Dyn-o-mite - Washington Capitals, and other hockey teams in the Southeast Division

With J.J. (a.k.a., Jaromir Jagr) coming to town, these should be good times for the Washington Capitals

IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH FOR THE Washington Capitals to swing the Southeast Division in their favor. Only one of the biggest heists in history of the NHL.

Jaromir Jagr, the five-time NHL scoring champion--who, at 29, still is in his prime--cost the Capitals close to nothing. To bring in such a proven, albeit sometimes lazy and petulant player, without giving up any established skaters is nothing short of grand larceny.

Bringing him to the Washington D.C. should be enough to keep the Capitals atop the mediocre Southeast, where only the Carolina Hurricanes are a viable contender. Will Washington rise to elite status in the East, a place it rarely has reached? Only if Jagr fits in well and gets help from a variety of non-stars who now are his teammates.

"I do hope it answers two questions," Capitals owner Ted Leonsis says of the Jagr trade. "One, can we get great players to come to Washington, D.C? Two, I hope it knocks the chip off of people's shoulders. We're as good a team as any others now, and I hope the attendance and ticket sales prove it.

"It's kind of like when we got Michael Jordan, right?" Well, not exactly. Jordan, of course, was hired as an executive. Jagr still is a big-time player--although nowhere near the category of MJ.

Only the Caps and Hurricanes made the playoffs last year from this division, where the other three members can be charitably described as also-rans. But neither Washington nor Carolina got past the first round, falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils, respectively.

There was not much upheaval by the Canes, Tampa Bay Lightning, or Atlanta Thrashers, who will rely on developing their youngsters. Only the Florida Panthers, under new ownership that includes former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar, were particularly aggressive in the marketplace, uniting the Bure brothers, by bringing in Valeri from Calgary to join Pavel.

The separation between the top spot (Washington), the runner-up berth (Carolina), and the rest of the Southeast will be a Grand Canyon again this season. The Capitals and Canes have the best goaltending in the sector and more experienced players. While the other teams seem willing to spend, they don't seem to be spending all that wisely.

1. Washington Capitals

2000-2001 Record:   W     L     T     OTL    GF     GA     Pts.
                    41    27    10     4     233    211     96

WHILE SOME TERRIFIC PLAYERS have made their way through Washington, the Capitals never have had a franchise player like Jaromir Jagr. He'll come in particularly handy in the playoffs, when, except for their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998, the Caps have been underachievers. Of course, heal have to upgrade his recent postseason work.

No team will rely more on Europeans than Washington, and how ironic is that? Arguably, the four best players are Jagr (Czech Republic), goalie Olaf Kolzig (Germany), winger Peter Bondra (Slovakia), and defenseman Sergei Gonchar (Russia).

On the attack: With Jagr, Bondra, Adam Oates, Ulf Dahlen, Steve Konowalchuk, and the rapidly improving Jeff Halpern, the Caps won't bore people to tears on offense. When Gonchar is making the right decisions from the blue line, the entire unit can be formidable.

Bondra had 22 power-play goals last year and his line could be devastating with Jagr and Oates joining him. Halpern quickly has become a favorite with his hard work and versatility. Overall, though, there isn't much depth up front, and Washington's third line doesn't match up against better teams.

Under fire: Gonchar is too flighty, so coach Ron Wilson often has to remind the blue-liner that his first duties are defensive. Calle Johansson is solid, but more is needed from Ken Klee, Jason Marshall, and Brendan Witt.

Between the pipes: Kolzig, one of the biggest NHL goalies, has become one of the most dependable--during the regular season. But his implosions in the playoffs are worrisome. With no solid backup, Kolzig will play about 65 games. He tallied 37 victories last season but wasn't steady enough vs. the Pens in the playoffs. Craig Billington has been the No. 2 netminder, but the Caps are looking to upgrade.

Behind the bench: Wilson took a perennial postseason flop to the Finals in '98. But he hasn't been able to recapture that magic, and with Jagr on hand, the pressure will mount. Still, Wilson can be a fiery motivator, and he has a chance to open things up a bit with the team's upgraded offense.

Bottom line: There is so little competition in this division that the Caps probably would have won it without getting Jagr. Now, they should have their eyes on bigger prizes, such as chasing down the East's elite teams.

