Ok so let me get this straight. You put montreal 5th in the Atlantic behind the leafs and red wings and somehow the BJs and Flyers end up 1 and 2 in the metro?

is pot legal in whatever state you live in? or are you on some other drugs? this makes ZERO sense.

your rationale has no rational arguments. if anything someone could make a case for the Islanders to pop up into the top 3. The BJs top center missed all of camp and will need to find his legs getting out of the gate. the Flyers defence is porous. the Islanders addressed the big issues. Goaltending and defence. They got two top 4 dmen on the SAME f*ing day!! lols.

they can play those two guys 30 minutes a night, and by default they should move up in the standings compared to the guys that they had before. both have won stanley cups and gone deep in the playoffs. they know what it takes to win. if anyone is moving up it is the Islanders. They'll be fighting for a top 2 spot in the division.

1. Islanders
2. Penguins
3. Blue Jackets
4. Rangers
5. Capitals
6. Flyers
7. New Jersey
8. Carolina
- kaptaan

I like you. No seriously, I like you

Grabner is more of a ~30-35 points player. He had one good year his 2nd season in the NHL and has gotten worse and worse every year since.
- rangerdanger94

I see, so the lockout season didn't count either?

Wow. Just wow ek. Homerism at its best right there

Honestly, the only spots I'm sure of is Pit at 1, and Car at 8. The rest is kind of a pick em to me.

If I had to venture a guess...

1. PIT
2. NYR
3. NYI
4. CLB
5. PHI
6. NJD
7 WAS
8. CAR

Wow. Just wow ek. Homerism at its best right there

Honestly, the only spots I'm sure of is Pit at 1, and Car at 8. The rest is kind of a pick em to me.

If I had to venture a guess...

1. PIT
2. NYR
3. NYI
4. CLB
5. PHI
6. NJD
7 WAS
8. CAR
- fecondo

given the cbj current state, I'd bump them down to 6 and put philly and the devils as a pick em between 4 and 5. could be 5 teams from the metro this year.

I see, so the lockout season didn't count either?
- Isles_since_6

Average goals/82 is >20 for that season

given the cbj current state, I'd bump them down to 6 and put philly and the devils as a pick em between 4 and 5. could be 5 teams from the metro this year.
- Isles_since_6

I can see that as well.
I just like the way CLB is constructed more than I like philly or the devils. I don't trust Philly's d enough, and I'm also worried about regression from Mason. I don't trust the devils because of their offense. Their top what 4 or 5 offensive players are between the ages of 35-43? Too high of a risk for injury for me to put them any higher

Islanders first? Really?


- StargateSG1

Is that any crazier than EKlund??? LOLS....

I see, so the lockout season didn't count either?
- Isles_since_6

He was on pace for 38 points that year.

He was on pace for 38 points that year.
- rangerdanger94

Yes but I said he's an average 20 goal scorer, which is good for bottom 6.

He was on pace for roughly 29 goals in the lockout season, Which for bottom 6 minutes, heavy PK time with dzone starts and no PP time, is incredible.

Is that any crazier than EKlund??? LOLS....
- kaptaan

It's really not that crazy if our new D and goalie play at their average performances and if we remain healthy.

Islanders first? Really?


- StargateSG1

Sadly, that's more realistic than the flyers in 2nd.

I'm late to the party here but the Flyers in second place? I know thats your team Ek but they arn't going to make the playoffs this year, they are one fragile goalie's major injury away from lottery city, their defense is so much worse than the majority of ECHL rosters. Like this is delusional.

Ok so let me get this straight. You put montreal 5th in the Atlantic behind the leafs and red wings and somehow the BJs and Flyers end up 1 and 2 in the metro?

is pot legal in whatever state you live in? or are you on some other drugs? this makes ZERO sense.

your rationale has no rational arguments. if anything someone could make a case for the Islanders to pop up into the top 3. The BJs top center missed all of camp and will need to find his legs getting out of the gate. the Flyers defence is porous. the Islanders addressed the big issues. Goaltending and defence. They got two top 4 dmen on the SAME f*ing day!! lols.

they can play those two guys 30 minutes a night, and by default they should move up in the standings compared to the guys that they had before. both have won stanley cups and gone deep in the playoffs. they know what it takes to win. if anyone is moving up it is the Islanders. They'll be fighting for a top 2 spot in the division.

