As we start our division previews today we will start out East in what I believe may be the most competitive division in all of hockey, The Atlantic Division.
Last season New Jersey won this division but Philadelphia went the furthest of all five teams, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. In fact, Philly & the New York Rangers had to go to a shoot-out on the final day of the season to determine the final playoff spot.
Can the Devils repeat as Division Champs? Will Pittsburgh or Philadelphia challenge for the Division title? Are the New York teams a threat? Let's break it down.
NEW JERSEY:
Last season:
48-27-7 103 points, lost in 1st round to Philadelphia
New Additions:
Anton Volchenkov, D (Ottawa) Henrik Tallinder, D (Buffalo) Jason Arnott, C (Nashville) Johan Hedberg G (Atlanta)
Subtractions:
Paul Martin, D (Pittsburgh) Rob Niedermeyer, C (Buffalo) Martin Skoula D (KHL)
Why they'll succeed:
They have Ilya Kovalchuk for a full season. Sure it took them a month & a half to sign him but he was productive after coming to the Devils in a trade last season with Atlanta. He averaged a point a game in New Jersey scoring 10 goals and 17 assists in 27 games. For a team known for lacking a sniper having Kovalchuk for a full season should fill that void. Having Arnott as his center should increase his point total this season.
Why they'll fail:
Their blueline is weaker after the loss of Paul Martin. Truth be told they haven't been strong defensively since the lockout when Scott Stevens retired & Scott Niedermeyer left for Anaheim as a free agent.
Martin did a decent job filling the void for Niedermeyer the last few seasons. Now with him in Pittsburgh the Devils are hoping that Tallinder can fill his role while Volchenkov can finally fill the role that Stevens played before his retirement.
Playoff Team:
These aren't the same Devils that were dominant between both lockouts. The core of the team has gotten older and most of their better players have retired or moved on to different teams. But they still have Martin Brodeur and as long as he is in net they should be a playoff team. Whether they can go far is another question but the Devils should be playing hockey once again this spring.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS:
Last Season:
47-28-7 101 points Lost in 2nd Round to Montreal
New Additions:
Paul Martin, D (New Jersey) Zybnek Michalek, D (Phoenix) Arron Asham, F (Philadelphia) Mike Comrie, C (Edmonton
Subtractions:
Sergei Gonchar, D (Ottawa) Alex Ponikarovsky, F (Los Angeles) Bill Guerin, LW (Free Agent) Ruslan Fedotenko, LW (Free Agent) Mark Eaton, D (NY Islanders)
Why They'll Succeed:
They may have the best one two punch in the league with Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin. The addition of Comrie allows them to move Jordan Staal up to wing on the 2nd line instead of centering the 3rd line. The signings of Martin & Michalek should offset the loss of Gonchar on the blue line
Why They'll Fail:
Marc Andre Fleury looked ordinary in net last season after leading The Penguins to the cup in 2009. He needs to bounce back and show the form he had in 2008 & 2009 when he led Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Guerin departure leaves the void of a veteran presence in the locker room to calm the Penguins when times get rough. We'll find out if they can weather tough times this season without him.
Playoff Team:
Definitely, There is too much talent on this roster to miss the playoffs. Staal will miss the start of the season with a foot injury but the Penguins are deep enough to survive the 1st month without him. Even without him I expect the Penguins to win the division once he returns.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS:
Last Season:
41-35-6 88 Points Lost in Stanley Cup Finals to Chicago
New Additions:
Andrej Meszaros, D (Tampa Bay) Sean O'Donnell, D (Los Angeles) Matt Walker, D (Tampa Bay) Jody Shelley, LW (NY Rangers) Nikolai Zherdev, RW (KHL)
Subtractions:
Simon Gagne, LW (Tampa Bay) Arron Asham, F (Pittsburgh) Ryan Parent, D (Nashville)
Why They'll Succeed:
They may have the deepest blueline in the NHL. Led by former Norris & Hart Trophy winner Chris Pronger they can skate out six defenseman throughout the whole game without having to shorten their bench. Danny Briere & Mike Richards look to pick up where they left off last post-season.
Why They'll Fail:
Goaltending, what else. When we last saw them Michael Leighton was letting in a soft goal giving the Chicago Blackhawks the Stanley Cup title. Despite that Leighton was given a contract extension based on what he did for the team when he was signed in December.
