Going with the Devils again. Having Parise back for the entire year will be big and Kovalchuk will build off of his strong 2nd half. Regardless, there will be some good teams missing the playoffs in the Eastern Conference next year.
Defense
Debbies <= Habs (Subban is a difference maker but both are piss poor if you ask me)
Goaltending
Debbies <= Habs (Brodeur is too old)
Coaching
Debbies < Habs (Debbies lose out for sure. Peter De Boer has never gotten a team to the playoffs before and he's going to have a hard time getting the Devils there.)
Overall
Debbies > Habs (Debbies forwards are just too much better to make up the difference.)
Defense
Debbies <= Habs (Subban is a difference maker but both are piss poor if you ask me)
Goaltending
Debbies <= Habs (Brodeur is too old)
Coaching
Debbies < Habs (Debbies lose out for sure. Peter De Boer has never gotten a team to the playoffs before and he's going to have a hard time getting the Devils there.)
Overall
Debbies > Habs (Debbies forwards are just too much better to make up the difference.)
The Habs have MUCH better goaltending and Markov-Subban alone is better than the entire Devil's d-corp.
But the Debs forward group is better.
I don't know, IMO the Habs are the better team but I just think the Debs make ti on the back of Kovy and Parise.
Devil's defense sucks and Brodeur is no longer a difference making goaltender.
That's my position as well. Unless they surprise us all by getting something long-term worked out, Parise's impending free agency may be a distraction all year long as well. Gotta go with the Habs.
The Habs are a deeper team with better defense and goaltending. Unless the Devils can ride a very long hot streak with that top line, I don't see how they finish higher than MTL.
1. I happen to think Montreal is a pretty good team, they made some nice additions and their goalie is only getting better. They can skate with the best teams, and its not out of the realm of possibility that they can win their division.
2. The Devils hired a new coach in July. Im not sure if anythings been said about this, but it takes a good amount of time to put a system and plan into place as a coach. Besides figuring out his players and what kind of philosophy he wants to approach the team with, he's thrown right into the fire with camp coming up quickly. Is it enough time to prepare? Probably, but that plan has to be focused very tightly and it has to be picked up by a team that went through some major ups and downs last season. I always, always hate to doubt the Devils, because they always wind up at the top. But they'll be an adjustment period for sure, it would have benefited the Devils if they brought in a coach with some time at the end of last season.
3. Still doubting Marty. Goaltending may become a problem for the Devils, its bound to happen sooner or later if you think has started already or not.
I do think either could get in, and probably 3 other teams below the 8 line as well. The parity is obviously in really good shape.
