Much more improved this year. I expect a quick turn around from them. I expect this team to fight for a playoff spot and they just might squeak in. Have a young, solid core up front lead by Yakupov, Perron and Berglund. Defence may not look strong on paper but IMO they will be pretty solid. Especially with Klein and Blum getting more minutes. They also have a solid goalie in Hiller who I think will have a good season.
Might be a bit bias but I think the Bruins will be a top 3 team this year. IMO my team got stronger with an offensive core lead by Koptiar, Benn, Bergeron and the addition of Pavel Datsyuk. I believe I also have a stronger bottom 6 this year. Defence is lead by two, young all stars in Letang and Pietrangelo with Miller in net. I expect them to be a top 3 team looking to compete for the cup.
Buffalo looks like a team that will be fighting for the playoffs but are missing a few pieces before they take that next step. Offence will heavily rely on Lecavalier and Zetterberg. Lecavalier needs to bounce back and Zetterberg needs to stay healthy. Overall, defence is solid as long as they stay healthy and Ryan Whitney bounces back. I can't really comment on goaltending before knowing what the Luongo situation looks like.
I would say the Flames are definitely playoff contenders that can even make some noise in the playoffs but goaltending is the teams biggest downfall. A very solid offensive core lead by Kovalchuk, Getzlaf and Sharp. Defence is above average but goaltending is terrible. Vokoun is a back up goalie and they dont have a starter. I expect this team to make the playoffs solely based on their offence and Vokoun getting a few starts but they need to find a starting goalie.
The Canes will likely be a bottom 5 team and are in need of high end talent. They have some decent players up front with Sedin, Turris and Silfverberg but nothing much after that. Gonchar is their only main offensive defencemen but they do have a good goalie in Halak.
The Blackhawks went on a Cinderella run in the playoffs and they have a very solid offensive core up front with Briere, J.Staal, Heatley, Hartnell but a lot depends on what Semin does. I expect him to be in the NHL so I think the Hawks are set offensively. A solid defensive core lead by Duncan Keith. Goaltending is the biggest question. Reimer will be Toronto's starting goalie but he needs to bounce back this season. If he does, Chicago will make a lot of noise in the playoffs this year again.
The Avs are a top 3 team. It might be their year. They have a very solid core up front lead by P.Kane, Nash and Neal. Probably one of the strongest teams defensively. If Green bounces back and Gardiner continues his development, the Avs are going to be the team to beat. With Rask expected to be Boston's starter this year and Niemi to fall back on, their goaltending is strong. I wouldn't be surprised if the Avs win the cup this year.
Columbus would be a playoff team that could make some noise in IMO if they had a starting goalie. Lead by Hall, Perry, Schenn and Cammalleri upfront shows that the team is set offensively for a few years. Norris winner Erik Karlsson and Jack Johnson on D. But goaltending is what this team lacks. I expect them to be good but need a goalie to take that next step.
The Stars are probably a bottom 5 team. Their main players offensively are Parenteau, Whitney and Fleischmann. They have depth up front but no star power. Defence is lead by Boyle and who knows how Garrison fares this year. Could be a one hit wonder or could be like last year. They have a good goalie in place with Howard, though. I still believe the Stars will probably be a bottom 5 team.
The Red Wings are another team that could possibly win the cup. They are a top 5 team IMO and will make a lot of noise in the playoffs. Offence is lead by Vanek,Kessel, Kesler and Elias. They also have a lot of depth up front and a solid D core. Not spectacular but well above average. I don't have a problem with their goaltending, I think Anderson will be there but you never know. The Sens might be what the Avs were a few years ago lead by Anderson and might falter again. That's the only question mark surrounding the Wings but I dont expect that to be a problem.
The Oilers will be a top 3 team and will be in the hunt to win the cup once again. Probably have one of the best offensive core lead by Giroux, Eberle, Toews, Ryan and Eriksson. The addition of Max Pacioretty makes them even stronger. Probably one of the best defensive cores lead by Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and John Carlson. One of the best goalies in the league with Carey Price. The Oilers will be a top 3 team for a very long time and might win the cup again.
The Panthers will be a bottom 5 team this year. With only one defencemen signed, I dont expect them to go anywhere. They have 2 upcoming stars in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Landeskog and a good goalie in Pavelec but other then that, they dont have much. Wouldn't be surprised if they drafted first overall.
The L.A Kings will be a playoff team but are a cut below from being elite. They have a decent offensive core lead by Brad Richards and Zach Parise but not much after that. Defence is strong with lead by Phaneuf and Pitkanen and they have one of the best goaltenders in the game in Ward. The Kings are maybe a piece or two away from being elite. They need more help offensively and the Kings will be making some noise in the playoffs.
The Wild will be a playoff team IMO. They have a solid core offensively lead by Gaborik but they have a ton of depth and that will get them into the playoffs. Defensively, they are alright. Nothing special but an average core is good enough. The Wild have the best goalie in the league IMO. Lundqvist makes up for the average D. The Wild might go on a Cinderella run in the playoffs (assuming they make it) like the blackhawks did.
