I think this team really improved over the offseason but still don’t see them making the playoffs this year. I think they’ll be competitive but will just miss. In a year or two though, once the young guys learn and improve, they’ll be one of the better teams in the league.

Neither. Not a contender but not trying to be yet either (can’t accuse of pretending). i’m fine with a losing season as long as the games are still interesting and the youth gets to play sufficiently.

There are so many questions. If our D can play at even a league-average level, and the youths can make steps forward, we could be a playoff team.

I just think that is a bit of a big ask after only one year. All told, I see these guys maybe being in the WC conversation, but likely missing the playoffs. Particularly since the Metro is going to be brutal this year.

I like the trade, btw.

Pretender - Columbus’s d core is still major suspect and as you pointed out, the lack of a top line center. I have Columbus 7th in the metro by a slim margin behind NYI, PIT, and NJD with a wider gap between them and CAR, NYR and WSH (Not in standings order).


As for the trade I doubt NYR makes that deal, I also can’t see where Lundkvist is playing top pair this year.

Metro is just brutal... but the #CBJ have a chance.. no doubt a lot rests on Peeke and Bean improving, maybe Jiricek making the team, Boqvist rounding out his game in his own end or perhaps Blankenburg just killing it and forcing his way into the top-4.

At forward there are just as many questions and possibilities. Who's going to have chemistry with Johnny Hockey, will Laine take another step. Will Roslovic continue his play, what can Johnson and Sillinger bring this year. Chinakhov, Marchenko and Bemstrom one of them could have a breakout season.

#CBJ has to be the most unpredictable team in the metro, we could up end up anywhere from 2-3 to 7-8.

Hurricanes: Best team in the division and they got better this offseason.
Flyers: added Torts, DeAngelo.. Ellis will be out, but this team had a lot of injuries last year. They'll be more competitive.
Jackets: Added Gaudreau, developing young rookies.
Devils: Added Palat to a developing and promising young core, will this be the year they finally make the playoffs.
Islanders: Lost Trotz, added Romanov, still a solid team top to bottom that's just build for the playoffs they had a down year, they'll be back.
Penguins: Solid team, as long as they have Crosby you can't count them out. They shuffled some mid-tier players around, they'll be good to very good.
Rangers: Added Trocheck, lost some pieces, if their young core keeps growing they'll be very good. They depend on their Shesterkin an awful lot..
Capitals: Solid veteran team just like the Penguins, are they going to able to stay afloat the first half of the season as they're dealing with some serious injury issues.

It's going to be very unpredictable I think...

To me

Canes and Islanders are 1,2
Flyers will most likely be in the 6-8 range.
Everyone else... it's anyone's guess.