Nabokov is better then Bryz but lets be real... the Flyers are a much better team then the Islanders.
- Bags502

I think last year was an anomaly, not the norm, for Bryz. Nabokov is old and he's not the guy he was in San Jose. I honestly expect Bryz to post around a .917-.920 SV%

i think the isles steal a playoff spot this year.

my east standings look like:

1. NYR
2. BOS
3. Tampa
4. Pitt
5. PHI
6. WSH
7. BUF
8. NYI
9. OTT
10. CAR
11. TOR
12. NJ
13. FLA
14. WPG
15. MTL


i really hope this happens cuz those playoff matchups will be blood baths
- boltsfan48

Toronto isn't finishing 11th, They are only playing teams they never win against this year. They will be lucky to get 15 wins.

Tavares is one of my all-time favs...
- Ek

Best pure finisher since Bossy AMIRIGHT

Toronto isn't finishing 11th, They are only playing teams they never win against this year. They will be lucky to get 15 wins.
- Bruinsfan9329

thats fine. i was more worried about the top 8 there.

Komi for Malone and a 2nd round pick....
- Fruitcakenipple

how bout no. and um ill take just the 2nd rounder for malone and go about my day.

thats fine. i was more worried about the top 8 there.
- boltsfan48

Figured as much. I think that seeds 6-8 will be interesting because I honestly believe besides Toronto the rest of the Conference will be battling for those 3 spots.

I have the Top 5 looking like this

1. Pit
2. Bos
3. Tampa or WSH
4. NYR
5. Phil

The last 3 spots are up for grabs between the rest of the teams including the Islanders because i feel like they could surprise teams this year as well.

I think last year was an anomaly, not the norm, for Bryz. Nabokov is old and he's not the guy he was in San Jose. I honestly expect Bryz to post around a .917-.920 SV%
- NickTheKid87

- TylerSeguin19

Career .915 SV% bro. Those predictions aren't out of the question.

how bout no. and um ill take just the 2nd rounder for malone and go about my day.
- boltsfan48

Fine than the price to take Malone and his contract just went up..



Komi for Malone and a 1st round pick...

Figured as much. I think that seeds 6-8 will be interesting because I honestly believe besides Toronto the rest of the Conference will be battling for those 3 spots.

I have the Top 5 looking like this

1. Pit
2. Bos
3. Tampa or WSH
4. NYR
5. Phil

The last 3 spots are up for grabs between the rest of the teams including the Islanders because i feel like they could surprise teams this year as well.
- Bruinsfan9329

I cant see boston being that high. i'm kinda confused what to expect from them this year. but in a weak northeast division, they still may be able to take the top three.

as a side note, i personally think the NYR will win the cup this year. Blues will be the losers

Penguins
Rangers
Cryers
Devils
Islanders

The Pens with a healthy Crosby and the way Malkin was playing in the KHL the Pens might get 96 in the standings!!!

Career .915 SV% bro. Those predictions aren't out of the question.
- NickTheKid87

On an offensive based team like the flyers, any goalie will have a low save percentage. bryz is a good goalie, but for full-out offensive teams like philly, expect them to give up a lot of goals.

Fine than the price to take Malone and his contract just went up..



Komi for Malone and a 1st round pick...
- Fruitcakenipple

speaking of komi, how's jvr's foot?

sooooooooo who wants ryan malone?
- boltsfan48

Not yet...this offseason if we bump against the cap. Bugsy is a needed piece for this year

I cant see boston being that high. i'm kinda confused what to expect from them this year. but in a weak northeast division, they still may be able to take the top three.

as a side note, i personally think the NYR will win the cup this year. Blues will be the losers
- TylerSeguin19

The only question mark the B's have is Rask and how well he plays and perhaps there Defense. If Seguin scores as well as he did last year and Horton is healthy then i don't see them losing the NE. Especially since they get 8 points from the Leafs in the 4 games they play against them.

Only team i see perhaps challenging the B's is the Sabres and that only happens depending on the play of Miller.

Pens problem is not shutdown D.

In today's NHL, shutdown D is kind of a misconception.

A team devoted to playing shutdown defense is what wins more often than not. While specific players can help, it's a system or process that usually prevails.