The Canadiens will be a playoff team IMO but aren't in the elite company yet. A strong offensive core lead by Eric Staal, O'Reilly and Derek Roy. They also have blue chip prospect Sven Baertshi who will likely be in the NHL this year. A decent defensive core lead by Enstrom. They have good depth on D but no star power defencemens. Goaltending worries me a bit since Crawford isn't very good and might lose his starting job any minute but if he doesn't, I expect the Habs to be in the playoffs this year.
It's obvious the Preds are in a full rebuild but they are heading in the right direction. Weak offensive core but that can be improved. Their defensive core is good lead by Ryan Suter and having Adam Larsson coming up. Goaltending isn't a huge concern because Dubnyk will the Oilers starting goalie for sure. They have a couple of blue chip prospects coming up in Strome and Scheifele and in a few years, the Preds will be a good team.
The Devils lost quite a few pieces this off season and I don't expect the team to be as good as they were last season but they will still be a lock to make the playoffs. They have a strong offensive core lead by Thornton and Hossa. Their defence is still one of the best in the league lead by Chara, Bogosian and Yandle. Goaltending could either be brutal or great for them. Elliot and Smith could have been one hit wonders or they might establish themselves as starters. If Smith continues his play from last year, the Devils will be making some noise in the playoffs.
The New York Islanders are probably a bottom 5 team. Besides Jeff Skinner, they dont have much help offensively. Besides Liles, they dont have much on defence but on goaltending they are okay. Bryzgalov will be Phillie's starter and will bounce back IMO. Expect them to be drafting high this year.
The Rangers are a mediocre team. They will likely be a bottom 10 team duei to goaltending. They have one of the best players in the game in Alexander Ovechkin and he will bounce back this year IMO. They also have Mikko Koivu, Derek Stepan and Patric Hornqvist. They are one of the worst teams defensively. Definitely need help there and they need help goaltending. Barring a miracle, I expect them to be a bottom 10 team.
The Senators are a little hard to predict. I expect them to be a mediocre team. They have some good young talent up front with Hodgson, Simmonds, Gagner, Marchand and Grabner but is also filled with a few goons haha. Their defence is average lead by Brent Burns and Vlasic and they have a very good goalie still with Broduer. The Sens will probably be on the outside looking in but will likely keep improving with the young talent they have accumulated.
The Philadelphia Flyers definitely overpaid for Hemsky and Grabovski but it definitely improved their team a lot. The Flyers are very strong offensively and I expect them to make some noise in the playoffs. Their defensive core is underrated IMO but is still very average. They have one of the best goalies in the league in Rinne. I expect the Flyers to make the playoffs but this team might be hurt salary cap wise. Some of the players were overpaid for.
The Phoenix Coyotes are a young team that will be a bottom 10 team. They have some good building block pieces with Seguin, Krejci and Del Zotto. They have a a very good, young, upcoming goalie in Lindback who will be a starter this year as well. The Yotes will be a good team in the future but a couple of years away.
The Pittsburgh Penguins IMO will make the playoffs this year. They have a strong offensive core lead by the best player in the game. Sidney Crosby, Patrick Marleau and Jeff Carter will have an impact. They also have a solid D core with OEL and Erik Johnson and one of the best goalies in the league in Jonathan Quick. The Penguins will barely squeak into the playoffs this year but they will be a strong team for a very long time and with the right moves, they could be an elite team soon.
The San Jose Sharks are team that will make the playoffs but I dont expect them to make much noise. Besides Iginla, they dont have much star power but they have a lot of depth and that will help them get into the playoffs. Their defence is average IMO but they lack goaltending. The Sharks are a few moves away from making an impact.
The Blues are a top 5 team this year. They have a very solid offensive core lead by Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson, Teemu Selanne and Paul Stastny. They have a ton of depth as well and that makes them that much better. Their defensive core is probably one of the best in the league. They have 6 top 4 defencemens that are going to make a huge impact, lead by Seabrook, Edler and Timonen. They also have a starting goalie in Varlamov. The Blues will be another team to watch for.
The Lighting will be a bottom 10 team. They dont have anything that particularly stands out. Their offensive core has no star power, just a bunch of depth players and besides JBO, their defence doesn't have much either. The Lightning are a young mediocre team that has some work to do but with a little bit of retooling, they might find themselves fighting for the playoffs. They have a lot of depth and a goalie in Bobrovsky who will likely be a starter.
The Leafs will be a top 10 team this year. Their offensive group is lead by Steven Stamkos, Matt Duchene and Martin St.Louis. They also have enough depth that gives them one of the best offensive core in this league. Despite losing Pronger, the Leafs have a very strong defensive core lead by Cam Fowler and Mark Streit and they have a solid goalie in net with Kiprusoff. The Leafs will be in the elite company if they can maybe add a piece or two.
The Vancouver Canucks are going to be a playoff team. They have good offensive core lead by Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Richards and Tomas Plekanec but not a whole lot after that. The Canucks have a very solid defensive core IMO. A young but talented group that will get better. The Canucks goaltending is their strongest point. They have two young star goalies. They can easily improve their offence and be one of the best teams in the league.
The Washington Capitals just like last year will be one of the better teams in this league. Despite the hate the nudge gets on this board, he has done a very good job with his team. The Caps have one of the best offensive core in the league lead by Malkin, E.Kane, Lucic and Oshie. They also have a great defensive core that is very young, lead by PK Subban, Gudbranson and Shattenkirk. They also have a very good, underrated goalie in Kari Lehtonen. I expect the Caps to be very good for a long time and make some noise in the playoffs.
