2017/18 Bonsignore Division Preview

The MRFHL Champion was born out of the Bonsignore last year and they definitely have the pieces for it to happen again. The question is who? This division is definitely the stronger of the western confence groups and as we take an in-depth look, one things is for certain, that Canada continues to dominate the Bonsignore. 

7.  Anaheim Ducks

Last Season: 3^rd in Bonsignore Division - 96 PTS

The Good: The defence is solid yet unassuming group. Bieksa, Greene and Methot have years of experience in the league and should provide a good amount of leadership to some not so astounding secondary pieces. Now on to the next part….

The Bad: Trying not to be mean, but the Ducks may have the worst offence in the league. There is literally no one of consistent talent that will carry throughout the season. Colin Wilson was great in his short stint last year, though we can hardly count on him sustaining his 16% shooting percentage. The centre depth is atrocious as somehow their best option may be Eric Fehr (for those who are out of the loop, this is less than ideal). Marc-Andre Fleury was great last year – their replacement Jaroslav Halak was not.

And the Verdict: The Ducks may have overachieved last year. Defensively they were spotty but their offence could cover up those mistakes enough to put them in a good playoff spot. The main provider of that offence was traded mid-season last year and nothing has been done to fill that hole. The Ducks are not a playoff team and maybe that’s ok with them. The Ducks seem to have transitioned to a rebuild and they have 10 picks in the top 60 for 2018 which will really help accelerate things.

6.  Arizona Coyotes

Last Season: 7^th in Bonsignore Division - 84 PTS

The Good: The Coyotes were decent offensively last year and now they’ve added #1 pick Auston Matthews to the lineup who will surely take over the top line duties in the desert. It’s a young core up front which makes things exciting. Evander Kane was solid once he came over last year, and Andrew Cogliano was a point per game player after being acquired from the Leafs.

The Bad: The Yotes were the worst defensive team in the league last year, just under 20 goals more conceded than the second worst team. They seem content to go in with the same goaltending duo, who for all intents and purposes were not the problem. The defence is mediocre at best and the only addition sees the swap of Nick Leddy for Luke Schenn, who should be more responsible in his own end but won’t result in 30 to 40 goals less which would be necessary for a playoff berth.  

And the Verdict: It’s not the sexiest group in Arizona, but they have some top end talent to steal them some games and the goaltending;/defence being average should allow them to pick up a few more points. That said, the Coyotes are in tough against some of the heavyweights in the division.

5.  San Jose Sharks

Last Season: 5^th in Bonsignore Division - 86 PTS *

The Good: The Sharks were incredibly aggressive during free agency to improve their offense by signing Jaromir Jagr and Alexander Radulov, along with the additions of Tom Wilson and Vincent Trocheck through trade has created a very different offensive group. The defence is a largely veteran group that should provide safer options for the team that was defensively deficient. Brian Elliott should provide an upgrade on Louis Dominque.

The Bad: There has been a serious lack of offense generated from the back since the trade of Cam Fowler, and unless the answer is Cody Franson, that will be a concerning issue going forward. While the tried addressing the wing depth through FA, there are still some definite holes throughout the rest of the group. Is it still too early to hand Trocheck the 1^st line duties?

And the Verdict: The Sharks who barely made the playoffs last year are arguably a better team this year. A bunch of changes might take a while for the group to gel, but they have leadership and they have talent – but is it enough or were they luck last year?

4.  Los Angeles Kings

Last Season: 6^th in Bonsignore Division - 84 PTS

The Good: A defensive core that already contained Brent Burns and Roman Josi is an excellent start, adding Adam Larsson and Dan Girardi finally gives it the secondary depth it needed. Swapping out Kari Lehtonen for Marc-Andre Fleury should provide more stability in net. Their top two scorers last year are out, but they’ve been replaced by a bevy of new talent in guys like Corey Perry, Jason Spezza, Daniel Sedin and Tyler Toffoli.

The Bad: Fleury struggled near the end of the season when he went to Montreal, so questions about his durability over a long season have to be asked. This is worrisome as the option off the bench is Jason Kasdorf. Their top line average age is over 34, so plenty of experience but again questions of durability will be a storyline during the season.

And the Verdict: GM Paisley has done a bang-up job of remodeling the roster. The Kings only missed the playoffs by 2 points last year and seemingly have addressed almost every area of need. They should definitely be in the playoff picture in the West, especially considering the state of the conference.

3.  Calgary Flames

Last Season: 1^st in Bonsignore Division - 115 PTS

The Good: The defending champions remained steady throughout the summer. A few free agents left and Mark Giordano was shipped out. They signed Dion Phaneuf which sufficiently plugged that hole and the Flames defensive group remains a very capable bunch with John Carlson and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. The offence still has Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane, which gives way to a great offensive performance any given night. The rest of the group is solid with three good centres sharing the time diplomatically.

The Bad: Semyon Varlamov was excellent all of last year but has shown up out of shape at camp this year. The Russian goaltender has looked sluggish throughout camp and there are plenty of reasons to worry in Calgary. Behind Varlamov is Darcy Kuemper who is highly unproven and shouldn’t be counted on for a significant amount of games.

And the Verdict: The defending champions are NOT the favourites heading in to this year. The team is still has too much talent to be bad so right now we’re predicting a middle of the road finish for Calgary. They should still be a playoff team, but don’t be surprised if a goalie is traded for if Varlamov struggles out of the gate. (Editors Note: The Florida Panthers have the Flames 1^st round pick this year, so it is our opinion that the Flames should blow everything up)

2.  Vancouver Canucks

Last Season: 2^nd in Bonsignore Division - 110 PTS

The Good: There’s always a lot to like about the Canucks roster. On defence Shea Weber is out, yet they’ve gone youthful with the likes of Werenski, Murphy and McCabe. A similar thing can be said for upfront, where David Backes and Henrik Zetterberg have made way for the likes of Tomas Hertl, Sam Bennett and Tanner Pearson. It’s a drastic change for the Canucks but the key star pieces are still there. Drew Doughty and Braden Holtby provide world class talent at the back half, while Stamkos and Pavelski will be upfront to provide a big chunk of the offence again.

The Bad: The Canucks are a pretty deep team that don’t have many glaring weaknesses. The backup is less than ideal, but Curtis has made a career of it. The inexperience of the D might struggle over the longevity of the season enough to cause even Holtby a little bit of stress.

And the Verdict: The Canucks have been a great team over the last decade, it’s over coming that playoff hurdle that has been elusive for them. There’s never any worry that they’ll perform during the regular season, so expect them to be near the top of the standings.

1.  Edmonton Oilers

Last Season: 4^th in Bonsignore Division - 93 PTS *

The Good: Not only did they add Mikael Backlund down the middle, but rookie Jack Eichel is poised to make a big impact this year. With the two joining Ryan O’Rielly, the Oilers centre depth is among the best in the league. Similarly on the wings, the Oilers made a trade and have a rookie in waiting that will surely add a much needed boost in Alex Steen and Patrik Laine. The defence is young and exciting, with Sergei Bobrovsky in net who has done an excellent job covering for any mistakes.

The Bad: This is a really deep team. No real faults in this team except maybe a lack of depth in the instance of injuries, but most teams would have to deal with that. Playoff experience is lacking. They added Steen who has experience and success should help, but it is a really young team.

And the Verdict: The Oilers may have been a surprise last year, finishing so well and in the playoffs. They were swept by the Jets last year, but they seemed poised to build on last year and should be even better heading in to the 2017-18 campaign. They are must watch TV with rookie Laine and Eichel.