2015-16 Central Division Thoughts / Discussion

[Drake744]

My constants are that there are 3 tiers in the Central.

1st to 3rd will be either St. Louis, Chicago or Nashville
4th and 5th will be either Minnesota or Winnipeg
6th and 7th will be either Dallas or Colorado

 

[Byrddog]

It is interesting to see reactions when anyone has the Hawks 4th or lower. I agree it sounds ridiculous on the surface. But its easy to forget that they finished 3rd last year and were just 2 points away from 4th and 3 points from finishing 5th.

I agree it is possible that from 1st to last in the division could be 10 points. Heck I have seen a few predict Varlmov wins the Veznia and Duchene the Hart which vaults Colorado up its gonna be crazy and it starts in 2 hours.

 

[Byrddog]

There are reasons Dallas is not last
1 They scored 2nd most team goals in the league last year
2 Oduya
3 Sharp
4 Niemi

The backend got better with #2 -#4
Sharp and Oduya will add offense as well. Most importantly is Sharp who will help the two way forwards instead of Fiddler carrying the PK Sharp helps. Niemi will back up making Lehtonen better much more serviceable duo.

 

[Cashville]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/13787180/2015-16-nhl-season-preview-experts-predictions

Well, we have a few saying we'll win the division and one saying we'll go to the SCF! Booking my ticket now.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

There are reasons Dallas is not last
1 They scored 2nd most team goals in the league last year
2 Oduya
3 Sharp
4 Niemi

The backend got better with #2 -#4
Sharp and Oduya will add offense as well. Most importantly is Sharp who will help the two way forwards instead of Fiddler carrying the PK Sharp helps. Niemi will back up making Lehtonen better much more serviceable duo.

Oduya was washed up when he was on the Thrashers.... he wouldn't even crack our D pairings. I would take Bartley over him.

 

[Drake744]

Oduya is garbage. The fact that he's looked at as a big signing speaks volumes about how weak the Stars defense is.

 

[Byrddog]

Oduya was washed up when he was on the Thrashers.... he wouldn't even crack our D pairings. I would take Bartley over him.

Hells bells theres only what 4 or 5 players in the league that could crack our top two defensive paring's. We are spoiled with defensemen. And Ouya is not washed up he may no longer score like he did earlier but How much scoring help does Dallas need???? They addressed there needs a decent back-up that can jump in and spell Leightnon when he has a streach of bad games Oduya to play defense and Sharp to play that two way game. The big question they still have is will the tending be enough cause they will probably lead the west in scoring again.

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

Anybody but Chicago, that's all I ask for.

 

[Enoch]

If Dubnyk plays like he did down the stretch, the Wild will make the playoffs somehow.

Its hard for me to pick between the Blues/Hawks until it comes to the playoffs. I think we can challenge them for the central crown if we remain healthy with our top end players.

 

[57special]

Avs are flawed in their makeup.

Dallas, too.

WPG scares me. People forget Buff was out for the playoffs. They can be a brutal team to play against, but i question their goaltending.

CHI will not repeat. No depth on D, Saad and Sharp gone matters, Kane affair and just overall wear and tear will hurt them.

So it's down to NSH, MN, or STL, for me.

- Rinne has the talent to take a team all the way. Great D. Forwards play a good system.

- Dubnyk just has to be a bit above average... Wild's D are getting better and have more depth, and should be better this year. Forwards play a good system, Vanek aside. Vanek is a "Wild" card.

- STL has size, talent up front and back, and a good system, but their goalie(s)is the least impressive of the three.

I'm going with MN if Dubnyk plays like the last half of last year's regular season.

- NSH if Rinne( I think he was the best G in the world pre infection)regains form and goes nutz in playoffs.

It is all really tight in the central. When that happens, it's usually down to goaltending.

 

[FiveForFighting23]

Really

#5
The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 then spent two years barely making the playoffs and losing in the first round largely due to cap issues and necessary roster dumps. The 2015-16 iteration of this team has many of the same issues (to a lesser extent) and I think you see a similar short term decline. I do not want to make this into a thread about the current Patrick Kane ordeal; all I will say is that the allegations are serious and it is definitely something that will not help their team. On record, I think the 2015-16 Chicago Blackhawks miss the playoffs barely. Some angry Hawks fan is going to come in here and say I'm crazy; they very well could be correct.


Go Perds!

Blackhawks #5 - SMH You do realize they still have Toews, Kane, Hossa, etc. etc..etc.. That's just a lack of respect.

 

[Cashville]

Blackhawks #5 - SMH You do realize they still have Toews, Kane, Hossa, etc. etc..etc.. That's just a lack of respect.

