Southeast Division. Who is stronger, who is not?

[nccanes]

Thought maybe a thread talking about who in our division is stronger (so far) and who isn't (so far) during this off season.

Any opinions?

[Stormbringer]

Hmmmm, well IMO, Tampa Bay (does her best Anne Robinson) is THE WEAKEST LINK(!) with the stupid decisions and losses made by the management. Washington is not far behind with the loss of Jagr.

Florida will be in the middle of the road as they've been for a couple of seasons, since their only major loss is Worrell.

As for who's strongest, easily Atlanta with the former Avs coach, Heatley, and Kolvachuk. Also, the team we know and love here in Raleigh is looking mighty fine. :)

[nccanes]

I think Tampa Bay isn't necessarily weaker. They've lost Prospal, leader in points with 79 and with 22 goals, but they have added Cory Stillman from St. Louis, 24 goals and 67 points.

The question mark with Prospal's departure is/was whether or not Lecavalier and St. Louis raised Propsal's game or vice versa or both. Prospal had a career year last year as did Lecavalier and St. Louis.

On paper they haven't lost anything offensively and they had 48 more goals than the Canes last season, but we'll see how the on-ice chemistry develops. (They still have to sign Stillman too.)

They let two of their lessor defenders go unsigned and have yet to replace them, but certainly will do something before the season begins in that regard.

I see no reason that the Lightning are any worse than last season, unless off-ice issues surface (Khabibulin/Grahame or GM/Coach).

[nccanes]

Washington is not far behind with the loss of Jagr.


I know I've been on vacation, but has Jagr been dealt by the Caps and I didn't notice?

In reality, I think Jagr leaving DC would help the Caps - or certainly wouldn't hurt.

[talkingcanes]

I think Atlanta is going to be stronger. The coaching change and success in the latter part of the season had to have increased their confidence. I don't think they are ready to win the division, but I think they'll be rough and ready to start the season.

[Jeff O Rocks]

I agree talking...I think Atlanta will be a real pain....with the team coming together and Heatley "heating" up...I look for big changes in their team and record....I think TB may just pick up where they left off.....but of course, I think the Canes will clean house this year!! ;) :spin:

[nccanes]

I think Atlanta is going to be stronger. The coaching change and success in the latter part of the season had to have increased their confidence. I don't think they are ready to win the division, but I think they'll be rough and ready to start the season.

I agree with that. I think their goaltending is still a question mark - but I'd say the same about ours, unfortunately. :sad: That's another reason why I think it's important that we beefed up our defense - Weekes needs to have confidence about who is in front of him. (Please work things out, Markov and JR.)

[Stormbringer]

Washington is not far behind with the loss of Jagr.


I know I've been on vacation, but has Jagr been dealt by the Caps and I didn't notice?

In reality, I think Jagr leaving DC would help the Caps - or certainly wouldn't hurt.

Yes, Jagr was dealt to the Money Pit a.k.a. the New York Rangers.

[nccanes]

Yes, Jagr was dealt to the Money Pit a.k.a. the New York Rangers.

He was? He's still listed on the Caps website and is not listed on the Rangers website?

[Shell]

Hope you don't mind, I thought it was an interesting questions and turned it into a poll.

I honestly thing we're the best in the division. Hopefully the caps don't return to their winning ways when they do trade Jagr (they have not as of yet). I think Atlanta will be much better, but I think sticking with Dafoe is a mistake. I think Tampa will be a threat as well, though losing Prospal will hurt. Who cares about Florida? :evil:

[Shell]

p.s., here is a story about the Caps that appeared in yesterday's Washington Times:

Leonsis: Caps lack the 'right balance'
By Dave Fay
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Washington Capitals majority owner Ted Leonsis thinks one of the primary reasons his team lost in the first round of the playoffs last season was a lack of toughness, the mental and intestinal variety, not fisticuffs.

Washington was ousted by Tampa Bay 4-2 in the best-of-7 series after winning the first two games in Florida by a combined margin of 9-3. When the Caps faced tough times and had some officiating calls go against them in the last four games, they did not fight hard enough to overcome, the owner maintained yesterday.

"When I look at it, I say, 'Well, when the going got tough — the two bad calls in overtime, the bad call in Tampa, the triple overtime loss — we didn't have that umph, that intestinal fortitude to fight through it,' " he said.

The tide turned in one game when goalie Olie Kolzig was called for an infraction that didn't exist, and Tampa Bay won two other games in overtime on calls that even the league hierarchy questioned.

