Speculation: Position in the Atlantic division

[habsterr]

This team will suck going to say 6th, then again our division is awful.

 

[S Bah]

I picked 3rd like the majority, realizing the time needed for the adjustments to the Habs system. Claude Julien's coaching may change this thinking, along with underestimating (J.Drouin, K.Alzner,A.Hemsky & J.Morrow)'s abilities to adapt. A full season with A.Galchenyuk at center, is obviously one of the biggest ?'s, if Alex's game proceeds as I think it might.(The Habs could surprise many teams with their overall improvements, I don't underestimate the work of GM Marc Bergevin, bad idea to ever underestimate a workaholic's abilities to overcome obstacles!!!...).

 

[Agalloch]

2nd. I think Tampa Bay returns at the top.

TB
MTL
TOR
BOS
OTT
FLA
BUF
DET

 

[Habs 4 Life]

The start of the season is not going to be as easy in the past few years, and if we don't get out to those great starts, then it can turn into a long season.

Honestly it will be pretty tough to win the division next season

 

[Chili]

The biggest question for me is which rookies around the division will be able to make some type of impact right away. Rookies took the Leafs from worst in the league to a playoff spot.

No one adding as much young talent this fall but no one has as many holes as the Leafs did either.

Bos-Reading that their top prospects are about a year away, still retooling
Buf-interesting moves, blueline looks improved
Det-looked good near the end of the season, still retooling as well
Fla-??? Don't know what to expect here, good young nucleus, ??? with supporting cast
Mtl-Loss of Radu hurts, played with talent & passion...will some young players emerge?
Ott- should be good again, are Chabot and or White ready to help?
TBay-Will they start slow again? plenty of talent here
Tor-like the Marleau signing; how will the young players deal with expectations last year created?

Habs look middle of the pack to me, with Marky. Even if they make the playoffs though, I don't know if they are really built for a run. Need some young players to take a step forward. Without 79 could easily see them missing the playoffs.

 

[bauer]

delete

 

[Harry22]

Besides Tampa Bay and maybe Toronto, I am not scared one bit of the rest of the division.

Boston? Let's see a full year of Bruce Cassidy. Their defense is still a mess.

Ottawa? Lost their second best defenseman and haven't added anything.

Buffalo? Ehhh, really all depends on Eichel.

Florida? Same as Ottawa. Nothing added.

Detroit? Lol.

I think we're a lock for a divisional playoff spot and we could finish anywhere from first to third.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I see a lot of people putting Tampa above Montreal. I think some people need to look at what they lost. Drouin, Bishop, Garrison, Filppula.

Some people think the Habs D is bad? Look at Tampa's D. After Hedman, it's old and slow! Add that Vasilevskiy is very inconsistent at age 22 and I think they miss the playoffs again. Their forward group will score goals but they will have a hard time keeping the puck out of their own net if you ask me.

1st place is between the Habs, Sens, and Leafs. Bruins, Panthers, and Tampa fight for playoff spots.

 

[jfm133]

Gallagher, Lehkonen, Galchenyuk, Drouin and Danault are all real young and should improve. That is 5 top-6 right there and the oldest is 25 years old.

In fact the two oldest are 24.

 

[Adriatic]

Habs and Leafs will battle it out for division. Don't see Tampa making it though, will probably miss playoffs again.

 

[jfm133]

Rielly and Zaitsev are really good.

Reilly -20
Zaitsev -22


You call that good. If so something is wrong elsewhere.

 

[get25]

Reilly -20
Zaitsev -22


You call that good. If so something is wrong elsewhere.

And Gardiner has 43 points and +24.

I wonder why.

If that trade for Gorges would have worked...

 

[scrubadam]

Winning the division last year was more of a curse then a blessing. Habs may be better off getting the 2nd or 3rd spot.

Last year a division win meant playing a 100 point team in the Rangers while the Sens got to face Boston and vice versa.

