I have thought about this. Here is my thinking.
1. St.Louis Blues
They have shown consistency and the ability to acquire key players to round out their roster for the post-season.
2. Ottawa Senators
Senators have their 203-14 Presidents' Trophy core intact and made the Final Four in 2014-15. Not a stretch.
3. Anaheim Ducks
Ducks have a balnced roster and a knowledgeable GM. Craig Anderson will enable them to have another strong finish and Hockeyfreak47 is a Win Now manager.
4. Florida Panthers
PR either places Top 4 or Top 15. In fact I believe there is a pattern of alternating years of high and middle of the pack finishes. Strong young goaltending will lead Florida.
5. Colorado Avalanche
SlackJack has demonstrated a knack for building winners within two years. I read that somewhere and looked into it and it is certainly true. Avs have solid goaltending heading into 2015-16 and lots of young players that might breakout.
6. Boston Bruins
Like the NHL franchise it is very possible that the slide will be more noticeable two years removed from their championship. Maybe the FNHL version of the Bruins should consider bringing Tyler Seguin back to town?
7. Winnipeg Jets
Johnny has kept the Jets hungry and playing deep into the play-offs since he took over the team. Jets appear to be 3-4 players away from challenging St.Louis for the Central Division title in 2015-16.
8. Carolina Hurricanes
Has anyone notice how Favo_zomg has quietly pieced together a contending line-up that features two if not three potential starting Goaltenders? Add a ton of cap space in time for Free Agency and your have the ideal conditions for the perfect storm. Of course I was going there!
9. Chicago Blackhawks
PPG has an aggressive approach to building his teams. He has to be to play in the same division as St.Louis and Winnipeg. They have lots of scoring up front and two veteran backstops.
10. Philadelphia Flyers
As much as I dislike this franchise and their owner right now, I have to acknowledge their strength and highend scoring forwards. If they manage to fill their wishlist in goal they will challenge for a Top 4 finish.
What ever happened to Los Angeles Kings
?
Not feeling particularly good with Jonathan Quick and the NHL Kings after they missed the Play-offs this year. Are they reliable? That remains to be seen at the start of 2015-16. Los Angeles is also very close to the cap ceiling which limits the team's ability to fill needs via Free Agency. Perhaps the trade route will prove to be fruitful.
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