Predict League Standings

[SeriousHabs]

There are three certainties in life.

1. Taxes
2. Death
3. Underrating of the Devils

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Last year even if we had an horrible season, we finish 9th in differential goalf for/against!
http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20112012&sort=standingsGoalDifferential&type=CON

 

[Coldplay]

1. New York Rangers
2. Ottawa Senators
3. Carolina Hurricanes
4. Philadelphia Flyers
5. Pittsburgh Penguins
6. Boston Bruins
7. Montreal Canadiens
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. Washington Capitals
10. New Jersey Devils
11. Tampa Bay Lightning
12. Florida Panthers
13. Toronto Maple Leafs
14. New York Islanders
15. Winnipeg Jets

 

[skating101]

1. New York
2. Boston
3. Washington
4. Pittsburgh
5. Philadelphia
6. Carolina
7. Ottawa
8. Florida

9. Buffalo
10. Winnipeg
11. Toronto
12. Montreal
13. Tampa Bay
14. New Jersey
15. NYI

 

[Maffew]

Mr. Optimist, checking in:

1) PIT
2) BOS
3) WAS
4) NYR
5) NJD
6) BUF
7) MTL
8) PHI
9) WPG
10) OTT
11) NYI
12) TOR
13) TBL
14) FLA
15) CAR

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Hahaha...you guys watch too much TSN. The Habs had no Gionta, no Markov and endless injuries. I know you guys don't want to look like homers but please, Ottawa ahead of Montreal ? And i am not saying the Habs will finish first but cmon you guys look like sheep.

So every team has improved but it's not possible the Habs get back their injured players and with a new offensive system and tougher team could have improved.

Do any of you remember where TSN had Montreal before the beginning of last season, yep in the playoffs. So basically with same team minus Cammy and shaky Kosty we are bottom dwellers.
I though you guys were suppose to be hockey connaisseurs ?

We lost gill as well.

Injuries will still happen. Gointa and company aren't younger so their bodies don't respond as well. Still, short season and anything is possible but I don't see problems on habs being fixed. Well see what happens but I see habs at 9th.

 

[onebighockeyfan]

East:

1- NYR
ridiculous mix of quality depth and elite talent up front, arguably best top-6 d group in the league (especially if Staal comes back ahead of last year's concussion marred season), one of league best goalies, & a coach who drives a tight ship.


2- Boston
while it will be fun to watch Lucic struggle (if he is as out-of-shape as reports indicate) & go from hero to zero in that market, Bruins have great depth & a roster with minimal changes. Stability should help contribute to strong start, depth to a strong finish.

3- Tampa Bay
A bit of a stretch... hinges on Lindback being above average in nets. They have scoring, solid (if unspectacular) top4-defense, and the right coach to get the most out of a relatively unknown group of depth players (bottom-6, bottom-pairing). My darkhorse pick

4- Philly
If Bryz comes back with a better season, could challenge NYR for conference title... great skill/depth up front, defense is still solid despite losing Pronger/Carle.


5- Pitt
Crosby/Malkin will need to carry a team that has lot's of holes in the lineup up front and on defense. Lucky for them that those two can probably handle it. Nevertheless Bylsma has his work cut out for him.

6- Carolina
another "reach"... their top-6 could be pretty damn effective with Staals, Semin, Skinner anchoring it. Losing Ruutu hurts depth big time & their defense lacks high-end talent... Ward will have to have a very strong year.

7- Washington
a bit weak through the middle of their lineup, relying on unproven goalie duo & rookie coach... but any team with Ovie/Backstrom/Green/Ribiero is going to produce some offense. Remains to be seen if they can carry over some of the defensive responsibility Hunter had success instilling.

8- Ott
Race for 8th will be very tight imo. Teams 8-14 could easily be swapped in any order. Giving it to Ottawa in part on belief that Alfie has a revelation year after getting extra time to get healthy & with end of career right around corner. If Lats is in shape & stays healthy, could have a monster year playing with Turris.

9- NYI
Biggest stretch I'm sure... NYI should be cellar-dwellars again, but "every dog has its day" feeling tells me that Tavares & co. surprise a lot of teams while youth & lack of pressure/expectation plays to their favor. Over 82 games, they'd be exposed, in 1/2 season? maybe they benefit most from additional chaos/randomness of shortened season.

10- Toronto
if Lombardi & Connolly are healthy and used properly, Toronto will have a very good top-9. Defense is solid, and Carlyle is a good coach. ? as always for them is in nets... if they land Luongo, Laffs get back into the playoffs, if not, will be fun to watch another year of futility in the center of the universe.

