The Hockey News Predicts the Dallas Stars will finish 12th

The Hockey News are in the period of predicting how teams will do with the regular season about 6 weeks away. Today they predicted that the Toronto Maple Leafs & Dallas Stars will finish 12th in their respective conferences. So like many experts, they thanking that a 3rd straight year without playoffs is among the team.

The main reason why they predicting about the team finishing 12th in the West is because the lack of defense and shaky goaltending with Kari Lehtonen expecting to be the starter with Brent Krahn and Andrew Raycroft to battle for the back up role.

Here's the comments from the Hockey News: http://www.thehockeynews.com/

It was an official changing of the guard in Dallas this summer, with mainstays Mike Modano and Marty Turco leaving via free agency for Detroit and Chicago and Jere Lehtinen still unsigned. Offense isn't the problem in 'Big D' as Brad Richards seems to have found his former assist happy self and the next wave of scores - Loui Eriksson, James Neal, Jamie Benn - are improving and settling into the grove. The major obstacle here is the defense, where Trevor Daley and Matt Niskanen have to step up, and goaltending, where Kari Lehtonen needs to figure out a way to get through a season healthy.

To see all the Team Comments, Click Here

Here's the Current Rankings so far from 15th to 12th so far and I will continue to put them on here as the Predictions continue to roll in. Click on the Team Links to see the Team Pages.

Western Conference

15. Edmonton Oilers

14. Columbus Blue Jackets

13. Minnesota Wild

12. Dallas Stars

11. Anaheim Ducks

10. Nashville Predators

9. Colorado Avalanche

8. Calgary Flames

7. Phoenix Coyotes

6. St. Louis Blues

5. Los Angeles Kings

4. Chicago Blackhawks

3. Detroit Red Wings

2. San Jose Sharks

1. Vancouver Canucks

Eastern Conference

15. Florida Panthers

14. NY Islanders

13. NY Rangers

12. Toronto Maple Leafs

11. Atlanta Thrashers

10. Ottawa Senators

9. Carolina Hurricanes

8. Montreal Canadiens

7. Tampa Bay Lightning

6. Buffalo Sabres

5. New Jersey Devils

4. Philadelphia Flyers

3. Boston Bruins

2. Pittsburgh Penguins

1. Washington Capitals