Sports the other press October 9, 2002 Bandwagons, Body Checks, and Bellyaches NHL predictions for 2002-03 season Patrick Witwicki OP Contributor Ah, my favourite time of the year. The NHL season is ready to drop the puck on a new season. After all, who really gives a damn about the baseball play- offs? We all know the stinking Yankees will win, so let’s watch those million- aires we really care about: hockey play- ers. First off, I have to comment on the Canucks bandwagon. It’s pretty much, full right now, after last year’s run a their decent pre-season. And until Colorado traded for Derek Morris, was even prepared to say tha Canucks could challenge the A first in the division. Uh, not anymore, but have n Canucks fans: Vancouver will » the playoffs, possibly as high | as long as Naslund and Bertu healthy. And the bandwago overflowing come _playof unless, of course, the Canu ble, and we find the bandwagon aba doned somewhere along the viaduct come April. Detroit basically east. And one other note: remember, my predictions are based on the “per- fection” system, meaning, nobody gets traded, nobody gets hurt. So, possible injuries and trades aside, here are my predictions for the 2002-03 season: Western Conference The rich keep getting richer. Last year, dught a cup, adding As for the status of Canadian teams? _ I would like to see all six Canadian teams make the playoffs this year (although I won't mind if Toronto misses), but that’s highly unlikely. Only one Albertan team will make the grade this year, while I have a feeling either Toronto could miss over in the possibly the smartest move of the off- season. Rounding out the top eight, I have Vancouver seeded fifth, St. Louis in sixth, Phoenix in seventh, and Calgary e to | i is feeling that they'll get there this year. as my sleeper pick, sneaking in with the final playoff spot. St. Louis is with- out Pronger until January, and aside from their top line, they're weak up front. If McInnis goes down, the Blues could actually miss the playoffs for the first time in almost three decades. Phoenix will be better now with Amonte aboard, and maybe I’m gam- bling with Calgary, but I just have a Expeet perennial doormats Anaheim and Columbus to be marginally better. -olumbus has shored up their fense, but just have no scoring — and Anaheim is the exact opposite. I have a eling Minnesota will be the worst am in the tough Western Conference Conference: ar as I’m concerned, I don’t about the east, just as long oody Rangers miss the play- 1e Eastern Conference is so that the tiny Montreal adiens should finish as high as fifth this year. I imagine the Flyers will finish in first, thanks to Hitchcock as their coach, but after that, it’s a crap- shoot, aside from Carolina once again winning the worst division in hockey. I would pick Boston to finish second, except they still don’t have a goalie right now. Maybe Ottawa? I'll pick the Western Conference Eastern Conference picks: _ picks: Detroit * Philadelphia * San Jose * Boston * Colorado * Carolina * Dallas New York Islanders Vancouver Montreal St. Louis Ottawa Phoenix New Jersey Calgary Toronto Edmonton New York Rangers Los Angeles Pittsburgh Chicago Washington Anaheim Buffalo Columbus Atlanta Nashville Tampa Bay Minnesota Florida Islanders for fourth, and Jes stinking Habs for fifth. Six through eight should comprise of New Jersey, Toronto and either Boston or Ottawa (whoever doesn’t finish in second). Of course, the Rangers could make the playoffs...but I hope not. 45 million for Bobby Holik? Any team that spends that kind of stupid money deserves to miss the playoffs, as far as I’m concerned. But, Toronto could miss. “Crazy” Eddie Belfour is named “crazy” for a reason. Maybe he'll bounce back, but then again, Toronto could miss the playoffs instead of the Rangers. And in hindsight, maybe that isn’t such a bad thing... 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