Already been accused of being on dope for my Western Conference predictions.
Don't care.
Here goes the East.

1. Canadiens. Carey Price looks good in preseason. Should hold up as #1.
2. Devils. Brought in some of the old vets and I think they'll gain a few points. New Jersey only finished 3 points behind the Penguins last year.
3. Hurricanes. A return to glory, in a sense. Got to kick the injury bug though.
4. Penguins. Satan? He's no Hossa. It's a new-look Pens team and I don't think it's for the better.
5. Flyers. Continually improving as the youth get better and better.
6. Bruins. Bergeron is back. That makes them good at center. Now let's see if Ryder can rejuvenate his career in Beantown.
7. Lightning. Packed with firepower. Should be fun to watch this club. All the new faces will need to gel.
8. Sabres. Sure, why not? A hard-nosed team that always plays as a team.
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9. Captitals. I'm not buying into the Caps as much for only 1 big reason: Jose Theodore. If it wasn't for Huet last season, the Caps never would have made the playoffs.
10. Senators. Yeah, piss on the Sens. I smell a melt-down in Ottawa. Not liking the blueline corps as much as last year's cast. There is a hint of fragility in the air in the nation's capital.
11. Rangers. I dislike and disapprove of Naslund so much that I think the Rangers are really going to miss Jagr this year.
12. Thrashers. They're better than the #13-15 teams.
13. Islanders. A Weight-Guerin reunion. Hmm. Isn't it getting a little late for that?
14. Leafs. Wilson will have them playing competitive every night..or else. But there's not enough of anything up front to put the Leafs near a playoff spot.
15. Panthers. Cory Stillman in to do Olli Jokinen's job? That's a tall order.

Only 7 points separated the 4th from the 9th place teams last year. It's almost a crapshoot in the East in that range like it is in the West.

T Tags: Eastern+Conference+predictions 2008-09