Pre-Season Preview: #3 Istan Buls

Coach: Nick Lake
Trophy Case: POH2 Championship---POH2 Associate's Cup Winner---POH5 Rathje Division Winner---POH5 Associate's Cup Winner

POH5 Regular Season Finish: 1st
Postseason Finish: Finals Loss

Pre-Season Rank
Forwards: 7th
Defensemen: 2nd
Goaltenders: 5th
Coaching Pedigree: 4th
Overall: 3rd
Projected Win Total: 91

Keepers:
C Evgeni Malkin (3rd Year in Istan)
C Ryan Getzlaf (2nd Year)
LW Rick Nash (3rd Year)
D Dustin Byfuglien (2nd Year)
G Carey Price (2nd Year)

Outlook
Nick Lake and the Istan Buls were painstakingly close to hanging a second Prince's Pot banner from the rafters last season, falling on the final day to champion Vancouver, 6-4. The beginning of this season likely will serve as a stinging reminder to the Buls of just how close they came, as they begin another 20-week marathon with a brand new 0-0-0 record. The Buls, like divisional counterpart Alberta, will be welcoming their best player back to the ice, as Russian ogre Evgeni Malkin returns after missing the better part of last season with a knee injury. Getzlaf and Nash join Malkin to form one of the most daunting keeper trios in the game. Lake raised some eyebrows during the Sep. 20 draft after his early selection of 39-year-old Jaromir Jagr, and again when he spent his 4th pick on youngster Gabriel Landeskog. Certainly there was interest in the young Landeskog, but it is unlikely that his first year production will back up such an early selection...and with supertalents Malkin, Nash and Getzlaf clogging up the forward keeper spots, it seems doubtful Landeskog could earn a blue "K" this soon. But there is a reason I rank the Buls at No. 3 this season. First, because I think Jagr will end up being a savvy pick. Second, I think the goaltending will be strong. And third, Lake is another manager whom I expect to make things happen...be it a mid-season trade that improves his chances, or a waiver scoop that ends up being a major contributor. I can't stress how important I view the "Coaching Pedigree" aspect during the pre-season...because many of the rosters will look a lot different in March than they do today, and it's up to the managers to guide the talent in the right direction. A two-time Associate's Cup winner, a one-time division winner, and of course that POH2 championship...I expect Lake to bring the Buls back into Prince's Pot contention in POH6.



Players to Watch:

D-Drew Doughty

The Buls acquired Doughty during the preseason after Winnipeg GM Joel Hafnor got fed up with contract disputes lingering. Lake gave up Brent Burns to land the Norris hopeful. At just 21 years old, Doughty could be prowling the Istan blue line for many years to come. Lake will hope he returns to his form of 2009-10 when he posted 59 points. His production dipped to just 40 a season ago.

C-Evgeni Malkin
The Buls finished with a mark of 114-70 a year ago despite getting just 43 games out of the former Ross Trophy winner. Malkin is a game changer, no doubt about it. He could lead the NHL in scoring any given season, it just depends on how his massive body will hold up through the 82-game slate. Whenever you are dealing with knee injuries, you always wonder if a player is ever really out of the woods in their recovery process. All word out of Pittsburgh is that Malkin is fit, and the production seems to show it so far in the pre-season. The Buls hopes rest largely on Geno.

RW-Jaromir Jagr

Is it safe to say Jagr came back to the United States to prove something? Sure, maybe it was about more money...but I happen to think the 39-year-old wanted to prove to himself that he could still run with the best. It's a one-year deal with Philadelphia, and I think 80 points is absolutely within the realm of possibility for this guy. If he can deliver at a point-per-game level, the Buls will be hard to deal with upfront.