By Zack Conway, sports staff writer
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
The Atlantic Division is one of the easier divisions to win in the NHL. With teams like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia dominating the division, you also have the weaker teams like New Jersey, and the two New York teams. I look for the Pens and Flyers to beat up on each other throughout the year. They will be fighting both figuratively and literally to win this division. The obvious question here is: when is Sidney Crosby coming back? For the Pens to be that consistent dominant force that can compete to win the Cup, they need their captain to come back strong and healthy. It is good that they have Evgeni Malkin to lean on, but it can only last for so long until the pressure gets to him or even worse a serious injury happens to him like last year. Thus far the Pens have been playing just fine without Crosby, but it won’t be long until the Flyers come charging up to take the division lead. The Flyers are coming off a season where they expected to go to the Stanley Cup and win it all. In the offseason the Flyers went and addressed their biggest need, goaltender. With the signings of Ilya Bryzgalov and former NHL star Jaromir Jagr, Philadelphia looks for impressive years from their stars this year and with the surrounding cast they look for another Cup run. The Flyers have yet play to their potential, however; it won’t be long until they hit their stride, and when they do, look out. Look for the Flyers to edge out the Penguins this year in a close race the entire year, but with the addition of a top goaltender the Flyers will win this Division. Division winner: Philadelphia Flyers
Northeast
The Northeast division is home to the Stanley Cup winner, the Boston Bruins. With Boston getting off to a slow start this year; the young Toronto Maple Leafs team has capitalized and taken an early lead in the division. The Leafs are led by RW Phil Kessel who has netted seven goals along with five assists. The Leafs are a young team that can be a force in the league when they play to their potential, but they are a young team when its comes to dealing with the pressure of being atop the division. The Leafs are in a division that is very winnable if they can keep healthy and continue to play good, consistent hockey. Because of their slow start, the Bruins are being forgotten, but we have to remember they won the Stanley Cup last behind excellent defense and Tim Thomas. Led by 6’9″ 255 lb. defender Zdeno Chara, the Bruins look to win the division and make a splash in the playoffs again. However, they are going to have to play much better if they want to have any shot of even making the playoffs. The Bruins are currently last in goals per game; this is because they are unable to capitalize on the scoring chances that are provided. The power play led by Chara has got to catch fire for the Bruins to get where they want. The one player that has shown up for the Bruins is Tyler Seguun, who is starting the season on fire with a goal and four assists. The other team to watch out for in this division is the Buffalo Sabres. They are not the most talented team, but with Ryan Miller in goal they will always be a contender. The Sabres might be the odd team looking in, but look for them to put up a good fight. Although Toronto and Buffalo have started the season with good quick wins, you can never count out the champs. Division Winner: Boston Bruins
Southeast
The Northeast Division has been won by the Washington Capitals the last four years. Along with the Capitals in this division, you also have the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and the return of the Winnipeg Jets. As of right now the division looks pretty balanced all the way across, but look for the Capitals and the Lightning to start to pull away from the rest of the division. The Washington Capitals made quite a few moves this past offseason with the addition of Joel Ward, Troy Brouwer, Jeff Halpern, Roman Hamrlik, and Tomas Voukon. The Caps looked to add not just that veteran presence, but also talent that can come right in and make a difference. With the help Voukon in goal, the Caps have gotten off to a fast 6-0 start and seem to be playing as a united, fresh team. When the Caps were bounced from the playoffs last year, many were looking at Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin is no doubt one of the best players in the NHL, and for the Caps to have a successful season, he has to play like a star that everyone expects. The key for the Caps this year is for the stars to get rolling and stay on a consistent level throughout the season and into the playoffs. The other team looking for a division title is Tampa Bay. The Lightning are coming off an impressive run in the playoffs and they look for a similar outcome this year. Led by Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis the Lightning are a high-powered offense that can score goals in bunches. Thus far, they’ve have started slow with just four points and are at fourth place in the division. Losing their last five games in a row, the Lightning are looking for that spark to get them going. The Lightning will be charged and ready to when needed, they hope it’s sooner rather than later. With young and old stars on the team, the Lightning are not short of talent, so look for them to compete to win the division with Capitals. With the addition of veterans and the same core stars, I still look for the Capitals to have a fifth straight division title. Divisions Winner: Washington Capitals
Western Conference
Central