The Winnipeg Jets improved a lot this year. I expect them to make the playoffs this year and be a very good team for a long time. The Jets offence is lead by one of the best players in the game, John Tavares. They also have good depth up front but their defence is what makes this team very good. The Jets have one of the best defensive core in the league lead by Matt Carle, Victor Hedman and Ryan Mcdonagh. They also have a good starting goalie in Nicklas Backstrom and bunch of good prospects coming up. The Jets will be a very good team soon and for a long time.
1. Edmonton
2. Colorado
3. Detroit
4. St.Louis
5. Vancouver
6. Minnesota
7. Calgary
8. Los Angeles
9. San Jose
10. Columbus
11. Chicago
12. Nashville
13. Anaheim
14. Dallas
15. Phoenix
1. Boston
2. Washington
3. New Jersey
4. Winnipeg
5. Toronto
6. Pittsburgh
7. Philadelphia
8. Buffalo
9. Montreal
10. Tampa Bay
11. Ottawa
12. NY Islanders
13. NY Rangers
14. Carolina
15. Florida
Great write up DD, love to see a fairly detailed breakdown of each team. I will throw up a power rankings thread later this week so we can get that going too. Everyone should try and update there current rosters in the roster thread so I can just copy those into the new thread
are now sellers. We feel we don't have the appropriate pieces to make a deep run in the playoffs this year. We will be trading some players I don't feel will be in our future.
On The Block
- Ray Whitney
- Dan Boyle
- Max Talbot
- PA Parenteau
- Tomas Fleishmann
- Jason Garrison
Looking in Return
- Top prospects
- Young NHL forwards
- 1st & 2nd round picks
Great write up DD, love to see a fairly detailed breakdown of each team. I will throw up a power rankings thread later this week so we can get that going too. Everyone should try and update there current rosters in the roster thread so I can just copy those into the new thread
Thanks! Yeah, I agree. It would be a lot easier if everyone updated their roster and made their lines or whatever.
Doing my write up, might have it up in the next couple days. been pretty busy with work and going out. Only at the Bruins right now :S but Ill work my way down!
Finally at Pittsburgh in my write up! Woo! I'm also doing a projected lineup for next season for each team which is whats taking so long. Using Yahoo NHL to determine player positioning and Hockeys Future for prospects. I know yahoo isn't the most reliable source for this but its just quicker for me and my computer...
Milan Michalek - Patrick Berglund - David Backes
David Perron - Paul Gaustad - Matt Halischuck
Dustin Penner - Dave Steckel - Matt Cooke
Vernon Fiddler - Patrice Cormier/Nail Yakupov - Bobby Butler
Christian Ehrhoff - Kevin Klein
Sheldon Souray - Mark Stuart
Anton Babchuck - Jonathan Blum/Kyle Cumisky
Jonas Hiller
Evgeni Nabokov
Subs: Mattias Tedenby, Evgeni Dadonov, Mark Fraser, Slava Voynov
Analysis:Solid Lineup all round, a little weak down the middle. However alot of that depends on Yakupov and how he does this coming season. Tons of high end young talent on this roster. Goaltending is no concern, look for the ducks to be clawing for a playoff spot.
Boston Bruins
Projected Lineup
Jamie Benn - Anze Kopitar - Michael Ryder
Curtis Glencross - Pavel Datsyuk - Todd Bertuzzi
Ryan Jones - Patrice Bergeron - Jaromir Jagr
Maxim Lapierre - Eric Belanger - B.J. Crombeen
Alex Pietrangelo - Kris Letang
Roman Hamrlik - Jeff Petry
Kyle Quincey - Adrian Aucoin
Ryan Miller
Jose Theodore
Subs: Boyd Gordon, Patrick Dwyer, Mark Fistric, Adam Padry
Analysis:Heaviest scoring threat down the middle in the entire league, probably. RW depth is also very strong, LW may struggle during the year depending if players like Glencross and Jones play to their capability. Top 2 defenseman should have outstanding seasons and help carry this team to top 3. Along with a solid D, comes a Star Goaltender and a contending number 1 goalie in theodore.
Buffalo Sabres
Projected Lineup
Henrik Zetterberg - Vincent Lecavalier - Drew Stafford
Jussi Jokinen - Jason Arnott - Mikael Samuelsson
Alex Tanguay - Jeff Halpern - Jamie Langenbrunner
Jason Chimera/Jason Blake - Kristian Huselius - Jamal Mayers
Brian Campbell - Ryan Whitney
Tom Gilbert - Joe Corvo
Andrej Sekera - Kris Russell
Roberto Luongo
J-S Giguere
Subs: Ray Emery, Randy Jones, Andy Sutton
Analysis:Has good offensive depth however many are injury prone players. And Buffalo lacks solid subs on offense. At first glance the D looks very solid, but once again would appear to be injury prone. However a player like Campbell could be all the difference for the Sabres if he remains healthy. Buffalo may need to make some moves though to remain competitive all season.
