Friday, November 29, 2013
Buffalo Bills Owner Mode - Epsiode 5
The Buffalo Bills host the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens in this episode of the Buffalo Bills Owner Mode. C.J. Spiller makes his return to the line-up. Will he help the Bills defend home turf?
Please take the time to subscribe to the YouTube for more content. You never know. I may forget to post a video here from time to time. Just like episodes three and four. Take some time to catch up by checking out the playlist here.
Find us on Facebook here. Follow us on Twitter: @SportBySchmucks.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Xavier Banks Road to Glory - Episode 10
Xavier Banks is back with two more games, both in the Pac-12. He takes on Stanford and Washington in this one. Will the Ducks stay undefeated?
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Xavier Banks Road to Glory - Episode 9
Xavier Banks continues to lead the Oregon Ducks on their quest for the National Championship. How will his team do with two straight road games?
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
NHL Season Preview: Pacific Division
We are in the home stretch now as the NHL preview heads to the West Coast to look at the Pacific Division. It includes the final three Canadian teams and the entire state of California. Oh, and Phoenix. Let's get this started.
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks surprised a lot of people last year, finishing second in the Western Conference before being knocked out in the first round. It'll be hard to keep up with the pace from last year. Francois Beauchemin had a Norris calibre season last year. Will he be able to do that again? Viktor Fasth broke on to the scene as well, providing some stability in the net Jonas Hiller hasn't been able to the last couple of seasons. The known quantities from the Ducks are Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf putting up points and Teemu Selanne lacing up the skates. Bobby Ryan is gone, but Anaheim got a decent return for him including Jakob Silfverberg. It'll be an interesting season for the Ducks, but they'll be in a fight to make the playoffs this season.
Calgary Flames
Remember when Calgary were up 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Finals? That season started 10 years ago. A lot has changed since then, especially since last year. Jarome Iginla was finally traded after a couple of years of speculation. Long-time goaltender Miika Kiprusoff retired just before the season started. The silver lining for the Flames is they'll get a long look at many of their young prospects as they don't have much else. The addition of Jiri Hudler will help guide some of these players on and off the ice as they learn the NHL game. Defensively, new captain Mike Giordano (that still sounds weird) will lead this defence core into the season. They'll have their work cut out for them as new starting goalie Kaari Ramo has 48 total games played in the NHL over his career. Unfortunately for the Flames and their fans, the most interesting story for the team will be how Burke and Feaster work together. They won't even sniff the playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers
I really liked the moves Edmonton made in the offseason. They were able to unload Shawn Horcoff's contract, brought in David Perron to add some physicality to the top 6, and addressed their defence in the draft and through free agency. The Oilers signed Andrew Ference away from Boston, and he has already become Edmonton's captain. His leadership for a young defensive core will do wonders for the team. Unfortunately, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will miss the first month and Sam Gagner will most likely miss the first two. It's forced Taylor Hall into the first-line centre roll for the team. It leaves the team very shallow down the middle, which is one of the strengths of the best teams in this division. If Devan Dubnyk can keep the team in it while they wait for their centres to come back, the Oilers might sneak into a playoff spot. If not, it'll be another long winter in Edmonton.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are a team built for playoff success. They showed it when they won the Cup as an eighth seed in the 2011-12 season. Last year, they made a valiant run before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions. The good news for the Kings is they've essentially returned the same team as last year. Los Angeles remains a physical team, and that is how they generate most of their offence. Anze Kopitar is still a playmaker, while Mike Richards and Jeff Carter can play physically and put the puck in the net. They are still a tough, defensive unit behind Drew Doughty. The Kings have a lot of stability and consistency on the blue line as well. Anchored in net by Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles will be scary. Quick's ability allowed them to trade back-up Jonathan Bernier to the Leafs for Ben Scrivens, Matt Frattin, and pick. Frattin will add some more speed to the forward group. It's pretty much a lock that L.A. will make the playoffs again.
Phoenix Coyotes
With the ownership situation seemingly resolved in Phoenix, it's time for the city to focus on the actual game of hockey again. The strike shortened season was one to forget, especially after the success of the last full season. One of the factors leading to the downward trend was the injury to Mike Smith who played so well for the Coyotes. Now healthy, Smith should be able to lead the team back to some of the success they saw before. Phoenix also has many talented young blue liners, led by Keith Yandle who is just entering his prime. Oliver Ekman-Larsson should continue emerge as one of the game's best offensive defencemen. Upfront, Shane Doan is back for another season with the Desert Dogs. That is also one of the negatives for the team as many of their forwards are entering the twilight of their careers. It'll be hard for them to keep up with the fast-paced play of the regular season. If the offence can find ways to score, the Coyotes can make a run for the playoffs.
San Jose Sharks
Every year it seems writers and other forms of media want to convince readers and listeners the Sharks' window to win a championship has closed. But, most years, the team responds by putting together a great regular season before falling short in the playoffs. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have been the faces of the franchise since the 2004 lockout. The next big thing for the Sharks is Logan Couture, who is almost ready to supplant Thornton and Marleau. Add in a dash of Joe Pavelski and the team still has some gas in the tank. The defence has a nice balance of stay-at-home and puck-moving defencemen. Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic lead the charge from the back end to feed the offence. Antti Niemi is thankful for those two getting the puck out of his end consistently. Niemi was a Vezina contender last year and has the potential to do that again. It seems like the Sharks are destined to make the playoffs again, but how far will they go?
Vancouver Canucks
So, after all of that, the dust settles and Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck. The least likely outcome happened, and the Canucks and Luongo have to repair a fragile relationship. With new coach John Tortorella, it might be easier to do so with a new voice in the room. In reality, nothing major has changed for the Canucks' roster other than the loss of Cory Schneider. The Sedins will still work their magic together; a healthy Ryan Kesler for a full season will help their depth at centre; Kevin Bieksa again leads the defence which will try to block more shots under Tortorella's system. The only difference that could effect the Canucks is if they buy in to what Tortorella is preaching. I think they do and make the playoffs again.
So, that was a quick breakdown of the seven teams in the Pacific Division. Now, let's see how they shake out in the standings.
