NHL Standings Predictions

[CarltonTheBear]

We're less than a week away from the regular season kicking off, let's get some predictions in:

We're less than a week away from the NHL season starting, let's start posting some predictions:

East:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Washington
3. Pittsburgh
4. New York (I)
5. New York (R)
6. Montreal
7. Columbus
8. Detroit

9. Florida
10. Ottawa
11. Philadelphia
12. Boston
13. Buffalo
14. Carolina
15. New Jersey
16. Toronto

The Atlantic division seems pretty weak to me this season. I think that Ottawa drops out without the super-human goaltending that Hammond provided, and I think that Boston stays out with the state of their defensive corps, although their forwards have really taken a hit as well. Kudos to Boston management for that. Florida makes a big step but just falls short, and Columbus gets back into the playoffs assuming half their team doesn't die again this season.

West:

1. Anaheim
2. St. Louis
3. Nashville
4. Dallas
5. Minnesota
6. Chicago
7. LA
8. San Jose

9. Calgary
10. Winnipeg
11. Colorado
12. Vancouver
13. Edmonton
14. Arizona

I had a very hard time with this. For starters, I expect Edmonton to improve this season points-wise, but I just couldn't justify putting them any higher in the standings than that. I just don't trust Cam Talbot that much at this point. And then from 7-12 it's basically just a toss-up really, I could see that whole group going in any order. Chicago's losses this offseason will be Dallas' gain.

 

[Kin]

East:

1. Tampa
2. Brooklyn
3. Washington
4. Pittsburgh
5. Montreal
6. NYR
7. Ottawa
8. Columbus
9. Detroit
10. Florida
11. Buffalo
12. Boston
13. Philly
14. Carolina
15. Toronto
16. New Jersey

I think spots 2, 3, 4 here are neck and neck. The Detroit thing is probably wishful thinking on my part.

West:

1. St. Louis
2. Anaheim
3. Dallas
4. Chicago
5. Minnesota
6. Nashville
7. Winnipeg
8. LA
9. San Jose
10. Colorado
11. Edmonton
12. Calgary
13. Vancouver
14. Arizona

I think there's a real chance Vancouver is baaaaad.

 

[louisstamos]

Atlantic:
- Tampa Bay
- Montreal
- Detroit
Ottawa
Buffalo
Florida
Boston
Toronto

Metro:
- NY Islanders
- Pittsburgh
- NY Rangers
- Washington - X
- Columbus - X
Philadelphia
Carolina
New Jersey

Central:
- St.Louis
- Chicago
- Nashville
- Minnesota - X
Dallas
Winnipeg
Colorado

Pacific:
- Anaheim
- Los Angeles
- San Jose
- Calgary - X
Edmonton
Vancouver
Arizona

X - denotes wildcard spot

 

[Boston Leaf]

East:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Washington
3. Pittsburgh
4. New York (I)
5. Montreal
6. Rangers
7. Detroit
8. Florida

9. Columbus
10. Ottawa
11. Philadelphia
12. Boston
13. Buffalo
14. Carolina
15. Toronto
16. New Jersey


West:

1. St. Louis
2. Ducks
3. Nashville
4. kings
5. Minnesota
6. Chicago
7. Dallas
8. Colorado

9. San jose
10. Winnipeg
11. Calgary
12. Edmonton
13. Vancouver
14. Arizona

 

[L K]

1. Tampa
2. Pittsburgh
3. Washington
4. New York Rangers
5. New York Islanders
6. Montreal
7. Columbus
8. Florida

9. Detroit
10. Ottawa
11. Boston
12. Philadelphia
13. Buffalo
14. Carolina
15. New Jersey
16. Toronto

1. Anaheim
2. St. Louis
3. Nashville
4. Dallas
5. Minnesota
6. Chicago
7. Calgary
8. San Jose

9. LA
10. Winnipeg
11. Vancouver
12. Edmonton
13. Colorado
14 (30). Arizona

 

[Kin]

Man, I sure feel like some people are seeing something out of Nashville I'm not. I know they had a good year last year and that defense sure is something but...I don't know. I still think they're the fourth best team in that division.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Man, I sure feel like some people are seeing something out of Nashville I'm not. I know they had a good year last year and that defense sure is something but...I don't know. I still think they're the fourth best team in that division.

We both have those 4 Central teams ranked 3-6 in the West. Last season just 4 points separated those spots and I'm sure it'll be about the same again. For me I don't really think any of them jump out of that pack all that much.

 

[hockeyfan1]

East

Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh
Montreal
NYIslanders
NYRangers
Washington
Columbus
Detroit

Ottawa
Florida
Philadelphia
Boston
Buffalo
Toronto
Carolina
New Jersey


West

St.Louis
Anaheim
Nashville
Dallas
Los Angeles
Chicago
Calgary
Winnipeg

San Jose
Colorado
Edmonton
Vancouver
Arizona

 

[Bullfrog]

My prediction:

Leafs: last.

They're brutal. If Rielly or Gardiner go down with injury, this will be an ugly, ugly season.

 

[jdh1]

I'm wondering whether we believe the Leafs will be last or near last in the east or are hoping they finish that way.I think they will be in the standings the way Carlyle coached them last year,then the way they ended up under Horachek.

 

[Madferret]

East

Tampa Bay
Pittsburgh
Washington
NYIslanders
NYRangers
Ottawa
Montreal
Boston

Columbus
Florida
Philadelphia
Detroit
Buffalo
Toronto
Carolina
New Jersey


West

Anaheim
St Louis
Chicago
Colorado
Nashville
Calgary
Edmonton
LA

Winnipeg
San Jose
Dallas
Vancouver
Arizona

 

[Kin]

Does anyone else think there's a massive gap between the conferences this year? Not so much at the top, maybe, but I'd say that I'm not all that impressed with anyone I put at 5-8 in the Eastern conference whereas I think I might choose any of the teams I put from 9-12 in the West to make the playoffs if they were in the East.

 

[Tigger]

East

Tampa
Pitts
NYI
Rangers
Montreal
Washington
Columbus
Detroit

Ottawa
Florida
Buffalo
Boston
Philly
Carolina
New Jersey
Toronto

West

Anaheim
St.Louis
Chicago
Minnesota
Nashville
Dallas
LA
Calgary

Winnipeg
Edmonton
San Jose
Colorado
Vancouver
Arizona

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Does anyone else think there's a massive gap between the conferences this year? Not so much at the top, maybe, but I'd say that I'm not all that impressed with anyone I put at 5-8 in the Eastern conference whereas I think I might choose any of the teams I put from 9-12 in the West to make the playoffs if they were in the East.

That's been the case for quite a long time now, hasn't it? Maybe it's just because the Kings have always hovered around that spot but the last few seeds in the West have usually seemed more dangerous than the last few seeds in the East.

A big change for me this season is that I think the top teams in the East are better than the top teams in the West. I'd take Tampa/Washington over Anaheim/St. Louis this season.