2011-2012 Predictions: Part 2: Eastern Conference
Posted 7:19 PM ET | Comments 25
Happy retirement to Chris Drury. I really was hoping Montreal could've picked him up. Class act and a great player.
Okay, so here we go with part 2. If you haven't seen part 1, go to my profile and check it out if it still isn't on homepage. What I'm doing here is a 5 part series of blogs. Part 1, Western Conference standings predictions. Part 2, Eastern Conference. Parts 3 and 4 will be based on the Western and Eastern Conference play offs, and part 5 will be my best guesses at the 2012 NHL Award winners. It will also be the blog where I reveal my pick for the Stanley Cup. So sit back and enjoy.
2011-2012 Eastern Conference Standings
1)Pittsburgh Penguins - X factor: If Sid returns, you can expect the President's Trophy from the Pens. If not, Malkin will be back and that will still be enough.
2)Washington Capitals- X factor: Don't expect Ovie to have 2 'off' seasons in a row. Expect a challenge for the Richard Trophy. Also, in Tomas Vokoun, they add a goalie who had good stats on a horrible team.
3)Boston Bruins - X factor: There will be no Cup hangover in Boston; expect the Bruins to win the division.
4)Tampa Bay Lightning - X factor: With Marty St. Louis feeding Stamkos for the one timer for at least the next 5 years, the Lightning will be an Eastern powerhouse for years to come.
5)New York Rangers - X factor: King Henrik is poised for a big year, and with Brad Richards in the mix, offence will be twice as good.
6)Philadelphia Flyers - X factor: I actually liked what they did this off season. Though they gave up loads of offence, they brought in a star goalie in Bryzgalov and that will be enough to allow the Flyers into the play offs.
7)Montreal Canadiens - X factor: With a full year under his belt and Andrei Markov (hopefully) feeding him on the power play, P.K Subban will break 20 goals. Expect big seasons from Cammalleri and Cole too. And Carey Price will be stellar, again.
8)Buffalo Sabres - X factor: Although what they've done this summer was horrific, they are a better team from it. But you can expect another early exit next April.
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9)New Jersey Devils - X factor: Zach Parise is back for at least another year and he's 100%. Adam Larsson expected to join the blue line immediately, the Devils should rise way up in the standings.
10)Carolina Hurricanes - X factor: They really didn't do much this off season, so don't expect a play off berth unless Skinner improves greatly.
11)Toronto Maple Leafs - X factor: As much as I'd hate to admit it, the Leafs are getting better. This year won't be the year, but within the next 2-3 years I fully expect the Leafs to have a low play off seed.
12)Winnipeg Jets - X factor: Good news: The Jets are back!!!!!!!!! Bad news: They're not a very good team. Give them time.
13)Florida Panthers - X factor: Paying 3rd liners 3 million dollars won't really get you anywhere, and they have Jose Theodore in net. Who knows, he could play like he did in Washington, but that seems unlikely at this stage of his career.
14)New York Islanders X factor: Things could be different if Nabokov truly does report to training camp, but the way I see it the Isles will once again be bottom feeders.
15)Ottawa Senators - X factor: It looks like they've finally committed to a rebuild and they couldn't have better timing with the 2012 draft being "the best draft class since 2005". Good things will come in the future Sens fans. Just be patient.
Alright, that does it for part 2. Stay tuned for part 3 in a few days. Also don't forget to leave a follow on twitter!
@allanrayer..................................http://twitter.com/#!/allanrayer
Okay, so here we go with part 2. If you haven't seen part 1, go to my profile and check it out if it still isn't on homepage. What I'm doing here is a 5 part series of blogs. Part 1, Western Conference standings predictions. Part 2, Eastern Conference. Parts 3 and 4 will be based on the Western and Eastern Conference play offs, and part 5 will be my best guesses at the 2012 NHL Award winners. It will also be the blog where I reveal my pick for the Stanley Cup. So sit back and enjoy.
2011-2012 Eastern Conference Standings
1)Pittsburgh Penguins - X factor: If Sid returns, you can expect the President's Trophy from the Pens. If not, Malkin will be back and that will still be enough.
2)Washington Capitals- X factor: Don't expect Ovie to have 2 'off' seasons in a row. Expect a challenge for the Richard Trophy. Also, in Tomas Vokoun, they add a goalie who had good stats on a horrible team.
3)Boston Bruins - X factor: There will be no Cup hangover in Boston; expect the Bruins to win the division.
4)Tampa Bay Lightning - X factor: With Marty St. Louis feeding Stamkos for the one timer for at least the next 5 years, the Lightning will be an Eastern powerhouse for years to come.
5)New York Rangers - X factor: King Henrik is poised for a big year, and with Brad Richards in the mix, offence will be twice as good.
6)Philadelphia Flyers - X factor: I actually liked what they did this off season. Though they gave up loads of offence, they brought in a star goalie in Bryzgalov and that will be enough to allow the Flyers into the play offs.
