As we stand a handful of games into this season, you can't help but feel the excitement of this team once again. There is a renewed purpose, a new drive with younger players such as Stamkos and Hedman wanting a taste of the playoffs, with the addition of the old guard in place like fan favorites Lecavalier, St. Louis, and the return of Kubina.

The question that stands out at this point, though, is how far can this team go, and on the back of whom? Standing tall between the pipes are two goaltenders contrasting in both style and size. The six-foot-three, two-hundred pound Kingston, ONT. born Mike Smith, returning for his third full season (2007-2008 being a small sample post trade deadline), and the six-foot, one hundred eighty five pound Saskatoon born Dan Ellis, a recent signing as a free agent after spending his professional career to this point with the Nashville Predators.

Potentially, our season hinges on at least one of the backs of these two goaltenders. The question is, with both a new offensive and defensive structure, what can we expect or hope for from both our skaters and our goaltending?

A little statistical analysis after the jump.

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