NHL Atlantic Division Preview and Predictions

The NHL's Atlantic Division has always been a division of rivalries and tough, gritty hockey. It is the only division in the NHL where all of its current members have won the Stanley Cup at least twice, and it has the shortest distances between teams in the NHL, with all five teams within 410 miles of each other.

The Atlantic produces some of the most compelling hockey in the NHL year after year. The 2011-2012 season should be no different. As the puck drops on this new season, let's take a look at the teams in the Atlantic and make a few predictions too.

Philadelphia Flyers (2010-11 Atlantic Division Champions)

It sounds odd to refer to a team that's coming off a division title and is only two years removed from the Stanley Cup Finals as "new look," but there's no other way to describe the 2011-12 Flyers.

The defending Atlantic Division champions virtually turned their entire team upside down on one day last summer.

On June 23, they traded Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Jakub Voracek, the eighth overall pick and the 68th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. Later that same day, the Flyers traded their captain, Mike Richards, to the LA Kings for Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn and a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. They capped the day by signing former Phoenix Coyotes goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year, $51.5 million deal.

Fans in Philly were understandably shell-shocked. Richards and Carter were wildly popular with the Philadelphia fans, and each were coming off 66-point seasons. Flyers management wasn't done yet, though.

Darroll Powe was traded to Minnesota on June 27 and, on July 1, they were again very active, trading Kris Versteeg to Florida, signing Anaheim's Andreas Lilja and former all-star  Jaromir Jagr to a one-year contracts as well as signing Pittsburgh's Maxime Talbot to a five-year deal.

What do all these moves add up to? (besides a transactions list longer than the Philly phone book?) Only time will tell, but the Flyers certainly don't look like a team that's going to do anything but contend for another Atlantic Division title.

They addressed their goal tending issue by signing Bryzgalov, and their defense is solid, with newly appointed captain Chris Pronger healthy again after missing significant time last season with knee problems.

The Flyers have a nice mix of veterans (Pronger, Briere, Timonin, Jagr) to go with their core youngsters (Simmonds, Giroux, van Riemsdyk) and, despite all the shuffling and dealing of players this off season, appear to have the right parts in place for another strong showing in the Atlantic.

2010-2011 RESULTS:

First, Atlantic Division. 47-23-12 (106 points)

PREDICTED FINISH:

First, Atlantic Division. 49-22-11 (109 points)

Pittsburgh Penguins

So much of what happens with the Pens naturally depends on what Sidney Crosby and his return. Crosby missed the entire second half of the season after suffering severe concussion symptoms following hits to the head in the Winter Classic game on New Year's Day and on January 5 against Tampa Bay.

He will start the 2011-12 campaign on the injured list, but is expected to return some time during the first half of the season. Despite the injury, Crosby still led the team in points (66 in just 41 games), setting an NHL record for fewest games played by an NHL team's points leader thanks to an explosive first half.

But that doesn't mean that this is a one-man show. Far from it.

The Pens will have star center Evgeni Malkin back this year. Malkin suffered a torn ACL and MCL in February and was lost for the season. He's back and healthy, and that's good news for Penguins fans.

Defensively, Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik anchor a tough unit, and Marc-Andre Fleury is about as solid as they come in the net.

The biggest question marks coming into this season are Crosby's return, and whether the team can avoid the devastating injuries of last season. Judging by the way they finished despite losing their two best players (106 points, barely missing out on the division title), it appears that the Penguins will only be stronger this season. How could they not?

2010-2011 RESULTS:

Second, Atlantic Division 49-25-8 (106 points)

2011-2012 PREDICTED RESULTS

Second, Atlantic Division 49-23-10 (108 points)

New York Rangers

The Rangers are once again loaded with talent. They have one of the premier goaltenders in the NHL in Henrik Lundqvist, a true playmaker in Brad Richards and a strong supporting cast led by Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan and Brandon Dubinsky.

The Rangers' problem, though, is not the regular season. It's the postseason. Despite all their talent, they haven't advanced past the Eastern Conference semifinals since getting beat by the Flyers in the Conference Finals in 1996-1997.

Last season was a typical early exit, as they were bounced from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round by the Washington Capitals in five games. If the Rangers hope to go deep into the postseason, they'll need Richards to step up and be the anchor of their offense and Lundqvist to continue his stellar goaltending.

2010-2011 RESULTS:

Third, Atlantic Division 44-33-5  (93 points)

2011-2012 PREDICTED RESULTS

Third, Atlantic Division 45-30-7 (97 points)

New Jersey Devils

The Devils' struggles during the first half of last season are well documented, as was their incredible second half resurgence.

What the Devils have everyone wondering is which half of last season is this year's team going to resemble? Will they play like the juggernaut that they were from mid-January on, or the terrible, uninspired team they were prior to then?

The Devils have a new coach, Pete DeBoer, who favors an uptempo, attacking style of play, which should benefit Ilya Kovalchuk immensely. They also get Zach Parise, their newly named captain, back this season after he missed the majority of last year with knee problems.

18-year-old defenseman Adam Larsson has made the team and will play on a defensive unit that features returning veterans Anton Volchenkov, Henrik Tallinder and Andy Greene.

Defense, though, has never been the Devils' problem. The real issue is their ability—or lack thereof—to score goals. New Jersey ranked dead last in the NHL in goals per game last season, a pathetic 2.08 average. This was mostly due to their horrendous first half, which saw star forward Zach Parise go down with a knee injury and rookie head coach John MacLean fired.

This season, the Devils have a new coach, a new cast of characters and a healthy Parise. All that adds up to more goals and more wins.

2010-2011 RESULTS:

Fourth, Atlantic Division 38-39-5 (81 points)

2011-2012 PREDICTED RESULTS

Fourth, Atlantic Division 44-30-8 (96 points)

New York Islanders

The Islanders have long been the basement-dwellers of the Atlantic Division. While this probably won't change this season, there is reason to be optimistic on Long Island.

The Isles are assembling a talented group of young players, led by 2009 NHL Entry Draft No. 1 overall pick John Tavares alongside Michael Grabner, Matt Moulson and Kyle Okposo.

Their blue line is manned by veterans Mark Streit and Mark Eaton, giving them a veteran presence on the ice to balance all the youth up front.

The goaltending situation has been in flux for the last few seasons, mostly because of the inability of Rick DiPietro to remain healthy. DiPietro, the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, has shown flashes of brilliance, but has not been able to live up to the 15-year, $67.5 million contract he signed on  September 12, 2006. He's had injuries ranging from a concussions to a torn labrum in his hip to chronic knee issues to facial fractures after getting knocked out in a goalie fight with Pittsburgh's Brent Johnson.

The Islanders will start the season with DiPietro penciled in as their starter, but backups Al Montoya and Evgeni Nabokov won't get too comfortable on the bench.

Overall, the Islanders are talented, but they're still two years away from seriously contending in this tough division.

2010-2011 RESULTS:

Fifth, Atlantic Division 30-39-13 (73 points)

2011-2012 PREDICTED RESULTS

Fifth, Atlantic Division 31-37-14 (76 points)