Post by LeafsGM on Oct 11, 2016 18:41:23 GMT -5
Three. Three is a number best known for stooges, musketeers, and how many minutes to cook an egg. For JGHL's Eastern Conference, three also represents the number of championships it has won over the league's illustrious 13 year history. From winning two out of the first three by the Avs, to the unstoppable three-peat days of the Flames, to the most recent two-peat by the Canucks, the West has been down right dominant.
Going into the 2016-17 season, you wouldn't be unreasonable to assume this trend is about to continue. Even though the incumbent Canucks are actively taking a step back, Nashville, San Jose, and Calgary all look poised to capture another title. So what does this mean for the East? Will we see a real contender come out to give the West a legitimate challenge, or will it be a sacrificial lamb? Let's have a closer look at the teams and try to answer those questions, starting from the bottom based on last season's standings:
Montreal Canadians (7-70-5) - No, that 15-16 record is not a typo. The Habs were bad, real bad. But with a level of play that putrid, something good is bound to come out of it, and that's first overall pick Auston Matthews. The Habs will have to wait on that prize as the young franchise center will not be ready right away. The team will be led this season by Alex Barkov and Ryan Nugent Hopkins, and off season signings Joe Thornton, Andrei Markov, and Francois Beachemin are bound to help. Aside from that, there are plenty of talented young pieces that may one day headline a pro roster but are not yet ready. With little help on the wings, and literally no competent goal tending, this will be another trying season for GM Shawn unless he decides to trade some of those young assets. The Habs have been known for quick turnarounds in the past, but this is probably not the season the former champs decide to empty the barrel.
Tampa Bay Lightning (13-58-11) - Not quite as awful, the Lightning were also pretty bad last season. But unlike the Habs, they were not rewarded for it with a top 3 draft pick. What GM Scott was rewarded with was some solid development out of his young players like Dylan Larkin, Sam Bennett, Sean Couturier, Alex Wennberg, JT Miller, Ryan Murray, and Connor Hellebuyck. There are a lot of other bright spots up and down the roster and prospect list, but Tampa is still a very young team that is a few years away from challenging in the playoffs. The team has stayed the course ever since the start of the rebuild, and this year looks to be status quo with the hope that a number of its key players go on to have breakout years. The future is still bright in Tampa, but for now the present should bring in another top 10 draft pick for the franchise.
New York Islanders (31-42-9) - It was an up and down season for the Isles, but things look much better after surprisingly getting to draft 3rd overall and adding Jesse Puljujarvi to the mix. GM Jeremy has the team aimed in the right direction but for now Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Turris, Ryan McDonagh, Jacob Trouba, and Jaroslav Halak will shoulder a LOT of the responsibility. Outside of those names, the team is pretty bare on offense and will need to make a few moves if it wants to match last season's record or surpass it. It looks like it might be a couple of seasons until we see the Isles challenge in the playoffs, so patience needs to be the name of the game on long island.
Boston Bruins (34-40-8) - The Bruins uncharacteristically missed the playoffs last season, and the fans are getting a little restless in Boston. The team is stacked with talent like Patrick Kane, Nicklas Backstrom, Brad Marchand, JVR, Mikael Backlund, Johnny Boychuck, Hampus Lindholm, and Cody Ceci. The Achilles heel the past few seasons has been the play of net minder Kari Lehtonen, who many say is well past his prime. Angry fans have been calling for GM Jim to make a change in net so that the team has a better chance to compete. Those calls have so far gone unanswered as the team is heading into this season with Lehtonen as the starter once again. There is enough skill on the roster to make the playoffs, but to make a significant run and come out of the East, GM Jim will need to be a little more aggressive on the trade market than he has been the past few years.
Carolina Hurricanes (35-39-8) - The Canes are rebuilding their core and last season served as a transition from an aging roster to a young one. The team is led by a core of Artem Anisimov, Jordan Staal, Elias Lindholm, Patric Hornqvist and Torey Krug. There is still work to be done for GM Kevin, but with a good amount of draft picks in the coming years and some intriguing prospects, there is hope for a quicker turnaround. This season expect the Canes to put up a fight for one of the wild cards but likely finish out of the playoffs once again.
Pittsburgh Penguins (41-36-5) - The Pens are under new management, and are looking better than ever. GM Mike came in and made a statement move bringing in Nathan MacKinnon to build the franchise around. With Kris Letang, Jaden Schwartz, Bo Horvat, Mike Hoffman, Olli Maata, William Nylander, and Pavel Zacha also in the mix, the organization is stacked with talent at all positions. Some of that talent is ready to contribute in a big way this season, but most of it will provide help beyond it. There are also Ryan Suter and MA Fleury on the roster that could provide a significant return on the trade market, but time will tell if or when the team chooses to move them. The Pens have all the ingredients to make a big run this season if they chose to, but it might also make more sense to wait until next season.
