Looks like we are much more rooted in reality this year.
2nd in the Metro.
Trip to Eastern Conference Finals.
Discussions in April and May will be about lack of playoff ticket availability and high prices.
For this season to have a hint of a chance of making the playoffs, these things will have to happen:
1) Bob needs a return to near Vezina form. He must be durable as well.
2) Somehow, a functional #1C has to emerge from the trio of Jenner, Dubinsky and Wennberg. I'm almost certain that Wennberg isn't it. Dubinsky is a long shot. Jenner probably has the best chance, but I don't think he's quite talented enough to do it.
3) Foligno has to rebound to 55-60 point form.
4) Jenner, Atkinson and Saad need to come close to replicating last season's production.
5) Hartnell can't fall of the age cliff-he needs to be able to produce 45-50 points.
6) Jones AND Murray have to play to a level which many of this boad think that they're capable of. They have to be a legitimate top pairing, not a top-pairing-in-the-making.
7) Werenski has to be better than rookie defensemen usually are. A typical rookie-type, mistake-laden debut won't cut it.
8) Jack Johnson has to be serviceable. He can't regress ala Tyutin.
I think there's way too much which has to happen for the CBJ to be a playoff contender. The cumulative total of two post season victories in a decade and a half is likely to remain just that.
Good list CR, but like Moe said, we are a playoff team if some of those things happen, not all.
Or even just one of them! If we got Vezina Bob last year, we'd have been in the playoffs. If team save percentage went from .912 to .928 (Bob was .908 last year, .932 Vezina), we'd allow goals on 7.2% of shots rather than 8.8%. Multiply that ratio by last season's 252 goals against (.072/.088*252) and the Jackets suddenly have a nice positive goal differential, 219 For, 206 Against.
I came here to say if we get World Cup Bob we're in. Or if we get something in between and Murray and Jones play like they did in the World Cup, and the forwards stay the same, we're in. I'm not counting on those things happening, but that is the margin between 8th and 4th in the division.