Well, there you have it. That's how I think the NHL will finish after 82 games. How do you think the season will go for all of the divisions. Sound off in the comments below or let us known on Twitter - also below.
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
San Jose Sharks
Every year it seems writers and other forms of media want to convince readers and listeners the Sharks' window to win a championship has closed. But, most years, the team responds by putting together a great regular season before falling short in the playoffs. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau have been the faces of the franchise since the 2004 lockout. The next big thing for the Sharks is Logan Couture, who is almost ready to supplant Thornton and Marleau. Add in a dash of Joe Pavelski and the team still has some gas in the tank. The defence has a nice balance of stay-at-home and puck-moving defencemen. Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic lead the charge from the back end to feed the offence. Antti Niemi is thankful for those two getting the puck out of his end consistently. Niemi was a Vezina contender last year and has the potential to do that again. It seems like the Sharks are destined to make the playoffs again, but how far will they go?
Vancouver Canucks
So, after all of that, the dust settles and Roberto Luongo is still a Vancouver Canuck. The least likely outcome happened, and the Canucks and Luongo have to repair a fragile relationship. With new coach John Tortorella, it might be easier to do so with a new voice in the room. In reality, nothing major has changed for the Canucks' roster other than the loss of Cory Schneider. The Sedins will still work their magic together; a healthy Ryan Kesler for a full season will help their depth at centre; Kevin Bieksa again leads the defence which will try to block more shots under Tortorella's system. The only difference that could effect the Canucks is if they buy in to what Tortorella is preaching. I think they do and make the playoffs again.
So, that was a quick breakdown of the seven teams in the Pacific Division. Now, let's see how they shake out in the standings.
- Los Angeles Kings
- Vancouver Canucks
- San Jose Sharks
- Phoenix Coyotes
- Edmonton Oilers
- Anaheim Ducks
- Calgary Flames
Well, there you have it. That's how I think the NHL will finish after 82 games. How do you think the season will go for all of the divisions. Sound off in the comments below or let us known on Twitter - also below.
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
Monday, September 30, 2013
NHL Season Preview: Central Division
One of the criticisms from Eastern Conference teams is the number of teams in their conference. There are six guaranteed playoff spots, leaving 10 to fight for the two Wild Card spots.
By comparison, the Western Conference has it easy, with only eight teams left to fight for two spots. Does it make it any less challenging? Not really, but it will be something to play with at the end of the season. "Which Eastern Conference team got screwed?" I can already see all of the blogs and Twitter rants about it now.
But that's not what now is about. We take our preview to the aforementioned Western Conference (read the Eastern Conference here and here) with a look at the Central Division - the home to the defending Stanley Cup Champions and a potential champion this year as well.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks took full advantage of the shortened season last year. They used their speed to win games during the regular season, including 24 straight games with a point during the regular season. The roster hasn't changed much since the final buzzer went that awarded the 'Hawks the Cup. Dave Bolland, who scored the Stanley Cup winning goal, was traded to the Leafs shortly after the season. Ray Emery left to fight for the starting job in Philadelphia. That's all well and good for Chicago as they have shown forward depth to replace Bolland without mentioning the likes of Toews, Kane, and Hossa. Emery would be the back-up as the Blackhawks inked Corey Crawford to a six-year contract extension in September. On defence, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook lead the defence and could both potentially make Canada's team for Sochi. Chicago also has players on the blue line that are tough and will get down to block shots. This could be another shot at the Cup for the Blackhawks. That's funny since they just recently broke their 49-year drought in 2010.
Colorado Avalanche
A new season for the Avalanche brings a new coach into the mix. Straight out of the QJMHL, Patrick Roy comes back to his former team to lead them back to the playoffs. He has a young team to work with, including players such as Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. However, that inexperience is one of their biggest problems. The team is prone to going on losing streaks they can't bring themselves out of before it's too late. One of the reasons could be the offence. In the 48-game season last year, only two players had above 40 points (Duchene and PA Parenteau with 43). The next closest player was Paul Statsny with 24. Defensively, only five of the players who played more than 25 games had a positive plus-minus rating. How much of that was the goaltending? Semyon Varlamov has 21 regulation losses in 33 starts, with a save percentage just about .900. It could be another rough year for the Avalanche. However, this division seems to have a wide open race for the third playoff spot. If someone like Varlamov catches fire, it could be enough. But, most likely they'll finish near the bottom of the division.
Dallas Stars
Bolstered by a new uniform design and logo, the Stars made some changes on the ice as well. One of the biggest moves was acquiring Tyler Seguin from Boston for Loui Eriksson. One of the underrated players coming over in the deal is Rich Peverley, who should help shore up the third line. They also added Shawn Horcoff, who desperately needed a change of scenery from Edmonton. The defence is pretty strong with puck-moving defencemen like Alex Goligoski and Sergei Gonchar. I've always liked Trevor Daley's game, and Stephane Robidas rounds out a quality top-4. Kari Lehtonen will get the lion's share of starts between the pipes. He's a strong goalie who had a goals against average of 2.66 last season. With new captain Jamie Benn, this team is going to make a very strong run for third place in the division.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild made the biggest splash last offseason when they signed both Ryan Suter and Zach Parise for identical, expensive contracts. After a short camp and season last year, expect the chemistry with the team to be better after adding those big ticket players. Also great for Minnesota was the addition of Jason Pominville at the trade deadline last season from Buffalo. He adds leadership, scoring, and grit to the team, making the Wild that much harder to play against. Nino Niederreiter was added at the draft from the Islanders and his speed could add some life to the offence. He is able to create and score when giving the opportunity, which was hard on Long Island with all of the young players trying to find a spot. Sutor anchors the blue line with a good mix of veterans and young players. They should be an improved unit over last season. As for goalies, Josh Harding was the feel-good story of the NHL last season, playing extremely well while battling MS. Combined with starter Niklas Backstrom, the Wild will be hard to score against. They will be one of the teams in the mix for either the Wild Card or third place in the division.
