The Top 25 Ottawa Senators of All-Time Part 1: 25-11

As 2017, a year of countless ups-and-downs winds to a close, many look back on what went down over the past 12 months. For hockey fans, 2017 was a memorable occasion as we celebrated a pair of 100th anniversaries, complete with numerous lists and ceremonies, and even the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup itself. Lost in the celebration was the Ottawa Senators' quadracentennial. So while many will look back on the year that was, let's go back a little further with the Top 25 Ottawa Senators of All-Time

Firstly, a clarification: this list includes only a player's career with the Sens franchise, that's why players such as Sergei Gonchar and Dominik Hasek will not be appearing on this list. With that in mind, let's jump right into it with number 25.

25. Zack Smith

2008-Present (10 Seasons)

Stats: 498 GP, 82 G, 72 A, 154 PTS, 575 PIM

Summary: Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2008 Entry Draft, Smith made his debut later that year on an emergency basis. After playing just one game for the big club, he was sent back to Binghamton where he would score 48 points in 79 games. The following season, he took part in 15 regular season games scoring his first two NHL goals, along with all six games in the team's Round 1 tilt with the Penguins. Smith soon became a stalwart of the Sens' middle six forwards but it was in the 2015-16 season where Smith really came into his own, scoring 25 goals, good enough for second on the team. Known for his gritty play and sneaky scoring ability, Smith has struggled with injury and inconsistency so far this year as the team continues to crash out of the playoff picture.

Signature Moment: Before he became a goal scoring weapon, Smith managed to snipe home his first goal against Carey Price, shorthanded nonetheless.

24. Jason York

1996-2001 (5 Seasons)

Stats: 380 GP, 25 G, 99 A, 124 PTS, 309 PIM

Summary: Acquired from the Mighty Ducks just days prior to the 1996-97 season, York became a vital part to the young team's defense corps. The right shooting defensive defenseman didn't score much but his play in his own end helped the Sens finally reach the post-season in their fifth year in the league. In his five seasons in Ottawa, York helped the Senators to the playoffs every time in what was the early days of a franchise that would become a model of consistency in the 2000s. After the 2000-01 season, York returned to Anaheim. York later went on to a broadcasting career and now is a part owner and director of hockey operations for the Kemptville 73's of the CCHL.

Signature Moment: York's career was that of silent efficacy. Known for his defensive presence, he's not the kind of player you'd expect to generate many shot attempts. But that's exactly what happened during a January 1999 tilt with the Islanders when York managed an astounding 12 shots on goal.

23. Todd White

2000-2004 (4 Seasons)

Stats: 230 GP, 58 G, 86 A, 144 PTS, 78 PIM

Summary: White was relatively obscure, undersized centreman when he came to the nation's capital. The local boy from Kanata would rapidly develop into a two-way threat in the Senators' top 6. While his first and last season were nothing spectacular with White only tallying 4 and 9 goals respectively, his pair of 20 goal seasons while playing big minutes from 2001-2003 were an invaluable aspect to a team that was quickly on the rise to top contender status. White went on to bounce around the league for the rest of the decade, with stops in Minnesota and Atlanta before going back and forth between the Rangers and their AHL affiliate in Hartford in 2010-11 before hanging them up. Now a member of the TSN1200 crew, White may not have had the most remarkable of careers, but for two seasons, he was an integral part of a growing dynasty.

Signature Moment: This video will probably show up a few times but for now go to the 0:53 second mark as White scores an OT winner in Round 2 against the Isles.

22. Chris Kelly

2004-2011, 2016-2017 (8 Seasons)

Stats: 545 GP, 80 G, 108 A, 188 PTS, 272 PIM

Summary: Throughout their history, the Sens have been known for their knack of finding gems in the mid to late rounds of the draft. A fourth round pick in 1999, Kelly was never a big-time prospect. In fact, aside from 4 games in 2004, he didn't crack the NHL until after the lockout. During that 2004-05 lost season, Kelly was a top offensive contributor on a Binghamton team seeping with NHL-ready talent, led by a 21-year old Jason Spezza. After that final conditioning stint, Kelly never looked back. While he never topped 20 goals with the Senators, he was a model of consistency. Reaching double digit goals in every season during his initial stint with the Sens. He was also a reliable penalty killer which led the eventual cup champion Boston Bruins to pull the trigger on a trade to bring him to Bean-town in 2011. Kelly eventually returned to Ottawa on a one-year deal last season where he didn't come particularly close to cracking the 10-goal barrier he had been relied on to in his past seasons but his penalty killing remained a vital part of a team that shocked many. Kelly played nine games on a tryout basis for Belleville this season but did not record a single point. He is currently playing for Canada in the Spengler Cup and is an Olympic hopeful.

