Peter Tessier: Pete’s Picks: The East My quick takes on each team and how the Eastern conference finishes.

I hope you're wrong. I can't stand another year of no playoffs.

I hope you're wrong. I can't stand another year of no playoffs.
- The Don

Think on the bright side of the leaf

Exactly what did the Jets do in the off season to make them better?

Exactly what did the Jets do in the off season to make them better?
- Artyukhin76

Olli Jokinen and Ponikarovsky! Duh!!!

Soooo, Colorado and the Avalanche are in your rankings, but no Preds?

Kings will be the 1st team since Detroit to do you know what. Kopitar will likely play game 1, and the Kings will be unstoppable. i know this is not the popular sentiment, and i understand that, but its quite possible. The Kings need only to make the playoffs to do exactly what they did last year. There is no reason to think that this isnt a strong reality. None of those teams they walked thru in the playoffs have done enough to beat them 4 times in a 7 game series, bottom line.
The only difference will be what comes out of the East. If its a more more talented team overall than NJ (think Pitt and NY) than perhaps THEY could run roughshod over the Kings, who will have had NO exposure to the East. Only the East can stop the LA Kings. Mark my words. (after you slam me!)

Canucks will battle blues for tops and will again get the presidents trophy and complete the three peat. Regular season dynasty will translate into Stanley cup this year.

Kings will pull a Carolina and miss the post season completely. You read it here first.

Kings will pull a Carolina and miss the post season completely. You read it here first.

-Did Carolina bring back every player? Did Carolina have cap space to yet add a player?
Did Carolina have a team built anything like LA?

..NO...

FAIL

Canucks will battle blues for tops and will again get the presidents trophy and complete the three peat. Regular season dynasty will translate into Stanley cup this year.

Kings will pull a Carolina and miss the post season completely. You read it here first.
- kaptaan

-Of course, a Canucks fan. Didnt we open a can of Whoop-A on you AND the Blues?
Why is everyone so quick to think something has changed in EITHER of those teams favors?
You couldnt beat LA with home ice. St Louis couldnt beat LA with home ice either.
Neither team really put a up a fight. Neither team belonged on the same rink w/ LA...but yes they will both play each other for some type of true supremacy, and the Kings were a fluke that wont make the playoffs. You should be banned for hockey ignorance.

Soooo, Colorado and the Avalanche are in your rankings, but no Preds?
- preds24

Lol, I saw that too. And what about this?

Hooray we have Weber! Anyone else other than Mrs Underwood?

You know, there's this guy who's been a finalist that last two years for this Vezina thingamajiggy. Not to mention two vastly underrated players in Hornqvist and Erat. But none of that matters. We have Mrs (he probably meant Mr.) Underwood.

Olli Jokinen and Ponikarovsky! Duh!!!
- Peter.Tessier

Cheer for shootouts. Then you will win every game.
Olli, Olli, Olli!

Lol, I saw that too. And what about this?



You know, there's this guy who's been a finalist that last two years for this Vezina thingamajiggy. Not to mention two vastly underrated players in Hornqvist and Erat. But none of that matters. We have Mrs (he probably meant Mr.) Underwood.


- Predaceous

I said it before and I'll say it again, the preds will not be denied a playoff spot. Kings are missing course, Mitchell, and you'll have a pancake post Stanley hang over.doesn't help you That it's a short season in LA.

[quote=Predaceous]Lol, I saw that too. And what about this?



You know, there's this guy who's been a finalist that last two years for this Vezina thingamajiggy. Not to mention two vastly underrated players in Hornqvist and Erat. But none of that matters. We have Mrs (he probably meant Mr.) Underwood.

I said it before and I'll say it again, the preds will not be denied a playoff spot. Kings are missing kopitar, Mitchell, and you'll have a pancake post Stanley hang over.doesn't help you That it's a short season in LA.

I said it before and I'll say it again, the preds will not be denied a playoff spot. Kings are missing course, Mitchell, and you'll have a pancake post Stanley hang over.doesn't help you That it's a short season in LA.
- kaptaan

You have deep hate for LA. People doubted them last year too. Thats fine.
A full season of Jeff Carter, and a returning group, solid goaltending and money to spend, this LA team is on the right path.
A shortened season will help them. Lets just sit back and watch.

Soooo, Colorado and the Avalanche are in your rankings, but no Preds?
- preds24

i guess somebody in canada finally succeeded in getting us out of the league. never would have guessed another colo team. lol.

