NHL 2020 2021 Standings for the new "central" division.
this division is just crazy huge. it stretches from Florida to Detroit to St. Louis.
#1 (TBL) --Now they still have some big RFAs to sign, and that means players will be moved out. they won't' be quite as stacked as they were when they won the cup, but they are by far the best team on paper in this divisions. they will have to sacrifice alot of their stellar depth if they wish to keep Cirelli and Sergachev, but the top-end talent is elite for sure.
#2 (CAR) --I like the make up of this team on paper, but I just think they are missing those couple pieces to elevate them to serious cup contenders. no matter who is in goal (reimer, mrasek, ayers lol) I don't like their odds (except Ayers). their C depth looks good with Aho, trochek, Staal and Svechnikov hopefully doesn't get run by Torey Krug while attempting a lacrosse goal. wouldn't that be something???
#3 (CBJ) --I have them here before any big moves--and I think one or more may be coming. they have a ton of cap space even with extending Pierre-Luc Dubois. their grinding system and good goaltending will get them to the playoffs even if it doesn't look pretty along the way. Domi looks like a good add.
#4 (STL) --I may be sleeping on the "one year ago champs" but losing Pietro their Captain I think is huge both on and off the ice. Krug is a nice PP option but I don't think he's a top-10 D like Pietro. Tarasenko is injured--again--and I have never liked their forward group that much. Allen is gone and is Binnington now Matt Murray 2.0??? breaks into the league on fire, wins a cup, then struggles to find a rhythm?? I hope not. I think STL could go either way, which is why I have them top of the pack fighting for a WC spot.
#5 (NSH) --this team looks alot better on paper than their performance of late. they still have some top end talent on the blue line. their forwards making big $$ need to start pulling their own weight and then some for this team to make a push for the playoffs. how does the goaltending sort out? can Saros be a #1?
#6 (FLA) --Will Bobrovsky rebound? even if he does, beyond Ekblad, Huberdeau, and Barkov, alot of the secondary scoring is gone in trochek, Dadonov, and Hoffman. once again, Florida has some talent but not much depth or stability.
#7 (DET) --They won't stink THAT BAD again. this is a bit of a reach predicting they finish above Chicago but they have some young players that can develop and hopefully help them a little bit. their goaltending I think has stabilized now so whoever plays should have more than 2 wins all season...
#8 (CHI) --they have lost some forward depth, their D is mediocre on a good day, and their goaltending........I'll just stop there. it's tanking. the letter has been written. if I'm Toews or Kane, I ask for a trade--even if impossible--which is basically is bc of their overpaid contracts.
Even with the rebuild they're having, not sure if I see Chicago being below the Wings. Otherwise it's pretty good. Tampa and Carolina being at the top is pretty realistic.