Of the 6 Division leaders who falls the hardest?

In the East I have to go with Buffalo, because Ottawa, Boston and Toronto will all be much better IMO.

In the West, I will go with none of the above. In fact I wouldn't be shocked to see the same top 3 again next year.

I'm gonna go with New Jersey... no real reason...

shabbs wrote:I'm gonna go with New Jersey... no real reason...

I've been duped by NJ too many times now that I'll just expect them to be at least top 4.

Buffalo and New Jersey won't win their divisions next year. The other four teams are likely to repeat as winners.

Honestly I think Buffalo.

First you have Ottawa, who will either be the same or a bit better. Toronto has got to be better (not that I want them to be, but the way they played at the end of this year and with the likelihood of them picking up a great player, and how can you not get better than last). Montreal without injuries and having Halak #1 I think will be better next year. And then you have Boston, and with the way Rask has been playing and their whole team, and you get to add in there a top pick.

So I think Buffalo is gonna fall hard, unless Miller is phenomenal yet again.

New Jersey is going to see some hard times

Thats true. They will. But either way both NJ and Buffalo are gonna have troubles. I am sticking with Buffalo, maybe its so Sens can be the top. lol.

Buffalo should only get better I think. Myers will likely continue to improve, Miller's reliable.

They have about $12M to spend with only a few noteable UFAs and RFAs.

D Toni Lydman » UFA (2.9)
D Henrik Tallinder » UFA (2.6)
F Raffi Torres » UFA (2.2) - no more than $3M
F Mike Grier » UFA (1.2) -
G Patrick Lalime » UFA (1.0) - Enroth
F Adam Mair » UFA (0.8) - replaceable
F Cody McCormick » UFA (0.6)
F Matt Ellis » UFA (0.5)

F Tim Kennedy » RFA (0.8)
D Mike Weber » RFA (0.8)
D Marc-Andre Gragnani » RFA (0.8)
F Mark Mancari » RFA (0.6)
F Patrick Kaleta » RFA (0.5)

I don't think they will get better by the margin that other teams in that conference will though. Maybe I guess they won't drop the hardest, I don't see them at the top though. Although I don't see them being worse than the Leafs.

New Jersey, just because Brodeur is getting old and I have no idea what kind of system they will have next year, or who they are going to hire as coach. I don't see them winning the division with Pittsburgh and a Philly team that should have a good goalie next season.

SensGal wrote:Honestly I think Buffalo.

First you have Ottawa, who will either be the same or a bit better. Toronto has got to be better (not that I want them to be, but the way they played at the end of this year and with the likelihood of them picking up a great player, and how can you not get better than last). Montreal without injuries and having Halak #1 I think will be better next year. And then you have Boston, and with the way Rask has been playing and their whole team, and you get to add in there a top pick.

So I think Buffalo is gonna fall hard, unless Miller is phenomenal yet again.

Yeah, that's a pretty good way of looking at it IMO. Could the NE have all 5 of their teams in a playoff spot!?

SpezDispenser wrote:

SensGal wrote:Honestly I think Buffalo.

First you have Ottawa, who will either be the same or a bit better. Toronto has got to be better (not that I want them to be, but the way they played at the end of this year and with the likelihood of them picking up a great player, and how can you not get better than last). Montreal without injuries and having Halak #1 I think will be better next year. And then you have Boston, and with the way Rask has been playing and their whole team, and you get to add in there a top pick.

So I think Buffalo is gonna fall hard, unless Miller is phenomenal yet again.

Yeah, that's a pretty good way of looking at it IMO. Could the NE have all 5 of their teams in a playoff spot!?

That means only three of Pittsburgh, Washington, Philly, New Jersey, Rangers and Carolina make it in. Assuming Sid and Ovie don't miss, that leaves room for only one of the other four (and I am dismissing Atlanta, the two Florida teams and the Islanders out of hand -- one or two of those will be close).

So, no, I don't see how all five of the NE teams can get in.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SensGal wrote:Honestly I think Buffalo.

First you have Ottawa, who will either be the same or a bit better. Toronto has got to be better (not that I want them to be, but the way they played at the end of this year and with the likelihood of them picking up a great player, and how can you not get better than last). Montreal without injuries and having Halak #1 I think will be better next year. And then you have Boston, and with the way Rask has been playing and their whole team, and you get to add in there a top pick.

So I think Buffalo is gonna fall hard, unless Miller is phenomenal yet again.

Yeah, that's a pretty good way of looking at it IMO. Could the NE have all 5 of their teams in a playoff spot!?

I would really like to know how Toronto is going to be improving their roster this summer. They have very limited trade pieces, and will most likely trade their best player away (Kaberle). The top two free agents will not sign there -- Kovalchuck doesnt seem to want to play in a high pressure market and Marleau hates Ron Wilson, vice versa. They will sign an adequate FA like Colby Armstrong and call it a day. They`ll bring in Kadri, but he will have his growing pains. People seem to forget the Leafs seem to finish strong almost every year when the pressure is off and are able to play loosey-goosey hockey.

Toronto still hasnt adressed how they are going to score goals. Seriously, besides Kessel who do they have up front? Is Bozak ready to be a number 1 guy? Is Kadri going to make an impact? A ton of unknows.

N4L wrote:Toronto still hasnt adressed how they are going to score goals. Seriously, besides Kessel who do they have up front? Is Bozak ready to be a number 1 guy? Is Kadri going to make an impact? A ton of unknows.

I agree. As it stands right now they'll continue to struggle to score. Does the Burke address this by giving away his 2012 first rounder?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

N4L wrote:Toronto still hasnt adressed how they are going to score goals. Seriously, besides Kessel who do they have up front? Is Bozak ready to be a number 1 guy? Is Kadri going to make an impact? A ton of unknows.

I agree. As it stands right now they'll continue to struggle to score. Does the Burke address this by giving away his 2012 first rounder?

Expect Jurke to take a run at "Wheels" Wheeler.

wprager wrote:
That means only three of Pittsburgh, Washington, Philly, New Jersey, Rangers and Carolina make it in. Assuming Sid and Ovie don't miss, that leaves room for only one of the other four (and I am dismissing Atlanta, the two Florida teams and the Islanders out of hand -- one or two of those will be close).

So, no, I don't see how all five of the NE teams can get in.

Good point. Although I could see Pittsburgh, Washington, Philly making it and NJ finally crashing. The Rangers and Carolina are teetering unless they make some big moves.

SDH89 wrote:
I would really like to know how Toronto is going to be improving their roster this summer. They have very limited trade pieces, and will most likely trade their best player away (Kaberle). The top two free agents will not sign there -- Kovalchuck doesnt seem to want to play in a high pressure market and Marleau hates Ron Wilson, vice versa. They will sign an adequate FA like Colby Armstrong and call it a day. They`ll bring in Kadri, but he will have his growing pains. People seem to forget the Leafs seem to finish strong almost every year when the pressure is off and are able to play loosey-goosey hockey.

All good points.

The way I thought it would work would be for them to trade Kaberle for a real center (mistake IMO), but it's still a weak crop of forwards.