2009-2010 NHL Eastern Conference Standings Predictions

This time of the year is when I start to break out of my depression from hockey deprivation. It is the final stretch of the long, hot summer dog days, and on the horizon are those crisp fall days and hockey training camp, my favorite time of the year.

NHL training camp will open about a week earlier this year because of the Olympics. Most camps will start opening September 10th, less than a month away. The official NHL season will open up in Europe late September.

I personally like to get my standings predictions in before training camp and preseason starts because for some reason it clouds my judgment if I try to make my predictions in the midst of preseason or thereafter.

Most impact free agents are settled in with their clubs, and most teams look ready to rock, so that means I'm ready to go.

Up first are my Eastern Conference standings predictions.

15. New York Islanders

The Islanders did little to nothing (outside of drafting John Tavares first overall) this offseason to add to one of the worst offenses in the league. Their defense is still average at best, even when healthy. They snagged two quality goalies, so they are strong in that area, at least.

Trending: Up
Last season final standing: 15th
Highest possible finish this season: 13th
Key additions: John Tavares, Dwayne Roloson, Martin Biron
Key losses: None

Overall Offense: 5
Overall Defense: 6
Goaltending: 8.5
Leadership: 7
Coaching: 7
Total: 33.5/50

14. Ottawa Senators

The Sens didn't do anything noteworthy this offseason besides the signing of Alex Kovalev who will eventually be Dany Heatley's replacement if or when he is traded. The signing overall is still a downgrade to a squad already on it's downside.

Trending: Down
Last year final standing: 11th
Highest possible finish this year: 8th
Lowest possible finish this year: 15th
Key additions: Alex Kovalev
Key losses: Dany Heatley*

Overall Offense: 7.5
Overall Defense: 7.5
Goaltending: 7.5
Leadership: 7
Coaching: 6
Total: 35.5/50

13. Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa seems focused now on building through their defense after trying to build through their offense last season which ended up a disaster.

I'm not sure if management looked at their total team goals last season because they obviously still need lots of help in that area as well.

Trending: Sideways
Last year final standing: 14th
Highest possible finish this year: 9th
Lowest possible finish this year: 15th
Key additions: Mattias Ohlund, Matt Walker, Victor Hedman
Key losses: Vaclav Prospal

Overall Offense: 7
Overall Defense: 7.5
Goaltending: 8
Leadership: 8
Coaching: 6.5
Total: 37/50

12. New York Rangers

Glean Sather the GM of the Rangers decided to play fantasy salary cap hockey again this offseason. He traded away Scott Gomez—one of the worst contracts in the NHL. Everyone was praising him. He then goes and signs an injury prone Marian Gaborik to a cap strangling contract. Now the Rangers have another potentially bad contract, an abundance of wingers with no true number one center. I don't see the direction.

Trending: Sideways
Last year final standing: 7th
Highest possible finish this year: 7th
Lowest possible finish this year: 14th
Key additions: Marian Gaborik, Chris Higgins, Ales Kotalik
Key losses: Scott Gomez, Nikolai Zherdev, Markus Naslund

Overall Offense: 8
Overall Defense: 7
Goaltending: 9.5
Leadership: 6
Coaching: 8
Total: 38.5/50

11. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres are a far cry of the team they were just a couple of years ago when they made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals for their second consecutive season.

The Sabres are still suffering with trying to attract the type of top tier players they lost over the last couple of seasons, but they are still one of the funnest teams to watch.

Trending: Sideways
Last year final standing: 10th
Highest possible finish this year: 7th
Lowest possible finish this year: 14th
Key additions: Steve Montador
Key losses: Jaroslav Spacek

Overall Offense: 8
Overall Defense: 6
Goaltending: 9
Leadership: 7
Coaching: 9
Total: 39/50

10. Florida Panthers

The Panthers have been coming close to the playoffs the last few years now, but they have not made the playoffs overall in nearly a decade. Their core players are frustrated and starting to go elsewhere, and they are doing very little in replacing them (not their fault).

Trending: Down
Last year final standing: 9th
Highest possible finish this year: 7th
Lowest possible finish this year: 13th
Key additions: Jordan Leopold, Ville Koistinen, Scott Clemmensen, Steven Reinprecht
Key losses: Jay Bouwmeester, Nick Boynton, Karlis Skrastins, Craig Anderson, Richard Zednik

Overall Offense: 8
Overall Defense: 7.5
Goaltending: 9.5
Leadership: 7.5
Coaching: 7
Total: 39.5/50

9. Toronto Maple Leafs

I think the Leafs will be on the outside looking in again for the fifth consecutive season, mainly because lack of offense and sub par goaltending. I don't think their quality defense can carry them to the playoffs, but they will come very close.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 12th
Highest possible finish this year: 7th
Lowest possible finish this year: 13th
Key additions: Francois Beauchemin, Mike Komisarek,
Key losses: None

Overall Offense: 7
Overall Defense: 8.5
Goaltending: 7
Leadership: 8.5
Coaching: 9
Total: 40/50

