by Scott Rickenbach
Tuesday, Dec 06, 2022NHL Atlantic Division at the Tri-Point
Teams are nearing the ⅓ point of the season as they are right around the 27 game mark of the 82 game season. Here are some things to watch from this division in the coming months and the teams with which I feel we will have some value:
BOSTON BRUINS: Similar to what I mentioned about the Devils in the Metro Division, I know it is contrarian based on their hot start to the season but I will be looking for spots to fade the Bruins. Having won 83 percent of the games so far with 20 wins in 24 games is simply an unsustainable success rate. You can not just blindly fade a strong team but let's say they are in a bad scheduling spot and facing a solid team…these are the spots I will be looking for. Boston just can't keep going like this. Everything has to fall into place and it can't do that forever.
MONTREAL CANDADIENS: Most of the teams in this division are where they should be in my opinion. The Canadiens are an exception however. Montreal has won about half of its games despite an ugly goal differential. This team gives up too many goals and the defense and goaltending woes will catch up with them for sure.
OTTAWA SENATORS: The Senators are a team I will be looking to play on. They are currently at the bottom of the division but they have been decent in terms of goal differential and not allowing too many goals. They are overall a young team that as been in rebuild mode plus added some other guys in the off-season including veterans like Claude Giroux. That said, it takes some time for guys like that to jell together on a team. Again you have to pick your spots of when to play but, the point is, we get value because they are at bottom of standings but have deserved better.
Teams are nearing the ⅓ point of the season as they are right around the 27 game mark of the 82 game season. Here are some things to watch from this division in the coming months and the teams with which I feel we will have some value:
BOSTON BRUINS: Similar to what I mentioned about the Devils in the Metro Division, I know it is contrarian based on their hot start to the season but I will be looking for spots to fade the Bruins. Having won 83 percent of the games so far with 20 wins in 24 games is simply an unsustainable success rate. You can not just blindly fade a strong team but let's say they are in a bad scheduling spot and facing a solid team…these are the spots I will be looking for. Boston just can't keep going like this. Everything has to fall into place and it can't do that forever.
MONTREAL CANDADIENS: Most of the teams in this division are where they should be in my opinion. The Canadiens are an exception however. Montreal has won about half of its games despite an ugly goal differential. This team gives up too many goals and the defense and goaltending woes will catch up with them for sure.
OTTAWA SENATORS: The Senators are a team I will be looking to play on. They are currently at the bottom of the division but they have been decent in terms of goal differential and not allowing too many goals. They are overall a young team that as been in rebuild mode plus added some other guys in the off-season including veterans like Claude Giroux. That said, it takes some time for guys like that to jell together on a team. Again you have to pick your spots of when to play but, the point is, we get value because they are at bottom of standings but have deserved better.
