OPENING FACEOFF

OTTAWA SENATORS

BOOM There was a time when the Senators had a handful of point-per-game producers and a team goal differential in the triple digits. These are not those Senators. This version of the Sens is a hard-working group that wills and overachieves its way to success. If you’re looking for The Little Engine That Could, these are your guys. With a collection of good-but-not-great forwards, the Sens will be challenged in the firepower department, but they could quietly surprise. And from the net out, things don’t look too bad. The Senators have managed to get Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner under long-term contract extensions, which gives them some stability and security in goal. Lehner is ready to push for the No. 1 job in Ottawa, but Anderson will be eager to re-establish…

WE LIKE DUCKS FOR CUP*

THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS AND LOS ANGELES KINGS are, in the opinion of the deep thinkers at The Hockey News, the class of the NHL. Chicago is our pick to win the Cup, while the defending champs have, by far, the best chance of preventing that from happening. It’s a virtual two-horse race, with, as senior writer Ken Campbell analyzes on pg. 18, the co-favorites, having remarkably similar pedigrees. But what if…we’re wrong? Unlikely, we realize, but not impossible. If both clubs get eliminated from contention, which dark horse is best positioned to come from the outside and bask in the winner’s circle? According to our soothsayers, it’s Anaheim, by a duck bill. While Tampa and Boston received considerable attention as our tier-two favorite, we believe the Ducks’ skill, size, speed and goaltending…

NEW YORK RANGERS

BOOM A Rangers team that gave the Kings a modicum of resistance before falling in five games in the Stanley Cup final suffered some losses – and made some gains – over the summer. The departures of Anton Stralman and Brian Boyle will sting, but buying out Brad Richards was addition by subtraction. Meanwhile, adding puck-moving D-man Dan Boyle will take a middle-of-the-pack power play and make it one of the league’s best, thanks to his point presence and right-handed shot. And as maligned as Rick Nash was during the playoffs for his lack of production, he was a great two-way player all season, facing tough competition and driving possession. Young guns Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Carl Hagelin and Mats Zuccarello are the here and now, with veterans Martin St-Louis and…