The Red Wings will be better...OK, thats not saying much given they were bad to EPIC proportions previously, but I really feel they will be battling hard enough to NOT be in the #8 spot all year. Can you remember a time when a team added 6 new, substantive, free agents? Bobby Ryan, Jon Merrill, Thomas Greiss, Troy Stecher, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Riley Barber will ALL have a chance to break the lineup. They have a ways to go, for sure, but I feel they are on the right track.
#7 The Chicago Blackhawks
They shocked the Oilers in Edmonton Bubble, but the offseason saw them really take a step backwards...They lost Crawford and added Malcolm Subban..That didn’t go over well with the Hawks players, because Crawford truly played well for them and was better when he faced a ton of shots...which the Hawks defense was more than happy to oblige. The injury to Toews really hurts as well….
#6. The Dallas Stars
They had a hell of a run and because of that they decided to give it another go with the same exact team. The only real additions are minor in Mark Pysyk and Julius Honka (who is returning from Finland) They lost Cory Perry and that really could matter a bit here. The Stars have some true young guns though...Is Joel Kiviranta more than another John Druce? I think so, but I also think this Division is way better than the Stars normally see in the Pacific… The Playoffs? Probably not..
#5. The Florida Panthers
New GM Bill Zito hasn’t been there very long and has already put his stamp on this team by adding some surprising skill and talent that also has some leadership qualities...Patric Hornqvist, Alexander Wennberg, Anthony Duclair, Vinnie Hinostroza, Radko Gudas, Carter Verhaeghe, Markus Nutivaara are all new additions and coach Quenneville will have more to work with. Anton Lundell will be over after his season ends in Europe..but the Panthers won’t rush him.At the end of the day it will very much come down to Bob. If Bobrovsky can return to form after a rough season the Panthers will be battling for the playoffs...If not
The Canes are still scary and the addition of Jesper Fast was brilliant. They have almost all the pieces to contend, but I truly am not sold on their netminders...They tried hard to upgrade, but couldn’t.
#3. The Nashville Predators
The Preds need to get their goaltending together, but I actually like what they did in the offseason...I like Haula. A LOT more than Turris. I like Granlund.. I like Luke Kunin (and NOT because he sounds like he should be a country singer…) but here is the thing… Last season couldn’t have gone worse for the Preds in the scoring department. And yet...they still made the playoffs in a tough division. I can’t see Forsberg and company ALL going cold at the same time.
#2 The Tampa Bay Lightning…
They had to make some tough choices and are going to be without their leading scorer in Kucherov. No big deal...Stamkos is healthy and ready to…..um...number 2 in the division...maybe 3...but they will make the playoffs.
#1 The Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets are a team on the rise, but also a team in a bit of turmoil. In comes Domi, Koivu, and Grigorenko...Out goes Wennberg, Anderson, and Murray. I like all three inbound moves...Dubois could be the issue here. He clearly wants out and while I don’t think GM Jarmo is too concerned right now (since PLD is signed for two more years AND still Jackets property after that) I do see the relationship between player and coach possibly causing a few hiccups...You need two goalies to succeed and theirs is among the best goalie tandems in the NHL. They have one of the best defenses in the NHL. I would actually put them at #1. I like their young talent.
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