Is this the year either of Buffalo, Detroit or Ottawa break through?

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It's July 5th, free agency is pretty much over, most of, if not all of the moves that matter have been made and so now It's time to ask is this the year either Detroit, Ottawa or Buffalo break through and end their playoff droughts.

Ottawa hasn't made the playoffs since 2017 that is 7 years.

Detroit hasn't made the playoffs since 2016 that's 8 years

And Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 2011 that is an NHL record 13 years.

So is this the year one of those teams break through and end the drought?

Personally I don't think so, I think the top 4 in the Atlantic are still Toronto, Tampa, Boston, Florida in some order.

In the Metro you NYR,NJ, Caps and Canes, and possibly the NYI.

I don't see a spot open, I think all those teams got better or at least stayed the same.

I think Ottawa got better overall with Ullmark and Perron but I don't think It's enough to break into the top 4.

I think Buffalo and Detroit take steps back.

Detroit has made some really odd moves like literally giving Wallman away for free, AND adding a 2nd to do it.

In Buffalo's case they didn't do anything, in fact buying out Skinner and replacing him with Zucker, if you even consider that a replacement makes them worse.

Do you think this is the year Detroit Ottawa or Buffalo finally break through?

Click to read more...

 

[SENStastic]

Not very likely. There is only one spot realistically open for grabs, I see the top 6 teams from last year easily making it again, plus New Jersey, they should have a strong bounce back season after their offseason moves and getting healthy again.

Last WC either goes to Capitals or Islanders, slight edge to the Capitals, they've improved a bit this summer.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Don't think it will be.

Buffalo is just laughable at this point, what a shitshow.

 

[Pavels Dog]

All 3 will make the SCF.

 

[Fatass]

One of the three will make the playoffs this coming season.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

One of the three will make the playoffs this coming season.

Which one

 

[BB79]

I could see Detroit making it in. They came within a win from making it in back in April. Ottawa is still a season or two away I think, but Ullmark sure will help.

Buffalo may never make the playoffs ever again if this keeps up. Lost Skinner, didn't do much to replace his offense. Goaltending is a bright spot with UPL and also Levi waiting in the wings.

 

[Fatass]

Which one

One of the three is my guess.

 

[CanadienShark]

At least one does.

 

[bobholly39]

Plot twist - Habs sidestep all 3 and make the playoffs this year instead.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Plot twist - Habs sidestep all 3 and make the playoffs this year instead.

That would be something, I think they are still a couple years away but it wouldn't surprise me if they made it again before Buffalo, Detroit or Ottawa

50/50 so far, wasn't expecting that.

 

[bert]

Plot twist - Habs sidestep all 3 and make the playoffs this year instead.

Lol predictable and wrong.

 

[NyQuil]

Ottawa still has a lot of work to do.

I like Buffalo on paper, and Detroit came the closest, but I’m not sure I’d put money down on any of them.

 

[bobholly39]

That would be something, I think they are still a couple years away but it wouldn't surprise me if they made it again before Buffalo, Detroit or Ottawa

50/50 so far, wasn't expecting that.

Truth is - I don't expect my Habs in the playoffs this year, I think next year is the year we make it. This year would be a big surprise.

As for the Atlantic...I feel as though the top 4 teams are still the favorites and most likely teams to qualify, but I feel as though all 4 are more vulnerable than ever for missing playoffs. But it doesn't mean any of them - let alone more than 1 - will miss, but it is just very possible.

Tampa Bay - significant changes this off-season. Stamkos/Sergachev gone, McDonough back and Guentzel added. I think extremely highly of this core in Tampa, but they were already trending downwards last year, so who knows if these changes end up good or bad. They are more likely to miss the playoffs this year than at any point in the past ~7 years or so.

Boston - also significant changes this off-season. To their credit - nobody expected them to make playoffs 2 years ago and they set an all-time record. Last year with their top 2 Cs gone everyone thought they would falther a lot, and they were super strong in the regular season. So it seems unwise to doubt them, even with some changes. But I still think they're due to trend down, and could maybe miss.

Toronto - Probably the least question marks from a regular season expectations year over year among the 4 teams. They were good in the regular season last year and every year prior, similar core, no reason they shouldn't be again. The risk here I guess is the new coach, Marner contract due and the constant failures in playoffs could cause this team to implode unexpectedly - either with a down year, or with management doing significant changes in-year. I think they're the most likely of the 4 to make playoffs, but also the most likely of the 4 to have a complete meltdown season, if that makes sense.

Florida - No real reason they shouldn't make playoffs per se. But, cup hangovers are possible, and happen often. They also lost a LOT of pieces in the off-season. Maybe not a lot of major pieces, but it does affect the overall depth/roster to see so much change. Bob is old, prone to inconsistencies in his career, and has had a ton of games played for 2 years in a row - an off-year is possible. So Florida missing isn't out of the question.

