CarterHud

                    After surprising the league and making the playoffs in 2015-16, the Philadelphia Flyers disappointed in 2016-17, with just 88 points, for sixth in the Metropolitan division. But, they beat the odds and won the NHL draft lottery, and were awarded the second overall pick. They used the pick to select C Nolan Patrick. The Flyers didn\’t do much in the offseason, and lost a lot of players. Here is a look at their offseason.

                   Notable additions: G Brian Elliott, C Jori Lehtera.

                   Notable subtractions: C Brayden Schenn, G Steve Mason, D Michael Del Zotto, C Nick Cousins, C Pierre-Edouard Bellmare, D Nick Schultz.

                                           Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Travis Konecny – Claude Giroux – Jakub Voracek
Jordan Weal – Nolan Patrick – Wayne Simmonds
Oskar Lindbom – Sean Couturier – Michael Raffl
Valtteri Filppula – Jori Lehtera – Mike Vecchione

The first line looks potent on paper, but after 14 goals last year, Giroux needs to have a good year, so the Flyers don\’t need to consider moving him. Simmonds, the reigning all-star game MVP, can be a good linemate to Patrick, a rookie. After one day at camp, reports showed he showed chemistry with Simmonds and Weal. Lindblom is coming from oversees, and is another rookie to watch out for. Don\’t be fooled by the fourth line tag. Filppula and Lehtera will still get plenty of ice-time. Vecchione was a Hobey Baker candidate, and is looking for a good rookie season. Matt Read has dropped, and will be a healthy scratch, along with Dale Weise. The Flyers should trade one of them if there is any takers.

                                          Defensemen
Here\’s my projected defensive pairs.

Shayne Gostisbehere – Sam Morin
Ivan Provorov – Robert Hagg
Andrew MacDonald – Radko Gudas

Gostisbehere had a sophomore slump in 2016-17, and is looking to follow his 2015-16 season in 2017-18 so he can be successful. Morin and Hagg are two rookies trying to break into the league. Provorov is looking to avoid the sophomore slump. Travis Sanheim, another rookie, can beat out MacDonald.

        Goalies
        Brian Elliott
        Michal Neuvirth
Elliott was a great signing for the Flyers. Neuvirth is an okay backup, but not a starter, like most of his career. Though he\’s currently injured, Anthony Stolarz will be the third goalie when he\’s healthy.

                                         Prediction
The Flyers are still a lot like their 2016-17 team that missed the playoffs. I think they\’ll compete for a wild card spot, but their mediocrity will hurt them. 

                   After a bad 2015-16, the Ottawa Senators rebounded in 2016-17, with 98 points, making the playoffs. After getting by the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, the Sens got to double OT in game seven in the Eastern conference finals. But, a goal by Pittsburgh\’s Chris Kunitz ruined their hopes of being Eastern conference champs. With an already strong team, the Sens didn\’t make many offseason changes, but here\’s a look at what they did do.

          Notable additions: D Johnny Oduya, C Nate Thompson, F Tyler Randell, F Max Reinhart.

          Notable subtractions: D Marc Methot, C Chris Kelly, F Chris Neil, F Viktor Staalberg, F Tommy Wingels, D Jyrki Jokipakka.

                            Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Mike Hoffman – Kyle Turris – Bobby Ryan
Clarke MacArthur – Derrick Brassard – Mark Stone
Ryan Dzingel – J.G. Pageau – Colin White
Zack Smith – Nate Thompson – Alex Burrows

That first line can be deadly as long as Ryan has a bounce back season. Same goes with MacArthur and the second (it\’s more like is MacArthur needs to stay healthy). Dzingel and Pageau are coming off solid years, and are looking for a good 2017-18. White is looking for a solid rookie campaign. Tom Pyatt is the extra forward.

                             Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

Dion Phaneuf – Erik Karlsson
Thomas Chabot – Cody Ceci
Johnny Oduya – Chris Wideman

Karlsson may miss the first few months of the season, and that can totally change their season. Chabot has been great in his junior career, and is looking for a solid rookie year. Oduya was a nice underrated signing for then. Mark Borowiecki and Fredrik Claesson are the extra defensemen.

                                 Goalies
                       Craig Anderson
                       Mike Condon
At the end of his career, Anderson is still a starter. Condon is a good fringe starter. Andrew Hammond and Chris Dreidger are the extra goalies.

                                Prediction
The Sens are a good team. But, their season relies on how severe Karlsson\’s injury is. If it\’s not bad, they\’ll make the playoffs. If it\’s bad, I think they\’ll miss the playoffs.

            With a very good core, the New York Rangers finished with 102 points, for 4th in the Metropolitan division, making the playoffs. After getting by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, the Rangers fell to the unlikely winners, the Ottawa Senators. In the offseason, the Rangers unloaded Derek Stepan, but signed Kevin Shattenkirk. Here\’s a full look at their offseason.

                 Notable additions: D Kevin Shattenkirk, C David Desharnais, G Ondrej Pavelec, D Anthony DeAngelo, F Paul Carey, F Dan Catenacci.

                 Notable subtractions: C Derek Stepan, G Antti Raanta, F Oscar Lindberg, D Dan Girardi, F Brandon Pirri, D Kevin Klein, D Adam Clendening, F Tanner Glass.

