Central Division
1) St. Louis Blues
Strengths- This team is build on depth, and each line they throw out there is able to compete with any other teams top lines. Kevin Shattenkirk & Alex Pietrangelo are arguably the league’s best defensive pairing. T.J. Oshie, David Backes and Alex Steen fill out the league's most structured team top-to-bottom.
Weaknesses- Losing Ryan Miller to Vancouver leaves the job on Brian Elliott and Jake Allen who made a select amount of starts last year.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Paul Statsny, Peter Mueller, Carl Gunnerson
Place they Finish- 1st in Division and 2nd in Conference
2) Chicago Blackhawks
Strengths- Team did everything they need to do in the off-season by signing Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane long term. They added Stanley Cup winner Brad Richards to play on the Power Play with a bunch of very good forwards. Duncan Keith is a shoe-in for a Norris nomination each year, and Brent Seabrook is very underrated. Corey Crawford is a plus this year, despite the harsh critics, the guy is a good goalie, in the top-10 of the league.
Weaknesses- Dealing Nick Leddy was a must under a tight crunch with the NHL’s Salary Cap, but it was a tough blow.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Brad Richards, Dan Carcillo
Place they Finish- 2nd in Division and 3rd in Conference
3) Dallas Stars
Strengths- They added more fuel to the fire, which in this case is a good thing. Tyler Seguin emerged last year and played very well on a line with Jamie Benn. Toss in Ales Hemsky and big centre Jason Spezza and the Stars have a very strong offensive unit. Kari Lehtonen keeps the team in games.
Weaknesses- Outside of Trevor Daley they do not have any shut down defenseman and he is 5ft 11 inches. Will Spezza and Hemsky buy in to the defensive scheme?
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jason Spezza, Ales Hemsky, Andres Lindback, Patrick Eaves
Place they Finish- 3rd in Division and 6th in Conference
4) Colorado Avalanche
Strengths- They are young, fast, skilled, and more importantly they play both ends of the ice. Nathan Mckinnon, Matt Duchene, Ryan O’ Reilly and Gabriel Landeksog resemble the league’s best young team, with Head Coach Patrick Roy at the helm. Tyson Barrie will continue to develop as one of the league’s best puck-moving defenseman. They added veteran forwards Jarome Iginla and Daniel Briere, which will help them come playoff time. Semyon Varlamov is a legit number one goalie.
Weaknesses- Defense can look really bad some nights. Erik Johnson gets some help with veteran Brad Stuart as the team’s shut down defenseman.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jarome Iginla, Daniel Briere, Brad Stuart
Place they Finish- 4th in Division and 7th in Conference (WC1)
5) Nashville Predators
Strengths- Shea Weber leads a young team into a tough year. They are one of those bubble teams that could end up making the playoffs. They added James Neal, Olli Jokinen and Mike Ribiero to help the offensive shortage. Their defense is set with Seth Jones, Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis on the back end. I have them in the playoffs based purely on my belief that goalie Pekka Rinne will rebound from injury.
Weaknesses- Added scoring but still need more.
Off Season Moves Brought In- James Neal, Olli Jokinen, Mike Ribeiro, Derek Roy, Anton Volchenkov
Place they Finish - 5th in Division and 8th in Conference (WC2)
6) Minnesota Wild
Strengths- They can score in bunches. Thomas Vanek joins his former Buffalo Sabre Jason Pominville where he really had his best years. Mikko Koivu will vie for comeback player of the year and Zach Parise is good for at least 25 goals. On the backend they have reliable Ryan Suter and Jarred Spurgeon is one of the up-and-coming Dmen in the league.
Weaknesses- This team has good goaltending but too much of it with Nicklas Backstrom locked up long-term. While one of Josh Harding and Darcy Kuemper will be traded/waived.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Thomas Vanek, Justin Falk, Jordan Schroeder
Place they Finish- 6th in Division and 9th in Conference
7) Winnipeg Jets
Strengths- Team played better down the season last year under Head Coach Paul Maurice, but by that time they were out of it. Blake Wheeler is the team’s best offensive threat. They have one of the best home crowds in the league. Dustin Byflugien can play anywhere on the ice, and this year it seems like it could be at forward.
