Will this finally be the year the Sharks win the Stanley Cup?

WESTERN CONFERENCE TEAM PREVIEWS

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

San Jose Sharks

2009-10 record: 51-20-11, 113 points.

Power play: 21.0% (fourth). Penalty killing: 85% (fifth).

Team goals-against average: 2.51 (eighth).

Leading scorer: Joe Thornton 20-69—89.

Outlook: Another strong regular-season performance ended short of the Cup, in a conference-final sweep by the Blackhawks. Will it ever be their year? The Canucks are the popular choice to emerge from the West but the Sharks still have an exceptional defense corps despite the retirement of Rob Blake. GM Doug Wilson secured Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski before they could become free agents and kept his core. The big change is in goal. Evgeni Nabokov was allowed to walk as a free agent and Wilson signed Antti Niemi away from salary cap-strapped Chicago and Antero Niittymaki from Tampa Bay. Neither can be called great but both of last season’s Stanley Cup finalists got there with goaltending that was merely OK.

Detroit Red Wings

2009-10 record: 44-24-14, 102 points.

Power play: 19.2% (ninth). Penalty killing: 83.9% (10th).

Team goals-against average: 2.48 (seventh).

Leading scorer: Pavel Datsyuk 27-43—70.

Outlook: Injuries, not age, slowed them early last season. They won 16 of their last 21 games and got to the second round of the playoffs and have essentially the same team. The key addition is center Mike Modano, who is past his prime at 40 but should provide depth up the middle. Goalie Jimmy Howard ranked among the league leaders with a 2.26 goals-against average and .924 save percentage as a rookie. They’re older but only giveaway-prone Brian Rafalski shows signs of wear.

Vancouver Canucks

2009-10 record: 49-28-5, 103 points.

Power play: 20.9% (sixth). Penalty killing: 81.6% (18th).

Team goals against average: 2.63 (13th).

Leading scorer: Henrik Sedin 29-83—112 (league leader).

Outlook: Henrik Sedin, twin Daniel and winger Alex Burrows (a career-high 35 goals) were a potent line last season, but Burrows will start the season on injured reserve after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Canucks do have some depth — Ryan Kesler is a monster and Mikael Samuelsson brought 30 goals and a wealth of winning experience last season, but they don’t have much toughness after waiving Darcy Hordichuk. They were smart to sign defenseman Dan Hamhuis, and Alexander Edler has shown signs he can eat minutes. They’ve learned to play without Sami Salo (injured Achilles’ tendon) and can do it again.

Chicago Blackhawks

2009-10 record: 52-22-8, 112 points.

Power play: 17.7% (16th). Penalty killing: 85.3% (fourth).

Team goals-against average: 2.43 (fifth).

Leading scorer: Patrick Kane 30-58—88.

Outlook: Their new name is What’s-left-of-the-Blackhawks after a series of moves dictated by salary cap concerns. They had to trade or dump a lot of their depth players and probably will feel the loss most come playoff time. They still have a great core in Kane, playoff MVP Jonathan Toews, Norris trophy winner Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook but will miss the size and grit they lost. Defenseman Brian Campbell will miss the first month of the season after spraining his knee late in training camp, giving 19-year-old Nick Leddy a job.

Los Angeles Kings

2009-10 record: 46-27-9, 101 points.

Power play: 20.8% (seventh). Penalty killing: 80.3% (20th).

Team goals-against average: 2.52 (ninth).

Leading scorer: Anze Kopitar 34-47—81.

Outlook: Many players made their playoff debut last spring and should be better after experiencing the quick tempo, significance of every play, and the importance of holding leads. GM Dean Lombardi fortified a solid defense by signing free agent Willie Mitchell, who should help Drew Doughty win the Norris trophy. A productive second-line center and winger would make them dangerous and they could get those parts by trading a goalie once they settle the Jonathan Quick-Jonathan Bernier duel. Assistant coach John Stevens had excellent penalty killing units in the minor leagues and if he can get a slight improvement it could make a big difference.

St. Louis Blues

2009-10 record: 40-32-10, 90 points.

Power play: 16.9% (20th). Penalty killing: 86.8% (first).

Team goals-against average: 2.61 (12th).

Leading scorer: Andy McDonald 24-33—57.

Outlook: Acquiring goaltender Jaroslav Halak from the Montreal Canadiens was an excellent move that should provide stability for a team that took a step backward last season after a strong 2008-09. Erik Johnson is a franchise player and leader of a young but promising defense. They score by committee rather than relying on one line, and they’ll need David Backes to be the physical force he was on the U.S. Olympic team and Brad Boyes to end a goal-scoring decline from 43 to 33 to 14. The Blues were 23-15-4 after Davis Payne succeeded Andy Murray as coach so the potential is there for them to continue an upswing.

Phoenix Coyotes

2009-10 record: 50-25-7, 107 points.

Power play: 14.6% (28th). Penalty killing: 84.5% (sixth).

Team goals-against average: 2.34 (third).

Leading scorer: Wojtek Wolski 23-42—65.

Outlook: Dave Tippett took over behind the bench nine days before the season started and was voted the NHL’s top coach. He installed discipline, energy and a smart system that makes the most of the team’s speed and two-way talents. Wolski and Lee Stempniak (a team-leading 28 goals) blossomed last season and defenseman Keith Yandle is progressing well. Center Kyle Turris, drafted third overall in 2007, appears ready to make an impact. Free agent Ray Whitney should help their power play. The goaltending figures to be safe with Ilya Bryzgalov, who ranked among the NHL leaders last season with a 2.29 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 69 games.

Nashville Predators

2009-10 record: 47-29-6, 100 points.

Power play: 16.4% (24th). Penalty killing: 77.1% (28th).

Team goals-against average: 2.66 (14th).