                                  Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Mats Zuccarello
Jimmy Vesey – Kevin Hayes – Rick Nash
Michael Grabner – J.T. Miller – Pavel Buchnevich
Matt Puempel – David Desharnais – Jesper Fast

Zibanejad is a solid 2nd line center, but is one the worst first line centers in the league, if not the worst. Same goes for Kreider. Zuccarello is the only first liner on the team, unless Nash can regain his old form. Vesey is in his second year, and I expect a lot more than 27 points out of him. Grabner had a great 2016-17, and is looking for another one in 2017-18. That fourth line is horrible except for Desharnais. Paul Carey and Dan Catenacci are the extra forwards.

                                  Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

Ryan McDonagh – Kevin Shattenkirk
Marc Staal – Brady Skjei
Brendan Smith – Anthony DeAngelo

If the Rangers play that first pairing, then that can win them games. Skjei was very overlooked in his rookie season. DeAngelo was traded for Stepan and Raanta, and can make the team this year. If he doesn\’t make the team and is sent to the AHL, Nick Holden will take his place. If he does make the team, Holden and Steven Kampfer will be the extra defensemen.

                             Goalies
                  Henrik Lundqvist
                  Ondrej Pavelec
Replaces Raanta with Pavelec is really bad since Lundqvist is injury prone. Pavelec is not a good goalie. They should\’ve targeted another goalie in free agency like Brian Elliott.

                           Prediction
The Rangers still have a good team. But after a bad offseason and the rest of the Metro rising, I predict the Rangers will miss the playoffs in 2017-18.

                 After two straight seasons of making the playoffs, the New York Islanders had a horrible first half of the 2016-17 season. A coaching change from Jack Capuano to Doug Weight led to much better play, but the Isles finished with 94 points, missing the playoffs by a point. That led to some major trades. they acquired Jordan Eberle, but traded Travis Hamonic. Here\’s a full look at their offseason.

               Notable additions: RW Jordan Eberle, G Kristers Gudlevskis.

               Notable subtractions: D Travis Hamonic, C Ryan Strome, G Jean-Francois Berube, C Mikhail Grabovski.

                             Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Anders Lee – John Tavares – Jordan Eberle
Andrew Ladd – Brock Nelson – Josh Bailey
Anthony Beauvillier – Matthew Barzal – Josh Ho-Sang
Jason Chimera – Casey Cizikas – Cal Clutterbuck

After Lee broke out last year with over 30 goals, he is now a first line forward. Tavares needs a new extension, but it shouldn\’t stop him from playing. Nelson needs to have a good season, or could be traded. Ladd needs a bounce-back year also. That kid line could be electric, with Beauvillier having the most NHL experience with about two-thirds of a season. The grinder line returns with Chimera at the left-wing spot. Nikolay Kulemin and Stephen Gionta are the extra forwards. Alan Quine and Shane Prince are injured, but will add depth when they return.

                            Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

Nick Leddy – Johnny Boychuk
Calvin de Haan – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Thomas Hickey

The \”Ledchuk\” pairing is very solid. Pulock didn\’t play at all in the NHL last year, besides one shift, but was outstanding in the AHL. Pelech just signed an extension, and should start. Dennis Seidenberg and Scott Mayfield are the extra defensemen.

                               Goalies
                     Thomas Greiss
                     Jaroslav Halak

Since joining the Islanders, Greiss has been a number one goalie. Halak had a bad last season, and will be Greiss\’ 1B this year. AHL goalies Christopher Gibson and Kristers Gudlevskis are the call-ups if there\’s an injury.

                               Prediction
The Isles positively impacted their already good team in the offseason. I think they\’ll make the playoffs in 2017-18.

               The New Jersey Devils\’ offseason was one of the best. After finishing last in both the Metropolitan and Eastern conference with just 70 points, the Devs won the NHL draft lottery, and got the first overall pick. They used the pick to select C Nico Hischier. Besides Hischier, the Devils were still successful in the offseason, acquiring LW Marcus Johansson from the Capitals. Here\’s a full look at their offseason.

                Notable additions: LW Marcus Johansson, C Brian Boyle, D Mirco Mueller, RW Drew Stafford, D Will Butcher, D Brian Strait.
 
                Notable subtractions: F Michael Cammalieri, F Beau Bennett, D John Merrill, C Jacob Josefson, F Devante Smith-Pelly, D Yohann Auvitu.

                                       Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Taylor Hall – Adam Henrique – Kyle Palmieri
Marcus Johansson – Nico Hischier – Pavel Zacha
Miles Wood – Brian Boyle – Drew Stafford
Joseph Blandisi – Blake Coleman – Stefan Noesen

Hall is the star of the team. Henrique is a solid top-6 center, and has past chemistry with Hall. Palmieri is a good top line right winger. Zacha is a good young player. Hischier will need to adjust to the NHL. Stafford is underrated, and a pretty good top-9 winger. The 4th line is okay, but the three players on it wouldn\’t be on most NHL rosters.

                                         Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

Mirco Mueller – Damon Severson
Will Butcher – Andy Greene
John Moore – Ben Lovejoy

Mueller never got a chance to be a full-time starter with the Sharks, but will be one in Jersey. Severson is their best defenseman, and just signed a six year extension. Playing with a vet in Greene can help Butcher, who\’s a rookie. Steven Santini can beat out Lovejoy or Moore for the starting role. Dalton Prout and Brian Strait are the other extra defensemen.

                                        Goalies
                                        Cory Schneider
                                        Keith Kinkaid
Schneider is a really good goalie, but injuries led him to having a horrible 2016-17. With Schneider down, Kinkaid had a better year than Schneider. Prospect MacKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood are the AHL goalies and will be called up if there\’s an injury.

                                         Prediction
I think the Devils still have a lot of work to do to be a Cup contender, or a playoff contender. I predict that they will miss the playoffs in 2017-18.