Southeast Division : Biggest Threat?

by ns on Sep 2, 2009 4:04 PM EDT Comment 41 comments

Ladies, Gents, the Rest,

With the last month of non-hockey-hell upon us and the 2009-2010 season right around the corner, the list of questions regarding our Caps has grown long this offseason. Lately, I got to thinking about the Southeast Division and the teams we will be up against the majority of the year. Simple question: who do you think will be the most challenging team within the division for the Capitals this year?

Poll

Who will challenge Washington the most for the SE Division title?

Atlanta

6 votes

Carolina

135 votes

Florida

2 votes

Tampa Bay

26 votes

169 votes | Poll has closed

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's authors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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Comments

I guess I’m in the minority again as I went with the dark horse…Tampa.

by Yoshietree on Sep 2, 2009 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

Given how they played since the All-Star break and how they won 2 playoff series (one against Brodeur, one against the #1 seed), you’d have to think Carolina.

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by Hooks Orpik on Sep 2, 2009 4:50 PM EDT reply actions

More to the point, CAR was by far the toughest opponent for the Caps last season (even including the multiple bed-shittings the Caps turned in against inferior opponents) and none of the other teams have really done enough to overtake them yet. TBL got much better (we think) but the pieces still need to come together for them and it’s no guarantee it’ll happen this year.

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 2, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

CAR owned us. We swept TBL.

by red army line on Sep 3, 2009 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

meh. they were minutes away from losing to jersey, brodeur blue screened.

as far as their series against the pens, i think ‘manhandled’ would be putting it mildly.

Russian Machine Never Breaks

by macvechkin on Sep 2, 2009 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Does it change anyone’s mind if Zherdev goes to ATL?

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 2, 2009 7:40 PM EDT reply actions

What does ATL’s D look like?

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Sep 2, 2009 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Kubina, Hainsey, Enstrom, Bogosian, Welch, Valabik, Salmela, Oystrick. Not great but not totally porous either.

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 2, 2009 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t know. Atlanta strikes me as a team that doesn’t have a clear plan or direction, like Tampa Bay only somewhat less so. Zherdev, Antropov, Little, and Kovalchuk on the same team could make a decent scoring threat, though. I guess I’d deem Atlanta solid but unspectacular, and place them near the middle-bottom of the pack. I just don’t get the sense that their philosophy has changed much.

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Sep 2, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah I don’t think this would make them challengers, but in the defensively challenged SE they sure could be fun to watch.

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 2, 2009 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m really surprised there’s not one vote for Florida yet. They were in it until the very end last year, and they’ve got a pretty good team.

Atta dinnin stick a who!

by Gould Old Days on Sep 2, 2009 8:16 PM EDT reply actions

I agree, they’re better than ATL and TBL.

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 2, 2009 8:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Carolina is the biggest threat, but I agree Florida=Dark Horse.

by bigmac1124 on Sep 2, 2009 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions

I can agree with that, but I still have to go with Carolina being the most dangerous. Florida had the best D in the division last year, but I think the big question there is how much will change with the loss of J-Bo?

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri

by gotsparkly on Sep 2, 2009 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I think TBL will be the most improved team this season, and will challenge Carolina in being our biggest threat… I voted for TBL just because I think the team will be successful if they can manage to put their puzzle pieces together… so to speak

by JustJeff on Sep 2, 2009 9:13 PM EDT reply actions

I think I’m not as high as everyone else on Carolina and Florida, and am more impressed with Atlanta and Tampa than most.

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by J.P. on Sep 2, 2009 9:30 PM EDT reply actions

I wasn’t high on CAR going into the last two seasons but somehow they keep putting up points. Until their age/lack of depth finally gets exposed I have a hard time picking any of the other SE ~~basket cases~~ teams to get past them. ATL is intriguing with Kovalchuk and some young talent but I just don’t think they’re ready to challenge over an 82 game schedule yet. TBL will be interesting, I could see them fighting for a playoff spot but I’d be shocked if they won the division.

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 2, 2009 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed. I’m still voting Carolina, but think 2-5 will be a hell of a lot closer than last year (duh) and even than most think.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Sep 3, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions

I never think it’s gonna be Carolina and it’s always Carolina…so they’re my vote until something really changes.

by thehoagster07 on Sep 2, 2009 9:54 PM EDT reply actions

I still see the ‘Ning giving CAR a scare for #2 in the SE this year….it’s all about the goaltender in Tampa.

from the house that Red Jesus built

by bigonetimer on Sep 2, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions

Wowzers, I didn’t expect Carolina to be so far and away with the vote.

Another poll with a resounding “0” too.

I voted for Tampa. I think they are going to come out very hard against the Caps every game. I like how their team is shaping up as well.

I’m with the hoagster though in that I never think Carolina is going to be too decent but they end up being right in the thick of it.

Comment first, think second, read third.

by zephyr on Sep 2, 2009 11:43 PM EDT reply actions

The zeroes are amazing and, unfortunately, remind me of “Saved by Zero.”

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by J.P. on Sep 3, 2009 7:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Where’s Whale to make a case for the Cats?