Philadelphia Flyers (45-32-5) - The Flyers are one of the most exciting teams to watch this season, and after missing the playoffs only twice in franchise history, GM Ray deserves some praise for his work and dedication. The team is led by Derick Brassard, Brayden Schenn, Brandon Saad, Kyle Okposo, Kyle Palmieri, Cam Atkinson, Jason Spezza, Matt Niskanen, Anton Stralman, and Calvin de Haan. How far the Flyers go will depend on their starter Corey Crawford, who is at the top of his game. With a highly balanced offense, solid defense, and one of the better goalie tandems in the league, this could be a big year in Philly. Could they come out of the East and give a proper challenge to one of the west's powerhouses remains to be seen, but don't put anything past the savvy and determination of their GM.
Buffalo Sabres (50-26-6) - The young Sabres are starting to enter their prime years and that is a scary thought. Last year was only a glimpse into what the Sabres core is capable of. Finishing with their best record in years, this season should be no different. Matt Duchene, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle will head the offense once again, with plenty of support. Henrik Lundqvist is on his last year with the team and should provide solid numbers. That said, it is still a work in progress for the young core that could see some ups and downs, and this will likely not be the year the Sabres win their first franchise title without making significant moves. With all the young assets the team has, it may make sense to make a few moves and make a good run, but GM Jas has been known to stay the course with his plan so look for the Sabres to challenge for a title in 2017-18.
New Jersey Devils (51-27-4) - GM Ron and the Devils had an eventful off season to say the least. The team made a record number of trades and moved some big names in hopes of replenishing their core. Like it or not Devils fans, but take a seat and lay back for this season and possibly next, because it may take a bit to see your team back contending for a title. The future is bright with an abundance of draft picks, prospects, and emerging young stars like Nikolaj Ehlers, Justin Faulk, Tyler Johnson, Evander Kane and Jacob Markstrom. Judging by how active the team has been on the trade market, it wouldn't surprise anyone to see a quick turnaround, but this season will serve as a transitional one for this storied franchise.
Toronto Maple Leafs (55-23-4) - Hanging around, hanging around. No one truly knows which direction the Leafs are headed. Some say not even their own GM. Joe Pavelski and Jaromir Jagr are still with the team despite heavy rumors of being traded, and the team just traded for two savvy veterans in Frans Nielsen and Jiri Hudler. This has caused some fans to say WTF and question how serious GM Eug is about the stated retooling of the roster. One thing is for certain, the team is building around Sean Monahan, Evgeni Kuznetsov, Tyler Toffoli, Ondrej Palat, and Ryan Ellis. The defense core is fairly young and untested, and goaltender Tuuka Rask has been a disappointment since joining the Leafs. Expect the Leafs to take a step back this season, with the hope of taking a few steps forward.
Washington Capitals (53-21-8) - The Caps are coming off a very impressive season, and are poised to match or even surpass those results. Jack Eichel has arrived, and so has Aaron Ekblad. Expect those two to be a staple in Washington for the next decade. This season however, they will need all the help they can get from TJ Oshie, the Sedins, Jussi Jokinen, Jake Muzzin, Brent Seabrook, Alex Goligoski, and especially starter Pekka Rinne. The team has a chance to go deep into the playoffs but may need to add a few pieces to go all the way. One way or another the Caps will pose a challenge to any opponent once again.
New York Rangers (57-22-3) - What a season it was for GM Graham, Braden Holtby, and the Rangers. After winning the Metro and taking the Canucks to 7 in the cup finals, the Rangers suffered some blows to their key players in the off season and now face a transitional year. The core of Holtby, Ryan Johansen, Vincent Trochek, and Adam Larsson is a good one, but there's little help around them. It could still be an easy playoff berth with the best goalie in the league on your roster, but there are definitely questions to be answered in New York. Expect a step back for the Rangers, and likely further moves to come.
Florida Panthers (58-20-4) - The Panthers came very close to the cup finals, losing in a heartbreaking 7 game series to the above Rangers. How they follow up this season remains to be seen. When you have two of the best players on earth in Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, anything is possible. Their supporting cast on the other hand took some hits and looks a little less lethal this season. Still, the pieces are there for another run. How deep that run will be will depend on the play of Devan Dubnyk, and whether GM Kevin S will bring in help via trade market.
