Who will challenge the Wings for Central title?

[Bert44Wingsfan 0]

Not like it already did. But with Nashville having lost several guys, if I were to make a prediction I'd say the Central will be a cake walk for the Wings. St. Louis added a plethora of guys including Paul Kariya but it's not going to make a difference. Forget Chicago or Columbus. This is going to be a terrible division with meaningless divisional games the Wings will have to play. What season ticketholder wants to see the Wings play the Blackhawks 8 times? Or anyone else in the division for that matter?

[Johnny Diamonds 25]

Not like it already did. But with Nashville having lost several guys, if I were to make a prediction I'd say the Central will be a cake walk for the Wings. St. Louis added a plethora of guys including Paul Kariya but it's not going to make a difference. Forget Chicago or Columbus. This is going to be a terrible division with meaningless divisional games the Wings will have to play. What season ticketholder wants to see the Wings play the Blackhawks 8 times? Or anyone else in the division for that matter?

Both the Blues and Hawks are still shopping, too early to say IMO.

[DyingAlive 27]

If the Wings are the only decent team in our division, IMO, it will hurt us greatly.

We will not be battle tested for the playoffs. I will not stand for another poor playoff performance. This past season was great, we only can build on it. Not go backwards.

[Superman54 91]

St.louis will be alot stronger this year.....

[Dabura 12,207]

I think you're all forgetting something: Hitchcock will be using Feds --

ON DEFENSE.

Jackets in '08. You've been warned.

[Bert44Wingsfan 0]

I think you're all forgetting something: Hitchcock will be using Feds --

ON DEFENSE.

Jackets in '08. You've been warned.

I love it, hah.

[Rice 42]

If the Wings are the only decent team in our division, IMO, it will hurt us greatly.

We will not be battle tested for the playoffs. I will not stand for another poor playoff performance. This past season was great, we only can build on it. Not go backwards.

Didn't Nashville only beat us once last year? With Macdonald in net?

[Guest Agalloch]

Didn't Nashville only beat us once last year? With Macdonald in net?

Forsberg in OT. Twice.

Unless you don't count OT losses as losses.

[Bert44Wingsfan 0]

Didn't Nashville only beat us once last year? With Macdonald in net?

True. Then again... At least Nashville got to the playoffs where Detroit had to battle it out with them to the end of the season to win the Central. That gave kept the Wings on their toes before the Playoffs. I think now you have a situation where they'll get another President's trophy as a result of not playing in the Northwest or Pacific division. And frankly, it's not good for the NHL to have one of its best teams play in such a s***ty division as well.

[GiantRobot 0]

St.louis will be alot stronger this year.....

I agree...

I want this division to get better...im tired of hearing other fans rip the Wings... "They only win because of their easy division"

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

St Louis wont be horrible. Chicago will be lazy and broke up by mid season. Nashville will try hard. Columbus ..... lol

Thats all I have to say about that

[Cicada 4]

yeah..central is going to be insanely easy this year.

it's not exactly a good thing..

only time we've had a decent fight for the division in the last few years was last year and we reached the conference final.

i could easily see another 1st round loss

[Kass 7]

You guys all seem to forget how well the Blues played after they fired their coach last year. They might not do as well as Nashville did last year, but I think they'll make the playoffs. Chicago will improve (obviously) but they still won't make the playoffs, same with Columbus. Nashville might make 8th seed, but I doubt it.

Edited July 3, 2007 by Kass

[ultrapail 0]

we are starting to move in reverse, I'm afraid

[OkThatSmells 0]

yeah..central is going to be insanely easy this year.

it's not exactly a good thing..

only time we've had a decent fight for the division in the last few years was last year and we reached the conference final.

i could easily see another 1st round loss

Are you kidding me? You're making playoffs predictions when the regular season starts in 3 months and no-one has a completed roster yet.

That's insanely stupid.

Back on topic, I think the Blues will greatly improve and I think they should make the playoffs. In the latter half of last season they were a top 8 team in the West without a doubt. Andy Murray made a big difference.

[Cicada 4]

Are you kidding me? You're making playoffs predictions when the regular season starts in 3 months and no-one has a completed roster yet.

That's insanely stupid.

