Pittsburgh the Team to Beat in the Atlantic

With the regular season on the horizon, EP makes it's predictions for the consistently good NHL Atlantic Division. By Frank Smith 

Flickr/alicia rae

The good ol’ NHL Atlantic. A division created during the league’s realignment in 1993. Some may say it’s the best hockey in the country–Detroit fans would likely disagree.
This season the Atlantic looks like a promising bet for dominating the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey Devils, and New York Rangers are usually competitors with the black sheep coming in the form of the New York Islanders.

In the ever-changing landscape of professional sports, the Atlantic looks to break the mold and make consistency a priority. Let’s look at a quick breakdown of last season.
Philadelphia won the division in 2011 with a record of 47-23-12, while accumulating 106 points–is anyone else tired of Philadelphia’s sports domination of recent times?
Pittsburgh followed in second with a 49-25-8 record, also totaling 106 points. In third, with the last playoff spot for the division, was the New York Rangers. Their middle-of-the-road record of 44-33-5 with 93 points earned them a spot in the post season over the remaining teams of the division: The Devils and their other New York metropolitan rival, the Islanders.


This season look for a similar result, with the Islanders doing worse than last year. With controversy surrounding the team and where they will play in the future, look for much less success than recent years, which is hard to actually fathom.


Look for the dominating offense of Pittsburgh to carry the division this season. With the likes of America’s public enemy number one, Sidney Crosby, followed by Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal, the Penguins will look to battle their way to a Stanley Cup.  


Following behind Pittsburgh should be the Flyers led by Blair Betts. Also expect the Devils to make moves for a playoff spot. The letdown of the division will be the Rangers. Though Henrik Lundqvist is brilliant at times, his inconsistency coupled with an average defense will be the demise of the Broadway Blueshirts.


Overall, the Atlantic will prove to be one of the strongest divisions this season, reaffirming their ability to play “Old Time Hockey,” a term penned by the great Hanson brothers of Slap Shot fame.

Pre-Season Power Rankings:
1)     Pittsburgh Penguins
2)     Philadelphia Flyers
3)     New Jersey Devils
4)     New York Rangers
5)     New York Islanders

News & Notes:

In Atlantic Division preseason play, the Islanders toppedthe Devils, 6-2. Scoring goals for the Isles were Mark Streit, Kyle Okposo, Frans Neilson, and Steve Saios. Nick Palimieri and Mattias Tenedby each scored a goal for the Devils.

In Rangers news, Mark Staal will not play in their next pre-season game against Philadelphia or travel to Europe due to concussion-like symptoms. The Rangers will cut two more forwards after tomorrow’s game in Philadelphia.

In a pre-season, neutral site match, a fan threw a banana peel at Philadelphia Flyers player Wayne Simmonds during a shootout in overtime. The Toronto born athlete, who is black, scored on the play. Joe Fontana, mayor of London, Ontario where the game was played, issued an apology on behalf of his city.

Sidney Crosby, the former MVP, played in a controlled scrimmage after battling concussion like symptoms. As of now, there is no anticipated date for his return.