Who will be this year’s Hurricanes?
Coyotes and Panthers good to make playoffs with changes to lineups
The Carolina Hurricanes qualified for the NHL playoffs last season for the first time in a decade. They advanced to the Eastern Conference final before exiting the post-season.
We think the Arizona Coyotes or Florida Panthers could be this season’s Hurricanes. Our projections have the Coyotes making the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and the Panthers qualifying for the third time in the past 19 seasons.
With the addition of Phil Kessel and Carl Soderberg, and a healthy Nick Schmaltz back in the lineup, the Coyotes finally have enough offence to take the steps needed to qualify for the post-season. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky will be the difference for the Panthers, who should see improvement in all aspects of their game. Don’t forget that Aaron Ekblad is only 23 and Aleksander Barkov is 24. They are entering the primes of their careers.
The other surprises we see: The Colorado Avalanche winning the anything-could-happen Central Division and the Hurricanes finishing second in the Metropolitan Division.
A look across the league:
ATLANTIC DIVISION
The leaders: Forget about the Lightning being swept in the first round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay is still the league’s most talented team. Defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk will be a better fit for the Lightning than he was with the Rangers; Tampa has the depth to overcome his defensive shortcomings. Patrick Maroon gives the team more bite.
The challengers: The Bruins and Maple Leafs are the next tier. Despite their off-season angst, the Leafs might be a better team than they were last season, with the additions of Cody Ceci and Tyson Barrie giving the defence a new look. The Bruins didn’t need to do anything in the off-season. They are a deep, hard-working team and Bruce Cassidy is an underrated coach.
The rest: Bobrovsky’s arrival has given the Panthers overflowing confidence … Don’t overlook the Canadiens; they could finish anywhere from fifth to third … We’re bullish on the Sabres’ talent but they still need to make a move or two to get into the second tier in this division. Are they going to trade Rasmus Ristolainen? … The Red Wings have a solid collection of young talent, but it’s not quite ready yet. The top line of Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi will be entertaining and productive … If the Senators finish anywhere but 31st, they will have performed better than expected.
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
The leaders: Every team in this division could make the playoffs and every team could miss it. That’s how evenly matched this division is. But two seasons removed from winning the Stanley Cup, the Capitals are still the best. Defenceman Radko Gudas makes them harder to play against, but they might miss Matt Niskanen’s allaround game. The challengers: Some Penguins are worried the team has gone stale. But with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin leading the way, this is still a formidable group … Give Hurricanes GM Don Waddell credit for being aggressive and shaking up his defence with the additions of Jake Gardiner and Joel Edmundson. The blue-line will still be strong, and the offence will be improved.
The rest: The Rangers could be better than we think. They are emerging from their shortterm rebuild mode with some hope of trying to make the playoffs this season. Jacob Trouba will solidify their defence and Artemi Panarin puts a charge into the offence. Kaapo Kakko might score 25-plus goals as a rookie … Don’t overlook the Blue Jackets. They suffered offseason losses (Panarin, Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene) but still have a competitive team … The Flyers have some impressive young players. An exceptional season from young goalie Carter Hart is all that it would take to get them into the playoff hunt … The Islanders are the division’s wild card. If goalie Robin Lehner hadn’t left for the Blackhawks, we might have them projected second or third. Semyon Varlamov will have to prove his value. But with Barry Trotz behind the bench, the Islanders will always have a shot at having a playoff season … The Devils had one of the most impressive off-seasons. They will be exciting and their offence could be dangerous. They traded for P.K. Subban, drafted No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes and signed KHL star Nikita Gusev and veteran Wayne Simmonds.
CENTRAL DIVISION
The leaders: The Avalanche are a team on the rise. They are entertaining, exciting, dynamic and dangerous. Nathan MacKinnon is as dominant as Connor McDavid. Puck-moving defenceman Cale Makar will be a Calder Trophy contender.
The challengers: Matt Duchene will upgrade the Predators’ offence. This team has the depth to overcome the loss of P.K. Subban. One key question: Why haven’t the Predators re-signed Roman Josi? He will be an unrestricted free agent next summer … The Stars went all-in with the signing of Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry … The Blues are the same team we watched win the Stanley Cup last June. Two key questions: Will Jordan Binnington have the same level of consistency as he had last season? Do the Blues have the same hunger? They may be a better playoff team than they are a regular-season team.
The rest: The Jets are the hardest read. They were supposed to take a major step last season but it didn’t happen. Why should we believe it will happen this season? If Dustin Byfuglien retires, the Jets will feel it mightily … The Blackhawks could be a significant sleeper. With an upgraded defence (Olli Maatta and Calvin De Haan) and healthy goaltending, they can compete for a playoff spot … No one seems quite sure what’s wrong with the Wild. Now it’s Bill Guerin’s job to figure it out. Minnesota still has some talented players.
PACIFIC DIVISION
The leaders: Even after losing Joe Pavelski to free agency, the Sharks have enough talent and fire to win the division
The challengers: The Flames are as formidable as they were a season ago when they were the only Western Conference team to win 50 games … The Golden Knights have the depth up front to score plenty of goals and Marc-André Fleury gives the team consistency in the net. The defence could use one more veteran.
The rest: A bounceback season from Clayton Keller will also help the Coyotes return to the playoffs … The Oilers’ best offseason acquisition was GM Ken Holland. He will get this team pointed in the right direction. You will see his impact immediately … Vancouver is starting to look like a team that is only a couple of moves away from being back in playoff mode. Watch rookie Quinn Hughes … The two Southern California teams could both use a makeover. It might be time for the Kings to move Jonathan Quick. And it feels like the Ducks will take another step backward this season, even though John Gibson is a quality goalie.