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 Star Gazing: Sports Forecaster 2008-09 Preview

Monday, August 11, 2008

The first of the major hockey yearbooks is out and the Sports Forecaster 2008-09 NHL Preview has lofty expectations for the Dallas Stars, predicting them to finish high in the standings and picking one Star to win a major trophy in 2008-09.

The Canadian publication predicts the Stars to win a Pacific Division that will produce four playoff teams, and finish second in the Western Conference to Detroit. The Sports Forecaster thinks Dallas could be on the road to another showdown with Detroit in 2008-09.

"As long as [Marty] Turco keeps stopping pucks, and the balanced attack continues to produce, the Stars will be contenders in the West," the publication said in its analysis of the Stars. "However, it's the potential impact that [Sean] Avery and/or [Fabian] Brunnstrom can provide that may be the difference between winning and losing versus Detroit this time around. It appears as though the two teams are once again on a collision course."

But the Sports Forecaster thinks the Stars and the rest of the league will fall short since the Red Wings are the pick to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in 2008-09.

Player Notes

Among some of the Sports Forecaster yearbook's thoughts on individual Dallas players:

• The Sports Forecaster has Stars goalie Marty Turco  as its pick for the 2008-09 Vezina Trophy winner. "Highly athletic and ultra-confident, Turco resides among a handful of elite goalies goaltenders in the game," said Sports Forecaster.
   

• Forward Fabian Brunnstrom is ranked fourth among NHL rookie forwards. Sports Forecaster's comment on Brunnstrom: "The highly-anticipated  late-blooming Swede should see a regular shift for Dallas and could pile up a bunch of assists."
   

• Forward Loui Eriksson is listed as the team's break through player, with the publication thinking he could hit close to 20 goals. "The skill-set to star," SF said of Eriksson.
   

• Matt Niskanen is listed as the team's player on the rise. "Last year's rookie sensation has just scratched the surface of his all-around potential," the SF said about Niskanen.

Projected Stats

The Sports Forecaster does fantasy projections in its yearbook and that means statistical predictions for key players. Here are the projections for Dallas players.

Projected NHL Playoff Teams

Here's how Sports Forecaster sees the playoff situation breaking down in the Western and Eastern Conference in 2008-09