The Saga Continues

Today we tackle the Northeast Division.

Buffalo Sabres: This team will always get as far as Ryan Miller can take them. Unfortunately with his work schedule, it won't be far since he'll be wiped out. This team lacked a "legitimate" 1-2 punch since Drury and Briere. One hopes that Tyler Myers builds upon his Calder trophy winning rookie season, but looking up and down this line up, there's not a lot to be excited about. Will they make the playoffs? Probably. Will they make any kind of run? Probably not. Lindy Ruff is a good coach, but you can only get so much from the roster he's had for as long as he's had. I have nothing really negative to say about the Sabres, but you're not going to get a winner from this squad either.

Boston Bruins: They really need to thank the Maple leafs. They get the 2nd overall pick in this year's entry draft, and are still looking at a top 10 pick next year. So they draft Tyler Seguin, who looks like the real deal, but time will tell with that one. They're deep down the middle now, making Savard expendable. Never thought you'd hear that. Bergeron, finally somewhat healthy, has been great for them. Denis Sidenberg was a great deadline deal, although he got hurt, he should be solid for them this season.
Then of course you have Tuuka Rask and Tim Thomas. Not everyday you have vezina winner as your backup (well unless you're chicago, or washingtEveryone is expecting Tim Thomas to bounce back and have a better year, but the job is still Rask's to lose i think. A great run down the stretch and terrific first round of the playoffs where he out battled ryan miller in a defensive battle. Sure he collapsed against, the flyers, but the same could be said for the rest of the Bruins squad. Unfortunately the blame goes on the goalies because they're the last in line. I think the B's are the most improved, at least on paper.

Ottawa Senators: seriously, what did they do? they added sergei gonchar, who hasn't played a full season in a while due to injury. lost physical presence Anton Volchenkov, and added nothing special up front. iven their goaltendin situation, Pascal Leclaire, who you assume will be healthy and win the job in camp, will have to be lights out for this team. They are still essentially a one like team with Spezza and Alfredsson. This team still needs help up front to take the pressure off these two. Let's face it, they're not getting any younger. But i can still them making the playoffs thanks to the final two teams in the division.

Toronto Maple Leafs: I want to like what the leafs are doing, but i really don't understand it. They're still lacking a true number one center to play with Kessel, and the rest of their scoring is going to come by committee. Hand it to Brian Burke for picking up some decent talent in Versteeg and Armstrong. the latter of the two i think will be a nice grit guy for the Leafs. Look to Bozak to be the teams de facto #1 alongside Kessel, but who knows if it'll be enough.
the blue line is where the leafs are the deepest, one of the deepest in the league really. They still have Kaberle (for how long...who knows), Phaneuf, Komisarek (who should be healthy this season), Exelby, Beauchemin, Shenn and Finger. yes, that's 7, but whatever. This is a deep 6 man core, and with JS Giguere providing a calming influence in the blue paint, as well as the impressive, albeit too little too late in the season, showing for Jonas Gustavsson, the Leafs appear to be set in goal and on the blue line.
The true question from this team will be scoring. If and when Kaberle agrees to waive his no trade clause, will he finally bring the top 6 forward brian burke as always wanted, or will it be more of a draft pick/prospects kind of deal that the leafs will undoubtedly need. Once this stupid kaberle drama gets wrapped up, whether it's during the season or July 1 when he will almost certainly sign somewhere else, the leafs can finally go forward.

Montreal Canadiens: Ahh Les Habitants. Or as I affectionately call them, Les Habicants. This team continues to boggle my mind. I understand the wanting to place your hope in Carey Price, as he has shown flashes of being a franchise goalie (this just in, he signed a two year deal), but when you have Jaroslav Halak, who was unbelievable in the playoffs, and trade him for a bag of pucks, you have to question the motives of the front office. Especially when Halak was an RFA to be, you could've gotten a few draft picks for him instead of just prospects. Whatever. i don't run this team.
Mike Cammalleri had a ridiculous playoff run, and one can only hope that he will continue that kind of production, well within reason, during the upcoming season. I'm not impressed with this line up, but i wasn't impressed with it last year, but they proved they can hang with the big guns in the league, and beat them. I just have to wonder what the Canadiens will do if/when Carey Price falters. It seems terribly ambitious to place the fate of your season in the hands of Alex Auld. Carey Price will be the biggest piece of this team's puzzle. If he can play up to the potential most people believe he has, then this team will make the playoffs. If he plays more along the lines of the way he has so far, expect this team to be in big trouble.


Predictions: Boston-Buffalo-Ottawa-Montreal-Toronto. Toronto has the most potential to move up this list. we'll see how it goes.