As of now - my prediction is all 4 make it, and all of the other 4 miss (including Habs). But I might change my mind as we get closer to start of year. And I truly do believe Habs are going to leapfrog all of Ottawa/Detroit/Buffalo within ~1 year.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Truth is - I don't expect my Habs in the playoffs this year, I think next year is the year we make it. This year would be a big surprise.

As for the Atlantic...I feel as though the top 4 teams are still the favorites and most likely teams to qualify, but I feel as though all 4 are more vulnerable than ever for missing playoffs. But it doesn't mean any of them - let alone more than 1 - will miss, but it is just very possible.

Tampa Bay - significant changes this off-season. Stamkos/Sergachev gone, McDonough back and Guentzel added. I think extremely highly of this core in Tampa, but they were already trending downwards last year, so who knows if these changes end up good or bad. They are more likely to miss the playoffs this year than at any point in the past ~7 years or so.

Boston - also significant changes this off-season. To their credit - nobody expected them to make playoffs 2 years ago and they set an all-time record. Last year with their top 2 Cs gone everyone thought they would falther a lot, and they were super strong in the regular season. So it seems unwise to doubt them, even with some changes. But I still think they're due to trend down, and could maybe miss.

Toronto - Probably the least question marks from a regular season expectations year over year among the 4 teams. They were good in the regular season last year and every year prior, similar core, no reason they shouldn't be again. The risk here I guess is the new coach, Marner contract due and the constant failures in playoffs could cause this team to implode unexpectedly - either with a down year, or with management doing significant changes in-year. I think they're the most likely of the 4 to make playoffs, but also the most likely of the 4 to have a complete meltdown season, if that makes sense.

Florida - No real reason they shouldn't make playoffs per se. But, cup hangovers are possible, and happen often. They also lost a LOT of pieces in the off-season. Maybe not a lot of major pieces, but it does affect the overall depth/roster to see so much change. Bob is old, prone to inconsistencies in his career, and has had a ton of games played for 2 years in a row - an off-year is possible. So Florida missing isn't out of the question.

As of now - my prediction is all 4 make it, and all of the other 4 miss (including Habs). But I might change my mind as we get closer to start of year. And I truly do believe Habs are going to leapfrog all of Ottawa/Detroit/Buffalo within ~1 year.

I'm thinking Montreal is 2 years away from the playoffs, I think Montreal has to wait for Tampa to fall off and I think that happens around 2027.

It's funny that you mention the new Leafs coach as one of the reasons they might have a down year because the new coach is one of the reasons I'm more confident, I don't think Keefe is a good coach at all, I think he's been propped up by the talent he's always had, and will now have in NJ.

NJ fans have no idea, but they will find out when the playoffs come and they see the other coach coach circles around him.

The other reason is the defense, I really do like the Tanev, OEL and Hakanpaa signings I think the defense is upgraded significantly

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I like Buffalo the best of the three, but other than hoping them to improve/further develop, they also need another team to regress.

Florida, Tampa, Toronto, and Boston are all still ahead. Not including any team from the Metro that could also take 1 or both wildcard spots.

 

[wintersej]

Florida, Tampa, Boston, Toronto and three metro teams seem to be locks unless significant injuries happen.

That leaves only one potential spot.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I think FLA, TOR, CAR, BOS, NYR are all locks. TB and NJ are in the next tier of pretty likely imo. Which leaves one spot for Caps, Penguins, Islanders, Red Wings, Sabres, and Senators.

That’s tough

 

[wetcoast]

It's July 5th, free agency is pretty much over, most of, if not all of the moves that matter have been made and so now It's time to ask is this the year either Detroit, Ottawa or Buffalo break through and end their playoff droughts.

Ottawa hasn't made the playoffs since 2017 that is 7 years.

Detroit hasn't made the playoffs since 2016 that's 8 years

And Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 2011 that is an NHL record 13 years.

So is this the year one of those teams break through and end the drought?

Personally I don't think so, I think the top 4 in the Atlantic are still Toronto, Tampa, Boston, Florida in some order.

In the Metro you NYR,NJ, Caps and Canes, and possibly the NYI.

I don't see a spot open, I think all those teams got better or at least stayed the same.

I think Ottawa got better overall with Ullmark and Perron but I don't think It's enough to break into the top 4.

I think Buffalo and Detroit take steps back.

Detroit has made some really odd moves like literally giving Wallman away for free, AND adding a 2nd to do it.

In Buffalo's case they didn't do anything, in fact buying out Skinner and replacing him with Zucker, if you even consider that a replacement makes them worse.

Do you think this is the year Detroit Ottawa or Buffalo finally break through?

I think the Sabers break through as for last season anything that could go wrong did and having even slightly better elath and some young players still growing will push them through but as to which team they dispace I have zero idea, maybe TB?

With the addition of Bryam at the end of last year they went 10-7-1 and they just have too much talent and everything can;t go so wrong 2 years in a row right?

That being said the Zucker signing is extremely puzzling and speaking of puzzling WTF is Detroit doing and Ottawa for that matter?

 

[NyQuil]

WTF is Detroit doing and Ottawa for that matter?

What specifically are you referring to for Ottawa?

