The Dartboard Hockey Predicitions for February 2008 are in!!
Posted 12:49 PM ET | Comments 0
Well, here they are folks! I've made my 21 dartboard hockey predicitons for the month of February 2008. Some pretty interesting things came out I must add. But before getting into this, let me add that this was harder than I had originally thought: first and foremost, january is a cold month here in Quebec and I should've heated my basement before I started my predictions; second, going blindfolded is a dangerous task as I almost killed my dog twice, which by the way is a nice little and adorable shetland (miniature coalie) dog, in the process. Many darts never reached the target, making holes in my gyproc: did I mention that I really suck at darts even without a blindfold on?
So without making you wait any longer, here are my predicitions in order:
1. 11: Player being traded 19: Eastern Conference 7: NJ Devils 19: Goalie
2. 10: Player being traded 3: Western Conference 1: Anaheim Ducks 18: Defenseman
3. 18: Team change of owners 20: Eastern Conference 7: NJ Devils --
4. 20: New NHL team 17: US 7: 2nd group of states 17: Kansas
5. 19: Team being moved 3: Western Conference 3: Chicago Blackhawks --
6. 11: Player being traded 20: Eastern Conference 6: Montreal Canadiens 15: Defenseman
7. 20: New NHL team 19: Europe 5: Denmark --
8. 9: Player being traded 8: Western Conference 11: Nashville Predators 9: Right wing
9. 11: Player being traded 16: Eastern Conference 7: NJ Devils 19: Goalie
10. 17: GM Fired or Quitting 14: Eastern Conference 15: Washington Capitals --
11. 19: Team being moved 2: Western Conference 3: Chicago Blackhawks --
12. 8: Player asking trade 14: Eastern Conference 10: Ottawa 7: Left wing
13. 13: Player put on waivers 6: Western Conference 9: LA Kings 7: Left wing
14. 14: Player put on waivers 2: Western Conference 2: Calgary Flames 20: Goalie
15. 11: Player being traded 2: Western Conference 13: San Jose Sharks 17: Defenseman
16. 17: GM Fired or Quitting 15: Eastern Conference 3: Buffalo Sabres --
17. 9: Player being traded 3: Western Conference 8: Edmonton Oilers 17: Defenseman
18. 5: Player asking trade 19: Eastern Conference 4: Carolina Hurricanes 6: Left wing
19. 2: Player injured 9: Western Conference 5: Colombus B. Jackets 9: Right wing
20. 2: Player injured 14: Eastern Conference 13: TB Lightning 18: Defenseman
21. 8: Player asking trade 6: Western Conference 7: Detoit Red Wings 19: Goalie
Now, as a fan of professional hockey and general observer, I can only be flabbergasted by predicition #4 which announces a new team in the state of Kansas. I didnt make this happen: the dart chose that! As many have heard, Kansas City had a group of investors lead by spokesperson and former NL player Luc Robitaille and met with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization to move their team to the Kansas sate. But this announces a new team rather than a move!
Other interesting observation are predicitions #1 and #9 which announce the trade of goaltenders. First thought is that by having 2 of that same predicition necessarily implies that Lou Lamoriello would have to trade his all-star goaltender Marty Brodeur which by all means is impossible. But then again, Lou did fire his head coach with 3 games remaining last season with a very good winning record team that was in second place in the Eastern conference. And added to predicition #3 that has the Devils (again!) changing owners I guess that could be possible.
Another double-predicition is Chicago being moved. Dont get me wrong, I'm a fan of the original-6, and I'm very impressed to see where this young and talented team will be going in the next 4 to 5 years, unfortunately I dont think this is possible.
Ducks trading a D-man is almost unintersting with Niedermeyer coming out his retirement and rumors of Selanne thinking of doing the same.
Predicition #6 and #15 see the Canadiens and Sharks trading a defense player and not nessarily with each other. Again, this would be no surprise. Same with #17 having the Oilers also trade one of their D...
At #7: A new team in Denmark is far from probable - if Europe countries were to join in the NHL, Sweden or Russia would certainly be the 1st ones in.
#8: Nashville trading a right winger: Can someone say JP Dumont?
#10 and #16: Washington and Buffalo will see their GM resigning of being fired. There are certainly questionnable decisions that were made in these 2 organizations: Buffalo seeing all their star players leaving year after year; and Ovechkin signing a monstrous contract. Dont get me wrong, I think AO deserved that money but the number of years is just plain suicide if you ask me.
A left winger with the Senators will asked to be traded: who of Dany Heatley, Dean McAmmond and Antoine Vermette could ask for such a thing? As a Montreal Canadien fan, I'd love to see Vermette wear a habs jersey, but I dont think I'll ever will...
The Kings will put a Left winger on waivers, while Calgary will put a goalie: LA just doesnt have the luxury to do so, and if anything Rob Blake might be renetd to a cup contender; while the Flames have just convinced CuJo to sign with them, and with Kiprussoff as #1, I doubt any of the two will end up there...
#18 and #21 should see a left winger with Carolina asking to be traded and same with a Detroit goaltender. Now who in these 2 teams would really ask for such a stupid thing?
