NHL Predictions: Eastern Conference Standings for 2011-12

The East got a whole lot tougher this season. 

Boasting last year's champion and some of the biggest difference makers in the NHL boosts the expectations for the Eastern Conference this season.

So just how will the final standings stack up this year with all of the trades, signings and even a relocation that occurred during the offseason?

One day before the season appears to be the most appropriate time for this prediction.

Let's begin.

15. Ottawa Senators- 63 Points

The Senators not only will finish last in the East, but they'll also set themselves up to take the first overall pick in the 2012 Entry Draft with what may likely be the worst record in the NHL this year. 

The Senators have a couple of problems they need to address before the become successful again. First off, Sergei Gonchar needs to be moved for some younger talent at the trade deadline. The Sens need secondary scoring more than any other team in the league.

Getting the first overall pick wouldn't hurt their chances at a successful rebuild next season either. 

14. New York Islanders- 79 Points

Mark my words, the Islanders will be a force in the East soon with tons of accumulated young talent getting older.

Soon, yes. Just not this year. The Islanders did improve slightly over last season and showed some flashes of brilliance towards the end of the season. 

They will make the playoffs in 2012-13. 

13. Florida Panthers- 81 Points

Scottie Upshall, Tomas Fleischmann, Sean Bergenheim, Marcel Goc, Matt Bradley, Ed Jovanovski, Jose Theodore, Kris Versteeg, Tomas Kopecky and Brian Campbell are all the players the Panthers either signed or traded for during the offseason. 

In what could easily be described as a recycling or perhaps a fire sale, the Panthers are definitely a new team, but are they a better team?

The simple answer is no. They will improve their record this year but won't be sniffing the playoffs this season. 

Kansas City here we come? 

To give you some perspective of how much this roster has turned over, the Panthers have only two players on their roster who were acquired prior to 2007. David Booth was drafted in 2004 and Stephen Weiss in 2001.

12. Winnipeg Jets- 86 Points

This is where the East starts to get tough. The Jets moved to a new city, picked up some new players and signed a sensational rookie in Mark Scheifele. 

So where does that place them this year in the extremely deep Eastern Conference? 

I'd say 12th place at 86 points with sold out seats almost every night. Hockey is back in Winnipeg and it won't be long before this team starts to fly. 

11. Carolina Hurricanes- 90 Points

The Hurricanes have a great young duo with Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner and an All-Star netminder in Cam Ward.

Unfortunately, I just don't see them having the depth needed to return to the playoffs this year. The good news is, they only narrowly miss by four points.

Erik Cole figures to be a bigger loss than expected as their right side offense is, to put it lightly, less than stellar. 

10. Toronto Maple Leafs- 92 Points

Just like the Islanders, the Maple Leafs are almost a cup contender and their fans are waiting for a return to the big dance. 

The Leafs improve by seven points this season, but fail to squeeze into the playoffs because of the overall competitiveness of the Top 10 teams in the East this season.

Also like the Islanders, this team will make the playoffs next season however.

9. Montreal Canadiens- 94 Points

The return of Brian Gionta, newcomer Erik Cole and recently healthy Andrei Markov appears to be a recipe for playoff success this season.

Unfortunately, I don't see them sneaking in this year. If Markov gets re-injured, there will be far too much pressure on P.K. Subban and a weakened defensive core to recover.

Losing Wisniewski, Hamrlik and several other 5/6 tweeners will prove to be a huge downgrade on the blue line this season. 

8. New Jersey Devils- 94 Points

I'm allowed one crazy pick aren't I?

With the return of recently named captain Zach Parise, this team will look absolutely different than the one that took the ice for most of last year. Look for Martin Brodeur to bounce-back as well and to go back to being the All-Star he is. 

Call it a Cinderella story, but the Devils will slip into the eighth and final playoff spot this season, stirring up eternal hate from the ninth and 10th place finishers. Adam Larsson also gets his name into the Calder Trophy talk with an impressive rookie season.

7. Philadelphia Flyers- 97 Points

Wayne Simmonds has been everywhere in the NHL press this preseason. One thing that has been overlooked has been his and other new Flyers' play so far.

Jakub Voracek, Simmonds and Sean Couturier have all shown they have the ability to help this team go deep in the playoffs. Jaromir Jagr has been very Jagr-esque so far and has made NHL fans around the league excited.

Overall it will be an exciting season for the Flyers, but their final point totals will dip slightly with the loss of their two superstar forwards this offseason. Expect them to still make the playoffs and cause some noise.

6. New York Rangers- 97 Points

Brad Richards and the New York Rangers definitely have an improved roster from last year. 

Their offense got a little less anemic (which was their major problem last season) and their defense is as stout as ever.

The Rangers have all the makings of a playoff team and will sit comfortable in sixth place by the season's end. 

5. Buffalo Sabres- 99 Points

The Sabres have added a few key players during the offseason in Ville Leino and Christian Ehrhoff, and subsequently move from seventh in the East last year to fifth this year.

It may not seem like a huge jump, but they play in the toughest division in the East–the Northeast. That will hinder their ability to inflate their point totals.

Look for Ryan Miller to be lights out and for Thomas Vanek to score near 80 points this season. 

4. Tampa Bay Lightning- 103 Points

Many people thought the Lightning wouldn't make the playoffs last season, let alone get within one goal of a Stanley Cup Finals return.

Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier are the real deal on offense, combining scoring ability, passion and excellent vision. 

The only question here is goaltending. With the departure of backup Mike Smith, the Lightning have one of the oldest tandems in the NHL. Mathieu Garon is 33 while Dwayne Roloson will be 42 in seven days. 

If either of these goalies show their age, the Lightning may be in a pickle this season. 

3. Boston Bruins- 102 Points

In the Northeast Division, the Boston Bruins will remain kings. 

Tim Thomas splits games with Tuukka Rask this season and both post pretty spectacular records. Zdeno Chara continues being a dominant force on the blueline while young sophomores Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin replace some of the lost scoring in the offseason.

Overall this team only finishes with 102 points because of the competitiveness of the Northeast Division. 

2. Pittsburgh Penguins- 110 Points

The Penguins will be a force to be reckoned with, with or without Sidney Crosby. 

Evgeni Malkin is fully healthy and appears to be ready to prove once again why he is an elite scorer in today's NHL. 

The Penguins will dethrone Philadelphia for the divisional crown this season and finish with 110 points. Look for Crosby to be back around the end of November and to be completely and utterly healthy. 

1. Washington Capitals- 112 Points

You know how in every sport there are those teams that are miles above the rest? The Washington Capitals are that team for the NHL.

The Capitals are deep in every single position including the often questioned goalie slot with the signing of Tomas Vokoun. 

This team is good. The only question remains is the heart that this team possesses. Sure it has scorers in Alex Semin and Alex Ovechkin. It has playmakers in Backstrom and Johansson. It has grinders in Laich, Brouwer, and Ward. It has all the makings of a team built for the the postseason, except for one: a track record of postseason success. 

Will this finally be the year the Capitals follow-up with some measure of late season success? Only time will tell. 

One thing is for certain. This team will take the East crown in the regular season.