Eastern Conference: Unanswered questions for every team
Every team heads into a new season with dreams of winning the Stanley Cup, but only a few have a realistic chance. Yet they all have question marks.
1. Atlanta Thrashers: How quickly does the Rick Dudley era show results?
2. Boston Bruins: Can they produce enough offense to compete in the East?
3. Buffalo Sabres: Where does Tyler Myers go from his Calder Trophy season?
4. Carolina Hurricanes: How does Eric Staal respond in his first full year as captain?
5. Florida Panthers: Will anybody notice them with LeBron and company down the road?
6. Montreal Canadiens: Will Carey Price make fans get over Jaroslav Halak?
7. New Jersey Devils: Will Ilya Kovalchuk be the difference-maker he is being paid to be?
8. New York Islanders: What does having a full season under his belt do for John Tavares?
9. New York Rangers: Can Marian Gaborik stay healthy and will New York find a No. 1 center?
10. Ottawa Senators: Does Ottawa have the goaltending to be a factor in the East?
11. Philadelphia Flyers: A potential finalist, or more a team that was lucky to be in the playoffs?
12. Pittsburgh Penguins: Can Pittsburgh find the right wingers for Sid the Kid?
13. Tampa Bay Lightning: Is Stevie Y really Stevie Wonder?
14. Toronto Maple Leafs: Are the Leafs really getting anywhere under Brian Burke?
15. Washington Capitals: At what point do the Capitals figure out what it really takes to win?