Signature Moment: While he was by no means ever a sniper, Chris Kelly could definitely put the puck in the net. As the only real offensive threat on a line with Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil, he accounted for all of Ottawa's goals in a 3-1 victory over the Rangers in December of 2010. Notice that two of the three goals were when the Rangers skaters outnumbered the Sens'.

21. Mike Hoffman

2011-Present (7 Seasons)

Stats: 297 GP, 94 G, 104 A, 198 PTS, 99 PIM

Summary: A fifth rounder in 2009, Hoffman was seen as skinny kid with offensive gifts but very little else. But, through patience and persistence, Hoffman worked his way up from the ECHL all the way up to the NHL in just over a year. But Hoffman's time with the big club was short as he was subsequently sent back to Bingo after one game. Hoffman would be up and down in 2012-13 before bursting onto the scene in his age 24 season, leading the team with 27 goals during the miraculous season in which Andrew Hammond carried the team to record-setting playoff birth. Ever since, Hoffman has surpassed the 25-goal mark in each of his seasons while establishing himself as a top line quality player and his wicked shot is considered one of the best in the league. To this day, Hoffman remains one of the Sens top players with a value contract that no one would even entertain moving... wait, what?

Signature Moment: While he has developed into a fine all-around player, Hoffman's best attribute remains, as it was when he was drafted, his shot. During the Eastern Conference Finals when the Sens were down 3-2 in the series to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Hoffman unleashed a shot that he may as well have been saving for that very moment.

20. Milan Michalek

2009-2016 (7 Seasons)

Stats: 412 GP, 115 G, 109 A, 224 PTS, 202 PIM

Summary: Acquired from San Jose as a result of the bitter break-up between the Sens and Dany Heatley, scoring a total of 40 goals in his first two seasons in the nation's capital before exploding for 35 in 2011-12. Michalek's goal scoring rate dropped in the lockout shortened season but he came alive tallying 3 goals in 10 games as the Sens made it past the first round for the first time since their 2007 run to the Cup finals. Known for his speed and shot, Michalek exceeded expectations with Ottawa. He had big shoes to fill after being traded for Heatley, probably the best pure goal scorer ever to play in Ottawa, but his performance early on helped ease the sting and thanks to Heatley's sharp decline, made Ottawa look like a potential winner in that deal. Right around when he turned 30 however, Michalek began a decline of his own, after his 35 goal campaign, he never hit 20 markers in a season again. Injuries were also an issue for him as he faded away until he was announced as part of the bombshell trade between the Sens and the Leafs that saw Dion Phaneuf come to town. He hung in with the Leafs for a while before being sent to the Marlies and has since seen his contract expire with no suitors.

Signature Moment: When the All-Star Game came to Ottawa in 2012, the fan vote was perhaps the most ludicrous in history with the Sens getting four players and almost a fifth as Sergei Gonchar fell just short. In hindsight however, much of the love for the four attendees was deserved but perhaps none more than Michalek, who was leading the league in goals before his injury. While his career was one of ups and downs the All-Star Game was a definite bright spot for him and well deserved. The video below is a nice reminder of his great personality and the jaw-dropping brilliance he was capable of.

19. Bobby Ryan

2013-Present (5 Seasons)

Stats: 319 GP, 81 G, 116 A, 197 PTS, 129 PIM

Summary: Before there was the DucheneWatch™, there was Bobby Ryan. Speculation of a trade for the Ducks star winger began long before he came in hot to Ottawa. While he never lived up to the hype, or the trade, or the contract, he provides top 6 offense for the Sens and can show signs of brilliance. The Ryan trade was the work of the late Bryan Murray who had been pursuing him for over a year. After Daniel Alfredsson shocked the nation and left for Detroit, Murray finally pulled the trigger on the long anticipated deal. Ryan hovered around the 20-goal mark for his first three seasons with the Senators but last year his finger issues got the better of him and he only managed to record 13 in an abbreviated campaign. But with the ice thawing and the Sens about to embark on that magical 2017 playoff run, the Bobby Ryan that Murray had envisioned suiting up for the team finally arrived. Just in time for Murray to witness it, Ryan caught fire in the spring, with 6 goals in 19 games, he would've been a potential Conn Smythe candidate had the Senators gone all the way. But now, with Ryan's finger once again causing him grief, its safe to say the player the Sens hoped they acquired in 2013 will never truly show up. That being said, Ryan is still a productive player and can still control the game for stretches the way few players can.