Weaknesses- Good players who just can’t seem to reach their potential. Look no further to Evander Kane. Ondrej Pavelec is not a number one goalie in the league. His good games are far and few. Did not fill holes in off-season.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Peter Budaj, Mathieu Perreault, TJ Galliardi
Place they Finish- 7th in Division and 13th in Conference
Pacific Division
1) Los Angeles Kings
Strengths- The defending Stanley Cup Champions kept everyone together including Marian Gaborik who plays very well with centre Anze Kopitar and should give them some more offense. Drew Doughty is one of the best players in the world and Jonathan Quick is a rock between the pipes.
Weaknesses- Shockingly, this team has stretches where they just do not score. They have become the masters at winning 1-goal games but those games take a toll on you, especially off a short summer.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Resigned Marion Gaborik
Place they Finish- 1st in Division and 1st in Conference
2) San Jose Sharks
Strengths- Even though they stripped the letters off Joe Thornton & Patrick Marleau this team is too gifted not to win. Their problems don’t take place during the 82 game season. Logan Couture & Joe Pavalski are studs and are good for 80+ point seasons if both are healthy. Brent Burns moves back to defenseman and plays with one of the best shut down guys in the game in Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Weaknesses- Team just can not find success in the playoffs. Antti Niemi did not play well last year, which opened up the door for Alex Stalock.
Off Season Moves Brought In- None
Place they Finish- 2nd in Division and 4th in Conference
3) Anaheim Ducks
Strengths- DO NOT fool yourself. Ryan Getzlaf & Corey Perry together, are the best 1-2 punch in the NHL. They acquired Ryan Kesler who will give the Ducks the NHL's best 1-2 centre combo.
Weaknesses- They lose Jonas Hiller between the pipes which leaves it to second year players Frederik Andersen and John Gibson. Both have showed promise, but the sample size is too small at this point. They also loss Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu to retirement.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Ryan Kesler, Dany Heatley, Clayton Stoner
Place they Finish- 3rd in Division and 5th in Conference
4) Vancouver Canucks
Strengths- Call this team- Team Bounceback. Ryan Miller is better then both Luongo and Schneider, so it’s funny how things turn out. But, he is coming off a poor showing with St.Louis in the post-season and it’s also the place he gave up the “Golden Goal”. Henrik Sedin and brother Daniel should bounce back from poor seasons. Alex Burrows should score more then five goals. Rookie Bo Horvat looks like he will make the team.
Weaknesses- They lose their heart and pulse in Ryan Kesler. They added Nick Bonino and Radam Vrbata but should struggle to score. Defense is suspect.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Ryan Miller, Nick Bonino, Radam Vrbata, Derek Dorsett, Bo Horvat
Place they Finish- 4th in Division and 10th in Conference
5) Calgary Flames
Strengths- This team is one of those that are a few years away from really competing. Shawn Monahan looks like he’s a keeper. Mark Giordano is underrated for what he does for this team. Outside of him though, there is not much.
Weaknesses- Sam Bennett starts the season needing surgery on his shoulder. Need to find creative ways to score, don’t have the depth yet to compete.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jonas Hiller, Mayson Raymond, Derek Engellend, Raphael Diaz, Devin Setoguchi
Place they Finish- 5th in Division and 11th in Conference
6) Arizona Coyotes
Strengths- They are a well coached team, and buy into the system. Mike Smith is a solid goalie, but he is as good as it gets in the desert. They added Sam Gagner which should bring some flare to an offense badly needing it. Keith Yandle despite trade rumors is a rock on the blue-line.
Weaknesses- Outside of Antoine Vermette and Gagner they don’t have much offense. Team should not give up a lot of goals based on the way they play, but they wont score much either.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Sam Gagner, Devin Dubnyk
Place they Finish- 6th in Division and 12th in Conference
7) Edmonton Oilers
Strengths- Do not know totally what to say about this team, that has been blessed with number one picks Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakapov. They have star-on-the-rise Jordan Eberle. David Perron and Teddy Purcell give this team some good scoring depth.
