NHL 2011-2012 Season Preview

The NHL season preview is here! I give you my X-factor and breakout players for each team as well as their additions and departures. Enjoy!

By: Charlie Roumeliotis

Twitter: @CRoumeliotis

NHL 2011-2012 SEASON PREVIEW

Anaheim Ducks

Last season: 47-30-5, 99 points (2nd place Pacific Division, 4th place Western Conference)

Additions: C Andrew Cogliano, LW Jean-Francois Jacques, D Kurtis Foster, D Matt Smaby, G Jeff Deslauriers

Departures: C Todd Marchant, LW Jarkko Ruutu, D Andreas Lilja, G Ray Emery

X-Factor: Jonas Hiller 

Breakout Player: Luca Sbisa

Boston Bruins

Last season: 46-25-11, 103 points (1st place Northeast Division, 3rd place Eastern Conference, Stanley Cup Champions)

Additions: LW Benoit Pouliot, D Joe Corvo

Departures: RW Mark Recchi, RW Michael Ryder, D Tomas Kaberle, D Shane Hnidy

X-Factor: Tyler Seguin

Breakout Player: Brad Marchand

Buffalo Sabres

Last season: 43-29-10, 96 points (3rd place Northeast Division, 7th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C/W Ville Leino, RW Ales Kotalik, D Christian Ehrhoff, D Robyn Regehr

Departures: C Tim Connolly, C Rob Niedermayer, RW Mike Grier, D Steve Montador, D Craig Rivet, G Patrick Lalime

X-Factor: Christian Ehrhoff

Breakout Player: Tyler Ennis

Calgary Flames

Last season: 41-29-12, 94 points (2nd place Northwest Division, 10th place Western Conference)

Additions: RW Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond, D Chris Butler

Departures: RW Ales Kotalik, D Adam Pardy, D Robyn Regehr, D Steve Staios

X-Factor: Mikka Kiprusoff

Breakout Player: Matt Stajan

Carolina Hurricanes

Last season: 40-31-11, 91 points (3rd place Southeast Division, 9th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Tim Brent, LW Alexei Ponikarovsky, RW Anthony Stewart, D Tomas Kaberle, G Brian Boucher

Departures: LW Cory Stillman, RW Erik Cole, D Joe Corvo

X-Factor: Jeff Skinner

Breakout Player: Tuomu Ruutu

Chicago Blackhawks

Last season: 44-29-9, 97 points (3rd place Central Division, 8th place Western Conference)

Additions: LW Andrew Brunette, LW Daniel Carcillo, LW Rostislav Olesz, RW Jamal Mayers, D Sami Lepisto, D Steve Montador, D Sean O'Donnell, G Ray Emery 

Departures: C Jake Dowell, C Ryan Johnson, LW Troy Brouwer, RW Tomas Kopecky, RW Fernando Pisani, D Brian Campbell, D Chris Campoli, D Jordan Hendry, G Marty Turco

X-Factor: Dave Bolland

Breakout Player: Michael Frolik

Colorado Avalanche

Last season: 30-44-8, 68 points (4th place Northwest Division, 14th place Western Conference)
Additions: C Joakim Lindstrom, RW Chuck Kobasew, D Jan Hejda, D Shane O'Brien, G Jean-Sebastian Gigure, G Semyon Varlamov
Departures: C Philippe Dupuis, C/W Tomas Fleischmann, D Adam Foote, D John Michael-Liles, G Peter Budaj, D Brian Elliott 

X-Factor: Semyon Varlamov

Breakout Player: Matt Duchene

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last season: 34-35-13, 81 points (5th place Central Division, 13th place Western Conference)

Additions: C Jeff Carter, C/W Vinny Prospal, D Radek Martinek, D James Wisniewski

Departures: LW Nikita Filatov, Ethan Moreau, RW Chris Clark, RW Scottie Upshall, RW Jakub Voracek, D Jan Hejda, D Craig Rivet, D Anton Stralman, G Mathieu Garon

X-Factor: Steve Mason

Breakout Player: Derick Brassard

Dallas Stars

Last season: 42-29-11, 95 points (5th place Pacific Division, 9th place Western Conference)

Additions: C Jake Dowell, RW Michael Ryder, RW Radek Dvorak, RW Eric Godard, LW Vernon Fiddler, D Adam Pardy, D Sheldon Souray

Departures: C Brad Richards, C Jason Williams, RW Jamie Langenbrunner, D Karlis Skrastins, D Jeff Woywitka

X-Factor: Alex Goligoski

Breakout Player: Jamie Benn

Detroit Red Wings

Last season: 47-25-10, 104 points (1st place Central Division, 3rd place Western Conference)

