Metropolitan Division Predictions
Posted 10:55 PM ET | Comments 2
I'm bored so figured I'd throw some Metro division predictions out there. Just to make it slightly more interesting I'll also include why I could be right and wrong for each pick. And here we go:
1: Penguins
2: Rangers
3: Devils
4: Islanders
5: Flyers
6: Capitals
7: Hurricanes
8: Blue Jackets
#1: Penguins
I'm right because Crosby and Malkin are both pretty good at hockey and will stay healthy this year. Letang's alright too. Despite his playoff performance, Fleury has always been stellar in the regular season.
I'm wrong because Crosby will get decapitated in game one, Malkin won't be able to pick up the slack like he did two years ago, and Fleury's struggles from the playoffs carry over.
#2: Rangers
I'm right because the Rangers have a great batch of forwards, Vigneault will get Nash going, Brassard will have a breakout year. Even with Torts gone the D is still rock solid and Lundqvist will continue to be Lundqvist in a contract year.
I'm wrong because the Rangers will struggle out of the gate with Callahan and Hagelin out. They will never fully adjust from Torts' system to Vigneault's as the D suffers and they still don't score with any consistency.
#3 Devils
I'm right because this team has great scoring depth that will more than make up for Kovalchuk. They have one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL as Schneider has an all star year. Adam Larsson has a breakout year, the team continues to be a top
possession team in the league, and the Devils surprise a lot of people.
I'm wrong because if I took my homer glasses off for a second I'd realize that the Devils simply won't put enough pucks in the net. The stubborn coaching staff will play Marty over Schneider all season, and the veterans on D continue to decline.
#4 Islanders
I'm right because for the first time in over a decade this team is coming into the season full of confidence. Tavares is a top player in the league and continues to grow. Guys like Okposo and Grabner continue to develop, Nabokov plays with Olympic motivation, and the Islanders grab one of the wildcard playoff spots.
I'm wrong because after last years semi-Cinderella season, they take a step backwards. Tavares is solid, but the other components around him don't score enough and Nabokov's play is simply not up to snuff.
#5 Flyers
I'm right because the Flyers had two problems last season: D and goal-tending. They didn't fix either of those issues. They got Mark Streit, but he'll help put pucks in the net more than prevent others from doing so. The Mason/Emery experiment is a failure and the Flyers lose every game 6-5.
I'm wrong because Emery will prove that his numbers last year weren't just a result of the team in front of him, the D as a unit will have a big bounce back year, and the Flyers will still score tons of goals.
#6 Capitals
I'm right because the Caps have a hard time adjusting to a much tougher division than they've been in in years. Ovi is distracted by the Olympics and doesn't put up the same numbers he did last year. This team looks dominant at times but ultimately their inconsistency sinks them.
I'm wrong because Alex Ovechkin is back. Grabovski will have a big year playing with Ovi, Holtby will make his case as a top goalie in the NHL, and Mike Green will put up the kind of numbers he was when the Caps were winning President's trophies every year.
#7 Hurricanse
I'm right because Cam Ward can't carry this team. Despite a very solid looking top six, for the past couple years this team seems to always finds ways to lose games and this won't change in a tougher division than the Southeast.
I'm wrong because Cam Ward will return to elite form and stay healthy, the Staals will put up elite numbers, with solid secondary scoring from Semin and Skinner, and the Canes D is surprisingly solid.
#8 Blue Jackets
I'm right because Bobrovsky simply won't reproduce the year he had last year. In a full season the teams lack of scoring depth will show as Gaborik struggles to score enough on his own. Other teams in the conference will fall below the Jackets but they sink to the bottom of their new division and are humbled after last year's surprise.
I'm wrong because Bobrovsky is the real deal. Gaborik will put up tons of numbers, and will receive good secondary scoring from other ex-Rangers as well as Nathan Horton when he comes back. The Blue Jackets strong, young D has one more year of experience and the Blue Jackets will find themselves on the playoff bubble.
