Opening night time is right here! MarmosDad will probably be again tomorrow with a division preview, whereas my subsequent put up goes to be on Friday recapping how groups look over the subsequent few nights. For now, I’m going to provide you my ten daring predictions for the season. Final season, I appropriately known as Hagel for 90 factors and Ovechkin setting the aim report regardless of a tough 23-24. Once more, these calls are supposed to be daring, so my aim is to his 3 of those, perhaps 4. When you have any questions, feedback, or recommendations, go away them under. Let’s get to it!
1) Matvei Michkov scores 90 factors.
Look, I made Michkov twentieth total in my rankings simply to indicate how a lot I like him this season. His betting line for the season is round 66.5 relying on the sportsbook, so we’re predicting Michkov to go manner over. If you wish to learn why I’m so bullish on Michkov, you possibly can take a look at my Prime 20 right here. As a secondary predicition, I’ll say Zegras units a brand new profession excessive in factors, which suggests he will get 66+. A brand new begin needs to be precisely what Zegras wanted.
2) Jet Greaves is a high twelve goalie.
Greaves completed final season extremely nicely, and I’m betting on that not being an outlier. Whereas I didn’t love the Columbus offseason, they did add some defensively accountable gamers, comparable to Coyle. I additionally assume a leap from Mateychuk will strengthen the underside pair on the Blue Jackets. I can see Greaves find yourself being un-rosterable by November, however I believe the opposite finish of the spectrum is extra seemingly. He might be the subsequent younger goalie to make the leap
3) The Los Angeles Kings miss the playoffs.
Do I absolutely consider this one? To be sincere, no, however of the groups perceived as playoff locks, I see the Kings with probably the most draw back by far. Changing Gavrikov and Spence with Dumoulin and Ceci is an enormous step again, to say the least. These two plus Edmundson is kind of ugly, particularly if Clarke doesn’t make a leap or Doughty takes a step again. The protection crumbling might additionally trigger Kuemper to fall again right down to Earth, and Forsberg as a backup actually isn’t inspiring. Their ahead depth is so good that I assume they’ll survive, however they’re nearer to Vancouver and Utah now than the Oilers and Golden Knights.
4) Evander Kane works his manner into being a maintain in all codecs for the complete season.
Kane is clearly an enormous damage danger, however he appeared fairly good all through the playoffs for the Oilers. Now, he strikes to the Canucks, the place he ought to have a much bigger position. Early indications are that he might even get some PP1 time, however even when he’s simply within the center six and second energy play unit, Kane ought to have 20+25 with good pictures and elite PIM/hits. There’s even upside for a bit extra. I ought to have included him in my late lotto tickets, so I’m placing him right here.
5) Cole Caufield finishes high 5 within the league in targets, scoring 45.
A full season of Hutson and Demidov is barely going to assist Caufield on the ability play, and higher depth ought to restrict how a lot groups can deal with the highest line. Laine even had 15 PPG in 52 video games final season. Early indications are that Slafkovsky goes to be on PP1 as an alternative of Laine, which I believe is a really dangerous mistake, however it’ll pressure Caufield into being the shooter extra often. I believe the shot fee goes again as much as earlier highs and in flip, Caufield simply units a profession excessive in targets.
6) Rasmus Dahlin wins the Norris Trophy.
Alright, go forward and name me a homer. Dahlin is definitely 4th in Norris odds, however Makar and Hughes lap the sector, with Werenski coming in forward of Dahlin. Look, this one is straightforward for me. Dahlin is already a high 5 defenseman, and if the Sabres take the leap that a variety of analytics fashions predict, then the narrative goes to be behind a Sabre profitable an award. Tage is nice, however he’s not sniffing the Hart. I don’t see Ruff getting all of the credit score when it was dangerous final season. Dahlin is the logical selection and truthfully, it doesn’t must get significantly better than final season. Merely, the crew needs to be ok for individuals to note.
7) Ottawa doesn’t have a high 150 participant in addition to their massive 4.
That’s Stutzle, Tkachuk, Sanderson, and Ullmark. In different phrases, Chabot doesn’t bounce again, Batherson and Cozens don’t discover consistency, and Pinto doesn’t take a step. Giroux doesn’t get again to a maintain both. I actually don’t like how Ottawa’s offense is trying on the entire. I used to be going to foretell that Ottawa finishes seventh within the divison, and I believe they may simply fall out of the playoffs once more. There’s a variety of lifeless weight on the roster offensively.
8) Morgan Rielly is a high 15 defenseman.
Rielly is the thirty first total defenseman by ADP. Sure, a variety of issues have been trending within the mistaken course, however Rielly ought to have PP1 the complete season now that Marner is gone. Theodore completed as a high 15 defenseman final season with 7+50, depsite having underneath two pictures per sport. That’s the trail that we’re for Rielly to get there, and I believe he does it.
9) Brandt Clarke is high ten in defenseman factors.
You may argue this goes towards the Kings lacking the playoffs, however I’m banking on the opposite guys tanking the Kings. Clarke is really dynamic and at this level, there actually shouldn’t be different to taking part in him. There are only a few defenseman on the market together with his skating skill, and the Kings have been much better offensively with Clarke on the ice than with out. A leap from 16 minutes into the low 20’s, together with continued progress for the 22, results in a 60+ level season.
10) Sidney Crosby will get traded on the deadline.
A part of me desires to see Crosby stick with the Penguins for his complete profession, however a part of me desires to see him attempt to win one other Cup. My thought is that after the excessive stage competitors of the Olympics, and the Penguins being on the backside of the standings (bonus prediction, they end final within the league), Crosby decides to go to both Colorado or Montreal if the Canadiens take a step ahead. It appears extra more likely to me that one thing this drastic occurs within the offseason, nevertheless it’s time to get daring, and the Olympics provides it a small likelihood to occur in my view.
