FanSided Forecast: Around the NHL in 30 Days

Ah September… Where I’m from on the East Coast the leaves are starting to fall already. There will soon be a crispness in the air. The days are getting shorter. School is right around the corner. But most important of all… it’s almost time for NHL hockey!

Here at FanSided we are passionate about our teams. It’s time for the first ever FanSided’s Around the NHL in 30 Days. The name says it all –> each new day a different writer at FanSided will provide you with their team’s season preview. You like what was written about your team? You disagree with something? You just wanna stir the pot and talk smack about your rivals? Then by all means comment on the pages! At FanSided we also know that you are passionate about your team. If you don’t have a favorite NHL team but like to know what’s up in the NHL these days, then FanSided has you covered here with league news and topics.

We are going to kick things off with the talented writers at Ducks Daily Blog. They are serving up a hot-off-the-press season preview for their beloved Anaheim Ducks. But I must say, someone should have told them that the Ducks won’t make it this year by swimming in Shark infested waters… Let’s take a quick look at how the Ducks and Sharks matched up last year.

2010-11 Sharks vs. Ducks – 6 Games

This was a tough season series. The final win/loss tally favored the Sharks with a 3 wins, 2 losses, and 1 OT loss. Goals For and Goals Against for the series was tied 17-17. There was certainly little to separate these two California teams. The biggest win for the Sharks was 5-2 on October 30th, 2010, and the Sharks biggest loss was 6-2 on April 6th, 2011. You can read more about the season series here.

I expect that this year the series will feature more hard-fought hockey. However I think that the Sharks’ additions of Brent Burns, Colin White, and Jim Vandermeer will give the Ducks Forwards fits this year. Let’s not forget that the already established members of the Sharks defense core will also give the Ducks headaches. Those key D-Men are Dan Boyle, Marc-Edward Vlasic, and Thor (I mean Douglas Murray).

What do the writers at Ducks Daily Blog have to say about their team? Here’s a sample:

"It is safe to say the Ducks have one of the strongest cores in the NHL. The Ryan-Getzlaf-Perry line is one of the best trios in the league and can take on anyone. If Teemu Selanne returns, he will bring back his magic to the powerplay. They also have some insane power on the blue line with veteran Lubomir Visnovsky and rookie Cam Fowler. With Jonas Hiller in net, the Ducks have one of the league’s top goaltenders."

It will be a fun series to watch! Check back tomorrow as the Boston Bruins are profiled.

What are your Sharks-Ducks predictions this year?

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