I think the first 12 teams are the ones with a legit shot at the cup (really going out on a limb
). I’ve finished with how the conference standings would look if the teams finish according to my rank of the rosters.Maybe we could make this a guess the standings thread.
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
Kunitz – Crosby – Dupuis
Neal – Malkin – Sullivan
Cooke – Staal – Kennedy
Asham – Letestu – Adams
Jeffrey, Tangradi, Williams, Johnson
Martin – Michalek
Orpik – Letang
Niskanen – Lovejoy
Engelland
Fleury
Johnson
Cap space 1.6 mil with Williams in the minors and 1 with him on the roster.
Wow. Sweet depth on forward and that’s with Jeffrey and Williams not even on a line. The centers are sick as ever but now they’ve got the wingers too. This is basically like last year but plus the additions of Neal and Sullivan (and who knows about Williams). Top four on D is as good as it gets and Fleury (knock on wood) seemed to find consistency last year. I think this is the strongest roster in the NHL and if healthy (especially the big three) they’re my bet for the cup. Yeah, I’m a fan, but I’m pretty confident I’m not too subjective in putting them first.
2. Vancouver Canucks
Sedin – Sedin – Burrows
Samuelsson – Kesler – Raymond
Sturm – Hodgson - Higgins
Lapierre - Malhotra – Hansen
Ebbet, Mancari
Bieksa – Hamhuis
Edler – Salo
Ballard – Alberts
Rome, Sulzer
Luongo
Schneider
Cap Space 3.9 mil.
Only team challenging the Pens forward depth in my opinion. In a way they match it (three scoring lines, one sweet all round fourth), but the Pens big two tips my ranking in their favour. Vancouver’s D even better than the Pens’ on paper though, with a stronger third pair and bench. Luongo still somewhat enigmatic but I don’t think he was their main problem in the finals. Their D was banged up. They lost significant top six depth in Samuelsson and Raymond, and Kesler and possibly H. Sedin was nursing injuries. I like how they didn’t change much. Their only loss is Ehrhoff but they didn’t even play Ballard in the finals and they’ve added Sturm plus Hodgson is a year older. Just like the Pens in 09 I can see them getting back into the finals and this time prevailing.
3. Washington Capitals
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Knuble
Semin – Laich – Brouwer
Ward – Johansson – Chimera
Hendricks – Halpern – King
Perrault
Green – Hamrlik
Wideman – Carlsson
Schultz – Alzner
Erskine, Poti
Vokoun
Neuvirth
Cap space -1 mil. But Poti will be on LTIR to start the season I guess.
What’s there to say really? They still haven’t gone far in the playoffs but this year should give them their best shot yet with Vokoun and even more depth than previously on D and on forward too I think. I hope they ”unleash” Ovechkin again, or, whatever the reasons for his slump were, that he pulls it together. I don’t want them winning the cup, but I want those sweet Backstrom and Ovy highlights =)
4. Boston Bruins
Lucic – Krejci – Horton
Seguin – Bergeron – Pouliot
Peverly – Marchand - Kelly
Paille – Thornton – Campbell
Savard, Hamill
Chara – Seidenberg
Ference – Corvo
Boychuk – McQuaid
Kampfer
Thomas
Rask
Cap space 8.7 mil before re-signing Marchand and promoting Hamill and Kampfer (not saying that’s certain to happen though).
Took liberties with the lineup. Guess that first line is the only one we’re very likely to see. Alot of centers so I guess someone’s got to move to wing. Gambling with Pouliot on the second line there. Is Savard expected to play? Overall very solid but I’m not that sold on their D after the first pair. Don’t see them repeating but they’re one of the teams with a shot of course.
5. San Jose Sharks
Marleau – Thornto – Clowe
Havlat – Pavelski - Couture
Mitchell – Handzus – McGinn
Ferriero – Murray – Desjardins
Boyle – Vlasic
Burns – Murray
Braun – Demers
Vandermeer, Moore
Niemi
Niittymaki
Cap space 4.5 mil.
This high if they get something to bolster their lower lines forward depth. They’ve got the cap space. Other than that they’ve got a crazy top six that’s starting to be that come playoff time as well. Departure of Heatley not a bad thing. Gave up having seven top six forwards in order to land Burns (Couture’s year made the trade easier I’m sure) which helps team balance. D very skilled and deep.
6. Los Angeles Kings
Brown – Kopitar – Penner
Williams – Richards – Gagne
Richardsson – Stoll – Parse
Clifford – Fraser – Lewis
Loktionov, Westgarth
Doughty – Mitchell
Johnson – Scuderi
Greene – Martinez
Drewiske
Quick
Bernier
Cap space around 4-5 mil after re-signing Doughty I guess. That’s some nice wiggle room closer to the deadline. Crazy top six and nine. Looking real solid all over. True contender.
