Jump to content

14th Annual Prediction Contest


Peter Puck

Recommended Posts

47-25-6-4  104 points

3rd in Atlantic 

6th in East

280 goals

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Predictions Closed 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Florida has made some nice improvements and will finish higher than us. We have the same team as last year.

 

So we finish 6th in the division.

13 or 14 in the conference.

 

That could all change if Bergevin gets off his ass and trades for a puck moving defensemen.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh I forgot we can't say bad things about Bergevin or we get downvoted. Sorry Bergevin is god and has done everything right since he got here in Montreal. Does this make all you Bergevin lovers happy.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Metallica said:

So we finish 6th in the division.

13 or 14 in the conference.

 

13th/14th is considerably more pessimistic than any of the other predictions. illWill predicted 11th based on injuries, no one else predicted worse than 10th.

 

Who is right, we'll find that out at the end of the season.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would need Sabres and Panthers to finish above the Habs for 6th to likely happen. I had 5th in division so similar, but think the division will be much stronger than Metro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, DON said:

Would need Sabres and Panthers to finish above the Habs for 6th to likely happen. I had 5th in division so similar, but think the division will be much stronger than Metro

This is key. Last year 5 teams from the metro made the playoffs. This year it could be the Atlantic. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well look at it like this 

 

Toronto 

Washington 

Tampa 

Should be locked in to make the playoffs 

Which would leave 5 spots to fight for. Those teams would be

 

Philadelphia 

Rangers 

Pittsburgh 

New Jersey 

Buffalo 

NYI

Boston 

Florida 

Carolina 

Columbus 

Montreal 

So these should be the 11 teams that will fight for the last five playoff spots. With Detroit and Ottawa not making it .

 

Pittsburgh, Boston, NYR I think will make the playoffs. So that leaves the 2 wild card spots. 

 

Philadelphia 

Florida 

Carolina 

NYI

Columbus 

Buffalo 

Montreal 

New jersey 

 

These are the teams we will be fighting it out for a wild card spot with. I don't see us having enough depth on this team especially on our D to make the playoffs. Its the same team the past 3 years and we missed the playoffs the past 3 years. So what makes this year any different?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Metallica said:

These are the teams we will be fighting it out for a wild card spot with.

 

And given your prediction of 13th or 14th in the East, you expect that we'll be either the worst or second-worst team in that group, right?

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

 

And given your prediction of 13th or 14th in the East, you expect that we'll be either the worst or second-worst team in that group, right?

Yeah based on the fact we didn't improve our team in the off season, and those other teams have.  Again a lot could happen like injuries and teams not playing up to what their capabilities.

But out of those teams we haven't made the playoffs in 3 years, and I just don't think we have the depth especially on D. Our weaknesses as a team always show up toward the end of the season when team's are playing tighter D, and we end up missing the playoffs because of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Metallica said:

Well look at it like this 

 

Toronto 

Washington 

Tampa 

Should be locked in to make the playoffs 

Which would leave 5 spots to fight for. Those teams would be

 

Philadelphia 

Rangers 

Pittsburgh 

New Jersey 

Buffalo 

NYI

Boston 

Florida 

Carolina 

Columbus 

Montreal 

So these should be the 11 teams that will fight for the last five playoff spots. With Detroit and Ottawa not making it .

 

Pittsburgh, Boston, NYR I think will make the playoffs. So that leaves the 2 wild card spots. 

 

Philadelphia 

Florida 

Carolina 

NYI

Columbus 

Buffalo 

Montreal 

New jersey 

 

These are the teams we will be fighting it out for a wild card spot with. I don't see us having enough depth on this team especially on our D to make the playoffs. Its the same team the past 3 years and we missed the playoffs the past 3 years. So what makes this year any different?

 

I think the picks are:

1. TBL

2. TOR

3. WAS

4. CAR

5. BOS

 

highly likely:

6. FLA - improved coaching and goaltending and rebound from young Dmen 

 

I didn’t include the PENS, because Malkin is already out and that’s not a team that can afford too many injuries.

 

That leaves 2 spots and that’s not considering other injuries that may occur, I’d rank the remaining as follows:

PIT - unsure about Loss of Malkin and defence

PHI -  some good moves, but depending a lot on a kid in net and rebounds don’t young dmen 

NYR - good pickups in the summer, but I think they are a year away.

NJD - great additions, but goaltending is a question mark and lots of big change - chemistry experiment may blow-up, rather than get them in.

NYI - was last year a mirage and unsure about goaltending, but they play a pretty structured game.

MTL - left D sucks and will need rookies to be a factor and KK to take next step

BUF - love the Krueger pickup and lots of elite talent , but it’s Buffalo.  Could be the dark horse to make it

CLB - could be higher - depends a lot on whether Tortorella lights a fire under the young stars or has the team tune him out because of his usual tantrums

DET - picked up some good prospects in the last two years, but I don’t think they can even be considered a bubble team.

