Atlantic Standings Predictions Thread

[norrisnick]

Don't forget jack Campbell.

Now that my oilers bought him out. I fully expect him to win the Vezina!

Also, agree with your wings views.

Best backup in the AHL has an award called the Vezina? That's wild. Kinda like the two Calders (NHL rookie of the year and AHL Championship).

 

[NyQuil]

Best backup in the AHL has an award called the Vezina? That's wild. Kinda like the two Calders (NHL rookie of the year and AHL Championship).

How about the Rough Riders vs. the Roughriders?

 

[Czechboy]

Best backup in the AHL has an award called the Vezina? That's wild. Kinda like the two Calders (NHL rookie of the year and AHL Championship).

I could honestly see him start an NHL game.. win it.. gain momentum and go on a run. It's oilers luck.lol

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Seeing this a lot from Leaf fans this year and I think there's a lot of squinting involved

• Squint and you might think Morgan Reilly is a #1 defenceman on a cup-winning team
• Squint and you might think Chris Tanev is a #2
• Squint and you might think Jake McCabe can anchor a 2nd-pair
• Squint and you can ignore how mediocre Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been for years in anything other than a sheltered role.
• Squint and you might think Benoit, Hakanpaa, Lillegren and Timmins represent good blueline depth
• Squint and you might think Woll and Stolarz represents a good duo in net
• Squint and you might think Craig Berube is going to transform the collection of kids and castoffs below the core 4 into the dead-puck era Devils

It's not i7mpossible that some of these plans will work out, but that seems like a lot of squinting.

To this outsider, it really looks the same old Leafs: a good team with hyper-concentrated top 4 talent surrounded by too many questions marks elsewhere.

Leafs squint. Reality has 20/20 vision.

 

[Satanphonehome]

I agree with Detroit fans that Moritz Seider is a better player than the numbers show, and also agree with them that Lucas Raymond doesn't get enough respect. I think each is very good already and talented enough to take another step.

The thing is, even if they turn into Pastrnak and Hedman, I'm not sure how much of a difference that is going to make. Detroit is often compared to Buffalo and Ottawa, but when I look at the Wings depth chart, I don't see a bunch of young talent ready to make a leap. I see two good young players on a veteran team that kinda played to its potential last year. And I don't really see many areas of their roster where they will be better.

I know the fans are looking to Talbot to bolster them between the pipes and Edvinsson to boost the backline. I think Talbot is fine at best, and there aren't many rookie defensive defencemen who are difference-makers. They've got a fine stable of youngsters but how many are ready to make an impact this year?

The flip side of this is that I don't think the team got worse either and it missed the dance by just a point last year. I don't see Detroit making any kind of dramatic leap, but it's a veteran squad that conceivably could find the extra couple wins needed to squeeze in.

 

[sabremike]

It's easy to lump the Sabres and Sens together as the young teams expected to get better that didn't, but they aren't exactly the same.

Rasmus Dahlin — kinda underrated on these boards — might be the best defenceman in the division, or at least in the conversation with Hedman and McAvoy. But outside of him, I think the Sabres are a step behind when it comes to proven core 4 talent.

I think they did a good job improving the identity of their bottom 6 forwards, but where the Sabres are very intriguing to me is in the sheer volume of guys you look at and say "I'd be surprised if that guy isn't going to be better this year": Thompson, Cozens, Tuch, Quinn, Benson, Power, Byram... there just seems to be a lot of untapped talent, with pretty high ceilings.

I see some parallels to where the Devils were under Lindy Ruff two years ago. The biggest question for me is: were last year's Sabres the result of immaturity and coaching — the natural growing pains many young clubs face — or a deeper cultural problem?

A lot of people rolled their eyes at the Ruff selection, but he does seem a good fit for what the team needs, both on the ice and off.