Nashville Predators
The Predators may have got the steal of the 2013 NHL Draft when Seth Jones fell into their lap at the 4th overall selection. Thought to be the best prospect in the draft for most of the season, Jones will be a significant player in the future for the Preds. He looks like he has made the roster this year, so the learning curve for the young defenceman will be steep. The rest of the unit is led by captain Shea Weber, and will be a strong point for the team. The team will be offensively-challenged, especially with Martin Erat being traded to the Captials last season. It'll be interesting to see how Filip Forsberg fits onto the roster as well. Pekka Rinne will be very strong in net again for Nashville and will be one of the reasons they potentially make the playoffs. If he has an off year, Nashville will be at the bottom of the conference again. He'll have to step his game up to make this team competitive.
St. Louis Blues
This will be the team to challenge the Chicago Blackhawks for the division crown. Why? The St. Louis Blues are deep. They can confidently put out any of their top-6 defencemen at any time. Fresh off a big contract extension, Alex Pietrangelo is the best player of the unit and has a strong chance to make the Canadian Olympic team. Offensively, they added Brenden Morrow a couple of days ago, traded for former-Oiler Magnus Paajarvi, and signed Max LaPierre for some grit. They are still a very physical team all-around, and have a balanced offensive attack to go along with it. The Blues can also be confident either putting Brian Elliott or Jaroslav Halak in between the pipes on any given night. The Blues will definitely be a playoff team this year, with a potential to go very deep in the playoffs.
Winnipeg Jets
This season will be key in determining how travel really effects an NHL team over the course of a full season. With Detroit moving into the East, Winnipeg is now in the West - and rightfully so. It will definitely help their travel schedule as they don't have to consistently fly to places like Florida and Tampa Bay. In net, Ondrej Pavelec has been solid for the Jets and should continue to play well for the team. The Jets have some solid defencemen in players like Zach Bogosian, Dustin Byfuglien and Marc Stuart. They also have some young players who can come up and have an impact on the blue line. The forwards are led by Andrew Ladd, who has grit and puts the puck in the net. Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane can both score in bunches for Winnipeg. Mark Scheifele will have a very good rookie season, with Calder Trophy potential. The Jets were really close last year to making the playoffs for the first time since the relocation. They will be close again.
Now, here is how the division will finish:
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
By comparison, the Western Conference has it easy, with only eight teams left to fight for two spots. Does it make it any less challenging? Not really, but it will be something to play with at the end of the season. "Which Eastern Conference team got screwed?" I can already see all of the blogs and Twitter rants about it now.
But that's not what now is about. We take our preview to the aforementioned Western Conference (read the Eastern Conference here and here) with a look at the Central Division - the home to the defending Stanley Cup Champions and a potential champion this year as well.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks took full advantage of the shortened season last year. They used their speed to win games during the regular season, including 24 straight games with a point during the regular season. The roster hasn't changed much since the final buzzer went that awarded the 'Hawks the Cup. Dave Bolland, who scored the Stanley Cup winning goal, was traded to the Leafs shortly after the season. Ray Emery left to fight for the starting job in Philadelphia. That's all well and good for Chicago as they have shown forward depth to replace Bolland without mentioning the likes of Toews, Kane, and Hossa. Emery would be the back-up as the Blackhawks inked Corey Crawford to a six-year contract extension in September. On defence, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook lead the defence and could both potentially make Canada's team for Sochi. Chicago also has players on the blue line that are tough and will get down to block shots. This could be another shot at the Cup for the Blackhawks. That's funny since they just recently broke their 49-year drought in 2010.
Colorado Avalanche
A new season for the Avalanche brings a new coach into the mix. Straight out of the QJMHL, Patrick Roy comes back to his former team to lead them back to the playoffs. He has a young team to work with, including players such as Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. However, that inexperience is one of their biggest problems. The team is prone to going on losing streaks they can't bring themselves out of before it's too late. One of the reasons could be the offence. In the 48-game season last year, only two players had above 40 points (Duchene and PA Parenteau with 43). The next closest player was Paul Statsny with 24. Defensively, only five of the players who played more than 25 games had a positive plus-minus rating. How much of that was the goaltending? Semyon Varlamov has 21 regulation losses in 33 starts, with a save percentage just about .900. It could be another rough year for the Avalanche. However, this division seems to have a wide open race for the third playoff spot. If someone like Varlamov catches fire, it could be enough. But, most likely they'll finish near the bottom of the division.
Dallas Stars
Bolstered by a new uniform design and logo, the Stars made some changes on the ice as well. One of the biggest moves was acquiring Tyler Seguin from Boston for Loui Eriksson. One of the underrated players coming over in the deal is Rich Peverley, who should help shore up the third line. They also added Shawn Horcoff, who desperately needed a change of scenery from Edmonton. The defence is pretty strong with puck-moving defencemen like Alex Goligoski and Sergei Gonchar. I've always liked Trevor Daley's game, and Stephane Robidas rounds out a quality top-4. Kari Lehtonen will get the lion's share of starts between the pipes. He's a strong goalie who had a goals against average of 2.66 last season. With new captain Jamie Benn, this team is going to make a very strong run for third place in the division.
Minnesota Wild
The Wild made the biggest splash last offseason when they signed both Ryan Suter and Zach Parise for identical, expensive contracts. After a short camp and season last year, expect the chemistry with the team to be better after adding those big ticket players. Also great for Minnesota was the addition of Jason Pominville at the trade deadline last season from Buffalo. He adds leadership, scoring, and grit to the team, making the Wild that much harder to play against. Nino Niederreiter was added at the draft from the Islanders and his speed could add some life to the offence. He is able to create and score when giving the opportunity, which was hard on Long Island with all of the young players trying to find a spot. Sutor anchors the blue line with a good mix of veterans and young players. They should be an improved unit over last season. As for goalies, Josh Harding was the feel-good story of the NHL last season, playing extremely well while battling MS. Combined with starter Niklas Backstrom, the Wild will be hard to score against. They will be one of the teams in the mix for either the Wild Card or third place in the division.
