As we all know by now, it takes a lot of things to go well over an 82 game season for any team to win LTP. Good drafting/scouting, which in return allows you to stock pile a nice little commodity - attractable trade bait - is essential. You also need to make the right moves at the right time.. timing is big part IMO. Although, the biggest attribute in putting together a winning season is having 5 or 6 (the more the merrier) of your players having break-out seasons.
The Vikings broke out a few season back with players like Kovalchuk, Healtey, Richards, Lecavailer, St. Louis and Alfredsson all breaking out (and maybe even having career years) only a few seasons apart. If these players didn't all come together at the same time, The Viks do not have back-to-back Championships to their credit. To a lesser existent, The Coyotes had a break-out season of their own last companion with guys like Cheechoo, Boyes, Horcoff, Svatos (till he got hurt) and Suter all coming together to progress in the same season. This pushed them outta the bottom and allowed their expansion cousins the Canucks to dwell in the basement, once again. Last season was only the beginning of the Coyotes (possibly) coming together... the had part is having this sustain a few seasons.
This brings us to the present season. We've seen a change of the guard of sorts - I know its only the first month of a long season, things still look brighter for a few teams.
I'll start with the Canucks. With players like Semin, Vanek, Wellwood, Michalek, Frolov, Whitney and Ehrhoff all youngsters having nice break-out "starts" to this season - add players like Pothier, Stall and Gionta - players who could all have career years, and this team is well onto its way of becoming a real force. The Leafs are another team at the top currently that has had a few youngsters - Kopitar, Carle and LIles - doing much more than expected so early in their young careers. Having vets Jokinen, Koivu, Souray and Kariya all playing well and possibly having careers years will keep this team near the top all season long.
Another team backing my theory of the "break-out season" - and probably the team best supporting this theory is Ferrari. Team Ferrari has had a number of players score at a rate that they aren't accustomed to. Players like Morrow, Sykora, Smyth, Vyborny, Bourque, Ouellet, Salo, Van Ryn, Campbell and Handzus (until this recent injury that might keep him out of the season) have played well behind what they have done in the past... add Briere, Elias, Iginla and there goalies to the mix and we have a winning recipe here... will these guys keep it up? only time will tell... I will tell you this thou, if those players do keep it up, Ferrari will secure a top 3 spot come this April.