Todd Cordell
1. Tampa Bay - They have one of the league's top goal scorers (Steven Stamkos), one of the league's most dynamic wingers (Nikita Kucherov), one of the league's best defensemen (Victor Hedman) and a nice supporting cast around them. The Lightning are going to have a really nice bounce back year.
2. Toronto - They are absolutely loaded up front -- they have a 20 goal scorer on their 4th line -- and most of their best players are still getting better.
3. Boston - They have an excellent top-6 and I still think Tuukka Rask is an above average goaltender. If Charlie McAvoy is as good as everyone believes, the Bruins should be a playoff team once again. …‹ 4. Montreal - I don't love their defense but Carey Price is Carey Price and I'm betting on a bounce-back year from Brendan Gallagher.
5. Buffalo - I think Jack Eichel is going to put up a million points this season, I like the Phil Housley hire, and the Sabres' defense should be better with the additions of Marco Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu.
6. Ottawa - I don't like Ottawa's bottom-6 forwards, or their defense, but Erik Karlsson can mask *a lot* of problems.
7. Florida - I like the top-6 and the defense, have questions about the bottom-6 and a declining Roberto Luongo.
8. Detroit - This team is littered with overpaid, underachieving players and they have one of the worst defense cores in the league. It's going to be a long year.
Jared Crozier 1. Tampa - With a healthy Stamkos this is the class team of a weak division and it won't even be close.
2. Toronto - That is a nucleus that young is already very good. They have the right coach and the building blocks in place to be good for a long time. And they have the advantage of Lou being able to create new and exciting ways to get around regulations.
3. Montreal - Might take some work to find the right forward combinations, but they have something no other team has - Carey Price - who if he is healthy pretty much guarantees a playoff spot
4. Ottawa - Could finish as high as 2nd, or as low as 6th. Will be in tough to get a wildcard spot with a crossover, but almost nobody played the good teams better than the Senators, which showed in the playoffs as well.
5. Boston - Not as deep up front as they have been in the past, and Chara isn't the force he once was. McEvoy will be a stud and could contend for Calder
6. Buffalo - Strong down the middle, with a boatload of good young talent but Lehner still has to show he can be a consistent #1, and until he does (or they replace him) then the Sabres will spin their wheels.
7. Florida - They have had a couple of 180 degree turns in their organizational philosophy, and that has put them a step behind. Luongo isn't getting any younger, they left their top goalscorer unprotected in the expansion draft and let their best veteran presence walk away.
8. Detroit - Questions all over the franchise, missed the playoffs for the first time in a generation last year and will sink lower this year. There just isn't enough talent in their prime to be able to compete nightly.
The real race will be between Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Boston for what will end up being 2 playoff spots. I think the Atlantic is the weakest division, and 2nd-5th could go in any order.
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