Nashville Predators
The Predators may have got the steal of the 2013 NHL Draft when Seth Jones fell into their lap at the 4th overall selection. Thought to be the best prospect in the draft for most of the season, Jones will be a significant player in the future for the Preds. He looks like he has made the roster this year, so the learning curve for the young defenceman will be steep. The rest of the unit is led by captain Shea Weber, and will be a strong point for the team. The team will be offensively-challenged, especially with Martin Erat being traded to the Captials last season. It'll be interesting to see how Filip Forsberg fits onto the roster as well. Pekka Rinne will be very strong in net again for Nashville and will be one of the reasons they potentially make the playoffs. If he has an off year, Nashville will be at the bottom of the conference again. He'll have to step his game up to make this team competitive.
St. Louis Blues
This will be the team to challenge the Chicago Blackhawks for the division crown. Why? The St. Louis Blues are deep. They can confidently put out any of their top-6 defencemen at any time. Fresh off a big contract extension, Alex Pietrangelo is the best player of the unit and has a strong chance to make the Canadian Olympic team. Offensively, they added Brenden Morrow a couple of days ago, traded for former-Oiler Magnus Paajarvi, and signed Max LaPierre for some grit. They are still a very physical team all-around, and have a balanced offensive attack to go along with it. The Blues can also be confident either putting Brian Elliott or Jaroslav Halak in between the pipes on any given night. The Blues will definitely be a playoff team this year, with a potential to go very deep in the playoffs.
Winnipeg Jets
This season will be key in determining how travel really effects an NHL team over the course of a full season. With Detroit moving into the East, Winnipeg is now in the West - and rightfully so. It will definitely help their travel schedule as they don't have to consistently fly to places like Florida and Tampa Bay. In net, Ondrej Pavelec has been solid for the Jets and should continue to play well for the team. The Jets have some solid defencemen in players like Zach Bogosian, Dustin Byfuglien and Marc Stuart. They also have some young players who can come up and have an impact on the blue line. The forwards are led by Andrew Ladd, who has grit and puts the puck in the net. Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane can both score in bunches for Winnipeg. Mark Scheifele will have a very good rookie season, with Calder Trophy potential. The Jets were really close last year to making the playoffs for the first time since the relocation. They will be close again.
Now, here is how the division will finish:
- Chicago Blackhawks
- St. Louis Blues
- Dallas Stars
- Winnipeg Jets
- Minnesota Wild
- Nashville Predators
- Colorado Avalanche
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
NHL Season Preview: Atlantic Division
*takes off Leafs sweater*
Alright. Let's get unbiased in this piece!
In case you missed it, I started previewing the new divisions for the upcoming 2013-14 NHL season. Last time, I covered how I thought the Metropolitan Division would play out. This time, I go to the other division in the Eastern Conference.
As you may have gathered from above, I grew up a Leafs fan. This division comes with a lot of emotion, especially with the Red Wings becoming a division rival again. It also adds more trips south for the teams of the Old Atlantic with the inclusion of Florida and Tampa Bay.
Boston Bruins
The playoffs provided a roller coaster of emotions for the Bruins. First, they come from three goals down to deliver the expected heartbreak to Maple Leafs fans everywhere. Then, in the Stanley Cup Final, Boston surrenders two goals in 17 seconds at the end of Game 6 to give the Cup to the Blackhawks. Their offseason consisted up of locking up important pieces to the future. Tuuku Rask and Patrice Bergeron got paid. They let Nathan Horton walk to bring in Jarome Iginla - for real this time. Plus, they shipped off-ice distraction Tyler Seguin to Dallas for Loui Eriksson. He'll be a nice fit o the wing for Boston. Their defence is still as strong as ever under the captaincy of Zdeno Chara. Dougie Hamilton will have a break-out year and emerge as one of the best young defencemen. Boston is going to have a very good year.
Buffalo Sabres
It was a typical season for fans of a Buffalo sports team last year. The team opened up the wallet and signed a bunch of players, but the team slid down to the bottom of the standings. This year, the team will be relying again on Thomas Vanek for the offence. Cody Hodgson or Mikhail Grigorenko will have to take a big step forward in order for the Sabres to get close enough for Ryan Miller to steal them a playoff spot. Miller had an off year during the strike-shortened season (I would know since I drafted him in fantasy). Look for him to bounce back, especially with the Sochi Olympics coming up in February. Unfortunately for Sabres fans, it looks like a second straight year of no playoffs for the team. That is unless Ryan Miller wins the Vezina.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings had three natural rivals in the division from their Original Six days. After free agency, they added a fourth. With the signing of Daniel Alfredsson away from the Ottawa Senators, the Wings got some more veteran leadership and a player still capable of being a strong second line player. Paired with another new addition Stephen Weiss, Alfredsson is looking to prove he can still play at a competitive level. He also wants the Cup which has eluded him so far through his career. The roster still has the talent to get him to that level. Datsyuk and Zetterberg look to have great campaigns this season. Nik Kronwall is the anchor of the blue line and will provide a lot of poise back there. Jimmy Howard has proven he can be one of the game's elite 'tenders over the last couple of seasons. Expect to see the Red Wings in the playoffs again.
Florida Panthers
Poor Florida. The Panthers were starting to look good, especially two years ago when they made the playoffs. Now, it will be even more of a long shot as they are stuck in an extremely competitive division. Adding Barkov in the draft will help in the future, stockpiling talent to go along with the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau and Erik Gudbranson. The signing of Tim Thomas keeps the team in the news, but could prove to be more of a distraction in the long run. Look for Florida to be at the bottom of the conference again, but will have another solid piece for the future.
Montréal Canadiens
The Habs surprised a lot of people last year as they finished second in the Eastern Conference. After being eliminated in the first round, the Canadiens looked to add some more players. Enter Danny Briere for some scoring and George Parros for some extra toughness. The Briere signing didn't address the issue of size for Montréal. They are still a fairly small team that rely on skill more than their toughness. The Canadiens do have some grit in the defensive zone, as Josh Gorges will rough people up and reigning Norris trophy-winner P.K. Subban will get under the skin of the opposition. The season will fall on the shoulders of Carey Price. The young netminder has shown some cracks under the pressure of the Montréal media, but he is still one of the best in the game. This team will go as far as Price will take them.
