Ty Anderson: Teams that will take biggest jumps, falls in 2015-16

Now Bartkowski just needs to sign that 5 year, 25 mil contract mid season with the Canucks and their victory will be complete.

I agree Buffalo should be better just not sure where that ranks them in the conference or the league in standings placement. No way they are the worst team in modern history again finishing with 54 points & only 161 goals for.

The forward ranks have been improved significantly but this defense is a serious problem. After Bogosian their 2nd best Dman is a stud in the making in Ristolainen but he is only entering his 2nd season. After that it gets ugly fast. Georges is the only other bonafide NHL Dman. Weber, Colaiacovo & Donovan aren't even borderline top 6 NHL Dman, Weber might be a #6 at best. Really they are 7 & 8 guys, spares to cover for injuries. After that it's kids like Pysyk, McCabe, Ruhwedel, etc. This D with a young unproven goalie in Lehner could be ugly & they could really struggle to stop teams from scoring against them in the short term, the next few seasons baring a signing or trade. There are going to be serious growing pains trying to get this group of Damn stopping teams from scoring. Few young D groups have success. Nashville being the lone exception I can think of.

Now Bartkowski just needs to sign that 5 year, 25 mil contract mid season with the Canucks and their victory will be complete.
- dothedougie

#tankforaustinmatthews2016

#tankforaustinmatthews2016
- we_are_all_canucks

Ty,

You pretty much nailed our expectations here in Buffalo. We expect a big jump; we are questioning but also hoping for a [lucky?] playoff spot. What is the Boston fan base thinking for the Bruins next year? Thanks!

Ty,

You pretty much nailed our expectations here in Buffalo. We expect a big jump; we are questioning but also hoping for a
- Jtr1p[lucky?] playoff spot. What is the Boston fan base thinking for the Bruins next year? Thanks!

I think people are trying not to get too, too high on the roster. Overwhelming feeling is that the team still needs to nab another defenseman to be legitimate.

Good piece.

I personally don't think Buffalo will make they playoffs but they will certainly be much closer.

Dallas has just way too many assets to not make the playoffs.

They will still need to find a way to win close games and low-scoring affairs

not sure what you mean here. there are not many teams that win more or are as comfortable in such games as Montreal.

Anaheim had a lot of success last season with a very young defense.

not sure what you mean here. there are not many teams that win more or are as comfortable in such games as Montreal.
- DoubleDown

Yeah, but you know that eventually that sorta evens out, no? I hate using the term lucky when it comes to that stuff, but it seems so many times you'll see a team have success in this area one year, and then the next year, the bounces go every other way.

I think people are trying not to get too, too high on the roster. Overwhelming feeling is that the team still needs to nab another defenseman to be legitimate.
- tyanderson

Defenseman? Yeah I'd say definitely more likely two legitimate top 4 defenseman. Bogosian a first pairing? The guy was a healthy scratch in Winnipeg. Also factor in Lehner who has shown squat since coming into the league save for how easily he can get a concussion and Kane who has been injured more oft than not and has been a disaster in the locker room when he's healthy. I just don't see it? Improved? Absolutely they'll be improved but what are we really saying here after they broke records for losing last season? The stars will have to align for them to make the playoffs IMO. Who are the Sabres going to leap frog in the East?

Rangers?
Blue Jackets?
Capitals?
Islanders?
Canadians?
Red Wings?
Lightning?
Penguins?

There's literally nothing to base their hypothetical success on save for maybe Bylsma doing some borderline prophetic work as a their coach. They have the foundation but playoff team they are not. Couple years away IMO unless like i said the stars align.

Defenseman? Yeah I'd say definitely more likely two legitimate top 4 defenseman. Bogosian a first pairing? The guy was a healthy scratch in Winnipeg. Also factor in Lehner who has shown squat since coming into the league save for how easily he can get a concussion and Kane who has been injured more oft than not and has been a disaster in the locker room when he's healthy. I just don't see it? Improved? Absolutely they'll be improved but what are we really saying here after they broke records for losing last season? The stars will have to align for them to make the playoffs IMO. Who are the Sabres going to leap frog in the East?

Rangers?
Blue Jackets?
Capitals?
Islanders?
Canadians?
Red Wings?
Lightning?
Penguins?

There's literally nothing to base their hypothetical success on save for maybe Bylsma doing some borderline prophetic work as a their coach. They have the foundation but playoff team they are not. Couple years away IMO unless like i said the stars align.
- Cptmjl

Can see where the confusion would come from, but I was talking about the Bruins.

Can see where the confusion would come from, but I was talking about the Bruins.
- tyanderson

My bad. But you did mention the Sabres as a possible playoff team in your blog.

My bad. But you did mention the Sabres as a possible playoff team in your blog.
- Cptmjl

Yeah, I know. I do think the East is pretty wide open this year in terms of the eight playoff spots. The Metro looks great, so I could see them nabbing five playoff spots, but the Atlantic seems real wide open once you get by Tampa Bay. That's where a lot of my belief is with that. Think you'll see a lot of ugly, wide open hockey in that division this year. Could benefit a Buffalo.

One year or another, you will be right about the Habs Ty. Keep it that way...

No doubt Price can't do better than last year and probably will falter a little bit.

But the team in front of him will be better, especially the defense.

