Metro Division Prediction

[MJF]

I don't think it keeps them out of the conversation. I don't think there's a prohibitive favorite in the east. NJ has almost everything - strong center depth, dynamic wingers, and a PP weapon at the point. I think Hughes will be that smooth puck mover who can play 25 minutes very quickly. I think they're better than Carolina right now, and Carolina has goaltending questions, too. I don't think there's much separating Samsonov and Vanicek, and I like NJ's skaters better than Toronto.

If Tampa can rebound, and they go head to head in a playoffs series with NJ, then I'd probably take Tampa. That's the difference Vasilevskiy would make for me. But Tampa bouncing back is imo a bigger question than NJ's G. So, right now, I like NJ best in the conference because I think the teams with top-tier goalies have even more questions wrt their skaters. (Boston - centers, Tampa - age, reduced depth, Rangers - forwards not as good as other top teams).

As for Boston, I never thought Ulmark was top tier. I think he played incredibly well last year behind a strong team clicking on all cylinders. IMO, Swayman will eventually end up the better goalie.

 

[Dutch Frost]

I have zero confidence in this team as it currently is. We barely made it in the playoffs. The Penguins are going with Jary again which I can see give us a shot but I believe Crosby isnt going to sit back and allow another season of not going for the cup. The Isles miss the playoffs.

 

[MarsTBOW]

I have zero confidence in this team as it currently is. We barely made it in the playoffs. The Penguins are going with Jary again which I can see give us a shot but I believe Crosby isnt going to sit back and allow another season of not going for the cup. The Isles miss the playoffs.

I disagree, Pens will get the Injury Bug especially with their aging Stars... We will see a repeat of this season, with the Pen's missing the Playoffs yet again. Heads will roll in Pitty-Berg yet again!

 

[Throttle]

I disagree, Pens will get the Injury Bug especially with their aging Stars... We will see a repeat of this season, with the Pen's missing the Playoffs yet again. Heads will roll in Pitty-Berg yet again!

Actually, I think the Pens will do well out of the gate for the first 15-20 games - they have the talent and play erratic, which can be an advantage in the beginning of the season while other teams find their way. People will get really excited over it…

Where I don’t see it lasting is through the grind of the season of games 30-70. Dubas made moves just to make moves and he’s proven he can’t build on top of anything given to him. They still have questions on depth, d, and goaltending that have hampered them for years.

However, Dubas is a media spinmeister and ladder climber, he has a direct line to ownership and he’ll slowly take out any legacy folks that identify or expose his insecurities internally. The TV crew is gone, he hired his lackey in Spezza, and voted himself to two title roles, usually left to people with actual experience in both…

 

[doublechili]

PIT getting Karlsson surprised me to the extent that they already have Letang as a RHD. Karlsson took off in SJ after they dealt Brent Burns. We'll see, I guess.

 

[saintunspecified]

As for Boston, I never thought Ulmark was top tier. I think he played incredibly well last year behind a strong team clicking on all cylinders. IMO, Swayman will eventually end up the better goalie.

Willing to accept that. But do you agree that there is no prohibitive favorite in the east (really, at all), and that the only team in the conversation in the east with a top-tier goalie is the Lightning?

I think the Devils will eventually acquire a goalie, but seems more likely they'll get one to split time with Vanicek rather than replace him.

 

[MJF]

Willing to accept that. But do you agree that there is no prohibitive favorite in the east (really, at all), and that the only team in the conversation in the east with a top-tier goalie is the Lightning?

I think the Devils will eventually acquire a goalie, but seems more likely they'll get one to split time with Vanicek rather than replace him.

I agree that there's no prohibitive favorite in the Eastern Conference. I think there are more teams than Tampa that have the top-tier goaltending to get in the conversation but also with more question marks than the prior year. Those are teams like the Rangers and Bruins. Makes things interesting for trying to predict an order of finish in the conference.

I think there will be 3 tiers of teams...Devils, Canes, Leafs, Rags, Bolts, who are sure shots for top playoff seedings. The 2nd tier will be the Bruins, Isles, Pens, Panthers, Sabres, Sens, who will be fighting for 3rd in the conference as their ceiling. The bottom tier will be the Caps, Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Flyers and Canadiens fighting for their playoff lives.

 

[MarsTBOW]

Actually, I think the Pens will do well out of the gate for the first 15-20 games - they have the talent and play erratic, which can be an advantage in the beginning of the season while other teams find their way. People will get really excited over it…

Where I don’t see it lasting is through the grind of the season of games 30-70. Dubas made moves just to make moves and he’s proven he can’t build on top of anything given to him. They still have questions on depth, d, and goaltending that have hampered them for years.

However, Dubas is a media spinmeister and ladder climber, he has a direct line to ownership and he’ll slowly take out any legacy folks that identify or expose his insecurities internally. The TV crew is gone, he hired his lackey in Spezza, and voted himself to two title roles, usually left to people with actual experience in both…

Well one thing is for certain. With the age of that group, Dubas will need to add to fill in for who ever gets hurt is probably the best way to forecast. Yes by game 30 we may see them hit a wall. The Goaltending is a major issue...

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

How can you give thoughts on the Metro and not even mention NYR?

Fair question...

I just keep blocking them out and pretending they don't exist.