Ottawa Senators
It will be weird watching the Senators play the Leafs and not hear the constant booing whenever Daniel Alfredsson touched the puck. Alfie is out. Enter Bobby Ryan from the Ducks and Clarke MacArthur from free agency. While the Sens gave up a lot to get Ryan, he'll fit in perfectly beside new captain Jason Spezza on the first line. One of the biggest "moves" for Ottawa is the return of a fully-healthy Erik Karlsson. He is a constant threat every time he is on the ice with this effortless skating and ability to make the perfect pass. The best news about the injury-plagued season for the Sens last year was all of the experience their prospects received, especially in the playoffs. Craig Anderson showed again that he could be the man for the Senators. Things are looking up in Canada's capital.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Another team lost their franchise player and captain. The Lecavalier era ended when the Lightning bought him out in the summer. Now, the new face of the franchise is Steven Stamkos and it will be up to him to take Tampa back to the playoffs. Stamkos, who is capable of scoring 60, needs to prove he can be a leader for this team. It will be he and Martin St. Louis that will be responsible for the majority of the team's offence. On defence, they are strong with the likes of Victor Hedman and Mattias Ohlund anchoring the blue line. It will be interesting to see what young players make the team. Will Jonathan Druin stay with the team all season? Which young defenceman will crack the roster? How will Anders Lindback and Ben Bishop co-exist between the pipes? It will be another tough season for the Lightning.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Alright, let's be reasonable here. The Leafs overachieved last season. All of the advanced stats say so. But, they looked very good against the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Their style of play translated very well into postseason hockey. However, contracts became an issue. Dave Nonis needed to buy out Mikhail Grabovski - who flew around the ice during the playoffs - in order to resign Phil Kessel's BFF Tyler Bozak. In free agency, they threw money at David Clarkson who is now suspended for the first 10 games of the season. That will hurt the team early on and might be the deciding factor in the season. 10 games is a lot, almost one-eighth of the season. One bright spot was the addition of Jonathan Bernier. He will push James Reimer and eventually take over the starting job. This will be a tough season for the Leafs. Kadri and Franson are both playing for respect. Kessel and Phaneuf are on contract years, so you could expect big things from them. But, this is Toronto after all...
So, that is my brief overview of each team. How will this division play out?
As for the Wild Card, I think the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs sneak into the playoffs with those positions. I just don't think there is enough in the other division to knock one of the teams out. Look for the Islanders or the Hurricanes to be dark horses in the Eastern Conference for a lower playoff seed.
Do you agree or disagree? Sound off in the comments below.
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
Alright. Let's get unbiased in this piece!
In case you missed it, I started previewing the new divisions for the upcoming 2013-14 NHL season. Last time, I covered how I thought the Metropolitan Division would play out. This time, I go to the other division in the Eastern Conference.
As you may have gathered from above, I grew up a Leafs fan. This division comes with a lot of emotion, especially with the Red Wings becoming a division rival again. It also adds more trips south for the teams of the Old Atlantic with the inclusion of Florida and Tampa Bay.
Boston Bruins
The playoffs provided a roller coaster of emotions for the Bruins. First, they come from three goals down to deliver the expected heartbreak to Maple Leafs fans everywhere. Then, in the Stanley Cup Final, Boston surrenders two goals in 17 seconds at the end of Game 6 to give the Cup to the Blackhawks. Their offseason consisted up of locking up important pieces to the future. Tuuku Rask and Patrice Bergeron got paid. They let Nathan Horton walk to bring in Jarome Iginla - for real this time. Plus, they shipped off-ice distraction Tyler Seguin to Dallas for Loui Eriksson. He'll be a nice fit o the wing for Boston. Their defence is still as strong as ever under the captaincy of Zdeno Chara. Dougie Hamilton will have a break-out year and emerge as one of the best young defencemen. Boston is going to have a very good year.
Buffalo Sabres
It was a typical season for fans of a Buffalo sports team last year. The team opened up the wallet and signed a bunch of players, but the team slid down to the bottom of the standings. This year, the team will be relying again on Thomas Vanek for the offence. Cody Hodgson or Mikhail Grigorenko will have to take a big step forward in order for the Sabres to get close enough for Ryan Miller to steal them a playoff spot. Miller had an off year during the strike-shortened season (I would know since I drafted him in fantasy). Look for him to bounce back, especially with the Sochi Olympics coming up in February. Unfortunately for Sabres fans, it looks like a second straight year of no playoffs for the team. That is unless Ryan Miller wins the Vezina.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings had three natural rivals in the division from their Original Six days. After free agency, they added a fourth. With the signing of Daniel Alfredsson away from the Ottawa Senators, the Wings got some more veteran leadership and a player still capable of being a strong second line player. Paired with another new addition Stephen Weiss, Alfredsson is looking to prove he can still play at a competitive level. He also wants the Cup which has eluded him so far through his career. The roster still has the talent to get him to that level. Datsyuk and Zetterberg look to have great campaigns this season. Nik Kronwall is the anchor of the blue line and will provide a lot of poise back there. Jimmy Howard has proven he can be one of the game's elite 'tenders over the last couple of seasons. Expect to see the Red Wings in the playoffs again.
Florida Panthers
Poor Florida. The Panthers were starting to look good, especially two years ago when they made the playoffs. Now, it will be even more of a long shot as they are stuck in an extremely competitive division. Adding Barkov in the draft will help in the future, stockpiling talent to go along with the likes of Jonathan Huberdeau and Erik Gudbranson. The signing of Tim Thomas keeps the team in the news, but could prove to be more of a distraction in the long run. Look for Florida to be at the bottom of the conference again, but will have another solid piece for the future.
Montréal Canadiens
The Habs surprised a lot of people last year as they finished second in the Eastern Conference. After being eliminated in the first round, the Canadiens looked to add some more players. Enter Danny Briere for some scoring and George Parros for some extra toughness. The Briere signing didn't address the issue of size for Montréal. They are still a fairly small team that rely on skill more than their toughness. The Canadiens do have some grit in the defensive zone, as Josh Gorges will rough people up and reigning Norris trophy-winner P.K. Subban will get under the skin of the opposition. The season will fall on the shoulders of Carey Price. The young netminder has shown some cracks under the pressure of the Montréal media, but he is still one of the best in the game. This team will go as far as Price will take them.