1. Islanders
2. Penguins
3. Blue Jackets
4. Rangers
5. Capitals
6. Flyers
7. New Jersey
8. Carolina
- kaptaan

Flip the Islanders and the penguins and you are correct sir. And the devils and the caps

Flip the Islanders and the penguins and you are correct sir. And the devils and the caps
- Dcoms

Yeah, it would have been easy to go with the Pens in first, but I thought I'd keep it interesting. Like i said in my post the Isles have addressed their big issues. They could already score, its the D and Goalchie situations that needed fixing which Garth did admirably over the summer.

So as far as I'm concerned the Isles will be in the top 3 in the Div and fighting for first. the slots 5-7 are pretty much interchangeable. I think the top 4 are locked down with the Isles, Pens, BJs, and Rags.

I feel like the metro is an absolute crap shoot. I can't even say who will finish on top or bottom, let alone the middle lol. I'm guessing carolina is gonna struggle heavily this year, so I guess I agree there. Other than that, there's always teams that on paper project to do poorly, but end up fighting for the playoffs. The devils are a team that come to mind in that circumstance.

The isles are going to be interesting to watch. I agree they improved on every position (forward, def, goalie), but I'm still not ENTIRELY sold on the defense. It's improved without question, ESPECIALLY replacing Amac with boychuk. That's the biggest swap hands down. What no one seems to get is that the real question marks is the coaching staff. I still feel like capuano does not know how to handle his talent properly. He needs to be on a very very very short leash. Dehaan also is a key factor here. If he misses a long stretch of time, they're quickly heading back to where they were last year (I mean defensively here, not the team as a whole). Granted there is better depth, and that's going to be the difference between them finishing 3rd or 6th in the metro.

I don't see the flyers finishing 2nd. That defense is just too shakey. As the season progresses, flyers fans will see certainly see how tough it will be to rely on the offense to overcome the defense being lit up. I still think the flyers will be in that 4-6 range also.

Columbus is another wild card. Deep team, young talent, and if bob plays like vezina bob...they could def be on the upper third of the metro.

The devils are like the ny giants to me. Every year no one can ever predict what kind of team they are. No identity other than the fact they play a boring ass hockey game when gaining a two goal lead. I see them in the 6-8 range, just as a straight up guess.

Rangers have defense and goaltending. Enough said there. Yes they have a full year of St. Louis, but they also have a full year WITHOUT Callahan. Still they have enough talent to be top 3 in metro easily, unless injuries occur.

Yeah, it would have been easy to go with the Pens in first, but I thought I'd keep it interesting. Like i said in my post the Isles have addressed their big issues. They could already score, its the D and Goalchie situations that needed fixing which Garth did admirably over the summer.

So as far as I'm concerned the Isles will be in the top 3 in the Div and fighting for first. the slots 5-7 are pretty much interchangeable. I think the top 4 are locked down with the Isles, Pens, BJs, and Rags.
- kaptaan

As much as I love your enthusiasm towards my team, I just don't see them getting first place. I don't know if it's been the two decades of sucking that makes me think this way. I'm not saying they are far off, but I still think they have some improvements to make. God forbid this team could add a true #1 defenseman, then I'm certainly jumping on board with them finishing first. I can only imagine what the team would look like with a Shea weber, or a petrangielo leading the defense.

Wow. Just wow ek. Homerism at its best right there

Honestly, the only spots I'm sure of is Pit at 1, and Car at 8. The rest is kind of a pick em to me.

If I had to venture a guess...

1. PIT
2. NYR
3. NYI
4. CLB
5. PHI
6. NJD
7 WAS
8. CAR
- fecondo

Perfect.

3-5 is probably the most interesting race.

but boychuk tho.
- kicksave856

Our savior

Wow. Just wow ek. Homerism at its best right there

Honestly, the only spots I'm sure of is Pit at 1, and Car at 8. The rest is kind of a pick em to me.

