2014 NFL Mock Draft (1.0)

The first of my two mock drafts is finally here, with this being my "just after free agency" version. My final one will come at beginning of May, right before the actual draft. We see two Texas A&M Aggies taken in the top 5, a little bit of a fall for the best pass rusher to enter the draft since Mario Williams, and three quarterbacks taken within the first 10 picks. 

1. Houston Texans - Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

Manziel wants to play for Houston. He is an in-state boy, a Heisman winner, and just the player to turn around a team who needs some consistent quarterback play, along with a healthy team to make a quick bounce-back into playoff contention. Blake Bortles is the name that seems to be thrown around in this spot along with Clowney, but the defense for Houston doesn't need a pass rusher as bad as the offense needs a leader. That is Johnny Football.

2. St. Louis Rams - Jake Matthews, Texas A&M

The Rams need to keep their franchise quarterback up-right. After re-signing Rodger Saffold this off-season and getting left tackle Jake Long from Miami last year, this will be the pick that will solidify the Rams offensive line for the next 10 years. Start him at right tackle for the next couple years until Jake Long is ready to move on, then slide him over to left tackle to protect Sam Bradford's - or the next quarterback's - backside.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars -  Greg Robinson, Auburn

While pass rusher here would make sense, especially with defensive-minded Gus Bradley being the coach, the offensive line needs a anchor in the worst kind of way. Robinson is a nasty linemen who will protect your quarterback and will road block defensive linemen and linebackers out of the way in the running game.

4. Cleveland Browns -  Blake Bortles, Central Florida

Brian Hoyer cannot be relied on to be your No. 1 signal caller and the face of your franchise. That is where Blake Bortles comes in. The Browns have plenty of talent on defense and big play makers on offense with a solid offensive line and star offensive weapons in Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron. Bortles can make this Brown team legit contenders for a playoff position.

5. Oakland Raiders - Sammy Watkins, Clemson

A big-play wide out is exactly what new quarterback Matt Schaub needs to go along with solid cast of No. 2 and 3 receivers in Oakland. While losing Jared Veldheer will sting, this draft is deep with offensive linemen. Picking up a replacement in the second round will probably be the wise course.

6. Atlanta Falcons - Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina

Falcon fans have been praying to some kind of football God for this to happen in my mock draft. The Falcons need pass rusher in the worst kind of way and to have one of the best pass rushing prospects in the last decade to drop to six is a miracle. A freak of nature and well known for his pass rushing ability, Clowney would be an absolute steal here for the Falcons. While his hustle has been questioned, he was fighting triple teams and nagging injuries last year. He will be a stud for along time in this league.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Khalil Mack, Buffalo

While not the traditional linebacker that the Buccaneers go for in a Cover 2 sense, Mack has great coverage skills. Mack is most known for his pass rushing ability, which will give Lovie Smith's revived defense more weapons as the quarterback will have to look for Mack, either coming hard at him or dropping into Cover 2 coverage. 

8. Minnesota Vikings - Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville

After the many failed experiments at quarterback last year, the Vikings finally get their franchise quarterback they have been looking for since Daunte Culpepper. The Ponder experiment is over and the Josh Freeman signing was ill-advised. Bridgewater is a solid passer who will limit turnovers, I don't believe he will set the world on fire with his numbers, but he will do enough to be an above average quarterback in the league in the mold of Alex Smith. 

9. Buffalo Bills - Eric Ebron, North Carolina

EJ Manuel needs weapons in the worst way. C. J. Spiller cannot be the only big-play option for a big play for a team. That is why Ebron is the choice here. He is a tight end in the Jimmy Graham/ Vernon Davis mold as a pure offensive weapon. Fast as all hell, big-bodied, and a play maker will make this offense much better as an upgrade from Scott Chandler.

10. Detroit Lions - Taylor Lewan, Michigan

Detroit's line offensive line over the past couple of years has been much improved and has gotten younger. We continue that trend in this year's draft with the selection of the nasty Taylor Lewan. An in-state product, Lewan will slide into the right side of the line and help solidify the tackle position for a long time in Detroit.

11. Tennessee Titans - Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State

After losing Alterraun Verner to the Buccaneers in free agency, the Titans depth in their secondary is questionable. With the selection of Justin Gilbert, they get the best cornerback in the draft and a great selection to match up with Jason McCourty as both are solid man-to-man cover guys.

