There is nothing harder than this Division......but here goes...
#8. Carolina:
The Canes are in major transition and will have to go through some tough times here...and yet, I do think they will be a fun team to catch on GameCenter. The defense is really one of the best young D's out there.
Best Case: Jack Hughes.
Positions 7 through 4 is really anyone's guess...
#7. NY Rangers:
The Rangers appear to be finally committed to a rebuild and they have NOT spent all their cap money. And yet...they will be dangerous with a new coach and of course a great goalie. The D-corps is the real issue here, especially given the loss of so many D-men to Tampa...And yet, the forwards are the 4th youngest in the NHL and packed with speed.
Best Case: The speed up front and goaltending keep them very competitive....and then Panarin...
#6. NY Islanders:
The Isles are a like a caged animal with all sorts of anger. People keep dissing them, but a team cornered with this much offense (still) and Lou and Trotz at the helm will NOT be an easy two points. If they get ANY goaltending they could be a surprise playoff team...
Best Case: The Isles find their own identity and this great fan base gets back to the playoffs.
#5. NJ Devils:
The Devils consider themselves the Vegas Golden Knights of the East and with some good reason. They are very fast and like the Knights they also play very fast. Again, like everyone else in this division this will come down to goaltending...
Best Case: They get out to a crazy fast start and battle for a top three spot...Will five teams come out of this division again? Not so sure.
#4. Philadelphia:
The Flyers are a top 10 NHL team without a top 10 NHL Goalie. Carter Hart will be that eventually, but until he is "ready" for the NHL the Flyers will struggle to be consistent. They will have plenty of scoring and a maturing young Defense led by two of the best young d-men...But they are a team crying out for stability in net. This is not to say that Elliott can't catch some lightning in a bottle...because he has shown an ability to get hot and that would change things...
Best case: Great goaltending puts them in a direct battle with the top three...
The Top 3 teams are also a "anyone's guess..." The top three teams in this division are all top contenders...
#3. Washington:
The Caps are back and now they are no longer a team unable to win the big one. With that weight lifted you can only guess what to expect in this regular season. A new coach shouldn't be that big of a deal, but the goalie situation could be an issue. No questioning Holtby, but it was Grubauer who played the biggest role at getting the Capitals into the playoffs last year. They will need some key wins by their backup to get back to the promised land.
Best Case: We all get to experience another AO bender...
#2. Pittsburgh:
The Penguins are a sleeping giant. They lost to Cup champs Washington, but they struggled a bit more against the Flyers in round one than they should have... There are definite defensive issues with this team. Mostly coming from some of their forwards unwillingness to play in all three zones. And despite all of that Crosby and Malkin are STILL in their prime. And Matt Murray, if healthy, has the potential to be a top 5 keeper...But last year the goalies let the Penguins down.
Best Case: 3 Cups in 4 Years ENTIRELY possible.
#1. Columbus:
If they score in OT of game 4 of last year's playoffs versus the Caps they are up 3-1 and who knows who the Cup winner would have been. The Jackets are young and fast and hungry. Plus they have the added edge of "what the heck happens to Panarin and Bob after this year?" I like the fact that both stars will be playing for contracts and the Jackets won't move them until at least the deadline. If the Jackets are as good as I think they could be I hope they will take a shot and not move either.
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