Love how you're biased here....


MTL without PRICE = NO PLAYOFFS !

WTF is Tampa without Bishop ?
- WaterBoy

Read my previous posts! I never exclusively compared tampa with mtl!
I noted the fact that Price has been injured often lately where as Rask hasn't and Bishop was his first injury...
Anyways, i'm done wasting my time with you!

pretty much! MTL will be the leftover 3rd place...if Price can stay healthy! Injured 3 times in 2 years can set off alarms...without Price, habs aren't a playoff team!
- Raven33

90% of the NHL teams would fall if their #1 goalie gets injured. good point.

Read my previous posts! I never exclusively compared tampa with mtl!
I noted the fact that Price has been injured often lately where as Rask hasn't and Bishop was his first injury...
Anyways, i'm done wasting my time with you!
- Raven33

Any contending team that loses it's starter will have a hard time making the playoffs. That was and still is my argument.

And Price hasn't been injured often lately.

72 games out of 82
65 out of 82
39 out of 48
59 out of 82 ( yes ... his lowest amount of games in the past 4 years due to his injury at the Olympics)


That's a lllooottt of games for "often injured"...

I I'm a Bruins fan but I agree with most of these guys that TB finishes first to take the Atlantic Division. However Boston will finish 2nd and take them in the playoffs. Boston has more playoff warriors and experience and goaltending etc. Playoff team thru and thru.
I see it like this:
TB
Boston
Detroit
Toronto
Montreal
Florida
Ottawa
Buffalo

Reasoning:
Detroit gets #3 because they are Detroit. Babcock won't let the team miss in his final year. Next year if he leaves then they miss.

A little ambitious with Toronto at #4. This does not mean they get a
Wild Card. Toronto improved their D by adding Polak and Robidas. Polak can help stabilize either a young Morgan Rielly or Dion Phaneuf. Robidas is also a RD and can maybe do the same. This is a year that Rielly can take a step. I'm banking on this team improving their overall team defensive play and thus reduce shots against and odd man rushes. Bernier can start in on the Vezina conversation if he stays healthy and he might if those 2 stats drop.

Montreal should slip and miss the playoffs. Losing Gorges will hurt their D pretty huge. He was a huge part of their D. He will be missed.
Lack of scoring will keep them out.

Florida. Finally has depth throughout their roster...at every position as well. I see Barkov improving after a full season in N America. Ekblad will step right in. Luongo will perform better now that he is not in the BC fish bowl. Still won't be enough to make the playoffs just make some noise. Attract a potential buyer.

Ottawa. Full rebuild on the way. With Spezza gone so goes the offense. Bobby Ryan will get moved for a hefty price and then the rebuild is in full bloom. Their goaltending and D keep them away from a top 2 pick.

Any contending team that loses it's starter will have a hard time making the playoffs. That was and still is my argument.

And Price hasn't been injured often lately.

72 games out of 82
65 out of 82
39 out of 48
59 out of 82 ( yes ... his lowest amount of games in the past 4 years due to his injury at the Olympics)


That's a lllooottt of games for "often injured"...
- WaterBoy

He got injured during the olympics and each of the last 2 playoffs (when it counts!) ...which is why his regular season game hasn't been affected by it!

He got injured during the olympics and each of the last 2 playoffs (when it counts!) ...which is why his regular season game hasn't been affected by it!
- Raven33

We are talking about regular season here. Not playoffs.

Not always. But you can't tell me The Habs have been the better franchise recently.
- blacksheep1

One could certainly make the argument they were when it counted most, in the playoffs!

Insightful.
- walshyleafsfan

I just figured I would shorten up his post.lol

I I'm a Bruins fan but I agree with most of these guys that TB finishes first to take the Atlantic Division. However Boston will finish 2nd and take them in the playoffs. Boston has more playoff warriors and experience and goaltending etc. Playoff team thru and thru.
I see it like this:
TB
Boston
Detroit
Toronto
Montreal
Florida
Ottawa
Buffalo

Reasoning:
Detroit gets #3 because they are Detroit. Babcock won't let the team miss in his final year. Next year if he leaves then they miss.

