Carolina Hurricanes – There was a lot of change this offseason for the Hurricanes and I think overall it was for the better. Sure Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov moved on from Carolina; but it makes it so Alexander Nikishin can take a step, and they added K’andre Miller who fits their system perfectly. They of-course also added Nikolaj Ehlers who is primed to take a massive step for a Carolina team that loves to play a transition game. Their young players like Jackson Blake and Seth Jarvis should also improve organically on top of the added talent to the roster. I simply love the Hurricanes’ roster and even with some sketchy goaltending at times, I have the Hurricanes actually having the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Washington Capitals – The Capitals kind of had the perfect season last year and I think they were fraudulent in a way. I still think they are a playoff team that can earn home ice in the first round, but I don’t think they will have a playoff spot locked up in February like last year. Their strength will remain their strength because they locked up their 2 stud goalies, and they still have a very nice blue-line with Chychrun, Carlson and company. Their young players like McMichael, Leonard and Protas should continue to improve, and their veteran roster is pretty much the same. It’s a pretty vanilla breakdown, but they are just a strong hockey team and it’d be surprising if they missed the playoffs.
Columbus Blue Jackets – I am going to be called a homer here, but I have been a DFSARMY hockey coach for several years, and this is the first time I am predicting my team to make the playoffs. The Jackets were 1 win away from the playoffs last year and they had tons of injuries, as well as the worst statistical goaltending in the NHL. Yes, Merzlikins is still here, but if you are at the bottom, the only way to go is up baby! That, and the CBJ coaches and management are understanding that Jett Greaves is a talented young goalie that is used to starting every game from his time in the AHL. I have Greaves grading out better than Merzlikins at everything except for beating the piss out of Tom Wilson with his blocker; but, that isn’t a statistic that earns us fantasy points, so I lean Greaves on every goaltending metric. People are crapping on the CBJ offseason and even though I wish they did more, Charlie Coyle is a pretty useful player and they have one of the deepest forward groups in the entire NHL. Between Lundestrom who they signed in free agency, Mathieu Oliver, and Miles Wood (in the Coyle trade), they could have a 4th line that has all 3 players having a double digit goal season in the NHL. Jenner and Monahan both missed significant time last year to injury, and they are massively important to this young team. Also, their young players like Johnson, Sillinger, Fantilli, Marchenko, and Mateychuk should all improve organically. We also all know everything revolves around Zach Werenski who needs to play at least 75 games this season. If all goes to plan, the CBJ should be a playoff team, and if they aren’t, they should be very close with tons of cap space to spend.
New Jersey Devils – I have New Jersey as my first team out of the playoffs even though I could easily see them getting in. Fool me once! The Devils have an explosive top 6 and a great blue-line, but I don’t know if I am in love with their pair of 35 year old goalies or their bottom 6 forwards. We also are very rarely seeing Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton make it through full 82 game seasons, and they both are potential Olympians which would add even more hard hockey on their bodies. Actually, all of their top players will be Olympians including Bratt, Hischier, and Markstrom. If they remain healthy I can see them getting into the playoffs, but there hasn’t been any recent evidence of that happening.
Feb 23, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) takes the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The New York Rangers – Shesterkin has to borderline win the Vezina Trophy in my opinion for this roster to make the playoffs. I do like their blue-line overall, especially with the addition of Gavrikov, but he is not a major improvement over K’andre Miller in my opinion. Adam Fox went from a Norris Trophy winner to a middle of the pack offensive defenseman somehow. I do still think he is good, but he is a playmaker, and I don’t think his forwards have enough goals in them to make the playoffs. They are an old and slow team that isn’t very deep, and their best player in Artemi Panarin is on his contract year. There is a lot of toxic drama happening in New York, and head coach Mike Sullivan is coaching a new team in the first time in forever. There ain’t no Sidney Crosby on this team Mr Sullivan.
New York Islanders – Even with the departure of Noah Dobson this Islanders team still has an above average blue-line, as well as a strong goaltender in Ilya Sorokin. That, and I like the addition of Jonathan Drouin, and Mathew Barzal should be back and healthy. With all of that being said, their veteran roster is still basically the same and I don’t see enough goals being scored on this roster to make the playoffs. There really isn’t really much to say here about the Islanders because they are a few years out with Matthew Schaefer, Cole Eiserman, Victor Eklund, Calum Ritchie, and Kashawn Aitcheson in their prospect pool. They are transitioning from a super old veteran team to a team full of young studs, but they are years away from their window re-opening.
Philadelphia Flyers – They have some fun offensive players like Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov, but they simply don’t have any goaltending and did nothing to help their cause in this upcoming season. They are a weird overall team and they don’t really have a team identity in my opinion. Their blue-line is talented but below average in their own end which matters a ton when you have bad goaltending. They will have some spike offensive games, but I’m not seeing enough here to come close to the playoffs. I love me some Travis Konecny, and I think Michkov will be a problem his entire career, but they need to find a starting goalie to be relevant at all in my humble opinion.
Pittsburgh Penguins – Oh it brings me joy to finally have the frozen tuxedo chickens on the bottom of the standings, and I don’t bring any biases into this. The Sidney Crosby questions are annoying for Penguins fans, but the conversations are legitimate given how bad this roster is. I do think the Penguins made a smart and calculated move in getting goalie Artur Silovs who is only 24 years old and has playoff experience, but their goaltending is sketchy on top of this geriatric roster not helping them. They are old and slow and have nothing really going for them. Their prospect pool is getting better, and they have tons of picks in the next couple of years, but that doesn’t help now. This is Malkin’s last year in the NHL according to his agent, and I feel like Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell have been on the trading block for years. If Crosby agrees to be traded at some point, it would benefit their organization tremendously and as a CBJ fan, I hope he stays there and melts away with the franchise. Crosby is one of the best players ever, he can break all of the Pittsburgh records and climb the all-time points leaders standings, all while losing in Pittsburgh.