Mid-Season Reports: Eastern Conference

Atlanta Thrashers

Pre-Season Prediction: 4th Southeast, 10th East

Where they are now: 3rd Southeast, 6th East

First half look-back:
Arguably the biggest surprise of the first half has been the emergence of the Thrashers. The franchise has overcome the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk and is now playing as a team. Though they’ve cooled off since their torrid stretch in early December, Craig Ramsay still has his club in playoff position. Dustin Byfuglien is right in the thick of the Norris race; the same could be said for Ondrej Pavelec being in the Vezina discussion.
Second half look-ahead:
For the Thrashers to remain in the playoff hunt, the back end will have to continue to step up in the big moments. Byfuglien has been clutch in overtime; Enstrom’s quality production has been overshadowed a bit because of Big Buff; and the forwards have played well in their own zone. As long as that continues, I like Atlanta’s chances of making their second postseason appearance.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 39 (20 home, 19 away)


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Boston Bruins

Pre-Season Prediction: 1st Northeast, 3rd East

Where they are now: 1st Northeast, 3rd East

First half look-back:
If it weren’t for Tim Thomas, I don’t think the Bruins would even be near the position they are in today. The ex-Vezina winner (and current favorite) has been a brick wall on most nights, proving everyone who thought Tuukka Rask was the clear-cut No.1 wrong. The B’s played most of the first half with games in hand on their opponents, and recently overtook Montreal for the division lead.
Second half look-ahead:
If they wish to hold onto that lead in the Northeast, the team won’t be able to rely on Thomas so much, and will need to provide more offense. Looking at the schedule, if they can get by their road trip in late February, they should be fine (then again, home-ice play has been the issue). Also, considering their salary cap situation, it’ll be interesting to see if GM Peter Chiarelli will make a move at the deadline.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 43 (22 home, 21 away)


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Buffalo Sabres

Pre-Season Prediction: 2nd Northeast, 7th East

Where they are now: 3rd Northeast, 10th East

First half look-back:
For some, a lot was expected out of last year’s division winners. Nothing has gone right for the Sabres this year, though. Ryan Miller isn’t on top of his game, Tyler Myers is having the definition of a sophomore slump, and leading point-getter Derek Roy is lost for the season with a quad injury. Sitting nine points out of a playoff spot, Lindy Ruff and company is left scratching their heads.
Second half look-ahead:
How this second half of hockey plays out could be a defining time for Buffalo. If the Sabres fall short of the playoffs, it will be their fourth miss in five years. Would Ruff survive under that scenario? I’m not so sure. They must take advantage of a six-game home-stand in late February, which immediately precludes a seven-game road swing.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 42 (21 home, 21 away)


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Carolina Hurricanes

Pre-Season Prediction: 3rd Southeast, 8th East
Where they are now: 4th Southeast, 9th East

First half look-back:
The schedule-makers did not do any favors for the Hurricanes, who started the year with their worldwide expedition before finally hosting a home game on Oct. 27. 18-year-old rookie Jeff Skinner turned a lot of heads with his impressive start, but has cooled off. Franchise stalwarts Eric Staal and Cam Ward have put together fine starts as the team sits just a few points back in the playoff race.
Second half look-ahead:
This has to be one of your teams to watch during the stretch run. After playing much of the first half on the road, the ‘Canes will be able to take a breather and have some home cooking. If Paul Maurice’s club keeps up their quiet-but-steady ascend towards the East’s top eight, I have no doubt they will have the potential to sneak into the playoffs.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 43 (24 home, 19 away)


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Florida Panthers

Pre-Season Prediction: 5th Southeast, 15th East
Where they are now: 5th Southeast, 11th East

First half look-back:
As expected, Dale Tallon’s transformation of the franchise hasn’t been a quick fix; it’s going to take three or four years for him to repair this team. But that has not kept the Panthers from playing competitive hockey. Tomas Vokoun has come up big and easily been the team’s best player. A respectable penalty kill has also kept the ‘Cats in games.
Second half look-ahead:
Tallon will have a big decision to make as the trade deadline approaches. Though the Panthers are a nice winning streak away from jumping up closer to the eight seed, playoff hopes aren’t very reasonable. With Vokoun staring at free agency this summer, Tallon may want to cash in and get some prospects – unless, of course, their first playoff berth since 2001 becomes more realistic. They do have 44 games remaining, tied for most in the league.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 44 (24 home, 20 away)