So now that we dove deeper, we can see that the East will need to do some extra work to match the West's power this season. Long term, there is hope for several new teams in the East to be dominant. Until then, will 'three' become 'four' this season? It will be tough but hope I'm wrong guys!!! Thanks for reading, this is always fun.
Going into the 2016-17 season, you wouldn't be unreasonable to assume this trend is about to continue. Even though the incumbent Canucks are actively taking a step back, Nashville, San Jose, and Calgary all look poised to capture another title. So what does this mean for the East? Will we see a real contender come out to give the West a legitimate challenge, or will it be a sacrificial lamb? Let's have a closer look at the teams and try to answer those questions, starting from the bottom based on last season's standings:
Montreal Canadians (7-70-5) - No, that 15-16 record is not a typo. The Habs were bad, real bad. But with a level of play that putrid, something good is bound to come out of it, and that's first overall pick Auston Matthews. The Habs will have to wait on that prize as the young franchise center will not be ready right away. The team will be led this season by Alex Barkov and Ryan Nugent Hopkins, and off season signings Joe Thornton, Andrei Markov, and Francois Beachemin are bound to help. Aside from that, there are plenty of talented young pieces that may one day headline a pro roster but are not yet ready. With little help on the wings, and literally no competent goal tending, this will be another trying season for GM Shawn unless he decides to trade some of those young assets. The Habs have been known for quick turnarounds in the past, but this is probably not the season the former champs decide to empty the barrel.
Tampa Bay Lightning (13-58-11) - Not quite as awful, the Lightning were also pretty bad last season. But unlike the Habs, they were not rewarded for it with a top 3 draft pick. What GM Scott was rewarded with was some solid development out of his young players like Dylan Larkin, Sam Bennett, Sean Couturier, Alex Wennberg, JT Miller, Ryan Murray, and Connor Hellebuyck. There are a lot of other bright spots up and down the roster and prospect list, but Tampa is still a very young team that is a few years away from challenging in the playoffs. The team has stayed the course ever since the start of the rebuild, and this year looks to be status quo with the hope that a number of its key players go on to have breakout years. The future is still bright in Tampa, but for now the present should bring in another top 10 draft pick for the franchise.
New York Islanders (31-42-9) - It was an up and down season for the Isles, but things look much better after surprisingly getting to draft 3rd overall and adding Jesse Puljujarvi to the mix. GM Jeremy has the team aimed in the right direction but for now Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Turris, Ryan McDonagh, Jacob Trouba, and Jaroslav Halak will shoulder a LOT of the responsibility. Outside of those names, the team is pretty bare on offense and will need to make a few moves if it wants to match last season's record or surpass it. It looks like it might be a couple of seasons until we see the Isles challenge in the playoffs, so patience needs to be the name of the game on long island.
Boston Bruins (34-40-8) - The Bruins uncharacteristically missed the playoffs last season, and the fans are getting a little restless in Boston. The team is stacked with talent like Patrick Kane, Nicklas Backstrom, Brad Marchand, JVR, Mikael Backlund, Johnny Boychuck, Hampus Lindholm, and Cody Ceci. The Achilles heel the past few seasons has been the play of net minder Kari Lehtonen, who many say is well past his prime. Angry fans have been calling for GM Jim to make a change in net so that the team has a better chance to compete. Those calls have so far gone unanswered as the team is heading into this season with Lehtonen as the starter once again. There is enough skill on the roster to make the playoffs, but to make a significant run and come out of the East, GM Jim will need to be a little more aggressive on the trade market than he has been the past few years.
Carolina Hurricanes (35-39-8) - The Canes are rebuilding their core and last season served as a transition from an aging roster to a young one. The team is led by a core of Artem Anisimov, Jordan Staal, Elias Lindholm, Patric Hornqvist and Torey Krug. There is still work to be done for GM Kevin, but with a good amount of draft picks in the coming years and some intriguing prospects, there is hope for a quicker turnaround. This season expect the Canes to put up a fight for one of the wild cards but likely finish out of the playoffs once again.
Pittsburgh Penguins (41-36-5) - The Pens are under new management, and are looking better than ever. GM Mike came in and made a statement move bringing in Nathan MacKinnon to build the franchise around. With Kris Letang, Jaden Schwartz, Bo Horvat, Mike Hoffman, Olli Maata, William Nylander, and Pavel Zacha also in the mix, the organization is stacked with talent at all positions. Some of that talent is ready to contribute in a big way this season, but most of it will provide help beyond it. There are also Ryan Suter and MA Fleury on the roster that could provide a significant return on the trade market, but time will tell if or when the team chooses to move them. The Pens have all the ingredients to make a big run this season if they chose to, but it might also make more sense to wait until next season.