7. Chicago Blackhawks
Sharp – Toews – Brunette
Hossa – Bolland – Kane
Olesz – Frolik – Bickell
Stalberg – Kruger – Carcillo
Smith, Mayers, Morin
Seabrook – Keith
Montador - Leddy
Hjalmarsson – O’Donnell
Lepisto, Scott
Crawford
Salak
Cap space 3 mil.
Stronger than last year I think. Crazy forward depth and a huge top three in Toews, Kane and Hossa. The emergence of Leddy along with Hjalmarsson and Montador helps their depth on D. First pair doesn’t exactly need a presentation. Crawford was great for them but now faces his first full season as a starter.
8. Montreal Canadiens
Cammalleri – Plekanec - Cole
Pacioretty – Gomez – Gionta
Kostitsyn – Desharnis – Eller
Moen – Darche – White
Leblanc
Markov – Spacek
Subban – Gorges
Weber – Gill
Yemelin
Price
Budaj
Cap space 5.2 mil.
Looking good. Great top six and nine. Solid D if Markov returns and stays healthy. Price was spectacular last year. Among the best in the east with cap room left.
9. Detroit Red Wings
Franzen – Datsyuk – Hudler
Bertuzzi – Zetterberg – Cleary
Holmstrom – Filppula – Eaves
Miller – Helm – Abdelkader
Mursak, Emmerton, Tatar
Lidstrom – Kronwall
Stuart – White
Ericsson – Commodore
Kindl
Howard
Conklin
Cap space 5.8 mil.
Rafalski out, White in. Beyond that nothing major has happened. Still the red, filthy bastards they’ve always been. Holmstrom and Lidstrom are even older now. The latter doesn’t seem to care though. Last year people said they were finally going to struggle and I said no, and say so again. They should be able to do what they did last year at least. They’re contenders once again (though they’re approaching a point where they’ll have to do something of an overhaul). Look for Kronwall to be more involved in all aspects of the game. He’s their stud on D once Lidstrom retires. Howard’s a year older and Conklin’s a great backup. Got cap space to add a scoring winger in case they’re buyers at the deadline. Health always a concern with Bertuzzi, Franzen, Zetterberg and Kronwall.
10. Buffalo Sabres
Vanek – Roy – Pominville
Boyes - Ennis – Stafford
Gerbe – Hecht – Leino
Gaustad - Kaleta - Kotalik
McCormik, Ellis
Regehr – Myers
Ehrhoff – Leopold
Sekera – Morrisson
Gragnani, Weber
Miller
Enroth
Cap space -3.6 mil and that’s before re-signing Ennis. Given their depth at forward I really don’t get the Leino signing. Someone’s got to go (Kotalik can be sent down to solve part of it I guess). Looking past that they look really solid. No true superstar at forward but tons of depth. Really strong D and Miller in net. One of the teams with a legit shot, no doubt.
11. Philadelphia Flyers
Voracek – Giroux – Van Riemsdyk
Briere – Schenn – Jagr
Hartnell – Talbot – Simmonds
Shelley – Laperriere – Nodl
Betts
Timmonen – Meszaros
Pronger – Carle
Coburn – Lilja
Bartulis
Bryzgalov
Bobrovsky
Cap space 0.175 mil.
I’m high on their makeover. The emergence of Van Riemsdyk and especially Giroux made it the right move. Great depth on D and Bryzgalov in net looks very strong. That’ll be needed though, as they can’t know what Voracek, Jagr and Schenn will bring. If at least two of those three are hits the Flyers are looking good.
12. Anaheim Ducks
Perry – Getzlaf – Ryan
Blake – Koivu – Selanne
Cogliano – McMillan – Sexton
Parros – Belesky – Ruutu
Palmieri, Winchester
Visnovsky – Beauchemin
Lydman – Fowler
Foster – Sbisa
Brookbank
Hiller
Ellis
Cap space should be around 5+ mil after (if) re-signing Selanne, Ruutu and Winchester.
I’m high on the Ducks. Great defensive depth now (the emergence of Sbisa, Fowler, Lydman (later bloomer at last year’s level?) and the bringing back of Beauchemin made all the difference in the world). First line potentially the best in hockey, but I kind of like their 2nd and 3rd also. They’re ok. Overall alot depending on Hiller’s health of course, but it seems he’s on the mend?