12. New York Giants - Mike Evans, Texas A&M

Johnny Football's main receiver down at Texas A&M is a big-bodied, big play threat that will give Eli Manning another weapon on the outside. After losing Hakeem Nicks this off-season replacing, Nicks is a must as this offence is at it's most effective when it has three solid wide outs stretching defences. Between Mike Evans and Victor Cruz, Eli will get back to being an effective quarterback and hopefully limiting his turnovers.

13. St. Louis Rams - Ha'Sean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix, Alabama

T. J. McDonald was a good start last year to upgrading their safety position, but Clinton-Dix will solidify that position for a long time. A excellent play maker for the Alabama defense, Clinton-Dix will be a ball hawk back there in the Rams secondary and a capable run defender. The matching of McDonald and Clinton-Dix will make the Rams safeties a formidable duo.

14. Chicago Bears - Anthony Barr, UCLA

More of a luxury/ best player available pick then anything, the selection of Anthony Barr is Chicago's way of starting to get younger on defence. Long-time star linebacker Lance Briggs isn't getting any younger. So, Barr can start at weak-side linebacker for the Bears while learning the finer points of the game from one of the best in the business. A solid overall linebacker, Barr is good in run support and coverage. His athleticism is top notch and, at the 14th overall pick, is a steal for the Bears.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State

This is another case of starting to replace older stars with younger, high-end players. I have Dennard going to the Steelers. The Steelers defence is getting quite old, so an infusion of young blood is needed. Dennard, a solid cover man for the Michigan State Spartans, can slide right across the field from Ike Taylor and give them a fantastic replacement when they move on from Ike.

16. Dallas Cowboys - Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh

After signing Henry Melton to partially take the sting out of releasing DeMarcus Ware due to cap reasons, getting Aaron Donald would be a coup for the Cowboys. With a hopefully healthy Melton and Donald, the inside pass rush capability of the Cowboys could rival that of the Detroit Lions with their combination of Suh and Fairley. Donald's athletic ability is off the charts for a big man. He would be a start to make up for losing Ware's incredible pass rush capability.

17. Baltimore Ravens - Zack Martin, Notre Dame

Martin has a lot of ability and would be able to play guard or tackle for the Ravens. I have him sliding in at the right tackle spot of losing Michael Oher to free agency this off-season. Martin would be an upgrade over the slightly overrated Oher, who is mostly known for the movie made after his life. Martin would fit along with the hard-working, hard-nose Ravens.

18. New York Jets - Marqise Lee, USC

Michael Vick or Geno Smith still need more weapons at wide out, even with the signing of Eric Decker. Lee, out of USC, is lightning quick and is a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He would be an excellent option out of the slot, making it a tough day for whatever nickel corner would be on him that day.

19. Miami Dolphins - Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA

After losing two players from their starting offensive line from last year's team, getting Branden Alberts from Kansas City this off-season was a good start to rebuilding and upgrading their line. Getting Su'a-Filo from UCLA would be an upgrade over Incognito. The UCLA product is a road grader of a run blocker who is quite athletic. Su'a-Filo would be a solid addition to the Dolphins.

20. Arizona Cardinals - Calvin Pryor, Louisville

Matching Pryor with Tyrann Mathieu would make for another elite duo of safeties in the NFC West. Pryor, another gifted athlete, is a playmaker and a big hitter. He is solid in coverage and will give the Cardinals another playmaker to add to their already scary secondary, with the addition of Antonio Cromartie this off-season.

21. Green Bay Packers - Cyrus Kouandijo, Alabama

Aaron Rodgers has been hit hard and has had to scramble for his life too much for my liking. Giving him another book end tackle can only help Rodgers and the Packers' offence. A much better run blocker than pass protector, Kouandijo will still be an upgrade to what the Packers currently have at right tackle. He will also help out reigning rookie of the year Eddie Lacy tremendously when running to the right side.

22. Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Verrett, TCU

A solid man coverage corner who would probably more suited to a zone coverage type of scheme, Verrett would still excel at corner for the Eagles. Solid athletically, he is one of the quicker corners in this year's draft and can fly around the field. Verrett is an aggressive player who could slide into the No. 2 corner role if he has a good training camp. However, he would be better off suited to play nickel corner his first year and shut down a slot receiver.

