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David Perron of the St. Louis Blues sports his new White Reebok 20k Skates against the New Jersey Devils. Perron scored a goal in the second period that helped the Blues win in a 4-3 shootout victory. Must be the combination of new skates and the Reebok Ai9 hockey stick.

The Blues have been a success under Head Coach Ken Hitchcock. Currently 4th within the Western Conference with 71 points, that’s only 2 points out of the Eastern Conference lead by the New York Rangers, the team is not only sitting good for playoffs, but is looking really intimidating. Both netminders, Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak are 1st and 6th best in terms of goals against average. Also, Andy McDonald, Alex Steen and Matt D’agostini are currently injured, who combined for 61 goals and 86 assists for a total of 147 points last season.

Blues fans should be excited for playoffs this year, especially if the team is all healthy.

The team announced today that head coach Davis Payne was fired from the organization and Ken Hitchcock would immediately be brought in to replace him. The 40-year-old Payne was brought in as head coach in January 2010 and only coached the team for one full season in 2010-11.

“It’s shocking and it’s disappointing, but in the end, you’re responsible for all the areas of your hockey team,” Payne said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “There were pieces that weren’t firing on all cylinders and it’s under my umbrella of responsibility.”

The Blues had high expectations this season after adding veterans Jason Arnott, Jamie Langenbrunner and Scott Nichol to the lineup. While Arnott has delivered so far with eight points in 13 games, other Blues members are off to slow starts. Goalie Jaroslav Halak has just one win in seven starts for the Blues and forward Chris Stewart, who posted 23 points in 26 games after a mid-season trade last year, has just three in 13 games so far this season.

“I’ve had great success in working with top guys and getting them to play,” Hitchcock said in his press conference this afternoon. “I think there’s potential with a lot of guys to be top players here.”

Hitchcock last coached in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was let go by the organization in February 2010. This will be Hitchcock’s fourth NHL team after previously coaching the Blue Jackets, Flyers and Dallas Stars, who he coached to a Stanley Cup victory in 1998-99.

“I want us to be proud of the way we play the game,” Hitchcock said. “I think at the end of the day, I want people in St. Louis to say, ‘Man, that team plays the right way.’”

Hitchcock practiced with the team this afternoon. His first game behind the bench will be tomorrow when the Blues host the Blackhawks.

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Chris Stewart will lead the offensive attack for the St. Louis Blues in 2011-12

Key Offseason Additions: Jason Arnott, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jonathan Cheechoo, Brian Elliott

Key Offseason Losses: Ty Conklin

Last Season Ranking: 11th in the West

Offense: The additions made in the off-season have really pushed the Blues into contention in the West. However, one of the biggest acquisitions, Chris Stewert, was actually made at the trade deadline last season. Stewart added 15 goals to the Blues offense in only 26 games, and picked up 8 assists to go along with it. Stewart will be counted on to continue his stellar play this season, and lead the Blues offense. He’ll be surrounded by good talent too, playing with the likes of David Backes, Andy McDonald, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Alex Steen to name a few.

Oshie, entering his fourth season in the NHL, missed much of last season due to injury. He also missed a practice due to an unexcused absence, was suspended by the team, and people began to question his character. Oshie has bounced back, however, and completed his best off-season training program to date. His fitness test results left him leading the team, tied with Andy McDonald, and he’s clearly ready to prove that he has what it takes to be an NHL star. A career year for Oshie this season wouldn’t be a surprise at all.

The newly acquired Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Arnott are teammates once again after both being shipped out of New Jersey last season. Their production in New Jersey last season hardly reflects what they’re capable of, and each should have a bounce back year this season with St. Louis. In fact, after being traded to the Capitals, Jason Arnott piled on 7 points in 11 games after only scoring 24 points in the previous 62 games for the Devils. Langenbrunner and Arnott both have some hockey left in them, and will be great assets for the Blues.

Younger players such as Vladimir Sobotka and Matt D’Agostini are going to be counted on for continued  production as well. D’Agostini picked up 21 goals and 25 assists last season, ranking fifth on the team in points. They’ll be joined by B.J. Crombeen and Scott Nichol, two depth players, continuing to battle for more playing time.

Defense: Kevin Shattenkirk will be with the Blues from the get-go this season, and he looks to build on a strong rookie campaign where he played with both the Colorado Avalance and St. Louis Blues, and picked up 9 goals and 34 assists in 72 games. Shattenkirk can move the puck well, and will be a strong addition to the power-play. He’s still a young guy, but has tremendous upside. Alex Pietrangelo, another young defenseman, had a similar season to the aforementioned Shattenkirk. However, Pietrangelo was a first round (4th overall) draft pick by the Blues, and will see additional playing time in his sophomore campaign.

The young defenseman on the Blues roster will be mentored by Veteran Barret Jackman, the 2002-03 rookie of the year. Jackman has struggled the past few season offensively, but as a veteran of the game, he has a lot of knowledge to share. His veteran leadership will also be important to other young defenseman on the Blues squad such as Roman Polak, Carlo Colaiacovo, and Kent Huskins.

