TYLER BOUCHER

???

the 10th overall pick
hes there
and playing 4th line
just a random comment

Thanks for the explanation.

The other day I was thinking about who we'd have to beat out next year to make the playoffs and who we'd be competing with when we finally start contending in 3ish years.

I think it's entirely possible we sneak in as a wild card team in 22-23. Playoff locks IMO: Rangers, Canes, Tampa, Florida, Leafs. Playoff hopefuls: Sens, Penguins, Caps, Wings, Bruins, Devils. No chance: Columbus, Islanders, Flyers, Sabres, Habs.

Out of the six playoff hopeful teams, three will miss.

-Pens: People have been predicting the penguins to fall off since before they won back to back cups. No matter what their team looks like, they just continue to be one of the best teams in the league. Things get interesting this summer with Rust, Malkin and Letang being UFAs. If Malkin or Letang walk, the team is screwed. I can't picture them in any other jersey so I doubt it though. I could totally see both of them signing for cheap then adding someone else with all that extra cap room and being a top team once again. However, their 3 core guys are going to start the season 36, 35, 35 years old. Decent chance one of them falls off but then again it never happens even though everyone calls for it every year. They aren't a lock IMO because if one of Rust, Geno or Letang leaves in FA that's a massive blow. Team is extremely old and It could legitimately be the year it finally happens.

-Washington: Same story with the Caps. No significant UFAs besides Schultz but the team is extremely old and is currently showing glimpses of weakness. Everybody calls for them to fall off as well every year and it never happens. If Caps and Penguins do fall off that leaves the door wide open for the Sens.

-Wings: Showing lots of promise. Decent shot to make playoffs next year especially if Y spends all that cap space they're sitting on.

-Bruins: Aging core. If Bergeron leaves the team is toast. Candidate to fall off but unlikely.

-Devils: Promising young core but no matter how great the offseason looks they never manage to get it together. Feels like a losing culture is being established and I think they miss again next year.

Conclusion: If Washington and Pittsburgh finally fall off, Sens will only have to beat out one of Detroit, New Jersey or Boston and playoffs are very likely. If both teams + Boston continue to magically defy the aging process, Sens probably just miss.

When looking at who we'd be competing against when our hypothetical cup window opens (around 24-25), the Rangers and Leafs will face a cap crunch but as long as Matthews resigns they should both be very competitive. Florida should still be stacked, Wings will be super dangerous, Devils probably figure it out. Those are your 5 teams to beat in the East.

Tampa and Boston probably fall of by then and the Canes are hard to get a read on. Philly, Habs and Islanders will be rebuilding. Columbus and Buffalo might be good but probably not amazing.

We could most definitely be looking at some playoff matchups against the Leafs down the road.