NFHL Today - News from the National Floor Hockey League

And finally... the group of death.

We conclude our Hub previews with what many are calling the 'Group of Death'. All five teams were championship contenders last season and have only solidified or strengthened their rosters this season. This is going to be a very competitive group featuring the Boston Crabs, Brooklyn Lions, Miami Tropics, New York Generals, and the Queens Cup Champion Washington Senators.

Boston Crabs finished 5th in the Eastern Conference. Were eliminated in the first round.

Coming into this season this is the best looking Crabs team we've seen since the Travis Callaway era. Three out of the four lines look poised to be problematic for many teams. The difference maker will certainly be in goaltending. They have two solid netminders in Kimmo Tamavalo and Albert Shabazz. Keeping the goalies fresh will be an advantage going into this group with the level of forward firepower facing them on the other end of the court. There has always been at least one missing piece of the puzzle keeping the Crabs from becoming a top 4 team. But this year at least appears to be different.

This is almost an impossible group to predict before we see a game, but the Crabs will hang in with the other four team. We'll predict a flat 12-12.

Brooklyn Lions finished 1st in the Eastern Conference. Eliminated in the East Final.

After a heartbreaking end to a historic season that the Lions had last season, my suspicion is they are going to be scarier than ever before. Brian Merritt is a competitor unlike anyone has ever seen, and historically has not taken kindly to losing. An angry and determined Brian Merritt is a dangerous one, and if the videos coming out of training camp are any indication, this Brooklyn Lions team will make last years look like amateur hour. Jeff Lipkewich last season only signed a one year contract. He was prepared to retire at the end, but after feeling robbed out of what should have been the coronation of the greatest hockey team of all time. He signed another one year contract, cause he in his own words "has some unfinished business".

The Lions are mad, and have a championship sized chip on their shoulder. I would not want to be the Washington Senators this season. Our prediction is 20-4, and that is being conservative. I personally can see them going undefeated.

Miami Tropics finished 8th in the Eastern Conference. Eliminated in the first round.

Last season seemed to be a wake up call for the Tropics, as a lack of focus seemed to hurt them in periods throughout the year and were it not for a last minute surge, would've been out of the playoffs for the first time sign drafting Marco Santos. This season all indications are that this is going to be a Miami team with focus, discipline, unselfishness, and we'll rounded play. Santos himself has stated that he will hold himself accountable for the teams success and knows that he needs to be much better and elevate his game. He'll have some help with drafting of hometown phenom Angel Castro.

On paper they are the weakest of the group and may take some time to get the chemistry right and therefore we will predict a tethered 10-14.

New York Generals finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference. Eliminated in the second round.

Much like the Lions, the Generals have a huge axe to grind, after feeling robbed of the chance to defend their championship due to COVID 19 slamming their momentum to a crashing halt, and questionable refereeing in the game two which was the first game back after the playoffs restarted. Let's face it they are a bitter group of individuals who have been seething since late June, and are eager to get the Queens Cup back to MSG. Alex Nikolichuk is a man on a mission to get another title in less time then it took to get his first. They've hopefully addressed the discipline issues that cost them critical games.

They have the same mentality as the Lions but without the depth, so we'll put them at 15-9.

Washington Senators finished 4th in the Eastern Conference. Reigning Queens Cup Champions.

You would come to expect that a defending champion would have a target on their back going into the next season, but given the two controversial referee calls that swayed the Senators into the finals, they are going to have nuclear level heat coming into the first group play. That being said, the Senators figured out the formula to solve the game play of the Lions, as the only team to beat them twice in the regular season. They are an adaptive team with a defensive system that is stifling when executed well. Inge Benjaminson player the role of assassin in virtually every playoff game and was a deserving playoff MVP. Will the Senators be able to apply the same shut down Defense that got them the Cup, or will they crumble under the overwhelming onslaught of pressure coming at the hands of the Gens and Lions.

Every game with New York and Brooklyn are no doubt circled on the calendars in the Washington