23. Kansas City Chiefs - Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State

Benjamin has the raw talent to be one of the top wide outs in the league down the road. He is still kind of raw as a wide receiver, dropping some passes which should have been caught. But, the Chiefs need high-end potential at wide out with Dwayne Bowe being their only outside threat. Drafting Benjamin would also move Donnie Avery back to the slot role where he would be more effective.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - Kony Ealy, Missouri

This is kind of an over kill pick for a team who already has pass rush ability. After losing Michael Johnson this off-season, Ealy would slide right into his spot nicely. A good spot for Ealy to land in, Ealy would be surrounded by talent on the defensive line and would allow for him to show off his pass rush capability. Even if he is only brought in on pass-rushing downs like Bruce Irvin was for Seattle, his first season this would only make the Bengals better on defence.

25. San Diego Chargers - Louis Nix, Notre Dame

A mountain of a man at 6'3 and nearly 330 lbs, this former Fighting Irish would be the perfect nose tackle for the Chargers 3-4 defence. For a big guy, Nix can really move and is quite nimble with excellent strength. Adding him to this defence gives the Chargers a chance to move into one of the better 3-4 defences in the league.

26. Cleveland Browns - CJ Mosley, Alabama

After selecting their quarterback of the future with their first pick, the Browns get the quarterback for their defence. Adding Mosley to the already solid Browns defence gives them an embarrassment of riches. The value of this pick here is undeniably excellent and would make up for the loss of D'qwell Jackson this off-season. With the addition of Karlos Dansby from Arizona this off-season, the Browns linebackers would be a top 3 group in all of football. 

27. New Orleans Saints - Bradley Roby, Ohio State

The Saints need solid man-to-man corners in order to play defensive coordinators Rob Ryan's defense effectively. Roby is the man to do that. One of the best man-to-man corners in this draft, Roby has excellent speed and can get after the quarterback as well. While not the greatest run stopper, he has the potential to get much better at that studying under Rob Ryan.

28. Carolina Panthers - Odell Beckham Jr., LSU

Kind of like a poor man's Steve Smith, who is the man he will be replacing in Carolina. Carolina's desperate need for solid wide outs could lead to multiple wide receiver picks in this draft. Beckham will be the first of at least two picks at the wide out position. A smaller receiver who has a mean streak, Beckham is not as gifted athletically as Smith, but has potential to round into a solid NFL receiver.

29. New England Patriots - Tim Jernigan, Florida State

Solid value for the Patriots here at this pick. I fully expect the Pats to probably trade out of this pick like they usually do, but if they stay here Jernigan is a good value pick. Jennigan would be well-suited as an interior pass rusher for their 4-3 defence and a good replacement to Vince Wilfork when they move on from him in a couple years. Jennigan can really get after the quarterback and would be solid in a rotation with vet Tommy Kelly across from Wilfork.

30. San Francisco 49ers - Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame

The rich get richer on defence with the selection of Tuitt out of Notre Dame. At 6-6, 300 pounds, Tuitt has some pass rush capability and has the size to play across from Justin Smith at defensive end in the 49ers 3-4 defence. Adding another big cog to the defensive line will allow the 49ers' All-World linebackers even more chances to show off their big play ability, while also adding some more pass rush ability on their defensive line.

31. Denver Broncos - Dee Ford, Auburn

Just what the Denver Broncos: need another high-end pass rusher. Putting Ford into the mix with DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller makes this defence absolutely terrifying for opposing quarterbacks. A speed rusher who can get after the quarterback, Ford will be an absolute nightmare playing with Miller and Ware and could put up the best sack numbers of any rookie this year.

32. Seattle Seahawks - Brandin Cooks, Oregon State

A smaller wide out with agility for days, Cooks can get around the field and make secondaries look silly just tackling air. Adding Cooks, with the addition of a hopefully healthy Percy Harvin, would be terrifying for teams playing the Super Bowl champs with all of Seattle's speed and athleticism at receiver. Cooks is able to return kicks and punts, which would keep Harvin off the field to keep him healthy with little drop off in return capability.

That wraps up the first Sports by Schmucks draft. Make sure to follow us on Twitter (@SportBySchmucks) for the release of the next mock draft. We'll also be live tweeting the first round of the draft.

To see more mock drafts, check out the hailRedskins.com 2014 Mock Draft database.

Mid-Season Check In with Andrew Wiggins

With the college season part way through, I have decided to take a look at the top 5 prospects, their season stats, and what each of these players can provide to a team most likely to end up in the NBA Lottery this season. Our first review is of Canada's own Andrew Wiggins, also referred to as "Maple Jordan".

