In this edition of the hotstove we share our picks for this year's surprise team (in a good way). Generally this team missed the playoffs last season and still has some question marks entering the upcoming year.
Todd Cordell: Columbus If Ryan Murray can find a way to stay healthy I think Columbus will get back into the playoffs and surprise some people.
Last year the team lost a million man-games due to injury and still won 42 games. It is extremely unlikely that they have to deal with that many injuries again this season so that should help them win more games right off the hop.
I love Marko Dano but Brandon Saad is an excellent addition and I think Sergei Bobrovsky is in line for a huge year (I picked him for the Vezina).
The Metro Division is very good but the East as a whole is not and I think the Jackets will be able to take advantage of that and make some noise.
Tim Chiasson: Florida The Atlantic Division isn't that strong so the Florida Panthers are going to have a chance to push themselves into the playoffs this year.
Alexander Barkov could be in line for a breakout season and the rest of the young players are only getting better as well. They have solid goaltending in Luongo and, really, they weren't that far off last season.
Tallon is good at building a good core of a team (read: Chicago's 3 Cups) and it's only a matter of time before Florida is a competitive playoff team.
Michael Pachla: Columbus Been trumpeting the Columbus Blue Jackets for a while now. People forget that a very young Jackets team gave the Pittsburgh Penguins fits in the playoffs two years ago. Last year they were devastated by injuries, key injuries, the entire season. When they got healthy at the end of last season they played extremely well.
Also, people underestimate head coach Todd Richards. He took a below average US squad at the 2015 World's to the bronze medal. Do I think they'll win the Metro Division, probably not. But top-three behind the Rags and a tough Washington squad is not outside the realm of possibility.
John Jaeckel: Dallas A good team a year ago, Dallas got better in the offseason. It's debatable how much tread patrick Sharp has left on his tires, or how well Johnny Oduya will do when he's not surrounded by three of the best defensemen in the game, but both bring an element of leadership and knowing how to win in big games that can't be argued with.
Plus there's probably still some unrealized upside in the Stars' acquisitions over the last couple of years—like Jason Spezza or Valeri Nicushkin. In Sharp, for example, you get a competent left wing, who can help you on both special teams, and has the ability to complement your other top 6 players. The point being, with the Stars, the recent additions could help plus the additions that immediately preceded them.
I also like the move of picking up Antti Niemi. Nemo was under a bit of a microscope in San Jose, and while some of the flaws in his game may have been exposed in the last few years, he has that knack to get really hot and carry a team for a while too.
The Stars won't win the Cup this year, but they added the experience of 6 Stanley Cups to an already promising roster.
James Tanner: Edmonton It shouldn't surprise anyone, since it's obviously going to happen, but I guarantee you people will act shocked when it turns out the Oilers are one of the best teams in the NHL this year.
I think Buffalo will make the Playoffs too. Reinheart/Eichel and Rielly is crazy and I think they made a very astute move signing Franson.
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