11- Montreal
I really hope they don't end up in the 9-11 range... playoff or bottom of the conference plz. But i think they are too good to fall that far again without another mind-boggling string of bad injury luck. Price, if he's on top of his game, takes the team into the playoffs.

12- Florida
ooops. While there is reason to believe they will improve on last year, I also think they were heavy overachievers. More inclined to think they regress back to being a non-playoff team this year given their lack of top-6 skill up front and relying on a goaltender whose been consistently inconsistent throughout his career (especially year-to-year)

13- NJ
No parise, no volchenkov (not that he was stellar for them anyhow), a kovalchuk who might have his mind on another continent... lackluster depth up front/on defense...doesn't look good for defending cup finalist



14- Buffalo
Not much I like about their roster... minimal elite skill, marginal depth, a goalie whose becoming more of a factor off-ice than he is on-ice. I think this will be ruff's last stand.

15- Winnipeg
Honeymoon is over... shorter season & tighter schedule means the travel factor will hit them even harder, and home-ice emotional factor will be a bit less impactful in year two. Don't trust Buff/Kane to have put in requesite off-season work in extended off-season, Hainsey (who is already needed beyond his capacity) was more focused on CBA than on training. Easily see them finishing as league worst team this season.

Not sure how you can rank the Leafs that high. No #1C, No #1G and the softest D in the league. They have 4-5 forwards that would not crack the lineup of most teams in the league.

 

[Monctonscout]

East
1-Pittsburgh-I think they are healthier than in years
2(4)-NYR-good regular season but not enough depth to go far at playoff time
3(5)-Phillie-Bryz bounces back
4(2)-Boston-losing Thomas hurts but they win the division by 5 points
5(3)-Washington-lucky they have a weak division
6-Buffalo-Miller healthy and decent depth
7-Montreal-"bounce back" team with lots of guys with things to prove
8-New Jersey-big losses but they sneak in
9-Carolina-Staal helps but not enough depth
10-Florida-played over their heads last year
11-Ottawa-see Florida
12-Winnipeg-can score but can't stop anybody
13-Tampa Bay-Stamkos needs more help
14-Toronto-lots of goaltending and center issues
15-NYI-some good young players but Parenteau gone, injuries

West

1-Detroit-still some horsepower
2-Los Angeles-they are for real
3- Minnesota-thanks Zach and Ryan
4-Chicago-somewhat of a bounce back
5-Vancouver-injuries and lack of depth
6-San Jose-getting older but still solid
7-Nashville-Troz still has it though losing Suter will hurt
8-St.Louis-played a bit over their heads last year
9-Phoenix-Tippett’s magic wears off
10-Edmonton-close but still lacking on defense and in goal
11-Colorado-still holes on the back end
12-Calgary-time to move Iggy
13-Anaheim-Perry and Getzlaf on the move?
14-Dallas-too many holes
15-Columbus-Bare bones for Jones!

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Hahaha...you guys watch too much TSN. The Habs had no Gionta, no Markov and endless injuries. I know you guys don't want to look like homers but please, Ottawa ahead of Montreal ? And i am not saying the Habs will finish first but cmon you guys look like sheep.

So every team has improved but it's not possible the Habs get back their injured players and with a new offensive system and tougher team could have improved.

Do any of you remember where TSN had Montreal before the beginning of last season, yep in the playoffs. So basically with same team minus Cammy and shaky Kosty we are bottom dwellers.
I though you guys were suppose to be hockey connaisseurs ?

I'm getting psyched for a great season..

PRICE.. PK coming back in with a new contract ready to go.. A new team culture .. the REGIME is gone .. Gauthier's stench has left the city.. It's gonna be a good run.

BANK ME.

 

[Neutrino]

Sounds about right !

 

[PunkinDrublic*]

I love how people actually think Ottawa will be ahead of Montreal....

 

[Joe Cole]

Sounds about right !

If RT hates hockey and looks down at the fans so much, maybe he should dedicate more of his time towards his awesome TV dramas instead of his awesome hockey commentary.

How he has drawn a paycheck as a sports columnist for the past 10 years is a testament to how little we ask of our hockey "experts". Does he even watch the games anymore?