But seriously, it seems like everyone and their grandma sees the Rangers as the team most likely to wrap up 3rd place in the division. I'm thinking they have a really, really tough task at hand. If one - or both - of Kaako and Lafreniere turn into 50+ point scorers this season, they should be fine and right there in the thick of things. But I'm just not sure how well things will go with Laviolette and the many new faces they brought in, none of whom are game-changers (anymore).

I strongly suspect they'll add something along the way (namely more firepower), but it's the team I'm basically most uncertain about in this division.

I think they'll have some highs, but prolly more lows. And is there a team out there more dependent upon their workhorse goaltender? Any prolongued period of time without Shestyorkin is going to have the Rangers treading water.

When all's said and done, I dunno if they're more than a 7-10 team in the east?

I'm not as high on their defensive corps as many others are.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Fair question...

I just keep blocking them out and pretending they don't exist.

But seriously, it seems like everyone and their grandma sees the Rangers as the team most likely to wrap up 3rd place in the division. I'm thinking they have a really, really tough task at hand. If one - or both - of Kaako and Lafreniere turn into 50+ point scorers this season, they should be fine and right there in the thick of things. But I'm just not sure how well things will go with Laviolette and the many new faces they brought in, none of whom are game-changers (anymore).

I strongly suspect they'll add something along the way (namely more firepower), but it's the team I'm basically most uncertain about in this division.

I think they'll have some highs, but prolly more lows. And is there a team out there more dependent upon their workhorse goaltender? Any prolongued period of time without Shestyorkin is going to have the Rangers treading water.

When all's said and done, I dunno if they're more than a 7-10 team in the east?

I'm not as high on their defensive corps as many others are.

They also had like one injury all season. If they aren't as lucky this year their depth will be tested.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

At least two teams that did not make the playoffs in the East last year will make it this year.

 

[Dutch Frost]

I disagree, Pens will get the Injury Bug especially with their aging Stars... We will see a repeat of this season, with the Pen's missing the Playoffs yet again. Heads will roll in Pitty-Berg yet again!

I love the optimism but repeat season isnt that exciting. I am not going to give up my money in this economy to see this team. If our major Summer moves are Jackson Cates (WHO?) and praying a 39 yr old wants to play another year isnt that exciting.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I love the optimism but repeat season isnt that exciting. I am not going to give up my money in this economy to see this team. If our major Summer moves are Jackson Cates (WHO?) and praying a 39 yr old wants to play another year isnt that exciting.

That is your takeaway from the summer?

 

[Dutch Frost]

That is your takeaway from the summer?

what major moves do you have that bring us back to the ECF? Signing Hovart? cool.. we still have Anders Lee who will drag this team down. We have a B- defense at best. Tell me more about the exciting Hudson Fasching and our killer 4th line?

 

[Throttle]

what major moves do you have that bring us back to the ECF? Signing Hovart? cool.. we still have Anders Lee who will drag this team down. We have a B- defense at best. Tell me more about the exciting Hudson Fasching and our killer 4th line?

Hey, the Bruins were on fire until they made all those major moves and ended up in the same place as the Islanders in the playoffs…

But, that was ‘exciting.’

 

[Doshell Propivo]

what major moves do you have that bring us back to the ECF? Signing Hovart? cool.. we still have Anders Lee who will drag this team down. We have a B- defense at best. Tell me more about the exciting Hudson Fasching and our killer 4th line?

The Rangers win the cup every July with "exciting moves."

 

[MJF]

what major moves do you have that bring us back to the ECF? Signing Hovart? cool.. we still have Anders Lee who will drag this team down. We have a B- defense at best. Tell me more about the exciting Hudson Fasching and our killer 4th line?

Lee really isn't the one who drags this team down. In fact, I think Lee and Brock Nelson are the only two sure things for offense that we have.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Lee really isn't the one who drags this team down. In fact, I think Lee and Brock Nelson are the only two sure things for offense that we have.

28 goals back to back years.. 'dragging the team down' is a wild statement to make.

 

[Throttle]

28 goals back to back years.. 'dragging the team down' is a wild statement to make.

It’s the ‘I don’t like the players we have’ anchor.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

It’s the ‘I don’t like the players we have’ anchor.

I hate that pessimism.

 

[MJF]

It’s the ‘I don’t like the players we have’ anchor.

How do you feel about the first line right wing? He’s been the biggest IF on the Islanders since 2017-18.

Not liking the players we have is a fair thing to bring up here since there’s been only moderate success on the ice with a core that’s been built around for over 10 years.

 

[The Real JT]

I was listening to NHL network radio this morning and caught the last 5 minutes of their 30 minute preseason show on the Isles.

Clearly none of those radio personalities are posting on this board. Their take home message was that this team’s ceiling is at best 5th place in the division and at best they’ll battle for the last playoff spot.

Their analysis of our PP was even worse. To be fair, they made a decent point saying that one or two PP changes on paper means very little when your performance last year was one of the worst in the entire league.

Well, I’m gonna do my best to stay positive but that was a shit way to start my day. You gotta play the game so let’s drop the puck already.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

I pretty much start and end with the goaltending is too good to miss playoffs.

 

[MJF]

I pretty much start and end with the goaltending is too good to miss playoffs.

Ultimately this will get us in the playoffs.

 

[MarsTBOW]

I pretty much start and end with the goaltending is too good to miss playoffs.

Let's hope we don't burn out Soro. I kinda feel he was a little weary come playoffs last year. I hope Varly has a strong year. This will help very much