The
NHL has decided to put on hold its plans to radically realign its current six
division set-up into four regional conferences until the 2013/2014 season at the
earliest, so as long as the league can avoid any work stoppage due to its
current labor issues with the NHLPA, it should be business as usual this
upcoming season.
The
following is a brief look at each of the teams in the Atlantic Division for the
2012/2013 season along with their current odds to win the Stanley Cup as
provided by Bovada.
Pittsburgh Penguins 8/1
Pittsburgh
came extremely close to winning the Atlantic Division last season with a
tremendous run in the second-half of the season, but came up one-point short
with 108 total points and an overall record of 51-25-6. The Penguins have
already signed Sidney Crosby to a long-term extension that should keep him in
Pittsburgh for the rest of his career. Along with Center Evgeni Malkin, this
duo gives the Pens the necessary offensive power, and with Marc-Andre Fleury in
goal, they are set on the defensive end of the ice as well.
New York Rangers 9/1
New York not
only won the Atlantic with 109 points and an overall record of 51-24-7, it
captured the No.1 seed in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference last season. A
run all the way to the Conference Finals ended with a disappointing loss to New
Jersey in six-games, but the Rangers have been busy this offseason adding a few
missing pieces to make a deeper run in 2012/2013. The biggest acquisition so
far has been Rick Nash in a trade with Columbus. The five-time All-Star and
former captain of the Blue Jackets adds the necessary offensive firepower that
was missing from the Rangers’ lineup at times last season. This trade alone
could be enough to keep New York atop the Atlantic next season as well.
Philadelphia Flyers 13/1
Philadelphia
finished third in the division last season with 103 points and an overall
record of 47-26-9, but made a major splash in the postseason by eliminating
Pittsburgh in the first-round in six games. The main problem with the Flyers
last season was goalie Ilya Bryzgalov’s inconsistency between the pipes. At
times he was a virtual wall, but when it counted the most he gave-up way too
many soft goals. Scoring is definitely not the issue for Philadelphia with the
likes of Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell, but everyone knows that goaltending
wins championships.
New Jersey Devils 28/1
New Jersey’s
amazing run to last season’s Stanley Cup Finals was much more about heart than
it was about talent, but the loss of team captain Zach Parise as an
unrestricted free agent this offseason put a major dent in both of these areas
heading into next season. The Devils finished the regular season fourth in the
division with 102 points and an overall record of 48-28-6, but will be
hard-pressed to match these numbers in 2012/2013 even if veteran goalie Martin
Brodeur can turn back the clock one more time.
New York Islanders 75/1
The
Islanders have the misfortune of playing in a division that is easily the most
talented and competitive in the NHL. Three of the Atlantic’s teams are the
top-three favorites to win the Eastern Conference and in the top-five to win
next season’s Stanley Cup. This leaves this New York team as the odd team out
when it comes to even getting out of the basement next season. The Islanders
went 34-37-11 last season with a total of 79 points which was the second-lowest
total in the conference. So far this offseason, they have made a few moves to
improve their overall roster, but it has not been nearly enough to help them
compete on a night-to-night basis with the big boys in the division.