Signature Moment: The 2017 playoff run was the result of standout performances by the entire team but perhaps no player stepped up more than Ryan, his OT winner to take game 1 from the Penguins will be a goal that will forever be remembered in Senators' lore.

18. Zdeno Chara

2001-2006 (4 Seasons)

Stats: 299 GP, 51 G, 95 A, 146 PTS, 554 PIM

Summary: Part of the 2001 off-season trade between the Sens and Isles that sent Alexei Yashin to Nassau, Chara was a relatively risky addition to the trade. A tall lanky Slovakian defender who had shown little upside in parts of four season on Long Island. Still, Ottawa saw enough to ask for him as the immediate help they'd get in the trade that would also lead to them drafting Jason Spezza days later. In his tenure with the Senators he was one of the most fearsome two-way defenders in the game. With a booming shot and a massive 6'9" frame, he was the kind of player teams could only imagine. While he only played four seasons for the Sens, he was instrumental in their rise from playoff team to an Eastern Conference juggernaut. Though his departure led to some hard feelings on either side, Sens fans were certainly happy to see him lift the Cup as captain of the Bruins in 2011.

Signature Moment: Just mention Chara to Sens fans and most will immediately think to the saga with him and Wade Redden where one had to leave. While management may have ultimately made the wrong decision choosing Redden over the Slovakian, that's not what we're going to focus on here. There'll be plenty of opportunities to use this part to mention ugly break-ups, so for now, let's go back to 2004 with what we'll generously call a fight.

17. Kyle Turris

2011-2017 (7 Seasons)

Stats: 407 GP, 117 G, 157 A, 274 PTS, 207 PIM

Summary: The former 3rd overall pick was coming off a nasty contract dispute with the then-Phoenix Coyotes in 2011. After eventually coming to an agreement and playing six games for the side, it was clear he was still not happy. So, the Senators swept in, left David Rundblad as if to say "sorry for your troubles" and came away with a shinny new toy in Turris. Turris went on to become a sharpshooter for the Sens, surpassing the 20-goal plateau thrice in his tenure with the team. Long the heir-apparent to Jason Spezza as top line centre, he stepped in after the captain's 2014 trade to Dallas and only grew his game further. Shipped out to Nashville as part of the three-way trade that saw Matt Duchene finally join the Senators, Turris is continuing to score for the Predators as they're out for revenge after falling just short of the ultimate goal a season ago. With Turris in the mix, they just might.

Signature Moment: Much like Hoffman, Turris' shot is a deadly weapon. While he was an underrated defensive centre, it's clear that sniping was what he did best and sometimes you just get a chance to flaunt your talents on the big stage like Turris did in his first playoff series as a Sen.

16. Shawn McEachern

1996-2002 (6 Seasons)

Stats: 454 GP, 152 G, 162 A, 304 PTS, 244 PIM

Summary: Acquired as part of a busy off-season that saw the team load up for a chance at a first playoff birth, McEachern bloomed into a solid top 6 forward who could play on the top line in a pinch. McEachern scored at least 20 goals in 4 of his 6 seasons and passed the 30-goal mark twice. McEachern was part of the group that became a playoff team but left before they became a force to be reckoned with. McEachern never really found his game in the playoffs, a trait that we may see a few times in this list, but was an integral part of the late 90s teams that helped the franchise regain respectability. Nowadays, McEachern coaches Prep School hockey in the States.

Signature Moment: As the 1996 season wound down, Ottawa was inching closer to their first ever post-season birth but still required a strong finish. In a late March contest against the Habs in Ottawa, McEachern scored not one but two goals to bolster the team's playoff hopes.

15. Craig Anderson

2011-Present (8 Seasons)

Stats: 320 GP, 160-111-38, 2.63 GAA, .918 SP, 26 SO

Summary: Early 2010s era Bryan Murray was perhaps one of the most brilliant trading GMs the game has seen. Seriously, are we sure this guy wasn't a Jedi? We've already seen the Kyle Turris trade but Murray outdid himself when he finally solved the Sens' goaltending woes when he exchanged starters with Colorado; Brian Elliott for Craig Anderson, straight up. Elliott did turn his career around after that but he had left the Avalanche and signed in St. Louis before that happened. Anderson has been the Senators undisputed starter ever since. Becoming the all-time leader in games played, wins, and pushing for the shutout record. He even generated some Vezina buzz in 2013 before an injury wiped out the second half of his regular season. With the exception of fill-in jobs by Andrew Hammond and Mike Condon, the Sens have ran with Anderson since he arrived. The Masterton victory last year for his perseverance and being with his wife during her cancer treatment was well-earned for a man who has worked hard to make it his entire career.

