2008 Woodie Awards
Avalanche will avenge failures to snatch Stanley Cup
Chas Murphy
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
National Hockey League fans are already getting excited and hoping their team will win the Western Conference championship and take home the Stanley Cup, but only three teams are contenders in the Western Conference.
The Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche are the lucky three.
The Red Wings have three key players that fans should watch. Goalie Dominik Hasek is predicted to do well after struggling last season. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall missed 14 games last season due to a fractured sacrum and is ready for a comeback. Forward Henrik Zetterberg scored 68 goals in 63 games and is ready to do it again, possibly winning the title of best scorer in the NHL. With the aid of these three players, the Red Wings could finish first in the Western Conference.
The San Jose Sharks will also be a threat in the Western Conference this season. After losing six games to the Calgary Flames in the 2004 Western Conference championship, the Sharks are looking to not only reach the finals, but represent the conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. As long as players such as defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, forward Ryane Clowe and goalie Evgeni Nabokov play to the best of their abilities, the Sharks can achieve their goal of Pacific Division and Western Conference champions.
The Colorado Avalanche are the third threat to every team in the Western Conference. After 11 straight postseason appearances, the Avalanche missed the playoffs last season. The Avalanche tied as the best offensive team in the Western Conference with the Nashville Predators last year. Mistakes from 2006-2007 are going to be corrected by the new General Manager, Francois Giguere.
Giguere has re-established the Avalanche as a playoff team by signing defenseman Scott Hannan and left winger Ryan Smyth, who will establish a sense of leadership that the Avalanche have been missing. The Avalanche have a lot of improving to do in order to win the Northwest Division and they could possibly finish third in the Western Conference.
However, the Avalanche will finish the season as Western Conference Champions in the 2007-08 NHL season. If the Avalanche have the desire, they can be great again. The 2006-07 season was a hiccup they cannot afford to repeat. If they have another bad season, the Avalanche may lose some of their support from their fans.
Not only will the Avalanche win the Western Conference, but they will also win the Stanley Cup Finals. The Avalanche have failed to win the coveted Stanley Cup since 2001. If the Avalanche want it and are willing to do anything to achieve it, the Colorado Avalanche will be the 2007-08 Stanley Cup champions.
-Chas Murphy is a junior journalism major and a Mirror sports writer.
The Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche are the lucky three.
The Red Wings have three key players that fans should watch. Goalie Dominik Hasek is predicted to do well after struggling last season. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall missed 14 games last season due to a fractured sacrum and is ready for a comeback. Forward Henrik Zetterberg scored 68 goals in 63 games and is ready to do it again, possibly winning the title of best scorer in the NHL. With the aid of these three players, the Red Wings could finish first in the Western Conference.
The San Jose Sharks will also be a threat in the Western Conference this season. After losing six games to the Calgary Flames in the 2004 Western Conference championship, the Sharks are looking to not only reach the finals, but represent the conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. As long as players such as defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, forward Ryane Clowe and goalie Evgeni Nabokov play to the best of their abilities, the Sharks can achieve their goal of Pacific Division and Western Conference champions.
The Colorado Avalanche are the third threat to every team in the Western Conference. After 11 straight postseason appearances, the Avalanche missed the playoffs last season. The Avalanche tied as the best offensive team in the Western Conference with the Nashville Predators last year. Mistakes from 2006-2007 are going to be corrected by the new General Manager, Francois Giguere.
Giguere has re-established the Avalanche as a playoff team by signing defenseman Scott Hannan and left winger Ryan Smyth, who will establish a sense of leadership that the Avalanche have been missing. The Avalanche have a lot of improving to do in order to win the Northwest Division and they could possibly finish third in the Western Conference.
However, the Avalanche will finish the season as Western Conference Champions in the 2007-08 NHL season. If the Avalanche have the desire, they can be great again. The 2006-07 season was a hiccup they cannot afford to repeat. If they have another bad season, the Avalanche may lose some of their support from their fans.
Not only will the Avalanche win the Western Conference, but they will also win the Stanley Cup Finals. The Avalanche have failed to win the coveted Stanley Cup since 2001. If the Avalanche want it and are willing to do anything to achieve it, the Colorado Avalanche will be the 2007-08 Stanley Cup champions.
-Chas Murphy is a junior journalism major and a Mirror sports writer.
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