2016-17 NHL season running thread

I am looking forward to this season a great deal. I think my Rangers are flawed, but they should still be fun to watch. Mika Zibanejad looked great in preseason, and I was really impressed by Pavel Buchnevich. I think they may have a winner line with those two and Chris Kreider. In general, they got younger and faster, and if things work as planned, they should score some goals. They have three solid lines and they have a lot of ways to go with a fourth line from penalty killers / role players to an actual skilled fourth line with speed. I think the problem will be the defense. They shed Dan Boyle, but they also lost Keith Yandle and I think his ability to start the offense would be a great asset with a team like this. I really liked him. They are still stuck with Dan Girardi at a huge salary (love him, but it isn't pretty at this point) and Marc Staal going downhill fast, and other than McDonagh, their defense is blah. I don't care how good Lundqvist is. There are going to be at least 3 or 4 mistakes a night that put him under point-blank pressure. The question for them will be whether they can outscore their mistakes. Oh, and our long national nightmare is over. ... With the bounty of forwards they had in camp, Tanner Glass was cut (it shouldn't have been a question, but he has photos of Alain Vigneault or something). Too bad he cleared waivers (ridiculous salary), so he will be sitting in Hartford for when Vigneault is ready to lose his mind again and calls him up to play him over 3 better options.

 

I am worried that it's not just the Caps and Pens that will be ahead of the Rangers. The conference looks pretty good to me.

For the Metropolitan, the order I am going to predict is:

1) Washington
2) Pittsburgh
3) I am not sure how things will play out underneath.

In the Atlantic, I'll go conventional wisdom:

1) Tampa
2) Montreal
3) Florida

I think Montreal is going to bounce back big from last year. I think it is a dangerous team.

For the rest: I think it should be between the Rangers, Flyers and Bruins next for the playoff births. The Rangers are not as good as they were say two years ago, but they still should be decent. They are no lock to even make the playoffs, though. And I think Philly and Boston got a little better.

I think Carolina will be pretty bad. I don't think Columbus will be very good, although I saw someone pick them as a surprise team. The Devils don't look very good to me. Neither does Ottawa. Detroit is old and I think their time has finally passed. Toronto may be a bit better, but I am not seeing a playoff team there. The Islanders should be OK, but not significantly better than they have been. They will probably be in the mix, though. I wouldn't be surprised to see Buffalo surprise and take a step up into playoff contention. I think that is an up-and-coming team.

 

He has had some really bad luck with concussions. I hope there is no long-term damage. Sucks.

 

A doctor for one of the teams I covered years ago had a three strike rule with concussions. You got a third, he would not clear you to return. Ever. Said if the school didn't like it, it could find a new doctor. They kept him around until he retired. He meant it, too. A promising young QB got No. 3 and he said that's it, you're done here.