 

[Rapala]

Winning the division last year was more of a curse then a blessing. Habs may be better off getting the 2nd or 3rd spot.

Last year a division win meant playing a 100 point team in the Rangers while the Sens got to face Boston and vice versa.

The curse was actually having to listen to people spout about how great we were.

 

[Beige Van]

Tor:102
TB: 100
Mtl: 98
Buf: 96
Ott: 94
Bos: 91
Fla: 87
Det: 80

 

[Frank JT]

Tor
tb
ott
mtl
bos
fla
det
buf

 

[S Bah]

Winning the division last year was more of a curse then a blessing. Habs may be better off getting the 2nd or 3rd spot.

Last year a division win meant playing a 100 point team in the Rangers while the Sens got to face Boston and vice versa.

Of course coming in 3rd gives a better pick, if you don't play in the Conference Final or the SC Final!!!... But that's another story for the end of next spring.

 

[Lshap]

I see a lot of people putting Tampa above Montreal. I think some people need to look at what they lost. Drouin, Bishop, Garrison, Filppula.

Some people think the Habs D is bad? Look at Tampa's D. After Hedman, it's old and slow! Add that Vasilevskiy is very inconsistent at age 22 and I think they miss the playoffs again. Their forward group will score goals but they will have a hard time keeping the puck out of their own net if you ask me.

1st place is between the Habs, Sens, and Leafs. Bruins, Panthers, and Tampa fight for playoff spots.

I feel the same way about Tampa. Overall they've become the most overrated team in the league. Yes, Hedman and Kucherov are terrific, and a healthy Stamkos will help a lot. But losing Bishop is huge. Vasilevskiy might be good, but he hasn't shown the ability to step up consistently and to the same level as Bishop. IMO, Dallas became a contender with Bishop and Tampa stopped being one without him.

And yeah, between Drouin, Filipulla, and a declining Johnson, the team's lost a lot of its scoring depth. Sergachev might improve their D big-time, but not for a couple of years.

 

[Tuggy]

Repeat champions.

 

[montreal]

1st. I think the Sens concern me the most, not sure what TB will do but got to think they will be up there. Then again it's early July, have to see what moves are made over the next 7 months.

 

[get25]

In fact the two oldest are 24.

Gallagher is 25. I expect the pace of 2015-16 from him.

The only other top-6 older is Pacioretty at 28. We know what he will do: he's been producing like a clock work regardless of his line mates year after year.

The rest of our top-6: Danault - 24, Galchenyuk - 23, Drouin - 22, Lehkonen - 22.
Those are the ones that should improve.

 

[jaffy27]

Tor:102
TB: 100
Mtl: 98
Buf: 96
Ott: 94
Bos: 91
Fla: 87
Det: 80

 

[TT1]

First, the Atlantic is dog doo-doo.

 

[get25]

Winning the division last year was more of a curse then a blessing. Habs may be better off getting the 2nd or 3rd spot.

Last year a division win meant playing a 100 point team in the Rangers while the Sens got to face Boston and vice versa.

As far as drafting it was bad.

Toronto picked Liljegren in 17th and Boston got Vaakanainen in 18th.
Liljegren was expected to be a top-5 (some were talking 1st OA) but he had a mono.
We could have also picked Norris, Thomas or Chytil if we wanted a center.

NYR got to the second round and pick Chytil.
First of the division is not a good idea, just finish second or third but win the first round at least.

When was the last time a division Champion won the Cup?
Ask Washington fans.

 

[TT1]

As far as drafting it was bad.

Toronto picked Liljegren in 17th and Boston got Vaakanainen in 18th.
Liljegren was expected to be a top-5 (some were talking 1st OA) but he had a mono.
We could have also picked Norris, Thomas or Chytil if we wanted a center.

NYR got to the second round and pick Chytil.
First of the division is not a good idea, just finish second or third but win the first round at least.

When was the last time a division Champion won the Cup?
Ask Washington fans.

Liljegren got picked 17th because he can't play D.