Atlantic Standings Predictions Thread

viceroy

Registered User
Mar 5, 2011
1,911
974
Montreal suburbs
Every year people question if this is the year Boston drops out and needs to start some sort of a rebuild, and every year they're at the top of the League. They struggle in the post-season at times, but I don't think anyone needs to worry if they'll make the playoffs or not.

As a Habs fan I of course hate the Bruins but I have no doubt they'll be at the dance this season. They'll be there because they're tough sons of biatches. *spits on the ground*

The other thing is Vasy was pretty terrible last year. So having him back to normal, or even just average or above, should make us a better.

Yeah. What was wrong with him last season? Nagging injury? What?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Ladyfan

DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
48,001
24,372
NB
As a Habs fan I of course hate the Bruins but I have no doubt they'll be at the dance this season. They'll be there because they're tough sons of biatches. *spits on the ground*



Yeah. What was wrong with him last season? Nagging injury? What?

Kind of a mystery. I mean he WAS coming off a fairly major back surgery. So that undoubtedly factored in. And we would be satisfied with that explanation if the issues hadn't been ongoing for a bit.

He really, REALLY struggled with floating shots from the point. Looked like he couldn't track the puck.
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
47,720
16,282
I'm more certain of the top 4 changing within the next 3 years than anything else to do with the division.

The only way I see that happening sooner is if something happens to Swayman or Vasi.

And you might ask what about Bob? The Panthers still have Knight.

there is no insurance policy in Tampa or Boston.

Florida still has their insurance policy
 

wintersej

Registered User
Nov 26, 2011
23,465
19,562
North Andover, MA
Meh, 12-8-1 in March/April compared to 13-5-8 in Jan/Feb. Not a huge drop off but OTL inflated the point totals in the middle of the season and allowed FLA to catchup at the end when they were just losses.

Yeah, the Bruins led the league in being up after two and were 6th worst in getting two points after leading after 2. Only playoff team in the bottom 10 at getting 2 points after leading after 2. They also sucked at 3 on 3. They will still suck at 3 on 3 next year, but perhaps adding subbing in Lindholm for DeBrusk and Zadorov for Wotherspoon will make them at least mediocre at holding a lead. If they had been average at holding leads, they would have had home ice throughout the playoffs. They don't have the horses to pour it on in the 3rd when they get the lead, but if they are gonna try to play 0-0 hockey with the lead, they at least have better horses for that.
 

BostonBob

4 Ever The Greatest
Jan 26, 2004
14,815
8,190
Vancouver, BC
I'm more certain of the top 4 changing within the next 3 years than anything else to do with the division.

The only way I see that happening sooner is if something happens to Swayman or Vasi.

And you might ask what about Bob? The Panthers still have Knight.

there is no insurance policy in Tampa or Boston.

Florida still has their insurance policy

And of course the Leaf fan can't think of any possible reasons for the Leafs falling out of the top 4 spots. :laugh:
 

wintersej

Registered User
Nov 26, 2011
23,465
19,562
North Andover, MA
Realistically which of Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo or Ottawa is good enough to knock them out?

I mean you point to the other teams having their goalies go down. Woll has never played more than 25 games and is always hurt. Stolarz has been a borderline NHL goalie until getting behind a Cup winning team at 30…while never having played more than 20 odd games himself and not more than 40 at even the AHL level since before Auston Matthews was drafted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FerrisRox

KevinRedkey

12/18/23 and beyond!
Sponsor
Jan 22, 2010
10,578
5,921
Realistically which of Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo or Ottawa is good enough to knock them out?

Before the season began, the Devils had the 3rd best bettings odds to win the cup last year, while Washington had the 8th worst. We know how that panned out.

I think Toronto makes it comfortably, but the games aren't won on paper and (almost) anything can happen.
 

Captain Mountain

Formerly Captain Wolverine
Jun 6, 2010
21,144
15,288
The only way I see that happening sooner is if something happens to Swayman or Vasi.

And you might ask what about Bob? The Panthers still have Knight.

there is no insurance policy in Tampa or Boston.

Florida still has their insurance policy

Putting aside volatility in goal, even among elite/high end goalies, I'd happily take multiple years for the bet at least one of 3 of the 4 youngest teams in the NHL (and Detroit), all of which have really good young players, against at least one of 4 older than average teams who have generally become more reliant on elite talent with weakened depth.
 

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
47,720
16,282
I would say definitely, one of the bottom 4 knocks out someone in the top 4, within 3 years.
Funny you mentioned the other 3 goalies in the top 4 , but not your own.

My own has had shit goaltending,case in point Samsonov had an 860 save% at one point last year, it didn't cost the Leafs a playoff spot.

Campbell was good for a month, literally 1 month then he sucked.

It didn't cost the Leafs a playoff spot

Peter Marzek was both dog shit and had a groin that was about as durable as melted cheese.

It didn't cost the Leafs a playoff spot.

I know my team can survive shit goaltending they have done it.
 

Captain Mountain

Formerly Captain Wolverine
Jun 6, 2010
21,144
15,288
My own has had shit goaltending,case in point Samsonov had an 860 save% at one point last year, it didn't cost the Leafs a playoff spot.

Campbell was good for a month, literally 1 month then he sucked.