Calgary Flames
Projected Lineups
Ilya Kovalchuk - Ryan Getzlaf - Jason Pominville
Tuomo Ruutu - Nathan Gerbe - Patrick Sharp
Brendan Morrow - Manny Malhotra - Matt Read
Jay McClement - Tom Pyatt - Brad Staubitz
Mark Giordano - Niklas Kronwall
Rostislav Klesla - Chris Tanev
Matt Gilroy - Ben Lovejoy/Ty Wishart
Tomas Vokoun
Thomas McCollum
Subs: Davis Drewiskie
Analysis:Very offensive top 6, bottom six is something that may make the difference for this team. If players such as Read, Malhotra and Morrow can find or keep their scoring touch it could be a big difference maker. Calgary's D has no outstanding offensive threat but only the season will tell. Vokoun will get them wins, but will he be a consistent starter? Overall Calgary may fall short of a playoff spot.
Carolina Hurricane
Projected Lineup
Daniel Sedin - Kyle Turris - Tomas Kopecky
Marcus Foligno - Shawn Matthias - Jacob Silfverberg
Matt Puempel - Justin Azevedo - Cam Atkinson
Dwight King - Alan Quine - Brendan Gallagher
Sergei Gonchar - Nikita Nikitin
Chris Phillips - Mark Fayne
Mark Mitera - Griffin Reinhart
Jaroslav Halak
TBD
Analysis:Carolina may have one of the most non competitive teams in the league. Daniel Sedin, Tomas Kopecky and Sergei Gonchar will be the biggest offensive threats for this team. Halak will be a solid starter but won't have much on D to help him get the wins needed. This team will contend for a top 3 pick in 2013's entry draft.
Chicago Blackhawks
Projected Lineup
Dany Heatley - Jordan Staal - Devin Setoguchi
Alex Semin - Danny Briere - Milan Hejduk
Scott Hartnell - Brandon Sutter - Aaron Palushaj
Danniel Winnik - Dave Bolland - Alex Fallstrom
Duncan Keith - Robyn Regher
Tomas Kaberle - Andrej Meszaros
Patrick Nemeth - Jacob Trouba
Nikolai Khabibulin
James Reimer
Subs: N/A
Analysis:Deep top 9, besides Palushaj who all depends on how much playing time he gets. (The Potential is there) Keith, Kaberle and Meszaros should be able to rake in some points for Chicago. If Reimer comes out successful as a number one it will be thanks to the D in front of him. Overall they should be in the run for a top 10 spot in the league this year.
Colorado Avalanche
Projected Lineup
Rick Nash - Travis Zajac - Patrick Kane
Joffrey Lupul - Sean Couturier - Jakub Voracek
Kris Versteeg - Adam Henrique - Steve Downie
James Neal - Chris Kelly - David Jones
Dustin Byfuglien - Mike Green
Dennis Wideman - Luke Schenn
Johnny Oduya - Jake Gardiner
Antti Niemi
Tuuka Rask
Subs: Dana Tyrell, Drayson Bowman, Kyle Chipchura
Analysis:Colorado has one of the most offensively talented teams in the league. Certainly the deepest LW Core, it is unmatched. Their Defense also oozes offense, but not the best. This is a young team full of talent built for winning now, and future success. Colorado will be a cup contending team this year.
Columbus BlueJackets
Projected Lineup
Mike Cammalleri - Taylor Hall - Corey Perry
Ted Purcell - Brayden Schenn - Chuck Kobasew
Austin Watson - Jaden Scwartz - Cal Clutterbuck
Kelsey Tessier - Nick Shore - Mike Knuble
Erik Karlsson - Zbynek Michalek
Andrew Ference - Jack Johnson
Luca Sbisa - Yannick Weber
Rick Dipietro
Ty Conklin
Subs: N/A
Analysis:The BlueJackets have some great scorers on the back end, and some high end talent up front but nothing concrete enough to push them in a playoff spot. If DiPietro manages to stay healthy it may make a small difference but still not enough to get very far.
Dallas Stars
Projected Lineup
Ray Whitney - Darren Helm - Max Talbot
Tomas Fleischmann - Mathieu Perreault - Jordin TooToo
Chad Larose - Mike Santorelli - Tim Jackman
Victor Stalberg - Shawn Horcoff - Brendan Morrison
Paul Martin - Willie Mitchell
Ron Hainsey - Tom Poti
Brendan Smith - Ryan Murphy
Jimmy Howard
Corey Schneider
Subs: Brian Boucher, Gustav Nyqvist, Martin Frk, Tomas Jurco
Analysis:Possibly one of the weakest centers in the league, however the team overall is solid in offensive depth. Plenty of unsung heroes on this roster such as Talbot, Fleischmann, Perreault, Garrison and Parenteau. Who all may or may not continue to put up offensive numbers. Dallas's D lacks depth, however Boyle and Garrison should be able to put solid numbers. Howard should also be able to lock in 30+ wins.
Detroit Red Wings
Projected Lineup
Thomas Vanek - Ryan Kesler - Phil Kessel
Patrik Elias - Stephen Weiss - Kyle Okposo
Brandon Dubinsky - Danius Zubrus - Blake Wheeler
Daniel Carcillo - David Desharnais - Lee Stempniak
Alex Goligoski - Stephane Robidas
Dan Girardi - Ian White
Roman Polak - Brian Lee
Craig Anderson
Thomas Greiss
Subs: Jannik Hansen, Sean Bergenheim, Henrik Tallinder, Mattias Ritola
Analysis: Incredible depth up front, right down to the subs that will be used due to any injuries which will probably occur. No one outstanding on D to put up offensive numbers but they will all contribute equally which will help Detroit find a top 5 Spot in the league. The Goaltending is to be questioned however.
Edmonton Oilers
Projected Lineup
Bobby Ryan - Jonathan Toews - Loui Eriksson
Max Pacioretty - Claude Giroux - Jordan Eberle
Travis Moen - Brian Boyle - David Moss
Frans Nielsen - Greg Campbell - Cody McLeod
Drew Doughty - Shea Weber
John Carlsson - Greg Zanon
Douglas Murray - Andrew MacDonald
Carey Price
Chris Mason
Subs: Jordan Caron, Darrol Powe, Devante Smith-Pelly, Jonathan Huberdeau
Analysis: Very young talented team overall. Top 6 will be putting up most of the offensive numbers for this team along with the top 3 Defenders. This team much like Colorado is a team built for current and future success. Might be lacking some defensive depth, but Price should be able to pick up any slack and scrounge up over 30 wins. Edmonton will be a top 5 team contending for the cup.
Florida Panthers
Projected Lineup
Gabriel Landeskog - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Colby Armstrong
Ville Leino - David Legwand - Brett Connolly
Jamie Devane - Kevin Lynch - Aaron Asham
Adam Lowry - Ryan Kenny - Kirill Petrov
Marek Zidlicky - Marco Scandella
Matt Donovan - Maxim Goncharov
Aaron Ness - Brandon Davidson
Jack Campbell
David Nonzik
Subs: N/A
Analysis:Some good young gems hidden on this decrepitated roster. However this team will be in the bottom three unless some changes are made such as a solid top 3 on the back end, and starting goalie along with a few offensive gaps. Even then it will be a project to get this team to ever contend.
Los Angeles Kings
Projected Lineup
Zach Parise - Brad Richards - Brad Richardson
David Booth - Antoine Vermette - Blake Geoffrion
Tyler Kennedy - Peter Regin - Eric Wellwood
Jacob Josefson - Tom Wandell - Corey Tropp
Dion Phaneuf - Shaone Morrison
Joni Pitkanen - Johnny Boychuk
Fedor Tyutin - Karl Alzner
Cam Ward
Jason Labarbara
Subs: Nick Spaling, Erik Gustafsson
Analysis:The potential is there for LA to make the playoffs, however they lack some offensive depth on the RW. A few moves away from a solid playoff spot. Cam Ward will be able to get 30+ wins this season. Phaneuf + Pitkanen(if healthy) should be able to get over 80 points together.
Minnesota Wild
Projected Lineup
Alexei Ponikarovski - Joe Pavelski - Marian Gaborik
Rene Bourque - Jochen Hecht - Nathan Horton
Brian Rolston - Nazem Kadri - Ryan Callahan
Tomas Tatar - Colin Fraser - Colton Orr
Jonathan Ericsson - Dennis Seidenberg
Marc Staal - Jason Demers
Milan Jurcina - Corey Potter
Henrik Lundqvist
Chad Johnson
Subs: Chris Campoli, Michael Sauer, NIck Petrecki
Analysis:The wild have a very solid offense. Their right wings run deep with high offensive upside. The LW remains something to be decided over the course of the season along with their centering depth. However they should still be able to find a playoff spot. Their Defense is very young and talented defensively, not much scoring will be done by their D. And Lundqvist should mount up 35+ wins for the Wild this year along with a number of shutouts.
Montreal Canadiens
Projected Lineup
Justin Abdelkader - Eric Staal - Patrick Kaleta
Andreas Nodl - Ryan O'Reilly - Matt D'Agostini
Lauri Korpikoski - Derek Roy - Nikita Kucherov
Sven Baertschi - Matt Cullen - Matt Lombardi
Francois Beauchemin - Jamie McBain
Michael Rosival - Tobias Enstrom
Steve Montador - Jakub Kindl
Corey Crawford
Michael Neuvirth
Subs: Nik Antropov, Andy Greene, Ian Cole, Taylor Chorney
Analysis:This team has a balanced offense that would do well on the special units. Alot could actually depend on the players down the middle seeing as most of their offensive prowess will come from there. Their defense has a little offensive mindset which, if it kicks in gear next season could certainly help push them into a playoff spot. Crawford will certainly be a starter and Neuvirth more then a solid backup.
Nashville Predators
Projected Lineup
Ryan Smyth - Scott Gomez - Brendan Yip
Magnus Paajarvi - Derick Brassard - Daymond Langkow
Kyle Beach - Kyle Brodziak - Jamie Arniel
Zac Dalpe - Mark Letestu - Zenon Konopka
Ryan Suter - Sami Salo
Cody Franson - Adam Larsson
Nick Schultz - Mike Komisarek
Devan Dubnyk
Johan Hedberg
Subs: Teemu Hartikainen, Dmitri Orlov, Mark Scheifele, Anton Lander
Analysis:Average roster up front, still some point producing players in Ryan Smyth, Brassard and Brodziak. Their defense should also be able to find some scoring opportunities this year. Dubnyk should be able to muster up 25+ wins, but I still think nashville might fall into the bottom 10 next year.
New Jersey Devils
Projected Lineup
Paul Bissonnette - Joe Thornton - Marian Hossa
Taylor Beck - Alex Burmistrov - Johan Franzen
Stefan Della Rovere - Tyler Bozak - Erik Cole
Zac Rinaldo - Emerson Etem - Radim Vrbata
Zdeno Chara - Zach Bogosian
Keith Yandle - Trevor Daley
T.J. Brodie - Brayden McNabb
Mike Smith
Braden Holtby
Subs: N/A
Analysis:Talented right wing core. Also quite solid down the middle. Burmistrov should have a break out season and Bozak should put up good numbers again. The left wing lacks substantially, however the top 4 on the backend should accumulate about 150 Points together. Also goaltending could be a factor, but I still see the Devils squeezing into a playoff spot.
New York Islanders
Projected Lineup
Ryan Malone - Vinny Prospal - Mike Brown
Blake Comeau - Jeff Skinner - Matt Bradley
Josh Bailey - Matt Stajan - Carter Ashton
Daniel Paille - Stephane Da Costa - Ryan Bourque
J.M. Liles - Pavel Kubina
Josh Gorges - Jack Hillen
Justin Braun - Thomas Hickey
Ilya Bryzgalov
Jake Allen
Subs: TJ Hensick
Analysis:The Islanders are missing alot except for goaltending. Bryzgalov should get 30+ wins along with 5+ shutouts. The offense has one gem and that would be Skinner. Malone, Prospal, Bailey and Stajan (bounce back) will be able to get on the scoring sheet but it certainly wont be enough to cary the team. The defensive unit falls on the same page, the only significant player would be Liles. This team should fall to the bottom of the pack and may contend for a top 5 pick.
New York Rangers
Projected Lineup
Alex Ovechkin - Mikko Koivu - Patric Hornqvist
Steve Sullivan - Jarret Stoll - Maksim Mayorov
Matt Martin - Martin Hanzal - Eric Nystrom
Nate Thompson - Derek Stepan - Brett Maclean
Jeff Schultz - Tim Erixon
M-A Bergeron - Jaroslav Spacek
Justin Faulk - David Schlemko
Brent Johnson
Marty Turco
Subs: Kyle Palmieri
Analysis: Rangers have a lethal top 3 which leaks into the top 6, but I wont call it a dominant top 6. Plenty of talent on offense for the rangers, young and old. The D is lacking some depth, but players such as Faulk, Schlemko and Erixon could surprise next year. Overall I don't see the rangers moving highter then bottom 15 by the end of the season due to terrible goaltending and lack of overall depth.
Ottawa Senators
Projected Lineups
Raffi Torres - Sam Gagner - Michael Grabner
Nikita Filatov - Brad Marchand - Wayne Simmonds
Bradon Prust - Cody Hodgson - Joel Ward
Scott Parse - Marcel Goc - Marty Reasoner
Brent Burns - Eric Brewer
Anton Volchenkov - Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Jan Hejda - Bryan Allen
Martin Brodeur
Mike Lee
Subs: Jeff Woywitka, Matt Hunwick
Analysis: Young and talented down the middle with plenty of offense ready to roll. Question is will they pull it out of their bag of tricks next year? Burns and Vlasic will have to be counted on to get some points. And Brodeur should still have one more season of 35+ wins in him. So somehow I think this team will find a place in the top 15.
Philadelphia Flyers
Projected Lineup
Simon Gagne - Henrik Sedin - Dustin Brown
Rostislav Olesz - Mikhail Grabovski - Ales Hemsky
Jeremy Morin - Brooks Laich - Martin Erat
Chris Brown - Bryan Little - Erik Godard
Dan Hamhuis - Chris Butler
Jordan Leopold - Stefan Elliot
David Savard - Adam Archibald
Pekka Rinne
Michael Leighton
Subs: Marcus Johansson, Dustin Jeffrey, Leland Irving
Analysis:Very Offensively talented top 6. Great right wing depth as well as centers. The defense will lack however which may become a problem throughout the season. Goaltending will not be a problem with Rinne between the pipes. He should easily accumulate 40+ Wins.
Phoenix Coyotes
Projected Lineups
Oscar Lindberg - David Krejci - Tyler Biggs
Keven Veilleux - Tyler Seguin - Cody Almond
Eric Tangradi - Artem Anisimov - Shane Prince
Zach Budish - Craig Smith - Zack Smith
Michael Del Zotto - Alec Martinez
Roman Josi - Brandon Burlon
Calvin De Haan - Mattias Ekholm
Anders Lindback
Calvin Pickard
Analysis:Absolutely a team built for the future rather then now. Tons of high end talent that should flourish over the next few years. And tons of young talent that will certainly produce this season such as Krejci, Seguin, Anisimov and Lindback.(If he starts) The Yotes with compete for a top 3 pick like last year.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Projected Lineup
Chris Higgins - Sidney Crosby - Brian Gionta
Patrick Marleau - Jeff Carter - Jack Skille
Zack Boychuck - Lars Eller - J.T. Miller
Andrew Brunette - Zach Boychuk - Anton Rodin
Erik Johnson - Ed Jovanovski
Anton Stralman - Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Kurtis Foster - Duncan Siemens
Jonathan Quick
Antero Niitymaki
Subs: N/A
Analysis:The Pens appear to have a solid centering depth, which is true if it remains healthy. Certainly not the greatest top 6 I've seen but still very strong to say the least. What concerns me is the bottom 6 and defense. The only outstanding defenseman would be Larsson and thats if he produces like last year. Jonathan quick is a star goalie who will get 35+ wins, will he get 10+ shutouts? Doubtful, but he will hit the 5 margin. Basically a very good team at first glance, however not elite enough to put them in a playoff spot.
