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

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

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?

What? Everything can't go wrong for them 2 years in a row? Everything has been going wrong for them for 13 years in a row.

You're damn right it can go wrong 2 years in a row.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

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.

One thing Buffalo has going against them is they have to start in Europe this year and they have to do it against NJ.

A good start is going to crucial for them, if they drop those games they will already have 2 games played almost a week before anyone els, they will have jet lag and have to readjust to the time difference.

Usually the first 2 games aren't that critical, for Buffalo I think they are.

They NEED a good start.

 

[Go Wings]

As a Detroit no for all 3

 

[wetcoast]

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.

Agree on Chychrun so maybe Jensen will be a better glue fit guy sure.

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

Sure I guess that could happen.

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.

Sure but they seemed to reach for size over skill quite a bit don't you think?

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.

Well i was critical of their 21 draft as both guys were reaches and it looks like the same with the frist 2 picks this year time will tell.

I took the sabers because their back end was actually okay last year and for many reasons they couldn't score and that shouldn't be as much of a problem this year so that's why I took them.

 

[The Management]

This was a really interesting topic of discussion last off-season, and as a post-mortem it is interesting to note that none of these teams made it despite some fairly high expectations going into the year. Detroit looked capable, for a time, but all three failed to deliver on where you'd hope they'd be.

But I don't think there was a more "unlucky" team last year than Ottawa. Injuries, suspensions, ownership change, coaching change, lost draft picks... it was just a circus around that club, particularly in the first part of the year.

I think they did reasonably well in free agency to address their other weaknesses on the ice. Jensen is a right side guy who can play in your bottom four and give you some reasonable defensive coverage in front of the net, and Ullmark is like a year off from winning the vezina trophy. You'd have to think if they fail to make it this year, they start examining their roster on a more fundamental level.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

I think it plays out pretty much like it did last year, don’t think Detroit will be in the mix as long as they were this past year though.

 

[wetcoast]

One thing Buffalo has going against them is they have to start in Europe this year and they have to do it against NJ.

A good start is going to crucial for them, if they drop those games they will already have 2 games played almost a week before anyone els, they will have jet lag and have to readjust to the time difference.

Usually the first 2 games aren't that critical, for Buffalo I think they are.

They NEED a good start.

Agreed.

 

[Captain Mountain]

I'll say yes. Probably only one and I'm not sure which one, but:

-Detroit is better than last season, and while they probably weren't as good as their record indicated, they've been slow cooking their prospects for a while, the time for someone (anyone) to step up is probably next season.
-Ottawa's biggest issue by far last season was goaltending and they addressed that, they should be improved. The Chychrun trade doesn't look great, but Jensen (despite potentially starting to decline) was an analytics darling and the type of player they needed.
-I have no idea what the plan in Buffalo is, but they have enough good, young winger prospects that they may surprise.

In the division, Florida may be slightly worse, but likely a very safe playoff team. Toronto probably improved for at least next season. There's a lot of risk in Tampa's D-core and they're not even remotely as deep as they once were at forward. Boston is gambling that Zadorov can consistently play higher in the lineup and Lindholm's decline over the past couple of seasons was environment. Boston's also a really old team which always presents risks. I don't think the Metro is stronger than it was last season either, I could see 5 teams make it from the Atlantic.

I don't think any team's offseason was good or bad enough to predict major changes in the Atlantic, but effects of aging and development are hard to account for and can have a pretty significant impact.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I think Detroit pulls it out over the Caps, Pens, and Isles. Regardless, it's a race to get obliterated by the ECF #1 Seed so a paltry accomplishment.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Well, It's certainly not looking good for Buffalo, not if they are now trading top prospects for bottom 6 forwards

 

[Dr Salt]

The Sens cycle is in full swing right now

 

[Panthaz89]

It was already amazing that the Capitals somehow made it in last year and they were definitely a lot worse than Detroit and Buffalo imo.....

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Well, It's certainly not looking good for Buffalo, not if they are now trading top prospects for bottom 6 forwards

If anything the trade makes us better this year

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

If anything the trade makes us better this year

Perhaps, we will see, but regardless of if you are better or not it doesn't mean giving up a top 10 pick for a 3rd line center was a good idea.

 

[McJesusSaves97]

No chance

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I'll say yes. Probably only one and I'm not sure which one, but:

-Detroit is better than last season, and while they probably weren't as good as their record indicated, they've been slow cooking their prospects for a while, the time for someone (anyone) to step up is probably next season.
-Ottawa's biggest issue by far last season was goaltending and they addressed that, they should be improved. The Chychrun trade doesn't look great, but Jensen (despite potentially starting to decline) was an analytics darling and the type of player they needed.
-I have no idea what the plan in Buffalo is, but they have enough good, young winger prospects that they may surprise.

In the division, Florida may be slightly worse, but likely a very safe playoff team. Toronto probably improved for at least next season. There's a lot of risk in Tampa's D-core and they're not even remotely as deep as they once were at forward. Boston is gambling that Zadorov can consistently play higher in the lineup and Lindholm's decline over the past couple of seasons was environment. Boston's also a really old team which always presents risks. I don't think the Metro is stronger than it was last season either, I could see 5 teams make it from the Atlantic.

I don't think any team's offseason was good or bad enough to predict major changes in the Atlantic, but effects of aging and development are hard to account for and can have a pretty significant impact.

People keep saying that about Leafs but I don't see it.

I know they lost Bertuzzi but you still got Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Domi.

Then you got Knies, Robertson and Bobby Mac who all scored at least 14 goals last year and 2 of them did it in 56 games so assuming they are all healthy coming out of camp I don't think 20 goals is a stretch for any of them.

You got Cowan and Minten coming up through the system, I just don't see the issues on offense that others see.

