NHL PREVIEW: Rest of Eastern Conference will be gunning for Lightning | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Mostly Cloudy  5.6°C

NHL PREVIEW: Rest of Eastern Conference will be gunning for Lightning

Members of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Anton Stralman (6), of Sweden, Victor Hedman (77), of Sweden, Valtteri Filppula (51), of Finland, and Steven Stamkos (91) pause during at timeout in the third period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday, June 10, 2015, in Chicago. Only once in the past 30 years has a team lost in the Stanley Cup final and come back the next year to win it.The Tampa Bay Lightning hope they can follow the 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins into the history books with almost the same roster that lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Nam Y. Huh
Original Publication Date September 29, 2015 - 8:40 AM

Only once in the past 30 years has a team lost in the Stanley Cup final and come back the next year to win it.

The Tampa Bay Lightning hope they can follow the 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins into the history books with almost the same roster that lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. They realize they're no longer a long shot to do it.

"Teams know what to expect from us now," captain Steven Stamkos said. "We're not going to surprise anyone. We're still a young team, we went through that experience. We're only going to be better for it. And now it's going to be harder. I think we'll be ready for that challenge."

Stamkos doesn't have a contract extension, and backup goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will miss the start of the season after vascular surgery to remove blood clots. Those are some of the challenges Tampa Bay has to deal with, along with rebounding from a short summer.

Defenceman Victor Hedman, who figures to be a Norris Trophy candidate, is pretty confident he and his teammates won't be tired. They might even be better at pacing themselves for the playoffs given the run they went on.

"We're going to be hungry," Hedman said. "We have to be ready. ... It obviously tears on your body to play 110 games in a season. For us, we have to re-focus."

The re-focusing starts now, with the rest of the Eastern Conference gunning for the Lightning.

Here's a look at the Eastern Conference in the predicted order of finish by division (asterisk indicates wild-card playoff teams):

ATLANTIC DIVISION

1. Tampa Bay Lightning

Last season: 50-24-8, 108 points, second in Atlantic, lost in Cup final to Chicago

Who's gone: LW Brenden Morrow

Who's new: RW Erik Condra, G Kevin Poulin

Outlook: Top to bottom, there's no more talented team in the East than the Lightning, who boast the "Triplets" line of Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov in addition to stalwarts Stamkos, Hedman and Anton Stralman. The Stamkos contract situation is the only red flag for Tampa Bay.

2. Montreal Canadiens

Last season: 50-22-10, 110 points, first in Atlantic, lost in division final to Tampa Bay

Who's gone: LW Brandon Prust,

Who's new: RW Zack Kassian, RW Alexander Semin

Outlook: The Canadiens still have elite goaltender Carey Price and could produce more offence with the addition of Semin and the move of Alex Galchenyuk to centre. The defence will be deeper, too, with a full season of Jeff Petry joining P.K. Subban.

3. Detroit Red Wings

Last season: 43-25-14, 100 points, third in Atlantic, lost in division semifinal to Tampa Bay

Who's gone: C Stephen Weiss, D Marek Zidlicky, G Jonas Gustavsson

Who's new: C Brad Richards, D Mike Green

Outlook: The biggest departure is coach Mike Babcock, so it'll be apparent early how much of an effect he had on the Red Wings. Mini-Babcock Jeff Blashill is considered one of the best young coaches in hockey, and the team still has Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and a lot of good young forwards.

4. Ottawa Senators

Last season: 43-26-13, 99 points, fourth in Atlantic, lost in division semifinal to Montreal

Who's gone: RW Erik Condra, D Erik Gryba, G Robin Lehner, F David Legwand

Who's new: None

Outlook: The Senators can't count on another Hail Mary late-season run to make the playoffs again. Andrew "Hamburglar" Hammond is Craig Anderson's backup now, but they still have Norris winner Erik Karlsson and young talent up front that's still improving.

5. Buffalo Sabres

Last season: 23-51-8, 54 points, eighth in Atlantic, missed playoffs

Who's gone: D Nikita Zadorov, D Andrej Meszaros, F Cody Hodgson, D Andre Benoit, D Tyson Strachan, C Mikhail Grigorenko

Who's new: C Ryan O'Reilly, C Jack Eichel, LW Evander Kane, G Robin Lehner, D Cody Franson, F David Legwand

Outlook: Under new coach Dan Bylsma and with an influx of talent, the Sabres will be much, much, much better than a year ago, when they wanted to be bad to nab a top draft pick. Lehner's comeback from a concussion is a question mark, as is the unproven blue line, but second-overall pick Eichel will be a star.

6. Florida Panthers

Last season: 38-29-15, 91 points, sixth in Atlantic, missed playoffs

Who's gone: LW Brad Boyes, RW Jimmy Hayes, LW Scottie Upshall, F Tomas Kopecky

Who's new: RW Reilly Smith

Outlook: The Panthers' young stars, like Aleksander Barkov, Calder Trophy winner Aaron Ekblad and Jonathan Huberdeau are another year older and should take a step forward. But in a difficult East wild-card race, they'll be in tough to contend for a playoff spot.

7. Boston Bruins

Last season: 41-27-14, 86 points, fifth in Atlantic, missed playoffs

Who's gone: D Dougie Hamilton, LW Milan Lucic, RW Reilly Smith, G Niklas Svedberg, C Carl Soderberg, C Gregory Campbell, LW Daniel Paille, D Matt Bartkowski

Who's new: LW Matt Beleskey, RW Jimmy Hayes, LW Zac Rinaldo, D Matt Irwin

Outlook: Goaltender Tuukka Rask said confidently that he didn't believe the Bruins got worse. Objectively, without Lucic and Hamilton, they did, and though it won't be his fault, it could cost coach Claude Julien his job during or after the season.