Weaknesses- Probably the worst defensive team in the league which is terrible news behind two backup goalies in Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Benoit Pouliot, Teddy Prucell, Nikita Niskanen
Place they Finish- 7th in Division and 14th in Conference
WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF MATCHUPS:
(C1) St. Louis Blues v. (WC1) Colorado Avalanche
(C2) Chicago Blackhawks v. (C3) Dallas Stars
(P1) Los Angeles Kings v. (WC2) Nashville Predators
(P2) San Jose Sharks v. (P3) Anaheim Ducks
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
2014-2015 NHL PREVIEW- Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
1) Montreal Canadiens
Strengths- It all starts with goaltending and Carey Price who at just 27 years of age has won an Olympic Gold Medal, World Junior Gold and a Calder Cup. Had it not been a horrific high-ankle sprain in the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers it could have also been a Stanley Cup added to his awards. In front of Price is a young solid core that GM Marc Bergevin has put in place. Led by their highest paid player in P.K. Subban, forwards Max Pacioretty and third year players Alex Galchenyuk & Brendan Gallagher, the Habs look bound to reach the playoffs and strive for number 25.
Weaknesses- People will question their leadership with the losses of Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges but that should not be a problem, with a tight nit team in place. Their real problems fall on the uncertainty at centre. With Galchenyuk starting the season on the wing, its a good problem to have, but he is a lot better suited down the middle of the ice, which leaves a decision for Head Coach Michel Therrian. The Canadiens also have veterans in Manny Malhotra, Tomas Plekanec, as well with Lars Eller and David Desharnais. On defense there only problem is who fits the 6th Defenseman spot; between Nathan Beaulieau and Jarred Tinordi
Off Season Moves Brought In- P.A. Parenteau, Manny Malholtra, Jiri Sekac, Tom Gilbert
Place they Finish- 1st in Division and 2nd in Conference
2) Boston Bruins
Strengths- The core of: Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand are a formidable group that can play with any Top-6 in the NHL. On Defense they have “Big-Z” Zedeno Chara who is the anchor of the group along with Dougie Hamilton and returning from injury Dennis Seidenberg. Goaltending is solid with Tukka Rask who is a lock for a 40-win season. They still compete every game and are one of the league’s best home team.
Weaknesses- They lost some character guys in Johnny Boychuk, Jarome Iginla and Shawn Thornton. For all the talent that the Bruins have they have a problem at times scoring goals.
Off Season Moves Brought In- None
Place they Finish- 2nd in Division and 4th in Conference
3) Tampa Bay Lightning
Strengths- Last year, the Lightning were a solid group behind new bench boss Jon Cooper. This year they went out and made moves to help Steven Stamkos replace the loss of Martin St.Louis. The additions of former Rangers Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman and last year they traded St. Louis for Ryan Callahan all should have big roles. There backend is a little shakey but Victor Hedman will benefit from the additions of Stralman and Jason Garrison should help out on Special Teams. Goalie Ben Bishop is determined to come back from injury and help his team reach the post-season again.
Weaknesses- Besides bona-fide superstar Steven Stamkos it’s hard to tell where all the scoring will come from, but Jonathan Drouin should help. They have an abundance of defenseman on the roster and they are also $2 million over the cap as of October 8th.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Anton Stralman, Jason Garrison, Brian Boyle, Brendan Morrow, Evgeni Nabokov
Place they Finish- 3rd in Division and 5th in Conference
4) Florida Panthers
Strengths- One thing’s for sure is that this team is building for the long haul with players like Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and now Aaron Ekblad. Roberto Luongo is under contract for a long time and will keep them in games.
Weaknesses- Every year it seems like a revolving door with the players that the Panthers acquire, deal, or lose to free agency. Who knows how long it will take for the team to “gel”. Goals will be tough to come by, but this team knows how to grind.