OTT - no explanation needed.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I think the picks are:

1. TBL

2. TOR

3. WAS

4. CAR

5. BOS

 

highly likely:

6. FLA - improved coaching and goaltending and rebound from young Dmen 

 

I didn’t include the PENS, because Malkin is already out and that’s not a team that can afford too many injuries.

 

That leaves 2 spots and that’s not considering other injuries that may occur, I’d rank the remaining as follows:

PIT - unsure about Loss of Malkin and defence

PHI -  some good moves, but depending a lot on a kid in net and rebounds don’t young dmen 

NJD - goaltending is a question mark and lots of big change - chemistry experiment can blow-up

NYI - was last year a mirage and unsure about goaltending, but they play a pretty structured game.

MTL - left D sucks and will need rookies to be a factor and KK to take next step

BUF - love the Krueger pickup and lots of elite talent , but it’s Buffalo.  Could be the dark horse to make it

CLB - could be higher - depends a lot on whether Tortorella lights a fire under the young stars or has the team tune him out because of his usual tantrums

OTT - no explanation needed.

 

 

You're forgetting NYR. They're looking good and I put them in the playoffs this year.

 

Never count Pittsburgh out, they always seem to make good trades that end up putting them in the playoffs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Metallica said:

You're forgetting NYR. They're looking good and I put them in the playoffs this year.

 

Never count Pittsburgh out, they always seem to make good trades that end up putting them in the playoffs.

I knew I was forgetting a team.  I’d slot them somewhere between the Pitts-Phil-NJD grouping.  All of some question marks, but I wouldn’t consider the rangers as for sure in.  I’m not even sure if they are the best among the NY area teams (NYR, NYI, NJD).  They had a great summer along with NJD and got the more NHL ready draft pick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I knew I was forgetting a team.  I’d slot them somewhere between the Pitts-Phil-NJD grouping.  All of some question marks, but I wouldn’t consider the rangers as for sure in.  I’m not even sure if they are the best among the NY area teams (NYR, NYI, NJD).  They had a great summer along with NJD and got the more NHL ready draft pick.

Ok but do you see what I am trying to say? Everyone has done something to improve their team but us. We don't have the depth to over come a major injury to a top player on D or to Price. I hope we make the playoffs but i don't see it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Metallica said:

Ok but do you see what I am trying to say? Everyone has done something to improve their team but us. We don't have the depth to over come a major injury to a top player on D or to Price. I hope we make the playoffs but i don't see it. 

I also forgot DET and I think they will be better than Ottawa, but may even finish behind CLB. I edited my earlier post.
 

Oh I know what your saying and totally agree with you.  IMO the  only team that had a worse summer was CLB, but I think we are more of a bottom feeder and more unlikely to make the playoffs than us.
The left D in particular not being addressed is what makes us a weaker bubble team - but I do think we are in that same cursed bubble team position that we are usually in.  Not bad enough to get a lottery position whenever there is a clear cut franchise player available, but not good enough to make the playoffs.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Metallica said:

I don't see us having enough depth on this team especially on our D to make the playoffs. Its the same team the past 3 years and we missed the playoffs the past 3 years. So what makes this year any different?

Past 2 years. Habs finished 1st in the East 3 years ago. 

 

As to what makes this year any different: a better backup goalie could help the team bank a few more points, an improved Kotkaniemi could help the team bank a few more points, a 4th line that Julien can trust with minutes from Game 1 instead of Game 65 should bank a few more points, a weakened Metro division should help the Habs secure a wildcard, and numerous other reasons leave open the possibility of a strong placement within the Atlantic. 

 

None of it is a sure thing, but most of the other teams aren't a sure thing either. I'm definitely not convinced the Devils improved by 25+ points this offseason, nor the Rangers by 20, or that Columbus will be anywhere close to the playoffs after they got gutted, or that Pittsburgh is better with Galchenyuk and Tanev instead of Kessel, or that Hart will be steady for 50 games as a 21 year old goalie with pedestrian AHL numbers, or that Kreuger can make Ullmark/Hutton a good goaltending tandem for Buffalo, all while every possible thing that can go wrong for Montreal does to put them 20+ points worse and in the bottom 3 of the conference. 

 

 

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/2/2019 at 10:47 PM, DON said:

43-30-4-5 95pts,

5th atlantic

9th east

230 goals

 

(Sorry Meller for being so similar, unintentional)

The funny thing is I actually meant to say 9th in the east as well. Messed up my count. Oh well! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Metallica said:

Ok but do you see what I am trying to say? Everyone has done something to improve their team but us. We don't have the depth to over come a major injury to a top player on D or to Price. I hope we make the playoffs but i don't see it. 

Two words: Carey Price. We've seen Patrick Roy do it, with a mediocre team...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Habber31 said:

Two words: Carey Price. We've seen Patrick Roy do it, with a mediocre team...

Patrick Roy had much better teams in front of him than what Price currently has.  The cup teams were not mediocre teams.  The 93 cup team had three guys with 90 points and the 86 cup team had 3 other hall of famers.

the dmen Roy had included Robinson, Chelios, Schneider, Desjardins, svoboda, Kurvers, odelin 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...