It's been a busy couple of days following the election and everything that goes with that, but it's good to be back!
After this off-season, the Eastern Conference is going to be a whole lot more competitive. With teams like the Hurricanes, Penguins, Capitals, Rangers and Leafs (among others) making big moves, the Lightning are going to be in for a hell of a fight for one of the ultra-important playoff spots in the conference.
For a long time last season, it seemed as though nobody wanted to win the Southeast Division. The Panthers, Capitals, Bolts, Jets and Hurricanes were all losing left, right and center. Honestly, as a fan, it was a little bit embarrassing. Because of this, the division was aptly nicknamed the “South-Least” division. While humorous, this pseudonym really did sum up the worst division in hockey. Well, after a summer of tinkering and restructuring, the teams in the Southeast are prepared for a much more competitive, entertaining fight in the 2012-13 campaign, whenever it should start.
Specifically looking at the Lightning, it becomes easy to see that this group is in a much better position to compete this season than it was last season. With additions on defense and in goal combined with the continued development of young stars Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos, the Bolts boast one of the most interesting rosters to watch. Of course, with youth comes some tangible concerns. Questions regarding the Bolts’ young guns and their ability to play consistently through an 82 game (or shortened) schedule are definitely very real. Players like Anders Lindback and Brett Connolly, who ooze potential, really haven’t had much time to season at the NHL level. So, while the potential may be there, it’s a little early to be making bold predictions.
While the Bolts certainly improved in a big way, so did many teams around them. The Hurricanes, specifically, are going to pose a huge challenge to the Bolts whenever the season starts. Adding Jordan Staal and Alex Semin to a team that already boasts talent like Cam Ward, Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner only makes the ‘Canes a more formidable threat. Remember, it wasn’t too long ago that the Hurricanes, like the Bolts, were at the top of the hockey world.
The Washington Capitals, too, made some marketable improvements to their roster. Adding Mike Ribeiro to shore up their woes at center made plenty of sense, especially at the price. Of course, losing Semin and Knuble hurts the Caps on the wing, but with Ovechkin on the roster, offensive worries aren’t huge. With a new coach, a rejuvenated core and a lot of excitement surrounding young players like Holtby and Carlson, the Caps are in a position to re-gain some of the magic they had under Bruce Boudreau just a few years ago.
As mentioned, the Bolts certainly improved this off-season. Any team that manages to acquire Sami Salo, Matt Carle and Anders Lindback certainly isn’t hurting its chances at making the playoffs. However, was the improvement Steve Yzerman engineered enough compared to that of other teams in the division? The Jets’ young core is going to improve, the Caps and ‘Canes both made huge roster improvements and the Panthers are definitely in a position to play spoiler in the division. In conclusion, the “South-Least” is not going to be the “South-Least” for long. These teams are all ready to compete; now it’s just a matter of getting the season started.
As always, thanks for reading.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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