Finally, only 2 injuries to predict: a Right winger in Colombus and a D-man with Tampa Bay. Colombus would certainly be a big blow considering their current position in their conference and they will need everyone healthy for entering the playoffs. Now for TB, you know I'm not one to wish an injury, especially with the fact that some of them can be tough on an athlete's career. But the fact remains: Tampa Bay needs to go back to the drawing board and rethink the way the talent/payroll is distributed. That doesn't mean I wish anything to happen to anyone in that team, I'm just saying that the way some players are being pushed day in day out, it wouldnt be surprising to see one...
Grand Patou
So without making you wait any longer, here are my predicitions in order:
1. 11: Player being traded 19: Eastern Conference 7: NJ Devils 19: Goalie
2. 10: Player being traded 3: Western Conference 1: Anaheim Ducks 18: Defenseman
3. 18: Team change of owners 20: Eastern Conference 7: NJ Devils --
4. 20: New NHL team 17: US 7: 2nd group of states 17: Kansas
5. 19: Team being moved 3: Western Conference 3: Chicago Blackhawks --
6. 11: Player being traded 20: Eastern Conference 6: Montreal Canadiens 15: Defenseman
7. 20: New NHL team 19: Europe 5: Denmark --
8. 9: Player being traded 8: Western Conference 11: Nashville Predators 9: Right wing
9. 11: Player being traded 16: Eastern Conference 7: NJ Devils 19: Goalie
10. 17: GM Fired or Quitting 14: Eastern Conference 15: Washington Capitals --
11. 19: Team being moved 2: Western Conference 3: Chicago Blackhawks --
12. 8: Player asking trade 14: Eastern Conference 10: Ottawa 7: Left wing
13. 13: Player put on waivers 6: Western Conference 9: LA Kings 7: Left wing
14. 14: Player put on waivers 2: Western Conference 2: Calgary Flames 20: Goalie
15. 11: Player being traded 2: Western Conference 13: San Jose Sharks 17: Defenseman
16. 17: GM Fired or Quitting 15: Eastern Conference 3: Buffalo Sabres --
17. 9: Player being traded 3: Western Conference 8: Edmonton Oilers 17: Defenseman
18. 5: Player asking trade 19: Eastern Conference 4: Carolina Hurricanes 6: Left wing
19. 2: Player injured 9: Western Conference 5: Colombus B. Jackets 9: Right wing
20. 2: Player injured 14: Eastern Conference 13: TB Lightning 18: Defenseman
21. 8: Player asking trade 6: Western Conference 7: Detoit Red Wings 19: Goalie
Now, as a fan of professional hockey and general observer, I can only be flabbergasted by predicition #4 which announces a new team in the state of Kansas. I didnt make this happen: the dart chose that! As many have heard, Kansas City had a group of investors lead by spokesperson and former NL player Luc Robitaille and met with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization to move their team to the Kansas sate. But this announces a new team rather than a move!
Other interesting observation are predicitions #1 and #9 which announce the trade of goaltenders. First thought is that by having 2 of that same predicition necessarily implies that Lou Lamoriello would have to trade his all-star goaltender Marty Brodeur which by all means is impossible. But then again, Lou did fire his head coach with 3 games remaining last season with a very good winning record team that was in second place in the Eastern conference. And added to predicition #3 that has the Devils (again!) changing owners I guess that could be possible.
Another double-predicition is Chicago being moved. Dont get me wrong, I'm a fan of the original-6, and I'm very impressed to see where this young and talented team will be going in the next 4 to 5 years, unfortunately I dont think this is possible.
Ducks trading a D-man is almost unintersting with Niedermeyer coming out his retirement and rumors of Selanne thinking of doing the same.
Predicition #6 and #15 see the Canadiens and Sharks trading a defense player and not nessarily with each other. Again, this would be no surprise. Same with #17 having the Oilers also trade one of their D...
At #7: A new team in Denmark is far from probable - if Europe countries were to join in the NHL, Sweden or Russia would certainly be the 1st ones in.
#8: Nashville trading a right winger: Can someone say JP Dumont?
#10 and #16: Washington and Buffalo will see their GM resigning of being fired. There are certainly questionnable decisions that were made in these 2 organizations: Buffalo seeing all their star players leaving year after year; and Ovechkin signing a monstrous contract. Dont get me wrong, I think AO deserved that money but the number of years is just plain suicide if you ask me.
A left winger with the Senators will asked to be traded: who of Dany Heatley, Dean McAmmond and Antoine Vermette could ask for such a thing? As a Montreal Canadien fan, I'd love to see Vermette wear a habs jersey, but I dont think I'll ever will...
The Kings will put a Left winger on waivers, while Calgary will put a goalie: LA just doesnt have the luxury to do so, and if anything Rob Blake might be renetd to a cup contender; while the Flames have just convinced CuJo to sign with them, and with Kiprussoff as #1, I doubt any of the two will end up there...
#18 and #21 should see a left winger with Carolina asking to be traded and same with a Detroit goaltender. Now who in these 2 teams would really ask for such a stupid thing?
Finally, only 2 injuries to predict: a Right winger in Colombus and a D-man with Tampa Bay. Colombus would certainly be a big blow considering their current position in their conference and they will need everyone healthy for entering the playoffs. Now for TB, you know I'm not one to wish an injury, especially with the fact that some of them can be tough on an athlete's career. But the fact remains: Tampa Bay needs to go back to the drawing board and rethink the way the talent/payroll is distributed. That doesn't mean I wish anything to happen to anyone in that team, I'm just saying that the way some players are being pushed day in day out, it wouldnt be surprising to see one...
Grand Patou