Simon Gagne void will be felt in the lineup. He has battled injuries in the past but when he played he was one of their best players and without him the Flyers get swept by Boston in the 2nd round
Playoff Team:
I believe they are. I think they have enough scoring up front and their defense is good enough to cover up whatever flaws they have in goal during the regular season. Whether that carries over into the playoff remains to be seen but I think this team will be playing hockey this spring
NEW YORK RANGERS:
Last Season:
38-33-11 87 points Did not Qualify for Post-season
New Additions:
Alexander Frolov, LW (Los Angeles) Todd White, C (Atlanta) Steve Eminger, D (Anaheim) Derek Boogaard, RW (Minnesota) Martin Biron, G (NY Islanders)
Subtractions:
Donald Brasher, LW (Atlanta) Aaron Voros, RW (Anaheim) Olli Jokinen, C (Calgary) Jody Shelley, LW (Philadelphia)
Why They'll Succeed:
They are trying to make up for last season. New York got off to a hot start winning seven of their first eight games. They went into a slump during the middle of the year and found themselves fighting for the final playoff spot in the East on the last day of the season only to fall short.
Henrik Lundqvist might be the best goalie in their division not named Brodeur and is good enough to win a post-season series by himself. The addition of Biron to spell him for a few games should keep him fresh during the regular season.
Marian Gaborik reached the 40 goal mark for the second time in his career last season. As long as he can stay on healthy and on the ice he is a threat to score for the Rangers.
Why They'll Fail:
Their biggest acquisition in the off-season was signing a guy to a four year deal who has only scored two goals in five seasons. Yes, Boogaard will provide insurance for Marian Gaborik on the ice and after Gaborik's fight against Dan Carcillo there was a need for Gaborik to have a bodyguard. But 1.65 million over four years is way too much money to pay someone who hasn't scored a goal since 2006. They needed to add another impact player this off-season and they failed to do so.
Playoff Team:
I don't think they are at this point. I think they are weak up front. New York has one good line that can score while most teams have two or three lines. Boogaard will provide an intimidation factor which should allow Gaborik to skate without having worried about getting mugged on the ice.
But they need more than Gaborik to score for them. Frolov will be counted on to provide scoring for the 2nd line but unless one of their young guys step up. They have one good defenseman on their blueline in Marc Staal. Everyone else is either real young or they are constant underachievers.
The way the Rangers are constructed right now I think they will fall short of a playoff berth.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS:
Last Season:
34-37-11 79 Points Did Not Qualify for Post-season
New Additions:
Mark Eaton, D (Pittsburgh) Milan Jurcina, D (Washington) James Wisnewski, D (Anaheim)
Subtractions:
Richard Park, RW (Swiss League) Martin Biron, G (NY Rangers)
Why They'll Succeed:
They have a lot of young talent that is ready to blossom. John Tavares & Kyle Okposo are the two core players the Islanders are building around. Both players led the Islanders in points with 54 & 52 respectively. Tavares finished 2nd on the team with 24 goals and Okposo 3rd with 19 goals. Another year should make both players better.
Matt Moulson was a pleasant surprise in his 1st year with New York leading the team with 30 goals. He'll be counted on to match his production from last season.
The acquisition of James Wisniewski from Anaheim gives the Islanders a physical defenseman who can move the puck. He, along with Mark Striet will help solidify the blue line.
Why They'll Fail:
There isn't enough depth to succeed. Tavares looked good by himself on the ice last season but he doesn't have much to work with at this present time. He needs a sniper to play with. Whether Moulson or Trent Hunter can be that guy remains to be seen.
And then there is goalie Rick DiPietro. He was signed to a 15 year contract back in 2006. In the last two season he has played a total of 13 games. That's not really getting a lot for your investment. I'm guessing we will be seeing a heavy does of Dwayne Roloson in net this season for the Islanders.
Playoff Team:
I don't believe they are. Garth Snow has done a nice job with some of the addition he has made but the reality is they are still a few players away from contending in the East. A healthy DiPietro would make a difference but at this point you can't count on him to contribute to the team.
They need someone to step up and help Tavares on the wing. Until that happens this team will still be on the outside looking in.
Nice work Craig!
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