Day 3 of the AHL Preview here at Chirps from Center Ice find us in the Atlantic Division. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton plays every team in this Division twice, once home / away but for Portland and Manchester, whom we do not play. Again, as with the North Division Preview yesterday, the game listed in bold is a Penguins home game. Of note, the now defunct Lowell Devils finished 4th in the division. The Atlantic contracts from 8 teams to 7 for 2010-2011. Let’s get going!
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York Islanders)
Last season: 38-32-4-6 (86 pts.) 5th place Atlantic Division. Crossed over into East Division and lost in 5 games to the Hershey Bears in the East Division Semifinals.
Head Coach: Jack Capuano
Offseason moves: Jeremy Yablonski, Andy Hilbert, Rob Hisey
The case for: Bridgeport always ices a quality team. They have Nathan Lawson in goal again this year. Newcomer Mikko Koskinen is highly heralded as the next best thing in goal for the Sound Tigers. They re-signed D Dustin Kohn. They are in their 10th season, always give teams fits and have an extremely smart coach in Jack Capuano.
The case against: Could very well be a goaltending merry-go-round. With the oft injured Rick DiPietro backing up on the Island this year, Lawson and Koskinen could easily be riding the ferry across Long Island Sound often this coming year. It also isn’t exactly a roster filled with guys which makes you say “watch this one.” They’ll make the playoffs this year, but that may be it.
Beat writer: Mike Fornabaio (twitter / blog)
Twitter: @TheSoundTigers
Vs. WBS: Jan 7 / Feb 11
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Hartford WolfPack (New York Rangers)
Last season: 36-33-6-5 (83 pts.) 6th place Atlantic Division
Head Coach: Ken Gernander
Offseason moves: Maxime Gratchev, Jeremy Williams, Blake Parlett, Dan Ringwald, Tim Kennedy
The case for: The WolfPack have made the AHL Playoffs every single year of their existence, except last year. Jeremy Williams was the top scorer for a mediocre Grand Rapids team last year, people say that he can be a legit NHL sniper. Look for Hartford to shake things up this season.
The case against: The losses of PA Parenteau and Corey Locke are huge, huge holes to fill. You should know within a month whether or not Hartford filled them.
Beat writer: Bob Crawford (on the Pack’s website); Laurie Carr (blog / twitter)
Twitter: @HtfdWolfPack
Vs. WBS: Jan 16 / Mar 8
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Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles Kings)
Last season: 43-28-3-6 (95 pts.) 3rd place Atlantic Division. Lost in Eastern Conference Championship to eventual Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears in 6 games.
Head Coach: Mark Morris
Offseason moves: Nothing to see here.
The case for: Manchester took eventual Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears to six games before eventually losing in overtime. The core is intact. They say you gotta lose in order to learn how to win. I love this teams setup from here. If you made me pick one team from the Atlantic Division today to make it to the Calder Cup Finals, it would have to be the Monarchs of ManchVegas.
The case against: Parent Los Angeles is on the rise. Players in the City of Angels will be held to high standards. If not performing, raid the farm.
Beat writer: Ian Clark
Twitter: @MonarchsHockey
Vs. WBS: Do not play.
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Portland Pirates (Buffalo Sabres)
Last season: 45-24-7-4 (101 pts.) 2nd place Atlantic Division. Swept in Atlantic Division Semifinals by the Manchester Monarchs
Head Coach: Kevin Dineen
Offseason moves: Colin Stuart, David Leggio, Dennis McCauley
The case for: Portland finished second in the Atlantic last year, behind the Worcester Sharks. Worcester looks shark bit (bad pun) this year. It could be Portland’s division to win.
The case against: Even if Portland does make it out of the Atlantic, they have to play a buzzsaw team in the East Division in the Conference Finals. Good luck with that.
Beat writer: Chris Roy (blog / twitter) / Dan Hickling (print) Biddleford Journal Tribune
Twitter: @portlandpirates
Vs. WBS: Do not play.
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Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)
Last season: 36-38-5-1 (78 pts.) 7th place Atlantic Division
Head Coach: Rob Murray
Offseason moves: Nathan McIver, Nolan Schaefer
, Wyatt Smith
The case for: Last season was an anomaly for the P-Bruins. I was a freshman in college the last time the P-Bruins were left out of the playoffs. This team is an automatic lock for a postseason berth year after year. With last years lackluster performance, look for the P-Bruins to be back with a vengeance this season.
The case against: I probably can just write “the East Division come Conference Finals time” but that’s too easy. Trent Whitfield, the P-Bruins Captain, is on the shelf this season with an Achilles tendon injury. His leadership can’t be replaced. Bringing in ex-WBS Penguin captain Wyatt Smith helps somewhat. Couple the losses of Andy Wozniewski and Mikko Lehtonen to Europe and you have a ton of youth with little experience.
Beat writer: Mark Divver / Sarah Connors (fan) (twitter / blog)
Twitter: @AHLBruins
Vs. WBS: Jan 8 / Jan 11
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Springfield Falcons (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Last season: (affiliated with Edmonton) 25-39-12-4 (66 pts.) Last place Atlantic Division
Offseason moves: Trevor Frischmon, Kyle Wilson, Nate Guenin, David LeNeveu.
Head Coach: Rob Riley
The case for: I thought long and hard about this one, and have nothing. Three straight non-playoff years with Edmonton. Columbus comes in and hasn’t done bump with Syracuse in two of the last three seasons. Rob Riley the new head coach is in his first head coaching job and hasn’t even coached anything since 2004. Maybe they get magic, bang around, but with as loaded the East teams are, could be a victim of the crossover rule, if they even get there.
The case against: Nate Guenin on defense. Please keep reading.
Beat writer: Garry Brown and Fran Sypek
Twitter: @DMarkiewicz
Vs. WBS: Nov 28 / Feb 27
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Worcester Sharks (San Jose Sharks)
Last season: 49-25-3-3 (104 pts.) Atlantic Division Champions. Lost in Atlantic Division Championship in 6 games to the Manchester Monarchs
Head Coach: Roy Sommer
Offseason moves: Sean Sullivan
The case for: Worcester was the Atlantic Division champion last year. They return a core group of guys and will be right back in the thick of things come spring.
The case against: All-Star defenseman Danny Groulx’s defection to Europe coupled with the fact that San Jose / Worcester are on separate coasts. No other team had more call-ups / send backs than the Sharks organization. Hate to keep bringing up the East, but can’t see much more out of Worcester other than another early exit from the playoffs again in their 5th season.
Beat writer: Bill Ballou
Twitter: @WorcesterSharks
Vs. WBS: Nov 13 / Mar 19
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That’s all for the Atlantic Division. Keeping with the West and North before, if you spot glaring errors or gaping omissions, drop a line in the comments section. Tomorrow we wrap up the AHL Previews here at Chirps from Center Ice with the East Division Preview.
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