Signature Moment: After his wife Nicholle was diagnosed with cancer last season Anderson left the team to be with her. Upon his return, he posted a 37-save shutout in Edmonton. Cam Talbot sticking around to applaud his counterpart's effort is one of the cooler moments from last season.

14. Mark Stone

2012-Present (6 Seasons)

Stats: 286 GP, 90 G, 131 A, 221 PTS, 87 PIM

Summary: The only thing better than Murray's ability to make good trades may have been his ability to scope out good prospects from late rounds. Stone was a 6th rounder in 2010 but quickly became a high-end prospect. Making his NHL debut in the playoffs in 2012, Stone recorded an assist and was well on his way to stardom. His overnight stardom didn't last however as it wasn't until 2014-15 that he was finally an NHL regular. From there, Stone has gone on to top 20 goals in each of his three full seasons and is on pace for a career season this year. His defensive game has always been strong, if not recognized, this season may be the season that he finally gets real Selke consideration. At only 25 years old and management announcing that he's not going anywhere, expect him to move up this list soon.

Signature Moment: While a dominant player, Stone lacks many true signature moments, at least positive ones that is. After Andrew Hammond carried the Sens to the playoffs in 2015, Ottawa and Montreal were set to face off in a rematch of their 2012 showdown. The series was fairly bland until midway through the second period of game 1 when Subban slashed Stone and all hell broke loose. Stone micro-fractured his wrist and while neither him nor Subban missed a game, the situation became ugly with Dave Cameron's tongue lashing of the Habs there series had been sparked and it was certainly an ugly one.

13. Martin Havlat

2000-2006 (5 Seasons)

Stats: 298 GP, 105 G, 130 A, 236 PTS, 166 PIM

Summary: No longer able to rely on high draft picks, the Sens took Havlat with the 26th pick in 1999 and he quickly became a solid NHLer. Scoring 19 as a rookie, Havlat then went on to eclipse 20 tallies the following year and peaked with a 31 goal campaign in 2003-04. Havlat was a second liner on some of the top Senators teams, serving as high-end secondary scoring for a team that was quickly becoming one of the league's best. Sadly, contract disputes and injuries marred Havlat's time with the team as he didn't stick around for the 2007 run to the finals. Havlat went on to have a solid NHL career, falling just short of 600 points. Havlat's case is one of missed opportunities and what-ifs but there's no denying he was a gifted scorer and one of the best players to ever lace 'em up for the Sens.

Signature Moment: YouTube is an invaluable resource when it comes to finding hockey clips but some inevitably slip through the cracks. In 2002 Havlat scored the OT winner in game 5 to stun the Flyers and eliminate the 2-seed from contention. Below is the best representation the internet had to offer. (0:48 mark)

12. Mike Fisher

1999-2011 (11 Seasons)

Stats: 675 GP, 167 G, 181 A, 348 PTS, 554 PIM

Summary: Another example of finding high-end player who can step into the league quickly, Mike Fisher was taken in round 2 of the 1998 draft and was playing 32 games in 1999-2000. Fisher was never known as a top scorer, even though he often topped 20 goals, but he was seen as a gritty two way player who was trusted on the power play. When Chris Kelly came along post-lockout, the Senators' middle 6 had a dynamic duo of two-way centres that could stymie top offensive players at both ends of the ice. After marrying Carrie Underwood and moving over to Nashville in the rebuild of 2011, Fisher would go on to captain the Preds during their run to the finals last season before hanging them up.

Signature Moment: While technically not a moment as a Senator, Fisher's return to Ottawa symbolized everything good about this franchise. Pictures of his work in the community showed why he was one of the most beloved players in franchise history. While Bryan Murray may have had a knack for trading this is a trade he didn't even worry about winning. The trade that sent Fisher to Nashville was personal. Murray had many offers for the veteran centre but he always knew that there was no option other than to send him to Nashville to be with his wife. The ovation he received is also worth a peek.