8. Toronto Maple Leafs

Last season: 30-44-8, 68 points, seventh in Atlantic, missed playoffs

Who's gone: RW Phil Kessel, LW David Booth, F Zach Sill, C Olli Jokinen, D Tim Erixon

Who's new: RW Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, F Shawn Matthias, C Nick Spaling, LW Brad Boyes, F Mark Arcobello, RW Michael Grabner, D Matt Hunwick, D Martin Marincin

Outlook: The Lou Lamoriello/Mike Babcock era will begin with a team that works very hard but isn't talented enough to make much of an improvement. It's the start of the long building process for the Maple Leafs, and this won't be an easy season.

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

1. Washington Capitals

Last season: 45-26-11, 101 points, second in Metropolitan, lost in division final to Rangers

Who's gone: RW Troy Brouwer, F Eric Fehr, RW Joel Ward, D Mike Green, D Tim Gleason, LW Curtis Glencross

Who's new: RW Justin Williams, RW T.J. Oshie, G Philipp Grubauer

Outlook: Alex Ovechkin is poised for yet another 50-goal season, even with centre Nicklas Backstrom working his way back from hip surgery. The blue line has to stay healthy (again), but goalie Braden Holtby is elite and he'll prove it into the playoffs.

2. New York Rangers

Last season: 53-22-7, 113 points, first in Metropolitan (won Presidents' Trophy), lost in conference final to Tampa Bay

Who's gone: RW Martin St. Louis, LW Carl Hagelin, G Cam Talbot, D Matt Hunwick

Who's new: RW Emerson Etem, G Antti Raanta, C Jarret Stoll, F Viktor Stalberg

Outlook: It'll be a challenge making up for the retirement of St. Louis and trade of Hagelin, but this is still an Alain Vigneault-coached team with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. The Rangers' Cup window is still open for now, but it won't be for very long.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

Last season: 43-27-12, 98 points, fourth in Metropolitan, lost in division semifinal to Rangers

Who's gone: D Paul Martin, C Brandon Sutter, D Christian Ehrhoff, RW Steve Downie, LW Blake Comeau, G Thomas Greiss

Who's new: RW Phil Kessel, C Nick Bonino, F Eric Fehr, D Tim Erixon, F Sergei Plotnikov

Outlook: Put Kessel on the wing with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin and watch the former Maple Leafs star score 40 goals — or more. Pittsburgh has a star-studded top-nine forwards, but the young, untested defence is what the season will hinge on.

4. New York Islanders*

Last season: 47-28-7, 101 points, third in Metropolitan, lost in division semifinal to Washington

Who's gone: RW Michael Grabner, D Lubomir Visnovsky, G Michal Neuvirth

Who's new: D Marek Zidlicky, RW Steve Bernier, G Thomas Greiss

Outlook: Their new digs in Brooklyn will take some getting used to, though the talented roster is still the same, led by captain John Tavares and defenceman Johnny Boychuk. The Islanders are a sure-fire playoff team again in a competitive Metropolitan Division.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets*

Last season: 42-35-5, 89 points, fifth in Metropolitan, missed playoffs

Who's gone: C Artem Anisimov, RW Marko Dano

Who's new: LW Brandon Saad, C Gregory Campbell

Outlook: The Blue Jackets were the most injury-plagued team in the NHL last season, and still they made a late run to show what they can do when healthy. Saad is a young superstar who joins a terrific core that includes Nick Foligno, Ryan Johansen and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Last season: 33-31-18, 84 points, sixth in Metropolitan, missed playoffs

Who's gone: D Nicklas Grossmann, LW Zac Rinaldo, G Ray Emery

Who's new: F Sam Gagner, D Evgeny Medvedev, G Michal Neuvirth, D Radko Gudas, F Chris Porter

Outlook: GM Ron Hextall brought in a new coach in Dave Hakstol and is trying to stockpile defensive prospects with an eye on building the right way, like the Kings did. That could happen to make Philadelphia a contender down the line, but not this year.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

Last season: 30-41-11, 71 points, eighth in Metropolitan, missed playoffs

Who's gone: RW Alexander Semin, G Anton Khudobin

Who's new: D Noah Hanifin, D James Wisniewski, RW Kris Versteeg, G Eddie Lack

Outlook: This is a turning-point season in Carolina, with captain Eric Staal and starting goalie Cam Ward's contracts up next summer. Ron Francis could turn this into a complete youth movement, though that'll mean more years without a playoff appearance to come.

8. New Jersey Devils

Last season: 32-36-14, 78 points, seventh in Metropolitan, missed playoffs

Who's gone: C Scott Gomez, LW Dainius Zubrus, RW Steve Bernier, D Bryce Salvador, RW Michael Ryder, LW Martin Havlat

Who's new: LW Jiri Tlusty, D John Moore, C Kyle Palmieri, D David Schlemko

Outlook: The remaking of the Devils post-Lou Lamoriello begins now under new GM Ray Shero and coach John Hynes. Goals will be very difficult to come by with this roster, so it'll be a rough one, but Cory Schneider will steal more than a few points.

---

Follow @SWhyno on Twitter

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misspelled Nicklas Grossmann's first name.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2015
The Canadian Press

  • Popular kamloops News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile