Welcome to the new version of PrimePucks™ NHL IN 30 for 2015-2016. In the past we would give you our daily countdown to who we think would be the Stanley Cup champions but this year we are using a totally different format as most major websites are doing exactly what we were doing; bringing you a full, detailed synopsis of each NHL team from 30 to 1.  This season we thought mixing it up a bit would be more interesting.  Face it, for most “fantasy poolies”, it’s the players on the top teams that one cares about because you won’t get hit with poor plus/minus figures and you are more likely to get major point distribution from the better teams in the league.  The new format will have three parts to it.  It will be somewhat some of the same old format for the third part but with a different twist on the first two parts.  The final 16 teams will be written up in the same old style which was a full article featuring one of the playoff teams as we countdown to the Stanley Cup Champions.  At least, what we think will be the Stanley Cup Champions.  The first two parts will be broken down this way.  The first article will feature the 7 teams we think will not be fighting for a playoff spot come the second half of the season but rather, fighting for a chance to pick first overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in June 2016.  We will call that article, NHL IN 30: LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1.  The second part will be a feature spotting the 7 teams that will just fall short of the coveted playoff berth which will be entitled, NHL IN 30: CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR.  Today we spotlight the 7 teams who will struggle this season and will eventually start to compete, or should we say somewhat-compete, for the right to select 2016’s NHL Entry Draft #1 prospect Austen Matthews.  8 teams from the Eastern Conference will fail to qualify for the playoffs while 6 teams from the Western Conference will have the same fate. I’m surprised they couldn’t come up with a more balanced approach but it is what it is. So here goes, your brand new NHL IN 30. PART I: LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1 It may be difficult to duplicate last year’s hoopla with regards to the 2015 NHL Entry Draft can’t-miss prospects Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel but Austen Matthews will get enough attention once the draft draws closer and the novelty of McDavid and Eichel begin to wear off.  Matthews has pure talent that will help an NHL team immediately and some of those teams that might be salivating at getting a chance at such a players are listed below.  Which team will get the best probability at snagging that coveted first overall pick come June?  Let’s have a PrimePucks™ look at who we think will have the best chances. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: The Canucks took on a new head coach last year and with aging veterans Henrik and Daniel Sedin and along with the departure of Ryan Kesler to the Anaheim Ducks, it surely seemed like the Canucks were on their way to a lottery pick in last year’s draft.  But the Sedin twins had another good season in them and Head Coach Willie Desjardins worked his magic that he wielded so well in the AHL and the Canucks danced came April.   They lost to the upstart Calgary Flames in the first round and it looks like the Canucks are on the downside slope of their chances of winning Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Not much has changed during the off-season except longtime D-man Kevin Bieksa went south to Anaheim a la Kesler and Brandon Sutter came in a trade for Nick Bonino.  The competition is getting tougher and their best players are getting older, thus a season to start thinking of rebuilding.  FANTASY OUTLOOK:  The Sedins may have a year left in the tank, but not at their prime levels, while D-man Alex Edler could have a 40-point season as a rebound player, but draft him late. EDMONTON OILERS: The team with four first overall draft picks in the past 5 seasons are bound to get better, but having all that young talent takes time to mature and will need a little more time to develop but that time may be shortened by McDavid’s presence in the lineup now.  If Taylor Hall can stay healthy and Cam Talbot can lock down the slot in the blue paint, well the fans in Edmonton will start to feel good about their spirited young team.  RNH and Jordan Eberle showed what they are capable of during the last half of 2014-2015 so it’s just a matter of time before they start to put it all together.  Some more growing pains but their chances of getting another 1st overall pick will be dwindling now as the Oil get better.  They will be closer to competing for a playoff spot than last overall in the NHL and McDavid will be a joy to watch on that Edmonton ice.  FANTASY OUTLOOK:  Lots of options here with the talent coming of age.  