Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo currently sits tied with Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Sabres have been very up and down this season, going 6-0-2 in their first eight games, and then going 6-11-1 til now. The Sabres top scorer Thomas Vanek had no trouble getting off to a hot start to this season, he sits tied for first in goals in the league. However its the rest of the team that is struggling. Maxim Afinogenov has only 8 points in 23 games. Jason Pominville and Derek Roy are both on pace for much lower point totals then that of last year. The Sabres are in a little bit of trouble with only 3 wins in their last 11 games. Look for Darcy Regier to pull the trigger on some moves pretty quick.
Toronto Maple Leafs
To tell you the truth I don't get why everyone is so wide eyed and enthralled with the leafs these days. Nothing great is going on. A few players playing above their abilities is all. The Leafs sit in 13th in the east right now, yes its where they were supposed to be if not lower, but how can everyone be so excited? Major overpays, Jason Blake, and Jeff Finger have a combined 6 goals, and 14 assists. That's 8 million dollars for 20 points? With Brian Burke (our favorite GM) at the helm now, look for some major overhauling.
Ottawa Senators
This team has been a disaster from the beginning of the season. The Sen's currently it in eleventh place, and for a team with possibly one of the best lines in hockey (Alfredson, Heatley, Spezza), this is simply just not acceptable. No one knows exactly what happened to the Senators last year, but they have more or less fallen apart. The problem doesn't seem to lie in the three stars as Alfie, Heatley, and Spezza have 24, 27, and 21 points respectively. Its the dept
h of the team that's the problem. After defensman Filip Kuba, no other player on the team has even broken double digits in points. The Sens are in trouble, and GM Brian Murray needs to do something quick.Boston Bruins
The class of the east, the Bruins are showing just how deep their team is. That's why the Bruins are where they are. The Bruins have one of the deepest teams in the NHL. Weather its the first line of Lucic, Savard, and Kessel, or the second line of Axelson, Bergeron, and Kobasew, or even the third line of Wheeler, Krejci, and Ryder, you are always facing a scoring threat. The Bruins have 11 players in double digits for points. Oh and should i add that both their goalies, Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas are playing really well. This team is destined to stay in first, til seasons end.
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are seem to be a little bit off this year. After last years surprising Eastern Conference title, the Canadiens were looked at to repeat once again, however they seem to be slightly, off. Their longest win streak of the season was 5 games, and that was right at the beginning of the season. Aside from that they haven't been very consistent. They don't lose easily as they only have 6 regulation loss. The Canadiens are still one of the NHL's strongest teams right now, and there seems to be no stopping them, and as every Habs fan dreams of another conference title, I'm sure the Bruins would like to disagree.
The Northeast is hard to predict, so far this year it seems that the Bruins are the strongest and most capable, however the Candiens could soon prove that theory wrong. It seems the Leafs and the Senators need help fast if they are to make any strong push, while the Sabres are just sticking around.
i think people like the whats happening in toronto, because they are making steps to make there team better, rolling with young talent, they have solid coaching now, and a great GM. I have to admit i watch the leafs alot, not by choice, but its usually what cbc, tsn, and sportsnetHD, have on so i deal with it, and they are an exciting team to watch, alot of risky plays, usually uptempo games, they are like the oilers of the 90's
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ReplyDeletedont even go there
i meant the crappy oilers of the 90's, not the great oilers of the 90's
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