Ottawa Senators
It will be weird watching the Senators play the Leafs and not hear the constant booing whenever Daniel Alfredsson touched the puck. Alfie is out. Enter Bobby Ryan from the Ducks and Clarke MacArthur from free agency. While the Sens gave up a lot to get Ryan, he'll fit in perfectly beside new captain Jason Spezza on the first line. One of the biggest "moves" for Ottawa is the return of a fully-healthy Erik Karlsson. He is a constant threat every time he is on the ice with this effortless skating and ability to make the perfect pass. The best news about the injury-plagued season for the Sens last year was all of the experience their prospects received, especially in the playoffs. Craig Anderson showed again that he could be the man for the Senators. Things are looking up in Canada's capital.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Another team lost their franchise player and captain. The Lecavalier era ended when the Lightning bought him out in the summer. Now, the new face of the franchise is Steven Stamkos and it will be up to him to take Tampa back to the playoffs. Stamkos, who is capable of scoring 60, needs to prove he can be a leader for this team. It will be he and Martin St. Louis that will be responsible for the majority of the team's offence. On defence, they are strong with the likes of Victor Hedman and Mattias Ohlund anchoring the blue line. It will be interesting to see what young players make the team. Will Jonathan Druin stay with the team all season? Which young defenceman will crack the roster? How will Anders Lindback and Ben Bishop co-exist between the pipes? It will be another tough season for the Lightning.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Alright, let's be reasonable here. The Leafs overachieved last season. All of the advanced stats say so. But, they looked very good against the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Their style of play translated very well into postseason hockey. However, contracts became an issue. Dave Nonis needed to buy out Mikhail Grabovski - who flew around the ice during the playoffs - in order to resign Phil Kessel's BFF Tyler Bozak. In free agency, they threw money at David Clarkson who is now suspended for the first 10 games of the season. That will hurt the team early on and might be the deciding factor in the season. 10 games is a lot, almost one-eighth of the season. One bright spot was the addition of Jonathan Bernier. He will push James Reimer and eventually take over the starting job. This will be a tough season for the Leafs. Kadri and Franson are both playing for respect. Kessel and Phaneuf are on contract years, so you could expect big things from them. But, this is Toronto after all...
So, that is my brief overview of each team. How will this division play out?
- Boston Bruins
- Detroit Red Wings
- Ottawa Senators
- Montréal Canadiens
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Buffalo Sabres
- Florida Panthers
As for the Wild Card, I think the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs sneak into the playoffs with those positions. I just don't think there is enough in the other division to knock one of the teams out. Look for the Islanders or the Hurricanes to be dark horses in the Eastern Conference for a lower playoff seed.
Do you agree or disagree? Sound off in the comments below.
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
NHL Season Preview: Metropolitan Division
A lot changed this offseason in the National Hockey League. Coupled with all of the usual free agent signings, trades, and roster cuts, the NHL went under the knife and had a huge face lift.
For starters, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings both moved to the Eastern Conference to give them more favourable travel schedules. Both teams now won't have to fly out west as often, greatly reducing the fatigue accompanied by flying first class across the continent.
How did the NHL make room for them in the Eastern Conference? Simple! They cut the number of divisions from six to four. Now, the conferences are split 16-14 in favour of the East. Gone are the Northeast, Southeast, and Northwest Divisions. Enter the Metropolitan Division. Yes, that's right. That's the name the league settled on.
With the new divisions, there was also a new playoff format. The top-3 teams in each division make the playoffs. Then, the next two highest point totals in the conference make the playoffs as Wild Cards.
Anyways, this is the preview for the newest division in the NHL: The Metropolitan Division!
Carolina Hurricanes
The biggest addition this offseason for the Hurricanes may just be a healthy Cam Ward. When healthy, Ward and the Hurricanes were 9-6-1 during his 16 starts. The rest of the season? Dan Ellis and Justin Peters' combined record was 10-19-3-2. Bring back an all-world talent will definitely put Carolina back on track in the division. His presence between the pipes will improve the team's defence, especially picking up some abysmal plus-minus ratings on the team (Jordan Staal and Jeff Skinner were a combined -39). The Canes also survived a scare during the World Hockey Championship when Eric Staal had a knee-on-knee collision with Alexander Edler. Staal, Carolina's captain, will be back in time for the regular season and he will need to continue his stellar play from last year, putting up 53 points in 48 games. The Hurricanes won't be one of the top-3 in the division, but they could challenge for a Wild Card spot. However, the Staal Brothers and the Hurricanes won't make it this year.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Jarmo Kekäläinen begins his first full season as General Manager of the Blue Jackets and he made some moves in the offseason. Kekäläinen signed Nathan Horton away from the Boston Bruins (even though he'll miss the first couple of months with a shoulder injury) and re-signing Vezina-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to a contract extension. Bobrovsky carried this team last year, as his play was the only reason the Blue Jackets were even talking about the playoffs in March. He had to win games on his own as no player on the current roster had more than 30 points last season (Marion Gaborik only had 8 points after being acquired from the Rangers). When Horton gets back, he'll be expected to carry some of that load offensively. Keep an eye out for rookie Boone Jenner. He was a man amongst boys in the OHL last season and is looking like he'll play on Columbus' first line when the season opens. It'll be a much tougher test for the Blue Jackets this year. With the new alignment, I don't expect to see Columbus anywhere near a playoff position.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils made the best move of any team when they stole Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks for their first round pick. Compared to what the rumours were last season for Roberto Luongo and what the Canucks were allegedly asking for from the Oilers, New Jersey comes out smelling like roses. They have a goalie who can now play right away, while slowly taking the reigns away from future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. It will protect the Devils in case of injury in the crease, but also set them for the future. What ruined some future plans was the "retirement" of Ilya Kovalchuk. He was their main offensive weapon last year and was supposed to be a major threat going forward. The Devils have now lost three of their best players in two years with Zach Parise signing in Minnesota and David Clarkson signing in Toronto. For New Jersey to stay competitive, they'll need Adam Henrique to bounce back and Jaromir Jagr to keep fighting off Father Time. Also, Travis Zajac will have to put up some numbers to support the extension he recently signed. If the Devils win games this year, they will be of the 2-1 or 3-2 variety. Unfortunately for them, that won't be good enough in a very competitive division and conference.
