Rank the East this year

[Canadian Time]

I know there are many threads like this on the main board but I'm curious to see how Sens fans feel about the upcoming season. I'm actually looking forward to the coming year, with the additions and competition from the youngsters we will see a very different style and effort level. I'm liking the depth.

Atlantic:
1.Boston
2.Montreal
3.Ottawa
4.Toronto *WC1
5.Tampa
6.Detroit
7.Florida
8.Buffalo

Metro:
1.Penguins
2.Rangers
3.Columbus
4.Flyers *WC2
5.Islanders
6.Washington
7.New Jersey
8.Carolina

Click to read more...

 

[M4TR1X]

Ottawa and Toronto ahead of Tampa Bay?
I don't think I could agree with that.

1) Montreal
2) Boston
3) Tampa Bay
4) Detroit
5) Ottawa
6) Toronto
7) Buffalo
8) Florida

1) Pittsburgh
2) NY Rangers
3) Philadelphia
4) Columbus
5) Washington
6) NY Islanders
7) New Jersey
8) Carolina

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

I know there are many threads like this on the main board but I'm curious to see how Sens fans feel about the upcoming season. I'm actually looking forward to the coming year, with the additions and competition from the youngsters we will see a very different style and effort level. I'm liking the depth.

Atlantic:
1.Boston
2.Montreal
3.Ottawa
4.Toronto *WC1
5.Tampa
6.Detroit
7.Florida
8.Buffalo

Metro:
1.Penguins
2.Rangers
3.Columbus
4.Flyers *WC2
5.Islanders
6.Washington
7.New Jersey
8.Carolina

It will be interesting to see some lists that don't have the Sens down with or even below Buffalo at the bottom of the pack.

 

[18Hossa]

Atlantic:
Boston
Tampa
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Florida
Detroit
Buffalo

Metro:
Pittsburgh
New York R
Columbus
New York I
Washington
Philadelphia
New Jersey
Carolina

 

[Canadian Time]

Ottawa and Toronto ahead of Tampa Bay?
I don't think I could agree with that.

Yeah, the Lightning are a tough pick for me and that one has the biggest chance for an oops. I'm just not seeing the hype here, yes Bishop had an unworldly season last year but I'm not convinced he can do it again. Being swept by the Habs without him cemented my view.

 

[Sensinitis]

I think the East is wide open.

 

[Super Cake]

Ottawa
Boston
Tampa Bay
Montreal (wildcard)
Detroit
Toronto
Florida
Buffalo

Pittsburgh
New York Rangers
Columbus
New Jersey (wildcard)
Philadelphia
New York Islanders
Washington
Carolina

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

Pretty much impossible to pick. Aside from Boston, NYR, and Pittsburgh at the top, and Buffalo at the bottom, pretty much every single team is a bubble team. The east is a complete toss up this year. That being said...

Atlantic:
Boston
Tampa
Montreal
Ottawa WC
Toronto
Detroit
Florida
Buffalo

Metro:
NYR
Pittsburgh
NYI
Columbus WC
Philly
Washington
Carolina
New Jersey

 

[Boud]

Ottawa
Boston
Tampa Bay
Montreal (wildcard)
Detroit
Toronto
Florida
Buffalo

Pittsburgh
New York Rangers
Columbus
New Jersey (wildcard)
Philadelphia
New York Islanders
Washington
Carolina

If this happens, The world is coming to an end.

 

[McManked]

I think Ottawa is finishing 7th in the Atlantic.

 

[Canadian Time]

Aside from Boston, NYR, and Pittsburgh at the top, and Buffalo at the bottom, pretty much every single team is a bubble team.

I know this is the popular opinion but I'm seeing it a bit differently, starting this year.

I see more teams in the East ready to take a jump forward than the West. For the most part or generally, the East teams have younger players that I see as getting better. Just my opinion, but we could begin to have much more parity with the West and the East getting strong.

