Likely, yea. They have the luxury of some young pieces with cornerstone ceiling in Seguin and Hamilton.
- Brian Huddle

They have...

Chara, Seidenberg, Campbell, Paille, Peverly, Savard, Thornton, Whitfield, and Ference

all over the age of 28..

Chara is 35.. I thought he was like 32..

Is he a true #2 or is he a complimentary partner? A guy like Gunnarsson in Toronto plays the role of #2 with his minutes and such but he's more of a 4 type who compliments Dion well.
- Brian Huddle

tbd


right now he looks like he should be a solid secong-pairing d-man with top-pairing upside

IMO the Northeast is the 2nd easiest division to play in. Above the southeast and you could argue the Northwest easier, but not by much.
- Rally_Shots

I can see that argument...

but... Boston, Buffalo, and now Ottawa and TML could all be possible playoff teams going into most seasons.

Toronto, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa have all been drafting hard nosed players. Eventually it's going to be one tough place to play with Boston already "tough".
- Brian Huddle

Everybody is getting sick of being bullied around by the Bruins

What you said.
I think McNabb is a perfect 3, but would play with Myers because their styles fit together so well.

Also, what you shared earlier about D men being hesitant to hit as much in the NHL until they are comfortable due to the fear of making a mistake that will get them sent back down is right on the money.

The Sabres need a coach who is going to say crush everything in sight, and if you make a mistake, no big deal, to get the most out of these kids on D.
- kingcong39

mcnabb was never prevented from hitting...

and these guys are not hitters: gragnani, butler, sekera, paetsch...
nor was hank, or even spacho and lydman....


buts was allowed to make tons of mistakes, to the tune of a -5 vs. calgary...he played the next game and acuitted himself very welll


this team was laden with "offensive/puck-moving" d-men during "la core-era"

Buffalo has a nice prospect base.

They have some serious potential going forward
- gretzky

pegula has his charges focusing upon scouting and development and has invested a lot of money there...

an aspect of his spending that always gets overlooked

I can see that argument...

but... Boston, Buffalo, and now Ottawa and TML could all be possible playoff teams going into most seasons.
- JVince11

3 possible playoff teams but only 1 is a real contender. Good divisions have 2+ contenders.

Semin signed with the Hurricanes. One year 7 mil.

3 possible playoff teams but only 1 is a real contender. Good divisions have 2+ contenders.
- Rally_Shots

We're talking more long term-- the teams have shown a distinct drafting model with size, character, "grit"... and even some dirty-ness thrown in.

Toronto, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa have all been drafting hard nosed players. Eventually it's going to be one tough place to play with Boston already "tough".
- Brian Huddle

this


the sabres were a year late to the party (see ottawa bulking up last season and the lucic/miller incident)...but...

i believe they've learned their lesson...e.g. roy traded for ott

Semin signed with the Hurricanes. One year 7 mil.
- Rally_Shots

cap floor really helped semin with that one

this


the sabres were a year late to the party (see ottawa bulking up last season and the lucic/miller incident)...but...

i believe they've learned their lesson...e.g. roy traded for ott
- b0s0o1

I think Ottawa lost all of their bulk now.. they lost like 3 of their most hard-nosed players this off season and Neil got another year older..

I think Ottawa lost all of their bulk now.. they lost like 3 of their most hard-nosed players this off season and Neil got another year older..
- JVince11

yeah...they did...

don't know how that will translate, but konopka (i believe) said last season that their toughness will help the skilled players to feel more comfortable...

ottawa made the playoffs, sabres did not

We're talking more long term-- the teams have shown a distinct drafting model with size, character, "grit"... and even some dirty-ness thrown in.
- Brian Huddle

Ah gotcha, long term the division will probably be harder to play in. But with the Sabres drafting such hard nosed players I dont think we'll have a problem dealing with it 1 or 2 years down the road.

I think Ottawa lost all of their bulk now.. they lost like 3 of their most hard-nosed players this off season and Neil got another year older..
- JVince11

The pipeline they have has some bruisers. Smith's come on, and Cowen is on the back end. But then they have guys like Noesen, Ziba, etc.