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Montreal Canadiens

Pre-Season Prediction: 4th Northeast, 11th East

Where they are now: 2nd Northeast, 8th East

First half look-back:
Around Thanksgiving, it looked like the Canadiens were the real deal with Carey Price on top of his game. But the train came off the tracks a bit in December, especially away from home. The offense has been more miss than hit, while the back end has suffered key injuries to Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges. Recent acquisition James Wisniewski was brought in to help soften the blow.
Second half look-ahead:
Now that they are coming from behind in trying to catch the division-leading Bruins, the Habs need to shake off their holiday struggles as soon as possible (maybe Thursday’s win over Pittsburgh was just what the doctor ordered?). For a team that is 9-11-0 on the road, consistency away from the Bell Centre is a big key for the second half; 12 of their final 19 games will be played on the road.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 41 (20 home, 21 away)


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New Jersey Devils

Pre-Season Prediction: 2nd Atlantic, 4th East

Where they are now: 5th Atlantic, 15th East

First half look-back:
The last three months have probably been the worst in Devils franchise history. Shelling out $100 million to Ilya Kovalchuk hasn’t exactly paid off just yet, while injuries and salary cap shortcomings derailed the season early. There have also been questions about Martin Brodeur’s future after the worst start of his illustrious career.
Second half look-ahead:
One positive in New Jersey is that there is nowhere to go but up. The team hit rock-bottom when they fired John MacLean and elected to bring back Jacques Lemaire for the third time (on an interim basis). It will definitely be strange to not see the Devils in any sort of playoff race as the second half unfolds. Even after trading Jamie Langenbrunner on Friday, look for them to be sellers at next month’s trade deadline.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 42 (20 home, 22 away)


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New York Islanders

Pre-Season Prediction: 5th Atlantic, 14th East

Where they are now: 4th Atlantic, 14th East

First half look-back:
After an overtime win over Tampa Bay on Oct. 21, the Islanders were 4-1-2. They followed that up by going 1-18-3 in their next 22 and joining the woeful Devils in the basement. During that terrible stretch, head coach Scott Gordon was fired in favor of an AHL coach without much previous success. With a lackluster first half, the Isles continued to hold their title as the laughing stock of the entire NHL.
Second half look-ahead:
Although it looks like another lost season, the second half has to be considered as an opportunity for the youngsters to gain some confidence and experience under the direction of Jack Capuano. GM Garth Snow will have a difficult choice with Matt Moulson, who is a pending free agent. Other than that, I can’t see the Isles being big sellers at the deadline.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 44 (24 home, 20 away)


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New York Rangers

Pre-Season Prediction: 4th Atlantic, 13th East
Where they are now: 3rd Atlantic, 7th East

First half look-back:
Yes, I actually believed the Rangers would finish in 13th in the East; it’s one of few predictions I’d like to take back. Battling through Marian Gaborik’s injuries (among others) was a good sign; however, I still haven’t been all that impressed with John Tortorella’s club. Their road success (13-7-1) has made up for their average home mark (10-8-2).
Second half look-ahead:
The schedule is pretty favorable for the Rangers; they don’t have any extensive road trips, and they finish the year with three straight at MSG. One player that needs to get hot is Gaborik, who has been fairly inconsistent amidst injuries. Look for the Blueshirts to make the playoffs as long as they continue to get quality goaltending from King Henrik.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 41 (21 home, 20 away)


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Ottawa Senators

Pre-Season Prediction: 3rd Northeast, 9th East
Where they are now: 4th Northeast, 12th East

First half look-back:
Cory Clouston’s club didn’t come into the year with high expectations, and rightfully so. The Sens proved to be one of the more inept teams offensively, entering the midway point with the second least goals per game ratio. Since Nov. 9, they are just 8-13-4. Off-season acquisition Sergei Gonchar hasn’t helped as much as they previously thought; the Russian blueliner currently boasts a -20 rating.
Second half look-ahead:
Alfredsson and company have some work to do if they wish to get back in the playoff hunt. This team has steadily gone downhill since the start of November, and Clouston’s job is a losing streak away from being in serious jeopardy (if not already). A road-heavy schedule won’t help matters in the second half.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 42 (19 home, 23 away)