Off Season Moves Brought In- David Bolland, Shawn Thornton, Jussi Jokinen, Willie Mitchell, Greg Zanon
Place they Finish- 4th in Division and 7th in Conference (WC1)
5) Toronto Maple Leafs
Strengths- Scoring might seem easy for a guy like Phil Kessel but when he slumps so does the team. He has good chemistry with Tyler Bozak who on any other team would be a 2nd or 3rd line centre.
Weaknesses- Much more is expected out of Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul, and captain Dion Phaneuf. James Van Riemsdyk has played well as a Maple Leaf, but has the tendency like Lupul to miss time due to injuries. Jonathan Bernier has been good a times but there needs to be more consistency.
Off Season Moves Brought In- David Booth, Stephane Robidas, Roman Polak, Matt Frattin, Mike Santorelli
Place they Finish- 5th in Division and 9th in Conference
6) Ottawa Senators
Strengths- The Senators have one of the best players in the game in defenseman Erik Karlsson. Alongside newly signed Bobby Ryan and young forwards Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad this team finds a way to play well under Head Coach Paul MacLean.
Weaknesses- This team has many holes, goaltending is a question between Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner. Karlsson is great offensively but is no sure thing on defense and Chris Phillips is very old and Marc Methot wants out.
Off Season Moves Brought In- David Legwand
Place they Finish- 6th in Division and 11th in Conference
7) Detroit Red Wings
Strengths- Each year this team has their eyes set on the playoffs and with Henrik Zetterberg & Pavel Datsyuk there is always a chance. The team relishes in their “underdog” status and coach Mike Babcok will always have his team prepared. Can Gustav Nyquist and Jordan Tatar take the next step? Niklas Kronwall is the strong point on a very weak defensive line.
Weaknesses- Goaltender Jimmy Howard has been shaky the last few years, but does manage to play really good some times. Their defensive line used to be the core of the Red Wings success, now it’s their hindrance.
Off Season Moves Brought In- None
Place they Finish- 7th in Division and 14th in Conference
8) Buffalo Sabers
Strengths- The Sabers are building for the future and are a good few years away from actually competing. Cody Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Matt Moulson will lead the young guys while new captain Brian Gionta and defenseman Josh Gorges should supply valuable leadership.
Weaknesses- Goaltending is a problem with Jonas Enroth and Michael Neuvrith. Tyler Myers has played poorly to say the least since his rookie year, he needs to step it up. He will have the chance now that stay-at-home-defenseman Gorges is apart of the team. Despite Moulson there will be no one else on the team with 20+ goals.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Josh Gorges, Brian Gionta, Andrej Meszaros, Matt Moulson
Place they Finish- 8th in Division and 16th in Conference
Metropolitan Division
1) New York Rangers
Strengths- The Rangers biggest strength is there speed and there depth, oh and they have a guy by the name of Henrik Lundqvist A.K.A. “The King”. Head Coach Alain Vigneault took his team to the Stanley Cup in year one with the team and not much else is expected. Martin St. Louis will have a full season with the team and the loss of Brad Richards will open it up for Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider. Ryan McDonagh has emerged as one of the top defenceman in the Eastern Conference. Dan Boyle should be a nice replacement on the point during the Power Play.
Weaknesses- Team does not really boast a top centre, will have to score by committee. Rick Nash needs to step up and score 25-30 goals.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Dan Boyle, Lee Stempniak, Matthew Lombardi, Tanner Glass
Place they Finish- 1st in Division and 1st in Conference
2) Pittsburgh Penguins
Strengths- Sidney Crosby duh. Evgeni Malkin duh. Of course having two of the best players in the world helps. The team added good depth in Patrick Hornqvist who should go well with Chris Kunitz on Sid’s line. Kris Letang returns healthy and ready to go and hill be paired on the Power Play with newly acquired Christian Ehroff.
