Forecasting team records, from Jets down to Senators

The USA TODAY Sports’ NHL point projections put the Rangers and Red Wings among the league’s bottom teams, and their fan bases probably couldn’t be happier. One significant change in the NHL in recent years has been fan acceptance of the reality that rebuilding is part of the salary cap world. We saw that in Buffalo when fans were rooting for losses to improve the chances of landing Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. We saw it in Toronto with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner changing the outlook of the Maple Leafs. Leafs Nation has been fully on board with the rebuilding project. In Detroit, Red Wings fans favored rebuilding before management committed to it, and it was Rangers management that shocked everyone last season by announcing a rebuilding movement in New York. Both of those fan bases would probably like to be in a position to land flashy American center Jack Hughes, projected to go No. 1 overall next summer. Here is a look at how we see the divisions shaking out.

Atlantic Division

The Lightning, Maple Leafs and Bruins are the division’s strongest teams, but keep an eye on the Panthers. It’s not unthinkable they could challenge for third or better. Aleksander Barkov is underrated . ... We are also bullish on the Sabres. There is intriguing talent up front, and the arrival of Rasmus Dahlin should help the defense immediately . ... The Canadiens have made changes, but they don’t seem closer to turning their fortunes around . ... Red Wings fans are anxious to see what young Filip Zadina and Michael Rasmussen can do . ... The Senators have an unpopular owner and traded away the league’s most dynamic defenseman. Fans are disheartened.

Metropolitan Division

The Capitals essentially have the same roster that won the Stanley Cup . ... The Flyers continue to improve . ... Some believe the Penguins are growing stale, but Pittsburgh still has Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Matt Murray. Those are all difference-makers . ... The Blue Jackets have trouble brewing ahead because Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin are unsigned past this season . ... The Devils are on a rising trajectory . ... The Hurricanes’ fate rests on goaltending. Is Petr Mrazek truly the answer? ... With John Tavares gone, Mathew Barzal becomes the goto center with the Islanders . ... The Rangers aren’t as bad as you expect a rebuilding team to be. They have offensive talent, and Henrik Lundqvist is still in net.

Central Division

A quality team is going to tumble, like Chicago did last season, in this talentladen division. It’s difficult to guess who it will be. We settled on the Wild . ... The Jets are a trendy pick to win it all, and the Predators are strong, but after that bad luck is going to heavily influence what happens . ... The Blues have improved their roster, thanks to bold moves by GM Doug Armstrong. We like what they did, but we don’t know how well the players will gel . ... Look for rookie defenseman Miro Heiskanen to create a buzz for the Stars . ... The Avalanche were close to 100 points last season, but they’ll take a half-step back this year . ... Meanwhile, the Blackhawks believe with Corey Crawford healthy they can compete for a playoff spot. But we know that three or four teams in this division are going to end up disappointed . ... The Wild won 45 games last season and still have enough talent to be a 100-point team.

Pacific Division

We’re taking the Sharks to win the Pacific, mostly because of the Erik Karlsson acquisition. They were already a force, and Karlsson adds another layer of danger . ... We remain believers in the Golden Knights. Max Pacioretty was a strong acquisition . ... The Oilers and Flames will be improved, and the Kings and Ducks remain strong . ... Keep an eye on the Coyotes as a wild-card contender. If Antti Raanta plays well, they could challenge for a spot . ... We like the Canucks’ collection of younger players, but they aren’t quite ready.