KEY POINTS:
The quality of the international guest players is key in trying to pick a winner of this year's men's national league.
There is a surreal look to this year's competition which hits off at Lloyd Elsmore Park this morning.
In reverting to a week-long tournament after playing the showpiece championships as leagues spread over five weeks since 2000, Hockey New Zealand have asked a number of questions.
The suggestion is the NHL will revert to the league format next year but HNZ have an open mind on this. Either way, shortcomings have quickly been exposed, none more than the absence of almost half of the Black Sticks (men and women) who played at the Beijing Olympics.
The decision to go with a week-long, seven round-robin matches format - as a cost-saving measure _ brings another important change with only the top two teams qualifying for the September 28 finals. There will be no semifinals.
With so many top players missing, it is no surprise that coaches have gone offshore to fill the gaps. The quality of the imports may well determine the outcome.
Auckland, disappointed in missing the top four (semifinals) for the first time since 2000 and without Simon Child and, again, Ryan Archibald, have "gone to the market" with German Eike Duckwitz seen as key to their chances.
Richard Redfern, a former international who was a member of North Harbour's winning team in 2000, is now coaching Auckland who have won only once (2001) in the past eight years.
He has been fortunate in having Duckwitz, a 200-test veteran, ready to play after injury robbed him of his Olympic dream. Auckland also have American international Pat Harris in their line-up but as he has played the club season, he is not seen as an import. That second guest berth is taken by Malaysian Marcus Chua.
Redfern will get an early line on his team's chances in the last of today's eight matches when they play neighbours Midlands.
Coached by experienced Darren Smith who has never been slow in going "outside" to recruit players, Midlands rate a real chance.
Smith, who has Dion Gosling as his assistant, has signed experienced Australians Mathew Wells and David Guest who played in the 2004 gold medal-winning side in Athens and again in the team who took bronze in Beijing. They rate among the best imports to play NHL.
Midlands have also brought in former national squad member Sanjay Patel (from Auckland) to join top goalkeeper Stephen Graham and current or former Black Sticks Casey Henwood, Lloyd Stephenson and Richard Petherick in an imposing line-up.
Defending champions North Harbour have lost key players in Blair Hopping, Dave Kosoof and Ben Collier (all Beijing Olympians) with nine would-be first-choice players missing.
Coach Brent Edwards has done well in signing Trinidad and Tobago captain Kwan Browne. He will be joined by young New South Wales striker Ben Poulton. Steve Edwards is Harbour's only Olympian in their squad.
Wellington, now coached by Manoj Daji who faces a tough test in taking over from Peter Miskimmin, have brought back former Australian captain Brent Livermore who was a surprise omission from their Olympic team. Gareth Brooks is Wellington's only Olympian, having moved from Auckland.
Canterbury lost last season's final to Harbour making it through with an 11-goal haul from Hayden Shaw.
Shaw has since joined the European exodus leaving coach Grant Edwards and his assistant former New Zealand coach Robin Wilson with only Brad Shaw as a current international. He is joined by sometime internationals Michael Bevin, Nick Haig and Andy Hayward and Australian Adam Baxter in a team who face a real challenge to make the top four for the seventh consecutive season.
Southern, Central and Northland, the bottom three last season will need a massive turnaround to make much progress despite all looking beyond their boundaries to bolster their ranks.
NHL SERIES
Draw for first round, today
(all games Lloyd Elsmore Park)
Women
Midlands v Southern 11am
Northland v Central 1pm
Wellington v Auckland 3pm
North Harbour v Canterbury 5pm
Men
Canterbury v Southern noon
North Harbour v Northland 2pm
Wellington v Central 4pm
Midlands v Auckland 6pm
How they rate for 2008
MEN
Northland
2007: 8th
2008 prediction: 8th
North Harbour
2007: 1st
2008 prediction: 2nd
Auckland
2007: 5th
2008 prediction: 1st
Midlands
2007: 4th
2008 prediction: 3rd
Central
2007: 7th
2008 prediction: 7th
Wellington
2007: 3rd
2008 prediction: 4th
Canterbury
2007: 2nd
2008 prediction: 5th
Southern
2007: 6th
2008 prediction: 6th
Women
Northland
2007: 4th
2008 prediction: 7th.
North Harbour
2007: 2nd
2008 prediction: 2nd.
Auckland
2007: 8th
2008 prediction: 4th.
Midlands
2007: 3rd
2008 prediction: 3rd.
Central
2007: 5th
2008 prediction: 1st.
Wellington
2007: 1st
2008 prediction: 6th.
Canterbury
2007: 6th
2008 prediction: 5th.
Southern
2007: 7th
2008 prediction: 8th.