San Jose Sharks
Projected Lineup
Jiri Hudler - Olli Jokinen - Jarome Iginla
Andrew Ladd - Mike Ribeiro - Martin Havlat
Sergei Kostitsyn - Saku Koivu - Shane Doan
Tyler Ennis - Luke Adam - Derek Dorsett
Kevin Bieksa - Carl Gunnarson
Brooks Orpik - Tim Gleason
Carlo Colaicovo - Adam Mcquaid
Steve Mason
Jhonas Enroth
Subs: Taylor Pyatt, Steve Bernier, Alexei Emelin, Drew Miller, James Sheppard, Phillipe Dupuis
Analysis:One of the teams with the most offensive depth in the league I'd say. No star players to be exact, besides Iginla who may or may not bounce back from last years performance. If this team stays healthy and find a way to perform to their capabilities they should be able to find a playoff spot. Defense is a little offensively weak, look for most of the production to come from Bieksa and Colaicovo(if healthy). Steve Mason needs to have a very strong bounce back season for the Sharks to make any noise in the playoffs.
St. Louis Blues
Projected Lineup
Chris Kunitz - Jason Spezza - Teemu Selanne
Alex Burrows - Paul Stastny - Daniel Alfredsson
Matt Moulson - Valtteri Filppula - Troy Brouwer
Matt Belesky - Andy McDonald - Chris Neil
Kimmo Timonen - Alex Edler
Brent Seabrook - Lubomir Visnovsky
Dmitry Kulikov - Toni Lydman
Dwayne Roloson
Dustin Tokarski
Subs: Kyle Wellwood, Tanner Glass
Analysis:Excellent top 9, with a well balanced offense in every position up front. The blues D could be one of the most offensive ones in the league depending on Kulikov having a break out season and Visnovsky bouncing back. The Goaltending on the other hand is far from good. Roloson is a solid backup, so maybe with a move or two the Blues could be a top team. They should have no trouble making the playoffs however.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Projected Lineup
Andrei Kostitsyn - Mike Fisher - Pierre Marc Bouchard
R.J. Umberger - Tim Connoly - Scottie Upshall
Pascal Dupuis - Dominic Moore - Nino Niederreiter
Ryan Spooner - Andrew Cogliano - Maxim Trunev
Jay Bouwmeester - Filip Kuba
Keith Ballard - Brad Stuart
Travis Hamonic - Derek Morris
Analysis: Tampa is lacking some star presence, but still has some depth up front. Still not enough to be competitive but give it a few years and their prospect pool should flourish nicely. Their Defense also lacks considerably with the only offensive presence being Bouwmeester, who hasn't had an outstanding season since 2008. Thomas may get plenty of ice time and may still be a starter but he is getting old and may get scooted to the side. Basically Tampa will most likely fall into the bottom 15.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Projected Lineups
Ryan Clowe - Steven Stamkos - Martin St. Louis
Nikolai Kulemin - Andrei Loktionov - Daniel Cleary
TJ Galiardi - Corban Knight - Benn Ferreiro
Ryan Stoa - xxx - Matt Frattin
Chris Pronger - Mark Streit
Braydon Coburn - Cam Fowler
Brendan Mikkelson - David Toews
Mikka Kiprusoff
Harri Sateri
Subs: N/A
Analysis:Well they certainly don't lack star presence with a top line composed of Stamkos and St. Louis. However the Leafs are scattered all over with an incomplete Roster. They have a considerably offensive D, which is a solid upside mind you, much of that depends on Pronger being healthy. Kiprusoff will most likely play about 70 games next season and should be capable of raking in 35+ wins. In the long run I feel Toronto will be missing the playoffs, but won't be coming close to a top pick in 2013 either.
Vancouver Cannucks
Projected Lineup
Colin Wilson - Nicklas Backstrom - P.A. Parenteau
Ray Whitney - Tomas Plekanec - Michael Frolik
Steve Ott - Mike Richards - Peter Mueller
Mikael Samuelsson - Cody Eakin - Erik Christiensen
Tyler Myers - Andrei Markov
Dan Boyle - Jason Garrison
Nick Leddy - Barret Jackman
Marc-Andre Fleury
Mathieu Garon
Subs: N/A
Analysis:Well winning face offs will never be a problem for this team, same with putting points up on the board. Plenty of talent on this roster, however the top 6 seems a little flimsy. The blue liners also have some considerable say in the outcome of the season. If Markov and Myers remain healthy, Vancouver will pose a threat. Backed by Fleury Schneider and Garon Vancouver should have no problem picking a number 1 goaltender either.