11. Chris Neil

2001-2017 (15 Seasons)

Stats: 1026 GP, 112 G, 138 A, 250 PTS, 2522 PIM

Summary: Drafted in the same 1998 class as Mike Fisher, the two struck up a friendship that lasted throughout their entire careers. Neil didn't break onto the scene as quickly as Fisher, waiting until 2001 to make his debut, but when he did he made the most of it scoring 10 goals in his rookie year. Neil was known for his tough-as-nails demeanor and nose-to-the-grindstone work ethic. Being a grinder, Neil wasn't expected to chip in on the scoresheet but he did regardless. Neil had five seasons with double digit goals, topping out with a 16 goal year in 2005-06. Neil was despised as a pest to the rest of the league but was still one of the most popular players on the Sens amongst the fanbase. Never suspended despite racking up over 2500 PIM, Neil toothless grin will long be etched in the memories of Sens fans, and opponents who saw it from down on the ice. Neil even got into a couple of games during the last playoff run. While it was controversial at the time and the decision is still subject to much scrutiny, it is no doubt as fitting send off to a Senators legend.

Signature Moment: Picking one moment for Neil's career is next to impossible. He was a fighter but above all he was just a tough player to play against. With that in mind, instead of one moment I leave you with this YouTube Top 10 Chris Neil hits.

So that's all for today. Come back tomorrow when we reveal the top 10. Feel free to comment below or wait until the list to be complete to yell at me. Either way, I look forward to the ensuing debates.

Mark Borowiecki and the NHL's storied indifference towards player safety

If you had to pick the most beloved player on the Senators a few names may come up. Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, Jean-Gabriel Pageau. But perhaps somewhat surprisingly, it wouldn't be long before Mark Borowiecki came up. The local kid who was picked in the 5th round in 2008 has gotten a chance to live out his childhood dream for parts of the past 7 seasons. He's not really a kid anymore though, at 28 years-old, Borowiecki may be better described as a veteran by now. Boro has been in and out of the lineup over the past few seasons under Guy Boucher, and while there are many very smart people who seem to agree with not playing him every night, there is something about the Smiths Falls Bears alumnus that is impossible not to like. Unless, of course, he's just steamrolled you with one of his many, many hits. Maybe it's because he's the hometown kid. Maybe it's his undeniable toughness and determination. Maybe it's because his grin, which seems to become more gums by the day, reminds Sens fans of Chris Neil. Maybe it's all of those wrapped into one. The point is, Mark Borowiecki is one of the most beloved players in Senators history.

Which would explain the collective gasp followed by deafening silence around the Ottawa valley Sunday night as Mark Borowiecki, a man who makes a titanium wall look frail, laid eyes-closed, motionless, on the ice.

At first, nothing is special about the play. A defenceman with an aggressive pinch is in a footrace for the puck as it glides down towards the corner. The players look at one another as they prepare to bump together and battle for the puck. 

And then everything goes terribly wrong. Brendan Smith jumps the gun, Borowiecki goes sputtering helplessly into the boards, hits his head and is out. A crowd gathers, refs and linesmen jump in, but the primary concern on everyone's mind is number 74 in the corner.

When he does finally get to his feet, there is collective uneasy sigh of relief. Smith is given 5 and a game for boarding, which may seem harsh for an everyday play gone terribly wrong, but with the Sens recent powerplay struggles you could've taken two blueshirts off for the remainder of the game and it wouldn't have mattered. New York killed it off, scored an empty netter and won 3-0. Handing the Sens their third straight loss since returning from Sweden.

The NHL has always lagged behind other sports leagues in almost every regard. They don't record anywhere close to the viewership and coverage the other big sports leagues in North America do. Especially south of the border. They don't market their stars and they can't decide on what 50/50 really means without cancelling all or most of a season.

But all of that is trivial in comparison to player safety, an area in which the league desperately needs to improve. The league has always reacted to serious issues instead of using any foresight. It took Joni Pitkanen breaking his leg on an icing call to get the league to finally implement new measures. Even though Don Cherry, among many others, had been warning about such an incident for years. Pitkanen never played another NHL game.

Paul Kariya was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last week along with his good friend Teemu Selanne. Kariya was exactly a point-per-game player, with 989 in 989 games. However, nothing that he did will ever erase what hockey fans remember about him the most. Posting this video is almost superfluous because it is a moment that all hockey fans know all too well.

Paul Kariya returned and had the game of his life and nearly led the Mighty Ducks to a shocking upset in the Stanley Cup Finals. However, this was the beginning of the end for Kariya, as he would only top 30 goals once more and 20 twice, eventually retiring in 2010 at the age of 35. This devastating hit didn't cause any major changes in the way the game was played, it was merely a "hockey play". Hits like these were legal until one day when everything changed.