If I had to venture a guess...

1. PIT
2. NYR
3. NYI
4. CLB
5. PHI
6. NJD
7 WAS
8. CAR
- fecondo

Agree with this

PIT will be first, NYR, NYI and CLB battle for 2-4 (Most likely NYR 2 if Hank stays healthy)
CAR will be last, PHI, NJD, WAS battle for 5-7

Typical Ek , too funny but not realistic. At least you'll get posts...

Sekera
Myers
Ehrhoff

Boychuk is the equivalent of Robyn Regehr. A decent 2nd paring shut down player
- sbroads24

After seeing this list we'll just agree to disagree. . I don't think Boychuck is Doughty. You seem to be almost implying I do which couldn't be further from the truth. He was a solid 2/3 on a Stanley cup team and one of the better teams in the league. Diminish that all you want but he's exactly what this team needed. He has a hard shot , hits, won a stanley cup, and is great defensively. If you don't think those are important tangibles that's fine I can care less. If you think we over payed or he's a mediocre player go on the Bruins thread on this site and others and read reactions and write ups about the trade and get back to me. You're in the minority. It's interesting how you say we over payed in some posts and then go on to say how can he be that good if we only gave up two 2nd's. Doesn't really make much sense?
As the whole world knows we've had a weak blue line for a while now and this trade helps significantly. If he doesn't resign then Pulock, Reinhart, Czuzcman, Pedan, Pelech, Mayfield have more time to come along slowly. The right way rather than be rushed. It's a positive in every way minus a season ending injury happening or something along those lines. Whether this makes us a legit playoff team or not who the hell knows? You certainly don't that is for sure. ON PAPER it's a win for the Islanders. You're just hating which makes you look foolish. Good luck on your "two year rebuild" and many, many years of Tyler Myers as your first pairing defenseman. I'll look forward to them right along with you

Flip the Islanders and the penguins and you are correct sir. And the devils and the caps
- Dcoms

Thanks but I have a hard time believing we go from picking 5th to 2nd in the conference

I feel like the metro is an absolute crap shoot. I can't even say who will finish on top or bottom, let alone the middle lol. I'm guessing carolina is gonna struggle heavily this year, so I guess I agree there. Other than that, there's always teams that on paper project to do poorly, but end up fighting for the playoffs. The devils are a team that come to mind in that circumstance.

The isles are going to be interesting to watch. I agree they improved on every position (forward, def, goalie), but I'm still not ENTIRELY sold on the defense. It's improved without question, ESPECIALLY replacing Amac with boychuk. That's the biggest swap hands down. What no one seems to get is that the real question marks is the coaching staff. I still feel like capuano does not know how to handle his talent properly. He needs to be on a very very very short leash. Dehaan also is a key factor here. If he misses a long stretch of time, they're quickly heading back to where they were last year (I mean defensively here, not the team as a whole). Granted there is better depth, and that's going to be the difference between them finishing 3rd or 6th in the metro.

I don't see the flyers finishing 2nd. That defense is just too shakey. As the season progresses, flyers fans will see certainly see how tough it will be to rely on the offense to overcome the defense being lit up. I still think the flyers will be in that 4-6 range also.

Columbus is another wild card. Deep team, young talent, and if bob plays like vezina bob...they could def be on the upper third of the metro.

The devils are like the ny giants to me. Every year no one can ever predict what kind of team they are. No identity other than the fact they play a boring ass hockey game when gaining a two goal lead. I see them in the 6-8 range, just as a straight up guess.

Rangers have defense and goaltending. Enough said there. Yes they have a full year of St. Louis, but they also have a full year WITHOUT Callahan. Still they have enough talent to be top 3 in metro easily, unless injuries occur.
- Dedshark

Exactly. Stated this earlier. Funny how every single negative posts(minus ranger danger's) about our chances has no mention of our coaching which is the main reason we wouldn't make it.

for all the people talking up columbus, has anyone actually looked at their depth chart?

this is a bubble team dealing with several injuries to start the year.

- Isles_since_6