NHL Season Preview Part 4 - Pacific Division and Cup picks

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the NHL regular season as the Maple Leafs visit the Winnipeg Jets. Now seems like as good a time as any to finish off my predictions. If you've been reading, and you understand how the process of elimination works, you'll realize that I'll be previewing the Pacific division. You also could do that by simply reading the title, in which you'll see that I've enticed you to read this by including a teaser of my Cup picks, which I know you can't possibly resist. Sure, you could skip ahead and just look at those, but that would make me sad and if you're okay with that you don't deserve to read this. Go away...

Alright, for you non-jerks let's start the preview.

Anaheim Ducks

Last year: 1st Pacific, lost in Conference Finals

Additions: Francois Beauchemin (COL-FA), Ryan Miller (VAN-FA)

Departures: Jonathan Bernier (COL-FA), Simon Despres (KHL-Bought-out), Jhonas Enroth (KHL-FA), Emerson Etem (ARI-FA), Ryan Garbutt (KHL-FA), Clayton Stoner (VGK-Expansion), Shea Theodore (VGK-Trade), Nate Thompson (OTT-FA)

The Good: Despite loosing Shea Theodore in order to bribe Vegas away from Sami Vatanen, the Ducks retain most of what was an elite defense corps from last season. The forwards are a mix of young and old, but all talented. From Corey Perry to Jakob Silfverberg to Nick Ritchie to Ryan Getzlaf, and many more, this team is filled with proficiency. John Gibson made the jump to full-time starter with ease last season and Ryan Miller should provide some insurance and a handful of solid games behind him.

The Bad: The core is aging. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are not the players they once were for the Ducks. Meanwhile, Bieksa and Kesler are far removed from their days with the Canucks. The Ducks may finally take a step back next year as Father Time looks to keep his perfect record alive (spoiler alert: he will). When you remember that they also have high hopes for 2007 Senators alumni Antoine Vermette and Patrick Eaves, they seem less of a sure thing to compete in the Pacific than at first glance.

Prediction: 2nd Pacific

Arizona Coyotes

Last year: 6th Pacific, no playoffs

Additions: Adam Clendening (NYR-FA), Nick Cousins (PHI-Trade), Jason Demers (FLA-Trade), Niklas Hjalmarsson (CHI-Trade), Antti Raanta (NYR-Trade), Zac Rinaldo (BOS-FA), Derek Stepan (NYR-Trade)

Departures: Alexander Burmistrov (VAN-FA), Anthony DeAngelo (NYR-Trade), Shane Doan (Retired), Peter Holland (MTL-FA), Josh Jooris (CAR-FA), Jamie McBain (TBL-FA), Jamie McGinn (FLA-Trade), Connor Murphy (CHI-Trade), Mike Smith (CGY-Trade), Teemu Pulkkinen (VGK-Expansion), Radim Vrbata (FLA-FA)

The Good: Funny thing happened over the off-season, Arizona is... not terrible. How about that? Some smart acquisitions, such as Jason Demers and Derek Stepan, have opened up the possibility of a potential playoff push. With a young core of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Max Domi, and Tobias Rieder, plus some up and coming talent in Dylan Strome and Jakob Chychrun, the Coyotes look primed to leave the cellar for the foreseeable future.

The Bad: As with seemingly every good-but-probably-not-good-enough team, the 'Yotes struggle with depth. Some of the depth issues are from veterans, like Brad Richardson, who just aren't all that good anymore, but most of it comes from young players who are still probably a year or two away from establishing themselves. This group includes Lawson Crouse, Brendan Perlini, and Anthony Duclair. While its possible that one, or even more than one, of these players find the next gear this season, it still might not be enough to push Arizona over the hump. Also, if the team's ownership falls apart again, which it's been known to do, who knows where that leaves them.

Prediction: 5th Pacific

Calgary Flames

Last year: 4th Pacific (1st WC), lost in round 1

Additions: Travis Hamonic (NYI-Trade), Eddie Lack (CAR-FA), Mike Smith (ARI-Trade)

Departures: Brandon Bollig (SJS-FA), Lance Bouma (CHI-Bought-out), Alex Chiasson (WSH-PTO), Brian Elliott (PHI-FA), Deryk Engelland (VGK-Expansion), Matt Frattin (KHL-FA), Chad Johnson (BUF-FA), Ladislav Smid (Czech-FA), Linden Vey (KHL-FA)

The Good: The Flames have been up and down throughout the past few seasons but appear to have finally found some stability. With young superstars Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, along with young up and comers Keith Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, coupled with a defense that can rival Nashville, this team is the complete package. Michael Frolik and Micheal Ferland are just two examples of the tremendous depth they have, seeing as almost every player on the roster still are young enough to see improvements, this team is looking potentially scary.

The Bad: The Flames had issues all of last season with goaltending as neither Brain Elliott nor Chad Johnson were able to assert themselves as a number one. The tandem of Mike Smith and Eddie Lack don't appear to be much more promising. The addition of Travis Hamonic solidified the Top 4 but Michael Stone is one of those secretly bad players and Matt Bartkowski doesn't scream "part of an elite defense unit". Unless the Flames can keep the puck out of their net, even with 4 all-star calibre d-men, they may be in for yet another disappointing season following the a playoff appearance.

Prediction: 4th Pacific, 2nd Wildcard

Edmonton Oilers

Last year: 2nd Pacific, lost in round 2

Additions: Jussi Jokinen (FLA-FA), Chris Kelly (OTT-PTO), Ryan Strome (NYI-Trade)

Departures: David Desharnais (NYR-FA), Jordan Eberle (NYI-Trade), Matt Hendricks (WPG-FA), Tyler Pitlick (DAL-FA), Benoit Pouliot (BUF-Bought-out)

The Good: Connor McDavid. Sure, this team has many strong aspects, from Leon Draisaitl to Oscar Kelfbom, and from Cam Talbot to Adam Larsson, but McDavid is the lifeblood of this team. In addition to McDavid and the other players listed above, they also have Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who may never live up to the hype that made him the first overall pick in 2011, but is still a Top 6 talent. Milan Lucic, while owning what is surely to be a disastrous contract in a few years' time, can still produce and is a valuable physical force. Also, did I mention McDavid?

The Bad: Their defense is sketchy. There have been numerous pieces written on Kris Russell, so many that you're probably tired of hearing about him. Nothing I say will get you to change your mind one way for the other so let me just say that I think he's a fine depth defender but is being overvalued in Edmonton both my money and playing time. If you don't like it, you should've left at the start when I gave you the option. Beyond the defense issues, the forward depth is skating on thin ice as they'll rely on youngsters like Kailer Yamamoto and Jujhar Khaira along with veterans such as Mark Letestu and Patrick Maroon to keep them afloat.

Prediction: 1st Pacific

Los Angeles Kings

Last year: 5th Pacific, no playoffs

Additions: Mike Cammalleri (NJD-FA), Christian Folin (MIN-FA)

Departures: Ben Bishop (DAL-Trade), Matt Greene (Retired), Jarome Iginla (FA), Brayden McNabb (VGK-Expansion)

The Good: In Jeff Carter, the Kings have one of the league's most underrated goal scorers, along with Anze Kopitar playing solid two-way hockey and Toffoli and Pearson producing, the Kings have a solid Top 6 unit. Drew Doughty leads a strong group of defenders, along with Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez, and, even though critics have been eagerly anticipating his demise, Jonathan Quick has yet to flame out. Until he does, he deserves the benefit of the doubt as one of the leagues top netminders.

The Bad: That Jonathan Quick flame out is due at the station any second now. Even though the Kings continue to put up good possession numbers, it's starting to feel like they've just about run out of time. Their bottom pairing on the blueline is scary for all the wrong reasons, and the forward depth is slowly eroding into nothing. They've already changed the front office and the man behind the bench so if things don't improve quick, this may be the end of the Kings as we know them.

Prediction: 6th Pacific

San Jose Sharks

Last year: 3rd Pacific, lost in round 1

Additions: Brandon Bollig (CGY-FA), Brandon Mashinter (CHI-FA)

Departures: Micheal Haley (FLA-FA), Patrick Marleau (TOR-FA), David Schlemko (VGK-Expansion)

The Good: The Sharks are another example of a Western team with a great blueline. Burns, Vlasic, Martin, and the rest are one of the best in the entire league and have Martin Jones as a superb insurance policy behind them. Even though they watched franchise icon Patrick Marleau walk in free agency, they managed to sign Joe Thornton to a very reasonable deal. With the likes of Couture, Pavelski, Hertl, and Ward up front, along with some all around depth. The Sharks seem like they won't miss a step from last season.