It was March 2010, Penguins and Bruins, in a play that has equaled, if not surpassed the notoriety of the Stevens on Kariya hit, Matt Cooke was the straw that finally broke the camel's back.

The hit didn't earn Cooke a suspension because it was, at the time, a legal hit. Another "hockey play". Savard returned to play 7 games in the playoffs, and 25 more the following season but hasn't played since.

The Stevens hit didn't end Kariya's career. Sure, we were robbed of some of his brilliance and he was forced into an untimely retirement, but he was still a high-end player for many years afterwards. But the Cooke hit really did end Marc Savard's career. He played a few more games but never should have.

The point is, Mark Borowiecki was hurt badly but will likely be okay. Players being hit without the puck, even without mal-intent, are an issue for the league, especially as the game gets faster and faster. Smith on Borowiecki may be a Kariya or even less dire. But make no mistake, if the league sits on their hands and shrugs this off, there will be a Savard incident with one of these plays and we will lose a great player.

Ask someone who the first player to score a hat trick in an NHL game was and many fans won't know. Ask who has the record for the most points scored in a game and you'll have better luck. Ask who the first goalie was to wear a mask regularly and the vast majority of hockey fans will know. Ask who the only player to die playing an NHL game was and nearly anyone will be able to tell you.

Bill Masterton died during the 1967-68 season after hitting his bare head on the ice. The league took swift and decisive action by immediately creating a trophy in his honour, which was been awarded every year since. Eventually, in 1979, the league made helmets mandatory, but only for players who hadn't yet entered the league. It wasn't until 1997 nearly 30 years after Masterton's  death, that every player in the league was wearing a helmet.

The hockey world always claims that Masterton's death was the only one to happen as a result of an NHL game. Yet this is not true. Because on May 13, 2011 the hockey world was shocked to learn that beloved enforcer Derek Boogaard, had died. Boogaard died from mixing alcohol with pain killers while recovering from a concussion suffered during an NHL game. After his death, Boogaard's brain was examined and high levels of CTE were discovered. Boogaard wasn't the only enforcer to die around that time. Bob Probert, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak all passed away within a couple of years of each other. All of them had various, well-known, and serious, issues.

It's hard to remember what a perilous time the early 2010s were for the league. The game was serving up some great moments; the Habs and Flyers simultaneous underdog runs, the Blackhawks' emergence as a modern day dynasty, and, of course, Sidney Crosby scored one of the most famous goals in international history as Canada beat their arch-rivals the Americans in OT on home soil to win gold. What may seem like an afterthought now, is how close that was to being one of the final moments in Crosby's career.

Sidney Crosby has been one of the most dominant players in the world for over a decade now but his career was almost cut drastically short. On New Year's Day 2011, the Pens and Caps were playing in the Winter Classic. When a play that may have begun to slip the minds of many hockey fans occurred.

This was the play that was the beginning of Crosby's concussion woes that had many around the league fearing that he may not play hockey for much longer. Sid was only 24 at the time. It's near impossible to imagine the past 5 or so years without Crosby in the NHL but at one point that was very close to becoming a reality. Fortunately for all involved, Crosby recovered and has been dazzling fans ever since.

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.

NHL Season Preview Part 1 - Atlantic Division

Hockey season is almost upon us. The pre-season is well underway and with real action beginning Wednesday I panicked and remembered that I haven't even started my season preview figured it would be a good time to release a preview. Today, we will start with the Atlantic division, home of Erik Karlsson and a handful of some other, less good, hockey players.

Boston Bruins

Last year: 3rd place, lost Round 1

Additions: None of note

Departures: Jimmy Hayes (Bought-out), Colin Miller (VGK-Expansion), Dominic Moore (TOR-FA), Zac Rinaldo (ARI-FA), Drew Stafford (NJD-FA)

The Good: Young talent on the blueline began to emerge last year in the form of Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo, should help take the load off and aging Zdeno Chara. David Pastrnak signed a new contract, youth is coming up in Boston, while veterans like Beregeron and Krejci continue to be productive. Brad Marchand and Tuukka Rask are still very good.

The Bad: Beyond the Top 4 defense and Top 6 forwards, the skill is negligible (Riley Nash and Kevan Miller anyone?). With Chara aging, a drop off could prove disastrous for the Bruins, same goes for Bergeron and Krejci. Backes and Beleskey continue to suck cap space away while not providing much else. For a team with limited cap space and minimal depth, if the highest paid players don't reflect their wealth on the scoresheet, the season may be over quickly for Boston.

