2011 Offseason Recap - Atlantic Division

My Offseason Recaps seemed to do good last year, so I figured why not do them again. It's the same format, listing all key moves along with my predicted conference placement for each team come season's end. And just for fun, I added what I think the highest position they can possibly reach, if everything clicks perfectly and they get a little luck as well. Players are listed with their contract term, salary and cap hits, though cap hit is omitted if it is just a one-year contract because then the salary and cap hit is the same.

I'll be releasing one of these per day, so look for the remaining five divisions on Facebook and Twitter.


Philadelphia Flyers - 3
Best Possible Finish - 1st in division, 1st in conference
Projected Points Leader - Claude Giroux, 32-56-88
Key Signings
June 23: G Ilya Bryzgalov, nine years, $51 million, $5,666,667 cap hit
July 1: RW Jaromir Jagr (KHL, Omsk Avangard), one year, $3.3 million
July 1: D Andreas Lilja (ANA), one year, $750,000
July 1: C Maxime Talbot (PIT), five years, $8.75 million, $1.8 million cap hit
Aug. 30: LW James van Riemsdyk, six years, $25.5 million, $4.25 million cap hit


Trades

July 1: 2nd round pick (2012 or 2013), 3rd round pick (2012) from FLA for RW Kris Versteeg

June 27: 3rd round pick (2013) from MIN for C Darroll Powe

June 23: RW Wayne Simmonds, C Brayden Schenn, 2nd round pick (2012) from LA for C Mike Richards, C Rob Bordson

June 23: RW Jakub Voracek, 1st round pick (2011, C Sean Couturier), 3rd round pick (2011, C Nick Cousins) from CLB for C Jeff Carter
June 7: G Ilya Bryzgalov from PHO for LW Matt Clackson, 3rd round pick (2012), future considerations

Departures

C Ville Leino - BUF
D Sean O'Donnell - CHI
G Brian Boucher - CAR
LW Dan Carcillo - CHI
D Danny Syvret - STL

What to Expect
The Flyers finished 11th in the league last season in goals-against average (2.63) and that was with a shaky duo of Brian Boucher and Sergei Bobrovsky. That number is bound to improve with the acquisition of Ilya Bryzgalov. His stable presence will go a long way towards offsetting the major shakeup at forward. They may not finish in the top three in offense again (3.12 goals per game last season), but a budding James van Riemsdyk and the return of Jaromir Jagr is going to help out a lot. Taking him on is certainly a gamble, but the Flyers should take solace in knowing whatever he does this season can't possibly be as bad as the last mark he left on the NHL. If Chris Pronger is healthy there will be few concerns. The Flyers should be more consistent this season and if all things click, they'll capture the division title for consecutive years for the first time since 1994-95 and '95-96 seasons. However they'll need a lot of luck because right on their heels are the...


Pittsburgh Penguins - 4
Best Possible Finish - 1st in division, 1st in conference
Projected Points Leader - Evgeni Malkin, 42-67-109
Key Signings
July 1: RW Tyler Kennedy, two years, $4 million, $2,000,000 cap hit
June 29: RW Arron Asham, one year, $775,000
June 28: RW Pascal Dupuis, two years, $3 million, $1,500,000 cap hit
June 8: RW Craig Adams, two years, $1.35 million, $675,000 cap hit

Trades
none


Departures
RW Eric Godard - DAL
C Maxime Talbot -PHI
C Mike Rupp - NYR
LW Brett Sterling - STL
D Corey Potter - EDM

What to Expect
I put the Penguins just below the Flyers because of the uncertainty of Sidney Crosby. I imagine GM Ray Shero will want to take every precaution necessary to ensure his franchise player is able to play 10 years from now. Sacrificing one season is better than risking a shortened career like Eric Lindros, Peter Forsberg and many others. Beyond that, the Pens showed last season they can play just fine without their top two players. Jordan Staal showed he can be a 60-70 point guy and Malkin is working hard to strengthen his knee. They kept a major chunk of their role players, but losing Talbot and Rupp may hurt a little bit. They didn't lose anyone of significance on a defense that finished sixth overall in goals-against average (2.39) last season. If Crosby manages to play a significant portion of the season though, Pittsburgh will take the division and challenge Washington for first in the conference.


