Mike Warren's NHL Preview

Well ladies and gentleman after 4 months of waiting, the NHL looks to finally kick off the 2013 season on January 19th. Of course, it wouldn’t be the start of the Hockey season without me giving a preview on what to expect in the 2013 48 game sprint, which means this is a different kind of NHL season. What I am going to do is give each of my division standing picks, East today, West tomorrow, and finally the 8 teams from each conference that will make the playoffs, and my Stanley cup finals and champions pick will come tomorrow with the West.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

In what was a hotly contested Atlantic division last season with 4 of the 5 making the playoffs (Do I have to tell you who the odd-team out was?), this should be a division that will be fun to watch over the coarse of the few months. The New York Rangers added Rick Nash, the Flyers lost Jagr but have Chris Pronger healthy, and the Isles, well, they are the Isles. Oh did I mention that the defending Eastern conference champions are back, and the best player in the league,

I’m going to get a lot of heat because this division is really up from grabs but here is my prediction, with the top three VERY close.

1. Flyers
2. Penguins
3. Rangers
4. Devils
5. Islanders

Northeast Division

The Boston Bruins are going to be just as good as they have been, but Tuka Raask is their starting goaltender as Tim Thomas is taking the year off, and I think they are going to slip. Meanwhile teams such as Toronto, Buffalo, Montreal, and Ottawa, its going to be a fight for the spots.

1. Buffalo
2. Boston
3. Ottawa
4. Toronto
5. Montreal

Southeast

The geographically challenged Southeast Division is going to be a toss-up, but I think with Adam Oates behind the bench in Washington they shouldn’t fall. Expect Tampa Bay to be a team that makes a run.

1. Washington
2. Tampa Bay
3. Florida
4. Carolina
5. Winnipeg

Playoff Prediction-

1. Philadelphia
2. Buffalo
3. Washington
4. Pittsburgh
5. NY Rangers
6. Boston
7. Ottawa
8. Tampa Bay