Washington Capitals
Projected Lineup
Evander Kane - Evgeni Malkin - Chris Stewart
Milan Lucic - T.J. Oshie - David Clarkson
Guillaume Latendresse - Mikael Backlund - Charlie Coyle
Nick Foligno - Marcus Kruger - Dmitry Kugrishev
Erk Gudbranson - P.K. Subban
James Wisniewski - Kevin Shattenkirk
Theo Peckham - Jamieson Oleksiak
Kari Lehtonen
Jonathan Bernier
Subs: Matt Calvert, Kyle Clifford, Robin Lehner
Analysis:At first glance it would appear that Washington has a deep roster. Despite many top talent players such as Malkin, Kane, Subban, Shattenkirk and Lehtonen. I feel this team may be lacking some depth unlike last season. Their defense is solid but not elite as it was last season. Goaltending may have improved however washington will fall to a top 10 spot rather then top 3 like the previous two seasons.
Winnipeg Jets
Projected Lineup
James Van Riemsdyk - John Tavares - Tomas Holmstrom
Mason Raymond - Logan Couture - Eric Fehr
Clarke MacArthur - Rich Peverley - Zack Kassian
Benoit Pouliot - Ryan Johansen - Tomas Kubalik
Matt Carle - Victor Hedman
Mattias Ohlund - Niklas Hjalmarsson
Ladislav Smid - Ryan McDonagh
Nicklas Backstrom
Alex Auld
Subs: Brandon McMillan, Colin Greening, Trevor Lewis, Henrik Karlsson, Nicklas Grossman, David Rundblad, Scott Glennie
Analysis:Probably one of the most improved teams since last season. They should be able to pull up from 26th to a playoff spot. A very young team built for future success, sprinkle in some star talent now such as Tavares, Van Riemsdyk, Hedman and Backstrom and you have a very well rounded team. The back end is equally as solid. Backstrom should bounce back up to 30 wins next season and the Wild will be the biggest underdog next season.
Last edited by dustyrockon: 07-25-2012 at 02:09 PM.
Henrik Zetterberg - Vincent Lecavalier - Drew Stafford
Jussi Jokinen - Jason Arnott - Mikael Samuelsson
Alex Tanguay - Jeff Halpern - Jamie Langenbrunner
Jason Chimera/Jason Blake - Kristian Huselius - Jamal Mayers
Thanks, appreciated, but... No way Arnott has a top-6 role, Tanguay IS top-6, Huselius might be top-6, certainly a third line producer expected. Boyes will be in the line up too.
Buffalo Sabres
Henrik Zetterberg - Vincent Lecavalier - Drew Stafford
Jussi Jokinen - Alex Tanguay - Mikael Samuelsson
Jason Blake - Brad Boyes - Kristian Huselius
Adam Burish - Jason Chimera - Jamal Mayers
If there are injuries, there are subs: Jeff Halpern, Jason Arnott, Jamie Langenbrunner
Thanks, appreciated, but... No way Arnott has a top-6 role, Tanguay IS top-6, Huselius might be top-6, certainly a third line producer expected. Boyes will be in the line up too.
Buffalo Sabres
Henrik Zetterberg - Vincent Lecavalier - Drew Stafford
Jussi Jokinen - Alex Tanguay - Mikael Samuelsson
Jason Blake - Brad Boyes - Kristian Huselius
Adam Burish - Jason Chimera - Jamal Mayers
If there are injuries, there are subs: Jeff Halpern, Jason Arnott, Jamie Langenbrunner
Well like I said, I based the player positioning off yahoo sports. And tanguay is a "LW" so I just did some quick lineups. So many GMs are not active if not everyone doing their own lineups would help. But this is good
Sorry dusty, might needa change that lineup for me.
To Dallas: Schneider, Murphy, Poliout, Biega, Hainsey, Horcoff, Martin, 2013 3rd
To Vancouver: Boyle, Parenteau, Garrison, Whitney, Eakin, Horak, Summers
Colin Wilson - Nicklas Backstrom - P.A. Parenteau
Ray Whitney - Tomas Plekanec - Michael Frolik
Steve Ott - Mike Richards - Peter Mueller
Mikael Samuelsson - Cody Eakin - Erik Christiensen
Tyler Myers - Andrei Markov
Dan Boyle - Jason Garrison
Nick Leddy - Barret Jackman
Sorry dusty, might needa change that lineup for me.
To Dallas: Schneider, Murphy, Poliout, Biega, Hainsey, Horcoff, Martin, 2013 3rd
To Vancouver: Boyle, Parenteau, Garrison, Whitney, Eakin, Horak, Summers
Colin Wilson - Nicklas Backstrom - P.A. Parenteau
Ray Whitney - Tomas Plekanec - Michael Frolik
Steve Ott - Mike Richards - Peter Mueller
Mikael Samuelsson - Cody Eakin - Erik Christiensen
Tyler Myers - Andrei Markov
Dan Boyle - Jason Garrison
Nick Leddy - Barret Jackman
Marc-Andre Fleury
Mathieu Garon
Haha sure I'll swap it out tomorrow, just got home and its pretty late. Was thinking though since the lineups are pretty up to date at least, even if a GM isn't happy with where players are in the lineup. It's still a decent way to see every ones teams if we do a vote or something. So if we start a new thread we can just copy paste the rosters delete what ever crap I wrote and there you go. I'd be more then happy to do this and keep the lineups up to date, and change them to however people want them.
Looking for in return
Depending on the player or package, we could be looking for a 3rd round pick or a high end forward prospects. PM me what player you're interested and I'll respond with what I'm interested in on your team or an offer.
