Last week marked the beginning of the 2013-14 National Hockey League season, a welcoming sight to fans that waited until January for last season to begin.
While the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season was a source of excitement and suspense, the full, 82-game schedule returns, with new divisions and new contenders emerging.
This season marks the first of the new NHL realignment, which will bring forth many changes from years previous.
With all of this new formatting comes much anticipation, as new rivalries will heighten, old ones will be reintroduced and every team will face each other at least once. Columbus and Detroit have also joined the Eastern Conference, which should make rivalries more interesting.
So which teams will come out on top, and which ones will be basement dwellers? Only time will tell, but for now, there are some teams to watch out for when it comes to division titles:
Eastern Conference:
In the Metropolitan Division, Pittsburgh and New York will be the top contenders. The Penguins have the dynamic duo in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, with Crosby more than likely taking home a good portion of the hardware at season’s end. The one clear advantage that New York has over Pittsburgh is goaltending, though, as Henrik Lundqvist has outdueled Penguins’ goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury the past few seasons. However, Pittsburgh’s potent offensive attack can be overwhelming for any opponent. Prediction: Pittsburgh Penguins
As for the Atlantic Division, the Boston Bruins are probably the favorite, but the way Ottawa played in the second half last year opened a lot of eyes. With the full-time return of defenseman Erik Karlsson, the Senators will be hard to put down. However, do not count out Detroit and Columbus, for they will be looking to make noise in their new setting. Look for either of these teams to make the wild card race interesting. While Boston will be a lock for the postseason, Ottawa will get hot at the right time to win the division. Prediction: Ottawa Senators
Western Conference:
The Central Division will be all Chicago and St. Louis. The Blues do not possess an array of superstars, as their most notable forward is captain David Backes, but they have a defensively sound roster. Although St. Louis is certainly a team to watch, it will not claim the division because the defending Stanley Cup Champions Blackhawks have introduced an almost identical lineup from last season. Prediction: Chicago Blackhawks
Finally, the Pacific Division race should be interesting, as Los Angeles, San Jose and Anaheim are each contenders. However, the Kings have the advantage with Jonathan Quick, the league’s best goaltender, and Drew Doughty, a star defenseman. Although San Jose and Anaheim have solid rosters, that will not be enough to clinch the division, but they will be legitimate wild card teams. Prediction: Los Angeles Kings
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