A little ambitious with Toronto at #4. This does not mean they get a
Wild Card. Toronto improved their D by adding Polak and Robidas. Polak can help stabilize either a young Morgan Rielly or Dion Phaneuf. Robidas is also a RD and can maybe do the same. This is a year that Rielly can take a step. I'm banking on this team improving their overall team defensive play and thus reduce shots against and odd man rushes. Bernier can start in on the Vezina conversation if he stays healthy and he might if those 2 stats drop.

Montreal should slip and miss the playoffs. Losing Gorges will hurt their D pretty huge. He was a huge part of their D. He will be missed.
Lack of scoring will keep them out.

Florida. Finally has depth throughout their roster...at every position as well. I see Barkov improving after a full season in N America. Ekblad will step right in. Luongo will perform better now that he is not in the BC fish bowl. Still won't be enough to make the playoffs just make some noise. Attract a potential buyer.

Ottawa. Full rebuild on the way. With Spezza gone so goes the offense. Bobby Ryan will get moved for a hefty price and then the rebuild is in full bloom. Their goaltending and D keep them away from a top 2 pick.
- bruinzfan77

I think Boston still takes the division. This is kind of a queer disagreement isn't it? You are thinking that Tampa might be better while I'm an the arguing that Boston might be better

I think Boston still takes the division. This is kind of a queer disagreement isn't it? You are thinking that Tampa might be better while I'm an the arguing that Boston might be better
- Artyukhin76

you guys are queer all right

you guys are queer all right
- DoubleDown

As long as I'm pitching.

I guess you missed the division realignment. We play everyone in the East 4 times and only the Leafs, Bruins, Canadiens and Sens five times. Really inflating the point total?
- tpd11

And how many times do you play Chicago, St Louis, Colorado, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim??? There may not be TWO teams in entire Eastern conference that can even compare to those teams. I am just saying TB, Habs and Bruins can rack up the points playing those awful Eastern bottom-feeders. No offence intended. TB is a good team....as are the Bruins. BUT, no way they get anywhere near the same point total playing an even schedule with those Western powerhouses.

they squeaked in last year and got blown out of the rink.
- DoubleDown

They did,
with Datsyuk skating on 1 knee and Zetterberg playing 1 game after back surgery.
I'd like to see where the super Hubs would be without their top 3 centers for most of the season.
Lottery pick territory, most likely.

And how many times do you play Chicago, St Louis, Colorado, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim??? There may not be TWO teams in entire Eastern conference that can even compare to those teams. I am just saying TB, Habs and Bruins can rack up the points playing those awful Eastern bottom-feeders. No offence intended. TB is a good team....as are the Bruins. BUT, no way they get anywhere near the same point total playing an even schedule with those Western powerhouses.
- hawk35

Boston went 18-4-6 vs. the Western Conference. They were 11-3-0 against the Pacific and 7-1-6 vs. the Central. It doesn't look like they had any trouble competing. Tampa's 14-11-3 record vs. Western Conference teams, while not great, would have put them on pace for 91 points over an 82 game campaign. Dallas made the playoffs with 91 points in the West.

And how many times do you play Chicago, St Louis, Colorado, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim??? There may not be TWO teams in entire Eastern conference that can even compare to those teams. I am just saying TB, Habs and Bruins can rack up the points playing those awful Eastern bottom-feeders. No offence intended. TB is a good team....as are the Bruins. BUT, no way they get anywhere near the same point total playing an even schedule with those Western powerhouses.
- hawk35

The Tampa Bay Lightning had a winning record against the Western Conference their genius.

Boston went 18-4-6 vs. the Western Conference. They were 11-3-0 against the Pacific and 7-1-6 vs. the Central. It doesn't look like they had any trouble competing. Tampa's 14-11-3 record vs. Western Conference teams, while not great, would have put them on pace for 91 points over an 82 game campaign. Dallas made the playoffs with 91 points in the West.
- Michael_Stuart

Boston went 18-4-6 vs. the Western Conference. They were 11-3-0 against the Pacific and 7-1-6 vs. the Central. It doesn't look like they had any trouble competing. Tampa's 14-11-3 record vs. Western Conference teams, while not great, would have put them on pace for 91 points over an 82 game campaign. Dallas made the playoffs with 91 points in the West.
- Michael_Stuart

You are grasping my friend. Boston is as good as most any team in the league. And I mentioned them as being as good as the top 5-6 Western Giants. Tampa's record also is not surprising. They were 46-27-9....meaning if they were 14-11-3 against the West, as you say....they must have been an astounding 32-16-6 against the East. You don't see a remarkable difference there??? Please. Facts are facts....TB is a solid team. Top 3-4 in the East for sure. But, would be in a life and death struggle for 7th or 8th in the West. No doubt!