Arguably one of the toughest divisions in all of hockey, the Central Division was responsible for three out of the eight playoff teams last year. This division is led by the Detroit Red Wings, but close behind are the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Nashville Predators are a team that no one wants to face because of their ability to turn it on at any time; all three teams made the playoffs last year. The Red Wings are arguably the most talented team in the NHL, with great veterans at just about every position; they know what it takes to be a successful team in the league. The Red Wings are a Cup contender every year, and in last couple years they have been bounced from the playoffs, but they are back and hungrier than ever. Detroit is in the top five for both goals for and against, their offense is clicking on all cylinders and putting in an average of three goals a night, while their defense tops the league by only allowing an average of one goal a night. The Red Wings are a dangerous veteran team that no one looks forward to playing. If the Red Wings slip up, don’t look back because Chicago is right there. The Blackhawks are coming off a disappointing season last year after being knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. Chicago looks to be right there with Detroit at the end of the year when playoff season starts. Led by Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, the Blackhawks look for a rebound season, and it all starts with winning the division. Thus far Chicago has performed well with scoring an average of three goals a game. On defense the Hawks have killed 93 percent of all penalties. When clicking on all phases of the game, the Red Wings better look out for this dangerous team. Often overlooked in this division is the Nashville Predators. AFter making the playoffs last year, the Predators look to have another playoff season. With a leader like Mike Fisher, Nashville is set for another playoff run. With the talent and leadership of the Red Wings, look for them to edge out the Blackhawks for the division title. Division Winner: Detroit Red Wings
Northwest
In this division you have the star-powered Vancouver Canucks and then the surprise team of the year, Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche have started the season fast with a 5-1 record. Colorado has gotten to a fast start thanks to their number one overall power play ranking, and with an average of three goals per game, their offense has not let them down. The defense for the Avalanche has played just as well; with top-ten rankings in both goals against and penalty kill percentage. Colorado is looking for a division title, which hasn’t happened since 2003. With this drought, the Avalanche look to come out of the box strong and, more importantly, finish strong. Colorado cannot look back because the Canucks are right there looking for any slip-up. Vancouver is coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history. Vancouver made it to the Stanley Cup last year, but were unable to seal the deal against the Bruins, losing the series 4-3. This loss to the Bruins made them hungry for another deep playoff run. The Sedin twins lead Vancouver, and after a slow start to the season they look to get the team back on track. The Canucks have started this season slower than they would have liked, ranking 22nd in the league for goals per game and 24th for goals against per game. The offense has got to get back on track and start scoring goals. The defense has not showed up, and most of the blame can be put on goaltender Roberto Luongo. Luongo is one of the best goaltenders in the league, but when he feels pressure, it gets to him more than any other player on the ice, and this is very evident. For the Canucks to have another deep run Luongo has to play to his ability and the offense has got to start scoring goals. This division is very wide open, but because Vancouver has that experience and more importantly the talent needed to win games, I look for the Canucks to be the winners of this division. Division Winner: Vancouver Canucks
Pacific
This is probably the toughest division in the NHL, with three of the eight playoff teams coming from this division. The Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, and San Jose Sharks are all teams that can win this division, but I think it is going to come down between three teams, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose. The reigning division champs, San Jose looks to repeat this year behind the play of superstars Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. The Sharks have not gotten off to that fast start that they look for when beginning the season. However, they have been in this position before, and behind the play of their stars, the Sharks are not doubting themselves. When Thornton and Marleau start playing like the leaders and stars that they are, the Sharks will be right back atop the division. San Jose is not settling for anything less then a Stanley Cup this year, and they will do whatever it takes to get there. The team that made the biggest splash this offseason has got to be the Kings. Los Angeles has done everything in their power to create the best team possible that is set for a Stanley Cup run. The Kings went out and acquired playmakers Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, who both played in Philadelphia together and look to continue their success in LA. Los Angeles has gotten of to that quick start needed to build the confidence of this team. With the new additions the Kings are a new team set for a Stanley Cup run. They are a well-balanced team with leadership and skill on both offense and defense. With these new additions along with their original core, look for the Kings to have a break out year and possibly a deep playoff run. With the Kings and Sharks getting a lot of the looks in this division, don’t look past the Ducks. Anaheim has talent across the board and can play with any team in the league. With Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, the Ducks are set with both skill and leadership. With the play of Perry, the Ducks are a team that can put up goals in bunches. Anaheim is off to a fast 4-1 start and look to continue their success throughout the season. Lubomir Visnovsky, who can play the dominant defensemen role leads their defense, but he can also play the offense as well as any other defensemen in the league. Ranking 3rd in the league for goals against, the Ducks are playing well in all phases of the game. With Anaheim clicking on all cylinders, look for them to compete for the division and make a playoff appearance. This division is the most open compared to any other, but with their experience and skill look for the San Jose Sharks to come out on top. Division Winner: San Jose Sharks