But there were other causes — Washington's inability to control one particular Tampa Bay line, the Caps' inexcusable lack of success on special teams, the failure of most of Washington's offense to come through during the last four games. Leonsis did not deny any of that but kept coming back to leadership.

"I think we've done a reasonable job of bringing talent into the organization, now is the time to focus on the intangibles and try to get that right balance," he said. "Frankly, we have to change the team or add to the team. I think we need to get younger in places and more passionate in places."

Leonsis made it clear he was not singling out one player, such as team captain Steve Konowalchuk; he apparently was making a blanket judgment that the team as a whole didn't have the fortitude to fight through setbacks. Was he looking for another Dale Hunter, the retired captain, a Cap for a dozen years?

"Boy, if I could get Dale back ... yeah," he responded. "Right now I would think our team could use a bit more leadership, a bit more 'grunting' through the hard times. That's not to say players like Konowalchuk, Witt and Olie are not leaders, you just can never not have enough of them."

He said ownership and management have been going "through the emotional rollercoaster of what happened and be critical of what you could have done better," a process that is continuing. He said several areas that need help have been identified and being sought. But he said the help would come from draft acquisitions, not high-priced free agents.

"We will not be in the market" for high-end free agents, he said. "I have no idea what the league will look like a year from now but if there are players out there we can pick up for a year or two and they're within reason and don't throw your budget out of whack, [we´re] prepared to try to improve the team."

In a related matter, Leonsis said he felt some of his comments after the Caps were eliminated from the playoffs April 20 were misconstrued when he made note that MCI Center failed to sell out for postseason games.

"I think our fans react to how hard the players play," he said. "My comments in the spring when I said 'the market had spoken' were misconstrued. What I meant was, [the fans] didn't believe in our team. It's not the fans' fault they didn't come out, we made the playoffs and they just didn't believe that this team could get past the first round."

On fiscal matters, he repeated the assessment he first made Wednesday, that the NHL's economic model was not working.

"If you ever want a view of that, the NBA just published its salary cap information and it's [a cap of] $44 million. It's well-known that the NBA has higher revenue than the NHL, they have 12 players to pay, we have 25 to pay. Yet in the NHL we probably have 10 teams (actually 13) over $44 million [and] we have some teams at $70 million, $80 million.

"The year I spent the least money was our best year so there isn't a direct correlation between payroll and success. I'm still committed to making the right investments; these comments that we're slashing payroll came from my saying we're not going to sign any free agents."

[b]Leonsis refused to comment on reports that the Caps were trying to trade star right wing Jaromir Jagr but said he did not regret signing the Czech to a long-term contract potentially worth $88 million if he plays through his option.

"I think he's an asset and I don't think we've seen the best of him yet," he said.

[Stormbringer]

Oh...(smacks her head)...don't know where I saw that Jagr was traded. Must have obviously got my rumors mixed up. Sorry 'bout that. :)

BTW, I can't vote :sad:...if I could, I would pick the Canes too. :spin:

[folgersnyourcup]

Hehe, well I posted the fake page about Jagr being traded a little while ago here SB....maybe you were remembering that?

I personally thing Atlanta is going to be one heck of a team and will make the playoffs for the first time in their existence. I'd say that 2 teams from the SE will make it to the playoffs again. I honestly think the Dafoe will return to brilliance this season, you have to remember that he had a ridiculous amount of layoff time coupled with playing through injury and a team that completely lacked direction in front of him. Getting Hartley as coach was like winning the lottery. The Thrashers definitely stepped up their play after getting him and I think that a full season with him behind the bench will work wonders....

I'd definitely say the Canes are stronger this year. I think one of the thousand problems with last year is that the Canes stayed virtually the same (albeit a little weaker team after losing Gelinas and then Malik early on in the season) as they were the year before while most other teams improved. This year, they should have an unbelievable hunger plus have improved personnel-wise from last year. Jeez, if we sign Markov as well......

I think Florida will come in last in the SE Division followed by Tampa Bay. I just couldn't believe some of the BS that was fed Washington during their playoff match.....a 5 on 3 in OT of a playoff series? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Not that I really cared either way because I didn't give a damn about either team but it was still pretty unfortunate luck. And Florida management just does not seem to care. They have thrown away an astonishing amount of talent to other teams. THANKS FOR HEDICAN! They probably should have named Ozo captain, they were playing him for about 40 MINUTES A GAME PLUS ENTIRE POWERPLAYS! And then he was continually criticized when he made a wee little mistake after 35 minutes of play-time......ridiculous. He obviously didn't work out here and I'm glad he's found his place with the Ducks.