You are grasping my friend. Boston is as good as most any team in the league. And I mentioned them as being as good as the top 5-6 Western Giants. Tampa's record also is not surprising. They were 46-27-9....meaning if they were 14-11-3 against the West, as you say....they must have been an astounding 32-16-6 against the East. You don't see a remarkable difference there??? Please. Facts are facts....TB is a solid team. Top 3-4 in the East for sure. But, would be in a life and death struggle for 7th or 8th in the West. No doubt!
- hawk35

The Jets are easy pickings in your own division.

NSH could be added to the list if it wasn't for Pekka

I I'm a Bruins fan but I agree with most of these guys that TB finishes first to take the Atlantic Division. However Boston will finish 2nd and take them in the playoffs. Boston has more playoff warriors and experience and goaltending etc. Playoff team thru and thru.
I see it like this:
TB
Boston
Detroit
Toronto
Montreal
Florida
Ottawa
Buffalo

Reasoning:
Detroit gets #3 because they are Detroit. Babcock won't let the team miss in his final year. Next year if he leaves then they miss.

A little ambitious with Toronto at #4. This does not mean they get a
Wild Card. Toronto improved their D by adding Polak and Robidas. Polak can help stabilize either a young Morgan Rielly or Dion Phaneuf. Robidas is also a RD and can maybe do the same. This is a year that Rielly can take a step. I'm banking on this team improving their overall team defensive play and thus reduce shots against and odd man rushes. Bernier can start in on the Vezina conversation if he stays healthy and he might if those 2 stats drop.

Montreal should slip and miss the playoffs. Losing Gorges will hurt their D pretty huge. He was a huge part of their D. He will be missed.
Lack of scoring will keep them out.

Florida. Finally has depth throughout their roster...at every position as well. I see Barkov improving after a full season in N America. Ekblad will step right in. Luongo will perform better now that he is not in the BC fish bowl. Still won't be enough to make the playoffs just make some noise. Attract a potential buyer.

Ottawa. Full rebuild on the way. With Spezza gone so goes the offense. Bobby Ryan will get moved for a hefty price and then the rebuild is in full bloom. Their goaltending and D keep them away from a top 2 pick.
- bruinzfan77

I agree with you on pretty much everything. However I think Boston takes 1st place over Tampa.

The Jets are easy pickings in your own division.

NSH could be added to the list if it wasn't for Pekka
- WaterBoy

I think the Jets will make more noise than people think. I still think they will miss the playoffs but will be a bubble team.

I think the Jets will make more noise than people think. I still think they will miss the playoffs but will be a bubble team.
- JVR_42_PK81

Agreed

I think the Jets will make more noise than people think. I still think they will miss the playoffs but will be a bubble team.
- JVR_42_PK81

They need a goalie to pull any kind of miracles...

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Hotstove: Atlantic Division Predictions
- ToddCordellVAN

Hard to count out Boston and Rask for the division

Buffalo, Florida, Leafs, Sens....all in one division. Ouch!

Must be nice for the Habs, Bruins and Lightning who have to play these teams numerous times.....talk about inflating point totals....

Still, Bruins will top this motley division....but Tampa is team on the rise.
- hawk35

Why do you think Vancouver sucks now?

Because they don't just have CGY EDM COL (before McKinnon)in the same division.

I think the Jets will make more noise than people think. I still think they will miss the playoffs but will be a bubble team.
- JVR_42_PK81

Love the Jet forwards...Ladd, Kane, Brassard, Frolik, Scheifele....alot of talent, alot of speed. Need another top 4 D-man....and solid goaltending...but such a hard conference. Especially with Dallas improving as well....can't see da Peg getting in. But, 9th or 10 very likely.