It didn't cost the Leafs a playoff spot

Peter Marzek was both dog shit and had a groin that was about as durable as melted cheese.

It didn't cost the Leafs a playoff spot.

I know my team can survive shit goaltending they have done it.

So your logic is that goaltending is the only reason teams can decline, and that if a team overcomes poor goaltending in the past, they will continue to overcome in the short and medium term?

That seems aggressively naive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blowfish

LEAFANFORLIFE23

Registered User
Jun 17, 2010
47,720
16,282
So your logic is that goaltending is the only reason teams can decline, and that if a team overcomes poor goaltending in the past, they will continue to overcome in the short and medium term?

That seems aggressively naive.

My point is I know my team can overcome shit goaltending for an entire season they have done it.

I don't know they have haven't had to I don't know that can survive Swayman going down because they don't have Ullmark anymore and to be honest the Bruins haven't had to survive bad goaltending in about 25 years I don't know that they can survive Swayman going down.

What happens to Tampa if Vasi goes down an I mean REALLY goes down they suffer bad goaltending can they survive it? We don't know, honestly they probably would they have enough offense.

What happens if Leaf goalies go down? We've already seen that they have been fine, at least in the regular season
 
  • Like
Reactions: The90

Sypher04

Registered User
Jan 20, 2011
12,767
11,619
Injuries are usually the great equalizer. To that end, who knows what happens…

If reasonably healthy, I’d be very shocked if the top 4 changes. Not this year imo.

For as big a question mark as goaltending is in Toronto, and it is, I think the general sentiment is it cannot be worse than last year (samsonov was very very arguably the worst goalie in the entire league until almost the end of January). Actually has potential to be a significant improvement but we will have to see how they adapt to more games

I think one of Ottawa or Detroit gets in as 5th in Atlantic though. If I had to guess.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: LiseL

Baksfamous112

Registered User
Jul 21, 2016
8,491
5,966
Realistically which of Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo or Ottawa is good enough to knock them out?
I think Buffalo has a solid chance if they can get decent goaltending. Ottawa and Montreal has an outside chance of knocking out the Leafs out of the playoff.

At this point Toronto is a 5 man team and I would argue they are even worst on paper than last year, which says a lot about where the team is heading.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheOrangeDesk

Ouroboros

There is no armour against Fate
Feb 3, 2008
15,712
11,547
How does the Kulemin PTO change the landscape of the Atlantic?
 

SheldonJPlankton

Registered User
Sponsor
Oct 30, 2006
2,941
1,924
At this point Toronto is a 5 man team and I would argue they are even worst on paper than last year, which says a lot about where the team is heading.
2022...Leafs finiish with 115 points.
2023...Leafs finiish with 111 points.
2024...Leafs finiish with 102 points.

Where the Leafs are headed is evidenced by recent history...and, as you said, the current team is a downgrade from last year's team.
 

Baksfamous112

Registered User
Jul 21, 2016
8,491
5,966
2022...Leafs finiish with 115 points.
2023...Leafs finiish with 111 points.
2024...Leafs finiish with 102 points.


Where the Leafs are headed is evidenced by recent history...and, as you said, the current team is a downgrade from last year's team.
I’m no mathematician but I seem to be able to find a trend here…
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: um and Garnet76

centipede2233

Registered User
Sep 13, 2010
4,817
5,379
I’m no mathematician but I seem to be able to find a trend here…
Yeah, I feel like a lot hinges on maybe their 2 most important non forwards, Woll and Tanev, and the last time I checked, both were made from porcelain glass. This might be an ugly regular season for the buds if key injuries happen.
 

Baksfamous112

Registered User
Jul 21, 2016
8,491
5,966
Yeah, I feel like a lot hinges on maybe their 2 most important non forwards, Woll and Tanev, and the last time I checked, both were made from porcelain glass. This might be an ugly regular season for the buds if key injuries happen.
If Matthews goes down for a long period of time things could get ugly real fast in Toronto. I feel like Toronto peaked a few seasons ago and they are due for a retool at the very least.
 

1specter

Registered User
Sep 27, 2016
12,519
18,923
Yeah, I feel like a lot hinges on maybe their 2 most important non forwards, Woll and Tanev, and the last time I checked, both were made from porcelain glass. This might be an ugly regular season for the buds if key injuries happen.
They already went through a ton of key injuries this past season. Did you miss when Martin Jones had to draw in and play 20+ games? At one point McCabe, Liljegren and Rielly were also all hurt on D (Klingberg who was also signed to be in the starting 6 had his season shut down after 14 games), and Marner missed 13 games with a high ankle sprain.
 

1specter

Registered User
Sep 27, 2016
12,519
18,923
If Matthews goes down for a long period of time things could get ugly real fast in Toronto. I feel like Toronto peaked a few seasons ago and they are due for a retool at the very least.
Any team will have challenges when their best players go down, it's a strange thing to have as a concern specifically for Toronto only. Remember when Vegas missed the playoffs in 2022? Or how they dropped into the last WC spot in the West this past season? In between those seasons they literally won a Cup.

The league also had more parity last year as a whole, 1st and 7th in the league were only separated by a total of 5 points, and only 10 teams had 100+ pts, as opposed to the previous few seasons where there were 12-13 teams hitting that mark.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad