New 2021 Divisions

[Harbingers]

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-teams-in-new-divisions-for-2020-21-season/c-319844882

How do y'all feel about our temp new division and this format in general? We only play central teams. So no mid season drag for us this year or we are screwed.

[TheMaulClaw]

I think we're in good shape. I think were the 3rd best team in division based upon last year.  I also think its possible for us to take another step forward this year barring injury.

[54th man]

Tampa gonna be our biggest problem everybody else we should be able to beat more times than not. Hopefully the boys are ready

[Zod]

North, East, West.... Central?

 

They have issues with South?

[Anybodyhome]

I see Dallas and Tampa Bay as the Canes best competition in the division.

And I think Brind'Amour is making the smart move by not making a bunch of wholesale changes to the lines and game plans. There isn't enough time in training camp and the lineup is mostly intact- so why reinvent the wheel?

[t96]

Really happy about the new division. Detroit is the worst team in the league, Chicago is bottom 5. Florida and Nashville are not playoff teams, and I think Columbus is very clearly a tier below the Canes, although they have given us some trouble in recent years at times.

That makes it extremely likely we are at least top 3 in the division which is playoffs at least.

I think Dallas won’t be as good as last year and we should be better but definitely won’t count them out after making the finals last year. Tampa is the class of the division and the league, but they are without their best forward — Kucherov, league MVP just a few years ago and dominated last playoffs.

This division is much easier than the Metro (current East mostly) overall, so we have an easier path to the playoffs. Pumped about this season.

[t96]

8 hours ago, Anybodyhome said:

I see Dallas and Tampa Bay as the Canes best competition in the division.

And I think Brind'Amour is making the smart move by not making a bunch of wholesale changes to the lines and game plans. There isn't enough time in training camp and the lineup is mostly intact- so why reinvent the wheel?

Also Waddell at GM not making a bunch of trades or free agent signings (though I do think Jesper Fast was a great bargain middle 6 winger signing to replace Justin Williams who retired). Completely agree that going into this season with chemistry is extremely important.

[Anybodyhome]

2 hours ago, t96 said:

Also Waddell at GM not making a bunch of trades or free agent signings (though I do think Jesper Fast was a great bargain middle 6 winger signing to replace Justin Williams who retired). Completely agree that going into this season with chemistry is extremely important.

Yes. Like the Fast signing. Hope it doesn't go like the Vatanan deal. Was hoping he'd break out last season.

[t96]

23 minutes ago, Anybodyhome said:

Yes. Like the Fast signing. Hope it doesn't go like the Vatanan deal. Was hoping he'd break out last season.

Vatanen was likely just going to be a rental regardless though, he never would’ve been brought in if Dougie and Pesce were healthy. I liked him in the little we saw of him in the playoffs, but we have so much defensive depth there just wasn’t room for him. Excited to see some of Bean this year.

[cookinbrak]

Love this concept and scheduling. All 7 or 8 o'clock games. Don't see us getting many nationally televised games because we don't play Boston, Pittsburgh, or Washington. Also don't have to look at Brad Marchaund's cheating ass.

[MillionDollarCam]

A couple of our new division rivals are dropping the puck on NBC Sports right now (Lightning and Black Hawks), Forslund in on the call.

[Harbingers]

1 hour ago, MillionDollarCam said:

A couple of our new division rivals are dropping the puck on NBC Sports right now (Lightning and Black Hawks), Forslund in on the call.

Doesn’t appear the Lightning have missed a beat or the Black Hawks are just gonna be this bad this year with injury/etc.

[MillionDollarCam]

10 hours ago, Harbingers said:

Doesn’t appear the Lightning have missed a beat or the Black Hawks are just gonna be this bad this year with injury/etc.

Yeah, tough to tell with how poor Subban played in net.

[TheMaulClaw]

On 1/11/2021 at 11:13 AM, Anybodyhome said:

I see Dallas and Tampa Bay as the Canes best competition in the division.

And I think Brind'Amour is making the smart move by not making a bunch of wholesale changes to the lines and game plans. There isn't enough time in training camp and the lineup is mostly intact- so why reinvent the wheel?

I agree.  Continuity is the key to our success.  It would've been the key even in a non covid year.  Another year bigger and stronger for Svech, Aho, Necas, and Fluery.  Also we should start to see Bean crack the line up this year.  Also just having Dougie back healthy for a full season will make a huge difference.

I think Jesper Fast will be a nice addition as a glue guy as the team goes along.  I see him like a better version of what McKegg was for us.  We're also looking at guys like Skjei and Trocheck being fully acclimated to what we do. 

I have no doubt that with Rod at the helm and the sort of conditioning standards he employs we should be one of (if not the) best conditioned team in the league, with younger players seeing massive gains year to year.  We're growing into the physicality we need.