Excellent thread. I wish you had let us pick multiple options because this team, albeit in the up and up, has many flaws. The special teams did get better as the season went on, but the beginning of the season has the numbers looking horrible. Secondary scoring picked up at the end of the season after being carried by the first time since end of December. Consistency on D and goaltending would go a long way. Too many bodies in nets was a problem. Now if they can focus on the 2 left and see which one, if either is the #1. On D a similar problem. Too many bodies, not enough top end quality. That’s a lot of pressure on a kid like Hutson and Mailloux if he comes up. I think they have wood men for next season?
Overall consistency and Suzuki being the top scorer in the 2000s (eclipsing Kovalevs 84) would be nice for next year to get them in on the bubble. As far as the division goes, you need to wonder how Florida will do if they can’t re-sign their top goal scorer. Boston is always looking better than we think. Toronto… if they lose first round they are going to have to make major changes… right? tab can lose Stamkos, they may be a bubble team. Detroit, Buffalo, Ottawa… who knows.