Expectations for next year with regular divisions?

[thammias]

What are your expectations for the team next year? Assuming regular Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.

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[guyzeur]

Regarless of the teams that will play in their divisions?

 

[SENATOR]

I do not think Toronto will ever advance ahead of Ottawa if playing us in playoffs. Too soft of a team. I expect one round win next year and two rounds, the year after that.

 

[thammias]

Regarless of the teams that will play in their divisions?

I'm assuming regular Atlantic Division

 

[dumbdick]

We're going to be one of the best teams in the East.

 

[Sens72]

The Sens have become a much better team after the deadline but I wouldn’t be so certain we will take a massive jump and make the playoffs next year. We’re still a young team so there will still be many growing pains next season. We also have to remember that we will be back in the Atlantic division next season (very likely).

Tampa, Florida and Toronto will probably be the top 3 in the division, maybe swap Florida with Boston. Then you have us, Montreal, Boston/Florida, and likely 3 teams from the metropolitan division battling for two wildcard spots. I don’t think our chances of being one of those two are very high but there’s nothing wrong with that as I think it’s completely fine if we still miss next year.

 

[HSF]

We need to keep adding

We need a top line Center and a top 4 d

I hope they don’t get overconfident from wins with zero pressure

also from a weak division this year

 

[SensFactor]

I selected bubble team. However I think we still need a top 4 RD to play with Chabot.

 

[DJB]

We need to keep adding

We need a top line Center and a top 4 d

I hope they don’t get overconfident from wins with zero pressure

also from a weak division this year

 

[Here I Pageau Again]

I wavered between bubble team no playoffs vs bubble team wild card.

I still think we need to add a little because the goal would be to be the best we can. But I think we remain competitive. Although I find it a bit hard to predict how we do against normal divisions again.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Stanley Cup or bust

 

[HSF]

It’s the truth though if we go back to a division with Tampa Florida Toronto Boston and mtl we need to be better.... much better

we have seen many teams over the year totally collapse at the start of the season when expectations are higher and then win meaningless games where there is no pressure

 

[BondraTime]

Playoff contenders, probably ~10th in the conference.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

The goal should always be the Cup; hockey isn't played on paper.

 

[RedWhiteBlackGold]

Depends how the team starts out of the gate. If we have good defense and goal-tending then playoffs should be achievable. Otherwise we'll be chasing all year for the final spot. Don't think we will be in the lottery pick conversation at least.

 

[6stringmofo]

SO ya, the start of the season was a hot mess but we knew it was going to be because we pretty much fielded a bunch of kids.

Lately? I'm been having very good feeling on this team and the way they play. They haven't been out of a game for quite awhile now.

 

[MarkStone]

I see next season as a sort of second rookie season of sorts for our young players as well as guys like Zub. Reverting back to the normal divisional layout (Tampa, Boston, Toronto and Florida is a very different beast compared to the North) road trips, possibility of decent crowds for the first time in their NHL careers, playing against teams they haven’t played before.

With that in mind I wouldn’t be surprised by further adaptation with some growing pains and I am fine with that. I see the season after for when we start to make a run at wild card playoff spots and the season after that one as becoming a solidified playoff team.
A further developmental year with a chance at another decent pick isn’t the worst thing in the world.

 

[OUTHOUSE]

It’s the truth though if we go back to a division with Tampa Florida Toronto Boston and mtl we need to be better.... much better

we have seen many teams over the year totally collapse at the start of the season when expectations are higher and then win meaningless games where there is no pressure

one of these is not like the others

 

[Wallet Inspector]

We finish 11th from the bottom, but then win the draft lottery

 

[TheDebater]

I am expecting some sort of progression from what we have seen the past 3 years. No more basement dwelling, no more long losing streaks, no more wondering if the coach is the problem or if the G.M deserves to be fired.

A consistently average team that loses close, hard fought games throughout the season and goes down fighting for a playoff spot right down to game 82.

I am actually ok if the playoffs are not a guarantee next season as long as the team makes strides and shows that they are going to be a playoff team moving forward beyond next season.

 

[ATdaisuki]

Playoff contenders, probably ~10th in the conference.

That's what I'm thinking. Between 9th and 11th is where we will finish. I really don't see us sneaking in next season, as the top eight are really good. I think we're better than basement dwellers now. We should be competing with the Rangers, Devils (many might disagree with me on them, but they have a really young forward group and good goaltending. Their defense will continue to hold them back), Philly, and Montreal for those "oh-s0-close" spots in the standings.

 

[cudi]

Keeping expectations low again next season so I can hopefully be pleasantly surprised. Just keep taking visible steps forward as a team and I'll be happy.

Its the year after I have real expectations for making the playoffs.

 

[IranCondraAffair]

Hard to say without knowing the offseason of ourselves and our competition.

 

[Cosmix]

Depends how the team starts out of the gate. If we have good defense and goal-tending then playoffs should be achievable. Otherwise we'll be chasing all year for the final spot. Don't think we will be in the lottery pick conversation at least.

All teams that finish out of the playoffs (about 50%) are in a lottery position.

 

[Cosmix]

The goal should always be the Cup; hockey isn't played on paper.

Winning the Cup is wishful thinking and not a reasonable forecast for most teams.

Having "expectations" that are realistic is the topic of this thread.