8. Atlanta Thrashers

Not many people believe in the Thrashers, and I honestly can not see why. They scored a lot of goals last season, and only added to that offensive punch this season. Their defense will be better with the addition of Pavel Kubina and the experience Zach Bogosian got in his rookie year last season. The goaltending is still iffy, but this team to me looks like a contender for the playoffs.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 13th
Highest possible finish this year: 6th
Lowest possible finish this year: 13th
Key additions: Pavel Kubina, Nik Antropov,
Key losses: None

Overall Offense: 9
Overall Defense: 8.5
Goaltending: 7.5
Leadership: 7.5
Coaching: 7.5
Total: 40/50

7. New Jersey Devils

The Devils hired old time coach Jacques Lemaire to replace Brent Sutter who bolted for Calgary. The Devils will be like the Devils of old. Boring, classic Lemaire style hockey with enough 2-1 victories to creep into the playoffs.

Trending: Down
Last year final standing: 3rd
Highest possible finish this year: 6th
Lowest possible finish this year: 12th
Key additions: Jacques Lemaire
Key losses: Brent Sutter, Brian Gionta, John Madden, Scott Clemmensen,

Overall Offense: 7.5
Overall Defense: 7.5
Goaltending: 9
Leadership: 8.5
Coaching: 8.5
Total: 41/50

6. Montreal Canadiens

Montreal felt they needed more of a North American flavor of hockey so they gutted their team of some of the important, yet, enigmatic, injury prone Europeans that have been hanging around the club for years, and replaced them with some Canadians and Americans.

I see this Habs team being similar to the NY Rangers of last season. A team trying to find their identity for most of the season, with enough talent to get them through.

Trending: Sideways
Last year final standing: 8th
Highest possible finish this year: 4th
Lowest possible finish this year: 10th
Key additions: Jacques Martin, Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Paul Mara, Travis Moen, Jaro Spacek, Hal Gill
Key losses: Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev, Mike Komisarek

Overall Offense: 8.5
Overall Defense: 9
Goaltending: 7.5
Leadership: 8
Coaching: 8.5
Total: 41.5/50

5. Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina boasts one of the top offenses in the Eastern Conference. Their underrated goaltender Cam Ward is top five in the entire NHL, and consistent as any, and their defense is improving. If they can find more consistency during the regular season, they'll give Washington a run for their money in the division.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 6th
Highest possible finish this year: 3rd
Lowest possible finish this year: 8th
Key additions: Andrew Alberts
Key losses: None

Overall Offense: 9
Overall Defense: 8
Goaltending: 9.5
Leadership: 9
Coaching: 8
Total: 43.5/50

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

It's scary to think Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are still a couple years away from hitting their prime. They will have to carry this Penguins team again offensively which is expected, but I don't see the Stanley Cup Champs capable of being a top three team through the course of an 82 game season because of their depth.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 4th
Highest possible finish this year: 1st
Lowest possible finish this year: 6th
Key additions: Jay Mckee
Key losses: Rob Scuderi, Hal Gill

Overall Offense: 9
Overall Defense: 8
Goaltending: 9
Leadership: 9
Coaching: 9
Total: 44/50

3. Philadelphia Flyers

Philly now has the defense anchored by big man Chris Pronger, and possibly better goaltending to back up their potent offense. They should have no problems coasting through the regular season, but they will fight Pittsburgh for the division title, coming out on top.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 5th
Highest possible finish this year: 1st
Lowest possible finish this year: 6th
Key additions: Chris Pronger, Ray Emery, Ian Laperriere,
Key losses: Mike Knuble, Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa

Overall Offense: 9
Overall Defense: 9.5
Goaltending: 8
Leadership: 9.5
Coaching: 8
Total: 44/50

2. Washington Capitals

Washington is an another offensive powerhouse that will only be better with the addition of 20+ goal scorer Mike Knuble. Their defense is still a shutdown man or two away from being one of the best in the Conference.

The key with this Washington team is if rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov can play as well through an entire NHL season as he did in the playoffs last season. Washington also have Jose Theodore who plays well above himself in his contract year if things happen to go bad with Varlamov.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 2nd
Highest possible finish this year: 1st
Lowest possible finish this year: 4th
Key additions: Mike Knuble, Brendan Morrison
Key losses: None

Overall Offense: 9.5
Overall Defense: 8
Goaltending: 8.5
Leadership: 9
Coaching: 9
Total: 44/50

1. Boston Bruins

Boston is the complete team and the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference. They have the offensive depth mixed with the right amount of vets and youngsters, a well rounded defensive corps, and great goaltending as well as the coaching to put them above all through a grueling 82 game season.

Trending: Up
Last year final standing: 1st
Lowest possible finish this year: 3rd
Key additions: Derek Morris
Key losses: Aaron Ward, Steve Montador

Overall Offense: 10
Overall Defense: 9.5
Goaltending: 9
Leadership: 9
Coaching: 9
Total: 46.5/50