13. Tampa Bay Lightning
Downie - Lecavalier - St Louis
Malone – Stamkos – Purcell
Tyrell – Moore - Thompson
Shannon – Hall – Ritola
Kubina – Brewer
Bergeron – Hedman
Ohlund – Clark
Gilroy, Gervais
Roloson
Garon
Cap space 5 mil.
The loss of Bergenheim hurts their scoring depth but they’re still sporting one sweet top six. Not that in the know on their bottom six but it’s pretty good? D looks very good. Deep. Goaltending a concern, however. Can’t believe they didn’t take a shot at Fasth for example. I mean with Roloson and Garon why not even try? Team management didn’t watch the WC’s? Were I Yzerman I’d try a move for Rask, Bernier, Lindback, Lehner or some other goalie prospect already good but currently not 1st in line on their teams.
14. New York Rangers
Fedotenko - Richards – Gaborik
Dubinsky – Anisimov – Callahan
Wolski – Stepan – Zucarello
Boyle – Prust – Avery
Christensen, Rupp
Girardi - Erixon
Staal - McDonaugh
Eminger – Sauer
Del Zotto
Lundqvist
Biron
Cap space likely non at all. Their current 4.9 mil will be used to sign Callahan and possibly another depth D-man. There’s talk of shedding salary at forward, however. Which I thought they’d do last year already. Boyle and Prust did great last year, they should be the third line (and was too). Stepan and Zucarello did great when they got the ice time, but there are just too many productive forwards on the team. I see them dumping Wolski, Christensen and possibly Zucarello (did great when he got the shot but I suspect they’re higher on Stepan). I’m sure they wouldn’t mind another steady, established D-man. Erixon is legit however.
15. New Jersey Devils
Kovalchuk – Zajac – Tedenby
Elias – Josefson – Parise
Zubrus - Steckel - Palmieri
Boulton - Pelley – Clarkson
Zharkov, Janssen
Volochenkov – Greene
Tallinder – Taormina
Larsson – Salvador
Corrente, Fayne, Fraser
Brodeur
Hedberg
Cap space nothing.
The above lineup probably not possible as I’ve used their current 5.5 mil cap space to re-sign Taormina and Parise. The Rolston contract really brutal for them. And they can’t dump him to the AHL because of the 35+ rule? Lose him and stay healthy and I see them possibly battling for the east’s final playoff spots because of their big guys up front.
Update: The Isles help out by taking Rolston and a pick for Hunter. Cap space now 8 mil before re-signing Parise and promoting Tarmonia who's now re-signed at 0.55 but listed in the minors on Cap Geek. I'm thinking he'll play with the Devils, however. Could make the playoffs if Parise re-signs (which I guess is happening).
Update again: Dropped White and Hunter. Added Larsson and Josefson to the lineup. Parise now offically signed too. At this point I'm leaning alot more towards them getting back into the playoffs. Possibly doing some damage too. Cap space about 4.3 mil after my promotions of Larsson and Taormina. The top six I've suggested perhaps not likely but I'd love to see it given a shot. Overall they've got a nice mix of talented youth, veterans and stars. Love the changes they've made.
16. Toronto Maple Leafs
Kessel – Connolly – Lupul
McArtur – Kadri – Grabovski
Kulemin – Lombardi – Bozak
Armstrong – Orr – Brown
Phaneuf – Komisarek
Liles – Schenn
Gunnarsson – Franson
Aulie, Lashoff
Reimer
Gustavsson
Cap space 5.2 mil before re-signing Schenn.
Hard to say really. Up front there’s solid depth but few major highlights. Many centers so someone will have to move to wing. Kind of interesting lineup I must say. On D Phaneuf seemed to be getting back to his old self during last season’s second half, and Liles is a nice addition. Also, they might’ve found their goalie in Reimer. What the heck, I say Toronto nabs the final playoff spot in the east (update: Nah, I see NJ as well as the Rangers ahead of them in the battle for that final spot).
17. Calgary Flames
Tanguay – Jokinen – Iginla
Bourque – Langkow – Hagman
Glencross – Stajan – Moss
Backlund – Morisson – Kostopoulos
Ivanas, Jackman, L-Leblond
Bouwmeester – Sarich
Giordano – Babchuk
Butler – Staios
Mikkelson, Carlsson
Kiprusoff
Karlsson
No cap space at all basically if they re-sign Staios.
Long gone are the days of their big three on D plus Iginla and one more decent productive forward. Now they have a cheaper D while keeping a nice top four and a forward squad with lots of decent offensive depth. No real defensive line I think, they’re kind of like the Rangers but even more so. Weird collection of forwards in my opinion but there’s depth there. Tanguay and Jokinen started playing better again last year, and Iginla was himself again. Kipper is what he is. Can see them make the playoffs and lose in the first round.
