Hawks become West's team to beat
Hossa could put Chicago over top, but at what cost?
Puck Prospectus/ESPN The Magazine
The signing of Marian Hossa with the Chicago Blackhawks has subtly altered the balance of power in the Western Conference. Hossa's GVT in 2008-09 was plus-20, 15th in the NHL, and he was without a doubt the premier offensive player available on the open market. The Blackhawks were already the third-best team in the Western Conference last year, and adding Hossa's 20 GVT to their team GVT of plus-48 would have put them at plus-68, second in the NHL behind Boston.
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2009 NHL OFFSEASON
PLUGGING HOLES
As the NHL offseason officially gets underway, Insider is offering a look into the future by marrying new-school stats with old-school savvy.
The writers of Puck Prospectus have crunched their advanced metrics to identify each team's biggest statistical shortcoming and offer a potential solution. ESPN the Magazine Senior Writer E.J. Hradek then provides his perspective, relying on his 20 years covering the NHL to assess potential impact and likelihood.
And keep up with all the offseason buzz with Insider's Rumor Central.
Atlantic Division
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Northeast Division
Central Division
Northwest Division
Pacific Division - June 23
Note: For a definition of GVT, click here.
