Tkachuk is fine and will be ready game 1. Montour is expected out at least a month and Ekblad is out till December/January. Montour is a big loss, Florida is used to playing without Ekblad though.
Predict the Atlantic Standings
- Thread starter ucanthanzalthetruth
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- Jun 13, 2010
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I think Toronto is going to have a monster regular season. Bunch of really good players who know the situation. I don't think it helps come playoff time though.
So weird to me. The purpose of the regular season is (1) fill the stadium, (2) accumulate enough points to make the playoffs, and (3) prepare for the playoffs. Well, Toronto is always going to fill the stadium, so #1 should be irrelevant. The #2 doesn't seem like that big of a hurdle unless you're just really bad. That brings us to #3, which -- and this is the weird part -- is apparently totally irrelevant in Maple Leaf world since the core is so so so soft. Why build a team to sell regular season tickets when you're going to fill the stadium anyway? If you're going to fill the stadium anyway, then why not build a tough-as-nails playoff team instead? Somebody please explain the purported logic behind this.
- Jun 13, 2010
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They got Reaves though. So...problem solved. Can't believe no one ever thought of that before.
FerrisRox
"Wanna go, Prettyboy?"
Pavels Dog
Registered User
Which NHL teams have improved the most this offseason? Rating all 32 teams
From most value added to least, rating each team based on whether they have more talent than they did at the start of the offseason.
theathletic.com
Detroit 2nd best offseason, not even counting any improvements from all their young players.
wintersej
Registered User
Bruins without Bergeron are a bubble team reliant on defense and goaltending. With Bergeron a 100-110 point team.
If Bergeron is back, the Krejci to JVR downgrade won't kill them, JVR/Zacha/Pastrnak might be better than Zacha/Krejci/Pastrnak come playoff time where the globetrotter shit won't work as well as JVR's ass in front of the net.
The bottom six will lose Taylor Hall which will hurt more than anything. Hall and Nosek out and Geekie + Boqvist/Merkulov/Lysell in at least gets them younger.
The rest of the team is the same. Of course, Bruins are still hovering around Calgary and WPG and have some potential arbitration cases that could force some more movement, so who knows where things look when training camp opens or the day after the TDL.
If Bergeron is back, the Krejci to JVR downgrade won't kill them, JVR/Zacha/Pastrnak might be better than Zacha/Krejci/Pastrnak come playoff time where the globetrotter shit won't work as well as JVR's ass in front of the net.
The bottom six will lose Taylor Hall which will hurt more than anything. Hall and Nosek out and Geekie + Boqvist/Merkulov/Lysell in at least gets them younger.
The rest of the team is the same. Of course, Bruins are still hovering around Calgary and WPG and have some potential arbitration cases that could force some more movement, so who knows where things look when training camp opens or the day after the TDL.
OgeeOgelthorpe
Riccis per 60 record holder
- Feb 29, 2020
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Which NHL teams have improved the most this offseason? Rating all 32 teams
From most value added to least, rating each team based on whether they have more talent than they did at the start of the offseason.
Detroit 2nd best offseason, not even counting any improvements from all their young players.
And yet a lot of people here are predicting they’re 7th or 8th in the Atlantic when Boston, Tampa, Ottawa all got worse.
Gaylord Q Tinkledink
Registered User
- Apr 29, 2018
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Montreal - 145 points
Buffalo - 63 points
Detroit - 75 points
Boston - 43 points
Toronto - 43.5 points
Ottawa - 26 points
Quebec - Relocation
Tampa Bay - 23 points
Florida - also 23 points.
Yup.
Buffalo - 63 points
Detroit - 75 points
Boston - 43 points
Toronto - 43.5 points
Ottawa - 26 points
Quebec - Relocation
Tampa Bay - 23 points
Florida - also 23 points.
Yup.
Some have Boston higher than I thought…they will be outside of the top 3 for sure…
Toronto
Tampa
Florida
Ottawa
Boston
Buffalo
Montreal
Detroit
I could see Buffalo surpassing them this year.
Boston does have a history of finding a way however…..
Toronto
Tampa
Florida
Ottawa
Boston
Buffalo
Montreal
Detroit
I could see Buffalo surpassing them this year.
Boston does have a history of finding a way however…..
- Oct 30, 2006
- 2,899
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Toronto is a paper tiger. This season they'll be more paper, less tiger.
OgeeOgelthorpe
Riccis per 60 record holder
- Feb 29, 2020
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Klingberg, Domi and Bertuzzi are more firepower but not great defensively. Then there’s the loss of ROR, Bunting, Kerfoot, Holl and a few others that were at least average defensively will sting.
I think the team scores more but struggles to defend. Regular season results should look similar.
ViewsFromThe6ix
Zachary on the Attackary
I agree that they're worse defensively clearly, but ROR hardly played in the regular season and the Leafs were on pace to be a 110+ point team without him. Bunting was no good defensively. Kerfoot and Holl were good defensively and will be a loss at that end.
bert
Registered User
I think Toronto runs away with the division and Montreal is dead last. After that the 6 teams in the middle could go any which way. Injuries will be a huge factor.
bert
Registered User
If you think Ottawa got worse you're living in a fantasy land. Bottom line is Detroits top end talent is quite easily the 2nd worst in the division. That's what people see. They're deep they can make the playoffs but it's undeniable that they don't have the big guns like the rest of the division excluding Montreal.
