Second Sixes in the Central Division

Marian Hossa	R.J. Umberger	Todd Bertuzzi	J-P Dumont	David Backes
Troy Brouwer	Jakub Voracek	Valtteri Filppula	David Legwand	Alex Steen
Tomas Kopecky	Derrick Brassard	Dan Cleary	Joel Ward	Brad Boyes
Brent Seabrook	Kris Russell	Niklas Kronwall	Francis Bouillon	Roman Polak
Niklas Hjalmarsson	Jan Hejda	Brad Stuart	Kevin Klein	Barret Jackman
Marty Turco	Mathieu Garon	Chris Osgood		Ty Conklin

Well, we're out West now in this comparison between second sixes, the next level down from the big guns. This look is just theoretical and doesn't have a great deal of meaning to it, just killing some time with names and places and such.  We now head over to the Central Division, where we have another blank space (meaning an open job), a second goalie likely moving up to the best six soon and some good young players.

The Blackhawks may have been picked apart, but their second six does have their starting goalie (or the goalie that will move up to the best six once a destination is found for Cristobel Huet) in Marty Turco, a top pairing blueliner, a blueliner that got some notoriety from an offer sheet and three hard working forwards, including a former 40-goal scorer.  It's hard not to like the Blackhawks as the favourite in this depth position.  Even a switch at goal would still keep them as a favourite, because Turco's play is still a bit of a question mark.

In Columbus, they have a solid potential for offense from their 4, 5 & 6 forwards on this list, which I think can turn a few heads in the 2011 season.  I would be looking to Voracek to finally come through like he has been touted to, while Umberger and Brassard have plenty of goal scoring capability, which should make them very alluring to poolies this Fall.  Russell is emerging as a reliable offensive defenseman and Hejda seems to be able to find points here and there, which is definitely what you want in a depth defender.  Garon might be the biggest concern, since there is a good possibility that Steve Mason might have a bounce back year.

Continuing from left to right it seems, the Red Wings have some solid veteran depth that shouldn't really be discounted, but some of their numbers from 2010 might do that for a person.  The wildcard of the second six in this group is Dan Cleary, who did have 34 points in 64 games, but his role may be diminished even further with the acquisition of Mike Modano.  The Red Wings still have some great depth on the blueline with Kronwall and Stuart, you know they will be early favourites among the blueliners, while Osgood has definitely got second-fiddle written all over him going into the year.  Good, but not as much of a favourite as the first two.

The Blues have lots of NHL-ready young players, most of which have already had plenty of ice-time in their young careers, but this second three is in need of a more-established catalyst, as Brad Boyes has somehow lost some pop out of his scoring touch.  The three forwards on the list will do alright in the draft, but they could use a little more oomph.  The defense isn't too bad, but Jackman isn't going to be a big point-producer, so he probably won't be picked at all.  Conklin will have to be patient behind Halak in net, but Halak isn't the 75-start goalie that most poolies worry about when picking a back-up. 

The Predators don't seem to have a back-up goalie and the prospect of using a prospect as the number two guy might not sit well with many poolies, leaving the Predators alone in that position.  The Predators do have some good goaltending prospects, which could end up as good sleepers, the way the Predators move through goalies, but we'll play wait-and-see there.  The Predators have a couple familiar faces up front, while Joel Ward is still earning his stripes in the league and may not be a go-to-guy for poolies.  The blueline does drop off a little after their top two, but Bouillon and Klein should end up with good minutes, but there are more prospects in their system, who could do much better.  Transition is going to get the better of Nashville in the draft here.

Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, St. Louis and Nashville is the order that I like the Central in this match-up, but there is still plenty of change to happen with deals and signings still to happen.