Jan Levine: Hockey News Yearbook Predicts Rangers Second in Metropolitan Division Take a guess whose first...

Metro is wide open for top 4 , the only lock I have is Pitt

Carolina , Rangers, isles (if they get good goaltending), Colombus and Caps are all going to be a good battle for the 2-4 spots

What are your Stanley Cup predictions Jan?

Metro is wide open for top 4 , the only lock I have is Pitt

Carolina , Rangers, isles (if they get good goaltending), Colombus and Caps are all going to be a good battle for the 2-4 spots
- Danformo

No Flyers?

Metro is wide open for top 4 , the only lock I have is Pitt

Carolina , Rangers, isles (if they get good goaltending), Colombus and Caps are all going to be a good battle for the 2-4 spots
- Danformo

IDK why these guys pick Pitts for odds favorite in the finals or cup winners? Did anyone watch the playoffs last year? Team has some holes which IMO have not been filled for the playoffs. The main issue is their goaltending.

No Flyers?
- FrmRusiaWifGlov

Nope

What are your Stanley Cup predictions Jan?
- Kalimaze

IMO

I think a repeat may happen again.
Boston vs Chicago

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Pitt
NYR
NYI
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Phil
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NJD

IDK why these guys pick Pitts for odds favorite in the finals or cup winners? Did anyone watch the playoffs last year? Team has some holes which IMO have not been filled for the playoffs. The main issue is their goaltending.
- Cptmjl

IMO Pitts is a lock for playoffs as for Cup finals... not as much.

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Pitt
NYR
NYI
Wash
Phil
Columbus
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NJD
- latorrem1

A Canadian team from the east will make it. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto

A Canadian team from the east will make it. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto
- Tripple_B9

A few weeks ago, the Vegas odds on the Senators was something like 35/1. I think that is a steal at that price.

A Canadian team from the east will make it. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto
- Tripple_B9

I think he was talking about the Metro division......

IDK why these guys pick Pitts for odds favorite in the finals or cup winners? Did anyone watch the playoffs last year? Team has some holes which IMO have not been filled for the playoffs. The main issue is their goaltending.
- Cptmjl

The thing is that every team in the Metro has holes. Pitt is just stacked up front and will put up offense. They are battled tested and have good Vet leadership, unless the goaltending is so bad during the regular season they more then liekly will compete for the top spot in the division.

Rangers - World Class goaltending, a good blueline, a questionable offense. Will Richards show up? How will Nash respond this season? Where else will the offense come from?

Islanders - Outside of Pitt, probably the most offensive gifted team in the Metro, a decent blueline, goaltending will determine whether the Isles compete for more then just a bubble playoff spot

Devils - Hard to read this team. Took a pounding losing Parise and now Kovi two years in a row. Not a scary offensive team at all, goaltending is questionable, will Marty be able to handle a full season still, how will Schneider respond?

Flyers- Goaltending stinks still proven otherwise, their blueline is hurting. Will put up offensive numbers

Columbus - Will Bob reproduce last seasons numbers? Was that run a fluke or has this team finally turned a corner? How will Horton change the dynamic of that team?

Washington - How Ovie goes they will go

Canes - Will Ward recover from last seasons injury. This is a team that had so many injuries last season it is tough to read how they will respond. Will the Stall's lead this team back into the playoffs? A weak blueline could do them in....

I think he was talking about the Metro division......
- tomburton99

Ooopss... you're right!!!

A Canadian team from the east will make it. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto
- Tripple_B9

No doubt, those standings are where I think the Metro teams will fall

Metro is wide open for top 4 , the only lock I have is Pitt

Carolina , Rangers, isles (if they get good goaltending), Colombus and Caps are all going to be a good battle for the 2-4 spots
- Danformo

Caps, I think, are going to get a rude awakening this year.

Also, with the Rangers, I believe it all goes as Hank goes. They will go as far as he can take them. When he's on, few teams can beat them. When he's off, they're very vulnerable.

IMO Pitts is a lock for playoffs as for Cup finals... not as much.
- Tripple_B9

Absolutely see them making the PO's of course. I think if Fleury is in net come playoff time I'm thinking the team playing in front of him may not be too comfortable? He lets in one shat goal and watch them crumble. Of course they are an incredible team they just seem fragile to me even with all of their experience IMO. Vokoun is good but Fleury is beyond a question mark to me.

Rangers are such a gamble. It really comes down to Brad Richards. Defensively they're ok, but need the offence. Love the choice of coaching. the division is weak so I can see them making playoffs. Atlantic will have 5 teams in.

Flyers- Goaltending stinks still proven otherwise, their blueline is hurting. Will put up offensive numbers
- latorrem1

You do realize that Bryzgalov is gone and we have a goalie who went 17-1 (albeit on a great team) last year, right?

You do realize that Bryzgalov is gone and we have a goalie who went 17-1 (albeit on a great team) last year, right?
- jmatchett383

I would say Goaltending is questionable until proven otherwise. That said, I like the Emery signing a lot, and at that price, he was a flat out steal. I expect him to run with the job. Blueline also has some question marks. Need Timonen to be healthy and Scheen to really step up. A healthy Meszaros would be huge and Streit should help the PP. My wild card is Hartnell, as I believe he rebounds in a major, major way.

I would say Goaltending is questionable until proven otherwise. That said, I like the Emery signing a lot, and at that price, he was a flat out steal. I expect him to run with the job. Blueline also has some question marks. Need Timonen to be healthy and Scheen to really step up. A healthy Meszaros would be huge and Streit should help the PP. My wild card is Hartnell, as I believe he rebounds in a major, major way.
- airjan23

I'll give you questionable for sure. Wouldn't say it stinks though. Mason was good last year, but only over 8 games. Maybe he'll rebound since he now has the right sized pads.
Schenn played very well last year. But Meszaros and Grossmann have injury concerns, and Timonen's no longer a young man. I think they're a solid 3-5 spot team.

What are your Stanley Cup predictions Jan?
- Kalimaze

I agree with the St. Louis choice, but keys for them are: which one of the three-headed monster in net steps forward. If it's Halak coupled with a full and not half-year from Shattenkirk, I love their chances. In the East, Pittsburgh is an easy choice, but Fleury's confidence is shaken. A big underrated signing will be Scuderi in front of the net, gievn how solid psoitionally he is. Boston should be right up there again. I am biased for the Rangers, but all - or at least most - of the questions have to answered. A darkhorse is Ottawa, especially if Spezza is Spezza and Ryan blossoms into the player most think he can be, as well as Detroit, if Weiss is capable as the second center.

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Imo

I agree with the St. Louis choice, but keys for them are: which one of the three-headed monster in net steps forward. If it's Halak coupled with a full and not half-year from Shattenkirk, I love their chances. In the East, Pittsburgh is an easy choice, but Fleury's confidence is shaken. A big underrated signing will be Scuderi in front of the net, gievn how solid psoitionally he is. Boston should be right up there again. I am biased for the Rangers, but all - or at least most - of the questions have to answered. A darkhorse is Ottawa, especially if Spezza is Spezza and Ryan blossoms into the player most think he can be, as well as Detroit, if Weiss is capable as the second center.
- airjan23

I'm not sold on Detroit, but I think Ottawa is really gonna surprise people.

You do realize that Bryzgalov is gone and we have a goalie who went 17-1 (albeit on a great team) last year, right?
- jmatchett383

That same goalie also has 1 surgically repaired hip. His stats are very good throughout his career, but the Flyers aren't the Hawks.