Eastern Conference Power Rankings Position 3

[Inferno]

I've been doing this for like 4 or 5 years now, so let's get this party started.

Rank what will be the best teams in the Eastern Conference. You can choose to pick what team you think will win the East and be in the SCF, OR what team you think will finish 1st overall at the end of the regular season, use whatever criteria you think is most applicable...as this poll goes, just keep going based on who is left.

Here are the current Division setups:

Division C
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs

Division D
Carolina Hurricanes
Columbus Blue Jackets
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals


Here are the current results of our polls

Division C
1) Boston Bruins
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Division D
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Here are the current Eastern Conference Playoff Rankings:
1)Boston Bruins
2)Pittsburgh Penguins
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Playoff Matchups:
Boston Bruins (1) VS Worst Wild Card Team (8)
Pittsburgh Penguins (2) VS 2nd Worst Wild Card Team (7)
Division C #2 VS Division C #3
Division D #2 VS Division C #3


Poll to come shortly....

Click to read more...

 

[Inferno]

Going with the Red Wings...

 

[free0717]

Went with my boys, "THE NEW YORK RANGERS"

 

[kovazub94]

Here We go.

 

[aufheben]

Keep forgetting the Red Wings our now in our conference. Kinda awesome.

 

[Ian]

Detroit will finish higher than the Rangers in the standings simply because they're in a weaker division.

Otherwise, I really don't see how they are significantly better.

 

[Inferno]

Detroit will finish higher than the Rangers in the standings simply because they're in a weaker division.

Otherwise, I really don't see how they are significantly better.

i think our d is much better, and our goaltending is better...their forward group are pretty amazing though...datsyuk, alfie, zetterberg, weiss, franzen, etc, etc, etc

 

[Ian]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg, no argument from me.

I think Alfie makes a similar impact on that team as Filppula did, so I don't see much of an increase there.

Even when Franzen is healthy, his impact is much less than it used to be.

Weiss (to me) does nothing more than Brassard will do for the Rangers. Plus he's another injury risk and is already 30.

The rest of their young players don't wow me nearly as much as Brunner did/does.

Red Wing mystique.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Voted Rangers, Red Wings just behind.

I can see us being 3rd-4th seed this year.

 

[Machinehead]

Voted for the Senators. They're better than the Wings. Alfie makes not the logics.

 

[broadwayblue]

Datsyuk and Zetterberg, no argument from me.

I think Alfie makes a similar impact on that team as Filppula did, so I don't see much of an increase there.

Even when Franzen is healthy, his impact is much less than it used to be.

Weiss (to me) does nothing more than Brassard will do for the Rangers. Plus he's another injury risk and is already 30.

The rest of their young players don't wow me nearly as much as Brunner did/does.

Red Wing mystique.

Indeed.

 

[kovazub94]

Detroit will finish higher than the Rangers in the standings simply because they're in a weaker division.

Otherwise, I really don't see how they are significantly better.

Hmm, it's opposite for me. I don't see their division as weaker to ours probably just equal. Boston, Detroit, Ottawa, Montreal & Toronto - this group is a pretty strong top tier with Buffallo (with Miller) not far behind. Granted, this strong top tier is offset by probably the weakest teams in the East in Florida and Tampa.

On the other hand the range in our division is smaller and it's not as top heavy. After Pens and us there are big question marks with all of the clubs to follow starting with Washington & Philly. Isle might actually finish higher than these clubs again this season. Carolina, Columbus and NJ are just... mediocre to bad.

 

[Inferno]

pretty surprised how close this is....i think Detroits a damn good team...

 

[Net Front Presence]

Red Wings.

 

[Tawnos]

Detroit is a very good team, and this is a tough one, but I went with the Rangers since it really is only between these two teams. Washington, maybe. Everyone else is going to have to take a big step forward, in terms of youth development, to get into this 2nd tier right behind the big boys.

Now, that can absolutely happen. Toronto would be my favorite to join those ranks.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Detroit's going to have growing pains, a lot of young guys will earn full time spots with them. Not sure if the experience of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Alfie will offset that.

