Season Preview: Atlantic Division

The Atlantic Division is really kind of a mess. None of these teams are really that good, and now that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are together in Pittsburgh, none of them are really that bad, either.

While I definitely think Philly will take the top spot, the other four teams will probably be jumbled all tight like. With little to differentiate the four, I chose to pick them in the order I want them to finish. The safe pick would be to go Philadelphia, NY Rangers, New Jersey, NY Islanders, and Pittsburgh. Any team, even the Islanders, could finish second or fifth. They each have rather large flaws. Even the Flyers are only a Peter Forsberg injury away from the basement. So take the following for what you will.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Gee, That's Swell
* Martin Brodeur is still Martin Brodeur.

* Scott Gomez, Patrik Elias, and Brian Gionta are three top offensive talents.

* John Madden and Jay Pandolfo anchor a strong third line and penalty kill.

* If all hands are on deck, the New Jersey blue line is an underrated mix of mobility and muscle.

Grief
* The Devils are in salary cap hell, already pushed to the limit even though Gionta, Paul Martin, David Hale, and Scott Clemmensen remain unsigned. Salary dumps could be in order.

* Even if GM Lou Lamoriello can get everyone signed without tearing apart the team's core, the financial constraints will prohibit any late-season acquisitions to bolster the club down the stretch.

* Absolutely no scoring depth whatsoever.

* Claude Julien is the new coach. When was the last time anyone listened to a guy named Claude?

Player to Watch: Brian Gionta. Even if Gionta gets re-signed, he's going to struggle trying to match last season's 48 goals. And the Devils, with only three proven scorers on the roster, can't afford too big a slip.

2006-07 Oulook: As long as Martin Brodeur is healthy, the Devils will always be a threat to win the division. But El Diablo has seen better days. If everything somehow gets worked out financially, the Devils will return the exact same lines and defensive pairings from last year. In today's NHL, if you stay the same, you get worse. The Devils have gotten worse.

Prediction: Fourth in the division and out of the playoffs.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Gee, That's Swell
* Ted Nolan is known for getting the most out of his players. And that's good, because the Pony Express couldn't get through to Alexei Yashin.

* Brendan Witt and Sean Hill bring character to the blue line.

* Now that he has his nifty 15-year contract, Rick DiPietro has plenty of time to perfect the art of being an average goaltender.

Grief
* Not many Ted Nolan-type players on the roster.

* Two words: Viktor Kozlov.

* Garth Snow, previously the worst goaltender in the league, is now the worst GM in the league.

* Charles Wang could always name Wade Dubielewicz team president.

Player to Watch: Trent Hunter. After an impressive 25-goal, 51-point rookie campaign in 2003-04, Hunter disappointed last season, scoring only 16 goals and 35 points. But it really wasn't for a lack of effort. Hunter was second in the entire NHL with 230 hits, and his 221 shots were fourth-best on the team. Nolan could be just the confidence boost Hunter needs.

2006-07 Outlook: In the wake of Wang's front office shenanigans and bizarre financial decisions, the Islanders are a complete laughingstock. Nolan has been out of the loop for a while now, and his act isn't for everyone, so unless Snow can swing trades for Matthew Barnaby, Brad May, and Rob Ray, there could be lots of drama on the Island.

The Islanders will be competitive, but they lack the strong leadership from ownership and the front office required to be anything special. Then again, the division is so tight, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see them finish as high as second.

Prediction: Fifth in the Atlantic and out of the playoffs.

NEW YORK RANGERS

Gee, That's Swell
* Tom Renney is a trusted guide behind the bench.

* Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan could be a devastating combination.

* Henrik Lundqvist is only going to get better.

* Ryan Hollweg is instant energy.

* Aaron Ward adds a steady, tough presence to the back line.

Grief
* Jagr is coming off shoulder surgery, and he and Shanahan aren't getting any younger. The two could have monster seasons, or their bodies could completely fall apart. It could go either way, really.

* The defense isn't very deep, and a top six of Ward, Michal Rozsival, Darius Kasparaitis, Fedor Tyutin, Marek Malik, and Karel Rachunek really doesn't scare anyone. Sandis Ozolinsh could miss a few months, and his return may not necessarily improve things.

* Not very strong up the middle, with Michael Nylander, Matt Cullen, Hollweg, and Blair Betts as the top four centers. The loss of Steve Rucchin could be devastating. He was a leader and did a lot of the dirty work.

Player to Watch: Petr Prucha. The crafty Czech notched 30 goals during his rookie season, including 16 on the power play, where he often parked off the post to finish Jagr's cross- ice passes. The problem with having a good first year is everyone expects you to get even better in the second. New York needs his offense, so the pressure will be there.