I’d argue that a lot went wrong with Ottawa too, from Norris re-injuring himself to Pinto getting himself suspended for half the year. Ottawa’s goalies allowed a goal on the first two shots of the game 20 times over the balance of the season.

Ottawa’s record with all three of their top 3 centres playing was respectable and playoff contending.

I think the new brain trust had the following to address:

-better goaltending (Ottawa was worst or near worst in the league)
-right-shot defenceman (Jensen)
-more veterans (Perron, Jensen, Amadio)

I’d argue that they didn’t make the most of the Chychrun asset but it did address a need for a right-shooting d-man given how few were available and affordable on the open market.

Just curious what you think they should have been doing.

They certainly haven’t made any flashy moves but Dorion proved that they don’t necessarily work anyway.

It’s a competitive conference and I won’t even predict that they will improve substantially but I’m not sure what you would have done differently.

 

[stempniaksen]

There's some bias here but I think Ottawa made bigger strides this off-season than Buffalo/Detroit. The addition of Ullmark is more impactful than anything the Sabres or Red Wings did.

The issue is that for any of these teams to take a step forward one of the top-six from last year is going to have to take a step back and it might be a year too early for that. Boston got better this off-season, the Panthers are still a threat despite losing some defenders and for all the flack Toronto gets (rightfully so) they are still a regular season wagon.

The X factor for me in the Atlantic is Tampa Bay. Will be interesting to see how they do with Guentzel/McDonaugh instead of Stamkos/Sergachev. That's a team with depth issues throughout the lineup and if Kucherov isn't all world again they could finally take a step back. It seems a year too early to go against them though. Kucherov/Hedman/Vasi/Cooper can keep them in contention for as long as they are elite.

I wouldn't be totally shocked if the Atlantic ended up getting both WC spots, so that might be the best chance for the trio of breakout teams to actually make the playoffs. I don't see any of NYI, WAS, PIT, PHI being much better on paper than OTT/DET/BUF. It's probably going to be a dogfight for that last WC spot amongst those teams.

 

[wetcoast]

What specifically are you referring to for Ottawa?

I’d argue that a lot went wrong with Ottawa too, from Norris re-injuring himself to Pinto getting himself suspended for half the year. Ottawa’s goalies allowed a goal on the first two shots of the game 20 times over the balance of the season.

Ottawa’s record with all three of their top 3 centres playing was respectable and playoff contending.

I think the new brain trust had the following to address:

-better goaltending (Ottawa was worst or near worst in the league)
-right-shot defenceman (Jensen)
-more veterans (Perron, Jensen, Amadio)

I’d argue that they didn’t make the most of the Chychrun asset but it did address a need for a right-shooting d-man given how few were available and affordable on the open market.

Just curious what you think they should have been doing.

They certainly haven’t made any flashy moves but Dorion proved that they don’t necessarily work anyway.

It’s a competitive conference and I won’t even predict that they will improve substantially but I’m not sure what you would have done differently.

Sure and part of my comment was in reference to the draft where the sens drafted for size over skill and generally are thought to ahve drafted poorly and then they did the same thing in 21 and that draft was a diaster.

You do point out the teams needs and maybe Ullmark helps in that department but if you asked any Sens fan if they would want Jesen over Chychrun l before the trade what wood the answer have been, and I'm not a huge fan of chychrun but let's get real here.

but who knows maybe it all comes together for the sens this year I'm just think the Sabers look like a better bet.

 

[wintersej]

Florida, Tampa, Boston, Toronto and three metro teams seem to be locks unless significant injuries happen.

That leaves only one potential spot for a lot of teams.

 

[NyQuil]

You do point out the teams needs and maybe Ullmark helps in that department but if you asked any Sens fan if they would want Jesen over Chychrun l before the trade what wood the answer have been, and I'm not a huge fan of chychrun but let's get real here.

None of Chabot, Chychrun or Sanderson proved that they could play on their off-side last season.

In a vacuum, absolutely Chychrun is better than Jensen, but on a team with 3 top 4 LD, it’s redundant.

His contract made him more trade-able than Chabot and I would argue that for most of the season, Chabot ended up being better than Chychrun anyway.

The guy has all the tools and yet has so many WTF moments on the ice that you wonder where his head is at.

With Zub and Jensen to ride shotgun for Chabot and Sanderson, you might see better defensive metrics which require improvement.

As far as the draft is concerned, sure you can take issue with their selections but it’s still far too early to be overly critical.

HF anoints the team that drafts the most fallers as the winner every year but often conveniently forgets about it years later when a lot of those guys fall for a reason.

 

[NyQuil]

but who knows maybe it all comes together for the sens this year I'm just think the Sabers look like a better bet.

Thats fine - I bet on the Sabres last year because I thought they had the most depth among the non-playoff teams.

You’d think they will take the next step at some point.

I really have no clue this year. I guess that I’d argue that the team with the least drama and injuries will end up the one left standing among the three teams concerned, but I’d have a hard time being definitive if all three teams are healthy and competitive.