The Bad: They're a lot older than you may realize, Pavelski is 32, as is Burns. Vlasic is 30 and even the "young guy", Logan Couture, is pushing thirty as he's 28. Oftentimes, teams don't fade away due to losing players, but, much like we're seeing in LA, the players who were once great began to decline into shadows of their former selves. The Sharks may not be there quite yet, but that day is fast approaching.

Prediction: 3rd Pacific


Vancouver Canucks

Last year: 7th Pacific, no playoffs

Additions: Alexander Burmistrov (ARI-FA), Michael Del Zotto (PHI-FA), Sam Gagner (CBJ-FA), Anders Nilsson (BUF-FA), Ryan White (MIN-PTO), Patrick Wiercioch (COL-FA), Thomas Vanek (FLA-FA)

Departures: Ryan Miller (ANA-FA), Luca Sbisa (VGK-Expansion)

The Good: Do we have to? Ugh, fine. Look, this team is terrible. I know I've tried to keep the representation of good and evil 50/50 in this post but there's really no way to sugar coat this team is bad. They are poor, rough, inferior, abominable, godawful, and faulty. They are junky, crummy, dissatisfactory, grungy, and, dare I say, the pits. If I had to say something good about them, it would be that they will only have to play 82 games and they'll be on the west coast so if you're in the East you won't have to watch them suffer through 60 minutes of pain and agony.

The Bad: Seeing as I covered the bad in the previous section, I thought I might say something nice here. They know they're bad. Admittedly, when you have a team as inadequate, raunchy, slipshod, and dreadful as they do, it would be hard not to notice it. But Vancouver has. The situation with the Sedin's is complicated and it looks like they won't be trading them. They're stuck with Loui Eriksson thanks to a mind-boggling contract signed last off-season. However, they have found a way to work around that. By signing a whole bunch of vets to one-year deals, they will be the centre of attention come the trade deadline and should, if nothing else, come out of this season with a load of extra draft picks and, who knows, maybe even the first one overall.

Prediction: 8th Pacific


Vegas Golden Knights

Last year: N/A

Additions: All

Departures: None

The Good: They play in the same division as the Canucks, who you may remember as the deficient, erroneous, atrocious, sad team from the section before. If anyone can make you look good, it's Vancouver! Other than that, Vegas loaded up with some solid young talent, especially on defense where they landed Nate Schmidt and Shea Theodore. Along with some attractive deadline rental options like David Perron, Jason Garrison, and, most of all, James Neal. They may not have swung for the fences at the expansion draft but they set themselves up for success down the road.

The Bad: I don't really have to tell you this, do I? Essentially every player is at least one spot too high on the depth chart. We've seen how one substandard line can hurt a team's chances in the past, now how about 4 of them and 3 defense pairings punching above their weight? They may have set themselves up for success in the future but make no mistake, this team is still bad.

Prediction: 7th Pacific

Predicted Standings:

1. Edmonton
2. Anaheim
3. San Jose
4. Calgary
5. Arizona
6. Los Angeles
7. Vegas
8. Vancouver

Cup Predictions:

None. We live in a society already plagued by the very concept of attempting to understand what cannot be understood. The NHL is not just a sports league, but a reflection of the social and spiritual worlds we live in today where all can be known, but nothing can be solved. Attempting to analyze which of the 31 groups of men, all in the 99.9999th percentile of their field, will, through almost equal parts skill and luck, would be to play God. To many people seek to much control these days, only to end up being controlled by their own unhinged lack of self-regulation and their unquenchable thirst for power. If I wish to better myself as a person and those around me, I would stop this foolish game now. Thank you

Ok. All those jerks who skipped to the end are gone. Here are my picks:

Edmonton over Tampa Bay

When it comes to the Oilers, Connor McDavid is just to good to be ignored. With an above average cast around him, the Oilers appear destined to finally take that final step into hockey immortality.

NHL Season Preview Part 3 - Central Division

With the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights to the Pacific, the Central is now alone as the smallest division in the league. They do not lack in talent, however, as this is one of the tightest divisions in the league.