18. St Louis Blues
Backes - McDonald – Stewart
Perron – Berglund – Oshie
Langenbrunner – Arnott – Steen
Sobotka – D’Agostini – Crombeen
Nichol
Jackman – Pietrangelo
Polak – Colaiacovo
Cole – Shattenkirk
Huskins, Nikitin
Halak
Elliott
Cap space 12 mil.
The Blues really had something going but now I don’t see a plan. They have a very interesting young core at forward in Backes, Stewart, Perron, Berglund, Oshie, Steen and D’Agostini, and on D with Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk and Colaiacovo. On D they should just look to solidly complement that talented trio (don’t mind Jackman but know nothing about the rest) and at forward I get the presence of McDonald but why bring in Langenbrunner and Arnott? Oshie and Steen are playing out of position with my lineup, and D’ Agostini is not a fourth line player. Guess Perron’s not improving?
With the cap space they had they could’ve managed something really interesting but now it’s just a big meh to me. They have a playoff chance I guess but I’m not sure they’re in.
19. Minnesota Wild
Heatley – Koivu – Setoguchi
Latendresse – Bouchard – Clutterbuck
Nystrom – Cullen – Brodziak
Powe – Gillies – Staubitz
Zidlicky – Schultz
Zanon – Lundin
Scandella – Stoner
Spurgeon
Backstrom
Harding
Cap space 10 mil.
Sweet top line (Koivu will finally have some company) and not a bad 2nd line. Beyond that and Backstrom they’re not very strong though. I see them just missing the playoffs just like last year.
20. Columbus Blue Jackets
Huselius – Carter – Nash
Umberger – Brassard – Vermette
Calvert – Pahlsson – Prospal
MacKenzie – Dorsett - Boll
Wisniewski – Tyutin
Methot – Clitsome
Martinek – Russell
Mason
Dekanic
Cap space 6 mil.
Sweet first line, pretty nice top six and nine. Less certain about their D and goaltending, however. Have to admit I don’t know much about their D though. If it’s decent I guess they could challenge for a playoff spot.
21. Dallas Stars
Benn – Ribiero – Eriksson
Morrow – Ott – Ryder
Fiddler – Burish – Dvorak
Barch – Wandell – Dowell
Vincour, Petersen
Robidas – Souray
Daley – Goligoski
Grossman – Pardy
Fistric
Lehtonen
Raycroft
Cap space 14 mil. Had something going but their budget obviously got in the way. Add Richards and they’ve got a pretty sweet top six. D looks kind of nice and Lehtonen is solid. I’m excited to continue following Benn’s development. Borderline playoff challenger.
22. Edmonton Oilers
Hall – Hemsky – Eberle
Gagner – Horcoff – Paajarvi
Smyth – Brule – Jones
Eager – Belanger – Hordichuk
Hartikanien, Omark, Nudgent-Hopkins
Whitney – Smid
Gilbert – Barker
Sutton – Peckham
Chorney
Khabibulin
Dubnyk
Cap space 7 mil.
All the talent in the world but I don’t see their plan currently. Tons of centers. Guys too good for a 4th line getting in the way of the youngster (Smyth and Belanger), and so on. Above I don’t even have Omark or N.-Hopkins on a line. D looks ok I guess. Goalie situation tricky. Bhulin was pretty good at times last year but he’s not exactly the future. I want them to do great but think it’ll be hard for them to compete for a playoff spot this year already.
23. Winnipeg Jets
Ladd – Antropov – Kane
Wheeler – Little – Fehr
Schremp – Burmistrov – Cormier
Thorburn – Glass – Slater
Rypien, Stapleton, Maxwell
Byfuglien – Enstrom
Hainsey – Odoya
Stuart – Bogosian
Jones, Festerling
Pavelec
Mason
Cap space about 12 mil if Bogosian gets around 3 a year. Interesting roster but some notable weaknesses. No true top center. I feel as if they’ve got two 2nd lines but no real first. They have some gems but no stars really until Kane reaches that status. Hopefully Burmistrov can emerge and establish himself as a top center too. I see them finishing 10th in the east or so.
24. Florida Panthers
Bergenheim – Booth – Fleischman
Dadonov – Weiss – Versteeg
Skille – Santorelli – Upshall
Bradley – Goc – Kopecky
Repik
Campbell – Jovanovski
Kulikov – Weaver
Ellerby – Garrison
Callahan
Theodore
Clemmensen
Cap space 14.5 mil.
Actually a decent top nine and four. If one of their goalies surprises pleasently (very) they might challenge for a playoff spot.