Goaltending: With a team that has improved over the summer, Jaroslav Halak will be in a position to improve his numbers this season. His seven shutouts were a career high, but behind a better squad, Halak’s .910 save percentage and 2.48 goals against average from last season should be a thing of the past. Expect Halak to continue standing in net for approximately 55-60 games, with Brian Elliott taking on back-up duty. Elliott has struggled the past couple of seasons in Ottawa and Colorado, but will be a suitable number two netminder for the Blues.

HWB Playoff Prediction: Not Playoff bound. While the team is much improved with their off-season adjustments, they’re still just outside of a playoff birth. Competing in a very tough Central Divison and Western Conference does not make things easy for the young squad.

David Perron could have a break out season this year for St. Louis

Key Offseason Losses: Chris Mason, Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk

Key Offseason Additions: Jaroslav Halak, T.J. Hensick, Vladimir Sobotka

Last Season Ranking: 9th in West

Offense:

The St. Louis Blues will continue forward this season without two of their greatest veteran leaders from the past few years. Keith Tkachuk played his final NHL game last season, and Paul Kariya will sit out the entire season due to post-concussion syndrome (and remains an unrestricted free agent). While the Blues lose a combined 31 goals and 75 points from those two players, this will provide a great opportunity for the young members of the team to finally break out and prove they can carry the load.

A lot of pressure will be put on Brad Boyes to succeed this season. His 76 goals from 2007-09 have become an afterthought as he was only able to bury 14 last season, despite playing a full 82 games. Playing alongside someone like Andy McDonald or Alex Steen should give him the perfect opportunity to rebound this year, as both are skilled playmakers. McDonald lead the Blues in points last season with 57, including 22 points on the power play. He’s had injury trouble in the past but returned to his old form last season, playing in 79 games. Steen, on the other hand, missed 14 games last season, but still managed to post career highs in goals (24), points (47) and plus/minus (+6). He will surely see some pressure to keep up that pace as well.

Youngsters such as T.J. Oshie, David Perron, and Patrik Berglund will all be expected to improve their game this season. Each player is extremely talented, and with Kariya and Tkachuk out of the picture, each will take on a larger role with the squad. While every one of these guys is capable of having a real break out season this year, I expect the quick and hard hitting T.J. Oshie to really make an impact. He’ll be entering only his 3rd season in the NHL, but should now have a good idea of what his role on the young team will be.

Defense:

Leading the way on the blue line will be Erik Johnson and former Calder Trophy winner Barret Jackman. These guys will be relied on heavily to shut down the oppositions top weapons, as well as moving the puck quickly to get it into the hands of their skilled forwards. Johnson will surely see time on the power play, along with guys like Carlo Colaiacovo and Erik Brewer. Roman Polak and Alex Pietrangelo will also battle hard to earn lots of playing time, with Polak looking to increase his offensive production.

Goaltending:

Taking over in net this season for the Blues will be newcomer Jaroslav Halak. After playing a strong season in Montreal, Halak finished even better in the playoffs. Not only did he help knock off the President’s Trophy winning Washington Capitals, but he also played well in defeating the former Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. This was a terrific signing for the Blues, and he should help the team out significantly. If Halak falters at any point, Ty Conklin will be there to provide a steady back up.

Season Outlook:

Things are looking up for the St. Louis Blues. The youngsters are hungry for a return trip to the playoffs, after narrowly missing the mark last year. While they will miss the veteran leadership of Kariya and Tkachuk, Andy McDonald will be there to take the reigns. Health will be a big concern, as it typically is, but a few of these guys should step up and have terrific seasons. The Western Conference is always tough to battle in, but with the addition of Halak in net, I think the Blues could have what it takes to grab an 8th seed in the playoffs.

ESPN is reporting that the Habs will receive forward Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. Eller was a first-round pick of St. Louis in 2007 and Schultz was a 2008 third-round pick. Eller appeared in seven games with the big club as he spent the rest of the season with Peoria of the AHL. Schultz played his third junior season in 2009-10 with Calgary of the Western Hockey League.

For the past two seasons, Halak split time between the pipes with Carey Price, but Halak’s game seemed to improve after his run with Slovakia in the Vancouver Olympics. He finished with a 26-13-5 regular-season record, a 2.40 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. In the playoffs, Halak had a 2.55 GAA and .923 save percentage in 18 games.

This is a risky move for St. Louis, as Halak becomes a restricted free-agent on July 1 and is eligible for salary arbitration. In two seasons, he becomes a unrestricted free-agent. This is the second goalie they acquired in consecutive summers.  They acquired Ty Conklin from Detroit last off season, and Chris Mason, who started 61 games last season. Mason does enter this summer as a unrestricted free-agent, and with his $3 Million salary and Halak’s $800,000 salary from last season, they will let Mason walk and go into next season with a Halak-Conklin duo in net.

Maybe President Obama should hire Halak to stop the leak because you know, nothing get’s past Jaroslav Halak! Gooo Habs!

Note: Players owned on 60% or fewer teams were considered.