We now have a steady no.3 D that we didn't have for most of last season and we expect Beaulieu to take spot no.4 full time which will be an upgrade on Emelin last year.

So basically we now have a better than average second pair.

Offensively, we are better than we were as Semin > PAP and Kassian > Prust. And expect Galchenyuk to take another step.

For me, Habs D is way better than last year's and Offense, while it still lack fire power, is a notch better.

Defenseman? Yeah I'd say definitely more likely two legitimate top 4 defenseman. Bogosian a first pairing? The guy was a healthy scratch in Winnipeg. Also factor in Lehner who has shown squat since coming into the league save for how easily he can get a concussion and Kane who has been injured more oft than not and has been a disaster in the locker room when he's healthy. I just don't see it? Improved? Absolutely they'll be improved but what are we really saying here after they broke records for losing last season? The stars will have to align for them to make the playoffs IMO. Who are the Sabres going to leap frog in the East?

Rangers?
Blue Jackets?
Capitals?
Islanders?
Canadians?
Red Wings?
Lightning?
Penguins?

There's literally nothing to base their hypothetical success on save for maybe Bylsma doing some borderline prophetic work as a their coach. They have the foundation but playoff team they are not. Couple years away IMO unless like i said the stars align.
- Cptmjl

Talk about coming in here ready to attack everything without reading what the conversation is about. Yikes.

And to be clear I don't think anyone is expecting Buffalo to make a playoff push. Take it down a notch, sparky.

One year or another, you will be right about the Habs Ty. Keep it that way...

No doubt Price can't do better than last year and probably will falter a little bit.

But the team in front of him will be better, especially the defense.

We now have a steady no.3 D that we didn't have for most of last season and we expect Beaulieu to take spot no.4 full time which will be an upgrade on Emelin last year.

So basically we now have a better than average second pair.

Offensively, we are better than we were as Semin > PAP and Kassian > Prust. And expect Galchenyuk to take another step.

For me, Habs D is way better than last year's and Offense, while it still lack fire power, is a notch better.
- soad_live

Haha listen, I would take Montreal seriously as a Cup threat with almost any other coach. I just think Therrien will be their downfall as long as he's in charge. He could prove me wrong, sure, but I don't know. Just something about that guy.

Yeah, but you know that eventually that sorta evens out, no? I hate using the term lucky when it comes to that stuff, but it seems so many times you'll see a team have success in this area one year, and then the next year, the bounces go every other way.
- tyanderson

i see your point, and generally i agree with your assessment of Montreal. but it's pretty standard that a team with great goaltending like Montreal will win more than its share of close games. barring a serious regression from Price, i think you'll see Montreal win a lot of 1 goal games again. but we're talking about points regression, and yeah i see Montreal falling back to 100ish points.

Haha listen, I would take Montreal seriously as a Cup threat with almost any other coach. I just think Therrien will be their downfall as long as he's in charge. He could prove me wrong, sure, but I don't know. Just something about that guy.
- tyanderson

i think Therrien gets a bad rap... Montreal has a pretty lousy group of forwards. lots of guys last year put up either career highs or hit their career averages. the talent just isn't there, especially down the middle.

i see your point, and generally i agree with your assessment of Montreal. but it's pretty standard that a team with great goaltending like Montreal will win more than its share of close games. barring a serious regression from Price, i think you'll see Montreal win a lot of 1 goal games again. but we're talking about points regression, and yeah i see Montreal falling back to 100ish points.
- DoubleDown

I actually think they will finish 1st or 2nd behind TB. With more pts than last year.

Haha listen, I would take Montreal seriously as a Cup threat with almost any other coach. I just think Therrien will be their downfall as long as he's in charge. He could prove me wrong, sure, but I don't know. Just something about that guy.
- tyanderson

I agree, at least in part.

I'm not a Therrien hater, I don't have a problem with him as the coach given that there are far worse options out there. But there's definitely a sense that something just doesn't quite work, it's not glaringly obvious or black and white, but you get a whiff of it every now and then, maybe it's a bit of a disconnect to players, maybe it's something else.

It sounds stupid and vague, but something is just a little off, whatever it is.

My bad. But you did mention the Sabres as a possible playoff team in your blog.
- Cptmjl

We know you're upset with Sabres posters but I think you just may have a bad taste in your mouth from spending too much time in Garth's blog. We have alot of fans so along with the territory comes alot of opinions and unrealistic expectations. Reference; Toronto Maple Leafs.

Talk about coming in here ready to attack everything without reading what the conversation is about. Yikes.

And to be clear I don't think anyone is expecting Buffalo to make a playoff push. Take it down a notch, sparky.
- Jtr1p

Well thats not really true. Quite a few posters on your thread do which is fine I just dont agree. Maybe you should take it down a notch beacuse of you think my post wasnt relevant to the blog you obviously didnt read it.

We know you're upset with Sabres posters but I think you just may have a bad taste in your mouth from spending too much time in Garth's blog. We have alot of fans so along with the territory comes alot of opinions and unrealistic expectations. Reference; Toronto Maple Leafs.
- SayBeers

Im not upset with Sabres posters i just dont think they're close to being a playoff team. The rest of your post is fair and I agree. Im never painting everyone with the same brush which many of your posters know.