and first-year general manager Yzerman — and a guy named Guy (Boucher, the coach) have shown signs they’re going to turn the Lightning around. Stamkos blossomed last season and Yzerman provided offensive help by acquiring winger Simon Gagne from Philadelphia. Boucher plans to reunite center Vincent Lecavalier with winger Martin St. Louis, whose presence Lecavalier missed while scoring only 24 goals, his fewest since 2001-02. Yzerman is a winner and can re-establish a winning culture.

Buffalo Sabres

2009-10 record: 45-27-10, 100 points.

Power play: 17.6% (17th). Penalty killing: 86.6% (second).

Team goals-against average: 2.42 (fourth).

Leading scorer: Derek Roy 26-43—69.

Outlook: They always build good, fast teams on a tight budget but can’t get far in the playoffs and lose players to free agency. This season’s script should be the same. Towering defenseman Tyler Myers, rookie of the year last season, has the potential to be a franchise player in the Chris Pronger mold, but the defense corps lost Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman as free agents. Goalie Ryan Miller won the Vezina as the NHL’s top goalie with a 2.22 goals-against average and .929 save percentage while earning all but four of the Sabres’ victories. Their forwards are generally solid but unspectacular. Fans are starting to get restless.

Atlanta Thrashers

2009-10 record: 35-34-13, 83 points.

Power play: 16.1% (25th). Penalty killing: 82.2% (16th).

Team goals-against average: 3.01 (25th).

Leading scorer: Nik Antropov 24-43—67.

Outlook: They took advantage of the Chicago Blackhawks’ fire sale to pick up Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Andrew Ladd and Brent Sopel. But Coach Craig Ramsay seems intent on deploying big-bodied Byfuglien on defense instead of playing to his strength as a power forward and planting him around the net. The Thrashers have some nice pieces, including defenseman Zach Bogosian, the third pick in the 2008 draft, and two players they got when they traded Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey, defenseman Johnny Oduya and winger Niclas Bergfors. Goalie Chris Mason, signed as a free agent after the St. Louis Blues let him go, will get the bulk of playing time and mentor Ondrej Pavelec.

Ottawa Senators

2009-10 record: 44-32-6, 94 points.

Power play: 16.9% (21st). Penalty killing: 84.3% (seventh).

Team goals-against average: 2.80 (19th).

Leading scorer: Daniel Alfredsson 20-51—71.

Outlook: Signing free-agent defenseman Sergei Gonchar should improve their anemic power play. Center Jason Spezza was rumored to be on the trade block, but he’s still there and should be able to improve on last season’s 57 points in 60 games. Rookie center Zack Smith earned a job in training camp and can provide depth up the middle. Local scribes declared a goaltending crisis after Pascal Leclaire struggled in exhibition games, but training-camp performances are far from fool-proof indicators.

New York Rangers

2009-10 record: 38-33-11, 87 points.

Power play: 18.3% (13th). Penalty killing: 84.3% (eighth).

Team goals-against average: 2.58 (10th).

Leading scorer: Marian Gaborik 42-44—86.

Outlook: Gaborik had more than twice as many goals as the next-best goal scorers on the team (Vinny Prospal and Brandon Dubinsky, each with 20) and that isn’t likely to change unless winger Alexander Frolov, who left the Kings as a free agent, uses a strong preseason performance as a springboard to a big comeback. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (2.36, .921) appeared in 73 games last season and was the only reason the Rangers had a chance to make the playoffs on the final day, a game they lost in a shootout. Michael Del Zotto is becoming the heart of a decent defense, but the Rangers must produce more goals to get back into the top eight.

Montreal Canadiens

2009-10 record: 39-33-10, 88 points.

Power play: 21.8% (second). Penalty killing: 83.0% (12th).

Team goals-against average: 2.61 (11th).

Leading scorer: Tomas Plekanec 25-45—70.

Outlook: The Canadiens rode Jaroslav Halak’s spectacular goaltending to playoff success — they upset top-seeded Washington and No. 4 Pittsburgh before losing to Philadelphia — but instead of building on that GM Pierre Gauthier unclogged the goalie logjam by trading Halak to St. Louis and keeping Carey Price. That could backfire big-time. Price didn’t have a good preseason, though that’s not an absolute indicator. He will have to be mentally strong to survive the intense scrutiny that comes with playing a high-profile position on the Canadiens. They’re still a small team, though speedy and backed with an adequate defense.

Carolina Hurricanes

2009-10 record: 35-37-10, 80 points.

Power play: 16.9% (22nd). Penalty killing: 80.6% (19th).

Team goals-against average: 3.02 (26th).

Leading scorer: Eric Staal 29-41—70.

Outlook: They’ve gone young, which means they’re a ways from contending. Staal is a workhorse and left wing Jussi Jokinen came out of nowhere to score 30 goals and 65 points, a level he must sustain. Brandon Sutter (21 goals, 40 points) is also developing nicely and they might keep their first-round pick, center Jeff Skinner. Their defense is decent. Goalie Cam Ward, a rookie when he was voted the MVP of Carolina’s 2006 Cup run, played only 47 games last season because of a lacerated leg and a back injury. He must rebound for this team to be competitive.

New York Islanders

2009-10 record: 34-37-11, 79 points.

Power play: 16.0% (27th). Penalty killing: 76.3% (29th).

Team goals-against average: 3.09 (28th).

Leading scorer: John Tavares 24-30—54.

Outlook: They had a rough training camp, losing steady defenseman Mark Streit for up to six months because of a shoulder injury and right wing Kyle Okposo (19 goals, 52 points last season) for up to three months after he injured his shoulder in a scrimmage. Swiss phenom Nino Niederriter, who refined his game in Canada’s Western Hockey League and was chosen fifth in the entry draft, earned a job. He’s 6 feet 2, 205 pounds and fun to watch. Tavares had a strong rookie season, scoring 11 of his 24 goals on the power play. Left wing Matt Moulson unexpectedly produced 30 goals last season and will have to do that again for the Islanders to come close to being respectable.

Toronto Maple Leafs

2009-10 record: 30-38-14, 74 points.

Power play: 14.0% (30th). Penalty killing: 74.6% (30th).

Team goals-against average: 3.15 (29th).

Leading scorer: Phil Kessel 30-25—55.

Outlook: General Manager Brian Burke insists he can’t rebuild with youth because his hockey-crazed market won’t permit it. Instead of drafting and developing kids, he has collected a mess of veterans with motley pedigrees. He gave up two first-round picks and a second-rounder for Kessel, an appropriate price for a player who completes a puzzle but too costly for just another piece of a puzzling team. Defenseman Dion Phaneuf, acquired in a seven-player deal with Calgary, must be a leader. Francois Beauchemin (-13 plus/minus) must rebound from a terrible season.

Florida Panthers

2009-10 record: 32-37-13, 77 points

Power play: 14.2% (29th). Penalty killing: 79.4% (23rd)

Team goals-against average: 2.80 (18th).

Leading scorer: Stephen Weiss 28-32—60.

Outlook: It’s difficult to miss the NHL playoffs nine times in a row, but the Panthers have done it — and should make it an even 10 this season. David Booth, recovered from two concussions, is likely to be their only scoring threat. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson, the third pick in the entry draft, was expected to start the season with them but was having difficulty reaching agreement on a contract. Goalie Tomas Vokoun did a commendable job with a 2.55 goals-against average and .925 save percentage while facing an average of more than 33 shots a game last season.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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