Around The NHL Part XXX
- Thread starter Krams
- Start date
-
Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
- Status
if that happens then they will likely just use the normal divisions...the only reason they were doing a realignment was to avoid crossing the canadian border. if you have eliminated that issue they can just use regular divisions and have all teams play each other or atleast within the conference.
Edge
Kris King's Ghost
curious how the conferences will work....atlantic is all eastern teams...pacific is all western teams but the other 2 are a mix. for the playoffs they can simply have 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 in the division and then those winners face (like the old patrick division) and then randomly match up the 4 division winners for the final 4. but the 2 teams that advance would be conference champs so you could have an eastern conference team win the western conference
NoQuitInNewMexico
it's okay cause it's all just the way it should be
TominNC
Registered User
Imagine that, going for the shortest trips. Pittsburgh in with the Rangers, just like I said.
HFsNumber1Heel
FKA Roo Returns...Still A Contrarian Apparently
If Jacques Martin can get the Rangers to play defense, they should be in the 4-6 area.
They have enough offense for the regular season and the goaltending should be fine. Including Keith Kinkaid in the Colt McCoy role for that one.
Boston and Philly are going to be a pain in the ass, but both teams have potential issues. You never know if/when Rask goes full Donald Duck, and we all know the longer AV coaches a team, the more cracks begin.
Washington has a lot of uncertainty in goal now and their 4-6 D and bottom 6 depth don't do much for me.
Pittsburgh is like the team of misfit toys. That team better gel quickly or else they're in trouble. Also I don't love their goalie situation.
Islanders will be very good if they can sign Barzal. But they don't have much operating room when they sign him.
Buffalo and the Devils don't do much for me. Do I expect the Rangers to go a combined 16-0 against them? Of course not but they're not good teams.
They have enough offense for the regular season and the goaltending should be fine. Including Keith Kinkaid in the Colt McCoy role for that one.
Boston and Philly are going to be a pain in the ass, but both teams have potential issues. You never know if/when Rask goes full Donald Duck, and we all know the longer AV coaches a team, the more cracks begin.
Washington has a lot of uncertainty in goal now and their 4-6 D and bottom 6 depth don't do much for me.
Pittsburgh is like the team of misfit toys. That team better gel quickly or else they're in trouble. Also I don't love their goalie situation.
Islanders will be very good if they can sign Barzal. But they don't have much operating room when they sign him.
Buffalo and the Devils don't do much for me. Do I expect the Rangers to go a combined 16-0 against them? Of course not but they're not good teams.
Irishguy42
Mr. Preachy
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
Not a fan of these unbalanced divisions. I think everyone in our division will suffer production drops lol and some some players on the west or Canada will put up insane numbers.
Amazing Kreiderman
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2011
- 45,071
- 40,921
Replacing Lindy Ruff with Jacques Martin isn't going to magically fix our defense. We basically replaced Staal and Skjei with Johnson and Reunanen/Smith.
This defense isn't going to turn us into a play off team, regardless of who is behind the bench
NYSPORTS
back afta dis. . .
- Jun 17, 2019
- 7,993
- 4,459
1 - IMO, the Rangers have a long way to go defensively. I doubt all these divisional teams will play this regular season defensively like the playoffs so the Rangers be in the running for the 4th spot. It’s no layup IMO
2. Boston - that last leg from last year has more residual is my thinking. They’re tough. Philly - what in the world happened to them? They were two full steps ahead of the Rangers and looked like a very tough out. Then they got pushed around by the Isles with no fight, especially physically. What to think?
3 - Caps, a longer lifeline than Boston IMO.
4 - Pitt, show of hands, who is shocked they didn’t win the lottery? I think they’re done. Hoping they don’t win the 22 lottery while i think 21 looks so/so,
5 - Isles, can they play every night like it’s the playoffs? Doubt it
6 - Buffalo and Jersey - Not enough in Buffalo IMO while Jersey is a growing power IMO. Laf really bolstered the Rangers while Jersey has some nice talent. Can see Jersey playing the Rangers tough.
