With
preseason just around the corner, hockey fans are gearing up for what promises
to be a highly competitive season on the back of last year’s extraordinary
Stanley Cup. We preview the likely contenders in the Atlantic.
Projected order of finish (Futures NHL odds on Stanley Cup in
Parentheses):
1.
Pittsburgh (10-1)
This pick hinges on two of the game’s best players, Sidney Crosby
and Evgeni Malkin, being ready to go after missing the better part of last
season with a concussion and torn ACL, respectively. Pittsburgh was quiet in
free agency, most notably signing Jason Williams from Dallas, Steve Sullivan
from Nashville, and Alexander Picard from Montreal, while re-signing seven
forwards including Tyler Kennedy. Free agency losses were inconsequential,
other than division rival Philadelphia poaching Maxime Talbot. This is not a
team that needed any major additions to return to contender status, just better
health for assets already in place.
2. Philadelphia (11-1)
After two close-but-no-cigar type seasons, the Philadelphia Flyers shook up
its roster in a major way, shipping leading goal-scorer Jeff Carter and
third-leading point-scorer Mike Richards out of town in trades, while
completing a separate trade with Phoenix for standout goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
Darrell
Powe and Kris Versteeg were also traded, as the organization swung five trades
in the month of June. Ville Leino left via free agency to Buffalo. Philadelphia
is gambling on being one of the best defensive teams in the league, and they
might accomplish that with Bryzgalov in goal and a healthy Chris Pronger
leading the defense. But if Claude Giroux and James Van Riemsdyk don’t each
score 30+ goals, it will be a frustrating year on Broad Street.
3.
N.Y. Rangers (30-1)
New York pursued its usual strategy of signing the biggest-name
free agent available this summer, landing Prince Edward Island native Brad
Richards in the hope that the former Cup-winner will complement the team’s last
major acquisition, Marian Gaborik. Here’s hoping this one turns out better than
the Wade Redden signing. The Rangers lost Chris Drury to retirement and Alex
Frolov to free agency. The best reason to believe New York can hold off New
Jersey for third place in the division is the presence of two American forwards
in their 20s, both coming off career highs in goals: Brandon Dubinsky and team
captain Ryan Callahan.
4.
New Jersey (30-1)
Sidney Crosby is not the only injured star player being heavily
counted on by his team to return to form in this division. Last year was wasted
for Zach Parise, a young American center who has scored as many as 45 goals,
but managed three in 13 games in 2010/11. The Devils are counting on Parise’s
return to solve a lot of their problems by playing big minutes on the top line.
Perhaps he can even bring the best out of big-dollar signing Ilya Kovalchuk. A
youth movement is underway in New Jersey, even if greybeards like Patrick Elias
and goalie Martin Brodeur remain the team’s most important players. Number one
draft choice Adam Larsson will likely see big ice time on defense. It is this
youth, together with Brodeur’s decline, that has New Jersey likely to miss the
playoffs again.
5.
N.Y. Islanders (80-1)
Bodog’s longest shot to win the Stanley Cup, the Islanders would
probably be satisfied with anything better than another last-place finish in
this division. John Tavares, re-signed to a six-year deal this offseason, is
the centerpiece of the rebuilding project. Matt Moulson, who has scored 30 and
31 goals the last two years, Kyle Okposo, who has star potential if he can stay
healthy, and 34-goal scorer Michael Grabner are other bright spots. Mark Streit
is one of the better offensive defensemen in the league, but his point
production has declined for three straight years. In goal, the Isles will
feature either Rick DiPietro, former San Jose Sharks backstop Evgeni Nabakov,
or Al Montoya, who started 18 games for the team last year. At one point
DiPietro was one of the game’s brightest stars in net, but he has managed 26,
eight, and five starts for the team the last three years while fighting
injuries. He’s still in his 20s, so there’s still hope he can live up to his
lifetime contract.
Division
MVP: Sidney Crosby, Center, Pittsburgh Penguins
MVP of the division, NHL, world, and solar system, if he is
symptom-free after two concussions ended his 2010/11.
Division
Best Defenseman: Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins
Philadelphia’s Matt Carle gets a long look here, but though he put
up similar numbers with about a fifth as many penalty minutes (101 to 23),
Carle also scored only one goal in 2010/11. Letang put up 50 points with eight
goals, impressive enough totals to name him the division’s best. Carle and his
teammate Andrej Meszaros were both +30 in +/- last year.
Division
Best Goalie: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
It may seem like blasphemy after Brodeur was the class of the
league for so long, but King Henrik’s save percentage, goals against average
and shutout numbers are superior. Second-best is Pittsburgh’s Cup-winner,
Marc-Andre Fleury.
Division
Best Coach: Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh Penguins
It would have been easy for the Pens to mail in the remainder of
their season after Sid and Geno were lost with injuries last year, but Bylsma kept
them grinding their way into the playoffs, and practically into the second
round. Pittsburgh took a series lead on a far superior team in Tampa Bay, but
couldn’t manage to throw the knockout punch without their top two centers.