There you go. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot.
1: Penguins
2: Rangers
3: Devils
4: Islanders
5: Flyers
6: Capitals
7: Hurricanes
8: Blue Jackets
#1: Penguins
I'm right because Crosby and Malkin are both pretty good at hockey and will stay healthy this year. Letang's alright too. Despite his playoff performance, Fleury has always been stellar in the regular season.
I'm wrong because Crosby will get decapitated in game one, Malkin won't be able to pick up the slack like he did two years ago, and Fleury's struggles from the playoffs carry over.
#2: Rangers
I'm right because the Rangers have a great batch of forwards, Vigneault will get Nash going, Brassard will have a breakout year. Even with Torts gone the D is still rock solid and Lundqvist will continue to be Lundqvist in a contract year.
I'm wrong because the Rangers will struggle out of the gate with Callahan and Hagelin out. They will never fully adjust from Torts' system to Vigneault's as the D suffers and they still don't score with any consistency.
#3 Devils
I'm right because this team has great scoring depth that will more than make up for Kovalchuk. They have one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL as Schneider has an all star year. Adam Larsson has a breakout year, the team continues to be a top
possession team in the league, and the Devils surprise a lot of people.
I'm wrong because if I took my homer glasses off for a second I'd realize that the Devils simply won't put enough pucks in the net. The stubborn coaching staff will play Marty over Schneider all season, and the veterans on D continue to decline.
#4 Islanders
I'm right because for the first time in over a decade this team is coming into the season full of confidence. Tavares is a top player in the league and continues to grow. Guys like Okposo and Grabner continue to develop, Nabokov plays with Olympic motivation, and the Islanders grab one of the wildcard playoff spots.
I'm wrong because after last years semi-Cinderella season, they take a step backwards. Tavares is solid, but the other components around him don't score enough and Nabokov's play is simply not up to snuff.
#5 Flyers
I'm right because the Flyers had two problems last season: D and goal-tending. They didn't fix either of those issues. They got Mark Streit, but he'll help put pucks in the net more than prevent others from doing so. The Mason/Emery experiment is a failure and the Flyers lose every game 6-5.
I'm wrong because Emery will prove that his numbers last year weren't just a result of the team in front of him, the D as a unit will have a big bounce back year, and the Flyers will still score tons of goals.
#6 Capitals
I'm right because the Caps have a hard time adjusting to a much tougher division than they've been in in years. Ovi is distracted by the Olympics and doesn't put up the same numbers he did last year. This team looks dominant at times but ultimately their inconsistency sinks them.
I'm wrong because Alex Ovechkin is back. Grabovski will have a big year playing with Ovi, Holtby will make his case as a top goalie in the NHL, and Mike Green will put up the kind of numbers he was when the Caps were winning President's trophies every year.
#7 Hurricanse
I'm right because Cam Ward can't carry this team. Despite a very solid looking top six, for the past couple years this team seems to always finds ways to lose games and this won't change in a tougher division than the Southeast.
I'm wrong because Cam Ward will return to elite form and stay healthy, the Staals will put up elite numbers, with solid secondary scoring from Semin and Skinner, and the Canes D is surprisingly solid.
#8 Blue Jackets
I'm right because Bobrovsky simply won't reproduce the year he had last year. In a full season the teams lack of scoring depth will show as Gaborik struggles to score enough on his own. Other teams in the conference will fall below the Jackets but they sink to the bottom of their new division and are humbled after last year's surprise.
I'm wrong because Bobrovsky is the real deal. Gaborik will put up tons of numbers, and will receive good secondary scoring from other ex-Rangers as well as Nathan Horton when he comes back. The Blue Jackets strong, young D has one more year of experience and the Blue Jackets will find themselves on the playoff bubble.
There you go. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot.
I agree, for the most part. Switch Blue Jackets with Flyers and Flyers with Hurricanes.
Devils fucking suck bro.