Division predictions

[DrunkenSabre]

when this season began, i had a gut feeling that baring one or two really great teams, we're gonna sit pretty high in our division. I truely believe we'll be 2nd or 3rd in our division. my official predictions:

 

1 Ottawa

2 Montreal/sabres

3 Sabres/montreal

4 Boston

5 Leafs

 

We have a fast team, baring injury we have a good one to. if we can stay around or above .500 before mid january then hopefully, if our recent luck after that time is anything to go by, we should hopefull make it to 6th or 5th even in the league.

 

im not saying is garunteed, im just hoping and i can see realistic potential.

[zow2]

Just so happens that our division is the toughest in the East (imo). I can see the Sabres finishing as high as 2nd if they get very good goaltending but i also can't imagine Montreal, Boston or Toronto missing the playoffs. All are good teams even though Toronto is off to a slower start. Ottawa is a shoe in.

[Taro T]

Just so happens that our division is the toughest in the East (imo).  I can see the Sabres finishing as high as 2nd if they get very good goaltending but i also can't imagine Montreal, Boston or Toronto missing the playoffs.  All are good teams even though Toronto is off to a slower start.  Ottawa is a shoe in.

If you can't imagine Toronto missing the playoffs, you don't have much of an imagination. ;)

 

I can't imagine them making the playoffs unless Allison and Lindros play like they did before they got injured and stay healthy all season and Eddie plays like a 30 year old, not the 40 year old he is.

[Saber61]

tellqvist was impressive the other night there... even if belfour gets hurt tellqvist could maybe carry 1/4 or even 1/2 the load and thats a STRECH... but all the other good goalies are taken theres no way they make the playoffs if belfour gets hurt early... plus lacking sundin...

[zow2]

If you can't imagine Toronto missing the playoffs, you don't have much of an imagination. ;)

 

I can't imagine them making the playoffs unless Allison and Lindros play like they did before they got injured and stay healthy all season and Eddie plays like a 30 year old, not the 40 year old he is.

All I'm saying is that last time we saw playoff hockey (seemingly a million years ago)...the Leafs, Boston and Ottawa were involved. It's hard to believe those teams are going to go in the tank and now even Montreal has gotten off to a great start and look solid this year. The Sabs have their hands full in this division. I agree that Toronto could lay an egg this year but they will find a way to be decent.

[Taro T]

All I'm saying is that last time we saw playoff hockey (seemingly a million years ago)...the Leafs, Boston and Ottawa were involved.  It's hard to believe those teams are going to go in the tank and now even Montreal has gotten off to a great start and look solid this year.  The Sabs have their hands full in this division.  I agree that Toronto could lay an egg this year but they will find a way to be decent.

It's true. Those teams were in the playoffs last time they played. Ottawa comes back with basically the same team they had last time around. They added Hasek and lost Bonk, White, and Lalime. Considering the team age and speed, they will still be awesome and were my preseason pick to go to the finals from the East. I agree with you that Ottawa will be better than the Sabres.

 

Boston had a lot more turnover. I think they had 4 guys under contract when free agency began. They lost Rolston, Lapointe, Nylander, and Knuble up front and McGillis, O'Donnell, and Zamuner on D. They've brought in Zhamnov, Isbister, Scatchard, and McEachern up front and Leetch on D. Their forwards have good size and speed, but I am not overwhelmed by their D. Nick Boynton is currently unsigned. If they bring him back, I think they are one of the top teams in the conference, if not, I still think they make the playoffs but aren't as strong.

 

I am not impressed with Toronto. They kept an expensive and aging Belfour and lost a lot of players. Gone are Leetch, Marchment, Mogilny, Nieuwendyk, Nolan, Renberg, Roberts, Francis, Fitzgerald, and Berehowsky. They've brought in unproven guys and injury prone guys. With that kind of turnover and goaltending, I see several reasons for the team to go into the tank.

 

Montreal is a team like the Sabres - smallish and fast. They should do well with the new rules, if the league continues to enforce the rules as they are written.

 

The Sabres and Senators are 2 of the few teams that came back with essentially what they had last time they played. The Sharks are another. All these other teams are works in progress and nobody really knows how they are going to gel. Some of them, like TO, I don't expect much out of; some of the others, like Boston, I expect to still have good teams.

 

People don't know how the various teams will perform in the new look NHL. Some teams like Calgary that did well last time were built upon the clutch and grab hockey that the league is doing away with. I picked them to make the playoffs this year because of Kiprusoff, but do not expect them to be legitimate cup contenders. There are a lot of "pros" that picked them to get to the finals. With all the roster shakeups and enforcement shakeups and new rules, it isn't hard for me to believe that there will be a lot of surprises this season.

 

The Sabres seemed to have been disrespected on the national stage because they didn't pick anyone up, but they didn't really lose anyone either. The new rules favor the Sabres, lets hope they keep enforcing them.