Michael Stuart: Southeast Division Thoughts & Predictions

200$ for season tickets in Tampa! wow!

200$ for season tickets in Tampa! wow!
- wingz4life

its $200 bucks for 200 tickets. then you can do what you want with the tickets.


anyway i think carolina stuggles with the new look. jets will be average again. washington will be 3rd and i think tampa and florida will battle for the top spot. but i think 1st through 4th will be separated by less than 10 points.

1. tampa 54
2. florida 51
3. washington 49
4. carolina 45
5. winnipeg 40

Tampa Bay called me today... wanted me to buy season tickets!!!

its $200 bucks for 200 tickets. then you can do what you want with the tickets.


anyway i think carolina stuggles with the new look. jets will be average again. washington will be 3rd and i think tampa and florida will battle for the top spot. but i think 1st through 4th will be separated by less than 10 points.

1. tampa 54
2. florida 51
3. washington 49
4. carolina 45
5. winnipeg 40
- boltsfan48

I just can't see Theodore being a formidable goalie.

Tampa Bay called me today... wanted me to buy season tickets!!!
- jimmc7722

Join us. You're always welcome.

I'll put it here too just in case people don't read the entire blog. If anyone is interested in joining a free fantasy hockey league with other members of the Lightning community here and a few of my friends from other markets, please drop a comment here or inbox me. We'll get you in before the draft on Sunday night.

A resurgent OV is NOT a forgone conclusion. He's steadily dropped over the last few years. Carolina isn't THAT much improved. Semin is less then reliable and Jordan might be a 50 pt guy.

I just can't see Theodore being a formidable goalie.
- Michael_Stuart

for those other posters (as an aside--sorry Michael)--I love snide shots from outsiders about Tampa season tickets, especially from an Islanders fan.. wow, seriously?

Back to the topic- I think the division is going to really go at it and be very tight. While I like Staal's addition in Carolina I do not like the Semin pick up and do not believe in their defense. Bryan Allen was one of their top 3 last season and I believe he is gone. Ruutu was in their top 6 and he is hurt. I agree with everything you said about the Jets. I am not a believer that Washington is ready to go. Their troubles come off the defensive end and there were no marked improvements on that side of the puck and you rightly question their goaltending. Add to that a disgruntled Ovechkin (angry with the new CBA and preferring to play in Russia) and I worry about what has already been a fragile locker room. Tampa will be good. Real good. Their season will depend on how fast their chemistry meshes, a slow start will cripple, a fast one and they could take the division. I believe strongly in Lindback. Nashville developes and drafts great goalies.

Which brings me to my Panthers. In goal I am not worried- either Theodore has it or we see Scott Clemmenson (who has always been good) and Markstrom has been great at the AHL and we could see him any time. There will actually be very little youth added this year. The only kid being brought in will be Huberdeau, every other piece returns from last year or will be a free agent signee (like Kuba and Mueller). We lost only Garrison from last year's team and he was great- but also was made that way playing with Campbell. Still, I am hesitant to say what this team will do this season. If our 2nd line- reputed to be Upshall, Mueller, Huberdeau clicks and plays well, I say the Cats have 1st or 2nd in the division. If that 2nd line can't pull it together, we could slide into 3rd or 4th in the division. But goaltending is not the concern, too much behind Theo.

The difference for the Capitals this season isn’t going to be Mike Ribeiro; the difference is going to be Adam Oates.

I;d agree somewhat but think about it this way,

Backstrom
Ribeiro
Laich
Hendricks

up the middle. One hundred times better than the rolling of Laich/Johansson as the second line center. That's serious depth they've never had and Laich has never been an adequate 2nd line center for a contender.

A ton riding on Anders, I think it's a gamble getting him (like all moves) but probability is in our favor.

Our defense shouldn't be the leaky piece of Swiss cheese that is was last season.

I think that the Caps are now on the downward trend line due to the ? mark above OV.

This will be Boucher's third iteration as head coach and I am looking to see what he can do with these guys again.

They do all look pretty fresh based on the pictures I have seen. It will be interesting to see how VL4 does this season since he has had some legitimate rest time.

Overall I am looking forward to a competitive club that wont empty the barn as much as last year due to horrible defense/GT.

Game on!

And to all the haters who live in Tampa yet support other teams, come join the dark (or light ) side...we have cookies. I bet you the Bolts organization will take better care of you than your former team did...

The difference for the Capitals this season isn’t going to be Mike Ribeiro; the difference is going to be Adam Oates.