However, Maclean really wants to play puck possession hockey, so they'll look more for skill with a couple of big guys who can grind it out down low.

Ah gotcha, long term the division will probably be harder to play in. But with the Sabres drafting such hard nosed players I dont think we'll have a problem dealing with it 1 or 2 years down the road.
- Rally_Shots

Exactly what we're saying--- Buffalo's gotten tougher already with Ott, having Kaleta and Foligno, etc. But they'v e gone out of their way to add more of that in the pipeline.

Toronto has been doing it a couple years now so in the next year or two it should start showing up. Montreal changed philosophies under Bergevin/Dudley to look at this more.

Ottawa has some, not a lot. But there's "some" in the pipeline.

yeah...they did...

don't know how that will translate, but konopka (i believe) said last season that their toughness will help the skilled players to feel more comfortable...

ottawa made the playoffs, sabres did not
- b0s0o1

I think if we have Spezza we make the playoffs too lol..

I have always liked Milachek that they have there.. I think he is a very underrated winger in the NHL.

I think them losing Konopka, Foligno, Carkner, and one more guy I can't name for some reason will hurt their offensive production because they don't have the toughness as much..

7 for Semin?

7 for Semin?
- mhp

That may just work out for the Canes. One year deal, so you know he'll be playing his arse off to get an even better deal next season. That coupled with the Staal signing make Carolina something to watch this year.

Brian are you gonna do this with more teams soon?

Buffalo has a nice prospect base.
They have some serious potential going forward
- gretzky

U guys do too...
Just gotta find that goalie...
And a top pair Dman (Schultz is obviously a ? Still)

if Buffalo didnt trade Kassian i would find it hard not to like them, Foligno and Adam are easily potential top six guys with some grit... Kassian is for sure that, sure Hodgson has some decent skills but i think Kassian can add more value to your team.

DO A LEAFS TOP 10!!

IMO the Northeast is the 2nd easiest division to play in. Above the southeast and you could argue the Northwest easier, but not by much.
- Rally_Shots

I think the central division is gonna be weaker than most people think this year.

detroit won't be anywhere near the team they've been in prior years, as the loss of lidstrom is going to be devastating to that team, and really expose their very average to below average defense and goaltending.

nashville will probably still be competitive, but when you lose one of your 2 best players, and your best offensive player is probably mike fisher (no disrespect to fish, love the guy) your team is not gonna be elite.

St Louis rode the coat tails of two goalies having career years last season, the chances of even one of them repeating that, let alone both, is very slim. I think the blues will be a good team, but nowhere close to the record they put up last year.

chicago, IMO, is probably the best team in this division now (if crawford can play atleast decent hockey)

CBJ....no point in even talking about that.

I can see as many or more playoff teams coming out of the northeast this year as i can see in the central.

Perhaps the northeast won't be a powerhouse this year, but with the young talent in ottawa, montreal, buffalo, and to a lesser extent toronto's system, i think the northeast will be a power division within a couple of years.

just my opinion

I think if we have Spezza we make the playoffs too lol..

I have always liked Milachek that they have there.. I think he is a very underrated winger in the NHL.

I think them losing Konopka, Foligno, Carkner, and one more guy I can't name for some reason will hurt their offensive production because they don't have the toughness as much..
- JVince11

carkner and konopka were regular healthy scratches, and foligno is not a "tough' player. he goes into the corners and is gritty, but i wouldn't call him tough. the things those players did more than anything was take dumb penalties, so any lack of toughness that the sens loss will be offset by the fact that they won't likely be killing penalties 30% of the game anymore.

besides, we still have neil, zach smith, and greening (trust me, you'll see his toughness emerge this season)...not to mention boroweicki (if he makes the team). so ottawa doesn't have the "fighter", but they still have some toughness.

besides, if things get really rough, we have karlsson

Brian are you gonna do this with more teams soon?
- poisondhearts37

Yes, all 30 teams.

DO A LEAFS TOP 10!!
- Bar-South

http://www.hockeybuzz.com...t_id=45765&blogger_id=153