Weaknesses- For all the offensive prowess that the Penguins possess, they are not a sound team defensively and that is why Dan Bylsma was fired and Mike Johnston was brought in. Losing James Neal who seemed like such a good fit in Pittsburgh. Look for Marc-Andre Fleury to be dealt by the deadline as he will no longer be with this team after the season.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Christian Ehrhoff, Patrick Honrqvist, Steve Downie, Blake Comeau, Thomas Greiss
Place they Finish- 2nd in Division and 3rd in Conference
3) Columbus Blue Jackets
Strengths- They are young. They are fast. And they don’t mind being called underdog. With former Vezina trophy winner Sergei Bobrobsky manning the pipes and a youthful, fast team in front, this team will show everyone in the league why they gave the Penguins a handful in the playoffs last year. Ryan Johansen is the future captain of this team and Brandon Dubnsiky is the team’s pulse. Adding Scott Hartnell gave the team a much needed jolt of lightning on offense after losing Nathan Horton for an undisclosed amount of time.
Weaknesses- Defense is weak and promising star Ryan Murray is starting the season on the Injured Reserve.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Scott Hartnell
Place they Finish- 3rd in Division and 6th in Conference
4) Washington Capitals
Strengths- They can score with Alex Ovechkin. Nicklas Backstrom is a tremendous set-up man. Head Coach Barry Trotz should help them play better defensively with the likes of Mike Green and newly acquired Brooks Orpik & Matt Niskanen.
Weaknesses- For all the talent this team finds a way to blow it. Goalie Braden Holtby will be trusted with the starting role, with only Justin Peters as his backup
Off Season Moves Brought In- Matt Niskanen, Brooks Orpik, Head Coach Barry Trotz
Place they Finish- 4th in Division and 8th in Conference (WC2)
5) Philadelphia Flyers
Strengths- Team is build around Claude Giroux. They bring back R.J. Umberger who had his best season as a member of the Flyers. Brayden Scehnn & Sean Couturier will be counted on heavily.
Weaknesses- They lose the chemistry between Grioux and Scott Hartnell. First it was Chris Pronger, now it looks like Kimmo Timonen may never play hockey again. Defense is shaky to say the least. Can Steve Mason have another good year?
Off Season Moves Brought In- Michael Del Zotto, R.J. Umberger
Place they Finish- 5th in Division and 10th in Conference
6) New Jersey Devils
Strengths- Team still finds a way to score since losing Zach Parise. Mike Camalleri will fill that void. Martin Havlat is a project but at $1.5 million a year it’s worth the bargain. Jaromir Jagr seems to have found the fountain of youth and plays well along side Patrick Elias.
Weaknesses- Travis Zajac is their number one centre, which just won’t cut it. Martin Brodeur is no longer a Devil after more then two decades with the team. Cory Schneider has to prove that he can be a number one.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Mike Cammalleri, Scot Clemmensen, Scott Gomez, Tomas Kaberle, Martin Havlat, Jordan Tootoo
Place they Finish- 6th in Division and 12th in Conference
7) New York Islanders
Strengths- Made strong moves before the season started to bolster a weak defensive line. The additions of Stanley Cup winners Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk will help a young team. Captain John Tavares is a stud and should eclipse 100 points if he stays healthy.Kyle Okposo and Mikhail Grabovski will help JT on the offensive front. Moved to the Barclasys Centre in Brooklyn. Jaroslav Halak fills the pipes for a team that has needed a starting goalie for over a decade. Lots of depth on defense, with nine guys signed to the roster.
Weaknesses- Team can put up lots of goals on special teams, but the question remains if they can play better 5-on-5 hockey.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jaroslav Halak, Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin, Cory Conacher, Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk
Place they Finish- 7th in Division and 13th in Conference
8) Carolina Hurricanes
Strengths- Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal lead a team that is surely in the rebuild phase.