Olli Jokinen and Ponikarovsky! Duh!!!
- Peter.Tessier

Trouba

You have deep hate for LA. People doubted them last year too. Thats fine.
A full season of Jeff Carter, and a returning group, solid goaltending and money to spend, this LA team is on the right path.
A shortened season will help them. Lets just sit back and watch.
- TimTheArcadeGuy

LA had a great run but only qualified at the end of the year to get into the playoffs. Lets see what happens but i think the hangover will prove to be to much.kopitar and Mitchell mean too much to the dynamic of this team.

LA will make the playoffs, there top 6 consists of Kopitar, Richards, Carter, Brown, Gagne and Williams. That is a very good top 6, they have depth everywhere and Quick is top 3 in the league in terms of goaltending. No way this team misses the playoffs or finishes in 8th again and anyone who says otherwise is delusional. The only team I could see beating the Kings is the Canucks but they would need a healthy Ryan Kesler not the poopty one they had in the playoffs.

LA had a great run but only qualified at the end of the year to get into the playoffs. Lets see what happens but i think the hangover will prove to be to much.kopitar and Mitchell mean too much to the dynamic of this team.
- kaptaan

I'm not sure there will be a hangover. They've had plenty of time to recover. Much more time that SC Champs usually get. The thing about the Kings is that they largely underachieved last year until Sutter came along and they traded for Carter. I think they're the real deal now and they're going to be a force to contend with for a long time.

As for the Preds, I don't know if they'll make the playoffs or not. I don't know that anyone can really tell what's going to happen in a shortened season. What I do know is that the team that went on a tear in Dec/Jan/Feb last season is the team that's coming back sans Suter. We'll see how important Suter was, but it is my contention that Rinne made everyone on defense, even Weber, look a whole lot better than they were. The Preds were always on the wrong side of the SOG totals, but Pekka always held the fort.

It's going to be a fun season. I wish everyone luck, and I think we're in for a few surprises come playoff time.

D

You have deep hate for LA. People doubted them last year too. Thats fine.
A full season of Jeff Carter, and a returning group, solid goaltending and money to spend, this LA team is on the right path.
A shortened season will help them. Lets just sit back and watch.
- TimTheArcadeGuy

I think a lot of people forget that the Kings were really unusually healthy during their cup run. They didn't face too much adversity in regards to changing linemates especially on D. This year they may believe their press too much, something Carter especially has done before.

Their coach can be a real hard ass and can be tuned out as a result. A shortened season doesn't give any teams much time to sort their poop out if they run into injuries or slump or have to adapt to other teams figuring you out.

They're still a wicked awesome team, that got really hot at the right time.

-Of course, a Canucks fan. Didnt we open a can of Whoop-A on you AND the Blues?
Why is everyone so quick to think something has changed in EITHER of those teams favors?
You couldnt beat LA with home ice. St Louis couldnt beat LA with home ice either.
Neither team really put a up a fight. Neither team belonged on the same rink w/ LA...but yes they will both play each other for some type of true supremacy, and the Kings were a fluke that wont make the playoffs. You should be banned for hockey ignorance.

- TimTheArcadeGuy

Easy there friend.

I won't make excuses for last years debocale however, unless you are new to the sport there's some history you should be able to remember when it comes to a Van-LA playoff match ups.

Oilers ahead of the Wild

I find the New Jersey ranking baffling... Only team that can lose a first line player and not skip a beat.

How did T.O. Do through the first 48 last season? Oh ya well enough to be hovering in the top 5... I honestly don't get how 1 bad month makes them a bottom feeder.. Also adding to the fact is Kulemin drastically under performed and we added JVR while subtracting a guy who was arguably only a third pairing defenseman.

Obviously this is a homer post. But Torontos big issue was they didn't have scoring depth, which seems to be remedied judging by how the lines are set, they added. Didn't subtract and will be playing a "safer" style than Wilson's all run and gun game, how does this team not improve?

Easy there friend.

I won't make excuses for last years debocale however, unless you are new to the sport there's some history you should be able to remember when it comes to a Van-LA playoff match ups.
- Whiskey-Tango

I understand history. Watched every game. HOWEVER,.

I never went around, AFTER those years of being ousted by VAN and claimed that VAN got lucky, or ever insinuated that they wouldnt be right back.
I never discredited them, clearly until MY TEAM was discredited, in which i tool offense, and pointed out a more RECENT fact.
Yes, in recent years PAST we were beat ,.if not by VAN then by someone else. Nothing new there,.but to suggest the past and past Kings teams have ANYTHING to do with today and the current organizarion is offbase.
Bottom line the Kings were no fluke, they WILL make a run, and you all know that. I was just over reacting the disrespecting of my club.
Im new here, and will try to be more polite.