Fearless Forecast
1 - Boston
2 - Philly (but that playoff performance makes me wonder)
3 - Caps
4 - Rangers
5 - Pitt
6 - Isles
7 - Jersey
8 - Buffalo - and the Eichel to somebody talk begins (i’ll guess Colorado or Detroit)
PuckLuck3043
Stairway To Heaven
It's going to be the toughest division for sure. I agree with your top 3 but only team that is 100% better than everybody else is Boston. Philly has a solid roster and AV will always make the playoffs but their roster lacks high end talent with Hayes potentially their best scorer and they did not impress in playoffs. Caps are definitely getting older and will make it only because of Ovechkin. Rangers are 50/50 to get in. Defense is the key because we know they will score and Shesty/Georgiev tandem could be best in league. Pitt getting older and they are probably done but I guess you never know with Crosby and Malkin. Isles took advantage of covid cup and 4 month layoff, otherwise they would have missed playoffs and their roster will be worse than last year. Jersey and Buffalo are no pushovers but somebody has to finish towards the bottom and most likely will be those 2.
none of it is being done cause someone thinks its a good idea. being a fan of it doesn't matter. the alternative is to not have a season.
Barnaby
Registered User
Canada is going to go crazy with all their teams in one division battling for 4 spots.
Barnaby
Registered User
I wouldn’t count the Isles out yet behind that defense. Sorokin/Varlamov is a beast tandem too. They are likely to be right there with Shesterkin and Georgiev.
I still have a hard time seeing Pitt miss the playoffs absent injuries or atrocious goaltending.
I could see NYR finishing anywhere from 4-6 but here’s to hoping. I’ll survive if they don’t make it, but I want to see them in it down to the end at least. If they get in, then I think it’s because Shesterkin is a clear cut top 5 goalie this season.
Barnaby
Registered User
I don’t think anyone views this as an ideal scenario and we’ll see some hiccups, but it’s better than the alternative which is see you in 21-22
Barnaby
Registered User
Im not inspired by the defense but hopefully they can play a tighter system to allow for more assistance to the backend.
HFsNumber1Heel
FKA Roo Returns...Still A Contrarian Apparently
Skjei was the drizzling shits the last two years. Staal wasn't as bad as people said but he was not good. OK at times.
It's not only the defense as @Barnaby said the overall structure and supports from the forwards need to improve.
What Reunanen/K. Miller/Robertson lack in experience there will hopefully be an overall talent improvement AND intelligence over Skjei who became a dumb player, and speed.
These guys can't sit around forever. Between them and Hajek one should make the team. You gotta find out what you have in a cap league.
HFsNumber1Heel
FKA Roo Returns...Still A Contrarian Apparently
Islanders are a solid team but they essentially have three weeks to figure out their cap and get Barzal under contract. It's not an easy task and with internal budgets due to covid, they're not going to find a taker for a bad contract.
Even if they can sign Barzal, they're going to have problems fielding a 23 man roster.
Barnaby
Registered User
I think they’ll get it done. I don’t see Barzal being a guy who sits out, but I’ve been wrong before.
aufheben
#Norris4Fox
You never know. Remember when the Stars were a run-and-gun team? They changed coaches and were one of the best defensive teams the next season.
I’ve always felt that the challenge isn’t getting a team to play defense, it’s getting a team to play defense without sacrificing the offense.*
*To an extent.
HFsNumber1Heel
FKA Roo Returns...Still A Contrarian Apparently
But what cap room do they have after?
How do they have anyone else on a roster?
The only way is to put Ladd/Komarov on the AHL Taxi Squad.
Shesterkybomb
Registered User
- Dec 30, 2016
- 17,660
- 19,372
Staal was our worst d by far most nights, its not his fault, his vision wasnt good. I've never seen a guy have to pin the puck against the wall so many times because he couldn't find an outlet. That type of stuff is like kryptonite to a team,you cant get any flow going as players start to move up ice and have to come back. As bad as Jack Johnson is perceived he will be better than staal just based on vision. I think Skjei was tasked with doing too much and it overwhelmed him, I think Martin might have helped him here but i still like the trade for the cap savings.
Irishguy42
Mr. Preachy
- Status
