08-09 Predictions

[Chadd 916]

Atlantic: Rangers

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Stars

Northeast: Oilers

Canadiens and Wings play for the cup.

Let's see your picks

[NoAngleDangler 0]

Atlantic: Penguins

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Stars

Northwest: Flames

Wings Caps in the Finals and Wings win again.

[D3nZ 0]

Atlantic: Pittsburgh

Northeast: Montréal

Southeast: Washington

Central: Detroit

Pacific: Anaheim

Northeast: Edmonton

Habs Vs. Wings for the Cup

Would like to see the Habs win it and I would so make the 5 hour trip to see the SC parade, but I think the Wings will repeat.

Go Habs Go!

[kosydar 0]

Atlantic- Rangers

Northeast- Boston

Southeast- Washington

Central- Detroit

Pacific- San Jose

Northwest- Minnesota

Detroit over Rangers.

My surprise pick- Montreal is not a top four seed in the East like everyone is saying they will be. They overachieved last season and will be a good team that will make the playoffs, but will not be the contenders everyone is hoping they are.

[lee92 2]

Atlantic: Philly

Northeast: Montreal

Southeast: Washington

Central: Detroit

Northwest: Vancouver

Pacific: Dallas

Wings over Philly for Cup.

As for sleepers, I have a feeling Boston and Edmonton will rattle some cages.

[Smitty34 0]

Atlantic: Penguins

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Sharks

Northwest: Flames

Sharks vs. Canadiens for the Cup.

[BMcDonald19 0]

Atlantic: Penguins

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Sharks

Northwest: Flames

Wings Pens in the finals...

pens get gabby for the playoff run

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Atlantic: Pens

Northeast: Habs

Southeast: Caps

Central: Wings

Pacific: Flames

Northwest: Stars

Stars/Wings vs Caps

[Chadd 916]

My surprise pick- Montreal is not a top four seed in the East like everyone is saying they will be. They overachieved last season and will be a good team that will make the playoffs, but will not be the contenders everyone is hoping they are.

I think the East is wide open and any one of six or eight teams could win the division. The problem is that every one of those teams also has huge question marks.

Montreal - weak division last year, can the younger guys put up bigger numbers this year

Ottawa - Will they be better than last year

Rangers - Can they score this year, is Hank ok

Pens - Will the defense be good enough especially without Gonchar

Flyers - Can the young players continue to get better, will Gagne be healthy, can Biron be a #1

Caps - Can Theodore regain his form, will they score

Hurricanes - can they put it together this year

The East is going to be one hell of a fight from the first game as just about every team COULD make the playoffs. Obviously the Islanders are an exception there.

[ktang 34]

Atlantic: Penguins

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Any team could take it

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Sharks

Northwest: Flames

Flyers and Sharks in the finals.

[hockeysc23 0]

Atlantic: Pens

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: San Jose

Northwest: Calgary

San Jose v. Capitals

[kosydar 0]

I'm going to change my prediction to have the Leafs win the Cup and Detroit to finish dead last.

[mrusse01 0]

Atlantic- Rangers

Northeast- Boston

Southeast- Washington

Central- Detroit

Pacific- San Jose

Northwest- Minnesota

Detroit over Rangers.

My surprise pick- Montreal is not a top four seed in the East like everyone is saying they will be. They overachieved last season and will be a good team that will make the playoffs, but will not be the contenders everyone is hoping they are.

I concur about Montreal. This was a team not picked to make the playoffs last year, and they have essentially the same team. My only worry about doubting them is Kovalev is in a contract year, so you would think he'd at least play as well as he did last year, but then again, it's Kovalev.

My only prediction is this: Leafs makes the playoffs. And I was saying that well in advance of last night's game. I think Wilson over Maurice is easily going to be worth 10-15 points in the standings, especially with this lineup.

[Adam91 0]

Dallas beats Detroit to win the Western Conference Final.

[BMcDonald19 0]

Atlantic- Rangers

Northeast- Boston

Southeast- Washington

Central- Detroit

Pacific- San Jose

Northwest- Minnesota

Detroit over Rangers.

My surprise pick- Montreal is not a top four seed in the East like everyone is saying they will be. They overachieved last season and will be a good team that will make the playoffs, but will not be the contenders everyone is hoping they are.

I concur about Montreal. This was a team not picked to make the playoffs last year, and they have essentially the same team. My only worry about doubting them is Kovalev is in a contract year, so you would think he'd at least play as well as he did last year, but then again, it's Kovalev.