Additions: RW Chris Conner, D Mike Commodore, D Ian White, G Ty Conklin

Departures: C Kris Draper, C Mike Modano, D Ruslan Salei, D Brian Rafalski, G Chris Osgood

X-Factor: Niklas Kronwall

Breakout Player: Drew Miller

Edmonton Oilers

Last season: 25-45-12, 62 points (5th place Northwest Division, 15th place Western Conference)
Additions: C Eric Belanger, LW Ben Eager, LW Darcy Hordichuck, LW Ryan Smyth, D Cam Baerker, D Yann Danis, D Andy Sutton
Departures: C Andrew Cogliano, C Colin Frasier, LW Jean-Francois Jacques, LW Steve MacIntyre, RW Zack Stortini, D Kurtis Foster, D Jason Strudwick, D Jim Vandermeer

X-Factor: Taylor Hall

Breakout Player: Sam Gagner

Florida Panthers

Last season: 30-40-12, 72 points (5th place Southeast Division, 15th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Marcel Goc, LW Sean Bergenheim, LW Tomas Fleischmann, RW Matt Bradley, RW Tomas Kopecky, RW Scottie Upshall, RW Kris Versteeg, D Brian Campbell, D Ed Jovanovski, G Jose Theodore

Departures: C Marty Reasoner, LW Rostislav Olesz, LW Sergei Samsonov, RW Niclas Bergfors, RW Steve Bernier, G Tomas Vokoun

X-Factor: Brian Campbell

Breakout Player: Jack Skille

Los Angeles Kings

Last season: 46-30-6, 98 points (4th place Pacific Division, 7th place Western)

Additions: C Mike Richards, C Colin Fraser, LW Simon Gagne

Departures: C Brayden Schenn, C Michal Handzus, LW Ryan Smith, LW Alexei Ponikarovsky, RW Wayne Simmonds

X-Factor: Anze Kopitar

Breakout Player: Dustin Penner

Minnesota Wild

Last season: 39-35-8, 86 points (3rd place Northwest Division, 12th place Western Conference)

Additions: C/W Darrell Powe, RW Dany Heatley, RW Devin Setoguchi, D Matt Lundin

Departures: C John Madden, LW Andrew Brunette, RW Martin Havlat, RW Chuck Kobasew, RW Antti Miettinen, D Cam Barker, D Brent Burns

X-Factor: Niklas Backstrom

Breakout Player: Guillaume Latendresse

Montreal Canadiens

Last season: 44-30-8, 96 points (2nd place Northeast Division, 6th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Blair Betts, LW Erik Cole, D Chris Campoli, G Peter Budaj

Departures: C Jeff Halpern, D James Wisniewski, D Roman Hamrlik, D Brent Sopel, D Paul Mara, D Alexandre Picard, D Benoit Pouliot, G Alex Auld

X-Factor: Carey Price

Breakout Player: Max Pacioretty

Nashville Predators

Last season: 44-27-11, 99 points (2nd place Central Division, 5th place Western Conference)

Additions: RW Niclas Bergfors, RW Zack Stortini

Departures: C Marcel Goc, C Matthew Lombardi, LW Steve Sullivan, RW J.P. Dumont, RW Joel Ward, D Cody Franson, D Shane O'Brien

X-Factor: Pekka Rinne

Breakout Player: Matt Halischuk

New Jersey Devils:

Last season: 38-39-5, 81 points (4th place Atlantic Division, 11th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: LW Eric Boulton, RW Cam Janssen

Departures: LW Pierre Luc-Letourneau Leblond, D Anssi Salmela

X-Factor: Zach Parise

Breakout Player: Jacob Josefson

New York Islanders

Last season: 30-39-13, 73 points (5th place Atlantic Division, 14th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Marty Reasoner

Departures: C Rob Schremp, C Doug Weight, C Zenon Konopka, LW Jesse Joensuu, D Bruno Gervais, D Radek Martinek

X-Factor: Rick DiPietro

Breakout Player: John Tavares

New York Rangers

Last season: 44-33-5, 93 points (3rd place Atlantic Division, 8th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Brad Richards, C/W Michael Rupp

Departures: C Chris Drury, C Vinny Prospal, LW Alex Frolov, D Matt Gilroy, D Bryan McCabe

X-Factor: Mark Staal

Breakout Player: Derek Stepan

Ottawa Senators

Last season: 32-40-10, 74 points (5th place Northeast Division, 13th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Zenon Konopka, LW Nikita Filatov, G Alex Auld

Departures: RW Ryan Shannon

X-Factor: Jason Spezza

Breakout Player: Nikita Filatov

Philadelphia Flyers

Last season: 47-23-12, 106 points (1st place Atlantic Division, 2nd place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Maxime Talbot, C Brayden Schenn, LW Jaromir Jagr, RW Jakub Voracek, RW Wayne Simmonds, G Ilya Bryzgalov

Departures: C Mike Richards, C Jeff Carter, C Darroll Powe, C Blair Betts, LW Ville Leino, LW Dan Carcillo, RW Nikolay Zherdev, RW Kris Versteeg, D Sean O'Donnell, G Brian Boucher.