Chicago Blackhawks

Last year: 1st Central, lost in round 1

Additions: Jean-Francois Berube (VGK-FA), Lance Bouma (CGY-FA), Cody Franson (BUF-PTO), Connor Murphy (ARI-Trade), Brandon Saad (CBJ-Trade), Patrick Sharp (DAL-FA), Tommy Wingels (OTT-FA)

Departures: Brian Campbell (Retired), Scott Darling (CAR-Trade), Niklas Hjalmarsson (ARI-Trade), Marcus Kruger (VGK-Trade), Johnny Oduya (OTT-FA), Artemi Panarin (CBJ-Trade), Trevor van Riemsdyk (VGK-Expansion)

The Good: The new Blackhawks are the old Blackhawks! The same Blackhawks that won three Stanley Cups in six years. Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman showed some signs of something greater last season, you can bank on those two to continue their stellar play and probably take another step forward. They won the Central even with Jonathan Toews having an off year. Kane and Saad should provide some valuable primary scoring as well. Duncan Keith is still one of the games best defenders and Corey Crawford has someone pulled off the rare feat of being underrated and overrated all at the same time. He is a very good goalie.

The Bad: Um... has anyone checked on their defense? Keith is great but beyond that its Brent Seabrook and a bunch of guys who are somehow worse than Brent Seabrook. If they sign Cody Franson to a contract that would help but they need work. The depth is very questionable, with guys like Tommy Wingels and Lance Bouma brought in to try and help. The loss of Panarin will put unreasonable pressure on Saad that will likely be very hard to match.

Prediction: 4th Central, 1st Wildcard

Colorado Avalanche

Last year: 7th Central, no playoffs

Additions: Jonathan Bernier (ANA-FA), Colin Wilson (NSH-Trade), Nail Yakupov (STL-FA)

Departures: Francois Beauchemin (ANA-Bought-out), Rene Bourque (Sweden-FA), Mikhail Grigorenko (KHL-FA), Calvin Pickard (VGK-Expansion), Patrick Wiercioch (VAN-FA)

The Good: As bad as last season was for the Avs, this is still a (relatively) young team. Nathan McKinnon is only 21, their captain, Gabe Landeskog, is 24, and even Matt Duchene, who seems ancient by now, is still just 26. Other young talents, like Tyson Jost and Mikko Rantanen, emerged briefly last season and will likely have the chance to earn bigger minutes this year. It was about this time last year that Patrick Roy suddenly resigned, leaving new coach Jared Bednar scrambling to implement a system. In many regards, the season was over before it even began. This year, with Matt Duchene signed for two more years, the Avs should have no distractions and can leave it all out on the ice.

The Bad: They aren't actually very good. Beyond the players mentioned above, this team is largely has beens and never weres. Calvin Pickard was just beginning to emerge as a real option between the pipes when he was snatched up by Vegas. Tyson Barrie is an above average NHL d-man but they really don't have anyone below him that can pass as high quality. They have a good Top 3 and slightly below average depth but the lack of secondary scoring is going to be the death of this team.

Prediction: 8th Central

Dallas Stars

Last year: 6th Central, no playoffs

Additions: Ben Bishop (LAK-Trade), Brian Flynn (MTL-FA), Martin Hanzal (MIN-FA), Marc Methot (VGK-Trade), Alexander Radulov (MTL-FA)

Departures: Cody Eakin (VGK-Expansion), Ales Hemsky (MTL-FA), Antti Niemi (PIT-Bought-out), Patrick Sharp (CHI-FA)

The Good: After years of inadequate goaltending, the Stars seem to have finally found the answer in Ben Bishop. The defense also has improved with the acquisition of Marc Methot and the development of Esa Lindell and Stephen Johns. They also retain an offense which terrorized the league two seasons ago with Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Jason Spezza. Now, they've added Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal to the mix. This team could be the team many of us were expecting last season and then some.

The Bad: Last season they didn't only look like a team that lacked a goalie, but they also seemed lost in general. New coach Ken Hitchcock may not be enough to fix that. Jason Spezza had his worst full season in terms of points of his career and at 34 years old, we may have seen the last of him as an elite offensive player. If Dallas can't get the kind of secondary production they've become accustomed to it might spell serious trouble for them in a jam-packed top of the the Central.