7)Montreal Canadiens - X factor: With a full year under his belt and Andrei Markov (hopefully) feeding him on the power play, P.K Subban will break 20 goals. Expect big seasons from Cammalleri and Cole too. And Carey Price will be stellar, again.
8)Buffalo Sabres - X factor: Although what they've done this summer was horrific, they are a better team from it. But you can expect another early exit next April.
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9)New Jersey Devils - X factor: Zach Parise is back for at least another year and he's 100%. Adam Larsson expected to join the blue line immediately, the Devils should rise way up in the standings.
10)Carolina Hurricanes - X factor: They really didn't do much this off season, so don't expect a play off berth unless Skinner improves greatly.
11)Toronto Maple Leafs - X factor: As much as I'd hate to admit it, the Leafs are getting better. This year won't be the year, but within the next 2-3 years I fully expect the Leafs to have a low play off seed.
12)Winnipeg Jets - X factor: Good news: The Jets are back!!!!!!!!! Bad news: They're not a very good team. Give them time.
13)Florida Panthers - X factor: Paying 3rd liners 3 million dollars won't really get you anywhere, and they have Jose Theodore in net. Who knows, he could play like he did in Washington, but that seems unlikely at this stage of his career.
14)New York Islanders X factor: Things could be different if Nabokov truly does report to training camp, but the way I see it the Isles will once again be bottom feeders.
15)Ottawa Senators - X factor: It looks like they've finally committed to a rebuild and they couldn't have better timing with the 2012 draft being "the best draft class since 2005". Good things will come in the future Sens fans. Just be patient.
Alright, that does it for part 2. Stay tuned for part 3 in a few days. Also don't forget to leave a follow on twitter!
@allanrayer..................................http://twitter.com/#!/allanrayer
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04 Friday Evening Hockey Questions
15 Canadiens sign forward... 10 NHL Questions
17 Canadiens line-up for tonight
15 Canadiens sign forward... 10 NHL Questions
17 Canadiens line-up for tonight
16 2011-2012 Predictions: Part 1: Western Conference
19 2011-2012 Predictions: Part 2: Eastern Conference
30 2011-2012 Predictions: Part 3: Western Conference Playoffs
19 2011-2012 Predictions: Part 2: Eastern Conference
30 2011-2012 Predictions: Part 3: Western Conference Playoffs
I like these standings!! : )))
Sry the rangers n Canadians r gonna miss
There is no way buffalo goes in as an 8 seed, and highly unlikely that they will fail in the first round. I see them somewhere around 4-6, philly will be 8th.
The interesting thing about the East -- we pretty much already know who the playoff teams are. Maybe NJ sneaks in, maaaybe Carolina, but otherwise it's going to be at least 6 of last year's playoff teams, and probably 7 or 8. That said, the order that those eight teams actually finish in is totally up in the air.
these standings are shockingly similar to mine. the bottom 7 is the same, with one minor switch, the top 8 of course are the same 8 teams, slightly scrambled. Good blog. Can't wait for part 3! Also, I've posted a new blog. Check it out!
Message Posted
buffalo hater
I'm not hating on Buffalo. If I hated Buffalo I'd have them in 15th. You can't look me in the face and tell me what they did this offseason was good for the NHL. We're not the NBA or the NFL. Paying Erhoff and Leino that money is gonna lead to a lockout. You'll see.
I like your picks except one thing, I would switch up the HABS and Rangers. I think the HABS are going to have a great season now that they have Cole and Patches to park in front. With that eing said Markov has to stay healthy..
I would flip the Flyers and Rangers, and Montreal and Buffalo.
The Islanders will not be 14th. And nothing depends on Nabokov, he'll be traded for something worthwhile.I love all of you fairweather fans that skip over the Isles. Islanders will finish 6th.
^^^^hahahahahaha LMFAO The Islanders will finish 6th.
You're insane.
Without Crosby the pens are gonna still finish 1st??The Devils are no better then they were last year even with their best player coming back? The Isles not even contending for a playoff spot? Mont in the top 8? LOFL.. this was a good laughXxNYIxX
I really hope you're not serious.
Islanders WILL finish 6th.......6th to last in the overall standings. Well...that's probably giving them WAY too much credit. They suck.
The Isles will make the playoffs, they are very underrated and I'm sure they have what it takes now with their solid young group of Tavares, Nielsen, Grabner, Moulson, and Okposo!
De Haan and Streit are their only defensemen, and if Nabby doesn't come back they'll finish 15th.
Funny how quick people are to write Montreal off when they've actually improved their roster
lol @ the NYI fans saying the habs are gonna miss after almost knocking out the stanley cup champs and NYI are going to make it inso were coming in with a healthy gorges, markov, max pac and we added cole and yemelin, two kinds of players we really need and gomez and spacek cant suck any worse than they did last year while only really losing wiz and halpernthe isles only have a healthy streit coming in and traded rolo and wiz last year...
LOL you are too funny!