New York Islanders
One of the pleasant surprises from last season was this Islanders team making it into the playoffs and giving the Pittsburgh Penguins a scare in the first round. Led by MVP candidate and new captain John Tavares, I don't see this Brooklyn-bound team taking a step backwards this season. His game will continue to improve and the chemistry with linemate Matt Moulson will keep the offence flying on Long Island this season. The question will be on the back end as they failed to sign former captain Mark Streit. There are some holes defensively now, which might expose aging netminder Evgeni Nabokov. The Finnish goalie had 23 wins on the season last year, but had an average save-percentage of .910. Tavares and Moulson will have to put up impressive numbers again for this young team to be competitive in the division.
New York Rangers
The New York media will have some much calmer post-game conferences as John Tortorella was fired by the team during the offseason. Enter Alain Vigneault as the new coach. He inherits a team that floundered in the second round of the playoffs last year against the Bruins. You can't count out this Rangers team when they have a goalie as good as Henrik Lundqvist playing 65 to 70 games this season. Arguably the best goalie in the world, Lundqvist provides stability for New York's defence. He proves the saying that you build a team from the crease out. The defence also does an outstanding job of blocking shots for their goalie, making them a hard team to score goals against. The return of Mark Staal will help bolster the back-end to make the unit even stronger. New York hopes that Brad Richards will return to form after a very disappointing season that saw him become a healthy scratch in the playoffs. If he gets his game back, expect to see a bump in points to Rick Nash as well.
Philadelphia Flyers
It seems strange to say, but one of the concerns for the Philadelphia Flyers would have to be the blueline. Chris Pronger is still on injured reserve as does not look like he'll play again. They brought in Mark Streit to help out the unit. He, Kimo Timmonen, and Andrej Meszaros will provide veteran leadership amongst the defenders to guide young guns like Luke Schenn to improvement. Offensively, this team should be fine. Led by captain Claude Giroux, the Flyers will have plenty of scoring with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, Jakub Voracek, and Scott Hartnell. Keep an eye out for Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn to have big seasons as they fully adjust to the NHL level. As always, questions between the pipes will arise as Ray Emery and Steve Mason will fight for the starting job. Emery will probably emerge as the Number One guy, but the team will still struggle at times.
Pittsburgh Penguins
It's hard to bet against a team that has the two of the top three players on the planet in their starting line-up. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will continue to produce at an unbelievable level. If healthy, you can pretty well pencil them both in for 100-point seasons. The Penguins are also deep. They can run three lines at you that can score, with many of them being able to play above average to good defence. Adding Rob Scuderi will help improve the depth amongst the six defencemen. Kris Letang will also quarterback a very intimidating power play unit. Like the Flyers, the question will be be in net. Marc-Andre Fleury didn't make it through the first round agains the Islanders. He was replaced by Tomas Vokoun who demonstrated his ability to take the ball and run with it. Will Fleury be able to overcome whatever is between his head and have a bounce back season? That will determine where the Penguins finish in the standings this year.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals are always a curious team. They put up great regular seasons, but flame out quickly in the playoffs. How much of that was due to the weak Southeast Division? Well, we'll find that out this year as the Capitals will only bring the Hurricanes with them to the new Metropolitan division. As for breaking down the team, Alexander Ovechkin continues to be the spark plug and motor of this team. As he goes, so do the Capitals. If he plays anything like the second half of last season which earned him the Hart Trophy, then Washington will be fine. Nicklas Backstrom will help Ovechkin carry the load offensively. Martin Erat was a nice pick up last season to add secondary scoring. A big factor for the Caps I believe will be the addition of Mikhail Grabovski. While he never lived up to the contract in Toronto, he provided great energy and grit amongst the bottom six when he settled into his role in Randy Carlyle's system. On the back end, the group is largely unchanged. Mike Green - when healthy - can put up great offensive numbers. Karl Alzner will continue to provide great defence and take a lot of the minutes in their own zone. In net, Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth will continue to fight. However, Holtby has proven he can take the majority of the starts. The Capitals could be a dangerous team this year.
Division Standings
For starters, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings both moved to the Eastern Conference to give them more favourable travel schedules. Both teams now won't have to fly out west as often, greatly reducing the fatigue accompanied by flying first class across the continent.
How did the NHL make room for them in the Eastern Conference? Simple! They cut the number of divisions from six to four. Now, the conferences are split 16-14 in favour of the East. Gone are the Northeast, Southeast, and Northwest Divisions. Enter the Metropolitan Division. Yes, that's right. That's the name the league settled on.
With the new divisions, there was also a new playoff format. The top-3 teams in each division make the playoffs. Then, the next two highest point totals in the conference make the playoffs as Wild Cards.
Anyways, this is the preview for the newest division in the NHL: The Metropolitan Division!