Weaknesses- Losing Jordan Staal before the season hurts for a team that can use as much offense as they can get. Goalie Cam Ward has not been good since 2010. No real top player on the backend.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jay McClement, Tim Gleason
Place they Finish- 8th in Division and 15th in Conference
Playoff Bracket
EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF MATCHUPS:
(A1) Montreal Canadiens v. (WC1) Florida Panthers
(A2) Boston Bruins v. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning
(M1) New York Rangers v. (WC2) Washington Capitals
(M2) Pittsburgh Penguins v. (M3) Columbus Blue Jackets
1) Montreal Canadiens
Strengths- It all starts with goaltending and Carey Price who at just 27 years of age has won an Olympic Gold Medal, World Junior Gold and a Calder Cup. Had it not been a horrific high-ankle sprain in the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers it could have also been a Stanley Cup added to his awards. In front of Price is a young solid core that GM Marc Bergevin has put in place. Led by their highest paid player in P.K. Subban, forwards Max Pacioretty and third year players Alex Galchenyuk & Brendan Gallagher, the Habs look bound to reach the playoffs and strive for number 25.
Weaknesses- People will question their leadership with the losses of Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges but that should not be a problem, with a tight nit team in place. Their real problems fall on the uncertainty at centre. With Galchenyuk starting the season on the wing, its a good problem to have, but he is a lot better suited down the middle of the ice, which leaves a decision for Head Coach Michel Therrian. The Canadiens also have veterans in Manny Malhotra, Tomas Plekanec, as well with Lars Eller and David Desharnais. On defense there only problem is who fits the 6th Defenseman spot; between Nathan Beaulieau and Jarred Tinordi
Off Season Moves Brought In- P.A. Parenteau, Manny Malholtra, Jiri Sekac, Tom Gilbert
Place they Finish- 1st in Division and 2nd in Conference
2) Boston Bruins
Strengths- The core of: Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand are a formidable group that can play with any Top-6 in the NHL. On Defense they have “Big-Z” Zedeno Chara who is the anchor of the group along with Dougie Hamilton and returning from injury Dennis Seidenberg. Goaltending is solid with Tukka Rask who is a lock for a 40-win season. They still compete every game and are one of the league’s best home team.
Weaknesses- They lost some character guys in Johnny Boychuk, Jarome Iginla and Shawn Thornton. For all the talent that the Bruins have they have a problem at times scoring goals.
Off Season Moves Brought In- None
Place they Finish- 2nd in Division and 4th in Conference
3) Tampa Bay Lightning
Strengths- Last year, the Lightning were a solid group behind new bench boss Jon Cooper. This year they went out and made moves to help Steven Stamkos replace the loss of Martin St.Louis. The additions of former Rangers Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman and last year they traded St. Louis for Ryan Callahan all should have big roles. There backend is a little shakey but Victor Hedman will benefit from the additions of Stralman and Jason Garrison should help out on Special Teams. Goalie Ben Bishop is determined to come back from injury and help his team reach the post-season again.
Weaknesses- Besides bona-fide superstar Steven Stamkos it’s hard to tell where all the scoring will come from, but Jonathan Drouin should help. They have an abundance of defenseman on the roster and they are also $2 million over the cap as of October 8th.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Anton Stralman, Jason Garrison, Brian Boyle, Brendan Morrow, Evgeni Nabokov
Place they Finish- 3rd in Division and 5th in Conference
4) Florida Panthers
Strengths- One thing’s for sure is that this team is building for the long haul with players like Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and now Aaron Ekblad. Roberto Luongo is under contract for a long time and will keep them in games.
Weaknesses- Every year it seems like a revolving door with the players that the Panthers acquire, deal, or lose to free agency. Who knows how long it will take for the team to “gel”. Goals will be tough to come by, but this team knows how to grind.
Off Season Moves Brought In- David Bolland, Shawn Thornton, Jussi Jokinen, Willie Mitchell, Greg Zanon
Place they Finish- 4th in Division and 7th in Conference (WC1)
5) Toronto Maple Leafs
Strengths- Scoring might seem easy for a guy like Phil Kessel but when he slumps so does the team. He has good chemistry with Tyler Bozak who on any other team would be a 2nd or 3rd line centre.