 

[LatteLarrys]

I know my predictions are going to seem a little radical, but:

Atlantic:
Boston
Tampa
Ottawa

Montreal (Wild Card)
Detroit
Toronto
Florida
Buffalo

Metro:
New York Rangers
Pittsburgh
Columbus

Phil/Washington (Wild Card)
Phil/Washington
Carolina
New York Islanders
New Jersey


*Yes, I think MTL is going into the season as a different team and might experience a setback.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Atlantic:
Tampa
Boston
Detroit
Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Buffalo

Metro:
Pittsburgh
Columbus
Philadelphia
New York R
New York I
Washington
Carolina
New Jersey

 

[Busboy]

Tampa Bay (3)
Boston (4)
Ottawa (6)
Toronto *WC2 (8)
Detroit (9)
Montreal (10)
Florida (14)
Buffalo (16)

*Toronto will be less than 4 points behind Ottawa
*Detroit and Montreal will be within 5 of Toronto

Pittsburgh (1)
New York Ranger (2)
Philadelphia (5)
Columbus *WC 1 (7)
New Jersey (11)
Washington (12)
New York Islanders (13)
Carolina (15)

*There will be 5 points separating New Jersey and Washington

 

[Sensinitis]

I think Ottawa is finishing 7th in the Atlantic.

 

[Hossa18]

Boston
Detroit
Tampa Bay
Ottawa
Montreal
Toronto
Florida
Buffalo


NYR
PHI
PIT
COL
NJ
WSH
NYI
CAR

 

[CanadianHockey]

Atlantic:
1. Boston
2. Montreal
3. Tampa
4. Detroit
5. Ottawa
6. Toronto
7. Florida
8. Buffalo

Metro:
1. Pittsburgh
2. New York R
3. Philadelphia
4. Washington
5. Columbus
6. New York I
7. New Jersey
8. Carolina

 

[Boud]

I know this is the popular opinion but I'm seeing it a bit differently, starting this year.

I see more teams in the East ready to take a jump forward than the West. For the most part or generally, the East teams have younger players that I see as getting better. Just my opinion, but we could begin to have much more parity with the West and the East getting strong.

West is only getting stronger. look at Anaheim with Kesler, Dallas with Spezza and Hemsky, Blues with Stastny, LA with Gaborik staying, James Neil with the Preds, Colorado with Iginla, Chicago adding a guy like Richards... All those teams getting better and most of these players came from the east. San Jose had hard time in playoffs but still better than most Eastern teams...

 

[CanadianHockey]

West is only getting stronger. look at Anaheim with Kesler, Dallas with Spezza and Hemsky, Blues with Stastny, LA with Gaborik staying, James Neil with the Preds, Colorado with Iginla, Chicago adding a guy like Richards... All those teams getting better and most of these players came from the east. San Jose had hard time in playoffs but still better than most Eastern teams...

Half of those improvements came from intra-conference player movement.

Of the rest, Neal, Spezza, and Gaborik are the big hauls. Richards is beginning to decline. Iginla won't be around much longer.

Regardless, I don't think his point was that this year, the West will suddenly be much worse than the East. Just that this year may be the start of an upward trend for the East.

 

[Lenny the Lynx]

I'd say we finish 6th to 8th in the Atlantic. But who knows

 

[OgieO]

I think Tampa is due for a decline. I just don't think Bishop is THAT good. Good, but not elite like he was last year. Him normalizing will bring them back to the pack.

Our D has to be better - if it is, we compete for 3rd in the division with just about everyone else in the division (sans Buffalo [last], Boston & Montreal [top 2].

 

[danielpalfredsson]

The East is such a crap shoot.

Look at the Rangers at the start of last season versus where they ended up.

Look at Ottawa who had a horrendous season and was still 5 points away from a playoff spot.

I don't even think Pittsburgh is a lock next season.

Buffalo is being over rated by the hockey community. They made some very nice additions, but they also lost Vanek and Miller. Given how little points they had last season, I just don't see them making the jump out of last place.

Boston is still a power house and will probably be first.

Aside from that, anything can happen.

 

[Boud]

Half of those improvements came from intra-conference player movement.

Of the rest, Neal, Spezza, and Gaborik are the big hauls. Richards is beginning to decline. Iginla won't be around much longer.

Regardless, I don't think his point was that this year, the West will suddenly be much worse than the East. Just that this year may be the start of an upward trend for the East.

Richards is on the decline but if you look at Chicago they are already better than any team in the East anyways. Iginla wont be around much longer but Colorado finished first in the west. My point was mostly that the best teams in the west are only getting better and better and not to say have also lots of youth look at Anaheim, LA, Dallas, Colorado, Chicago .. They all have incredible youth coming or already in the system. These teams wont regress in the years to come.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

Iginla scored 30 goals last season. He's still a first line winger in the NHL until he proves otherwise.

When you're good enough to be a 50 goal almost 100 point player at your peak, your decline is still better than a majority of players out there.

Colorado has Duchene and MacKinnon down the middle. If Iginla clicks with either, he could score more than 30.

 

[2XPRO31]

Boston will be worse, Montreal is not that good. The East is wide open