Prediction: 1st Central

Minnesota Wild

Last year: 2nd Central, lost in round 1

Additions: Matt Cullen (PIT-FA), Tyler Ennis (BUF-Trade), Marcus Foligno (BUF-Trade), Kyle Quincey (CBJ-FA), Daniel Winnik (WSH-PTO)

Departures: Tyler Graovac (WSH-Trade), Martin Hanzal (DAL-FA), Erik Haula (VGK-Expansion), Jason Pominville (BUF-Trade), Marco Scandella (BUF-Trade), Ryan White (VAN-PTO)

The Good: This team is oozing with depth. Not the kind of depth you often hear about, where a team has a dozen adequate players fighting for a few spots, the kind of depth that you can look at and be intimidated by the lack of holes, especially up front. Players like Eric Staal Tyler Ennis will likely be playing Bottom 6 minutes while on defense, young talents like Jonas Brodin and Matthew Dumba continue to push others down the lineup. With Devan Dubnyk between the pipes, this is a team that all of a sudden looks like a serious Cup contender.

The Bad: How will the older players keep up? They're deep, but if suddenly Zach Parise, or Mikko Koivu, or Eric Staal, or Ryan Suter, or any combination of them, lose a step, all of a sudden players will be pushed up the lineup and have a ripple effect through the lineup. In particular on defense, where they have to be hoping Kyle Quincey and Ryan Murphy won't be forced to much more than a dozen minutes a night.

Prediction: 3rd Central

Nashville Predators

Last year: 4th Central (2nd WC), lost in Stanley Cup Finals

Additions: Nick Bonino (PIT-FA), Alexei Emelin (VGK-Trade), Scott Hartnell (CBJ-FA)

Departures: Vernon Fiddler (Retired), Mike Fisher (Retired), James Neal (VGK-Expansion), Colin Wilson (COL-Trade)

The Good: After barely squeaking into the post-season, the Nashville Predators finally showed their potential and came agonizingly close to winning it all. This year, most of them are back. The young forward core of Johansen, Forsberg, and Arvidsson, will continue to be great and may even improve. Kevin Fiala looks like the real deal and they still maintain what is possibly the league's greatest blueline. Led by the always divisive PK Subban. No matter how you feel about him though, there's no denying he is one of the top d-men in the NHL.

The Bad: Pekka Rinne has been declining gradually and, although he showed glimpses of brilliance early in the playoffs, was wildly inconsistent in the finals. With the inexperienced Juuse Saros as the only real backup option, Nashville better hope Rinne is able to find his game from a few years ago, if it still exists. The loss of some forward depth is also a potential issue, Fisher and Fiddler retired in the off-season, but perhaps there was no single greater loss to Vegas than James Neal. Nashville will have to bank on someone picking up their offensive game if they're to have a quasi-replacement for him.

Prediction: 2nd Central

St. Louis Blues

Last year: 3rd Central, lost in round 2

Additions: Brayden Schenn (PHI-Trade), Chris Thorburn (VGK-FA)

Departures: Jori Lehtera (PHI-Trade), David Perron (VGK-Expansion), Ryan Reaves (PIT-Trade), Nail Yakupov (COL-FA)

The Good: This team is very well built, with a defense corps comprised of the likes of Pietrangelo, Parayko, and Bouwmeester. Up front they have a pair of 25 year olds in Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz. Jake Allen had some ups and downs last year but his first year as the undisputed number one goalie was, all-in-all, a positive one. With the addition of Brayden Schenn, this team looks fairly well rounded.

The Bad: They appear to be having the same problem as many Metro teams, good, but maybe not good enough to be a factor this year. Their lack of forward depth will be even more evident this year with Robby Fabbri hurt again. If they can't get top calibre production from the forwards beyond Tarasenko, they may very well miss the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Prediction: 5th Central

Winnipeg Jets

Last year: 5th Central, no playoffs

Additions: Dmitry Kulikov (BUF-FA), Steve Mason (PHI-FA)

Departures: Ondrej Pavelec (NYR-FA), Paul Postma (BOS-FA), Brian Strait (NJD-FA), Chris Thorburn (VGK-Expansion)

The Good: The Hockey News once proclaimed the Winnipeg Jets as the 2019 Stanley Cup champions. While they haven't really shown all that much progress, that could all change. The Jets made a nominal playoff push late in the season and with a healthy Patrik Laine, that might be enough to finally get them over the hump. The core of Scheifele, Wheeler, Byfuglien and the aforementioned Laine, have a strong and youthful supporting crew around them. With just a few steps forward by a few players, this could be the year the Jets finally fulfill their potential.

