The Wide open West

[yave1964]

Yes, the Wings have slipped this year, but so have most every team in the West. As I see it the West shapes up like this....

Locks for the Playoffs....Canucks

Locked out, no chance..... Bluejackets, Oilers, Ducks

Everyone else.

Look at last years playoffs teams.......

Canucks Gonna be there

Blues, more than likely but a bit of smoke/mirrors last year bound to slip

Coyotes Much worse

Predators Much worse

Wings Much worse

Sharks Stagnant and falling

Blackhawks Stagnant

Kings More than likely but facing the champion slump most teams face.

So the Nucks, with the blues and Kings more than likely locked in. As far as teams that didnt make it.....

Stars Nice offseason, built for right now

Wild Great offseason, built for now and the future

Avalanche Solid offseason

Flames, about the same, always a bubble team.

So if you look at it, 3 teams are in, 3 are out, leaving 5 spots for 9 teams. I think we are better than the Flames, Avalanche, Wild (this year anyway) Coyotes, sharks and Predators. I dont think we are worse than the Stars or blackhawks in any measurable way. So the Wings are looking at a 4-6 seed as presently constructed, as the balance of power is in the East. If the Wings were in the East, teams that are better or at least as good would include the Flyers, Penguins, Rangers, Bruins, and Capitals, leaving the Wings to duke it out with the Canes, Sabres, Panthers and a few others for a couple of spots.

So to summarize, the wings have slipped but so has the West in general, the balance of power has shifted and we should safely be a four to six seed with lots of money to spend at deadline to fill holes.

[idahophilly]

Interesting analysis. I think the Wild could be a surprising team now that they have Parise and Suter. That's a heck of an upgrade on both defence and offence. I can't see Nashville being better at all. Phoenix, despite their recent success's could be a train wreck this year, especially if Doan leaves and Yandle gets traded... The enigma of Vancouver will continue. St louis may have another suprising year, the question being a surprise how good they are or how bad they are. LA, yes many Champions have that slump after winning but if one team can overcome that then I'd say its LA.

As much as I love the Flyers, the Rangers are going to be the team to beat, league wide... (as it stands now anyway...)

What would be a fun thing to see would be an Islanders - Columbus Stanley Cup!!!

[jammer2]

@yave1964 I'm not really sold on the Ducks being out of the playoffs. They are a bubble team in my mind, but not out of it yet. The coaching change played a big role in their revival in Jan, Feb and Mar last year. The defense played much better (the whole team for that matter) after the coach was fired. Hiller had a horrible start and was pretty steady after Christmas. A lot will depend on how the Perry and Getzlaf contracts play out, if they are sold off, then yeah, they are not a playoff team.

[yave1964]

Interesting analysis. I think the Wild could be a surprising team now that they have Parise and Suter. That's a heck of an upgrade on both defence and offence. I can't see Nashville being better at all. Phoenix, despite their recent success's could be a train wreck this year, especially if Doan leaves and Yandle gets traded... The enigma of Vancouver will continue. St louis may have another suprising year, the question being a surprise how good they are or how bad they are. LA, yes many Champions have that slump after winning but if one team can overcome that then I'd say its LA.

As much as I love the Flyers, the Rangers are going to be the team to beat, league wide... (as it stands now anyway...)

What would be a fun thing to see would be an Islanders - Columbus Stanley Cup!!!

Islanders Blue Jackets Stanley cup????!?? I think that is one of the signs of the apocolypse, lol!

[yave1964]

@yave1964 I'm not really sold on the Ducks being out of the playoffs. They are a bubble team in my mind, but not out of it yet. The coaching change played a big role in their revival in Jan, Feb and Mar last year. The defense played much better (the whole team for that matter) after the coach was fired. Hiller had a horrible start and was pretty steady after Christmas. A lot will depend on how the Perry and Getzlaf contracts play out, if they are sold off, then yeah, they are not a playoff team.

Anaheim only has a few players signed beyond next year, and what I have been reading is they are looking to blow up the roster and set up for a youth movement. Your right though, if every break possible went their way they are a lower end playoff team, I just think there are too many teams ahead of them right now.

[Polaris922]

I dunno about counting out the Oilers. The young talent on that team is amazing, and will grow leaps and bounds every year as they mature. Should be fun to watch!

[hf101]

I dunno about counting out the Oilers. The young talent on that team is amazing, and will grow leaps and bounds every year as they mature. Should be fun to watch!

I dunno Polaris we're thinking a lot alike tonight. I was going to write that I thought the Oilers steal a playoff spot this season. I don't see the Flames anywhere close to contention. And I think the Predators just fall short.

My West playoff teams:

Blues

Canucks

Kings

Wild

Blackhawks

Sharks

Redwings

Oilers

[SpikeDDS]

@hf101

That's a pretty solid West prediction, hf. Dunno about the Oilers, but you never can tell with #8 anyway.