2. Carolina Hurricanes

2000-2001 Record:   W     L     T     OTL    GF     GA     Pts.
                    38    32    9      3     212    225     88

IT ISN'T DIFFICULT TO MEASURE what last year's playoff appearance meant to the Canes. By pushing the New Jersey Devils to six games, they made hockey a viable option on Tobacco Road. It won't ever rival college hoops, nor will it challenge NASCAR. But people have become interested in Raleigh's hockey club, which got a real boost in season-ticket sales. "We've had some really great crowds in here at some key times, and they've always pushed our team," coach Patti Maurice says. "Maybe people from the outside will say, 'Wow, they've got something going on there.'"

On the attack: No playoff team scored fewer goals than Carolina's 212, so the offense needs a boost. Jeff O'Neill (41 goals) can't be expected to do much more. Therefore improvement must come from Sami Kapanen (20), Ron Francis (15, but 50 assists), Rod Brind'Amour (20), and Shane Willis, who had a superb rookie season. O'Neill also needs to curb his tendency to take dumb penalties. The Canes have good leadership in Francis and Brind'Amour, but O'Neill and Willis are the future.

Under fire: Until Sandis Ozolinsh controls some of his wilder tendencies on the rush, the Canes will be plagued by opposing odd-man rushes. Look for youngsters David Tanabe and Niclas Wallin to get loads of ice time. Marek Malik, Aaron Ward, and Glen Wesley have decent experience on defense.

Between the pipes: Busy Arturs Irbe is the only option in Carolina. Irbe's league-high mark of 77 appearances--yes, he missed only five games--was remarkable. His numbers were outstanding: 37-29-9, six shutouts, a .908 save percentage, and a 2.45 GAA. Irbe deserved a rest after the season, but instead he went to the World Championships to play for Latvia. After sitting out last season, Tom Barrasso is the backup, but he has obviously seen better days.

Behind the bench: Maurice always seems to be on the edge of unemployment, yet he survives. More will be expected of him and the team this season, and Maurice must show more in-game flexibility.

Bottom Line: In the jumbled East, the Hurricanes will need a few more points this time to sneak into the playoffs. They should get them, particularly if the youngsters contribute regularly.

3. Florida Panthers

2000-2001 Record:   W     L     T     OTL    GF     GA     Pts.
                    22    38    13     9     200    246     66

THE ROOTS OF FUTURE SUCCESS for the Panthers lie in the NHL's Dark Ages--well, the early '80s. And also in the storied days of a local college football powerhouse.

Bill Torrey, who built the New York Islanders from expansionists to four-time Stanley Cup champions, is running the show under new ownership. He's got a workable budget and all that expertise from his days on Long Island. Bernie Kosar, the quarterback when the Miami Hurricanes returned to prominence in the early '80s, heads the ownership group. Looks like a solid combination.

On the attack: Torrey united Pavel and Valeri Bure, which could spark both players' careers. Pavel led the league in goals for the second straight year with 59, even though he dogged it for long portions of the schedule. His brother was nearly as irascible with the Calgary Flames. Pavel broke the NHL record for percentage of a team's goals (29.5% of Florida's 200 scores). Teaming him with Valeri and Viktor Kozlov on an all-Russian line is intriguing. To further upgrade the offense, Florida needs more development from youngsters Marcus Nilson and Kevyn Adams.

Under fire:. At minus-46 in goal differential, the Panthers need some serious retooling on the back line. Journeyman Jeff Norton will help a bit, but Robert Svehla, Dan Boyle, and Bret Hedican never get enough help from back-checking forwards. Once highly touted, Lance Pitlick has disappointed.

Between the pipes: There is much hope in Sunrise with Roberto Luongo in the crease. Considered the best young goalie in North America only two years ago, Luongo was Waded by the Islanders to the Panthers, where he will mature into a star. That is, if he doesn't get worn out from all the rubber flying at him. Luongo had a sterling .920 save percentage, five shutouts, and a 2.50 goals-against last season. Trevor Kidd is a capable and experienced backup.

Behind the bench: Duane Sutter, a Torrey favorite from the Islanders days, returns as coach. "I think he's a really smart coach," Pavel Bure says. "He uses the strong side of each player and he's a great motivator." On this team, you can't get a better endorsement.