There was a single moment last season that summed up how awful Granato and his staff were: In his first game Byram is on our PP. Having played for one of the best coaches in the league in Colorado he knows what players should be doing in this situation. His new teammates were doing anything but, and an exasperated Byram literally starts pointing with his stick and directing guys where they should be and what they should be doing. If you watched the preseason games under Lindy the difference is night and day.

 

[albator71]

Ottawa got worse everywhere except goaltending

 

[Pavels Dog]

I agree with Detroit fans that Moritz Seider is a better player than the numbers show, and also agree with them that Lucas Raymond doesn't get enough respect. I think each is very good already and talented enough to take another step.

The thing is, even if they turn into Pastrnak and Hedman, I'm not sure how much of a difference that is going to make. Detroit is often compared to Buffalo and Ottawa, but when I look at the Wings depth chart, I don't see a bunch of young talent ready to make a leap. I see two good young players on a veteran team that kinda played to its potential last year. And I don't really see many areas of their roster where they will be better.

I know the fans are looking to Talbot to bolster them between the pipes and Edvinsson to boost the backline. I think Talbot is fine at best, and there aren't many rookie defensive defencemen who are difference-makers. They've got a fine stable of youngsters but how many are ready to make an impact this year?

The flip side of this is that I don't think the team got worse either and it missed the dance by just a point last year. I don't see Detroit making any kind of dramatic leap, but it's a veteran squad that conceivably could find the extra couple wins needed to squeeze in.

See, this is a fair and balanced take that I think most Wings fans can agree with.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

See, this is a fair and balanced take that I think most Wings fans can agree with.

Capitals & Flyers improved more than DRW. So if they move past or stay ahead of the Wings they are looking to pass the NYI to get in the PO. Can't see them moving past Boston (Swayman or not) or TB.

 

[Satanphonehome]

One of laziest takes I see on this board is "the Bruins will make it because the Bruins always make it". Every streak ends.

A much better take is the Bruins should make it because they are built like a playoff hockey team. This is a team that has the best defence corps in the division and a savvy, well-coached group of forwards that doesn't make a ton of mistakes. No one had fewer regulation losses last year. Over the course of 82 games, this team isn't going to be giving away many points.

They aren't invulnerable though. Like Toronto and Tampa, the forward depth falls off a cliff pretty quickly. Unlike Toronto and Tampa, their high-end forwards aren't going to beat you on skill.

And that's why the Swayman situation is so intriguing. A big reason why the team was always in games last year is because no one got more quality starts that the Bruins. How many will they get from Swayman after this contract dispute? How many will it get from Korpisalo?

This team got 15 loser points last year, 2nd most in the league. Are they going to be able to repeat that? It went 18/5/3 against the division last year. Will they be able to repeat that? Especailly against an improving bottom 4?

I think the Bruins are the 2nd-safest playoff bet in the division after Florida, but they aren't as much of a lock as people think. On paper this is a good team and it should be a playoff team.

But it's not a high-end team any more. They're going to have to work for it.

 

[Satanphonehome]

I like what the Montreal Canadiens are building.

I wonder how much of a disconnect there is between what the fans think they have and what their enviable collection of young talent will actually be able to bring this year.

It's very easy to be excited about the potential of Slavkovsky and Demidov and Dach and Guhle and Hutson and the rest and forget about how inexperienced and unproven they are. I won't be shocked if those guys will some day be better than the young Sabre, or Senator cores. But in general they are at least 2 development years behind them.

I also wonder if Habs fans put the Caufield/Suzuki duo on higher pedestal than they deserve? I like both players a lot, but to me they seem closer the Batherson, Cozens, Hagel, Debrincat Lindholm, Verhaege tier than the likes of say Reinhart, Nylander, Stutzle, and Thompson.

The goaltending is not likely to elevate the team and I can't remember many teams making the playoffs with a defence corps this inexperienced.

The path of a young team is rarely smooth and even. I think there's a very good chance the Habs could follow in the footsteps of Ottawa and Buffalo from 2 years ago this season and be a competitive, good vibes also-ran.

