From east to west: The NHL’s Southeast Division

There was a time when the Southeast Division was referred to as the South ‘Least’ due to its lack of intrigue and poor attendance records.

While attracting fans to the arena on a nightly basis is still a struggle, the Southeast is quickly becoming one of the most electrifying divisions in all of hockey. Most importantly, it is filled with promising talent on the rise.

Leading the division is, of course, the powerhouse Washington Capitals, who have won the division in five consecutive seasons and look to produce The Year of the Capital. After shoring up their goaltending issues in the offseason by signing Tomas Vokoun for peanuts, they are prepared to repeat as division champs for a sixth straight year.

Unlike past seasons, however, they are not the only franchise primed to contend for Southeast bragging rights. With a newly-signed Steven Stamkos and overall well-balanced roster, the Tampa Bay Lightning have reaffirmed to the rest of the division that they mean business. A second place division finish and berth in the conference finals in 2010-11 puts the Steve Yzerman-led Bolts in an enviable position to challenge the Capitals for the top spot with less pressure.

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The Carolina Hurricanes, on the other hand, enter the 2011-12 campaign looking familiar to those north of the border. They have become a main destination for former Toronto Maple Leafs players, including their bench boss, Paul Maurice. Joining the core of Leafs is Tomas Kaberle, the newly-minted Stanley Cup champion, who signed a three-year deal with the Hurricanes in July. He is a formidable replacement for Joe Corvo, who jumped over to Boston. Former Leafs Alex Ponikarovsky and Tim Brent are also interesting additions for the Canes. Then there is is Anthony Stewart – a player on the verge of breaking out and becoming an NHL All-Star.

While being active in the offseason does not necessarily predicate regular season success, the Florida Panthers have made strides towards improvement as well. At the same time, they still have several years of rebuilding left until they can realistically compete for a berth in the post season. The playoff Panthers of the future will feature both Jonathan Huberdeau of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft as well as stud defenseman Erik Gudbranson. Both have shown they can dominate at the major junior level so it’s just a matter of time, maturity and seasoning before they make their mark in the big leagues. The Panthers don’t look strong enough to surprise anyone this season, although there is another team to keep an eye on.

No, they don’t have Teemu Selanne or Teppo Numminem – circa the glory days – but the Jets are a team to keep on the radar as they embark on a new era in Winnipeg. Gone are the days of mediocre play and franchise instability; the new Jets are here to stay and will likely rebound with a new fan base backing them. After a frustrating season in Atlanta, the Jets expect Zach Bogosian to be rejuvenated and ready to prove why he was once touted alongside Drew Doughty as two future stud blue liners.

All signs point to the Capitals and Lightning placing one and two, respectively, followed by the Jets. Although the Hurricanes and Panthers have reasons for optimism, don’t expect them to make the playoffs, at least based on their lineups heading into the season.

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