Leading scorer: Patric Hornqvist 30-21—51.

Outlook: They always find a way to be competitive despite their small payroll and small stature. Losing defenseman Dan Hamhuis to free agency will hurt but they still have the considerable talents of Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, smooth skaters who can control the tempo of a game. Signing Matthew Lombardi, a solid, two-way center who scored 19 goals and 53 points for Phoenix last season, was a good move. They’ll scratch and claw and be in the hunt.

Colorado Avalanche

2009-10 record: 43-30-9, 95 points.

Power play: 18.1% (15th). Penalty killing: 80.2% (21st).

Team goals-against average: 2.74 (17th).

Leading scorer: Paul Stastny 20-59—79.

Outlook: The Avalanche was a huge surprise last season, though a late-season fade removed some of the luster. Center Matt Duchene was the NHL’s top-scoring rookie with 24 goals and 55 points, and fellow newcomer T.J. Galiardi added 15 goals and 39 points. Right wing Chris Stewart scored a career-best 28 goals. But Peter Mueller (13 goals, 37 points) is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion during training camp, and tough guy David Koci will miss the first few weeks of the season because of a broken jaw. They don’t have much depth if one of their big guys gets hurt.

Calgary Flames

2009-10 record: 40-32-10, 90 points.

Power play: 16.0% (26th). Penalty killing: 82.3% (15th).

Team goals-against average: 2.45 (sixth).

Leading scorer: Jarome Iginla 32-37—69.

Outlook: The Flames were the NHL’s lowest-scoring team last season, with 204 goals, and they’ve done nothing to help change that. They re-signed Olli Jokinen, who was a bust in his first term with the team, and winger Alex Tanguay, who had career lows in goals (10) and points (37) last season with Tampa Bay. Miikka Kiprusoff played 73 games, second only to Martin Brodeur’s 77 for New Jersey, and posted exceptional numbers (2.31, .920). He won’t get much help from his offense.

Anaheim Ducks

2009-10 record: 39-32-11, 89 points.

Power play: 21.0% (fifth). Penalty killing: 79.3% (24th).

Team goals-against average: 2.92 (23rd).

Leading scorer: Corey Perry 27-49—76.

Outlook: They’re loaded up front. Perry is always combative. New captain Ryan Getzlaf has recovered from the ankle injury that slowed him the second half. Teemu Selanne, who turned 40 in July, came back after an injury-filled season. Fellow Finn Saku Koivu returned, too, and Bobby Ryan is under contract for five years and $25.5 million, which could be a bargain based on his production of 66 goals the last two seasons. But defense was their weakness last season and will be again, though it will be interesting to follow the development of 18-year-old Cam Fowler. Poised, smart and blessed with great hockey vision, he will make several teams regret they passed on him before the Ducks picked him 12th. The Ducks will have great nights and ugly nights with little margin for error.

Minnesota Wild

2009-10 record: 38-36-8, 84 points.

Power play: 19.1% (10th). Penalty killing: 82.7% (14th).

Team goals-against average: 2.87 (21st).

Leading scorer: Mikko Koivu 22-49—71.

Outlook: The 409-game sellout streak that began with the Wild’s NHL debut in 2000 ended during a preseason game, a reflection on the economy, the tedium of training camp and fans’ disappointment with a team that just can’t get over the hump. Switching from longtime coach Jacques Lemaire’s defense-first-last-and-only style to new Coach Todd Richards’ up-tempo style didn’t get them back into the playoffs. Backup goalie Josh Harding injured his knee in camp, leading the Wild to sign Jose Theodore less than a week before the season opener in Finland.

Dallas Stars

2009-10 record: 37-31-14, 88 points.

Power play: 18.6% (12th). Penalty killing: 77.4% (27th).

Team goals-against average: 2.92 (22nd).

Leading scorer: Brad Richards 24-67—91.

Outlook: The Stars will have a new look after letting veteran center Mike Modano and goalie Marty Turco leave as free agents. But the key question is when will they have a new owner? Tom Hicks’ efforts to sell the team have bogged down, leaving the payroll low and uncertainty high. Richards is a gem, as is left wing Loui Eriksson (29 goals, 71 points). Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro are solid but the defense is a patchwork.

Columbus Blue Jackets

2009-10 record: 32-35-15, 79 points.

Power play: 18.2% (14th). Penalty killing: 81.7% (17th).

Team goals-against average: 2.99 (24th).

Leading scorer: Rick Nash 33-34—67.

Outlook: Look for a picture of goalie Steve Mason under the dictionary definition of “sophomore jinx.” He went from the top rookie in the league in 2008-09 to beleaguered last season with a 3.01 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. Without a strong foundation in goal, the Blue Jackets went nowhere. Nash is a stud and Antoine Vermette (27 goals, 65 points) can compete with anyone. New Coach Scott Arniel will need big contributions from left wing Nikita Filatov, who returned from Russia. They might be desperate enough to take on defenseman Sheldon Souray and his $5.4-million salary cap hit each of the next two seasons.

Edmonton Oilers

2009-10 record: 27-47-8, 62 points.

Power play: 17.3% (18th). Penalty killing: 785 (26th).

Team goals-against average: 3.34 (30th).

Leading scorer: Dustin Penner 32-31—63.

Outlook: Penner hit career-highs in goals and points but it’s never certain he will remain motivated and consistent. Tom Renney replaced Pat Quinn on the theory a younger coach might better relate to kids, but what the Oilers really need is a magician. Left wing Taylor Hall, the first pick in the June entry draft, will have to learn on the job. So will rookie left wing Magnus Paajarvi, impressive in training camp. Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin’s future is uncertain after he was found guilty of two impaired driving charges and a charge of excessive speeding. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail but has appealed, a process likely to take a while.

helene.elliott@latimes.com