Player Profile:

NAME: Andrew Wiggins
POS: SG
H: 6-8

W: 200
SCHOOL: Kansas Jayhawks (F)
HOMETOWN: Thornhill, ON

2013-2014 NCAA Stats (courtesy of ESPN):

MIN: 31.5 
FG%: .452
3P%: .311
FT%: .766
REB: 5.4
AST: 1.4
BLK: 0.9
STL: 1.0
FOULS: 2.2
TURNOVERS: 1.8
PTS: 15.8

Draft Prediction: Lottery Pick 1-3                                                                                
Possible Teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic

In my opinion, Wiggins placement in the 2014 NBA Draft realistically depends on where the lottery teams finish. I see him most likely ending up in Orlando next year season, and my guess is it will be around the third pick. Milwaukee is the current favourite to grab the number one pick, however anything can happen as we've seen in past draft lotteries. Wiggins will provide any team with a long body and quick guard. He takes high percentage shots and is not afraid to shoot the three ball if needed. He does need some work when it comes to sharing the rock, which is something most young players need to develop. I feel Wiggins' player development is going to be what might make him slip to third in the draft. Fellow 2014 draft prospect Jabari Parker (SG, Duke) has the edge over Wiggins in my opinion. Parker shows more raw talent and emotion in games, which again could come in time with Wiggins. However scouts will look heavily towards a player who provides that emotion now, rather than in a couple years of playing with the "big boys".

Keep posted for next weeks edition of the Check In, when I take a look at Duke shooting guard, Jabari Parker.

NHL Season Preview: Pacific Division

We are in the home stretch now as the NHL preview heads to the West Coast to look at the Pacific Division. It includes the final three Canadian teams and the entire state of California. Oh, and Phoenix. Let's get this started.

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks surprised a lot of people last year, finishing second in the Western Conference before being knocked out in the first round. It'll be hard to keep up with the pace from last year. Francois Beauchemin had a Norris calibre season last year. Will he be able to do that again? Viktor Fasth broke on to the scene as well, providing some stability in the net Jonas Hiller hasn't been able to the last couple of seasons. The known quantities from the Ducks are Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf putting up points and Teemu Selanne lacing up the skates. Bobby Ryan is gone, but Anaheim got a decent return for him including Jakob Silfverberg. It'll be an interesting season for the Ducks, but they'll be in a fight to make the playoffs this season.

Calgary Flames

Remember when Calgary were up 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Finals? That season started 10 years ago. A lot has changed since then, especially since last year. Jarome Iginla was finally traded after a couple of years of speculation. Long-time goaltender Miika Kiprusoff retired just before the season started. The silver lining for the Flames is they'll get a long look at many of their young prospects as they don't have much else. The addition of Jiri Hudler will help guide some of these players on and off the ice as they learn the NHL game. Defensively, new captain Mike Giordano (that still sounds weird) will lead this defence core into the season. They'll have their work cut out for them as new starting goalie Kaari Ramo has 48 total games played in the NHL over his career. Unfortunately for the Flames and their fans, the most interesting story for the team will be how Burke and Feaster work together. They won't even sniff the playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers

I really liked the moves Edmonton made in the offseason. They were able to unload Shawn Horcoff's contract, brought in David Perron to add some physicality to the top 6, and addressed their defence in the draft and through free agency. The Oilers signed Andrew Ference away from Boston, and he has already become Edmonton's captain. His leadership for a young defensive core will do wonders for the team. Unfortunately, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the first month and Sam Gagner will most likely miss the first two. It's forced Taylor Hall into the first-line centre roll for the team. It leaves the team very shallow down the middle, which is one of the strengths of the best teams in this division. If Devan Dubnyk can keep the team in it while they wait for their centres to come back, the Oilers might sneak into a playoff spot. If not, it'll be another long winter in Edmonton.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are a team built for playoff success. They showed it when they won the Cup as an eighth seed in the 2011-12 season. Last year, they made a valiant run before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions. The good news for the Kings is they've essentially returned the same team as last year. Los Angeles remains a physical team, and that is how they generate most of their offence. Anze Kopitar is still a playmaker, while Mike Richards and Jeff Carter can play physically and put the puck in the net. They are still a tough, defensive unit behind Drew Doughty. The Kings have a lot of stability and consistency on the blue line as well. Anchored in net by Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles will be scary. Quick's ability allowed them to trade back-up Jonathan Bernier to the Leafs for Ben Scrivens, Matt Frattin, and pick. Frattin will add some more speed to the forward group. It's pretty much a lock that L.A. will make the playoffs again.

