Recap in the Eastern Conference after 1/3 of the season

We thought it wouldn't be possible but the race in the East is even crazier than last year, there's only 8 points between the 1st and the 10th position.

Atlantic Division

Buffalo

Last year:  40-31-11 – 91 pts / 10th East

This Year:  16-13-2  34 pts / 10^th East

GM Blanchard shuffled things around but it looks like the Sabres just can't win more than 2 games in a row.  Eberle has left for Ryan Johansson who's getting the job done, Steen is also contributing offensively significantly. Defensively the Sabres are solid but they're getting uneven performance from their offense,  they'll score 5, 6, 7 goals one night and completely disappear on the following night.  Sabres are 3 points short of a playoff spot, expect them to be there until the end.

Boston

Last year:  48-21-13  109 pts / 3^rd East

This Year:  19-8-2  40pts /  4^th East

The Bruins have made significant modifications to their roster during the off season and they are arguably one of the best teams in the league this season.  GM Arcesi is aiming for the Holy grail and decided to add more quality role players to an already impressive core, with a few games in hands, the Bruins could presently fight for the first position in the league.

Detroit

Last year:  61-15-6  128 pts / 1^st East

This Year:  20-9-2  42 pts / 2^nd East

New era in Detroit, quality veterans have left and the Wings are now giving the reigns to the youngsters.  The Wings are not scoring a lot of goals this year but a really tight defensive play kept them among the best teams in the league. Other than for Crosby and Hudler several players are having a difficult season, thanks to Jono Quick who's back to his strong game.

Florida

Last year:  35-38-9  79 pts  / 13^th East

This Year:  11-11-8  30 pts / 12^th East

Rebuilding process continues under new management in Florida, GM Dupuis made more acquisitions that will make this franchise one of the best teams in the league in a near future... one of the best banks of prospects in the league. Don't expect playoffs hockey this spring for the Panthers.
 

Montreal

Last year:  28-41-13  69 pts / 15^th East
This Year:  14-15-2 30pts / 11^th East

 The Habs just replaced their GM, let's see if Lecuyer will give Montreal the level of  respectability they once had.  A few good players to work around but most likely, the Canadiens should miss the playoffs again this year.  Patience is the key word in Montreal.

Ottawa

Last year:  21-51-10 52 pts  / 16^th East
This Year:  20-9-2 42 pts / 1^st East

Huge turnaround on Ottawa, under a new management, the Sens went from the worst of the Conference to the best as we speak. 
GM Therrien brought Jordan Eberle, Brad Richards, Matt Stajan and Tomas Fleischman in the mix and it worked for them. Ryan O'reilly and Milan Michalek are amazing offensively and Jonas Hiller got the job done in the net.  Can the Sens keep winning even with an evident lack of depth?

Tampa Bay

Last year:  46-30-6 98 pts / 7^th East
This Year:  17-11-3 37 pts / 8^th East

 Years after years, it seems the Lightning's always in the playoffs portrait no matter what roster they have, they always find a way to wins hockey games.  Pavelski and Turris are leading the team offensively but are they gonna stay in Tampa until the end of the season?  GM St. Pierre talked about getting younger but the idea of missing the playoffs might force him to revise his position. Expect things to change in Tampa especially when Mr Daniel will be in town, Jack Daniel.

Toronto

Last year:  46-28-8  100 pts  / 6^th East
This Year:  19-8-1 39pts / 5^th East

 Re-rates hit the Leafs badly this season and the only hope for the franchise to do good this year was resting on Lundqvist and the defensive squad and that's exactly what happened, they are leading the Leafs to success.  When they need a goal, Jamie Benn answer the call.  Is this gonna be enough to make the playoffs when it gets harder to win games in the second half of the season? Experienced GM MacLeod might need to pull a rabbit out of hat to make it happens in Toronto.

Metropolitain

Carolina

Last year:  32-41-9  73 pts / 14^th East
This Year:  9-16-5  23 pts / 15^th East

New GM in town, Mr Smith will continue the rebuild process.  With young guns like Nick Ritchie, Madison Bowey, Brendan Perlini, Shea Theodore, Brett Pollock, Olli Maatta, Ryan Spooner, Alex Nedeljkovic, Philippe Desrosiers, Jakub Vrana, Pontus Aberg and Pavel Zacha he has more than enough to build up around.  Fans will have to be patient and they'll probably look at their team pick another major prospect next summer during the Entry Draft.

