The NHL season kind of begins tomorrow. Sure, it technically started this weekend but everyone else starts Wednesday, and before the season starts I wanted to make my ham-fisted predictions for what promises to be an exciting year in hockey. While making my notes I realised just how evenly matched most of the teams seem to be. Sure, there are a few obvious front runners, but even they are one or two injuries away from fighting for a playoff spot. The only choice that I feel completely confident about is choosing the 'Yotes and the Blue Jackets to once again battle it out for last place and the first draft pick for next season. They both finished at the bottom last year and made only minimal changes to their roster over the summer. The Blues and the Panthers are my dark horse choices for their respective conferences as I think they will surprise a lot of teams. The Panthers have a strong young team and acquired a great goaltender in Vokoun. The Blues got rid of some dead weight, got some great talent in return and will overachieve their way into a strong finish. I will break down my divisional choices and then my conference choices and then finally my Cup choice. Remember that the top finishers in each division are guaranteed the top three playoff spots and that only the top eight teams from each conference get in to the playoffs. Hockey is back.
Western Conference
Northwest Division
1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Colorado Avalanche
3. Minnesota Wild
4. Calgary Flames
5. Edmonton Oilers
Central Division
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Nashville Predators
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
Pacific Division
1. San Jose Sharks
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Los Angeles Kings
4. Dallas Stars
5. Phoenix Coyotes
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
1. New York Rangers
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Philadelphia Flyers
4. New Jersey Devils
5. New York Islanders
Northeast Division
1. Ottawa Senators
2. Buffalo Sabres
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
4. Montreal Canadiens
5. Boston Bruins
Southeast Division
1. Atlanta Thrashers
2. Florida Panthers
3. Carolina Hurricanes
4. Washington Capitals
5. Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Vancouver Canucks
4. Anaheim Ducks
5. Colorado Avalanche
6. St. Louis Blues
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Nashville Predators
9. Los Angeles Kings
10. Calgary Flames
11. Dallas Stars
12. Chicago Blackhawks
13. Edmonton Oilers
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. Phoenix Coyotes
Eastern Conference
1. Ottawa Senators
2. New York Rangers
3. Atlanta Thrashers
4. Pittsburgh Penguins
5. Buffalo Sabres
6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Florida Panthers
8. Toronto Maple Leafs
9. New Jersey Devils
10. Carolina Hurricanes
11. Washington Capitals
12. Montreal Canadiens
13. Tampa Bay Lightning
14. New York Islanders
15. Boston Bruins
Stanley Cup
San Jose Sharks vs. New York Rangers with the Rangers pulling out the victory.
No comments:
Post a Comment