NHL season preview: Eastern Conference

All the big names are back for the defending Stanley Cup champs. Alex Ovechkin led the league in goals last year. Evgeny Kuznetsov emerged to give the Capitals two excellent centers, with Nicklas Backstrom being the other. John Carlson notched 68 points, and the Capitals were able to re-sign him this offseason. The Caps were able to have all this success despite the fact Braden Holtby had a .907 save percentage last year. He should be better this season. Washington is not perfect. They have some depth questions, and a hole at backup goalie. They have a new head coach. However, these are quibbles. The Capitals have been one of the league’s elite teams basically since Ovechkin joined them. That’s not going to change this year.

They didn’t win the Cup, but it’s Tampa that had the most points in the Eastern Conference last season, and the best goal differential in the entire NHL. The Lightning scored the most goals in the league, led by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov on offense. Victor Hedman is one of the top offensive defensemen out there. In net, Andrei Vasilevskiy rewarded Tampa’s faith by posting a .920 save percentage in his first season as starter. The Lightning have no weaknesses. They are definitely a Cup contender.

The Leafs were already looking formidable offensively thanks to youngsters like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. Then, they added John Tavares this offseason. Tavares is one of the 10 best players in the NHL, so this team is on a whole new plane. The one thing Toronto needs to do is let up fewer shots. Frederik Andersen has been too busy the last couple of years.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Need we say more? As long as Crosby and Malkin are still skating, the Penguins will be in contention. Of course, there is also no team more top heavy than Pittsburgh. Matt Murray had an off year last season, he posted a .907 save percentage, but he’s only 24. He could bounce back. If he does, the Penguins could win their third Stanley Cup in the last four seasons.

The Bruins window feels like it may be closing, even though some young players, Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk, and Ryan Donato to name a few, are starting to be sprinkled in. Maybe that’s just projecting based on the presence of 41-year-old Zdeno Chara. Nevertheless, any team led by Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on offense is going to make some noise. Tuukka Rask is almost always solid in net. Boston is still really good, but they may just be one step behind, unless the young guys really step up.

The Blue Jackets have more talent than you may realize. Sergei Bobrovsky is a great goalie. Zach Werenski and Seth Jones are both rising defensemen who will be among the league’s elite soon. Artemi Panarin had 82 points last year, and Pierre-Luc Dubois is starting to emerge at center. Does Columbus have enough depth? You need depth to make a run at the Stanley Cup, and, for now, the answer seems like “No.”

Aleksander Barkov could be a star, or as much of a star as somebody can be playing for the Panthers. The defensive duo of Aaron Ekblad and Keith Yandle has offensive punch. Roberto Luongo was great last season, but injuries limited him to 35 games. He’s 39 now, so healthy, and strong play, is far from a given. With good goaltending, though, the Panthers could scare some teams in the playoffs.

Taylor Hall dragged the Devils into the playoffs last season, but it may be hard for him to do it again. Will Nico Hischier be able to be a legit secondary offensive threat this year? He did have 52 points as a rookie. The biggest concern, though, is Cory Schneider. It was a coup when New Jersey got him, but his .907 save percentage in 2017-18 raises concerns.

The Flyers have a lot of offensive firepower. Claude Giroux is coming off an 100-point season, and he’s joined by the likes of Jakub Voracek, the emerging Sean Couturier, and last year’s second-overall pick Nolan Patrick. Also, the defensive duo of Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov. The only problem? Can the goaltending duo of Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth be enough? Carter Hart, the top goalie prospect in hockey, doesn’t seem quite ready yet.

Buffalo will be better. Jack Eichel is great when healthy, and he finally has some talent around him. Rasmus Dahlin is going to be great, even if he may not be there just yet. Still, the Swedish defenseman is the early favorite for the Calder. There isn’t enough talent here to truly threaten a playoff run, unless Carter Hutton has another surprisingly great year in net, but they are getting closer.

Max Pacioretty has been traded, and Shea Weber is hurt. This team will be bad, but there is one man who will likely keep them from being too terrible. Carey Price was bad last season, but the man has a career .918 save percentage and has won a Hart Trophy, let alone a Vezina. He can carry the Habs to mediocrity.

Will the Hurricanes finally, finally get even decent goaltending? Cam Ward is gone, but Scott Darling was a flop last year. Jeff Skinner was traded, and Justin Faulk could be next. They do have some promising young forwards, though, led by Sebastian Aho and second-overall pick Andrei Svechnikov.

With a new coach in place in David Quinn, a rebuild seems to be brewing at Madison Square Garden. Henrik Lundqvist is going to make the Hall of Fame some day, but he’s no longer a viable NHL starter. Don’t be surprised if guys like Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider are traded during the season. In fact, if you’re a Rangers fan you should be hoping for it.

With Henrik Zetterberg having retired, we are truly in a new era for the Red Wings. Unfortunately, it may not be a great era to begin with. Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, and Filip Zadina nod toward a bright future, but the present likely won’t be pleasant.

Mathew Barzal has a bright future, but the Islanders were bad last year with him AND John Tavares. Now, Tavares is gone. Barry Trotz is a great coach, but he’s not a miracle worker. The Islanders finished last in goals allowed per game last season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them repeat that feat, even with the addition of Robin Lehner.

Now that Erik Karlsson has finally been traded, what reason is there to pay attention to the Senators? The 37-year-old Craig Anderson had a .898 save percentage last year, and he’s still possibly the best goalie on this roster. How long until Matt Duchene wants another trade? At least a high draft pick will be coming.