The Pens need an adjustment to the style of play they use. Too many teams have shown they can counter the Penguins attack mode. So, that attack mode has to change.

More consistent play in net and better team defense will do wonders for the team's confidence and chances in the playoffs.

Penguins
Rangers
Cryers
Devils
Islanders

The Pens with a healthy Crosby and the way Malkin was playing in the KHL the Pens might get 96 in the standings!!!
- lloyd095

Crosby is one hit away from retiring..
The flyers will pound them around the ice like usual.

And calling The Flyers cryers is amusing coming from a fan of a team that constantly cries..

I think last year was an anomaly, not the norm, for Bryz. Nabokov is old and he's not the guy he was in San Jose. I honestly expect Bryz to post around a .917-.920 SV%
- NickTheKid87

Bryz problem is in his head, not his abilities. Can he handle the pressure in Philly is the more prudent question.

Bryz problem is in his head, not his abilities. Can he handle the pressure in Philly is the more prudent question.
- uf1910

No he can't...I've been saying that for the past 9 months...This will be a wasted season in Philly...

The only question mark the B's have is Rask and how well they play and perhaps there Defense. If Seguin scores as well as he did last year and Horton is healthy then i don't see them losing the NE. Especially since they get 8 points from the Leafs in the 4 games they play against them.

Only team i see perhaps challenging the B's is the Sabres and that only happens depending on the play of Miller.
- Bruinsfan9329

i was thinkingg buffalo would be the only team as well. I don't see ottawa, montreal or toronto in the playoffs.

i'm more worried about the defense than i am with the goaltending. i think tuukka will thrive given this oppourtunity. im worried about depth of defense. aaron johnson will likely be the 7th defenseman which worries me. and im still not convinced with johnny rocket, especially on the first pair. the b's will need to stay healthy if we want any chance at succeeding in the playoffs this year

On an offensive based team like the flyers, any goalie will have a low save percentage. bryz is a good goalie, but for full-out offensive teams like philly, expect them to give up a lot of goals.
- TylerSeguin19

I don't expect them to have their foot on the gas like they did last year considering they have more stay at home dmen and Holmgren and Snider have said they want the team to play better team defense. Besides, Bobrovsky managed a .915 SV% in 10/11, Leighton had a .918 in 27 games in 09/10 within Lavy's system.

Have you seen the Islanders defense? Not to mention the Flyers are deeper up front. And Nabokov isn't better than Bryz regardless of what happen last year.
- NickTheKid87

If you read my full post , I said I feel the Islanders have more talent than both the Flyers and Devils to overcome their shortcomings.

Bryz problem is in his head, not his abilities. Can he handle the pressure in Philly is the more prudent question.
- uf1910

I see what you mean. IMO, I think Bryzgalov's problems last year stemmed from a multitude of things. Changing from a highly defensive system to a highly offensive one, adjusting to his new teammates/coaches/organization, dealing with the culture shock of playing in Philly compared to Phoenix (24/7 didn't help either) are all part of why I believe he struggled. He should be comfortable now and I expect him to be back to a form closer to that of his days in Phoenix and March 2012 than of his start here in Philly.

I don't expect them to have their foot on the gas like they did last year considering they have more stay at home dmen and Holmgren and Snider have said they want the team to play better team defense. Besides, Bobrovsky managed a .915 SV% in 10/11, Leighton had a .918 in 27 games in 09/10 within Lavy's system.
- NickTheKid87

those two goalie did that, but not playing a majority of the games like bryz will have too. but then again, this is a shortened season where he wont play as many games.

but i just think that a team who focuses so much on offense, will lack defense. my team is like that. we are a run-and-gun team and we score a lot of goals, but we also give up tons. our goalies stats are atrocious, but they actually play well for us

Crosby is one hit away from retiring..
The flyers will pound them around the ice like usual.

And calling The Flyers cryers is amusing coming from a fan of a team that constantly cries..
- Albanian

The Islanders will be insignificant as usual!!! I guess when you say pound them all over the ice you mean a sucker punch from Martin and a blindside hit from Gillies because I remember the Pens winning the fights when they we're looking (Johnson, Godard, Dupuis, Vitale, Engellend, Rupp) The best part is that was the highlight of the Islanders last 20 years!!!