Philadelphia Flyers (45-32-5) - The Flyers are one of the most exciting teams to watch this season, and after missing the playoffs only twice in franchise history, GM Ray deserves some praise for his work and dedication. The team is led by Derick Brassard, Brayden Schenn, Brandon Saad, Kyle Okposo, Kyle Palmieri, Cam Atkinson, Jason Spezza, Matt Niskanen, Anton Stralman, and Calvin de Haan. How far the Flyers go will depend on their starter Corey Crawford, who is at the top of his game. With a highly balanced offense, solid defense, and one of the better goalie tandems in the league, this could be a big year in Philly. Could they come out of the East and give a proper challenge to one of the west's powerhouses remains to be seen, but don't put anything past the savvy and determination of their GM.
Buffalo Sabres (50-26-6) - The young Sabres are starting to enter their prime years and that is a scary thought. Last year was only a glimpse into what the Sabres core is capable of. Finishing with their best record in years, this season should be no different. Matt Duchene, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle will head the offense once again, with plenty of support. Henrik Lundqvist is on his last year with the team and should provide solid numbers. That said, it is still a work in progress for the young core that could see some ups and downs, and this will likely not be the year the Sabres win their first franchise title without making significant moves. With all the young assets the team has, it may make sense to make a few moves and make a good run, but GM Jas has been known to stay the course with his plan so look for the Sabres to challenge for a title in 2017-18.
New Jersey Devils (51-27-4) - GM Ron and the Devils had an eventful off season to say the least. The team made a record number of trades and moved some big names in hopes of replenishing their core. Like it or not Devils fans, but take a seat and lay back for this season and possibly next, because it may take a bit to see your team back contending for a title. The future is bright with an abundance of draft picks, prospects, and emerging young stars like Nikolaj Ehlers, Justin Faulk, Tyler Johnson, Evander Kane and Jacob Markstrom. Judging by how active the team has been on the trade market, it wouldn't surprise anyone to see a quick turnaround, but this season will serve as a transitional one for this storied franchise.
Toronto Maple Leafs (55-23-4) - Hanging around, hanging around. No one truly knows which direction the Leafs are headed. Some say not even their own GM. Joe Pavelski and Jaromir Jagr are still with the team despite heavy rumors of being traded, and the team just traded for two savvy veterans in Frans Nielsen and Jiri Hudler. This has caused some fans to say WTF and question how serious GM Eug is about the stated retooling of the roster. One thing is for certain, the team is building around Sean Monahan, Evgeni Kuznetsov, Tyler Toffoli, Ondrej Palat, and Ryan Ellis. The defense core is fairly young and untested, and goaltender Tuuka Rask has been a disappointment since joining the Leafs. Expect the Leafs to take a step back this season, with the hope of taking a few steps forward.
Washington Capitals (53-21-8) - The Caps are coming off a very impressive season, and are poised to match or even surpass those results. Jack Eichel has arrived, and so has Aaron Ekblad. Expect those two to be a staple in Washington for the next decade. This season however, they will need all the help they can get from TJ Oshie, the Sedins, Jussi Jokinen, Jake Muzzin, Brent Seabrook, Alex Goligoski, and especially starter Pekka Rinne. The team has a chance to go deep into the playoffs but may need to add a few pieces to go all the way. One way or another the Caps will pose a challenge to any opponent once again.
New York Rangers (57-22-3) - What a season it was for GM Graham, Braden Holtby, and the Rangers. After winning the Metro and taking the Canucks to 7 in the cup finals, the Rangers suffered some blows to their key players in the off season and now face a transitional year. The core of Holtby, Ryan Johansen, Vincent Trochek, and Adam Larsson is a good one, but there's little help around them. It could still be an easy playoff berth with the best goalie in the league on your roster, but there are definitely questions to be answered in New York. Expect a step back for the Rangers, and likely further moves to come.
Florida Panthers (58-20-4) - The Panthers came very close to the cup finals, losing in a heartbreaking 7 game series to the above Rangers. How they follow up this season remains to be seen. When you have two of the best players on earth in Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, anything is possible. Their supporting cast on the other hand took some hits and looks a little less lethal this season. Still, the pieces are there for another run. How deep that run will be will depend on the play of Devan Dubnyk, and whether GM Kevin S will bring in help via trade market.
So now that we dove deeper, we can see that the East will need to do some extra work to match the West's power this season. Long term, there is hope for several new teams in the East to be dominant. Until then, will 'three' become 'four' this season? It will be tough but hope I'm wrong guys!!! Thanks for reading, this is always fun.