Phoenix Coyotes

With the ownership situation seemingly resolved in Phoenix, it's time for the city to focus on the actual game of hockey again. The strike shortened season was one to forget, especially after the success of the last full season. One of the factors leading to the downward trend was the injury to Mike Smith who played so well for the Coyotes. Now healthy, Smith should be able to lead the team back to some of the success they saw before. Phoenix also has many talented young blue liners, led by Keith Yandle who is just entering his prime. Oliver Ekman-Larsson should continue emerge as one of the game's best offensive defencemen. Upfront, Shane Doan is back for another season with the Desert Dogs. That is also one of the negatives for the team as many of their forwards are entering the twilight of their careers. It'll be hard for them to keep up with the fast-paced play of the regular season. If the offence can find ways to score, the Coyotes can make a run for the playoffs.

San Jose Sharks
Every year it seems writers and other forms of media want to convince readers and listeners the Sharks' window to win a championship has closed. But, most years, the team responds by putting together a great regular season before falling short in the playoffs. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have been the faces of the franchise since the 2004 lockout. The next big thing for the Sharks is Logan Couture, who is almost ready to supplant Thornton and Marleau. Add in a dash of Joe Pavelski and the team still has some gas in the tank. The defence has a nice balance of stay-at-home and puck-moving defencemen. Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic lead the charge from the back end to feed the offence. Antti Niemi is thankful for those two getting the puck out of his end consistently. Niemi was a Vezina contender last year and has the potential to do that again. It seems like the Sharks are destined to make the playoffs again, but how far will they go?

Vancouver Canucks
So, after all of that, the dust settles and Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck. The least likely outcome happened, and the Canucks and Luongo have to repair a fragile relationship. With new coach John Tortorella, it might be easier to do so with a new voice in the room. In reality, nothing major has changed for the Canucks' roster other than the loss of Cory Schneider. The Sedins will still work their magic together; a healthy Ryan Kesler for a full season will help their depth at centre; Kevin Bieksa again leads the defence which will try to block more shots under Tortorella's system. The only difference that could effect the Canucks is if they buy in to what Tortorella is preaching. I think they do and make the playoffs again.

So, that was a quick breakdown of the seven teams in the Pacific Division. Now, let's see how they shake out in the standings.

1. Los Angeles Kings
2. Vancouver Canucks
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Phoenix Coyotes
5. Edmonton Oilers
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Calgary Flames

Obviously, based on this, I think the Ducks were a fluke last year and can't sustain that level of play. With both Western Conference divisions now done, I believe Phoenix and Winnipeg makes the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Oilers, the injuries to start the season will just be too difficult to make up.

Well, there you have it. That's how I think the NHL will finish after 82 games. How do you think the season will go for all of the divisions. Sound off in the comments below or let us known on Twitter - also below.

Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.

NHL Season Preview: Central Division

One of the criticisms from Eastern Conference teams is the number of teams in their conference. There are six guaranteed playoff spots, leaving 10 to fight for the two Wild Card spots.

By comparison, the Western Conference has it easy, with only eight teams left to fight for two spots. Does it make it any less challenging? Not really, but it will be something to play with at the end of the season. "Which Eastern Conference team got screwed?" I can already see all of the blogs and Twitter rants about it now.

But that's not what now is about. We take our preview to the aforementioned Western Conference (read the Eastern Conference here and here) with a look at the Central Division - the home to the defending Stanley Cup Champions and a potential champion this year as well.

Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks took full advantage of the shortened season last year. They used their speed to win games during the regular season, including 24 straight games with a point during the regular season. The roster hasn't changed much since the final buzzer went that awarded the 'Hawks the Cup. Dave Bolland, who scored the Stanley Cup winning goal, was traded to the Leafs shortly after the season. Ray Emery left to fight for the starting job in Philadelphia. That's all well and good for Chicago as they have shown forward depth to replace Bolland without mentioning the likes of Toews, Kane, and Hossa. Emery would be the back-up as the Blackhawks inked Corey Crawford to a six-year contract extension in September. On defence, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook lead the defence and could both potentially make Canada's team for Sochi. Chicago also has players on the blue line that are tough and will get down to block shots. This could be another shot at the Cup for the Blackhawks. That's funny since they just recently broke their 49-year drought in 2010.