Weaknesses- Much more is expected out of Nazem Kadri, Joffrey Lupul, and captain Dion Phaneuf. James Van Riemsdyk has played well as a Maple Leaf, but has the tendency like Lupul to miss time due to injuries. Jonathan Bernier has been good a times but there needs to be more consistency.
Off Season Moves Brought In- David Booth, Stephane Robidas, Roman Polak, Matt Frattin, Mike Santorelli
Place they Finish- 5th in Division and 9th in Conference
6) Ottawa Senators
Strengths- The Senators have one of the best players in the game in defenseman Erik Karlsson. Alongside newly signed Bobby Ryan and young forwards Kyle Turris and Mika Zibanejad this team finds a way to play well under Head Coach Paul MacLean.
Weaknesses- This team has many holes, goaltending is a question between Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner. Karlsson is great offensively but is no sure thing on defense and Chris Phillips is very old and Marc Methot wants out.
Off Season Moves Brought In- David Legwand
Place they Finish- 6th in Division and 11th in Conference
7) Detroit Red Wings
Strengths- Each year this team has their eyes set on the playoffs and with Henrik Zetterberg & Pavel Datsyuk there is always a chance. The team relishes in their “underdog” status and coach Mike Babcok will always have his team prepared. Can Gustav Nyquist and Jordan Tatar take the next step? Niklas Kronwall is the strong point on a very weak defensive line.
Weaknesses- Goaltender Jimmy Howard has been shaky the last few years, but does manage to play really good some times. Their defensive line used to be the core of the Red Wings success, now it’s their hindrance.
Off Season Moves Brought In- None
Place they Finish- 7th in Division and 14th in Conference
8) Buffalo Sabers
Strengths- The Sabers are building for the future and are a good few years away from actually competing. Cody Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Matt Moulson will lead the young guys while new captain Brian Gionta and defenseman Josh Gorges should supply valuable leadership.
Weaknesses- Goaltending is a problem with Jonas Enroth and Michael Neuvrith. Tyler Myers has played poorly to say the least since his rookie year, he needs to step it up. He will have the chance now that stay-at-home-defenseman Gorges is apart of the team. Despite Moulson there will be no one else on the team with 20+ goals.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Josh Gorges, Brian Gionta, Andrej Meszaros, Matt Moulson
Place they Finish- 8th in Division and 16th in Conference
Metropolitan Division
1) New York Rangers
Strengths- The Rangers biggest strength is there speed and there depth, oh and they have a guy by the name of Henrik Lundqvist A.K.A. “The King”. Head Coach Alain Vigneault took his team to the Stanley Cup in year one with the team and not much else is expected. Martin St. Louis will have a full season with the team and the loss of Brad Richards will open it up for Derek Stepan, Carl Hagelin and Chris Kreider. Ryan McDonagh has emerged as one of the top defenceman in the Eastern Conference. Dan Boyle should be a nice replacement on the point during the Power Play.
Weaknesses- Team does not really boast a top centre, will have to score by committee. Rick Nash needs to step up and score 25-30 goals.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Dan Boyle, Lee Stempniak, Matthew Lombardi, Tanner Glass
Place they Finish- 1st in Division and 1st in Conference
2) Pittsburgh Penguins
Strengths- Sidney Crosby duh. Evgeni Malkin duh. Of course having two of the best players in the world helps. The team added good depth in Patrick Hornqvist who should go well with Chris Kunitz on Sid’s line. Kris Letang returns healthy and ready to go and hill be paired on the Power Play with newly acquired Christian Ehroff.
