Goalies aside, I think Buffalo has a better team, assuming that both Eichel and Reinhart are top line players from the get go. I don't even think Buffalo's defense is that bad.
- James_Tanner

You think Buf has a better team than MTL ?

Everyone who picks montreal to miss the playoffs is either a huge hater or someone who doesn't know jack poop about hockey. And I think Tanner is in the latter.

The Habs finished last year 2nd in the ENTIRE NHL. Their core is early to mid 20s and are going to be better. Defense is going to be better. With Galchenyuk moved to center they have two legit scoring lines with some offensive output from the 3rd.

Everyone says the can't score. Well they only scored 3 goals less than the mighty penguin offense. They only scored 6 goals less than the Stanley Cup Champions. The PP (frank)ing sucked and if it wasn't for that, they would have scored more than those teams. The PP will be better this year with The kids getting older, Semin and Petry also gives more options. Ramsay was brought in to help.

But ohhhhh it's all Carey. I think tokarski played 500 hockey last year and he was embarrassing. Couldn't stop a damn beach ball.

Get a clue

Habs could finish first.

Tampa's a great team and both teams will battle for 1st.

Tampa will of course be better in the playoffs than the Habs.

Hilarious!!! Tanner, your brain must be so warped watching too much Coyote hockey or something.

Really, no reason for the Habs to be worse this year. Price's stellar performance may not be repeatable but perhaps our offense can be better. You are delusional to think the sabres rookies and subpar vets will be able to finish from dead last to the top of the NHL.

I don't think they'll be as crap but at best, you'd be fighting for a spot.

Montreal has been over the last few seasons fighting for 1st.

1 Tampa - Tampa wins. They just do.
2 Montreal - Prince not as good as last year but still Price. Hang onto 2nd. Still think they struggle to score, so they aren't as solid #2 this year
3 Ottawa - See no reason to think they are worse than last year. Better than they started, but balanced out by not being godlike as they were to finish.
4 Detroit - Young guys not quite there yet, and old guys get older, but they still keep ahead of the up and comers
5 Florida - Young guys getting better every year. Jagr and Lungo getting older hurts, but their young guys getting better keeps them out of lower standings
6 Buffalo - Additions cause a drastic improvement. But drastic only brings them to 6th. Defense is not terrible, but not good either. Questions in the net
7 Boston - Bruins are literally falling apart. Chara now down, Seidenberg ( though not as good as he used to be ) also down. #1 D is Krug? Lotsa pressure. Only so much Rask can do.
8 Toronto - Rebuilding and most of the young talent will be on the Marlies this year developing. Tough year, but good for them in the long run.

To add to my last comment. Montreal missing the playoffs is not impossible. It can happen because of injuries and other things. It's so tight right now and look at the Kings. Won the cup then the Voynov situation, injuries, party habits and the next thing they are out of the playoffs.

But you don't base your predictions on this stuff. And Buffalo near the top of the league is ridiculous

1 Tampa - Tampa wins. They just do.
2 Montreal - Prince not as good as last year but still Price. Hang onto 2nd. Still think they struggle to score, so they aren't as solid #2 this year
3 Ottawa - See no reason to think they are worse than last year. Better than they started, but balanced out by not being godlike as they were to finish.
4 Detroit - Young guys not quite there yet, and old guys get older, but they still keep ahead of the up and comers
5 Florida - Young guys getting better every year. Jagr and Lungo getting older hurts, but their young guys getting better keeps them out of lower standings
6 Buffalo - Additions cause a drastic improvement. But drastic only brings them to 6th. Defense is not terrible, but not good either. Questions in the net
7 Boston - Bruins are literally falling apart. Chara now down, Seidenberg ( though not as good as he used to be ) also down. #1 D is Krug? Lotsa pressure. Only so much Rask can do.
8 Toronto - Rebuilding and most of the young talent will be on the Marlies this year developing. Tough year, but good for them in the long run.
- MaxTLimit

I think this is fairly accurate - i think Ottawa and Detroit are fairly interchangeable and will be within a very small amount of points.

1. Tampa
Best team in the division by far

2. Montreal
Will fall back to earth a bit, but still better than the other 6 clubs

3. Detroit
Another season, another trip to the playoffs

4. Florida
Getting better, they will come close.

5. Ottawa
No amazing streak this year, 86-88 points sounds about right

6. Buffalo
Getting better, but still a long ways to go.

7. Boston
Having Chara and Seidenberg on the shelf already is a bad, bad sign

8. Toronto
Taking the proverbial step back this year, hopefully moving forward in 16-17

1. Tampa

2. Montreal

3. Ottawa

4. Detroit (Babcock is gone so there might be a regression under a new coach even with same system)

5. Florida (Wondering about Jagr's contribution)

6. Buffalo (Big improvement but do they have goaltending)

7. Toronto (Only moved Kessel in off season and lineup is better than last year. Expect better coaching and work effort from Babcock coached team)

8. Boston (Aging and weakened team from injuries and trades)

1 Tampa - Tampa wins. They just do.
2 Montreal - Prince not as good as last year but still Price. Hang onto 2nd. Still think they struggle to score, so they aren't as solid #2 this year
3 Ottawa - See no reason to think they are worse than last year. Better than they started, but balanced out by not being godlike as they were to finish.
4 Detroit - Young guys not quite there yet, and old guys get older, but they still keep ahead of the up and comers
5 Florida - Young guys getting better every year. Jagr and Lungo getting older hurts, but their young guys getting better keeps them out of lower standings
6 Buffalo - Additions cause a drastic improvement. But drastic only brings them to 6th. Defense is not terrible, but not good either. Questions in the net
7 Boston - Bruins are literally falling apart. Chara now down, Seidenberg ( though not as good as he used to be ) also down. #1 D is Krug? Lotsa pressure. Only so much Rask can do.
8 Toronto - Rebuilding and most of the young talent will be on the Marlies this year developing. Tough year, but good for them in the long run.
- MaxTLimit