Bottom line: The Panthers should get closer to .500 and will have one of the NHL's most exciting lines. The Bure-Kozlov-Bure unit could start for the Russian national team.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

2000-2001 Record:   W     L     T     OTL    GF     GA     Pts.
                    24    47    6      5     201    280     59

THE LEAGUE'S WORST ROAD TEAM (a pathetic 7-28-3-3), Tampa is too young for its fans to expect big progress this season. But in recent years, the Lightning have found some gold nuggets in Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards, Pavel Kubina, and Martin St. Louis. They need to keep mining those prospects and remain patient.

This is not the toughest division to move up in, but it takes more lime than Tampa has been ready to give, until recently. "We're a long way from being a perfect team, but a lot closer to being a good team," GM Rick Dudley says.

On the attack: The firepower--such as it is--figures to come from kids Lecavalier, Richards, and Ryan Johnson, and veterans Fredfik Modin and Vaclav Prospal. There is much hope that 6'7", 260-pound winger Kyle Freadrich is ready for regular duty soon.

Lecavalier and Richards are cornerstone players. Dudley recognizes that and, thanks to a slew of draft-day deals, loaded up to find them help. Signing them to long-term deals would mean peace of mind as the Lightning's other kids mature. Bryan Holzinger was resigned to provide veteran savvy.

Under fire: If you've hardly heard of any of Tampa's defenders, that's not unusual. They tend to make highlight reels only when the opposition is scoring a whole lot. Czech native Kubina is the best. Of course, there isn't much else on the blue line, and the Lightning allowed 280 goals, 79 more than they scored.

Between the pipes: Here's where things are immediately promising. Two-time All-Star Nikolai Khabibulin was acquired from Phoenix late last season and, having shaken off the rust, should be a huge improvement in the net. His backup is Kevin Weekes, who can be spectacular but also can be a sieve. "We've been able to ensure that we have goaltending second to none in the National Hockey League," Dudley claims. We'll see.

Behind the bench: Few outside the NHL knew of John Tortorella before he replaced Steve Ludzik as coach last season. He is a good teacher who should be the right choice for such a youthful team.

Bottom line: They're growing with their kiddie corps and must remain committed to youth. Sprinkling the lineup with veterans who know how to lead certainly can't hurt. Still, Tampa will battle Atlanta to stay out of the cellar.

5. Atlanta Thrashers

2000-2001 Record:   W     L     T     OTL    GF     GA     Pts.
                    23    45    12     2     211    289     60

THE OFFSEASON, OTHER THAN THE draft, has not been kind to the Thrashers, who got off to a decent start last season before fading. They improved their offense by 41 goals and cut their yield by 24 but still were near the bottom in most categories.

They remained at the bottom of the league in transactions. Two of their top three scorers are gone after Donald Audette was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for the stretch run, and Andrew Brunette signed with the Minnesota Wild. Atlanta also failed to convince Yanic Perreault to come on down, but it got journeymen Bob Corkum and Tony Hrkac.

On the attack: Only Ray Ferraro is left form the top line, which actually used to scare opponents. He considered retirement but is back for another year. Finding anyone else to fill the net is a major problem. Perhaps winger Lubos Bartecko, acquired from St. Louis, can help. But the Thrashers won't be having many shootouts with youngsters Patrik Stefari, top pick Ilya Kovalchuk, Tomi Kallio, Brad Tapper, Bryan Adams, and Per Svartvadet, plus journeyman Hnat Domenichelli. In other words, it could be a long swan song for Ferraro.

Under fire: Defensively, this team appears to be in better shape, but not by much. Jiri Slegr is the leader, with such veterans as Chris Tamer, David Harlock, and Frantisek Kaberle on hand. Younger defenseman Petr Buzek and Brett Clark will see plenty of action, too.

Between the pipes: Even for an expansion team, this club has been poor (and porous) in the net. Still, last year was an improvement compared to the Thrashers' debut season, when coach Curt Fraser must have been tempted to send out six skaters and no goalie. The candidates range from injury-prone veteran Damian Rhodes, a starter for much of his career, to perennial backup Norm Maracle to up-and-down Milan Hnilicka. "There's no question our goaltending situation is the biggest area of concern for our hockey club," GM Don Waddell says.

Behind the bench: Fraser suffers a bit too much for all the losing. He knew coming into the job how much this franchise would struggle, and he needs to lighten up a bit. He also must get his goalies to somehow perform better.

Bottom line: The bottom of the league again, but as long as they play the kids and play hard, the future could be decent. Of course, will Fraser last that long?

COPYRIGHT 2001 Century Publishing
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group