Adam Proteau: Proteau's 2016-17 NHL previews: Metropolitan Division Adam Proteau's preview of the 2016-17 NHL campaign concludes with this breakdown of the Metropolitan Division.

Very nice analysis of the division. I agree with what you said about things going sideways if Crosby/Letang/Malkin gets hurt for the pens. But wouldn't the same apply to the caps? Ovi/carlson/Holtby goes down, they're in every bit as much trouble as the pens would be.

Nice write up / analysis of each team. My only question is, and perhaps I may be biased, but why aren't you a fan of our goaltending? Mason has shown he's a reliable goalie for us since his arrival and Neuvy proved last year he's a solid back up or 1b.

Adam Proteau: Proteau's 2016-17 NHL previews: Metropolitan Division
Adam Proteau's preview of the 2016-17 NHL campaign concludes with this breakdown of the Metropolitan Division.
- Adam Proteau

fair take on every team, can't ague that past Saad , Jenner and Atkinson the offence takes a nose dive in talent (although Hartenell, Dubinsky and Foligno need rebound seasons) and Wennberg is coming along well as a two way forward.

Another key is Bob's health , every time he fell to injury his game just became anaemic once he returned....

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=75455

EDIT: they had already started to turn it around when you wrote this. In fact they had some of the strongest underlying numbers from the end of January on.

One of the best blogs in a while

The Canes poor record in March and April?

They were 7-5-6 after the deadline.

That's not great, but didn't sink their season.

I can't argue with much, but what is your issue with Philly's goaltenders? Mason has been one of the league's better goalies since arriving on Philadelphia at the end of 2012/2013 and Neuvirth was a top-10 goalie for much of the year last season. They're not "names" and Mason will always have the stigma of his Columbus career following his Calder season, but I'd put either one of them up against any goalie in the division sans Holtby and Lundqvist.

I can't argue with much, but what is your issue with Philly's goaltenders? Mason has been one of the league's better goalies since arriving on Philadelphia at the end of 2012/2013 and Neuvirth was a top-10 goalie for much of the year last season. They're not "names" and Mason will always have the stigma of his Columbus career following his Calder season, but I'd put either one of them up against any goalie in the division sans Holtby and Lundqvist.
- jmatchett383

I might even put him against Hank since Hank may start declining soon.

Nothing wrong with the Flyers goaltending situation, in fact I'd argue they have one of the best tandems in the league. Not only that they have one of the deepest, if not the deepest set of goaltending prospects in the NHL. Obviously they aren't a contender yet but with the talent they have coming up over the next few seasons they are going to be very, very soon.