Taylor Hall, RNH, Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov, McDavid, Justin Schultz…all should be quite high on your fantasy lists with Talbot worth an early mid-round selection. CAROLINA HURRICANES:  It is hard to believe that 9 years have gone by since the Canes won the Stanley Cup in 2006, especially having Eric Staal and Cam Ward as the base of your team, but it just goes to show you that one player can’t do it alone, or two for that matter.  You also need the right chemistry in the locker room and it seems the Hurricanes have been missing that for quite some time now.  It appears that they are in store for some more long seasons as they try to rebuild from the back end out.  With Haydn Fleury and Noah Hanifin drafted in the first rounds of the past 2 drafts, the Canes may be on the right path now.  But like we said earlier, it’s going to be a long journey on that path.  The Canes are really in a tough division and it doesn’t look like many teams ahead of them are going to drop down any time soon.  FANTASY OUTLOOK:  Staal still has the ability to get you major points but hasn’t done so in a while, so he’s a Do-or-Die pick.  Ward is still young (31 years old) but the team in front of him is so-so at best.  Justin Faulk finally showed what he is capable in 2014-2015 and should be able to repeat this year as well.  Newcomer James Wisniewski is an injury risk, but has loads of talent, a late round pick at best to fill in your defense.  Hanifin and Fleury are years away from making any kind of contribution. NEW JERSEY DEVILS:  Four short years ago the Devils battled the Los Angeles Kings in the Finals only to lose in 6 games.  But, Martin Brodeur was on his last legs and the team now is in a rebuilding mode.  GM Lou Lamoriello left to join the Toronto Maple Leafs and so, are the Devils in store for an elongated period of being just above an AHL team after being so good for so long?  They brought in G Cory Schneider in June of 2013, and Schneider keeps the team in every game but they lack quality scoring options as the team in front of him is getting older.  Look for some lean years ahead even with Schneider, who is clearly their best player.  Too bad he can’t score as well.  The Devils will have a good opportunity to snag that 1st overall pick come June.  Now that would make their fans excited again.  FANTASY OUTLOOK:  Schneider is your only big fantasy option as he will do well in all goalie categories except wins, so don’t expect a lot.  D-man Adam Larsson came on strong during the second half last year so maybe he is finally arriving.  Mike Cammalleri and Patrik Elias are getting older and past their prime.  Travis Zajac and Adam Henrique have been big disappointments the past few years.  Don’t expect a lot from this bunch. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS:  Everyone knows that the Leafs are in full-blown rebuilding mode as they traded away their best asset on Phil Kessel to the Penguins.  The Leafs actually began their season in good form only to self-destruct by the middle of December when they stood at 19-9-3 and locked in a playoff spot, although early in the season.  The major concern was the lack of defensive commitment from the team’s best forwards, therefore the sudden reversal of fortune.  The team has a lot of young talent who will need to step up their game in order to compete but that may be asking a lot from this young group.  Too much has to go exactly right so expect this team to have a better chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft in June 2016.  FANTASY OUTLOOK:  The only player worth considering would be James van Riemsdyk, but be careful not to draft too high as his plus/minus may hurt his production and the lack of elite talent around him will pull his numbers down a bit.  We love the talent on the back line with Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner, but again the surrounding talent is a bit questionable at best.  One player who may see his game take shape is Nazem Kadri.  Kadri has been criticized quite often in TO, but with new Head Coach Mike Babcock behind the bench, perhaps he can bring out the best in NK. BUFFALO SABRES:  Probably more deserving of McDavid than the Edmonton Oilers, the Sabres can’t complain about getting Jake Eichel with the second overall pick.  In fact, the Sabres improved a lot over the summer with the acquisitions of Robin Lehner, Ryan O’Reilly and David Legwand.  They also have Evander Kane who is a bit of an enigma but has explosive talent.  He could become what everyone thought he would be now on the wing of Eichel, but that chemistry needs to develop.  The defense is suspect at best right now and Lehner needs to show he can handle be a true number 1 goaltender.  Lots of questions but the future does look bright in snowy Buffalo. Perhaps this year they will snag the #1 pick in the 2016 draft.  FANTASY OUTLOOK:  Lots of offensive weapons now with Kane, Eichel, and O’Reilly and possibly Sam Reinhart, but don’t forget Tyler Ennis who led the team in points last season with 46 points, 5 better than Matt Moulson.  The first three mentioned are worth a look somewhat early in your draft, but not unless there are better options elsewhere. ARIZONA COYOTES:  Let’s face it.  The Coyotes need a lot of help and drafting Dylan Strome...