To me, the Rangers are a better team. Detroit may finish well because they're in another division, but we're the better team right now in my opinion.

Despite the new coach, there was no real overhaul in personnel this offseason. We added a couple good pieces in Pouliot and Moore. This should improve our offensive depth and penalty killing, two problems we had last season. If Richards gets his head out of his ass and one of the kids (Kreider, Miller, Fast, Lindberg, Kristo) steps up and contributes, we're in good shape.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Senators, then Red Wings, then Rangers.

 

[Bluenote13]

Senators, then Red Wings, then Rangers.

I'm with ya on the first two of those

Rangers winning this poll ? Ahh, as a fine songwriter once said, where would we be without wishful thinking ? Unfortunately, we count on those wishes as if they're part of the teams assets heading into every season.

I see the Rangers in 6th. I assume some team will surprise and be just ahead of them. My front runners are Washington and Toronto.

 

[aufheben]

Senators, then Red Wings, then Rangers.

Yeah, it's Sens or Red Wings. There's gonna be a lot of disappointment if people think we're finishing 3rd...

 

[YoSoyLalo]

I'm with ya on the first two of those

Rangers winning this poll ? Ahh, as a fine songwriter once said, where would we be without wishful thinking ? Unfortunately, we count on those wishes as if they're part of the teams assets heading into every season.

I see the Rangers in 6th. I assume some team will surprise and be just ahead of them. My front runners are Washington and Toronto.

Eh, while I highly question the Rangers' group of forwards, I think their defensive group and goaltending gets them the 5th place finish. Toronto I see being a good team, but Washington? I see them missing the playoffs.

Voting for the Rangers in this spot is funny, though, I agree.

 

[Tawnos]

You guys do realize that saying Senators, then Wings, then Rangers is the same thing as saying Rangers now in the new alignment, right? If you say Rangers, Senators, Red Wings... then the Rangers get the 2nd seed in the division. If you say the Red Wings, Rangers, Senators, then the Rangers get the 2nd seed in the new division. It doesn't matter what order you put those three teams in, the Rangers finish 2nd in the the new division.

There is no "finishing 3rd in the East" anymore. Who in the Rangers division is going to finish ahead of them besides the Penguins? The Capitals? Possible. We will see how they fare when they aren't in a weak division anymore. The Islanders? If they take a big step forward, sure. Everyone else is going to have to surprise in a very, very big way to finish that high in our division.

We aren't competing with Ottawa and Detroit for a playoff spot unless we're a bubble team, and I don't think we're that. Hell, the team was closer to being a 5 seed last season than they were to being an 8 seed.

 

[Bluenote13]

Eh, while I highly question the Rangers' group of forwards, I think their defensive group and goaltending gets them the 5th place finish. Toronto I see being a good team, but Washington? I see them missing the playoffs.

Voting for the Rangers in this spot is funny, though, I agree.

Some team always surprises, and it wouldn't shock me to see the Rangers miss out on 5th place, probably by one point. Always with the one point factor, don't forget your Ranger history boys and goils

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Some team always surprises, and it wouldn't shock me to see the Rangers miss out on 5th place, probably by one point. Always with the one point factor, don't forget your Ranger history boys and goils

My surprise teams would be Carolina and Florida. I'd say Columbus, but I think most people expect them to be good.

 

[Bluenote13]

My surprise teams would be Carolina and Florida. I'd say Columbus, but I think most people expect them to be good.

They could surprise, no doubt. Those two plus Columbus and Isles should be better teams this year, though 5th is a stretch, but who knows. I went with the two teams that were on a roll with their new coaches, should get better with time. I can't count the Caps out, they were still one of the more consistent teams down the stretch in a weird shortened season.

And who would be that shocked if the Devs were somehow competitive ?

 

[Kakko]

I think the Red Wings are going to surprise a lot of people. In a bad way. Or I guess a good way if your a fan of a different team.