Carolina Hurricanes
The biggest addition this offseason for the Hurricanes may just be a healthy Cam Ward. When healthy, Ward and the Hurricanes were 9-6-1 during his 16 starts. The rest of the season? Dan Ellis and Justin Peters' combined record was 10-19-3-2. Bring back an all-world talent will definitely put Carolina back on track in the division. His presence between the pipes will improve the team's defence, especially picking up some abysmal plus-minus ratings on the team (Jordan Staal and Jeff Skinner were a combined -39). The Canes also survived a scare during the World Hockey Championship when Eric Staal had a knee-on-knee collision with Alexander Edler. Staal, Carolina's captain, will be back in time for the regular season and he will need to continue his stellar play from last year, putting up 53 points in 48 games. The Hurricanes won't be one of the top-3 in the division, but they could challenge for a Wild Card spot. However, the Staal Brothers and the Hurricanes won't make it this year.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Jarmo Kekäläinen begins his first full season as General Manager of the Blue Jackets and he made some moves in the offseason. Kekäläinen signed Nathan Horton away from the Boston Bruins (even though he'll miss the first couple of months with a shoulder injury) and re-signing Vezina-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to a contract extension. Bobrovsky carried this team last year, as his play was the only reason the Blue Jackets were even talking about the playoffs in March. He had to win games on his own as no player on the current roster had more than 30 points last season (Marion Gaborik only had 8 points after being acquired from the Rangers). When Horton gets back, he'll be expected to carry some of that load offensively. Keep an eye out for rookie Boone Jenner. He was a man amongst boys in the OHL last season and is looking like he'll play on Columbus' first line when the season opens. It'll be a much tougher test for the Blue Jackets this year. With the new alignment, I don't expect to see Columbus anywhere near a playoff position.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils made the best move of any team when they stole Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks for their first round pick. Compared to what the rumours were last season for Roberto Luongo and what the Canucks were allegedly asking for from the Oilers, New Jersey comes out smelling like roses. They have a goalie who can now play right away, while slowly taking the reigns away from future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur. It will protect the Devils in case of injury in the crease, but also set them for the future. What ruined some future plans was the "retirement" of Ilya Kovalchuk. He was their main offensive weapon last year and was supposed to be a major threat going forward. The Devils have now lost three of their best players in two years with Zach Parise signing in Minnesota and David Clarkson signing in Toronto. For New Jersey to stay competitive, they'll need Adam Henrique to bounce back and Jaromir Jagr to keep fighting off Father Time. Also, Travis Zajac will have to put up some numbers to support the extension he recently signed. If the Devils win games this year, they will be of the 2-1 or 3-2 variety. Unfortunately for them, that won't be good enough in a very competitive division and conference.
New York Islanders
One of the pleasant surprises from last season was this Islanders team making it into the playoffs and giving the Pittsburgh Penguins a scare in the first round. Led by MVP candidate and new captain John Tavares, I don't see this Brooklyn-bound team taking a step backwards this season. His game will continue to improve and the chemistry with linemate Matt Moulson will keep the offence flying on Long Island this season. The question will be on the back end as they failed to sign former captain Mark Streit. There are some holes defensively now, which might expose aging netminder Evgeni Nabokov. The Finnish goalie had 23 wins on the season last year, but had an average save-percentage of .910. Tavares and Moulson will have to put up impressive numbers again for this young team to be competitive in the division.
New York Rangers
The New York media will have some much calmer post-game conferences as John Tortorella was fired by the team during the offseason. Enter Alain Vigneault as the new coach. He inherits a team that floundered in the second round of the playoffs last year against the Bruins. You can't count out this Rangers team when they have a goalie as good as Henrik Lundqvist playing 65 to 70 games this season. Arguably the best goalie in the world, Lundqvist provides stability for New York's defence. He proves the saying that you build a team from the crease out. The defence also does an outstanding job of blocking shots for their goalie, making them a hard team to score goals against. The return of Mark Staal will help bolster the back-end to make the unit even stronger. New York hopes that Brad Richards will return to form after a very disappointing season that saw him become a healthy scratch in the playoffs. If he gets his game back, expect to see a bump in points to Rick Nash as well.
Philadelphia Flyers
It seems strange to say, but one of the concerns for the Philadelphia Flyers would have to be the blueline. Chris Pronger is still on injured reserve as does not look like he'll play again. They brought in Mark Streit to help out the unit. He, Kimo Timmonen, and Andrej Meszaros will provide veteran leadership amongst the defenders to guide young guns like Luke Schenn to improvement. Offensively, this team should be fine. Led by captain Claude Giroux, the Flyers will have plenty of scoring with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, Jakub Voracek, and Scott Hartnell. Keep an eye out for Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn to have big seasons as they fully adjust to the NHL level. As always, questions between the pipes will arise as Ray Emery and Steve Mason will fight for the starting job. Emery will probably emerge as the Number One guy, but the team will still struggle at times.
Pittsburgh Penguins
It's hard to bet against a team that has the two of the top three players on the planet in their starting line-up. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will continue to produce at an unbelievable level. If healthy, you can pretty well pencil them both in for 100-point seasons. The Penguins are also deep. They can run three lines at you that can score, with many of them being able to play above average to good defence. Adding Rob Scuderi will help improve the depth amongst the six defencemen. Kris Letang will also quarterback a very intimidating power play unit. Like the Flyers, the question will be be in net. Marc-Andre Fleury didn't make it through the first round agains the Islanders. He was replaced by Tomas Vokoun who demonstrated his ability to take the ball and run with it. Will Fleury be able to overcome whatever is between his head and have a bounce back season? That will determine where the Penguins finish in the standings this year.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals are always a curious team. They put up great regular seasons, but flame out quickly in the playoffs. How much of that was due to the weak Southeast Division? Well, we'll find that out this year as the Capitals will only bring the Hurricanes with them to the new Metropolitan division. As for breaking down the team, Alexander Ovechkin continues to be the spark plug and motor of this team. As he goes, so do the Capitals. If he plays anything like the second half of last season which earned him the Hart Trophy, then Washington will be fine. Nicklas Backstrom will help Ovechkin carry the load offensively. Martin Erat was a nice pick up last season to add secondary scoring. A big factor for the Caps I believe will be the addition of Mikhail Grabovski. While he never lived up to the contract in Toronto, he provided great energy and grit amongst the bottom six when he settled into his role in Randy Carlyle's system. On the back end, the group is largely unchanged. Mike Green - when healthy - can put up great offensive numbers. Karl Alzner will continue to provide great defence and take a lot of the minutes in their own zone. In net, Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth will continue to fight. However, Holtby has proven he can take the majority of the starts. The Capitals could be a dangerous team this year.
Division Standings
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- New York Rangers
- Washington Capitals
- Philadelphia Flyers
- New York Islanders
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New Jersey Devils
- Columbus Blue Jackets
Well, that's how I think the Metropolitan will play out this season. When I finish the Northeast Atlantic Division preview, I'll combine the two and show how I think the full conference will play out. Come back and check it out!
Follow us on Twitter at @SportBySchmucks for new posts on the website, live tweeting of events, and overall fun. If you don't follow, you won't know which game we'll be tweeting. Also, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest podcasts and sports gaming videos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)