Center:

Ryan Kesler, Vancouver (5-8-13, 53% Owned)

Kesler is one of the hottest players on his team. With 5 goals the first month of the season, he’s shown that he can find the net as he is tied for third in goals and is second in points on the Canucks. He’s also valuable on special teams as he as six power play points.

Honorable Mention:

Mike Fisher, Ottawa (5-6-11, +3, 3PPG, 2GWG, 22% Owned)

Brendan Morrison, Washington (4-6-10, +6, 6 PIM, 2 PPG, 15% Owned)

Wayne Simmonds

Right Wing:

David Clarkson, New Jersey (3-6-9, 40% Owned)

Clarkson started off hot, but midway through October he went through a five game goal-less drought. Clarkson ended that drought last week. Don’t be afraid to pick him up. I strongly believe he will warm up or get hot before he becomes ice cold. His 20 penalty minutes are worth using if you need someone to raise your team penalty minutes.

Honorable Mention:

Nathan Horton, Florida (3-7-10, 20 PIM, 55% Owned)

Wayne Simmonds, Los Angeles (4-4-8, +9, 9 PIM, 5% Owned)

Left Wing:

James van Riemsdyk, Philadelphia (2-11-13, +6, 3 PPA, 27% Owned)

While he may only have two goals this young season, #2 overall pick in the 2007 draft James van Riemsdyk has made an impact through the assist for the Flyers. You have to take notice of someone that has more points than games played, as the Flyers have played only 10 games. He leads the team in assists and is third in plus-minus. If you’re in need of assists because your defensemen aren’t coming through, I recommend his as only 1 in 4 teams own him. Unfortunately in my fantasy league, Chris picked him up Monday afternoon.

Honorable Mention:

Matt Moulson, New York Islanders (6-5-11, 6 PIM, 3 PPA, 45% Owned)

Jarkko Ruutu, Ottawa (4-3-7, 27 PIM, 6% Owned)

Defense:

Jason Demers, San Jose (0-10-10, +7, 4 PPA, 32% Owned)

Rookie Demers has been producing on the blue line for a solid Sharks team. While he haven’t scored a goal this season, his team-leading plus-minus rating is worth taking note of. Look for him to see increased playing time from coach Todd Mclellan.

Ryan Suter, Nashville (2-5-7 8 PIM, 2 PPA, 59% Owned)

I had several defensemen to consider picking. But Suter was the best out of a good bunch along with Demers. Suter is an experienced player who is in the top-five on his team in points and penalty minutes. He also has three power play points in 13 games this season.

Honorable Mention:

Jaroslav Spacek, Montreal (1-4-5, +6, 14 PIM, 49% Owned)

Roman Hamerlik, Montreal (4-2-6, +6, 12 PIM. 22% Owned)

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec, Atlanta (5 W, 2.75 GAA, .921 SV%, 42% Owned)

Just like everyone else before the season, I didn’t have much faith in the Thrashers. But they got off to a good start in the first month of the season, and that’s what they need. In goal, Pavelec has solidified his #1 spot over Johan Hedberg. He’s owned in 2 out of every 5 leagues, so chances are he’s available for you.

Honorable Mention:

Jaroslav Halak, Montreal (5 W, 2.85 GAA, .893 SV%, 39% Owned)

Dwayne Roloson, New York Islanders (4 W, 2.70 GAA, .914 SV%, 34% Owned)

After backing into the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference last season when they lost 10 of its last 15 games, Montreal GM Bob Gainey had to make changes. And changes he made as 11 players departed including Saku Koivu, Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang. Gainey did add an all-new first line with center Scott Gomez and wingers Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta. It will be interesting to see how can Cammalleri produce an a more pressure-packed environment and without Jerome Iginla.

The main strength the Gomez-Cammalleri-Giontaline line will offer is speed. They have a lot of skill and talent, but with that they are sacrificing toughness and physicality. The depth of the forwards more top-heavy than other teams. After the first line, players such as Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec, and Travis Moen need to increase their scoring from last season to help compensate the offense that departed.

Another strength the Canadiens posses is defenseman Andrei Markov. Markov was second on the team in points with 64 last season.  Markov will also be looked upon to lead the power play and penalty kill units, which ranked 13th and 11th respectively in the league last season. Other defensemen that can be expected to contribute this season include Hal Gill and rookies Yannick Weber and P.K. Subban.

Which Carey Price will show up this season?

One big question mark the Canadiens will have is in goal. They have two young, still developing goaltenders in Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak. Expectations will be high for Price and deservingly so. After a stellar rookie season in 2007-08, Price struggled down the stretch and recorded only 1 shutout all season long in 2008-09. They did make a goaltending coach change during the off-season, and we can only hope new goaltending coach Pierre Grolux can teach Price to cut down shooting angles and allow less soft goals this season.

Overall, I can expect Montreal to still be a few steps behind Boston in the division. The Canadiens will have a shot to make the playoffs, but that’s not good enough to the Montreal fanbase. If they play to their potential, they can finish anywhere between fourth-sixth in the conference. But if they stumble down the stretch like they did last season, expect them to miss the playoffs or suffer another sweep at the hands of the Eastern Conference powers: Washington, Boston, or Pittsburgh.