1-Boston (They are just that amazing, 3 lines that click and that can score every game, they are big, fast, skilled, tough, extremmely well coached, Julien has my vote for coach of the year at the moment, Wheeler has been an amazing signing too)
2-San Jose
3-Detroit
4-Vancouver (will get tougher without Luongo but Vigneault has done an incredible job with this team)
5-Anaheim (With Bobby Ryan back, they can finally have 2 solid offensive lines, Beauchemin injured, not easy to replace but still a team with alot of experience and skills)
6-Chicago (Quenville has been making a difference, this team has alot of skills and has been playing great hockey lately)
7-Washington When this team is healthy, its a freaking hockey machine you have to face, they have been slowed down with injuries, could be higher)
8-Montreal(when you think everything would fall in place and that you cant even have 2 offensive lines clicking at the same time, it becomes really frustrating..)
9-Pittsburg (I thought they would struggle more without their 2 best defensemen and their lack of depth on the wings, Malkin has been unreal)
10-Rangers (Great start but they have been playing some average hockey lately)
Boston are good, but not as good as San Jose or Detroit, they're just so good...
1.SJ
2.Det
3.Boston
4.Pittsburg (while missing key players... scary)
5.Vancouver (the trap is effective this year)
6.NYR (see Vancouver and Boston... ****ing trap...and we're going down that road)
7.Chicago (Young and solid... might not keep up, but future looks awsome)
8.Wash (Ovy's going back to form, Semin, Green and cie will come back, goalie's questionable)
9.Minn (That ****ing trap)
10.Habs (Real case of Dr. Jekill and Mr. Hyde...I hope they'll be more stable as the season goes on)
I predict Tim Thomas will fall back to earth. There's no way he took this big a step forward, this late in his career. If his save % ends up in the .910-.915 (mere mortal) range, the Bruins won't finish 1st in the conference. Still, they have a very good team - Wheeler, Kessel and Lucic should continue to progress.
1. Montreal Canadiens: So good, they have had to lose a few games in the early part of the season, just to keep fans of other NHL teams interested in the season.
2. Hamilton Bulldogs: Not actually an NHL team, but they are so good they could beat all the NNHL teams not named the Montreal Canadiens.
3. Cincinnati Cyclones: Not as good as Hamilton, but could also beat 99% of NHL teams.
4. Some NHL team
5. Some other NHL team
6. Probably some team that is playing well now
7. Don't care
8. Meh
9. Is anybody still reading this post?
10. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
__________________
Hey look, it's Duffman; the guy in a costume that creates awareness of Duff!
1- San Jose (I don't see how anyone cannot put them in first, they are in a league of their own, like Detroit was last year)
2- Detroit (their defense is subpar to what we are used to)
3- Boston (The Ruins are playing over their heads and have some lucky bounces, I still refuse to acknowledge this team as for real. We'll wait and see at the half mark. Consider that they are playing at full steam and can only have a win% just a bit higher than the Habs who are playing very subpar to what they can do) JMO
4- Pittsburg (they are very good despite the loss of their Dmens, yet if it weren't for Malkin and Crosby, nothing else could save them as Fleury is pretty weak this year, as is their defense)
5- Montreal (despite a subpar first quarter, their win% is up there with the rest of the good teams in the league. Expect the Habs to go higher in the rankings in the upcoming months as their play will get better)
6- New York (people are confusing them as the best team because they have the most points, yet have played more games than any other team. All other top eastern teams had about the same win% at the 20 game mark. But if they manage to keep it up, they'll be a bonafide top team in the east)
7- Vancouver (despite Luongo being sidelined and Sundin not signing the uber contract they offered, Vigneault what had his head on the chopping board seems to be doing a great job so far, but how far will they go, that is still to be seen)
8- Chicago (Youth, good coaching, a team in progression, nuff said)
9- New Jersey (even without Brodeur, they find ways of winning, a regular team under a great system)
10- Minnesota (still doing their thing, defensively sound with a marginal offense)
Honorable mention to Washington. yet I didn't put them up there as their defense is really bad, and compared to the other teams, they have a really weak team +/-. Also Philly.
Last edited by Ozymandias: 11-28-2008 at 03:50 PM.
Boston has a great mix of skill and toughness/grit. I think they that will finish 1st in the east. On the other side, San Jose looks unstoppable, and Nabokov has been hurt. Detroit is Detroit. It will be interesting to see if Dallas will pick up their game. I cant believe how horrible they are right now.
To reciprocate, it's a long way to the end of the season, and I expect there to be a 2 team battle all the way for the NorthEast. The Habs proved the other night that they can hang with the elite teams, they just need to put forward a consistent effort against the rest of the league.
My top 10:
San Jose
Detroit
Boston
Pittsburgh
Montreal
Vancouver
Minnesota
Rangers
Chicago
Philly
1- San Jose (I don't see how anyone cannot put them in first, they are in a league of their own, like Detroit was last year)
2- Detroit (their defense is subpar to what we are used to)
3- Boston (The Ruins are playing over their heads and have some lucky bounces, I still refuse to acknowledge this team as for real. We'll wait and see at the half mark. Consider that they are playing at full steam and can only have a win% just a bit higher than the Habs who are playing very subpar to what they can do) JMO
4- Pittsburg (they are very good despite the loss of their Dmens, yet if it weren't for Malkin and Crosby, nothing else could save them as Fleury is pretty weak this year, as is their defense)
5- Montreal (despite a subpar first quarter, their win% is up there with the rest of the good teams in the league. Expect the Habs to go higher in the rankings in the upcoming months as their play will get better)
6- New York (people are confusing them as the best team because they have the most points, yet have played more games than any other team. All other top eastern teams had about the same win% at the 20 game mark. But if they manage to keep it up, they'll be a bonafide top team in the east)
6- Vancouver (despite Luongo being sidelined and Sundin not signing the uber contract they offered, Vigneault what had his head on the chopping board seems to be doing a great job so far, but how far will they go, that is still to be seen)
7- Chicago (Youth, good coaching, a team in progression, nuff said)
8- New Jersey (even without Brodeur, they find ways of winning, a regular team under a great system)
9- Minnesota (still doing their thing, defensively sound with a marginal offense)
10- Philadelphia (they could be higher, but it seems the vaunted Philly offense isn't as good as it is made to be)
Honorable mention to Washington. yet I didn't put them up there as their defense is really bad, and compared to the other teams, they have a really weak team +/-.
Technically you should leave out Philly of the top 10 and put Chicago at no 8
I predict Tim Thomas will fall back to earth. There's no way he took this big a step forward, this late in his career. If his save % ends up in the .910-.915 (mere mortal) range, the Bruins won't finish 1st in the conference. Still, they have a very good team - Wheeler, Kessel and Lucic should continue to progress.
I agree and some stupid people think that he could win the vezina
#1 San Jose
#2 Boston
#3 Detroit
#4 Pittsburgh
#5 Vancouver
#6 Washington
#7 Montreal
#8 NY Rangers
#9 Anaheim
#10 New Jersey
#11 Calgary
#12 Minnesota
#13 Chicago
#14 Philadelphia
#15 Buffalo