Colorado Avalanche
A new season for the Avalanche brings a new coach into the mix. Straight out of the QJMHL, Patrick Roy comes back to his former team to lead them back to the playoffs. He has a young team to work with, including players such as Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. However, that inexperience is one of their biggest problems. The team is prone to going on losing streaks they can't bring themselves out of before it's too late. One of the reasons could be the offence. In the 48-game season last year, only two players had above 40 points (Duchene and PA Parenteau with 43). The next closest player was Paul Statsny with 24. Defensively, only five of the players who played more than 25 games had a positive plus-minus rating. How much of that was the goaltending? Semyon Varlamov has 21 regulation losses in 33 starts, with a save percentage just about .900. It could be another rough year for the Avalanche. However, this division seems to have a wide open race for the third playoff spot. If someone like Varlamov catches fire, it could be enough. But, most likely they'll finish near the bottom of the division.

Dallas Stars
Bolstered by a new uniform design and logo, the Stars made some changes on the ice as well. One of the biggest moves was acquiring Tyler Seguin from Boston for Loui Eriksson. One of the underrated players coming over in the deal is Rich Peverley, who should help shore up the third line. They also added Shawn Horcoff, who desperately needed a change of scenery from Edmonton. The defence is pretty strong with puck-moving defencemen like Alex Goligoski and Sergei Gonchar. I've always liked Trevor Daley's game, and Stephane Robidas rounds out a quality top-4. Kari Lehtonen will get the lion's share of starts between the pipes. He's a strong goalie who had a goals against average of 2.66 last season. With new captain Jamie Benn, this team is going to make a very strong run for third place in the division.

Minnesota Wild
The Wild made the biggest splash last offseason when they signed both Ryan Suter and Zach Parise for identical, expensive contracts. After a short camp and season last year, expect the chemistry with the team to be better after adding those big ticket players. Also great for Minnesota was the addition of Jason Pominville at the trade deadline last season from Buffalo. He adds leadership, scoring, and grit to the team, making the Wild that much harder to play against. Nino Niederreiter was added at the draft from the Islanders and his speed could add some life to the offence. He is able to create and score when giving the opportunity, which was hard on Long Island with all of the young players trying to find a spot. Sutor anchors the blue line with a good mix of veterans and young players. They should be an improved unit over last season. As for goalies, Josh Harding was the feel-good story of the NHL last season, playing extremely well while battling MS. Combined with starter Niklas Backstrom, the Wild will be hard to score against. They will be one of the teams in the mix for either the Wild Card or third place in the division.

Nashville Predators
The Predators may have got the steal of the 2013 NHL Draft when Seth Jones fell into their lap at the 4th overall selection. Thought to be the best prospect in the draft for most of the season, Jones will be a significant player in the future for the Preds. He looks like he has made the roster this year, so the learning curve for the young defenceman will be steep. The rest of the unit is led by captain Shea Weber, and will be a strong point for the team. The team will be offensively-challenged, especially with Martin Erat being traded to the Captials last season. It'll be interesting to see how Filip Forsberg fits onto the roster as well. Pekka Rinne will be very strong in net again for Nashville and will be one of the reasons they potentially make the playoffs. If he has an off year, Nashville will be at the bottom of the conference again. He'll have to step his game up to make this team competitive.

St. Louis Blues
This will be the team to challenge the Chicago Blackhawks for the division crown. Why? The St. Louis Blues are deep. They can confidently put out any of their top-6 defencemen at any time. Fresh off a big contract extension, Alex Pietrangelo is the best player of the unit and has a strong chance to make the Canadian Olympic team. Offensively, they added Brenden Morrow a couple of days ago, traded for former-Oiler Magnus Paajarvi, and signed Max LaPierre for some grit. They are still a very physical team all-around, and have a balanced offensive attack to go along with it. The Blues can also be confident either putting Brian Elliott or Jaroslav Halak in between the pipes on any given night. The Blues will definitely be a playoff team this year, with a potential to go very deep in the playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets
This season will be key in determining how travel really effects an NHL team over the course of a full season. With Detroit moving into the East, Winnipeg is now in the West - and rightfully so. It will definitely help their travel schedule as they don't have to consistently fly to places like Florida and Tampa Bay. In net, Ondrej Pavelec has been solid for the Jets and should continue to play well for the team. The Jets have some solid defencemen in players like Zach Bogosian, Dustin Byfuglien and Marc Stuart. They also have some young players who can come up and have an impact on the blue line. The forwards are led by Andrew Ladd, who has grit and puts the puck in the net. Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane can both score in bunches for Winnipeg. Mark Scheifele will have a very good rookie season, with Calder Trophy potential. The Jets were really close last year to making the playoffs for the first time since the relocation. They will be close again.