I;d agree somewhat but think about it this way,

Backstrom
Ribeiro
Laich
Hendricks

up the middle. One hundred times better than the rolling of Laich/Johansson as the second line center. That's serious depth they've never had and Laich has never been an adequate 2nd line center for a contender.
- AdamFrench

Thats a good point if Backstrom does not go -4 again on a season. Surely strength down the middle is one of the 3 ingredients to success, but goaltending is questionable and the defense even more so. Who are their top 4 d-men? Green, Erskine, Carlson maybe Poti or Orlov or Hamrlik, or Hillen? Who with Green on the top PP line-- Schultz? Lot of question marks on that defense. With the shortened season they may finally get a full season out of Greene, but with the compacted schedule that could also create more wear and tear.

Defense and goaltending win championships (and games) and the Caps have a lot of prior injury issues and inexperienced D-men (Azner, Schwartz, Hillen, and Orlov). Dale Tallon of the Panthers says that D-men don't hit a stride until they have played a lot of games (I forget the number he used), and he seems to be right.

Washington
Carolina
Tampa
Florida
Winnipeg

Depending on Lightning goaltending and Florida's young players there is potential for them to swap positions.

You are giving way too much credit to Carolina and namely way too much credit to the Semin signing. Other than killing the Bolts over the years, Semin is a lazy player and Carolina will soon find that out first hand. There's a reason he only got a 1 year deal and you can't say he will use that as motivation b/c if money was a motivation then last year he would have turned the light on given that it was his contract year. It's also worth mentioning that Ruutu is out until April. Thats a significant loss defensively and grit wise from that team.

I honestly think the Bolts have as good a shot at the SE as anyone. They are improved not just b/c of the signings but also b/c we won't have 9 regulars on IR as we did at the end of last year. The PP and PK will be better (b/c lets face it they couldn't be worse) and goaltending by default will be better (again it couldn't be worse) and coupled with more talent on the ice to me equals a playoff spot and quite possibly the division.

You are giving way too much credit to Carolina and namely way too much credit to the Semin signing. Other than killing the Bolts over the years, Semin is a lazy player and Carolina will soon find that out first hand. There's a reason he only got a 1 year deal and you can't say he will use that as motivation b/c if money was a motivation then last year he would have turned the light on given that it was his contract year. It's also worth mentioning that Ruutu is out until April. Thats a significant loss defensively and grit wise from that team.

I honestly think the Bolts have as good a shot at the SE as anyone. They are improved not just b/c of the signings but also b/c we won't have 9 regulars on IR as we did at the end of last year. The PP and PK will be better (b/c lets face it they couldn't be worse) and goaltending by default will be better (again it couldn't be worse) and coupled with more talent on the ice to me equals a playoff spot and quite possibly the division.
- uf1910

My theory is that as long as Ward plays well in net for the 'Canes, they're the favorite. Just a gut feeling. I like the look of that roster.

My theory is that as long as Ward plays well in net for the 'Canes, they're the favorite. Just a gut feeling. I like the look of that roster.
- Michael_Stuart

You start from the net and build out. Think LA and Jonathon Quick. Who in the Southeast has the most stable situation in goal? It's Carolina with Cam Ward. He is going to face a lot of shots and will not have many shutouts but I like there chances to outscore their opponents on most nights with Cam Ward in net who has proven he can be a workhorse.

I also like what Florida and Tampa are doing in putting their teams together. I'm not sold on Washington or Winnipeg but I could very easily see three teams from the Southeast making the playoffs.

A ton riding on Anders, I think it's a gamble getting him (like all moves) but probability is in our favor.

Our defense shouldn't be the leaky piece of Swiss cheese that is was last season.

- vsunited001

I agree, if our goaltending is average, we will have a shot at the playoffs, if it's better than that we get in and could win the division, and if it's worse well you know.

I do think we upgraded our defense, though Carle and Salo are not exactly shutdown defenseman they are better than what we had and will help our offense. Hedman's development will be a significant factor as well. I also like that we added some grit in Crombeen, who has enough ability to play on a regular basis, that was long overdue. We also have a lot of talent in the AHL that should increase our lack of depth with our forward group.

I'm not sold on Carolina, there defense is below average, but they do have a very good goalie and above average offense (though I'm not sure how Semin will fit in), so if I had to pick a division winner it would be them or Washington. I do think it's possible 3 SE teams could make the playoffs.