Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Originally posted by Negrodamus:
Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Originally posted by Negrodamus:
Originally posted by OnTheClock:
We Cheechoo fans are way ahead of you, my friend. That's why I'm hopeful, but obviously also know that the better option may be to try and develop our younger players.
If he went to Chicago, I would .
i'm still crying for losing big buff.
I probably would be too, if I were you. Chicago can't expect to go to the Cup again without him. They pretty much guaranteed Atlanta's entrance to the playoffs in the East next year though. Thrashers aren't a terrible team, they just lack some star power. They've got it now.
I would still bet on Atlanta missing playoffs. Sure they picked up Buff, but they lost Kovalchuk (who still finished 3rd on their team in scoring) and are losing Afinogenov (their 2nd leading scorer). They are also losing Kubina (their best D).
They are also losing Colby Armstrong, who was a productive 3rd liner (by their standards). Combined, the players the lost made up 1/3 of all of Atlanta's goals scored this year. (proportionally, thats equal to the Sharks losing Marleau AND Heatley).
So their first line will be Antropov - Peverley - Buff with absolutely nothing behind them. And they have 3 decent D in Enstrom, Hainsey, Bogosian. But yeah, they will be worse then last year, sorry but Afinogenov + Kubina + Kovalchuk = more wins then Buff.
Remember, they started the year 15-7-3 (with Kovalchuk).
Edit:
Out in the east, teams that might make up playoffs that didn't last year would be: NYR, NYI, and TB. Islanders I got my eye on, assuming they don't do yet another stupid ass FA move. I think if DiPietro can have a healthy year, they can challenge for the 8th. They had a run where they went 3-13, if they can avoid that kind of streak they should make it.
[ Edited by SunDevilNiner79 on Jun 29, 2010 at 02:47:04 ]