Columbus

Last year:  44-31-7  95 pts / 8^th East
This Year:  17-9-6 40 pts / 3^rd East

After a slow start this season, the Jackets are fighting for the first place in the Eastern Conference.  A well balanced offensive with the contribution of Oshie, Perreault, Pouliot and Backes.  On the other end, the defensive squad and Brendan Holtby have shown the best and the worst this year.   Oshie and Backes are having a very difficult season defensively and they'll need to improve their play if the Jackets want to stay at the top.

New Jersey

Last year:  38-38-6  82 pts  / 12^th East
This Year:  12-15-3 27 pts /  14^th East

Not too sure what's the game plan in New Jersey, the team will most likely miss the playoffs again this year.  Is it time for players like Koivu, McClement, Miller and Regehr to hit the market?  Even when trying to make the playoffs years after years, GM Roussel managed to load his team with talented young players like Zibanejad, Trocheck, Poirier, Allen, Hellebuyck, Koekkoek, Virtanen, Kamenev and Meier. 

NY Islanders

Last year:  42-34-6  90 pts / 11^th East
This Year:  18-13-0 36 pts / 9^th East

What's the game plan in NY? nobody knows.  Last year the Islanders traded pretty much everything valuable for prospects and draft picks and since the beginning of this season GM Cyr is trying to acquire top line players.  Can this team become Stanley Cup contender?  It would take more than the actual roster, do they still have enough trading material to make it happen?  One thing for sure, Islanders players don't bother to buy a house anymore, they don't even unpack their luggage.
 

NY Rangers

Last year:  49-28-5 103 pts / 5^th East
This Year:  18-10-3 39 pts / 6^th East

Learning from last year experience, the Rangers added a lot of depth to the team this summer, injuries shouldn't be a problem anymore.  It's never easy to beat the Rangers, Kane, Pacioretty and Thornton are leading the way offensively, they also getting big goals from Perry and Saad.  Ben Bishop has been stellar behind a strong defensive squad.  Their defenseman can stop opponents but they're not contributing a lot offensively, should GM Emond try to acquire an offensive dman?

Philadelphia

Last year:  54-23-5 113 pts / 2^nd East
This Year:  17-10-3 37 pts / 7^th East

The Stanley Cup champs had a difficult start this season, but they're slowly getting back where they belong.  Rumors are saying the Flyers might want to go younger, but experience was the key last year, that could be a costly decision for Philadelphia.  Kopitar, Sharp and Karlsson are having a difficult season to say the least, if they don't come back on track soon, this could cost a playoff spot for the Flyers.  GM Jobin might need to shake things up soon.

Pittsburgh

Last year:  45-35-2  92 pts / 9^th East
This Year:  9-16-4 22 pts / 16^th East

The Pens missed the playoffs  by 3 points last season, but this year, it seems they just can't go on a winning streak, as a result of this, Patrick Roy just got fired by GM Buitenhuis.  Pittsburgh will most likely draft really high next summer and get a great prospects to join the Backstrom, Monahan, Duchene and McDonagh. Should Goligoski, Higgins, Eriksson, Fleury hit the market?

Washington

Last year:  51-24-7 109 pts / 4^th East
This Year:  13-12-4 30 pts / 13^th East

What's going on in Washington?    The team's on a pace to a 84 point season after getting 109 last year.  GM Vaillancourt stays still, no line change, no trade rumors... nothing,  fans in Washington are wondering what's going on too.  Ryan Getzlaf and Alex Pietrangelo are the only players generating something offensively, Ovechkin has 4 goals in 29 games, Bobby Ryan and Wayne Simmonds are also playing poorly.

Mike Cooley

Good job !!!!

Recap in the Eastern Conference after 1/3 of the season
Sens are the biggest surprise, Deceiving Caps.

• 0 teams Like this  10 years

Mathieu Jobin

Nice post ! Good Job !

Recap in the Eastern Conference after 1/3 of the season
Sens are the biggest surprise, Deceiving Caps.

• 0 teams Like this  10 years