Let's face it, the Western Conference is going to have another tight race to the top 8, another one that will come down the very last game of the regular season. So, who takes the entire conference? It could be the new and improved LA Kings. It could be the Detroit Red Wings, which is filled with vets that simply know how to win. It could be the Chicago Blackhawks, who - when healthy - can make another Cup run with a goalie who has the potential to have a great season.

The other question is: Who will be the cellar-dweller? Goalie issues plague both the Phoenix Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche, while the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, and Columbus Blue Jackets let some of their best players go through trades or free agency. Or will it be the Edmonton Oilers again, who's young stars are perhaps still coming into their own?

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The Northeast Division can be divided into three categories: Stanley Cup contenders, fringe playoff contenders, and the Ottawa Senators.  A division that has been dominated in recent years by the Bruins and Sabres figures to be a battle between the division's two American teams once again.  So, which one will come out on top, the defending Stanley Cup champions or the upstarts who spent lavishly to improve in the offseason?

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The Bruins' defense in 2010-11 was made to look a heck of a lot better than it really was by the otherworldly goaltending of Tim Thomas.  The bad news is that the Bruins probably can't expect Thomas to be that good again (that's usually what happens when you set an NHL record). The good news is that the defense should improve.  There's too much talent here for this unit to surrender over 32 shots per game again.  Let's take a look at the unit, one by one:

Zdeno Chara - Any discussion of the Bruin defense must begin with the 6'9 behemoth with a Norris Trophy to his credit.  Chara consistently takes on (and bests) the opposition's best scorers, takes the majority of his draws in the defensive zone, soaks up ice time like a sponge, and consistently makes his defensive partner look a whole lot better than he often is.  At 34, Chara's career is entering the autumn years, but he is the type of player whose game should age pretty well; size and positioning don't diminish with age like some other skills.  Chara also plays on the first unit of the power play, and with the hardest shot in the NHL, he brings a real weapon to the unit. He is, by any reasonable measure, one of the top defensemen in the NHL, and should be for at least a few more years.

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