And there is also a pretty good chance that a lot of pieces aren't where you want them to be yet and Montreal fans are going to have to wait a little longer.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

I really like the reworked D and believe Berube is exactly what they need. Florida got a bit worse by losing Montour and OEL. Boston gained Lindholm which is an upgrade at C over last year but still worse than recent history with Bergeron. I just think the top of the Atlantic is there for the taking and a re-energized Toronto with something to prove and a hardass coach has a good shot.

Could also be because I just want to believe a coaching change can completely turn a team around......for some reason.

They are closer to being Huberdeau’s than they are to being Panthers

 

[Mattilaus]

They are closer to being Huberdeau’s than they are to being Panthers

Good arguement. I have no rebuttal.

 

[Wayfarer13]

One of laziest takes I see on this board is "the Bruins will make it because the Bruins always make it". Every streak ends.

A much better take is the Bruins should make it because they are built like a playoff hockey team. This is a team that has the best defence corps in the division and a savvy, well-coached group of forwards that doesn't make a ton of mistakes. No one had fewer regulation losses last year. Over the course of 82 games, this team isn't going to be giving away many points.

They aren't invulnerable though. Like Toronto and Tampa, the forward depth falls off a cliff pretty quickly. Unlike Toronto and Tampa, their high-end forwards aren't going to beat you on skill.

And that's why the Swayman situation is so intriguing. A big reason why the team was always in games last year is because no one got more quality starts that the Bruins. How many will they get from Swayman after this contract dispute? How many will it get from Korpisalo?

This team got 15 loser points last year, 2nd most in the league. Are they going to be able to repeat that? It went 18/5/3 against the division last year. Will they be able to repeat that? Especailly against an improving bottom 4?

I think the Bruins are the 2nd-safest playoff bet in the division after Florida, but they aren't as much of a lock as people think. On paper this is a good team and it should be a playoff team.

But it's not a high-end team any more. They're going to have to work for it.

Just a thought on the loser point narrative. Two of the top three teams in that statistic were playoff teams. As far as demeaning a team for it it really means little to nothing in the greater view of things.

 

[Satanphonehome]

Just a thought on the loser point narrative. Two of the top three teams in that statistic were playoff teams. As far as demeaning a team for it it really means little to nothing in the greater view of things.

I don't see it as demeaning a team at all.

Quite the opposite, actually. Being able to bring games to OT that other teams aren't is a sign that you're mentally tough enough to stick with it in regulation and not giving away points.

Extra time points are more a combination of raw skill, big saves and bounces.

 

[JD1]

I like what the Montreal Canadiens are building.

I wonder how much of a disconnect there is between what the fans think they have and what their enviable collection of young talent will actually be able to bring this year.

It's very easy to be excited about the potential of Slavkovsky and Demidov and Dach and Guhle and Hutson and the rest and forget about how inexperienced and unproven they are. I won't be shocked if those guys will some day be better than the young Sabre, or Senator cores. But in general they are at least 2 development years behind them.

I also wonder if Habs fans put the Caufield/Suzuki duo on higher pedestal than they deserve? I like both players a lot, but to me they seem closer the Batherson, Cozens, Hagel, Debrincat Lindholm, Verhaege tier than the likes of say Reinhart, Nylander, Stutzle, and Thompson.

The goaltending is not likely to elevate the team and I can't remember many teams making the playoffs with a defence corps this inexperienced.

The path of a young team is rarely smooth and even. I think there's a very good chance the Habs could follow in the footsteps of Ottawa and Buffalo from 2 years ago this season and be a competitive, good vibes also-ran.

And there is also a pretty good chance that a lot of pieces aren't where you want them to be yet and Montreal fans are going to have to wait a little longer.

Montreal does have a lot of depth and I agree that they're a dev year or two behind the other division teams

Where I think Montreal has a problem is their best players aren't better than other teams best players.