The Bad: This team is very similar to the Sabres, perennially on the verge of breaking through and, much like the Sabres, it seems that they might still not be quite good enough to become relevant. Their problem, as always, remains in goal. They made a slight upgrade by bringing in Steve Mason to compete with Connor Hellebuyck for the starting job, but unless Hellebuyck can assert himself as a true number one, they will always be less than they should be. They also may suffer from a tight Central division in which their lack of discipline could cost them a couple of games which could cost them a playoff spot. It doesn't seem like much of a stretch to say that this is a critical season for the Jets.

Prediction: 6th Central

Predicted Standings:

1. Dallas
2. Nashville
3. Minnesota
4. Chicago
5. St. Louis
6. Winnipeg
7. Colorado

Beyond Colorado, all of these teams are very evenly matched. It seems thought that the slight advantages by the top teams could turn out to be a huge edge as the season goes along. Look for the Western wildcard race to be an intriguing one.

NHL Season Preview Part 2 - Metropolitan Division

We continue our season preview with the Metro division. Home of the two-time defending champions Pittsburgh Penguins and quite possibly the strongest division in the league. Last year they sent 4 teams to the playoffs despite seeming significantly stronger than the Atlantic. How many will the send this year? Who will they be? Read on to find out the definitive answer*!

*answers may or may not be definitive

Carolina Hurricanes

Last year: 7th Metropolitan, no playoffs

Additions: Scott Darling (CHI-Trade), Josh Jooris (ARI-FA), Marcus Kruger (VGK-Trade), Trevor van Riemsdyk (VGK-Trade), Justin Williams (WSH-FA)

Departures: Eddie Lack (CGY-FA), Jay McClement (PIT-PTO), Andrej Nestrasil (KHL-FA)

The Good: The Hurricanes defense corps was one of the sneaky strong ones in the league heading into the off-season and they made sure to lock up key pieces by signing Pesce and Slavin to big extensions. They also were one of the few teams to really take advantage of the Golden Knights' desire to trade, acquiring Marcus Kruger and Trevor van Riemsdyk. They addressed their goaltending situation by trading for Scott Darling and surprised many by bringing back Justin Williams. Adding all this to a group that already included Jordan Staal, Justin Faulk, and Teuvo Teravainen, this team may just turn a few heads this season.

The Bad: This is still a team that finished near the Metro division cellar last season. They made some upgrades but also maintain the same core. The defense is widely viewed as one that will be one of the best in the league before too long, but if that's not this year, the 'Canes might not be able to keep up with the division's big boys. Jordan Staal has yet to top 20 goals since coming over from Pittsburgh and which Jeff Skinner is the real Jeff Skinner is still yet to be determined. If one Carolina can't get elite production from some of their top players, they may wind up down in the basement once again this year.

Prediction: 3rd Metropolitan

Columbus Blue Jackets

Last year: 3rd Metropolitan, lost in round 1

Additions: Artemi Panarin (CHI-Trade)

Departures: Sam Gagner (VAN-FA), Scott Hartnell (NSH-Bought-out), William Karlsson (VGK-Expansion), Kyle Quincey (MIN-FA), Brandon Saad (CHI-Trade)

The Good: Columbus shocked the hockey world by coming third in a powerful Metro last year. Head coach John Tortorella won the Jack Adams Award, Sergei Bobrovsky the Vezina, all was good. The Jackets bowed out in 5 games to the eventual champs but all things considered, 2016-17 was a rousing success for the Jackets. Break-out years by Cam Atkinson and Zach Werenski have rejuvenated the team. When you include Seth Jones on the blueline and the two-time Vezina winner in Bobrovsky, this team has some significant star power. Did I mention they now have Artemi Panarin?

The Bad: Do you see that dark cloud over the horizon? That's the storm of regression. Last year's Blue Jackets squad was 3rd in the league with a PDO of 1.020, they're due for a bit of a drop. Beyond Jones and Werenski, the defense looks weak. Even with Sergei Bobrovsky in the crease the forwards will need to be just as good, if not better than last season if they wish to remain relevant. Seeing as practically every Metro team made huge strides in the off-season, the Jackets may not be able to keep up with the rest of the division.