Now, here is how the division will finish:

1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Dallas Stars
4. Winnipeg Jets
5. Minnesota Wild
6. Nashville Predators
7. Colorado Avalanche

Up next is the Pacific Division, which will clear up the playoff picture for the Western Conference. Will one of these Central teams in the bottom four be able to make the playoffs as a Wild Card? Or, will the Pacific steal both spots? Find out in the next post!

Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.

NHL Season Preview: Metropolitan Division

A lot changed this offseason in the National Hockey League. Coupled with all of the usual free agent signings, trades, and roster cuts, the NHL went under the knife and had a huge face lift.

For starters, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings both moved to the Eastern Conference to give them more favourable travel schedules. Both teams now won't have to fly out west as often, greatly reducing the fatigue accompanied by flying first class across the continent.

How did the NHL make room for them in the Eastern Conference? Simple! They cut the number of divisions from six to four. Now, the conferences are split 16-14 in favour of the East. Gone are the Northeast, Southeast, and Northwest Divisions. Enter the Metropolitan Division. Yes, that's right. That's the name the league settled on.

With the new divisions, there was also a new playoff format. The top-3 teams in each division make the playoffs. Then, the next two highest point totals in the conference make the playoffs as Wild Cards.

Anyways, this is the preview for the newest division in the NHL: The Metropolitan Division!

Carolina Hurricanes
The biggest addition this offseason for the Hurricanes may just be a healthy Cam Ward. When healthy, Ward and the Hurricanes were 9-6-1 during his 16 starts. The rest of the season? Dan Ellis and Justin Peters' combined record was 10-19-3-2. Bring back an all-world talent will definitely put Carolina back on track in the division. His presence between the pipes will improve the team's defence, especially picking up some abysmal plus-minus ratings on the team (Jordan Staal and Jeff Skinner were a combined -39). The Canes also survived a scare during the World Hockey Championship when Eric Staal had a knee-on-knee collision with Alexander Edler. Staal, Carolina's captain, will be back in time for the regular season and he will need to continue his stellar play from last year, putting up 53 points in 48 games. The Hurricanes won't be one of the top-3 in the division, but they could challenge for a Wild Card spot. However, the Staal Brothers and the Hurricanes won't make it this year.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Jarmo Kekäläinen begins his first full season as General Manager of the Blue Jackets and he made some moves in the offseason. Kekäläinen signed Nathan Horton away from the Boston Bruins (even though he'll miss the first couple of months with a shoulder injury) and re-signing Vezina-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to a contract extension. Bobrovsky carried this team last year, as his play was the only reason the Blue Jackets were even talking about the playoffs in March. He had to win games on his own as no player on the current roster had more than 30 points last season (Marion Gaborik only had 8 points after being acquired from the Rangers). When Horton gets back, he'll be expected to carry some of that load offensively. Keep an eye out for rookie Boone Jenner. He was a man amongst boys in the OHL last season and is looking like he'll play on Columbus' first line when the season opens. It'll be a much tougher test for the Blue Jackets this year. With the new alignment, I don't expect to see Columbus anywhere near a playoff position.

New Jersey Devils
The Devils made the best move of any team when they stole Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks for their first round pick. Compared to what the rumours were last season for Roberto Luongo and what the Canucks were allegedly asking for from the Oilers, New Jersey comes out smelling like roses. They have a goalie who can now play right away, while slowly taking the reigns away from future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. It will protect the Devils in case of injury in the crease, but also set them for the future. What ruined some future plans was the "retirement" of Ilya Kovalchuk. He was their main offensive weapon last year and was supposed to be a major threat going forward. The Devils have now lost three of their best players in two years with Zach Parise signing in Minnesota and David Clarkson signing in Toronto. For New Jersey to stay competitive, they'll need Adam Henrique to bounce back and Jaromir Jagr to keep fighting off Father Time. Also, Travis Zajac will have to put up some numbers to support the extension he recently signed. If the Devils win games this year, they will be of the 2-1 or 3-2 variety. Unfortunately for them, that won't be good enough in a very competitive division and conference.