Prediction: 4th Atlantic

Buffalo Sabres

Last year: 8th Atlantic, no playoffs

Additions: Nathan Beaulieu (MTL-Trade), Chad Johnson (ARI-FA) Jason Pominville (MIN-Trade), Benoit Pouliot (EDM-FA), Marco Scandella (MIN-Trade)

Departures: Tyler Ennis (MIN-Trade), Marcus Foligno (MIN-Trade), Cody Franson (CHI-PTO), Brian Gionta (FA), Dmitry Kulikov (WPG-FA), Anders Nilsson (VAN-FA)

The Good: Added Marco Scandella and Nathan Beaulieu to help revitalize their blueline. Also added some forwards depth for cheap by signing Benoit Pouliot from Edmonton. Adding to the already skilled young group of Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen. They also still have Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Okpose and Matt Moulson.

The Bad: This is the same story as every year. Buffalo, along with the Jets, are in danger of becoming the new Oilers, always seeming like they're ready to take the next step but never going anywhere. Maybe Phil Housley and Jason Botterill can turn this team around. Or maybe this team just isn't as good as we all thought and is doomed for continued mediocrity until they have to blow it up and wonder how they wasted Jack Eichel.

Prediction: 6th Atlantic

Detroit Red Wings

Last year: 7th Atlantic, no playoffs

Additions: Trevor Daley (PIT-FA)

Departures: Daniel Cleary (Reitred)

The Good: Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha are still good and cheap, as are Gustav Nyquist and the recently re-signed Tomas Tatar. This is a team that has more young talent than they are given credit for. Add in Danny DeKeyser and Mike Green on defense, plus the tandem of Mrazek and Howard between the pipes and this team may be better than some expect.

The Bad: Not really. This team is awful. Zetterberg is still fine but fine isn't really what you want from your captain, Top 6 forward and highest paid player. Justin Abdelkader and Frans Nielsen will continue to roll around in dump trucks of money while not actually being all that good at hockey. Kronwall and Ericsson were once great shutdown defenders now do little more than put on their equipment and go out on the ice. If they can't manage to get Athanasiou signed then Detroit may very well fall into a state of disarray only to be matched by the state of disarray the city of Detroit is in.

Prediction: 8th Atlantic

Florida Panthers

Last year: 6th Atlantic, no playoffs

Additions: Evgenii Dadonov (KHL-FA), Jamie McGinn (ARI-Trade), Radim Vrbata (ARI-FA)

Departures: Jason Demers (ARI-Trade), Jaromir Jagr (FA), Jussi Jokinen (EDM-Bought-out), Jakub Kindl (FA), Jonathan Marchessault (VGK-Expansion), Reilly Smith (VGK-Trade) Thomas Vanek (VAN-FA)

The Good: This is a team just one year removed from winning the Atlantic, they were in turmoil last season with coaching changes, followed by GM changes, their owner almost left to run the army, it was a disaster, a season that should just be wiped clean and we should all allow them just to start again. They still have Barkov, Huberdeau, Trochek and, of course, Aaron Ekblad. With Luongo and Reimer in nets this team has potential to not only make the playoffs, but maybe even make some noise once they get there.

The Bad: As much as the Panthers were unlucky last year, they were also lucky two years ago. No team was hit harder by the expansion draft than the Panthers, not that they weren't partially responsible for that. Going into the draft, they knew either Marchessault, Smith, or Demers would be selected, so they then went out and lost all three, acquiring only Jamie McGinn in return. Jaromir Jagr and Thomas Vanek were both decent contributors last year but are now gone. It doesn't seem like the man in charge has any plan other than inexplicably undoing everything his predecessor did. Why does that sound familiar?

Prediction: 7th Atlantic

Montreal Canadiens

Last year: 1st Atlantic, lost in Round 1

Additions: Karl Alzner (WSH-Trade), Jonathan Drouin (TBL-Trade), Ales Hemsky (DAL-FA), Peter Holland (ARI-FA), David Schlemko (VGK-Trade), Mark Streit (PIT-FA)

Departures: Alexei Emelin (VGK-Expansion), Brian Flynn (DAL-FA), Dwight King (KHL-FA), Andrei Markov (KHL-FA), Nikita Nesterov (KHL-FA), Steve Ott (Retired), Alexander Radulov (DAL-FA)

The Good: After winning the division last year, Montreal has reason to be optimistic. Many were claiming the sky was falling, yet they went out and won the division. Unfortunately for them, that led to a tough matchup against the New York Rangers, one they ultimately lost in six games. The core, with the exception of Markov and Radulov, remians intact. The additions of Drouin and Alzner, ignoring the cost, should help the team in the short term at least.