My only prediction is this: Leafs makes the playoffs. And I was saying that well in advance of last night's game. I think Wilson over Maurice is easily going to be worth 10-15 points in the standings, especially with this lineup.

i agree with that statement about how the habs arent the cup favourite. but who is better in there division? like ottawa they will be better than last year but not that great. leafs are young but i have my doubts, boston looks good, but no so great in net. and buffalo.. well montreal is better.. so i think tehy will be in the top 3 just for that reason, but not go deep in the playoffs. montreal wont beat Nj, Pitts,Philly..

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Atlantic: Rangers

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Sharks

Northeast: Flames

Pens vs Sharks for Cup - Pens win

I predict Chicago makes the playoffs and I think Phoenix will barely miss. I think the Pens limp into the playoffs but regain last seasons form once Gonchar/Whitney are back. I do not see them making a trade to pick up someone like Gaborik like they did for Hossa. Caps win division but only because its weak. Theodore is average this year.

Out West I think Detroit chokes it up and is a second round knock out. I predict Chicago makes the playoffs and I think Phoenix will barely miss. Chicago makes a first round exit but comes back strong next season

[phomp 0]

Atlantic: Rangers

Northeast: Canadians

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Redwings

Pacific: Sharks

Northwest: Oilers

A few other predictions. Leafs finish 10th in East, Blackhawks and Canucks make the playoffs. Also, Buffalo goes deep into the playoffs this year prehaps to conference finals (call me crazy).

Dallas vs New York Rangers in cup finals with Dallas taking the cup home.

;)

[bigtime49 0]

Atlantic: Devils

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast:Capitals

Central: Redwings

Pacific: Sharks

Northwest: Canucks

[hockeysc23 0]

Atlantic: Rangers

Northeast: Canadiens

Southeast: Capitals

Central: Red Wings

Pacific: Sharks

Northeast: Flames

Pens vs Sharks for Cup - Pens win

I predict Chicago makes the playoffs and I think Phoenix will barely miss. I think the Pens limp into the playoffs but regain last seasons form once Gonchar/Whitney are back. I do not see them making a trade to pick up someone like Gaborik like they did for Hossa. Caps win division but only because its weak. Theodore is average this year.

Out West I think Detroit chokes it up and is a second round knock out. I predict Chicago makes the playoffs and I think Phoenix will barely miss. Chicago makes a first round exit but comes back strong next season

I love how this thought is brought up almost every year. Hurricanes are a strong team that won a cup. Tampa Bay is a loaded offensive team that also has won a cup. Florida and Atlanta have some star power that can cause problems.

Calling the SE a weak division is a cop out. Anytime you play a certain team 6+ times a year over several years with the same key players it becomes hard games to win because the competition learns your tendancies and can game plan against you.

[kosydar 0]

The Southeast is without a doubt a weak division. Who cares what the Hurricanes did three seasons ago? They are a completely different team from then. I would imagine most people would agree that Tampa has suspect goaltending and one of, if not the worst defense in the entire league. Florida and Atlanta are two of the worst franchise in the NHL over the past decade. Calling the Southeast a weak division is not a cop out, its simply stating the truth. If I could move my favorite team to any division in the league I'd make it the Southeast. I'd put up with playing terrible, boring teams 24 times a year in order to almost assure a winning season and hopefully a #3 seating in the playoffs.

[Chadd 916]

The Southeast is without a doubt a weak division. Who cares what the Hurricanes did three seasons ago? They are a completely different team from then. I would imagine most people would agree that Tampa has suspect goaltending and one of, if not the worst defense in the entire league. Florida and Atlanta are two of the worst franchise in the NHL over the past decade. Calling the Southeast a weak division is not a cop out, its simply stating the truth. If I could move my favorite team to any division in the league I'd make it the Southeast. I'd put up with playing terrible, boring teams 24 times a year in order to almost assure a winning season and hopefully a #3 seating in the playoffs.

The northwest has been pretty bad over the last few years as well.

[kosydar 0]

You're right, but I think they're still better than the Southeast. Minny is a consistent team, and it seems like one of Vancouver or Calgary is good every year. Colorado and especially are wild cards this year, too.

[dslapshot220 0]

Eastern Confrence

Atlantic-NY Rangers

Northeast-Candiens

Southeast-Capitals

Western Confrence

Central-Red Wings

Northwest-Wild

Pacific-Sharks

[94center 0]

It's so irritating to see an undeserved southeast team get the 3 spot in the playoffs every year. I'd really like to see that changed to where the top 8 teams in points fill 1-8 with a division title as the first tiebreaker.

[interpathway 9]

It's so irritating to see an undeserved southeast team get the 3 spot in the playoffs every year. I'd really like to see that changed to where the top 8 teams in points fill 1-8 with a division title as the first tiebreaker.

I think undeserved is the wrong word. If they were undeserved, would Tampa have been able to beat all 15 other playoff teams to win the Cup? Same with Caorlina? Maybe unfair would be a better word choice, but either way I like it.