[yse325]

I haven't gone back and really looked at all the FA/Trade gains and losses, but my initial impression is that none of the teams in the NE are markedly improved. None, and this is good news for the Sabres.

Boston is the most improved especially if rookie Tyler Seguin adjusts well to the NHL, but we have seen with big time rookies like Tavares and Stamkos that the first year can be difficult. However they added Horton which should improve their crappy offense.

Ottawa lost two important players (Cullen and Volchenkov) and got an aging Gonchar back. Gonchar was once great, but there is a reason Pitt didnt want to over committ to bring him back. AGE!

Montreal traded away Halak. Enough said.

Toronto signed Colby Armstrong, added Versteeg and traded away the pick that became Tyler Seguin (Ok it was last year, but I love watching the Loafs have egg on their faces).

If I'm missing something let me know, but talk about non-events in the NE. Unless Seguin is a breakout star (which is possible), Buffalo is the class of the NE IMO, with Boston a close second especially if Rask plays like he did last year. Ottawa still lacks O beyond the big 2, Montreal is worse and Toronto still has no goaltending and no real legit O beyond 2 players.

[Disengage]

yse325, on 31 July 2010 - 08:31 AM, said:

I haven't gone back and really looked at all the FA/Trade gains and losses, but my initial impression is that none of the teams in the NE are markedly improved. None, and this is good news for the Sabres.

Boston is the most improved especially if rookie Tyler Sequin adjusts well to the NHL, but we have seen with big time rookies like Taveres and Stamkos that the first year can be difficult. However they added Horton which should improve their crappy offense.

Ottawa lost two important players (Cullen and Volchenkov) and got an aging Gonchar back. Gonchar was once great, bu there is a reason Pitt didnt want to over committ to bring him back. AGE!

Montreal traded away Halak. Enough said.

Toronto signed Colby Armstrong, added Versteeg and traded away the pick that became Tyler Sequin (Ok it was last year, but I love watching the Loafs have egg on their faces).

If I'm missing something let me know, but talk about non-events in the NE. Unless Sequin is a breakout star (which is possible), Buffalo is the class of the NE IMO, with Boston a close second especially is Rask plays like he did last year. Ottawa still lacks O beyond the big 2, Montreal is worse and Toronto still has no goaltending and no real legit O beyond 2 players.

Swing and a miss.

[thetrump]

GGGGGGGGGgggggggggggg-Unit

[sabresfan10]

I think Toronto will be better. The rest of the division should be about the same. Good point.

[TheChimp]

I wonder if he wears a seguin jacket.

[htsportplaya]

I love how 3/4 replies don't really contribute anything.

Anyways, this is a point I wish I would've made days ago. Everyone has major question marks. Boston had a good playoffs but was very average overall last year, who says they can replicate that success? Ottawa got better offensively, but, as yse says, Cullen and Volchenkov is a lot to lose for adding Gonchar.

Montreal looks worse, especially with Price handling the bulk of their games in net. Toronto honestly looks the most improved, but they're still nowhere near a blip on my radar.

We have question marks, sure, but none bigger than anyone else. It's not like we did anything to get worse (IMO, I know someone will say we did).

[Palladius]

Going into the season, I'd rank Boston ahead of us, if only because their only real problem last year - goal scoring - should be addressed by the addition of Seguin and Horton.

On our end, we've done nothing to address either of our issues - Top 6 inconsistency or Power Play efficiency - and we're still taking a gamble with the way our defense looks.

I'd rank Ottawa third, and then a toss up between Toronto and Montreal for the last two spots.

[weave]

Palladius, on 31 July 2010 - 03:40 PM, said:

Going into the season, I'd rank Boston ahead of us, if only because their only real problem last year - goal scoring - should be addressed by the addition of Seguin and Horton.

On our end, we've done nothing to address either of our issues - Top 6 inconsistency or Power Play efficiency - and we're still taking a gamble with the way our defense looks.

I'd rank Ottawa third, and then a toss up between Toronto and Montreal for the last two spots.

I see Boston ahead of Buffalo as well. They have done something to adress their offensive woes. Buffalo in 2nd place in the division sounds about right. As long as the defense works out OK. That is going to be the biggest question mark IMO.

[Awiniganov1271]

Ottawa also lost Sutton, which is no small loss. Does this D intimidate you?

