Atlantic Standings Predictions Thread

[TheDoldrums]

I'll say it again, Ottawa has a chance this year. It's fair to say goaltending has been their biggest problem and Ullmark may very well fix that. Don't blame fans for being optimistic.

 

[CCM19]

1. Florida
2. Toronto
3. Detroit
4. Boston (WC)
5. Ottawa (WC)
6. Tampa Bay
7. Buffalo
8. Montreal

 

[TommyDangles]

Nah,
That honour is shared between Buffalo and Toronto. Summer is those two fan bases favourite time of the season before they realize it's the same old/same old and the light fades from their eyes.
Toss in a. Heavy dose of 'this is the year The Bruins fall apart', and ´Tampa cheats',
Pretty much describes every off season Atlantic thread for the past dozen years.

This was true for Buffalo maybe 3-4 years ago. Sabres fan are much more pessimistic now. Wings/Sens fans took our spot of "this is the year"

 

[Whitesnake]

It has to be the Leafs year. I mean....needless to say most of us in here has seen Mozart dropping a single before we see the Leafs win a Cup so at one point....

 

[DackellDuck]

1. Florida
2. Tampa
3. Boston
4. Ottawa
5. Toronto
6. Detroit
7. Montreal
8. Buffalo

 

[b in vancouver]

This was true for Buffalo maybe 3-4 years ago. Sabres fan are much more pessimistic now. Wings/Sens fans took our spot of "this is the year"

ya, you're right.
I shouldn't throw Sabres fans into the fire (we all want your team to do better) as it was mostly pundits and neutral fans and those that swear by 'the draft' - but a decade of people clamouring for the assension of The Sabres and demise of The Bruins has it stuck in my head. It was clockwork for a good decade. The craziest two teams to read prognostications about in the summer for a long time.

 

[DackellDuck]

I don’t think so. They would be missing their biggest piece, but I think the improvements in goals against would carry them through the missing Matthews goals pretty well.

The team is more balanced this year, and Matthews brings a lot more than goals, but I think the defense is the best it’s looked in …. 20 years? God how sad is that? And the goaltending is going to be twice as good as it was the last 3 years with Samsonov in net.

Of course, that’s just on paper and anything can happen once they all hit the ice.

I think the Leafs have to be the odds on favorites to win the Atlantic, even if Matthews misses a week or two to start the season.

They are the only team who didn’t lose any pieces and got better at all the positions they struggled with last year.

The big dogs in the Atlantic have all taken major hits, except the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs are the only team who got better compared to Florida, Boston and tampa

The Leafs got better? They added a backup goalie and a 35 year old #4 to play as a #2.

OEL, Hakanpaa and Pacioretty suck.

Tavares is another year older and slower.

And Nylander is playing C now?

I don’t understand how anyone looks at their team and thinks it’s better than Florida, Boston or Tampa.

 

[ZYXWVUT]

I’m as convinced as ever that buffalo is getting in as a WC.

 

[Strangle]

The Leafs got better? They added a backup goalie and a 35 year old #4 to play as a #2.

OEL, Hakanpaa and Pacioretty suck.

Tavares is another year older and slower.

And Nylander is playing C now?

I don’t understand how anyone looks at their team and thinks it’s better than Florida, Boston or Tampa.

You will lol

 

[DackellDuck]

You will lol

The Leafs operated like a team desperate to keep a window that has already closed open this summer.

Not winning during your window doesn’t extend it, and they’ve had 8 years. Win or lose, it closes at the same time.

Bringing in 35 year olds with big names, hiring a tough guy coach to “change the culture”… we’ve seen this before. It never works.

If you look at their regular season point totals, they’ve been steadily declining for 3 years now. I bet that continues.

 

[Strangle]

The Leafs operated like a team desperate to keep a window that has already closed open this summer.

Not winning during your window doesn’t extend it, and they’ve had 8 years. Win or lose, it closes at the same time.

Bringing in 35 year olds with big names, hiring a tough guy coach to “change the culture”… we’ve seen this before. It never works.

If you look at their regular season point totals, they’ve been steadily declining for 3 years now. I bet that continues.

How many other teams haven’t won in the last 8 years?

Don’t be ridiculous

 

[DackellDuck]

How many other teams haven’t won in the last 8 years?

Don’t be ridiculous

Lots. But there’s always a natural changing of the guard in the league. The top teams of the last 8 years won’t be the top teams of the next 8 years. The Detroit Red Wings of the 90s and early 00s are not the norm.

115, 111, 102. Those are their point totals from the last 3 years. That’s a big drop already and I don’t think it’s stopping.

They only got older.

They’re a 96-100 point team. Probably get a wildcard spot, but not a contender to worry about.

 

[VainGretzky]

Tor
Fla
Buf
Bos
TB
Det
Ott
Mtl


Everyone is underestimating the Sabres this year Calling 100 point season

 

[Dread Clawz]

I think Toronto is one team that is sneaky old and slow. Look at their D, and upfront they want to add Patches while also still having the declining JT. The top 3 guys upfront are not old, but they have never been fast skaters. It really shows in the ploffs.

I don't know why they won't give Robertson a chance. Isn't Patches literally going to take Robertson 's spot?

