Atlantic Standings Predictions Thread

[viceroy]

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?

 

[DFC]

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]

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]

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]

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.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

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

Realistically which of Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo or Ottawa is good enough to knock them out?

 

[BostonBob]

Realistically which of Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo or Ottawa is good enough to knock them out?

Realistically the same team you think could possibly knock out Boston, Florida or Tampa Bay.

 

[wintersej]

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.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Realistically the same team you think could possibly knock out Boston, Florida or Tampa Bay.

Florida and TB are part of the top 4, they aren't knocking the Leafs out of the top 4

 

[BostonBob]

Florida and TB are part of the top 4, they aren't knocking the Leafs out of the top 4

Holy crap - my point was that you gave reasons that either Montreal, Ottawa, Detroit or Buffalo could knock out Boston, Florida or Tampa Bay but you gave no reasons that Toronto could be knocked out of a top 4 spot.

 

[KevinRedkey]

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]

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.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Florida and TB are part of the top 4, they aren't knocking the Leafs out of the top 4

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.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

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]

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.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

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

 

[Sypher04]

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.

 

[Baksfamous112]

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.

 

[Ouroboros]

How does the Kulemin PTO change the landscape of the Atlantic?

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

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]

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…

 

[centipede2233]

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]

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]

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]

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.