2006-07 Outlook: The Rangers are an interesting team. I have a hunch they could be in for a major collapse. It seemed just about everything went right for them at the start of last season, allowing them to build a huge point total early. But the Blueshirts stumbled down the stretch, going 8-12-3 over their final 23 games before getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by New Jersey. And they weren't even competitive.

If Jagr, Shanahan, and Ludqvist all stay healthy, and the Rangers avoid any other major injuries, they can repeat last season's success. But I don't think it's gonna happen. It wouldn't shock me at all if they finished last in the division and missed the playoffs. That said, I have trouble picking any of the other teams to finish ahead of them. If pressed, I'd probably swap them with New Jersey. But for now...

Prediction: Second in the Atlantic and a second-straight playoff appearance.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Gee, That's Swell
* Peter Forsberg appears healthy and ready to go. When he's in the lineup, Forsberg is still the best player in the world... not named Crosby.

* Simon Gagne is signed. Philly's top line of Forsberg, Gagne, and Mike Knuble is one of the top two or three in the entire NHL.

* Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, and R.J. Umberger are quality youngsters primed for big years.

* Kyle Calder gives them another point-producer up front.

* Joni Pitkanen seems healthy.

* Say what you will about Ken Hitchcock, he's a very good coach. Oh, and he loves pie. And pie loves Ken Hitchcock.

* Goaltending. Aw, I'm just kidding.

Grief
* Forsberg's health is always a question mark.

* Petr Nedved is still a Flyer. That's never a good thing.

* Outside of Pitkanen, the defense is slow and plodding. Losing Kim Johnsson hurts.

* Robert Esche blows. Antero Niittymaki only blows slightly less. It's kind of hard to win anything in the playoffs without a goaltender, but it's a flaw that can be hidden during the regular season.

Player to Watch: R.J. Umberger. With Carter moving to wing to play with Richards and Calder on the second line, third-line center duties now fall to Umberger, a natural center who spent much of last year on the wing. If the experiment fails, the entire lineup would get shuffled, probably with Umberger reuniting with Carter and Niko Dimitrakos.

2006-07 Outlook: By picking them to win the division, I'm not saying the Flyers are a great team. I just think they're better than everyone else in the Atlantic. Don't worry, with their defense and goaltending, the Flyers are no closer to winning a Stanley Cup this year than the Blue Jackets.

But if Forsberg stays healthy, which is a huge if, and the young kids come along as expected, Hitchcock should be the difference in the division. And you figure Bobby Clarke has to get a goaltender at some point. Anaheim has phones, right?

Prediction: First in Atlantic.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Gee, That's Swell
* Sidney Crosby is already the best hockey player on the planet.

* Evgeni Malkin will very shortly be the second-best hockey player on the planet, unless, of course, John LeClair kills him before then. As of this moment, there's still no word on Malkin's "upper body injury."

* Marc-Andre Fleury is a highlight reel in net. Even when he gets lit up, he's still damn entertaining.

* The blue line, once a source of embarrassment, is now a strength. The top five of Ryan Whitney, Noah Welch, Sergei Gonchar, Brooks Orpik, and Mark Eaton can match up with any group in the division.

* Jarkko Ruutu and Ronald Petrovicky add some much-needed grit to the wings.

* New GM Ray Shero has changed the attitude surrounding the team, instilling confidence and a sense of urgency lacking under Craig Patrick, who mentally vacated the job years ago.

Grief
* Mark Recchi returned, perhaps causing more dressing room acrimony.

* Michel Therrien may not be the coach needed to shape the young Birds into contenders.

* Scoring depth on the wings is still a major concern. The Pens have top-flight talent at center, defense, and in goal, but the wings are brutal. Jordan Staal could help the situation if he sticks with the big club and shifts to left wing.

* While the top five on defense has lots of talent and potential, overall the blue line is void of quality depth.

* Fleury needs to prove he can win games on a consistent basis. Being spectacular in losing only gets you so far.

* If Fleury falters, Jocelyn Thibault would get the call. Here's hoping the Pens also call a time machine or a doctor specializing in hip replacements.

Player to Watch: Ryan Malone. The Pittsburgh native has two straight 20-goal seasons, but he still hasn't lived up to his sometimes startling talent. He's tentatively scheduled to skate the left wing for Malkin this season. Anything less than 30 goals would be unacceptable. Malone needs to step up and take some of the scoring burden off Crosby and Malkin.

2006-07 Outlook: More than likely, the Penguins will miss the playoffs again this season. But I'm picking them to sneak into the eighth spot. Why not? If they don't, no one's going to remember me picking them eighth. But if they do make it, I'll never let anyone forget I called it.

While the team still has plenty of question marks, most notably defensive depth and production from the wings, timely goal-scoring can go a long way. And Crosby and Malkin are going to score a ton. Win or lose, the Penguins will be the most entertaining team in hockey.

Prediction: Third in the Atlantic and barely in the playoffs.

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