Solid D ... check
Solid goalie ... check
Improved offense ... check
Improved coaching ... To be determined

Very important to see how the coaching staff gels with the players and each other but it looks like some very good hires. Yeo showed he can both coach tactically and technically, as well as motivate, He will be a very good Head Coach for them. The addition of Berube, Sydor and Ott look to be just what is needed to inject some life into a few less-than-enthusiastic players. Looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.

The only question is will the addition of Schenn and the stepping up of a few existing players be enough offense? They will get Fabbri back and that will help. But a few others players need to step it up and play at higher levels than they did last year. Steen was one if the best players on this team for the last few years and just wasn't there last year. Was it undisclosed injuries or was he just burnt out by Hitch? Who knows? Maybe he's just getting a little older and slowing down. Stastny was brought in to play like he did in Denver and he has shown signs but simply has not played at the level he is being paid to play at. He needs to step it up. I have little hope that Berglund will perform at the level of a true #2 or #3 center but he needs to, for the cap space he is eating up. Maybe Ott can light a fire under him and inspire him to give 100% every shift. Of course there are a few others but there is enough raw talent on this team to go deep in the playoffs. You just have to hope it all gels, especially at playoff time and the injury bug doesn't bite you too hard...

So, unless you have turned so sour and bitter that you can't even see your way clear to an objective analysis, you have to see the oppportunity for the upcoming season to hold some promise. Are they odds-on favorites to be in the finals? Probably not but they look to be a better team than last year and they were one of the last 8 teams standing...

Looking forward to seeing how and if it all comes together for them...

Griff, maybe when you're finished running those kids off your lawn, you can take a step back and see things without those chit-colored glasses you've been wearing. There is a cool refreshing glass for you to drink of....