Prediction: 7th Metropolitan

New Jersey Devils

Last year: 8th Metropolitan, no playoffs

Additions: Brian Boyle (TOR-FA), Marcus Johansson (WSH-FA), Drew Stafford (BOS-FA), Brian Strait (WPG-FA)

Departures: Mike Cammalleri (LAK-Bought-out), Patrik Elias (Retired), Jon Merrill (VGK-Expansion), Devante Smith-Pelly (WSH-Bought-out)

The Good: The Devils were hoping to take a step forward last year but that was probably never much more than a pipe dream as even the addition of Taylor Hall wasn't going to be enough to keep pace in the Metro. The team has improved since then. Drafting Nico Hischier first overall and poaching Marucs Johansson from the Caps. If players like Zacha and Severson continue to improve and Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac provide the offense their capable of a bounce back season from Cory Schneider could help mask some of their defensive struggles and have them into the mix late into March.

The Bad: One pattern that has emerged in the Metro is teams that don't have many obvious flaws but who just aren't good enough. New Jersey is one of these teams. Yes, they have some depth and the Top 6 is better than some may think, but the reality is that even though they have some skill it takes a lot more than some skill to win in the NHL. The Devils made some savvy pickups over the summer, and are no doubt on the right track, but to suggest this team is ready to make some noise already is yet another pipe dream.

Prediction: 8th Metropolitan

New York Islanders

Last year: 5th Metropolitan, no playoffs

Additions: Jordan Eberle (EDM-Trade)

Departures: Jean-Francois Berube (VGK-Expansion), Mikhail Grabovski (VGK-Trade), Travis Hamonic (CGY-Trade), Ryan Strome (EDM-Trade)

The Good: After looking lifeless for most of the season, the Islanders finally showed signs of life under Doug Weight and nearly made the playoffs. They lost Travis Hamonic to Calgary in the off-season but the defense remains solid with Leddy, Hickey, and de Haan. John Tavares, while his impending free agency will remain an elephant in the room, he will continue to dominate the game from centre as few can. Jordan Eberle gives him a linemate with serious skill that he's been lacking ever since Matt Moulson left in free agency. With Andrew Ladd settling into his second season on Long Island, this group looks like they could crash the party in the Metro and return to the post-season after a one year hiatus.

The Bad: Another team that didn't really get worse but failed to make significant improvements. The Islanders, however, were much better than their record indicates, but they also weren't as good as their late season push may make them appear. Johnny Boychuk was acquired from Boston years ago with high hopes but those were largely unfair and, shockingly, never met. While the Top 6 should provide some offense, the Bottom 6 is aging and largely unskilled. Not to mention the less than stellar Halak-Greiss tandem in the net.

Prediction: 5th Metropolitan, 2nd Wildcard

New York Rangers

Last year: 4th Metropolitan (1st WC), lost in round 2

Additions: Anthony DeAngelo (ARI-Trade), David Desharnais (EDM-FA), Ondrej Pavelec (WPG-FA), Kevin Shattenkirk (WSH-FA)

Departures: Adam Clendning (ARI-Bought-out), Dan Girardi (TBL-Bought-out), Tanner Glass (FA), Oscar Lingberg (VGK-Expansion), Kevin Klein (Swiss-FA), Antti Raanta (Trade-ARI), Derek Stepan (ARI-Trade)

The Good: Last season, the Rangers blueline was more of a punchline across the league. They got better, though, when they acquired Brendan Smith from the Wings at the deadline, not only did they retain him, but they, as expected, landed Kevin Shattenkirk in free agency. They unloaded a few centres in Derek Stepan and Oscar Lindberg, via trade and the expansion draft respectively, in hopes that Zibanejad and some other younger forwards can step up. They still have Lundqvist in goal, which will always give them a shot. Beyond Stepan, the core remains intact with a few upgrades.

The Bad: Remember the dark cloud of regression over the Blue Jackets and Senators? Well the Rangers are directly in its path. They weren't quite as PDO driven as Columbus but were well above the Sens. They did make some improvements, but the Stepan trade looks like a bad one right now. If Mika Zibanejad can't become a number one centre, that could be disastrous. Their defense, even with Shattenkirk and Smith, is sub-par and if they can't be better than last year they may miss the playoffs altogether and finally break Henrik Lundqvist.

Prediction: 4th Metropolitan, 1st Wildcard

Philadelphia Flyers

Last year: 6th Metropolitan, no playoffs

Additions: Brian Elliott (CGY-FA), Jori Lehtera (STL-Trade)

Departures: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (VGK-Expansion), Nick Cousins (ARI-Trade), Michael Del Zotto (VAN-FA), Boyd Gordon (FA), Steve Mason (WPG-FA), Brayden Schenn (STL-Trade), Nick Schultz (FA), Chris VandeVelde (FA)

The Good: Philadelphia has taken the slow and steady approach under Ron Hextall and it got a huge boost by winning the second overall pick and scooping up Nolan Patrick. Jordan Weal and Travis Konecny have joined Giroux and Simmonds along with Sean Couturier as solid forwards for  team that's still looking to find its footing in a crowded Metro. Shane Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov are both great young defenders. This team seems to have all the talent they'll need, its only a matter of time.