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Philadelphia Flyers

Pre-Season Prediction: 3rd Atlantic, 5th East

Where they are now: 2nd Atlantic, 4th East

First half look-back:
Between the streaking Pens, struggling Caps, and upstart Bolts and Thrashers, it almost seems like the Flyers flew under the radar in the first half. That’s pretty hard to do, considering they are the defending conference champions. Peter Laviolette’s club may have found their goalie of the future in Sergei Bobrovsky, which definitely helped solve the biggest question mark heading into the season. They were dealt a blow last month when Chris Pronger went down with a broken foot.
Second half look-ahead:
Some may consider this Flyers team the best in the NHL and primed for another deep playoff run. In this second half, the secondary scoring has to keep contributing; the Flyers have seven players with 20 points or more (second-most in the East). At this point, thanks to their overall depth, I think Philly is the favorite to win the Atlantic Division; but then again, it is essentially a toss-up.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 42 (21 home, 21 away)


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Pittsburgh Penguins

Pre-Season Prediction: 1st Atlantic, 2nd East
Where they are now: 1st Atlantic, 1st East

First half look-back:
The first half was, well, a tale of two halves for the Penguins. On Nov. 15, the team was sitting with a record of 9-8-2 due to struggles early on. 12 consecutive wins later, the Pens found themselves atop the Eastern Conference. Ever since they started that streak, Marc-Andre Fleury has been lights out (15-3-1, 1.85 GAA, .939 SV%). Oh, and Sidney Crosby is doing all right this season.
Second half look-ahead:
I believe the Pens will continue their success if the blueline keeps contributing. Without any go-to wingers, it’s paramount that the likes of Kris Letang, Paul Martin and Alex Goligoski chip in from the back end. In fact, the defense corps leads the NHL in offense from defensemen (101 points). Following the All-Star break, the Pens will play the majority of their games away from home.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 40 (19 home, 21 away)


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Tampa Bay Lightning

Pre-Season Prediction: 2nd Southeast, 6th East

Where they are now: 1st Southeast, 2nd East

First half look-back:
The new front office regime in Tampa Bay has seen quick rewards for their off-season re-tooling. GM Steve Yzerman made shrewd moves to put solid pieces around studs like Stamkos, St. Louis and Lecavalier. I expected the Bolts to be a playoff team prior to the season, but didn’t think they’d be leading the division at this point.
Second half look-ahead:
One of Yzerman’s wise additions came recently when he brought in goaltender Dwayne Roloson from the Islanders. He is expected to provide a lift between the pipes, which could be just what the doctor ordered for a high-scoring team like this one. The majority of Tampa’s remaining games will be played at home, courtesy of a 12-game home-stand, mostly in February. I do not believe their success is a fluke, and I fully expect them to be battling for home-ice in the first round.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 41 (24 home, 17 away)


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Toronto Maple Leafs

Pre-Season Prediction: 5th Northeast, 12th East

Where they are now: 5th Northeast, 13th East

First half look-back:
Early in October, the Leafs were drawing out the parade route. Of course, starting 4-0 means you’re going to win the Cup! Ron Wilson’s gang quickly faded back to reality after a stretch where they dropped 11 of 12. Phil Kessel boasts a team-worst -15 rating, Clarke MacArthur leads the team in scoring, and the back end (considered the team’s strength) has been woefully inconsistent.
Second half look-ahead:
Toronto goes into the second half knowing they are not a playoff team… again. You have to wonder when GM Brian Burke is going to pull the trigger, whether it’s on a trade or the coach (most likely the former). It will be interesting to see what happens to Tomas Kaberle, who has been the subject of trade rumors for some time now. Staring at another bottom-five finish, was it still worth trading away two first-rounders for Kessel?

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 43 (19 home, 24 away)


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Washington Capitals

Pre-Season Prediction: 1st Southeast, 1st East

Where they are now: 2nd Southeast, 5th East

First half look-back:
Adversity doesn’t build character – it reveals it. And for the first time under the tutelage of Bruce Boudreau, the Caps went through adversity in early December. The team that many expected to cruise through the East, once again, lost eight games in a row and saw their division lead evaporate. However, they’ve been strong ever since. Will last weekend’s Winter Classic win be their springboard for the rest of the year?
Second half look-ahead:
Now that they have company atop the Southeast, the Caps will be in a battle to win the division unlike the last couple years. It could ultimately pay dividends, but they must get the offense back on track (particularly Ovechkin, who is on pace for 28 goals). They’ll play five more road games than home in the second half, where they have played .500 hockey this year.

Critical Stretch:


Remaining games: 41 (18 home, 23 away)



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