Sporting News hockey preview on the Pens

[cs6687]

If Cam Ward can quit playing average in goal, Carolina wins the Southeast. They have been hit by the injury bug pretty hard in each of the last two seasons.

...i'm calling the canes to win the southeast, the craps will then take the 6-7 or 8 seed...

you're really picking 2 teams from the southeast to make the playoffs? really?

why not?if the canes can stay healthy, they could definitely win the division and the caps are pretty impressive.

1.Montreal
2.Pittsburgh
3.Carolina
4.Philadelphia
5.New Jersey
6.Washington
7.New York
8.Ottawa

I agree on every team except Ottawa. Boston will be a playoff team.

[canaan]

I agree on every team except Ottawa. Boston will be a playoff team.

fair enough. i was giving more of a rough estimate. i think a healthy boston team makes it as well. Bergeron's return won't hurt and another year in their system can only help. i wonder what ottawa team is going to play this year.

[Daniel87]

Man that sucks I just re-subscribed to the Sporting News and the issues haven't started coming yet. Figures I miss the hockey preview. That's pretty much the only time they have more than a few paragraphs about hockey.

[cs6687]

Man that sucks I just re-subscribed to the Sporting News and the issues haven't started coming yet. Figures I miss the hockey preview. That's pretty much the only time they have more than a few paragraphs about hockey.

My bad, Dan. I should've mentioned this is the magazine preview you can pick up at a bookstore.

[duke66]

If Cam Ward can quit playing average in goal, Carolina wins the Southeast. They have been hit by the injury bug pretty hard in each of the last two seasons.

...i'm calling the canes to win the southeast, the craps will then take the 6-7 or 8 seed...

you're really picking 2 teams from the southeast to make the playoffs? really?

...sure, why not?...i actually see one of the atlantic teams missing out this year (either jersey or nyr)...so that leaves the pens, flyers, one of jersey or nyr, montreal, carolina, washington, ottawa and buffalo/boston...that makes 8!...

1. pens
2. habs
3. canes
4. flyers
5. jersey/nyr
6. ottawa
7. washington
8. buffalo/boston

[Idoit40fans]

Wouldn't that be 2 Atlantic teams missing then?

[duke66]

Wouldn't that be 2 Atlantic teams missing then?

...uh the isles didn't make it last year, so i was going on the assumption that most knew 4 atlantic teams made it last year, thus only 3 this year in my prediction....

[JoseCuervo]

I don't see Ottawa making the playoffs. Boston and even Buffalo have a stronger chance if they stay healthy.

[Mr. Colby]

buffalo doesn't impress me. although if vanek can get back to himself and miller keeps his head on straight, they MIGHT sneak into the 8 spot

[Mr. Colby]

What we know for sure is that there are 4 teams that are pretty much guaranteed to suck...

Atlanta
Florida
Toronto
NY Islanders

4 teams that are pretty much guaranteed to be very good

Pittsburgh
Montreal
NY Rangers
Philadelphia

and 7 teams fighting in the middle for the other 4 playoff spots

New Jersey
Washington
Carolina
Tampa Bay
Ottawa
Boston
Buffalo


my guess is NJ, Washington, Carolina, and either Ottawa or Boston get in.

Tampa finishes 11th when they realize that brutal D and mediocre goaltending don't cut it in this league, Buffalo comes in around the 10 spot, and Ottawa, Boston, Carolina, and Washington fight for the 3, 7, and 8 spots

[ffemtreed]

TOP 8

Pittsburgh (no reason to think this team will regress)
Washington (Destroys a weak SE division)
Montreal (Fights with Boston for the division)
Flyers (I am not sold on them just yet, way too inconsistent)
Boston (Wildcard team for the year)
Rangers (They lost a lot and completely changed the makup of the team but they sqeak in)
Devils (They got a solid wall in front of the net that plays 82 games)


Near Misses
Carolina (only reason they are close is because of the weak southeast)
Ottawa (Just continue the downward spiral)
Buffalo (not sure they can make up for there recent losses just yet)


No Real Chance outside of a Cinderella season

Tampa Bay (made bold moves but not sure they where the right ones)
Atlanta (they will be fun to watch and Lethonen will win a few for them)
Florida (This could be a surprise team, but not likely)
Islanders (They need 5 years and some offense)
Toronto (Laughing stock of the league)

[Daniel87]

Man that sucks I just re-subscribed to the Sporting News and the issues haven't started coming yet. Figures I miss the hockey preview. That's pretty much the only time they have more than a few paragraphs about hockey.

My bad, Dan. I should've mentioned this is the magazine preview you can pick up at a bookstore.

Oh, ok. That makes more sense.