Weaknesses- For all the offensive prowess that the Penguins possess, they are not a sound team defensively and that is why Dan Bylsma was fired and Mike Johnston was brought in. Losing James Neal who seemed like such a good fit in Pittsburgh. Look for Marc-Andre Fleury to be dealt by the deadline as he will no longer be with this team after the season.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Christian Ehrhoff, Patrick Honrqvist, Steve Downie, Blake Comeau, Thomas Greiss
Place they Finish- 2nd in Division and 3rd in Conference
3) Columbus Blue Jackets
Strengths- They are young. They are fast. And they don’t mind being called underdog. With former Vezina trophy winner Sergei Bobrobsky manning the pipes and a youthful, fast team in front, this team will show everyone in the league why they gave the Penguins a handful in the playoffs last year. Ryan Johansen is the future captain of this team and Brandon Dubnsiky is the team’s pulse. Adding Scott Hartnell gave the team a much needed jolt of lightning on offense after losing Nathan Horton for an undisclosed amount of time.
Weaknesses- Defense is weak and promising star Ryan Murray is starting the season on the Injured Reserve.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Scott Hartnell
Place they Finish- 3rd in Division and 6th in Conference
4) Washington Capitals
Strengths- They can score with Alex Ovechkin. Nicklas Backstrom is a tremendous set-up man. Head Coach Barry Trotz should help them play better defensively with the likes of Mike Green and newly acquired Brooks Orpik & Matt Niskanen.
Weaknesses- For all the talent this team finds a way to blow it. Goalie Braden Holtby will be trusted with the starting role, with only Justin Peters as his backup
Off Season Moves Brought In- Matt Niskanen, Brooks Orpik, Head Coach Barry Trotz
Place they Finish- 4th in Division and 8th in Conference (WC2)
5) Philadelphia Flyers
Strengths- Team is build around Claude Giroux. They bring back R.J. Umberger who had his best season as a member of the Flyers. Brayden Scehnn & Sean Couturier will be counted on heavily.
Weaknesses- They lose the chemistry between Grioux and Scott Hartnell. First it was Chris Pronger, now it looks like Kimmo Timonen may never play hockey again. Defense is shaky to say the least. Can Steve Mason have another good year?
Off Season Moves Brought In- Michael Del Zotto, R.J. Umberger
Place they Finish- 5th in Division and 10th in Conference
6) New Jersey Devils
Strengths- Team still finds a way to score since losing Zach Parise. Mike Camalleri will fill that void. Martin Havlat is a project but at $1.5 million a year it’s worth the bargain. Jaromir Jagr seems to have found the fountain of youth and plays well along side Patrick Elias.
Weaknesses- Travis Zajac is their number one centre, which just won’t cut it. Martin Brodeur is no longer a Devil after more then two decades with the team. Cory Schneider has to prove that he can be a number one.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Mike Cammalleri, Scot Clemmensen, Scott Gomez, Tomas Kaberle, Martin Havlat, Jordan Tootoo
Place they Finish- 6th in Division and 12th in Conference
7) New York Islanders
Strengths- Made strong moves before the season started to bolster a weak defensive line. The additions of Stanley Cup winners Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk will help a young team. Captain John Tavares is a stud and should eclipse 100 points if he stays healthy.Kyle Okposo and Mikhail Grabovski will help JT on the offensive front. Moved to the Barclasys Centre in Brooklyn. Jaroslav Halak fills the pipes for a team that has needed a starting goalie for over a decade. Lots of depth on defense, with nine guys signed to the roster.
Weaknesses- Team can put up lots of goals on special teams, but the question remains if they can play better 5-on-5 hockey.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jaroslav Halak, Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin, Cory Conacher, Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk
Place they Finish- 7th in Division and 13th in Conference
8) Carolina Hurricanes
Strengths- Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal lead a team that is surely in the rebuild phase.
Weaknesses- Losing Jordan Staal before the season hurts for a team that can use as much offense as they can get. Goalie Cam Ward has not been good since 2010. No real top player on the backend.
Off Season Moves Brought In- Jay McClement, Tim Gleason
Place they Finish- 8th in Division and 15th in Conference
Playoff Bracket
EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF MATCHUPS:
(A1) Montreal Canadiens v. (WC1) Florida Panthers
(A2) Boston Bruins v. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning
(M1) New York Rangers v. (WC2) Washington Capitals
(M2) Pittsburgh Penguins v. (M3) Columbus Blue Jackets
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