[Red Slinger]

Montreal-
Currently have the most valuable player in the league in Price. Not just in name but he is the most valuable player: he can win them any game any night. Subban is a great player also. They play well as a team but I'm not sold on their top 6 forwards. Even so, I still think they are the top Canadian team at the moment.

Winnipeg-
Really deep roster both at forward an defense. Goaltending is a question mark and their top 6 forwards aren't quite as good as advertised IMO. They are two players away from being a scary team. Unfortunately for them those players are a top forward and starting goaltender.

Calgary-
Still a young team with organizational depth similar to Winnipeg. Defense looks excellent on paper. Forwards are good but still young. The team needs to show that last season (in which they were supposed to contend for McDavid) wasn't a fluke. I don't think they're as good as they showed last season, nor as bad as some of the naysayers are speculating they'll be. Goaltending is still an area of weakness.

Ottawa-
Odd team, as usual. They have a few really nice players that seem to add up to more than the sum of their parts. Not sure about goaltending. This is a team that I could see surprising a lot of people and having an excellent season or surprising a lot of people and crashing badly.

Edmonton-
Improved their team in almost every category, at least on paper. But when you are the running joke of the league there's a lot of improvement to be done and it doesn't happen overnight. The forwards have a lot of potential but their careers have stagnated so far due to inept coaching and team management. Is one year enough to wash away the stink and terrible habits? Unlikely. Defense is atrocious. Goaltending is a question mark. They will probably finish somewhere around 11th or 12th in the West.

Vancouver-
The forward ranks are thinner than they've been in a long time. Same with the defense. There aren't a tonne of nice prospects ready to take the next step either. This team, as usual, will go as far as the Sedins will carry them. They are looking a little older and slower, and the relief depth is as shallow as it's been for years. Goaltending is inconsistent at best. They can still be a tough team on any given night because of the Sedins but it's tough to ask two aging players to carry the whole team every night.

Toronto-
They have about 3 top 6 forwards and none would likely be considered top 3. They have 2 top 4 defensemen and none, at this stage would be considered top pair. Overall depth is atrocious. If they had Price in goal to bail them out on a nightly basis they'd have a chance to not be a bottom 5 team. The goaltending they do have is inconsistent. Babcock is obviously a good coach but from an outsiders perspective that lockeroom is toxic, and as we saw with Hartley in Calgary, it takes time to change culture. They got rid of one of the problem children in Kessel but that resulted in a real drop in talent level. Plus, they still have other room issues like Kadri and their captain! They have a good chance at a Matthews draft party.