2011/12 predictions: Northeast Division
My second article containing my predictions for next year’s hockey takes me to the Northeast division. Although it isn’t as strong as the Atlantic division, which I predicted in my first article, the Northeast division is fairly strong and of course contains the Stanley Cup holders, the Boston Bruins.
In the 2010-11 campaign, three teams from this division advanced in to the post season. The Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadians and Buffalo Sabres all played playoff hockey however the other two group representatives, the Maple Leafs and Senators were behind the pace and had poor campaigns. So, will the Sens or Leafs bounce back? Will the Bruins lift the title once again? Read on to see what I think!
I will start with the 2010-11 champions the Bruins. Boston finished with the least amount of points to win a division last year with 103, including 46 wins. I watched a few of their regular season games and they were a physical outfit and passed the puck very well, but I didn’t think they would lift the trophy. What I liked about them was that they were a proper team with eight players scoring 40 points or more with no one breaking the 70-point mark. I mention also has to go to Tim Thomas, the Bruins net minder, who recorded 9 shutouts and a huge save pct of .938 in 57 games.
The Bruins have to go into the new season as favourites for the cup and many will feel its theirs to lose but I feel it wont be 6ft9 captain Zdeno Chara lifting the cup in June 2012 for the second year running. Boston have enjoyed a quiet off-season whilst acquiring a few new players but nothing major. This means the franchise from Massachusetts will enter the new campaign with a settled camp and settled lines where everybody knows everybody else and their styles of play. The majority of the players who were in the cup winning squad have remained in Boston and will want a repeat of last. I am predicting them as group winners but to go out in the conference semi-finals. I feel the East is getting stronger and stronger every year and we will see a different representative in the 2011-12 Stanley Cup finals.
The Montreal Canadians clinched 2nd place in the Northeast division with a playoff spot to go along with it. The Canadians are one of a few playoff teams who don’t have a stand-out player who scores a heavy load of points a season but they are still an effective team. They won 44 games last year which took them into the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year and Montreal will be looking to make it five this time round.
Are they going to advance to the post season? I don’t think they will make the top eight in the West this season which is looking a very strong conference as days go by. I don’t think the Habs will make the playoffs simple because I can’t see where enough goals are going to come to win enough games. 28 year old Cezch Tomas Plekanec was the sides points score last season with a total of 57 and this what concerns me about the Habs. You cant qualify for the playoffs with ease let alone be strong contenders if you don’t have a big points scorer or several over the 40/50 point mark.
They have brought Erik Cole in from the Hurricanes in the off-season on a four-year contract worth $18 million. He will bring at least 50 points to the Canadians but wont be the massive points scorer they need. The Habs will have to show they can score before I show any faith in them. No playoff spot this year for me I’m afraid.
The other team that clinched a playoff sport last year were the Buffalo Sabres who finished third in the division but tied on points with the Habs with 96. I am predicting a playoff spot for the 2011-12 season the Sabres. They have young and very promising players such as Left Winger Tyler Ennis who had a cracking season last season and will only build on that and get better this time around. Along with the youth they have brought in some experience as they have signed 29 year old German Christian Ehrhoff who represented the Canucks last season. Along with his experience he will bring an attacking style from the point and will provide plenty of points next year.
They now have an established keeper between the pipes in American Ryan Miller who had yet another great season with the franchise last year. Miller is becoming known as one of the best keepers in the league and a great keeper brings success to many teams. I think Buffalo will have a great season next year and will be a team to watch!
Three Canadian teams are in the Northeast and the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of these three. They had yet another poor campaign, not qualifying for the playoffs for the sixth straight year which is a run they would love to bring to a halt this year. Scoring goals wasn’t a problem for the 13 time Stanley Cup winners as they netted a very respectable 213 but in contrast conceded 251 which simply isn’t good enough.
A problem the Leafs face last year was an unsettled goaltending apartment. They had three goalies that shared the honours throughout the year, none of which had stats worth writing home about. If they find a keeper who will stay their number one throughout the year and strengthen their defence there is no reason why the Leafs can record their best season, especially as they are very capable of scoring goals. An improvement on last year maybe the case but not a playoff spot.
The Ottawa Senators had a very, very poor season last year and just never got going. They finished bottom of their division and never looked like making the playoffs throughout the regular season. So, what does the 2011-12 campaign have in store for them? Well, I am going to be brave and give the Sens a playoff spot this coming season. They will hope to have captain and key man Daniel Alfredsson back to full fitness and firing on all cylinders. He brings experience and points to the Sens and his presence will be crucial if Ottawa are to make the playoffs.
I managed to watch quite a few Sens games last year and along with the likes of Spezza and Karlsson another player drew my attention. Goaltender Craig Anderson had an absolute stormer for the Canadian side last year. He joined late from the Avs notching had a save pct of .939 with the Sens and It could definitely have been a different story for Ottawa last season if he had been in net from the start. Sens are due a big one, and for me this year is the year!
I have taken some brave calls in this division, which had so many teams who are borderline playoffs on my eyes. But after a bit of thought, here are my final standings for the 2011-12 season.
1) Boston – 101 points
2) Buffalo – 97 points
3) Ottawa – 94 points
4) Montreal – 89 points
5) Toronto – 80 points
