Fearless Predictions
By Bob Grove

New icing rules will have a bigger effect than most fans realize.

Almost all of the NHL’s proposed rule changes have prompted spirited debate among hockey fans - except the modifications to icing. This season, teams that ice the puck cannot make player changes after the whistle. A time-tested survival technique for players who get caught on the ice too long, who sense shifts in momentum or who realize disastrous matchups when they see them, icing the puck is no longer a quick and easy solution. Late in the third period, in fact, it could be a game-breaker. Another new facet of the changes to icing, however, might sometimes rescue those who can adapt to it: linesmen now have the ability to waive off icing if they believe it resulted from a missed pass.

The St. Louis Blues’ streak of 25 consecutive playoff appearances will end.

The Blues haven’t missed the playoffs since Jimmy Carter was president in 1979, but they suffered three big losses this summer when Chris Pronger was traded to Edmonton, Al MacInnis retired and Pavol Demitra signed with Los Angeles. Sure, they played almost all of 2003-04 without MacInnis and received solid Eric Brewer in the exchange for Pronger. But the departing defensemen ate huge minutes every night and contributed at both ends, while Demitra remains one of the league’s best forwards. Mike Kitchen, essentially a rookie head coach, enters a more offensive era with little scoring depth, and Keith Tkachuk is not a guy you can lean on 82 games per season. Central Division rivals Chicago, Nashville and Columbus all did more to upgrade.

There won’t be enough shootouts to satisfy fans.

During the 2003-04 season, 13.8 percent of NHL games ended in ties. If scoring increases as expected, there should be fewer games going to the five-minute overtime. With a wider distribution of skilled players throughout the league and rules designed to facilitate playmaking, fewer overtime periods will end in ties. Fans will revel in the shootout, but they might see one only once every 10 games played by their favorite team.

Sidney Crosby’s presence will benefit every young player in the Penguins’ lineup.

With the media microscope trained on Crosby, less experienced players will have less pressure and more breathing room to continue their development. That’s a good thing for Marc-Andre Fleury, Konstantin Koltsov, Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik, among others.