Pre-Season Team Report Card: GGopher (Jordan)

Calgary (CP) In this edition, we look at GGopher.

Immediate Needs:

+ 3 F projected for 80+ PPts

+ 3 D projected for 50+ PPts

What They Got:

+ D Mathieu Schneider ANA

+ F Rob Brind'Amour CAR

+ F Chris Kunitz ANA

+ D Alexei Zhitnik PHI

+ D Tom Preissing LAK

Analysis:

After the aforementioned Cammalleri gaffe, Jordan had a lot of ground to make up to satisfy the outcry from his fans. He made up for it on Draft Day nabbing several key aquisitions to improve his team significantly. He had major issues upfront and at the back and with the drafting of Brind'Amour and Schneider, they were addressed. Kreuger will be competitive once again in the early going but needs to make a significant move or two to bring in a top forward to have a shot.

Trading Block:

+ G Tomas Vokoun FLA

+ F Chris Clark WAS

+ F Paul Kariya STL

Questions:

+ Can Dustin Brown become a Top 6 forward?

+ Will the love affair with the Kings be Jordan's Achille's heel?

+ Can Sillinger be productive without Blake's scoring?

Injury Concerns:

+ G Vokoun (Illness)

+ F Nagy (Never has played a full season)

+ D Jovanovski (Shoulder)

Grades:

+ Draft (A): Took the biggest leap on Draft Day getting 2 keepers in the process.

+ Forwards (B-): Has about six forwards with break-out potential but most had off years last season. If they all produce then he could have as many as 4 - 100 PPts scorers.

+ Defence (B-): A lot of solid defencemen in this group but success will hinge on how much Jovocop plays.

+ Goalies (A): Would've been an A+ but Vokoun's departure to FLA downgrades his value. Best tandem in the league that could be used to obtain key players later on.

+ Overall (B-): A potential dark horse in the pool that could do damage.