The Bad: Time. Ain't it a funny thing? Philly has done everything right but it seems that their timing couldn't have been worse. A group of young talent on cheap deals with some older players nearing the end of their primes is when teams are supposes to be at their peak. Instead, the Flyers are just hoping to squeak into the playoffs thanks to a strong Metro division. It also doesn't help that, beyond their Top 2, the defense is sketchy, with Brandon Manning and Radko Gudas being the only two who seem to have spots locked down beyond the two big guys. Goaltending probably got a bit better with the signing of Brian Elliott but it still won't be enough to make up for their minor shortcomings that will be exploited into gargantuan holes in this division.

Prediction: 6th Metropolitan

Pittsburgh Penguins

Last year: 2nd Metropolitan, won Stanley Cup

Additions: Matt Hunwick (TOR-FA), Antti Niemi (DAL-FA), Jay McClement (CAR-PTO), Ryan Reaves (STL-Trade)

Departures: Nick Bonino (NSH-FA), Matt Cullen (MIN-FA), Trevor Daley (DET-FA), Marc-Andre Fleury (VGK-Expansion), Ron Hainsey (TOR-FA), Chris Kunitz (TBL-FA), Mark Streit (MTL-FA)

The Good: The Penguins have won back-to-back Stanley Cups with largely the same core. A large portion of the supporting crew is now gone but the nucleus remains. Sidney Crosby is still one of the best players on the planet, Evgeni Malkin is not far behind. With Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, and Matt Murray, this team would be good even with average depth. Factor in Hagelin, Rust, Maatta, Schultz, Guentzel, etc. and its obvious why this team has a chance to be the first team to three-peat since the New York Islanders dynasty in the 80s.

The Bad: How deep are they really? Matt Hunwick isn't really an ideal defender on a top team, Guentzel will have to prove he wasn't just a flash in the pan, and while they've always had great goaltending depth, they now have to hope Antti Niemi can be a capable backup with Fleury gone. The core is aging and haven't really been known for their durability. This season could very well be the beginning of the end for a mini-dynasty that has had success for a decade in a parity driven league.

Prediction: 1st Metropolitan

Washington Capitals

Last year: 1st Metropolitan, lost in round 2

Additions: Alex Chiasson (CGY-PTO), Tyler Graovac (MIN-Trade), Devante Smith-Pelly (NJD-FA)

Departures: Karl Alzner (MTL-FA), Nate Schmidt (VGK-Expansion), Kevin Shattenkirk (NYR-FA), Justin Williams (CAR-FA), Daniel Winnik (FA)

The Good: Much like the Penguins, this team has maintained the same group that has had success the past two seasons. While it may be true that they lost in round 2 in back-to-back years, both times were to the eventual champions, although that's not really much consolation for Caps fans. Alex Ovechkin should be able to bounce back as he always does. They managed to keep TJ Oshie, meanwhile Evgeny Kuznetsov and Andre Burakovsky continue to look like absolute studs. John Carlson is a solid blueliner and it doesn't look like we've even seen Dmitry Orlov's full potential yet. Match this with Braden Holtby's solid play in net year after year, this team has every reason to expect more of the same, in the regular season at least.

The Bad: Is the defense bad? I think the defense might be bad. As much as Karl Alzner is trashed on he was a solid defender that will be missed. Nate Schmidt looked like a real up and coming star until they were forced to turn him over to the Golden Knights. Kevin Shattenkirk may not have been very good in red but he leaves a hole nonetheless. Washington fans might be seeing a lot more of Brooks Orpik than they had hoped for this year.

Prediction: 2nd Metropolitan

Predicted Standings:

1. Pittsburgh
2. Washington
3. Carolina
4. NY Rangers
5. NY Islanders
6. Philadelphia
7. Columbus
8. New Jersey

In a division with as much star power as this one, the top players will have lots of influence. While it remains true that an injured or slumping star would have a negative impact on any team, it would seem that in the Metro, it would be more drastically pronounced.