 

[MarkovtoSubban]

East

1-PIT
2-MTL
3-WSH
4-PHI
5-BOS
6-NYR
7-NJD
8-TBL

9-CAR
10-OTT
11-BUF
12-TOR
13-FLA
14-NYI
15-WPG

WEST

1-STL
2-VAN
3-SJS
4-LAK
5-DET
6-MIN
7-CHI
8-EDM

9-NSH
10-COL
11-DAL
12-ANA
13-CGY
14-PHX
15-CBJ

 

[MtlSportsFan]

Hahaha...you guys watch too much TSN. The Habs had no Gionta, no Markov and endless injuries. I know you guys don't want to look like homers but please, Ottawa ahead of Montreal ? And i am not saying the Habs will finish first but cmon you guys look like sheep.

So every team has improved but it's not possible the Habs get back their injured players and with a new offensive system and tougher team could have improved.

Do any of you remember where TSN had Montreal before the beginning of last season, yep in the playoffs. So basically with same team minus Cammy and shaky Kosty we are bottom dwellers.
I though you guys were suppose to be hockey connaisseurs ?

Couldn't agree more, this years team is miles ahead of last year's WHOLLY under performing squad. We have important players back from injury and added to our 3rd and 4th lines significantly. Last year most predictions had us in the playoffs.

Just my opinion but we will make the playoffs, maybe even surprise and finish in the 5-6 range.

Signed, Homer.

 

[Raider917]

I love how people actually think Ottawa will be ahead of Montreal....

are these the same people who believed in december 21st?

 

[MasterDecoy]

Sounds about right !

that's a shop right? reggie is crazy, everybody knows this, but that crazy? guy needs help, rick james/charlie murphy style

 

[Roulin]

Are posters picking Winnipeg to suck basing the pick on chemistry and off ice issues? I understand they've had more than their fair share of controversy, so that may be reasonable... but looking only at their hockey playing ability, I don't see any reason why they'd take a step back. They have a good young core, they didn't lose any major pieces, and added Jokinen.

 

[ClasslessGuy]

that's a shop right? reggie is crazy, everybody knows this, but that crazy? guy needs help, rick james/charlie murphy style

Not a shop... but don't know if he's being sarcastic... or just a big big fan

 

[HTTP 400]

that's a shop right? reggie is crazy, everybody knows this, but that crazy? guy needs help, rick james/charlie murphy style

I hate Tremblay, but I remember him explaining that he always put Habs #1, because that's what we all should be expecting and demanding from the management and players.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Sounds about right !

Funniest thing I ever seen

 

[Bacchus1]

1. Bruins
2. NYR
3. Pens
4. Flyers
5. Montreal
6. Lightning
7. Capitals
8. Hurricanes

9. Sens
10. NYI
11. Panthers
12. NJD
13. BUF
14. Jets
15. Toronto

Thinking about this really made me realize how much parity there is in the league now. Outside of a few stacked teams, all teams are about 1-3 key players from a playoff spot and disaster!

 

[Jmac1160*]

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Boston Bruins
3. Carolina Hurricanes
4. New York Rangers
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Montreal Canadiens
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. Washington Capitals
10. Buffalo Sabres
11. Florida Panthers
12. Tampa Bay Lightning
13. New Jersey Devils
14. Toronto Maple Leafs
15. New York Islanders

 

[Et le But]

Are posters picking Winnipeg to suck basing the pick on chemistry and off ice issues? I understand they've had more than their fair share of controversy, so that may be reasonable... but looking only at their hockey playing ability, I don't see any reason why they'd take a step back. They have a good young core, they didn't lose any major pieces, and added Jokinen.

I actually think Winnipeg will be decent this year, but their offense is below average and they don't have the defense to make up for it. I think they are better than us though.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

The effeact of playing virtually every other day clouds any prediction of the order of finish. I see the Habs somewhere in the middle of the pack, just in or just out of the playoffs. Why that high compared to last season? The incidence of key injuries may be lower, the turmoil should be muffled, the third and fourth lines look better, and there's the X factor: Galchenyuk's becoming a full time Hab at some point in the season and/or the promotion of prospects. The worst danger: Subban sitting out all or part of the season, perhaps mitigated by trading him for immediately impactful players.

 

[Monctonscout]

I actually think Winnipeg will be decent this year, but their offense is below average and they don't have the defense to make up for it. I think they are better than us though.

They gave up 20 more goals than us despite the players missing on defense. I'd say their defense is a weakness not a strength. Bogosian is developping, Enstrom is solid defensively but mostly offensive. Byfuglien is a trainwreck defensively at times(ok most times). Top 4 is weak, the rest are #5-6 types(Stuart Hainsey Clitsome and Postma)