Back on topic, I think the Blues will greatly improve and I think they should make the playoffs. In the latter half of last season they were a top 8 team in the West without a doubt. Andy Murray made a big difference.

obvsiouly you missed the sarcarm..or the tongue in cheek of it..or the blatant bulls***

i can see a 1st round loss, i can also see us winning the cup..

remember that Andy Murray had a damn good team in LA for years and couldn't do anything with them. their great run when murry came was ok, but it was only just about 500 hockey. columbus doesn't have the defense, nashville morgaged their future and got another 1st round loss and chicago...we'll they've just signed Robert Lang, what more is there to say.

if we lose more than 3 games against central allo year i'll be amazed. we need to work out how to win on the west coast, becasue it's gonig to be teams like anaheim. san jose, vancouver and calgary that we'll have to get through next year

[OkThatSmells 0]

obvsiouly you missed the sarcarm..or the tongue in cheek of it..or the blatant bulls***

i can see a 1st round loss, i can also see us winning the cup..

remember that Andy Murray had a damn good team in LA for years and couldn't do anything with them. their great run when murry came was ok, but it was only just about 500 hockey. columbus doesn't have the defense, nashville morgaged their future and got another 1st round loss and chicago...we'll they've just signed Robert Lang, what more is there to say.

if we lose more than 3 games against central allo year i'll be amazed. we need to work out how to win on the west coast, becasue it's gonig to be teams like anaheim. san jose, vancouver and calgary that we'll have to get through next year

I missed it because it wasn't there. Andy Murray had a horrible team in LA. When his team was half decent in 03 I think it was they lost more man-games to injury than any other team by a long way and still only just missed the playoffs. And FYI Murray went 19-9-5 with them last year. WAY above .500. Not bad considering before him they went 15-26-8.

Edited July 3, 2007 by OkThatSmells

[Heaton 1]

we are starting to move in reverse, I'm afraid

Explain, please.

We've just gotten an upgrade at our #2 spot and the only 2 players we've lost that were here for more than 20 games were Markov and Lang. Lang is not much of a loss anymore and Markov was our #4 defensemen at best last year.

The roster isn't filled out and even if Hasek never signs we'll still win the central and be close to the top of the West, again.

Next year we have Filppula in his second year, who will be better and in a bigger role, no more Lang giveaways or illadvised plays. We'll hopefully have Hudler coming into his own and Grigorenko becoming as close to the player as management hopes he can become.

If anything some of these losses are addition by subtraction and the additions aren't over yet.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Not like it already did. But with Nashville having lost several guys, if I were to make a prediction I'd say the Central will be a cake walk for the Wings. St. Louis added a plethora of guys including Paul Kariya but it's not going to make a difference. Forget Chicago or Columbus. This is going to be a terrible division with meaningless divisional games the Wings will have to play. What season ticketholder wants to see the Wings play the Blackhawks 8 times? Or anyone else in the division for that matter?

St. Louis actually had around a .500 record last year, good for them given their recent seasons, and either tied/beat the Wings in their series last year.

Nashville has lost some key guys obviously, but I don't think they'll drop off too far off the radar, could fight for a lower playoff seed.

No world beaters in this division obviosuly, but it's not going to be as weak as you think.

[Vincanni 1]

Don't recall whether it's been brought up or not but it's very possible to win the cup in an easy division. Carolina and Tampa did it and their respective devisions at the time of of victory were even weaker then what I project the Central to be this year. I don't feel this should be a major concern.

[maltbymaniac 13]

i may sound like a complete ****** bag but what is imo

[Heaton 1]

i may sound like a complete ****** bag but what is imo

IMO = in my opinion

AFAIK = as far as I know

IIRC = if i recall correctly

[vangvace 12]

Blues and Blackhawks should be better next season.

Nashville isn't dead, but they may be the toughest team in the Central to predict how they will do for next season.

Columbus will prob be worse because everyone else has gotten better.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I missed it because it wasn't there. Andy Murray had a horrible team in LA. When his team was half decent in 03 I think it was they lost more man-games to injury than any other team by a long way and still only just missed the playoffs. And FYI Murray went 19-9-5 with them last year. WAY above .500. Not bad considering before him they went 15-26-8.

Agreed. Murray was a huge boon to them last season. They'll be a threat based on the moves they've made and the coaching sucess we saw with Murray.

Whether that sucess will last 82 games is questionable, however.

[maltbymaniac 13]

IMO = in my opinion

AFAIK = as far as I know

IIRC = if i recall correctly

thx buddy