Monday's debate: the division

I think there are key questions in everyone's mind about every team in the SE, not to mention the entire league, so here's my view of the SE going into the season....

Like most, I just can't figure out where TB is gonna land this year... I'm not a believer yet (see below).

1) Washington - Young talent continues to get better (Ovie, Green, Semin, Backstrom). Key ? - Will Theodore continue to play the way he did (at times) in Colorado last year?

2) Carolina - (yes, I think the division will come down to April again this year, between these two teams) - Good depth in the Top 9. Key ? - Will the addition of the offensive minded D offset what looks like another long year on PK and overall defense?

3) Florida - Really improved defense w/the Jokinen trade. Key ? - Will Horton and the other young forwards be able to take the next step and fill the void left by Ollie's departure?

4) Tampa Bay - High flying stars all over their top 6 forwards. Key ? - Will they gel into a TEAM? Where's the D? Will their woes in goal continue? Will they stay healthy (Roberts >40 games??, Recchi? how will LeCavalier come back from his late season injury)?

5) Atlanta - Kovalchuck, not much else. Key ? - Will they add yet another #1 overall pick to this already loaded division?

If the canes can stay healthy they have a good chance to win. tampa Bay will score a lot but will also give up a lot and you can't be a consistent winner that way. Washington is one Injury to Ovetchkin away from not being much of factor becaue the fact is Christobal Huet is the reason they got in the Playoff's last year and Thodore is very inconsistent and will not provide the Goaltending that Huet did. Florida is a very underated team and could cause problems, but in the long run if the canes stay healthy and Ward stays focused with a better Defense in front of him they should be fine.

On paper we are probably third in the Southeast - we don't have the marquis talent that both Tampa (Lecavalier, St. Louis, and Stamkos) & Washington (Ovetchkin, Semin, Backstrom, etc.) possess. Luckily we only play these teams 6 times each and by most accounts the Atlantic & Northeast are probably not as strong top to bottom as they were last year. It would not be surprising if at least 2 teams from the Southeast made the playoffs this year. We will need to stay healthy, play consistent, and have balanced contributions (to beat Wash. & Tampa we'll need scoring from our 3rd & 4th lines). As always, it will be interesting.

I think The Hurricanes could win the Division... They certainly have a team which is good enough to win. If they stay healthy and if they have everyone on board 100% as a team...

However.... I would love to see two and possibly three teams from the Southeast. That may be a long shot this season... nobody knows... But I just get tired of people in the big frozen land hacking on the southeast... Even if they don't take shots at one specific team... If you win the Southeast division you are still thought of as weak because of the division... would be nice if teams like Carolina, Washington, and Tampa could change that a little....

Vying for the top two spots will be Carolina and Washington. The Caps did nothing to help their cause by replacing Huet/Kolzig with Theodore.

We still don't have a massive defense, and have lost some offense on the whole.

Tampa has no goaltending, and will remain in 3rd for most of the season.

Florida has goaltending and nothing else. Vokoun can't carry the team past 4th.

Atlanta is just in shambles. They need a new GM.

In past years our Southeast Division has been referred to as the South'least'. There might have been ample evidence in the past to support such a name but jut look at the division now! I think Atlanta will finish last this year (not by much though). Even our last place team, then, would have a bona fide superstar like Kovalchuk and a great supporting cast that was inherited from Pittsburgh via Marian Hossa. Fourth place, I believe, belongs to Florida. No Ollie will hurt this team - Bowmeester cannot shoulder the entire load and I don't think Nathan Horton is ready to put up Jokinen numbers. Vokoun seems to be tired of mediocre play and is rubbing people the wrong way in Sunshine. Third place belongs to Washington. The lack of consistent goal tending will catch up to them mid-season. Fans in DC were spoiled last year with Huet and Godzilla, but let me tell you now, Theodore is a notch down from Huet. This team will be good, but I think they will lose games 5-4 and 6-3 a lot. The Second place team resides in Raleigh, NC. The Hurricanes are considerably better than last season with a mobile blue line. I love Sergei Samsonov and Tuomo Ruutu. Corvo, Pitkanen, Melichar, and Gleason will look great this year and I think Kaberle will have a bounce back season - if he's still with the team. Ward and Leighton will have a good supporting cast around them this year too. By the way, Williams, Cullen, Brind'amour, Walker.... all healthy. The 'Canes proved their depth last season and now won't be afraid to use it. Tampa Bay will preform the miracle worst-to-first. I think Lecavilier and St. Louis will be much happier this year with Stamkos, Prospel (again), Recchi, Roberts, and Vrbata. Vinny can be the best statistical player in the leauge if he wants to and St. Louis is still as dangerous as ever if he's in the right mindset. Ollie Kolzig will provide a bit more stability between the pipes which has been cause for concern the past few seasons.

If I'm wrong about any of this it will be that the Hurricanes are going to take first place. Really though, the top three spots are up for grabs in this division. Should be an interesting year!!

Huet, more than anyone, enabled Washington to make that stretch run. They couldn't keep him. Who do they have in goal now to match him? I'm not sure if there's a favorite, but certainly Washington isn't THE favorite.