2006 NHL Southeast Division Predictions

2006 Southeast Division Preview from Maddux Sports. With the NHL Hockey Season now is the time to get aquatinted with the 2006 teams and players. Remember if you are NHL hockey betting look no further, as we offer hockey picks and can help you turn a profit betting on the NHL this season.

2006 NHL Southeast Division Preview

It wasn’t that long ago that fans looked down at the Southeast Division as an inferior appendage of the NHL. Well things have certainly changed. The past two Stanley Cup winners—the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning—are from this division. And two other teams have shown marked improvement going into this season. There could be four playoff teams lurking in the Southeast.

The Hurricanes are still the Hurricanes—talented, tough and fast. Cam Ward will start in goal for the first time in his young career, while Staal, Brind’Amour, Aucoin and Stillman will continue to be major forces on the ice. This team is poised to go all the way again.

Atlanta looks ready to break through, having just missed the playoffs by two points last season. If goalie Kari Lehtonen can stay healthy, Hossa, Kovalchuk, Holik and company will be playoff bound, despite the fact that Marc Savard is gone.

Tampa Bay dumped goalie John Grahame due to inconsistent play. With former Columbus Bluejacket Marc Denis minding the net and a well balanced offense, expect to see them contending again. If they can get their defense better coordinated, they could go deep.

The Florida Panthers have a new force on the ice in former Canuck Todd Bertuzzi. He’ll join one of the finest centers and leaders in the league—Olli Jokinen. Although they’ve jettisoned star net man Roberto Luongo, Florida’s hoping that former Vancouver goalie Alexander Auld can fill the gap.

With one of the most talented goalies-- Olaf Kolzig-- and most exciting wingers-- Alex Ovechkin—in the game, the Washington Capitals should be ready to make a big move. But with a developing defense that for the most part is inexperienced, it should be another frustrating year for this franchise.

Look for the Southeast to be highly competitive, featuring some of the finest young players in the game.

2006 Southeast Division Projected Order of Finish

Click on the team names for the individual break downs for each hockey team.

1) Carolina Hurricanes
2) Florida Panthers
3) Atlanta Thrashers
4) Tampa Bay Lightning
5) Washington Capitals