Don't get me wrong I would have liked to have kept Bertuzzi too he's a good player, but his loss will not destroy the offense

Oh and I know Robertson wants a trade but he's got no leverage, the most he can do is sit and wasting a year of his career would be profoundly stupid

 

[NyQuil]

People keep saying that about Leafs but I don't see it.

I know they lost Bertuzzi but you still got Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Domi.

Then you got Knies, Robertson and Bobby Mac who all scored at least 14 goals last year and 2 of them did it in 56 games so assuming they are all healthy coming out of camp I don't think 20 goals is a stretch for any of them.

You got Cowan and Minten coming up through the system, I just don't see the issues on offense that others see.

Don't get me wrong I would have liked to have kept Bertuzzi too he's a good player, but his loss will not destroy the offense

Oh and I know Robertson wants a trade but he's got no leverage, the most he can do is sit and wasting a year of his career would be profoundly stupid

I just read his post again and he said that the Leafs improved.

You disagree?

What a strange response.

 

[Golden_Jet]

People keep saying that about Leafs but I don't see it.

I know they lost Bertuzzi but you still got Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Domi.

Then you got Knies, Robertson and Bobby Mac who all scored at least 14 goals last year and 2 of them did it in 56 games so assuming they are all healthy coming out of camp I don't think 20 goals is a stretch for any of them.

You got Cowan and Minten coming up through the system, I just don't see the issues on offense that others see.

Don't get me wrong I would have liked to have kept Bertuzzi too he's a good player, but his loss will not destroy the offense

Oh and I know Robertson wants a trade but he's got no leverage, the most he can do is sit and wasting a year of his career would be profoundly stupid

Not following your logic in your response,
Poster said
Toronto probably improved for at least next season.

Yet you said people keep saying that, but you don’t see it

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I just read his post again and he said that the Leafs improved.

You disagree?

What a strange response.

I was talking about the offense because he also said they weren't remotely as deep at forward as they have been in the past.

I don't think that's true in regards to forwards.

Sure they lost Bertuzzi but like I said they still have Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Domi

You have Knies Mcmann and Robertson who all scored at least 14 goals last year and 2 of them did it in 56 games so assuming they are all healthy coming out of camp I don't think 20 goals is a stretch for any of them.

ANd then you have Cowan and Minten coming up through the system, I don't see the problem at forward that others seem to.

I Actually do agree that they are better, I think the defense has been upgraded significantly and Stolarz would have to deliberately try to be as bad as Samsonov was and even if he did deliberately try to do that I don't think he could.

I think it's a very strong team, it's when I see posts mentioning how much offense they lost that's what confuses me, I don't see a weaker forward group.

 

[NyQuil]

I was talking about the offense because he also said they weren't remotely as deep at forward as they have been in the past.

I don't think that's true in regards to forwards.

Sure they lost Bertuzzi but like I said they still have Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Domi

You have Knies Mcmann and Robertson who all scored at least 14 goals last year and 2 of them did it in 56 games so assuming they are all healthy coming out of camp I don't think 20 goals is a stretch for any of them.

ANd then you have Cowan and Minten coming up through the system, I don't see the problem at forward that others seem to.

I Actually do agree that they are better, I think the defense has been upgraded significantly and Stolarz would have to deliberately try to be as bad as Samsonov was and even if he did deliberately try to do that I don't think he could.

I think it's a very strong team, it's when I see posts mentioning how much offense they lost that's what confuses me, I don't see a weaker forward group.

What’s confusing is that he said that about Tampa Bay, not Toronto.

Read the post again.

There's a lot of risk in Tampa's D-core and they're not even remotely as deep as they once were at forward.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

What’s confusing is that he said that about Tampa Bay, not Toronto.

Read the post again.

Ah so he did, I misread his post.

I have seen that said about Toronto's offense though and I don't know where it comes from.

 

[Golden_Jet]

I was talking about the offense because he also said they weren't remotely as deep at forward as they have been in the past.

I don't think that's true in regards to forwards.

Sure they lost Bertuzzi but like I said they still have Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares and Domi

You have Knies Mcmann and Robertson who all scored at least 14 goals last year and 2 of them did it in 56 games so assuming they are all healthy coming out of camp I don't think 20 goals is a stretch for any of them.

ANd then you have Cowan and Minten coming up through the system, I don't see the problem at forward that others seem to.

I Actually do agree that they are better, I think the defense has been upgraded significantly and Stolarz would have to deliberately try to be as bad as Samsonov was and even if he did deliberately try to do that I don't think he could.

I think it's a very strong team, it's when I see posts mentioning how much offense they lost that's what confuses me, I don't see a weaker forward group.

Still not seeing poster saying that.

 

[JimmyApples]

J-Fresh’s model has the Sens at 94 points, Wings at 88 points, and Sabres at 82 points. The Habs are at 69 points for whoever thought they would jump the Sens

In the model, the Sens make the playoffs at #8 seed. I don’t think people realized how bad the Sens goaltending was last season. I also don’t think people realize how bad Chychrun is. Jensen is an improvement for next season.

 

[Faceboner]

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.

I think Tampa and Boston are a little rocky they still have their main guys but they are losing that elite depth well Tampa at least and Boston won't be running two #1 goalies this year

 

[Sting]

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 like the asset management approach the Habs have taken in their rebuild thus far for sure. I see them as being very far away from being in the playoffs though.

Finding a real #1 goalie is very difficult and will quash a rebuilding attempt pretty fast. All 3 of the aforementioned teams have struggled mightily with this - probably Ottawa the most. I don't see anyone in the Habs system who is a #1 goalie.

We'll see how Slaf/Demi pan out but I also feel they're missing a real superstar talent. They might have one but Suzuki/Caufield aren't it.