- Oct 30, 2006
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Let's not forget the core. It's soft and wilts under pressure. Both Matthews and Nylander are looking for new contracts...and, if they were interested in signing more team-oriented deals, they would have extended already.
So, you've got a team with less depth, who's built on a single track of offense...with 2 key players now more interested in personal gain than team success.
Add in Tampa, Florida and Boston who all have things to prove and grudges to bear...good luck holding your ground.
- Oct 30, 2006
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NyQuil
Big F$&*in Q
Which NHL teams have improved the most this offseason? Rating all 32 teams
From most value added to least, rating each team based on whether they have more talent than they did at the start of the offseason.
Detroit 2nd best offseason, not even counting any improvements from all their young players.
They also deconstructed their team before the off-season started.
Only one direction to go after that.
Red Wings GM Yzerman: Ottawa and Buffalo Are ‘Ahead of Us’
Red Wings failed exam in Ottawa
detroithockeynow.com
1. Toronto: similar as last year. Traded some defense for more offense. So far they are worst for the playoffs. Keefe could be canned if they stumble at some point but they have Boucher who always starts strong with a new team.
2. Buffalo: depends on Levi being able to play a full season at the same pace he finished the season. Second year for power.
3. Ottawa: Lost Debrincat but Noris is back. A full year of Chychrun. Well 60 games. A lot depends on the injuries or lack of. Wouldn't be surprised if Smith is the first coach canned.
4. Boston(WC): Ullmark should regress to a more normal save%. Leadership vacuum. Center depth is thin
5. Tampa: Could easily beat Boston. First long offseason in a while but all their top guys already had a great year last year. Lost some dept.
6. Detroit: Is getting there. Should be in the mix with Boston and Tampa.
7. Florida: Barely made it. Injuries. Paul Maurice. Loved them in the playoffs but hangover.
7. Montréal: Keeps on getting better but the gap is too big.
Could easily see Montréal make it to the playoffs. It's July after all
2. Buffalo: depends on Levi being able to play a full season at the same pace he finished the season. Second year for power.
3. Ottawa: Lost Debrincat but Noris is back. A full year of Chychrun. Well 60 games. A lot depends on the injuries or lack of. Wouldn't be surprised if Smith is the first coach canned.
4. Boston(WC): Ullmark should regress to a more normal save%. Leadership vacuum. Center depth is thin
5. Tampa: Could easily beat Boston. First long offseason in a while but all their top guys already had a great year last year. Lost some dept.
6. Detroit: Is getting there. Should be in the mix with Boston and Tampa.
7. Florida: Barely made it. Injuries. Paul Maurice. Loved them in the playoffs but hangover.
7. Montréal: Keeps on getting better but the gap is too big.
Could easily see Montréal make it to the playoffs. It's July after all
PROUD PAPA
Registered User
- Sep 20, 2021
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OgeeOgelthorpe
Riccis per 60 record holder
- Feb 29, 2020
- 18,235
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What did Ottawa do to get better? They finished the season a whopping 6 points ahead of Detroit despite the fact that Detroit sold what, 5 players at the deadline and Ottawa were buyers?
Then they lost DeBrincat for a player that’s a clear downgrade in all areas in Kubalik. There’s a good chance they lose Batherson for the year and beyond, and there’s no guarantee that the Norris Ottawa is getting back is as good as the Norris from 2021-22 after being out a whole year. Is Korpisalo channeling the spirit of 1990s Dominik Hasek to save them from poor team defense?
bert
Registered User
Ottawa didn't have Norris or Chychrun all season. Goaltending was horrid. It can't be worse. Debrincat was not a good fit with the team, he can't drive a line. He will get slotted better in Detroit but he wasn't good in the role he had in Ottawa. At 5 on 5 Kubalik isn't a huge downgrade. A healthy Norris slots the centers way better. Pinto is a year older. The forward group is undeniably better same with the d core and goaltending.
Batherson comment is outrageous hyperbole on a topic youre reaching for. A weak attempt to back up your flawed argument. It's pathetic to hope for something like that the way you are. Shows your true character.
As a group only Giroux is on the backside of his career. They'll collectively improve. The rest is just wishful thinking on your end.
I'll stand by what I said Toronto will be first Montreal will be last the middle 6 who knows. It will largely depend on injuries. However if injuries are even I don't see Detroit better than 7th. They are the weakest in top end talent they do have decent depth I'll give them that. Your homersistic views won't be able to handle this obvious fact but it's true.
Florida and Ottawa top 2? that's bold especially since both Ekblad and Montour going to miss time and I think Tkachuk will too but not sure about him.
Pavels Dog
Registered User
While true, I think it's fair to note that they've added real value on paper. They flirted with a playoff spot for a long time last season, yet many people seem to rate them only based on the post-TDL version of the team.They also deconstructed their team before the off-season started.
Only one direction to go after that.
Red Wings GM Yzerman: Ottawa and Buffalo Are ‘Ahead of Us’
Red Wings failed exam in Ottawa
Hey, I'd enjoy seeing Boston fall, but your prediction would require a 40-50 point drop that feels extreme
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