I have to disagree with your sens. They rode a .940 sv% of hammond for a quarter of the season. I see a drop in the sens since I dont think that sort of quality goal tending can be sustained. Could maybe be a wild card team, but I think 5th in the division just out of the playoffs

I have to disagree with your sens. They rode a .940 sv% of hammond for a quarter of the season. I see a drop in the sens since I dont think that sort of quality goal tending can be sustained. Could maybe be a wild card team, but I think 5th in the division just out of the playoffs
- DDM-Coga

I agree that the numbers for the end of the year aren't sustainable. But their performance overall should be balanced by them not having the atrocious start to the year. They are better than that terrible first half, but they aren't as good as their last half. So I'd bet they are pretty close to where they ended up. They are in between those two performances. For a full year, you lose 6-7 more games at the end of the year than you did, but win 6-7 at the beginning you didn't before and it all comes out the same. 95-100pt. Could be wrong of course. Lotsa things can happen.

Why even play the season, y'all got it figured out and anyone who defies the consensus is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!




There's 56 happy faces so you know I'm just being sarcastic.

but the Sabres will shock all of you. And the Habs will disappoint.

Tampa
Habs
Florida
Buffalo
Wings
Bruins
Ottawa










Maple Leafs
- DJ_Barrett

I have to disagree with your sens. They rode a .940 sv% of hammond for a quarter of the season. I see a drop in the sens since I dont think that sort of quality goal tending can be sustained. Could maybe be a wild card team, but I think 5th in the division just out of the playoffs
- DDM-Coga

Meh... hot streaks are part of the game and always have been. Is a huge streak like that sustainable and likely to happen again? NO. But is there a good chance that the team will have more but shorter hot streaks? YES. So in the end it balances itself. I think the sens are one of the most underrated teams in the league at the moment. There are also a bunch of other teams with untapped potential. It will make for an interesting match up for the playoffs. Sens are guaranteed a spot.

Why even play the season, y'all got it figured out and anyone who defies the consensus is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!




There's 56 happy faces so you know I'm just being sarcastic.

but the Sabres will shock all of you. And the Habs will disappoint.
- James_Tanner

Worth noting that lots of people said the exact same thing about Edmonton every summer for the last 3-4 years


Teams don't launch from the basement to the top of the standings in one season. Only time it rarely happens is when the previous season's basement finish was an anomaly. Which definitely wasn't the case for Buffalo, they belonged in the basement.

if Price gets hurt in the first month(long term), where would the habs finish in the east?


serious question

if Price gets hurt in the first month(long term), where would the habs finish in the east?


serious question
- homiedclown

Depending on how they address the goaltending situation, I'd say wildcard spot.

1 Tampa - Tampa wins. They just do.
2 Montreal - Prince not as good as last year but still Price. Hang onto 2nd. Still think they struggle to score, so they aren't as solid #2 this year
3 Ottawa - See no reason to think they are worse than last year. Better than they started, but balanced out by not being godlike as they were to finish.
4 Detroit - Young guys not quite there yet, and old guys get older, but they still keep ahead of the up and comers
5 Florida - Young guys getting better every year. Jagr and Lungo getting older hurts, but their young guys getting better keeps them out of lower standings
6 Buffalo - Additions cause a drastic improvement. But drastic only brings them to 6th. Defense is not terrible, but not good either. Questions in the net
7 Boston - Bruins are literally falling apart. Chara now down, Seidenberg ( though not as good as he used to be ) also down. #1 D is Krug? Lotsa pressure. Only so much Rask can do.
8 Toronto - Rebuilding and most of the young talent will be on the Marlies this year developing. Tough year, but good for them in the long run.
- MaxTLimit

^This. Maybe flip Detroit and Florida.

Sabres goaltending and D are questionable. Solid up front.

Depending on how they address the goaltending situation, I'd say wildcard spot.
- ehabs9

I see them 4th in the east right now, behind the bolts, pens and caps


I see them as a fringe playoff team w/o price

if Price gets hurt in the first month(long term), where would the habs finish in the east?


serious question
- homiedclown

Fighting for a playoff spot likely - i would predict somewhere between 9th and 6th. I think they still have the pieces to make it but it is not a guarantee - the backup situation with Tokarski or potentially Condon doesn't inspire a ton of confidence either.

Way to go Tanner!!

I'll expect an apology when the Sabres finish higher than both the Habs and Wings.
- James_Tanner

Tanner you are dreaming in Technicolor and now that I heard you are Laffs fan no wonder you cant handle the Habs , but thats OK Tanner you can be the Laughing stock of Hockey Buzz just like your pathetic team is the laughing stock of the NHL ... what A franking idiot !

Come on people.
Consider the "source".
It's the same guy who wrote that Coyotes were a lock for playoffs last season.

Why even play the season, y'all got it figured out and anyone who defies the consensus is ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!




There's 56 happy faces so you know I'm just being sarcastic.

but the Sabres will shock all of you. And the Habs will disappoint.
- James_Tanner

Says who?

Says who?
- WaterBoy

I guess you didnt read the blog