NHL Preview Part Two

Taking a look at a few of the biggest storylines in the Eastern Conference this season.

By Marcus White

AP Images

Last week, we took a look at the Western Conference’s biggest storylines going into the 2013-2014 season. We’ll be taking a look at the Eastern Conference this season, and the first area of discussion is the question that everyone in Pittsburgh is dying to know the answer to.

What will happen to Marc-Andre Fleury?

Despite a reputation as a “clutch” goaltender earned on performances in the 2008 and 2009 postseasons, respectively, Pittsburgh ‘tender Marc-Andre Fleury has been anything but in the last four postseasons. In those four years, Fleury’s goals against average hasn’t been below 2.50, nor has his save percentage cracked the .900 mark. As a result, Pittsburgh’s only made it past the second round once in the last four years, and that was only after head coach Dan Bylsma turned to Tomas Vokoun to man the crease.

Although Vokoun outplayed Fleury, both Bylsma and General Manager Ray Shero came out in support of Fleury this offseason. Each declared Fleury the team’s number-one goalie. Fleury’s going to get every opportunity to prove that he is the solution in Pittsburgh’s crease, especially now that Vokoun is out following blood clot surgery.

But Fleury’s not going to be judged on his regular season performance, where he’s had much more success than the playoffs in the last four years. He’s solely going to be judged on his performance in the postseason, and the Penguins are counting on him to rebound. If he doesn’t regain his form from Pittsburgh’s last two Stanley Cup Finals appearances, it’ll be another short postseason in the Steel City, and could very well be Fleury’s last as a Penguin.

Who will emerge in Toronto’s crease?

By all accounts, James Reimer had a solid year as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ starting goaltender, posting a .924 save percentage and 2.46 GAA in 33 regular season games. He was crucial in helping Toronto stave off elimination, posting back-to-back victories in Games five and six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Despite this, Toronto GM Dave Nonis felt the need to find an upgrade in goal, as the Leafs have been linked in deals to acquire goaltending since last offseason. Eventually, Nonis decided on shipping backup goaltender Ben Scrivens and young forward Matt Frattin to Los Angeles in exchange for former 2006 first-rounder Jonathan Bernier. Bernier has been the subject of immense hype since he was drafted, but has spent the last three years backing up Jonathan Quick and playing in only 55 games over that span. Considering his lack of experience and Reimer’s success, it’s a bit of an odd acquisition for the Leafs.

The Bernier trade, and subsequent contract extension, will become a true head-scratcher if Reimer is able to hold on to the starting job. It could also leave Toronto in yet another salary cap crunch next offseason, as Reimer, Phil Kessel, Cody Franson, and Dion Phanuef all become free agents. And if Bernier becomes the starter? We could be looking at a Luongo/Schneider situation on the opposite coast.

Are the (soon-to-be Brooklyn) Islanders for real?

To the surprise of many last season, the New York Islanders qualified for the playoffs as the eighth seed, giving the Pittsburgh Penguins quite a scare in an intense six-game series. The Isles’ long rebuild looked like it was finally starting to pay dividends.

The Islanders’ run to the playoffs was no fluke. This team is loaded with young talent up front, led by 2013 Hart Trophy-finalist John Tavares. And after adding veterans Cal Clutterbuck, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and Peter Regin this offseason, the Islanders have solid depth up front. Losing former Captain Mark Streit to the Flyers will hurt, but the Islanders have an underrated group on the back-end. If their young defensemen continue to improve, they’ll will be even better.

The Islanders’ biggest question mark lies in goal. Evgeni Nabokov had a decent regular season for the club, but was far from it in the postseason, managing to play worse than Marc-Andre Fleury in the series against the Penguins. Competing for the back-up spot are youngsters Kevin Poulin and Anders Nilsson, who have played a combined total of 25 games in the NHL. The Isles need stability in net in order for their success to continue, otherwise this talented group won’t be able to take the next step.

Can the new-look Bruins make it back to the Final?

After being one minute and 16 seconds from forcing a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals this past June, the Bruins made some major changes to their roster. Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley, Andrew Ferrence, Wade Redden, Nathan Horton, Jaromir Jagr and backup-goalie Anton Khudobin are gone, the former two shipped to Dallas in the most talked about trade of the offseason, and the latter six signing elsewhere as free agents.

GM Peter Chiarelli has filled these holes through internal and external means. The Bruins acquired Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith and defense prospect Joe Morrow in exchange for Seguin and Peverley, and signed Jarome Iginla to a one-year deal. Eriksson, Iginla, Smith and late-season addition Carl Soderberg look to have the edge on filling the spots vacated by Seguin, Horton, Jagr, and Peverley. With Ferrence and Redden gone, Boston is a lot younger on the back-end, as out-of-nowhere postseason hero Torey Krug and sophomore Dougie Hamilton are expected to take big steps forward in their development.

On paper, the Bruins are just as formidable as they were last year. They’re solid in goal, with Vezina Trophy finalist Tuukka Rask manning the crease, and have depth at just about every position. They have the strongest roster in the Atlantic Division, and perhaps even the conference. Don’t let the offseason makeover fool you: Boston is loaded and ready to make another run at the Stanley Cup.

How will Detroit and Columbus do in their first season in the East?

As we looked at how Winnipeg will do in a new conference in Part One, it’s only natural that we do the same for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings in Part Two of our NHL preview. The former Central Division rivals are now in the Metropolitan and Atlantic Divisions, respectively. 

Both are coming off surprisingly successful seasons, as the Jackets challenged for a playoff spot on the back of Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky while Detroit upset the second-seeded Anaheim Ducks and took the eventual champion Chicago Blackhawks to seven games in their last playoff run in the West.

Both teams are improved, too. Detroit added Senators’ legend Daniel Alfredsson and former Panther Stephen Weiss, bolstering their top six forward group led by longtime-Wings Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. 

The Blue Jackets signed Nathan Horton and depth forward Jack Skille from Boston and Florida, respectively, and likewise appear to be deeper up front. The strength of both of these teams, however, is in goal. Jimmy Howard is Detroit’s stalwart in net and is coming off of the best season of his career. As is Sergei Bobrovsky, much to the chagrin of Philadelphia Flyers’ fans.

Unlike Winnipeg, Detroit and Columbus should do well in their new divisions. Detroit should have no problem making the playoffs, and could challenge Boston for the Atlantic Division title. Columbus will have a tougher go in the Metropolitan, with four playoff teams from last year (Capitals, Rangers, Islanders and Penguins) in their division, but they’ll be in the playoff hunt at the very least. And if Bobrovsky plays as well as he did last year? 

It’s not out of the question that the Blue Jackets will be in the playoffs for the first time since 2009.