The Eastern Conference of the NHL has been known for being physically rougher than the West and for having tighter defense, but a plethora of offensive talent in the East has made the conference more balanced and competitive in recent years. Will this be the year the Pittsburg Penguins win the Stanley Cup? Was losing to the Detroit Redwings in the finals the learning experience the young Penguins needed?
Penguins
The Penguins lost forwards Gary Roberts, power forward Ryan Malone, pesky-winger Jarkko Ruutu and goaltender Ty Conklin to free agency. Those players were replaced with the gritty forwards Matt Cooke and aging Miroslav Satan. Pittsburg should finish top in the regular season because of superstar centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Flyers
A healthy Simon Gagne should be just what the doctor ordered for the Philadelphia Flyers. Gagne’s return to the lineup at left wing should ignite an already dangerous offense that also includes centers Jeff Carter and Danny Briere, right-winger Joffrey Lupul and captain to-be Mike Richards. Philadelphia’s defense will be solid, but may lack the speed they need to contain the league’s faster players. The Flyers are likely to be right behind Pittsburg in the regular season standings.
Rangers
The New York Rangers had an interesting offseason. General manager Glenn Sather made an erroneous decision to not re-sign left-winger Sean Avery, a pivotal piece of the Rangers revival. Two-time All-Star defenseman Wade Redden was signed, as was another big-name in left-winger Markus Naslund. Newly acquired forward Nikolai Zherdev is known to be an enigma to coaches, a behavior that will not fly with New York fans. Center Chris Drury should replace the departed Jaromir Jagr as the team’s new captain. Expect the Rangers to finish third in the Eastern Conference.
Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens will be celebrating season No. 100. Montreal’s young core of talent up front should propel the team into another playoff stint. Goaltender Carey Price will either be the next Patrick Roy or turn into a big bust.
Senators
The Ottawa Senators will also be a dangerous team with play-making wizard Jason Spezza playing with forwards Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson. The defense will have a new look, but Ottawa’s question mark has always been in the goal. Martin Gerber will be between the pipes and Ottawa’s post-season success will depend on how he deals with the pressure.
Capitals
The Alexander Ovechkin show will once again take center stage in Washington. The Capitals had an impressive playoff run last year, and this year’s squad should be a lot more mature and battle-tested. I predict big things from Ovechkin this year.
Lightning
The new-look Lightning will make hockey exciting again with Tampa Bay. No.1 draft pick center Steve Stamkos and new coach Barry Melrose are key parts to the huge roster overhaul that took place in the summer.
Tampa Bay’s signing frenzy was smart, and the Lighting acquired players that were integral parts of their previous teams. The signings of defenseman Andrej Meszaros and forward Radim Vrbata, both coming off breakout seasons, may be overlooked compared to the bigger names Tampa Bay locked up. The Lightning will challenge the Capitals for the Southeast division title.
Last one in
The eighth and final playoff spot may come as a surprise. You can count the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins out. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be gunning for next year’s No. 1 draft pick and will likely finish last overall in the league. You read it here first – the Florida Panthers will shock the hockey world and secure the final playoff spot.