25. Nashville Predators
Erat – Legwand – Hornqvist
O’Reilly - Wilson – Kostitsyn
Spaling - Fisher - Bergfors
Geoffrin – Smithson - Totoo
Halischuk
Weber – Suter
Buillon – Lebda
Klein – Blum
Ekholm
Rinne
Lindback
Cap space about 17 mil if Weber gets 6 mil.
Don’t see where they’re going. Mediocre roster. They’re always better than they look on paper, obviously, but I don’t see them making the playoffs. Their era of over achievement is over. Can’t say I know alot about their players, however, they’re a team I seldom to never watch. Excellent goaltending tandem.
26. Carolina Hurricanes
Jokinen – Staal – Stillman
Ponikarovsky – Skinner – Ruutu
Larose – Sutter – Stewart
Tlusty – Brent – Dwyer
Samson, Bowman
Pitkanen – Gleason
Kaberle – Allen
Joslin – Mcbain
Harrison
Ward
Boucher
Cap space 14.5 mil before re-signing Stillman.
Half decent top nine, solid top four on D and a great goalie. Possibly battling for final playoff spot in the east. Still this low when ranking rosters, however.
27. New York Islanders
Moulson – Tavares - Okposo
Parenteau – Bailey – Grabner
Comeau – Reasoner – Hunter
Martin – Gilles – Nielsen
Joensuu, Haley
Streit – Eaton
Jurcina – Hamonic
Wishart – Mottau
Reese, MacDonald
DiPietro
Montoya
Cap space about 20 mil after the re-signings I’ve done.
Interesting and already decent top six and nine. D pretty weak though even if Streit’s back. Hamonic’s emergence last year was impressive, however. Don’t know what to say. Don’t think they’ll be last again. I’m thinking 11th in the east or around there somewhere.
28. Colorado Avalanche
Jones – Stastny – Hejduk
Mueller – Duchene – Galiardi
Kobasew – O’Reilly – McClement
Porter – Yip – McLeod
Landeskog, Siemens, Lindstrom
Hejda – Johnson
Quincey – O’Byrne
Hunwick – Wilson
O’Brien
Varlamov
Giguere
Cap space 19 mil.
Had something going but opted for re-building again. Were I their GM I’d build around Duchene, Stastny, Mueller (if still in the picture), O’Reilly, Johnson, Varlamov and Galiardi and more or less screw the rest.
29. Phoenix Coyotes
Whitney – Doan – Vrbata
Stempniak – Hanzal – Korpikoski
Miele – Turris – Torres
Pyatt – Chipchura – Bissonnette
Nokelainen, Gordon
Rozsival – Yandle
Klesla – Morris
Aucoin – Sauer
Schlemko
Smith
LaBarbera
Cap space before re-signing Turris 16.4.
Oh boy. They’ve had two straight surprising playoff appearances but are now up for a rude awakening. Solid depth on D but beyond that what’s there to like? Bryzgalov will be missed. I think they’re bottom feeders.
30. Ottawa Senators
Michalek – Spezza – Alfredsson
Filatov – Butler – Foligno
Neil – Regin – Condra
Da. Costa – Greening – Winchester
Konopka, Smith
Gonchar – Phillips
Kuba – Karlsson
Carkner – Rundblad
Lee
Andersson
Auld
Cap space 12.5 mil. Which is nothing in relation to the strenght of their roster. I see a whole lot of suck and yet they’ve spent some money. Spezza was solid last year and Karlsson and Rundblad are future studs (though together with Gonchar they’re gonna give up some goals for sure) but beyond that I don’t know what to like. The Sens had their years up from the cellar but now they’re back. I admit I don’t know much at all about many of their forwards but I really don’t think I’m that off in writing them off completely. I hope they’re dead last in the east. Which would be good for them too. Add another high pick to join Karlsson, Rundblad, Silferberg and Zibanejad (they’re high on young Swedes ey?) and start re-building.
This results in the following standings:
Eastern Conference:
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Washington Capitals
3. Boston Bruins
4. Montreal Canadiens
5. Buffalo Sabres
6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Tampa Bay Lightning
8. New York Rangers
9. New Jersey Devils
10. Toronto Maple Leafs
11. Winnipeg Jets (boy was that sweet to type)
12. Florida Panthers
13. Carolina Hurricanes
14. New York Islanders
15. Ottawa Senators
Western Conference:
1. Vancouver Canucks
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Los Angeles Kings
5. Detroit Red Wings
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Calgary Flames
8. St Louis Blues
9. Minnesota Stars
10. Columbus Blue Jackets
11. Dallas Stars
12. Edmonton Oilers
13. Nashville Predators
14. Colorado Avalanche
15. Phoenix Coyotes