New York Rangers - 5
Best Possible Finish - 2nd in division, 4th in conference
Projected Points Leader - Brad Richards, 26-58-84
Key Signings
July 2: C Brad Richards (DAL), nine years, $60 million, $6,666,667 cap hit
July 1: LW Ruslan Fedotenko, one year, $1.4 million
July 1: C Mike Rupp (PIT), three years, $4.5 million, $1,500,000 cap hit


Trades
July 2: RW Andreas Thuresson from NSH for LW Brodie Dupont
June 25: 3rd round pick (2011, C Steven Fogarty) from STL for C Evgeny Grachev
June 25: 6th round pick (2011, D Peter Ceresnak) from NSH for 6th round pick (2012)
June 1: D Tim Erixon, 5th round pick (2011, RW Shane McColgan) from CAL for C Roman Horak, 2nd round pick (2011, C Markus Granlund), 2nd round pick (2011, D Tyler Wotherspoon)

Departures
LW Alex Frolov - KHL, Omsk Avangard
D Matt Gilroy - TB
LW Vinny Prospal - CLB

What to Expect
I really like what is going on in Manhattan and I think the Rangers are an underrated team. This is assuming Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik mesh well, of course, but if they do the Rangers have a great first line to go along a fine collection of serviceable role players and Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan are ready to be counted in among the best players in the game. Their development along with that of Derek Stepan, Brian Boyle and Artem Anitimov will more thanoffset the loss of veterans Vinny Prospal and Alex Frolov. They have a young, but steady and maturing defense playing in front of what I believe is he most technically sound goalie in the NHL in Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers were fifth in goals-against average and they are only going to get better while Lundqvist wants to finally capture the Vezina Trophy. Unlike many previous years, they have a good deal of depth and youth.


New Jersey Devils - 11
Best Possible Finish - 3rd in division, 8th in conference
Projected Points Leader - Zach Parise, 42-47-89
Key Signings
D Andy Greene, four years, $12 million, $3,000,000 cap hit
G Johan Hedberg, one year, $1.25 million
RW Cam Janssen (STL), one year, $525,000
LW Eric Boulton (WIN), two years, $1.325 million, $662,500 cap hit

Trades
July 28: RW Trent Hunter from NYI for LW Brian Rolston
July 12: 5th round pick (2012) from CAL for LW Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond
June 16: D Maxim Noreau from MIN for C David McIntyre

Departures
D Colin White - SJ
D Anssi Salmela - KHL, Omsk Avangard
RW Trent Hunter - buyout
G Mike McKenna - OTT

What to Expect
I don't think it will take long for the Devils to rebuild, but it won't happen this year. They aren't going to be terrible, but there are too many holes, especially on defense, for them to be a major factor. Now they won't be nearly as bad as they were the first half of last season, but you can't expect them to go on a run  like they did over the second half either. Their play wil likely even out and they will finish in the same spot. Having Zach Parise for a ful season will improve the worst offense in the NHL last year. Both he and Ilya Kovalchuk should threaten the 40-goal mark this season and Travis Zajac should be back near 70 points. There is just very little to like on defense however, aside from fourth overall pick Adam Larsson. Both goalies are in their late-30s so game will be played much more evenly than in the past.


New York Islanders - 14
Best Possible Finish - 4th in division, 12th in conference
Projected Points Leader - John Tavares, 35-42-77
Key Signings
June 17: Trevor Gillies, one year, $625,000
July 1: C Marty Reasoner (FLA), two years, $2.7 million, $1,350,000 cap hit


Trades
July 28: LW Brian Rolston from NJ for RW Trent Hunter
June 29: 4th round pick (2012) from BUF for D Christian Ehrhoff
June 28: D Christian Ehrhoff from VAN for 4th round pick (2012)
June 25: future considerations from TB for D Bruno Gervais

  Departures
C Zenon Konopka - OTT
D Jack Hillen - NSH
G Nathan Lawson - MTL
D Radek Martinek - CLB
C Doug Weight - retirement

What to Expect
The young players will continue to grow and give a glimpse of what the future is going to be built around, but that will be one of the few positive note for the Islanders. Another is the return of Mark They are still paper thin on defense and there is no teling just how the goaltending situation will unfold. Kyle Okposo should be healthy and Nino Niederreiter will have every opportunity to earn a permanent spot on the roster. They will combine with John Tavares and Michael Grabner in what could be the first season of an offense that will carry the team for the next decade. This is likely to be their last season in the very bottom of the conference, but with a weak lineup and major questions concerning management and a new arena the dark days will continue for the time being on Long Island.