Originally Posted by
conscript
Agree overall with your East picture except the Rangers. Strongest team on paper absolutely, but they are freaking 8th in the East holding a spot by 1 point and are playing mediocre hockey. I'm done buying the Rangers on paper. This is the third or fourth year in a row they have looked like they should be a dynamo. This time they aren't even bothering to wait until the playoffs to flounder. I love Torts, but something needs to change in the Rangers room before I take them seriously anymore anywhere but on paper. I'm still pulling for the Lightning. I feel like jinxed the shit out of them earlier in the year when they looked great. Offensively they are still fantastic, but their defense has been lackluster at best. Of the teams on the outside looking in right now, I would pick them to get in and maybe give a couple teams trouble in their defense can improve. The Pens have the offense, but they are giving up goals like a pedo giving out candy from his van. They are bleeding goals. That can't continue if they are going to hope to win the Cup.
In the West, I have zero confidence in anyone but the Hawks and Ducks. Like you said if Fasth holds up, yikes. They are like the Ducks that one year when Giggy just went off in net in the playoffs, but they are way better in front of the goalie. LA has looked much, much better over the last month than they did to start the year. They should compete in the West. Detroit I'm not even going to hold my breath on. How they are in 4th is mind boggling with their injury issues all year, not that that 4th won't turn into 10th by the end of the weekend thanks to the logjam past the Ducks and Hawks. I'm pulling for the Hawks though just so games don't start late at night.
Wings lost to the Jackets today. AGAIN. Seriously, what the hell is it with the Jackets this year? They are fucking awful against every single team but the Wings and Hawks although at least the Hawks manage to still eek out a win each time. The Jackets are 3-0-1 against the Wings now. 7 of their 22 points from the Wings.