Next years cinderella teams

[Ron Jeremy]

Been reading you guys for years... With a newborn in the house... I need a new home hobby! (other then watching R. Jeremy!)

Question: apart from Edmonton and NYI, what teams could surprise next year? I'm thinking FLA and TOR. I'm in rebuiding mode and I need to find teams that will shine in 1 or 2 years.

Thanks for your input!

-Ron J.

[bondon]

Minnesota - No brainer...already had one of the best prospect pools in the league and added two great players in Parise and Suter. Last season 12th in the West

Colorado is building a very nice team...a lot of young talent and if Varlamov can get some consistency going they could be a very good team. Last season 11th in the West

If Lindback does a decent job in Tampa bay this year they will probably sneak into the playoffs, I mean despite their crappy goaltending this year they were still within attacking distance of 8th place. Last season 10th in the East.

Those are a few of the standouts to me. Welcome to the boards!

[hockeyrobot]

Welcome to the boards!!

Aside from Colorado and TB like b0ndon said, my pick would be the Canes! Id love to see what would happen if E.Staal can produce consistently for an entire season.

[Jake44]

I'd say I'd be watching the team that Weber eventually gets traded to!!

[Call of Doughty]

Minny, Dallas, FLA, Jets, NYI, TB, ANA.....

[Ron Jeremy]

Minny, Dallas, FLA, Jets, NYI, TB, ANA.....

What makes you think ANA? I have a man crush for this team... Nothing much has changed since last year. Whats your take?

[Call of Doughty]

Perry, Getz and Hiller all rebound from last year.
Selanne is returning.
Fowler gets back to his rookie stats of 40+ points.

[Briarpatch00]

Getz is a great buy low candidate

[letangerang58]

Minnesota - No brainer...already had one of the best prospect pools in the league and added two great players in Parise and Suter. Last season 12th in the West

It's funny how quickly things can change in the NHL. 2 years ago they had the one of the worse prospect pools in the league.

If Lindback does a decent job in Tampa bay this year they will probably sneak into the playoffs, I mean despite their crappy goaltending this year they were still within attacking distance of 8th place. Last season 10th in the East.

Not to mention the fact that they've almost completely re-tooled their defense. Although that much change could prove to be a bigger problem in the end. I know that they may not have acquired any big name defensemen but I think it's hard to argue that the moves they made weren't at least an improvement.

[Shoeless]

Generally a team needs to score a significant number more goals to produce players that are fantasy worthy. However teams that score by committee don't always give you sure things.

Minn 177 - gotta be primed to put up 25 or 30 more goals immediately.
LA 194 - enigma?
Columbus 202
Calgary 202
NY Isles 203 - dunno, still lacking something
Florida 203
Anaheim 204
Avs 208 - call it a hunch but I see a bunch more goals from this team.
St. Louis 210
Dallas 211
Montreal 212
Edmonton 212 - I think this team takes a leap in goal production
Carolina 213 - could jump
Phoenix 216
Buffalo 218 - teaser
Wash 222
Winnipeg 225
Rangers 226
Devils 228
San Jose 228
Toronto 231
Tampa Bay 235
Nashville 237
Detroit 248
Chicago 248
Ottawa 249
Vancouver 249
Phillie 264
Boston 269
Pittsburgh 282

I think I would be looking for players not teams.

[cbergeron]

Interesting thread but for every team that moves up (say to a playoff position), that means one has to move down.

I don't see many of last year's top 16 teams dropping out of a playoff position to make room for another, do you? Florida perhaps. NJ? Ottawa?

If Minn rises up, which team out of the West falls? San Jose? Phoenix?

[Pengwin7]

My biggest risers for next year:

Minnesota (Prediction: 5th in West. VAN/STL/LA...)
Edmonton (Prediction: 8th in West)
Buffalo (Prediction: 6th in East. PIT/BOS/(SE)/PHI/NYR/BUF)

I think the East will be the East, most of the main powerhouses - New Jersey & another Southeast team fill out the top 8.

I think the West will see a big shake-up. Teams like Chicago, Detroit, San Jose all might struggle to make the playoffs.

[dyzfunctioned]

My biggest risers for next year:

Minnesota (Prediction: 5th in West. VAN/STL/LA...)
Edmonton (Prediction: 8th in West)
Buffalo (Prediction: 6th in East. PIT/BOS/(SE)/PHI/NYR/BUF)

I think the East will be the East, most of the main powerhouses - New Jersey & another Southeast team fill out the top 8.

I think the West will see a big shake-up. Teams like Chicago, Detroit, San Jose all might struggle to make the playoffs.

These are pretty much mine as well.

[Seeds of Grapes]

Montreal.

Price and Subban are core pieces already in place. 2nd, 3rd and 4th line talent are in place. Gally will make an immediate impact (I am execting about 50 points this year). Not a STanley Cup team, but I believe that playoffs are in sight.

The problem is Gomez. Once that albatross is released, things will look much better.

[Zorro]

Florida can not be seen as a "Cinderella Team" as the won their division last year..

Teams that weren't in the playoffs this year and will be next year:

West IN: ANA and DAL
West OUT: LA(watch for the hang-over) and NAS

East IN: CAR and TB
West OUT: FLA and NJ

Cinderella Teams: ANA, DAL, CAR, and TB