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Lots. But there’s always a natural changing of the guard in the league. The top teams of the last 8 years won’t be the top teams of the next 8 years. The Detroit Red Wings of the 90s and early 00s are not the norm.

115, 111, 102. Those are their point totals from the last 3 years. That’s a big drop already and I don’t think it’s stopping.

They only got older.

They’re a 96-100 point team. Probably get a wildcard spot, but not a contender to worry about.

Truth.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I don't know why they won't give Robertson a chance. Isn't Patches literally going to take Robertson 's spot?

If they trade or move down Jarnkrok to the 4th line they can both play in the top 9. They have to trade someone for cap reasons. Kampf, Timmons other potential trade options if they don’t deal Nick (which I hope they don’t).

 

[bazawiggle]

1. Toronto
2. Florida
3. Boston
4. Buffalo
5. Tampa Bay
6. Detroit
7. Montreal
8. Ottawa

 

[thebestnic]

Lots. But there’s always a natural changing of the guard in the league. The top teams of the last 8 years won’t be the top teams of the next 8 years. The Detroit Red Wings of the 90s and early 00s are not the norm.

115, 111, 102. Those are their point totals from the last 3 years. That’s a big drop already and I don’t think it’s stopping.

They only got older.

They’re a 96-100 point team. Probably get a wildcard spot, but not a contender to worry about.

They're not old. Their core pieces are still in their prime. Just another delusional Sens fan

 

[Czechboy]

Tough division to call for me

I think Leafs will get 100 points or more again and are a very safe playoff bet. Nice roster!
The B's are just perenially good and always rise up.
Panthers are defending champs and have a beautiful team
I think Bolts are regressing after a tremendous run
Sabres always has a roster that screams cup contender, they seem to be scoring 8 a night in preseason and everything looks fantastic... till it isn't
I don't like the Detroit rebuild at all and think there are a whole bunch of clunky, veteran place fillers but they may have enough to make the playoffs if things go well
Sens - I love the look of the team and did last season... reminds me of Buffalo... everything is great till it isn't
Habs are rebuilding but do have some great pieces

Basically, I don't think any of them suck and they could all make playoffs. I'd actually say (after looking at Pacific before this) that this is a very tough dvision to be in. Murderer's row!

 

[Satanphonehome]

ya, you're right.
I shouldn't throw Sabres fans into the fire (we all want your team to do better) as it was mostly pundits and neutral fans and those that swear by 'the draft' - but a decade of people clamouring for the assension of The Sabres and demise of The Bruins has it stuck in my head. It was clockwork for a good decade. The craziest two teams to read prognostications about in the summer for a long time.

Tor
Fla
Buf
Bos
TB
Det
Ott
Mtl


Everyone is underestimating the Sabres this year Calling 100 point season

The shift in the conversation around the Sabres this year is interesting and I guess kinda predictable.

The vast majority of posts I see have little to do with the roster and everything to do with a "they're not going to fool me this year" response.

To my way of thinking, the 'young team should get better' argument of last year still applies, it just gets tangled up in the fact that it didn't last year.

And it's really hard to separate what was year 3 of the Kevyn Adams total rebuild from a last-place team, from the failed builds of Jason Botterill and Tim Murray that came before.

I think the best way of looking at the Sabres chances is this:

How many of Thompson, Tuch, Peterka, Benson, Cozens, Quinn, Dahlin, Power, Byram, Samuelsson, Luukkonen and Levi will be better than they were last year?

If it's a lot of them, they will be in the playoff mix, if not they won't.

 

[DapperCam]

I’m not going to say it’s “our year” or anything, but people here are really sleeping on the Sabres. There is no way they finish last place in the division, and I really doubt they finish second last either. But those are the two most common spots I’m seeing them ranked.

 

[MXD]

FLA
BOS
TOR
BUF
TB
--
OTT
MTL
DET

 

[Dread Clawz]

If they trade or move down Jarnkrok to the 4th line they can both play in the top 9. They have to trade someone for cap reasons. Kampf, Timmons other potential trade options if they don’t deal Nick (which I hope they don’t).

It just seems like they will trade him, from what I've heard. He's a guy they should be shoving icetime down his throat. Young, speedy, gritty, could score 20 goals.

 

[Fatass]

If they trade or move down Jarnkrok to the 4th line they can both play in the top 9. They have to trade someone for cap reasons. Kampf, Timmons other potential trade options if they don’t deal Nick (which I hope they don’t).

Was it Friedman who reported Patches has a contract already and the club was just waiting for a bit to register it? If Patches, as reported, is on the club, then Robertson could be the man out. Not too sure of his trade value though. Wouldn’t want another contract back that requires waivers, so maybe a mid round pick?

 

[Mattilaus]

I’m not going to say it’s “our year” or anything, but people here are really sleeping on the Sabres. There is no way they finish last place in the division, and I really doubt they finish second last either. But those are the two most common spots I’m seeing them ranked.

I think for most people it has less to do with the roster and more to do with both history and just that the Atlantic is really hard this year. You have 4 teams at the top who have all been making the playoffs and/or in the cup contender conversation for the better part of a decade, then 4 at the bottom who all expect their teams to take significant steps this year after lengthy rebuilds. It's really difficult to predict the division and a case can be made for several teams to finish 2nd last or last just based off the strength of competition.