The Bad: Montreal really failed to improve. Sure, Drouin is good, but whether or not he's better than Radulov remains to be seen. Alzner is the latest example of the Boychuk Fallacy, the misconception that a bottom defender on a bad team would be great as a top defender on a lesser team. The Habs may not have gotten worse, but with an ever rising Maple Leafs team and a Lightning squad due for a bounce back, not getting worse isn't going to cut it in the Atlantic.

Prediction: 3rd Atlantic

Ottawa Senators

Last year: 2nd Atlantic, lost in Conference Finals

Additions: Johnny Oduya (CHI-FA), Nate Thompson (ANA-FA)

Departures: Chris Kelly (EDM-PTO), Marc Methot (VGK-Expansion), Chris Neil (FA), Viktor Stalberg (Swiss-FA), Tommy Wingels (CHI-FA)

The Good: Erik Karlsson continues to exist and play for the Sens. In addition, the Top 6 is stronger than it's been in years. With Hoffman, Stone, and Turris providing some scoring, some depth in the lineup, and Craig Anderson back full-time, this team is arguably better than the one that made it to the conference finals last season.

The Bad: The team that made it within one goal of the Cup finals last season may not have been as good as they appeared to be. Most statistical models have them in for a sharp decrease in production, but maybe not has sharp as some of the other similar teams before them, such as the 2012-13 Avalanche and Maple Leafs. On the other hand, if teams start to figure out Guy Boucher's system and the Sens can't adapt, it could be a long season in the nation's capital.

Prediction: 5th Atlantic

Tampa Bay Lightning

Last year: 5th Atlantic, no playoffs

Additions: Dan Girardi (NYR-FA), Chris Kunitz (PIT-FA), Jamie McBain (ARI-FA)

Departures: Jonathan Drouin (MTL-Trade), Jason Garrison (VGK-Expansion)

The Good: Much like their in-state rivals the Florida Panthers, this team is just one year removed from a very successful season, in their case making it all the way to the semis, and the finals just one year before that. Last season was a disaster as Steven Stamkos went down early and was done and terrible puck luck. It did, however, see the rise of Nikita Kucherov from young talent to superstar. Once you remember the other young stars, like Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Ondrej Palat, just to name a few, Tampa's ceiling appears to be the moon.

The Bad: This is still a team that missed the playoffs last season. Their blueline is in need of some work and Dan Girardi is not the answer. Yzerman and co. have finally handed the reigns over to Vasilevskiy in goal but if he falters, Tampa's offense will have to be incredible just to balance out their defensive shortcomings.

Prediction: 1st Atlantic

Toronto Maple Leafs

Last year: 4th Atlantic (2nd WC), lost in round 1

Additions: Ron Hainsey (PIT-FA), Patrick Marleau (SJS-FA), Dominic Moore (BOS-FA)

Departures: Brian Boyle (NJD-FA), Matt Hunwick (PIT-FA), Alexei Marchenko (KHL-FA), Roman Polak (FA)

The Good: This team has the most young talent if not in the entire NHL than certainly in the East. From Matthews to Marner to Nylander to Zaitsev, the Maple Leafs are built to win now and are cheap. So cheap that they were able to add Patrick Marleau and not even put a significant dent into their cap hit. So cheap that two of their highest paid players, Horton and Lupul, aren't even playing and it doesn't make a difference. This team could be scary come spring time with cap space to burn, but even now they look like one of the top teams in the division. As long as the defense can hold its own, this team is for real.

The Bad: I realize that this is a Sens blog and that I have been nice to the Leafs so here is Alfredsson murdering Tucker:

In reality however, this team doesn't have many flaws. They are a little lacking on the blueline so that could come back and bite them, and, as much as I like their core three young forwards, I've always felt some of their other young forwards get a bit to much credit, looking at you, Connor Brown.

Prediction: 2nd Atlantic

Predicted Standings:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Toronto
3. Montreal
4. Boston
5. Ottawa
6. Buffalo
7. Florida
8. Detroit

I feel fairly confident in the Top 2, Middle 3, and Bottom 3, however, the order is anyone's guess, especially the Middle 3. With the Metro looking like a strong candidate for both wild card spots, the Atlantic's race for 3rd may be one of the most interesting in the league.