Phillips - Gonchar
Kuba - Karlsson
Campoli - Carkner


Because it shouldnt. They lost 2 huge hitters. Karlsson is slick, but hes not physical. Carkner is the only one who will hit now, but he spends too much time in the box to hit much

[jwallinator10]

Boston improved, Buffalo stayed the same, Ottawa stayed the same, Toronto improved and i love how Montreal might implode with getting rid of Halak. Its great to treat your 1 playoff star that saved you and helped you get to the conference finals. Although they did manage not to trade away Cammalerri. Reminds me of a 07 offseason in Buffalo....

[pf8363]

1) boston
2) buffalo
3) ottawa
4) toronto
5) montreal

my predictions for this upcoming season

[Awiniganov1271]

Agreed but i switch Montreal and Toronto. Torontos D looks stacked on paper but theres too many good players for not enough pucks. Their forwards still need to adjust, and Kessel cant carry them himself. Its a better season for Toronto but i think they're still last in the division (like 11th or 12th in East)

[pf8363]

Awiniganov1271, on 01 August 2010 - 04:05 PM, said:

Agreed but i switch Montreal and Toronto. Torontos D looks stacked on paper but theres too many good players for not enough pucks. Their forwards still need to adjust, and Kessel cant carry them himself. Its a better season for Toronto but i think they're still last in the division (like 11th or 12th in East)

i agree i just have a feeling that montreal will be really bad. not even because of the halak trade, its just one of those feelings.

[Awiniganov1271]

Oh its very possible. They're a boom/bust kind of team. Gomez and Cammaleri can be great players, but they also can disappear. Markovs hurt, Subban is a ? for now (the playoffs were very good but he still has a lot to learn) and Price is the biggest point

I still think they pull it together for 4th in the division, but i could definitely see them in the playoffs or picking top 3. They're hard to judge

[Steve]

Don't forget Boston is over the cap with the Wheeler contract, they still need to make a move somewhere and Seguin isn't signed yet. I think Toronto is going to surprise a lot of people this season, Burke is really doing a lot to change that team. I do think the Sabres have a good chance to win the division but it's not going to be easy.

[gdameo]

Sabres - about the same but for some reason I feel like their D-men are a bit improved and again for some reason the forwards will find their goals and powerplays. (probably bec i'm the sabres fan)

leafs - they def improved a lot - they have a strong d-men and it up to the goalies. forwards def have improved a lot.

bruins - personally, i think they are basically the same unless the rookie make a big impact

habs - not so well unless price found his game

sens - improved a bit with gonchar but they lost volch so maybe the same

[yse325]

Do the Kennedy dumping and Morrison signing affect how we view the Sabres? Tallinder and Lydman have now been replaced by Morrison and Leopold. Personally I think we came out ahead for less money. Good on Regier, but all the problems on the offense and PP remain so.... the Sabres are improved because they are tougher, but I don't think that is enough. Dumping Kennedy is tough to swallow. There better be more to the story because there were better places to shave payroll and worse players to cut loose.

[weave]

yse325, on 03 August 2010 - 12:51 AM, said:

Do the Kennedy dumping and Morrison signing affect how we view the Sabres? Tallinder and Lydman have now been replaced by Morrison and Leopold. Personally I think we came out ahead for less money. Good on Regier, but all the problems on the offense and PP remain so.... the Sabres are improved because they are tougher, but I don't think that is enough. Dumping Kennedy is tough to swallow. There better be more to the story because there were better places to shave payroll and worse players to cut loose.

I am certainly less concerned about Buffalo's defense now. I could be persuaded to believe that the defense is better.

But yeah, the powerplay still has to be questioned.

[SabresGameNight]

It is possible that Darcy is looking within the team for the missing PP QB. Myers, Ennis are candidates but both will take time to develop. They need to pull the plug on Connolly... I cringe when he's allowed to hold the puck along the wall and try to make a play. It never works.

[TheChimp]

SabresGameNight, on 03 August 2010 - 08:02 AM, said:

It is possible that Darcy is looking within the team for the missing PP QB. Myers, Ennis are candidates but both will take time to develop. They need to pull the plug on Connolly... I cringe when he's allowed to hold the puck along the wall and try to make a play. It never works.

I agree. He's almost as bad as Roy that way. ;)