"You know you're an alcoholic when the bartender knows your name - and you've never been to that bar before."

by Bald Pollack on Sep 3, 2009 8:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Went for Carolina as well, as they always seem to be right up there…and Cam Ward is a bastard.

Agreed on Tampa. They could definitely give us a run for the title.

by ns on Sep 3, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions

Carolina...

…is, by far, the best of the rest in the Southeast. That said, I don’t think they’re that much of a threat to the division title this year. The Caps should get to somewhere around 108-114 points and have the division wrapped up in February, and clinched in March.

Carolina should make the playoffs, they’re probably in the second echelon of teams in the Eastern conference (the top is Pittsburgh, Boston, the Caps and Philly). They’re in the same area as the Rangers, Devils, Canadiens and Sabres. Tampa will be better, but Atlanta has not improved dramatically at all, and Florida is going to be worse than last year. The only questions in the standings from my eye are whether Tampa has improved enough to pass Atlanta and Florida, and how much did Florida lose, and how far will they fall?

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Caps on Sep 3, 2009 9:29 AM EDT reply actions

Atlanta added Kubina and Antropov and didn’t really lose anyone. Bogosian’s a year older and Kane could make the team. I think they should be dramatically better than last year.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Sep 3, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

And Zherdev thinks he’s going to ATL. It’s really a perfect fit. He gets to play with other players that will take advantage of his skill and make him look good, but he won’t have to bother with buckling down and performing in those pesky playoffs.

A man must have a code.

by Fehr and Balanced on Sep 3, 2009 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

And if you recall ATL was pretty good down the stretch.

by red army line on Sep 3, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Bogosian is a real talent and is going to be a star. Kubina’s best days are behind him, ditto for Antropov. They can improve their record if a lot of things happen. If Kane is ready and can play at the NHL level, if Lehtonen can stay healthy (a big if), if Kovalchuk stays put and isn’t traded at the deadline (if that happens, the bottom will fall out of this team…)

I don’t see them in last place in the Southeast, but I don’t see them ahead of Washington or Carolina, and likely not ahead of Tampa either…

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Caps on Sep 3, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Antropov’s 29 and has increased his goal and point totals every year since the lockout – what makes you think his best days are behind him?

And even if Kubina isn’t what he used to be, he’s a lot better than whomever the Thrashers would have been playing instead.

by David M. Getz on Sep 3, 2009 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Well...

…if the Thrashers hadn’t made the trade, they’d still have Garnet Exelby, who is probably a better player than Kubina now (or will be in one year…)

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Caps on Sep 4, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions

That’s both true and irrelevant. Coburn is better than Kubina but Kubina is better than whomever would be on the blueline instead (Exelby, probably), ergo they’re better – in my opinion, dramatically so.

by David M. Getz on Sep 4, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Not sure I can go along with Antro’s best years being behind him when he has set career highs in points and goals in each of the last two years and is just 29.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Sep 3, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

He had some good years with Toronto, but I don’t see him going over his career highs again. He is 29, which is good in one sense in that he has a few years ahead of him, but more than likely he has more years behind him…

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Caps on Sep 4, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

He is 29, which is good in one sense in that he has a few years ahead of him, but more than likely he has more years behind him…

What does that have to do with his production this upcoming year?

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on Sep 4, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

and that would be good for everyone, including the caps.

by mechanicsville on Sep 7, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Carolina’s still the strongest threat, but Tampa looks to be the most improved.

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by winterion on Sep 3, 2009 9:56 AM EDT reply actions

Consistency will be the determining factor. Ward can’t have stinkers all the time, and Staal can’t disappear for 10 games at a time. Neither can Cole

by red army line on Sep 3, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Simple. Carolina..

Still one of the best goalies in the East. Great mix of grit, talent and veteran presence.

TBL has nobody on the back end, FLA might have the best goalie tandem in the SE, provided Clem isn’t a product of a system in NJ (ala Brady/Cassel).

ATL. All players on that team worth a damn will be gone at the deadline. Hell, we might get the first mid-season relocation of a team in all of sports…

by FFSEnough on Sep 4, 2009 8:50 AM EDT reply actions

TBL has nobody on the back end,

That’s not true. Foster, Hale, Meszaros, Walker, and Ohlund are all decent and Lashoff, Hedman, and Ranger are solid players on the upswing.

product of a system in NJ (ala Brady/Cassel).

This meme is the football equivalent of ‘Ovechkin only score so many goals because he’s a selfish player’ and ‘Crosby only gets so many points because of all the secondary assists’.

by David M. Getz on Sep 4, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Gotta agree with DMG, Tampa has done a lot to improve themselves on the blue line.

Winterion Game Studios
Visit us online at : http://winterion.com

by winterion on Sep 6, 2009 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

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Southeast Standings

	GP	W	L	OTL	PT
Washington Japers' Rink	82	54	15	13	121
Atlanta Bird Watchers Anonymous	82	35	34	13	83
Carolina Canes Country	82	35	37	10	80
Tampa Bay Raw Charge	82	34	36	12	80
Florida Litter Box Cats	82	32	37	13	77