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TALMADGE RIVER… Fans, the NHL regular season has kicked off. There have been some surprises so far, but I’ll get to those down the road as the season progresses. All of the clubs have their rosters down to 23 players and have dropped the biscuit on at least a couple of games. This week I want to focus on a quick sketch of what I think will happen in the East this season. Some of you will think I am way off on my thoughts. However, I believe the East is in for a changing of the guard, and that at playoff time, some of the old guard will be spectators. Here it is, in order of finish 1-16:

1. MONTREAL CANADIENS. Anchored by two of the most solid players in the show in G/Carey Price and D/PK Subban, the Habs made it to the East final last season only to bow out to the NY Rangers. I think the Habs’ series against rival Boston was at least partly responsible for the Habs’ lack of juice versus the Blueshirts. They were physically and emotionally spent after ousting the B’s. They will remember that at playoff time and be ready this time…

2, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING. Last year sniper C/Steve Stamkos missed a chunk of time with an injury and so did G/Ben Bishop, right when he was having a stellar year. The Bolts missed Bishop in the playoffs to the extent that the Habs swept them in four games. The club lost some marginal players in the offseason but made nice add-ons in Boyle, Garrison and Stralman. The Bolts will be making a move up this year on the wings of Stamkos…

3. COLUMBUS BLUEJACKETS. This team has been on an upward curve the past two years. They are done knocking on the door—this year they will bust through it. With Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes and with the continued maturation of young stars C/Ryan Johansen and W/Boone Jenner solidified by heart and soul acquisition Scott Hartnell, I see this team continuing on. With a couple of breaks versus the Pens in the playoffs, they could have sent them packing…

4. NEW YORK ISLANDERS. The Isles have been at the lower levels of the NHL for a few years now, making the playoffs twice in nine years. I have been harsh on this team and GM Garth Snow, but this summer he went out and got some big upgrades for the team. G/Jaro Halak joins Grabovski, Kulemin and Conacher up front, with D/TJ Brennan joining the backend. With stars John Tavares and Kyle Okposo in place, I look for the Isles to move up big….

5. BOSTON BRUINS. If anything came out of last year’s playoffs, it was that you could get past the Bruins’ intimidation game and into their heads and beat them by ignoring their bravado. That was the Habs’ game plan. Big Z is slowing though G/Rask is still tough. They lose 30 goals from Jarome Iginla and toughness from Shawn Thornton, and didn’t replace them. The B’s step back…

6. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS. Let’s put it this way: the Pens’ losses in the off-season vastly outnumber their add-ons. Subtract your coach, GM, half of your defense, a top wing, a top shoot-out specialist, and more, and bring in a washed-up GM, a coach with NHL assistant experience but who’s straight out of Juniors, one top-notch winger, and one journeyman on D, and you are looking at half of a new team. Pens could surprise in the regular season, but are not built for the playoffs… still.

7. WASHINGTON CAPITALS. Coach Adam Oates and longtime GM George McPhee were fired at the end of the year. The Caps picked up former Preds coach Barry Trotz and hired their own assistant GM to move up. The team’s offensive prowess has been no secret, but neither has its defensive weaknesses. They moved to fix that in the summer by picking up 33 percent of the Pens’ D-corps in Orpik and Niskanen. But until scoring monster Alex Ovenchicken and the rest of the forwards buy into a defensive plan, are those two signings for naught? G/Holtby needs to step up big, too…

8. NEW JERSEY DEVILS. With future HOF net minder Martin Brodeur off the club’s roster for the first time in 21 years, a major source of distraction will have been removed from this team’s shoulders. Add in UFA sniper Mike Cammalleri and I look for the Devs to have a solid year and make the playoff. Another future HOFer, Jaromir Jagr, will keep the team focus where it needs to be. His Cup chances are dwindling and the team will support him…

9. DETROIT RED WINGS. A youth movement is underway, two aging superstars are frequently injured, and the best coach’s contract extension is not done. The Wings’ 23-year playoff run is ov-ah…

10. NEW YORK RANGERS. The Rangers surprised many with a SC Final appearance last year but will be pressed to duplicate. Stepping back this year—too many “depth” player losses….

11. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. Not strong enough down the middle, not tough enough on “D,” up and down goaltending, a coach on a very hot seat, and to top it off they overpaid to extend both Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf…

12. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS. The Flyers have four forwards who would look good on anyone’s roster, and while there are some steady-eddy “D” men, I don’t see any star power there. G/Steve Mason is going to have to show continued improvement as he battles to find his rookie form from seven seasons ago…

13. FLORIDA PANTHERS. Still in building mode, although by obtaining G/Roberto Luongo and D/Willie Mitchell, and a few forwards with some pop to their game, the Cats could surprise and make a move up….

14. OTTAWA SENATORS. The Sens lost two of their most experienced forwards in Spezza and Hemsky and got back an aging center in Legwand and youth in Chiasson. I’m not of the belief that they are better because of that, and Spezza has been a PPG player for his career. Last year’s coaching was suspect as well. Sens running in place…

15. BUFFALO SABRES. With Ted Nolan behind the bench, the Sabres will battle night in and night out, but it still won’t be enough. They need a couple more good drafts to trend up…

16. CAROLINA HURRICANES. What is here now is the result of the downward trending of former GM Jim Rutherford. He is a good hockey guy whose best days are behind him, which begs the question: why did the Pengwah hire him? Bad deals and injuries make the Canes hit bottom…

NEXT WEEK: THE WILD WEST! PEACE, OVER & OUT!

Marc Elliott is a sports opinion writer who splits his time between Minnesota and his hometown in Illinois.