NHL 2010-2011 Southeast Division season preview
After just one team from the Southeast Division of the National Hiockey League, the Washington Capitals, made it to the play-offs last year the Southeast Division has come potential for shake-ups.
Washington Capitals
The Caps were the class of the NHL last season in the regular season, but were criticized for not having the defence to propel themselves deeper into the playoffs. They were bounced in the first round
in seven games after an incredible comeback by the Montreal Canadiens.
The Caps boast a jaw-dropping pool of talent including two-time Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin who put up stellar numbers in his five NHL seasons. Ovechkin also has plenty of offensive support in the
likes of Alexander Semin, Niklas Backstrom, and Brooks Laich, as well as defenceman Mike Green who provides plenty of offensive punch along the blue line and who directs the league's best power play unit. They look much the same as they did last season and
are a very good mix of size and skill.
Atlanta Thrashers
The Thrashers appear to have become the new Chicago Blackhawks, who won last year's Stanley Cup, as they have poached several players from the most recent champions including forwards Andrew Ladd and Ben
Eager, as well defenceman, and Stanley Cup play-offs hero, Dustin Byfuglien.
They traded Ilya Kovalchuk - the man who they had been relying on to get them to the playoffs for the past eight seasons - just before the trade deadline last season and the Thrashers are hoping to build
a deeper team that isn't centered around a single superstar. The Kovalchuk-led Thrashers have only managed one trip to the playoffs in their history.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have had a tough time keeping consistent since they won the Stanley Cup in 2005-2006 and have made the play-offs only one time since then. As goaltender Cam Ward goes, so go the Hurricanes,
and if he can be consistent and steal some games the Hurricanes might have a slim chance of making the play-offs. While high profile forwards like Eric Staal and Jussi Jokinen provide most of the offence, it is their goaltender that fetches the results. The
Canes will have a tough time trying to improve on last season.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning are another team who have suffered since winning the Stanley Cup in 2003-2004 where the likes of Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis turned heads. The Lightning have failed to make the
play-offs in each of the last three seasons. When they won, Nikolai Khabibulin was the man between the pipes. After their Stanley Cup victory Khabibulin went over to the Blackhawks and the Lightning have never been the same.
Last season Steven Stamkos proved he is the NHL superstar the Lightning thought he would become, sharing the Rocket Richard trophy with the Pittsburgh Penguin's Sidney Crosby by scoring the most goals
in the NHL with 51. They have dumped the disappointing Alex Tanguay and replaced him with Simon Gagne which should be a significant improvement. Lecavalier and St. Louis are back and looking to recapture the magic.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers have made some significant improvements to their lineup and will hope to improve on their fourteenth place finish in the Eastern Conference last season. They've brought in players such as
Chris Higgins, Steve Bernier, and Marty Reasoner on offence, and will be hoping that veteran defencemen Dennis Wideman and Mike Weaver will steady the ship on defence.
What to expect
The Washington Capitals will be satisfied with nothing less than a deep run through the play-offs, and they have the personnel, and now the motivation, to do just that.
The Lightning will likely make the most significant improvement of all the teams in the division and will look to claim one of the bottom four playoff spots. They will be challenged most closely by the
Thrashers who will also compete. Although the Panthers have improved they just have too far to go while the Canes appear to be on the way down.
Play-off bound: Capitals and Lightning.
Teams destined for the golf course: Thrashers, Panthers and Canes.
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