Vote: Who wins the Central?

[JBM73]

HockeyBuzz.com - HockeyBuzz Hotstove - Hotstove: Who Wins the Central?

 

[JBM73]

Chicago
St. Louis
Minnesota
Colorado
Nashville
Dallas
Winnipeg

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Pretty much the Blackhawks or Blues. Avalanche, Stars, Predators, Wild, & Jets got good young talent but aren't at that level as of yet.

 

[HockeyDoug]

Hawks
Blues-default 2
Wild-lots of problem areas but the overall talent is improving
Nashville-I'm guessin Trotz gets the system rolling again and that will cover up the weak areas, like depth. Edge out Dallas by a game.
Dallas-down to the wire and just come up short...again
Colorado-big fast start and a violent decline would be my guess
WPG-I like Cheveldayoff, but I don't think he's moved them forward much.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Seriously, ask this question in 2-3 seasons. Right now, it's essentially a 2-3 team division.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Hawks
Blues-default 2
Wild-lots of problem areas but the overall talent is improving
Nashville-I'm guessin Trotz gets the system rolling again and that will cover up the weak areas, like depth. Edge out Dallas by a game.
Dallas-down to the wire and just come up short...again
Colorado-big fast start and a violent decline would be my guess
WPG-I like Cheveldayoff, but I don't think he's moved them forward much.

I think the Jets might be my pick for 3rd place, I really like their roster.

 

[gmalis1]

Do you really have to ask who the winner will be? LOL!

 

[HockeyDoug]

I think the Jets might be my pick for 3rd place, I really like their roster.

I'm not sure if I'm going to make sense here or not, but I really like their roster too. I just really hate the mix of talent they have, I like Kane, Wheeler, even Pavelec more than most I think. I like the players, hate how they're fit into the whole team.

I think Cheveldayoff made himself too inflexible and they have too many gaping holes in the top 9 and the blueline. Their success or failure relies on Enstrom and Byfuglien, and unfortunately, I don't trust them to each give the Jets more than 55 good games each. I think their depth is terrible and Cheveldayoff's doesn't look like he'll part with one of the big names to shore up the bottom pair or lines to the point where they won't be extremely vulnerable.

 

[HockeyDoug]

Seriously, ask this question in 2-3 seasons. Right now, it's essentially a 2-3 team division.

The more I think about it, the more I think you're right and this is a question for 2 years.

Somebody else will make noise, maybe 2 teams, but I think it will be fluky. I also think next year will be a bad one to bid on FA help, so most of these teams are going to have a tough time taking another big leap forward for 2015.

 

[gmalis1]

Hawks
Blues
Predators
Wild
Stars
Avalanche
Jets

I went out on a limb and picked the Avs above the Jets. That was a tough one...LOL!

Barry Trotz teams always are solid defensively and he squeezes out what little talent they have. I think they edge the others out, mainly just by surprising teams that aren't all that familiar with the Preds defensive minded team.

Should be interesting with only four NHL divisions again. I miss Detroit already. And I miss beating up on Columbus, but they will be improved and sitting in the East.

If the injury bug doesn't hit hard, there should be absolutely no way the Hawks don't win the Central.

 

[gmalis1]

Just as a side note, I'm wondering how long it will be before Barry Trotz blows a gasket watching Viktor Stalberg NOT play ANY defense and turn over the puck shift after shift?

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I'm not sure if I'm going to make sense here or not, but I really like their roster too. I just really hate the mix of talent they have, I like Kane, Wheeler, even Pavelec more than most I think. I like the players, hate how they're fit into the whole team.

I think Cheveldayoff made himself too inflexible and they have too many gaping holes in the top 9 and the blueline. Their success or failure relies on Enstrom and Byfuglien, and unfortunately, I don't trust them to each give the Jets more than 55 good games each. I think their depth is terrible and Cheveldayoff's doesn't look like he'll part with one of the big names to shore up the bottom pair or lines to the point where they won't be extremely vulnerable.

Yeah, they have a lot of good talent, speed, physical presence, all the right pieces to be a contender. They just need to put those pieces together properly. Maybe what they need is a good coach more than anything.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

The more I think about it, the more I think you're right and this is a question for 2 years.

Somebody else will make noise, maybe 2 teams, but I think it will be fluky. I also think next year will be a bad one to bid on FA help, so most of these teams are going to have a tough time taking another big leap forward for 2015.

Yeah, 2 years from now the Central Division will be a very competitive division. The Wild, Jets, Predators, & Stars got a lot of good young talent which should make a major impact on the league. But as for now, it's really a 2 team division between the Blackhawks & Blues.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Hawks
Blues
Predators
Wild
Stars
Avalanche
Jets

I went out on a limb and picked the Avs above the Jets. That was a tough one...LOL!

Barry Trotz teams always are solid defensively and he squeezes out what little talent they have. I think they edge the others out, mainly just by surprising teams that aren't all that familiar with the Preds defensive minded team.

Should be interesting with only four NHL divisions again. I miss Detroit already. And I miss beating up on Columbus, but they will be improved and sitting in the East.

If the injury bug doesn't hit hard, there should be absolutely no way the Hawks don't win the Central.

I like the Avs' forwards, but I think they really really really lack blue line depth after Tyson Barrie (who lacks experience). I gotta go with the Jets over the Avalanche as far as who is a more complete & deeper team. If the Jets are picked by everyone to be last place in the Central, I think they will be the "surprise" team of the division. That team has way too much talent to be last place IMO.

 

[averagejoe]

I think the Blues are the Hawks biggest problem in the division.

I like the Wild's roster, but I'm actually kind of sad to see Cal Clutterbuck gone. He gave them some grit.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Wild aren't bad, I think their strength lies with their prospects tho, and their prospects are still about 2-3 years away from taking that team to the next level. Really the NHL Central Division will be the Blackhawks & Blues for the next 2-3 seasons, then after that it has the potential to be the most competitive division in the NHL.

 

[55briggs]

we did

 

[HockeyDoug]

WPG is ahead in the standings. Yeah, it's 2 games in but it's still rough on the eyes.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I like the Jets, they can mix it up well in terms of styles of play. Not saying they'll win the division but I could see them placing in the top 3.

 

[gmalis1]

WPG is ahead in the standings. Yeah, it's 2 games in but it's still rough on the eyes.

Are you kidding me? Two games into the season? Shocking standings? Unexpected expectations? Early season success vs early season flop?

Really...talk to me after Game 20 and we'll talk about all of the above.