Over in the Eastern Conference, you might have a better chance figuring out the next winner of the World Series of Poker rather than trying to assess which team might be the best a year from now. Ottawa could easily make a return trip to the finals next, if it weren't for the fact that no losing finalist has returned to the Cup final the following spring since the 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers.

Buffalo was the sexy pick at the start of last season and for the longest time, it appeared the Sabres would live up to that billing. But unless they find a way to fit all of their stars into what figures to be a $48-50-million salary cap — centers Daniel Briere, Chris Drury and Dainius Zubrus and defenseman Teppo Numminen are all unrestricted free agents — the Sabres figure to fall short once more.

"I think the product of this league now is that you are going to see changes and you won't be able to share future experiences with some of the guys," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

Like LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins are in the process of learning those lessons that will one day soon make Pittsburgh a championship contender again after earning the club's first playoff appearance since 2000-01 in 2006-07.

Crosby, recently named captain of the Penguins — at 19 years, 297 days of age he became the youngest captain in NHL history — feels the schooling the club got in its playoff series against Ottawa this spring was the first step in the process.

"The next level, obviously, you play to win Stanley Cups," Crosby said. "When you look back on your career, you want to be able to say you won the Stanley Cup. And I think that's something that drives me every time I play, every summer and every season."

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With the New Jersey Devils fading and the New York Rangers overachieving last season, it's hard to make a case right now for any other team having a chance to emerge from the East at this point.

Remember this, though — prognosticating the future is hardly an exact science. The two teams that played for the Stanley Cup in 2005-06 — the Carolina Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers — didn't even make the playoffs in 2006-07.

A year ago, who would have predicted that?

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