New York Islanders
One of the pleasant surprises from last season was this Islanders team making it into the playoffs and giving the Pittsburgh Penguins a scare in the first round. Led by MVP candidate and new captain John Tavares, I don't see this Brooklyn-bound team taking a step backwards this season. His game will continue to improve and the chemistry with linemate Matt Moulson will keep the offence flying on Long Island this season. The question will be on the back end as they failed to sign former captain Mark Streit. There are some holes defensively now, which might expose aging netminder Evgeni Nabokov. The Finnish goalie had 23 wins on the season last year, but had an average save-percentage of .910. Tavares and Moulson will have to put up impressive numbers again for this young team to be competitive in the division.

New York Rangers
The New York media will have some much calmer post-game conferences as John Tortorella was fired by the team during the offseason. Enter Alain Vigneault as the new coach. He inherits a team that floundered in the second round of the playoffs last year against the Bruins. You can't count out this Rangers team when they have a goalie as good as Henrik Lundqvist playing 65 to 70 games this season. Arguably the best goalie in the world, Lundqvist provides stability for New York's defence. He proves the saying that you build a team from the crease out. The defence also does an outstanding job of blocking shots for their goalie, making them a hard team to score goals against. The return of Mark Staal will help bolster the back-end to make the unit even stronger. New York hopes that Brad Richards will return to form after a very disappointing season that saw him become a healthy scratch in the playoffs. If he gets his game back, expect to see a bump in points to Rick Nash as well.

Philadelphia Flyers
It seems strange to say, but one of the concerns for the Philadelphia Flyers would have to be the blueline. Chris Pronger is still on injured reserve as does not look like he'll play again. They brought in Mark Streit to help out the unit. He, Kimo Timmonen, and Andrej Meszaros will provide veteran leadership amongst the defenders to guide young guns like Luke Schenn to improvement. Offensively, this team should be fine. Led by captain Claude Giroux, the Flyers will have plenty of scoring with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, Jakub Voracek, and Scott Hartnell. Keep an eye out for Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn to have big seasons as they fully adjust to the NHL level. As always, questions between the pipes will arise as Ray Emery and Steve Mason will fight for the starting job. Emery will probably emerge as the Number One guy, but the team will still struggle at times.

Pittsburgh Penguins
It's hard to bet against a team that has the two of the top three players on the planet in their starting line-up. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will continue to produce at an unbelievable level. If healthy, you can pretty well pencil them both in for 100-point seasons. The Penguins are also deep. They can run three lines at you that can score, with many of them being able to play above average to good defence. Adding Rob Scuderi will help improve the depth amongst the six defencemen. Kris Letang will also quarterback a very intimidating power play unit. Like the Flyers, the question will be be in net. Marc-Andre Fleury didn't make it through the first round agains the Islanders. He was replaced by Tomas Vokoun who demonstrated his ability to take the ball and run with it. Will Fleury be able to overcome whatever is between his head and have a bounce back season? That will determine where the Penguins finish in the standings this year.

Washington Capitals
The Capitals are always a curious team. They put up great regular seasons, but flame out quickly in the playoffs. How much of that was due to the weak Southeast Division? Well, we'll find that out this year as the Capitals will only bring the Hurricanes with them to the new Metropolitan division. As for breaking down the team, Alexander Ovechkin continues to be the spark plug and motor of this team. As he goes, so do the Capitals. If he plays anything like the second half of last season which earned him the Hart Trophy, then Washington will be fine. Nicklas Backstrom will help Ovechkin carry the load offensively. Martin Erat was a nice pick up last season to add secondary scoring. A big factor for the Caps I believe will be the addition of Mikhail Grabovski. While he never lived up to the contract in Toronto, he provided great energy and grit amongst the bottom six when he settled into his role in Randy Carlyle's system. On the back end, the group is largely unchanged. Mike Green - when healthy - can put up great offensive numbers. Karl Alzner will continue to provide great defence and take a lot of the minutes in their own zone. In net, Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth will continue to fight. However, Holtby has proven he can take the majority of the starts. The Capitals could be a dangerous team this year.

Division Standings

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. New York Rangers
3. Washington Capitals
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. New York Islanders
6. Carolina Hurricanes
7. New Jersey Devils
8. Columbus Blue Jackets

Well, that's how I think the Metropolitan will play out this season. When I finish the Northeast Atlantic Division preview, I'll combine the two and show how I think the full conference will play out. Come back and check it out!

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