1) Congrats on your first post
2) Was it necessary to quote the entire original post?
3) It has nothing to do with a lack of respect; you had Toews, Kane, and Hossa after the 2010 cup and you still snuck into the playoffs only because DAL somehow failed to beat a terrible MIN team on the last game of the season. There's been a number of material changes to the roster since last season and I think CHI will have a bit of a cup hangover.

80% sure this is a sock account, but whatever.

 

[drwpreds]

Blackhawks #5 - SMH You do realize they still have Toews, Kane, Hossa, etc. etc..etc.. That's just a lack of respect.

All I will say is this- it is easy to forget that last year, a year they won the freaking Cup, the Hawks were THREE points away from finishing 5th.

 

[Filip Forceberg]

Some angry Hawks fan is going to come in here and say I'm crazy; they very well could be correct.

Nailed it.

 

[Byrddog]

After 5 games 5 of the top 6 teams in the west are from the central. One of which is not the Blackhawks. The Jets and Stars hold the top two spots the Preds cling to a tie in points for the conference lead but are not playing well still. A key game is gong to be the Ducks on Thur. While they have struggled someone is going to pay the price when they break out hopefully they continue to suck into next week but I don't count on it.

 

[Pred303]

one could legitimately make the argument that 5 of the best 10 teams in the league are in the central division. it's a crime honestly.

 

[Ranskyre]

one could legitimately make the argument that 5 of the best 10 teams in the league are in the central division. it's a crime honestly.

With regard to the insanity of the Central Division: we are 6th in the League, but in the first Wild Card spot of the West.

 

[Cashville]

one could legitimately make the argument that 5 of the best 10 teams in the league are in the central division. it's a crime honestly.

It's ridiculous; I made this post on another mixed sports forum at like 11 AM yesterday:

And the Central division currently has the #2 (WPG), #3 (DAL), #4 (STL), #6 (NSH), and #8 (MIN) teams in the NHL right now; f***ing hate this division. At least everyone has lost once.

Five of the top 8 teams in the NHL were from the Central; that's nuts.

 

[Drake744]

Given that we're off until Thursday it'll be interesting to see were 16 points leaves us in 48 hours with other teams playing while we aren't.

Tonight Dallas plays in Boston and the Blues host LA. The Avs play also but whatever.

Tomorrow the Jets play the Leafs and the Blues play the Hawks.

Man this division is brutal.

 

[drwpreds]

Given that we're off until Thursday it'll be interesting to see were 16 points leaves us in 48 hours with other teams playing while we aren't.

Tonight Dallas plays in Boston and the Blues host LA. The Avs play also but whatever.

Tomorrow the Jets play the Leafs and the Blues play the Hawks.

Man this division is brutal.

If you want to look for some hopeful signs:

Dallas blown out by Toronto- eventually (hopefully) their D issues will catch up to them.

St Louis- tons of injuries.

Minnesota- Dubnyk so far does not look the same as last year- .898 save percentage. If that holds, Wild are in trouble

Chicago- Keith injury/Cup hangover???

So while we certainly have our issues (3rd line, backup G, etc, etc), other teams do too.

But I am probably just grasping at straws though. This may well be the toughest division in any sport ever...

 

[Pred303]

lol drw.

all these teams are tough and have issues, and will work thru those issues unfortunately. it's damn sure gonna be a dogfight

 

[drwpreds]

lol drw.

all these teams are tough and have issues, and will work thru those issues unfortunately. it's damn sure gonna be a dogfight

I know this is going to sound kind of ridiculous, but being in this tough of a division with the current (STUPID) NHL playoff format almost makes me angry. In almost any other season and any other division, we would be absolute shoo ins for not only the playoffs but at least a top 2 division finish.

But now, every time I watch one of the other 5 Central teams it just scares the crap out of me- one very good team, a team that could probably win any other division for crying out loud, is not even going to make the playoffs, and there is a part of me that worries like crazy that its going to be us. Normally these early season games are really not that big a deal, but in this division every missed point feels like so huge.........

I think I need a hockey therapist

Please, NHL- change this stupid playoff format.........

 

[triggrman]

I don't care as long as we sTay close to the top. We peaked to early last season, I want to peak much later this season.

 

[predfan24]

Dallas is ridiculous right now but this is a defensive league. Eventually they will cool down and come back to earth. Whether it be now, mid season, playoffs or whenever. They will come back down to earth with their defense.

 

[drwpreds]

Dallas is ridiculous right now but this is a defensive league. Eventually they will cool down and come back to earth. Whether it be now, mid season, playoffs or whenever. They will come back down to earth with their defense.

And Despite their fast start, if the Preds win the 2 games they have in hand, they would have the same 20 points that the Stars do.....