X-Factor: Ilya Bryzgalov

Breakout Player: James van Riemsdyk

Phoenix Coyotes

Last season: 43-26-13, 99 points (3rd place Pacific Division, 6th place Western Conference)

Additions: C Alexandre Bolduc, C Boyd Gordon, LW Raffi Torres, G Mike Smith, G Curtis McElhinney, G Justin Pogge

Departures: C Eric Belander, C Andrew Ebbett, D Ed Jovanovski, G Ilya Bryzgalov

X-Factor: Mike Smith

Breakout Player: Radim Vrbata

Pittsburgh Penguins

Last season: 49-25-8, 106 points (2nd place Atlantic Division, 4th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: LW Steve Sullivan, LW Steve MacIntyre, D Alexandre Picard

Departures: C Maxime Talbot, C Mike Comrie, C/W Michael Rupp, RW Alex Kovalev, RW Chris Conner, RW Eric Godard

X-Factor: Jordan Staal

Breakout Player: Mark Letestu

San Jose Sharks

Last season: 48-25-9, 105 points (1st place Pacific Division, 2nd place Western Conference)

Additions: C Michal Handzus, C Andrew Murray, RW Martin Havlat, D Brent Burns, D Jim Vandermeer 

Departures: C Scott Nichol, C Kyle Wellwood, RW Dany Heatley, RW Devin Setoguchi, RW Jamal Mayers, LW Ben Eager, D Kent Huskins, D Ian White. 

X-Factor: Martin Havlat

Breakout Player: Marc-Eduoard Vlasic

St. Louis Blues

Last season: 38-33-11, 87 points (4th place Central Division, 11th place Western Conference)

Additions: C Jason Arnott, C Scott Nichol, RW Jamie Langenbrunner, D Kent Huskins, G Brian Elliott

Departures: LW Paul Kariya, LW Cam Janssen, G Ty Conklin

X-Factor: Jaroslav Halak

Breakout Player: Chris Stewart

Tampa Bay Lightning

Last season: 46-25-11, 103 points (2nd place Southeast Division, 5th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: LW Tom Pyatt, RW Ryan Shannon, D Bruno Gervais, D Matt Gilroy, G Mathieu Garon

Departures: LW Simon Gagne, LW Sean Bergenheim, D Randy Jones, D Mike Lundin, G Mike Smith 

X-Factor: Martin St. Louis

Breakout Player: Viktor Hedman

Toronto Maple Leafs

Last season: 37-34-11, 85 points (4th place Northeast Division, 10th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Tim Connolly, C Philippe Dupuis, C Matthew Lombardi, LW David Steckel D Cody Franson, D John Michael-Liles

Departures: C Tim Brent, LW Fredrick Sjostrom, D Brett Lebda, G Jean-Sebastian Giguere

X-Factor: James Riemer

Breakout Player: Cody Franson

Vancouver Canucks

Last season: 54-19-9, 117 points (1st place Northwest Division, 1st place Western Conference)

Additions: C Andrew Ebbett, LW Marco Sturm, RW Mike Ruco, RW Steve Pinizzotto, D Mark Mancari, D Alexander Sulzer

Departures: LW Tanner Glass, LW Jeff Tambellini, LW Raffi Torres, D Christian Ehrhoff

X-Factor: Ryan Kesler

Breakout Player: Jannik Hansen

Washington Capitals

Last season: 48-23-11, 107 points (1st place Southeast Division, 1st place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Jeff Halpern, RW Troy Brouwer, RW Joel Ward, D Roman Hamrlik, G Tomas Vokoun

Departures: C Jason Arnott, C Eric Fehr, C Boyd Gordon, LW Marco Sturm, RW Matt Bradley, D Tyler Sloan, D Scott Hannan, G Semyon Varlamov

X-Factor: Alexander Semin

Breakout Player: Troy Brouwer

Winnipeg Jets

Last season: 34-36-12, 80 points (4th place Southeast Division, 12th place Eastern Conference)

Additions: C Aaron Gagnon, LW Tanner Glass, RW Eric Fehr, D Randy Jones, D Derek Meech

Departures: C Rob Schremp, LW Eric Boulton, RW Anthony Stewart, D Freddy Meyer

X-Factor: Dustin Byfuglien

Breakout Player: Evander Kane