Which of these hot takes do you agree with?

[Tufted Titmouse]

1. Calgary will finish top 3 overall in the league.

2. Tampa will be a wild card team.

3. Ottawa will disappoint, finishing out of the playoff picture by a fair margin.

4. NYR will take a big step back, missing the playoffs.

5. Columbus will finish 1st or 2nd in the Metro.

6. Pittsburgh will finish above Carolina.

7. Toronto will make the SCF.

8. Montreal will be better than expected, finishing out of the bottom 5.

9. Sorokin will win the Vezina.

10. McAvoy will win the Norris.

*mistake on Columbus' division in the poll

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[Fledgemyhedge]

Sorokin winning the vezina I can see

 

[VanillaCoke]

none of the above

 

[norrisnick]

Voted none. Was most hesitant about #3.

 

[bobholly39]

Fun options. I voted for:

3. Ottawa will disappoint.

5. Pittsburgh will finish above Carolina (they'll both be top teams, I can see this 50/50, but picked it).

Hesitated over:

- Tampa will be a wildcard. Honestly - they'll make the playoffs, never in doubt. Whether high in standings or not, it's less important to them. If they're a wildcard, they'll be the type of wildcard where you were always sure they'd make it - and they do. So, not a huge stretch

- Rangers taking a big step back. I think it's very possible. Relying on your goalie playing as good as last year isn't exactly sustainable. Flipside is, they do have a ton of talent who can step up to compensate. I think they have a worst regular season, but probably still qualify, maybe as a wildcard.

As for Habs - if Price returns, I'd vote that one in a heartbeat. With no Price, no way. Could they finish 6th or 7th form bottom instead of bottom 5 or lower? I suppose, but hardly makes a difference - they'll be a very poor team.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

3 and 7 the rest are really a hard sell. And i dont think 3 or 7 will happen, but they are at least realistic

 

[HugeInTheShire]

1. Calgary will finish top 3 overall in the league.

2. Tampa will be a wild card team.

3. Ottawa will disappoint, finishing out of the playoff picture by a fair margin.

4. NYR will take a big step back, missing the playoffs.

5. Columbus will finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic.

6. Pittsburgh will finish above Carolina.

7. Toronto will make the SCF.

8. Montreal will be better than expected, finishing out of the bottom 5.

9. Sorokin will win the Vezina.

10. McAvoy will win the Norris.

Blue Jackets are in the Metro, so I think it'll be tough for them to finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Blue Jackets are in the Metro, so I think it'll be tough for them to finish 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic

Oops, meant Metro

 

[Buck Naked]

Sorokin winning the Vezina is really not that much of a hot take. Should've been a finalist this past season.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

Sorokin winning the Vezina is really not that much of a hot take. Should've been a finalist this past season.

Vegas disagrees, it's a very clear gap between the top 2 and everyone else.

 

[Buck Naked]

Vegas disagrees, it's a very clear gap between the top 2 and everyone else.

Vegas is stupid.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Voted none

 

[The Nuge]

Went with none. I debated Ottawa because I think they still miss the playoffs, but I don’t think they miss by much

 

[treple13]

There's a lot of bad teams. I voted Montreal isn't bottom 5 (although they still won't be good)

 

[wabagee]

Wouldn’t Ottawa making the playoffs be the hot take?

 

[byrath]

None, in the sense that I wouldn't give any of them 50%+ chances of happening. Tampa as a wild card team is the most likely option for me.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Voted #8. I don't see Montreal as locked into last...and 25th overall isn't exactly the territory of "excellence". Nick Suzuki even talked of contending for a wild-card slot.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Wouldn’t Ottawa making the playoffs be the hot take?

I think so, yeah.

 

[The Red Line]

Just the Ottawa one. Not because they're bad but the hype has been over the top. I think they'll take a year to settle into the new culture there. Plus the other tough teams in the division and conference still being very good.

 

[jetsforever]

Ottawa/Pittsburgh

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Probably none of them. Sorokin could win the Vezina, but I'm not predicting it.

 

[Tufted Titmouse]

How my takes are looking so far:

1. Calgary will finish top 3 overall in the league. GOOD

2. Tampa will be a wild card team. GOOD

3. Ottawa will disappoint, finishing out of the playoff picture by a fair margin. MAYBE

4. NYR will take a big step back, missing the playoffs. MAYBE

5. Columbus will finish 1st or 2nd in the Metro. BAD

6. Pittsburgh will finish above Carolina. GOOD

7. Toronto will make the SCF. BAD

8. Montreal will be better than expected, finishing out of the bottom 5. GOOD

9. Sorokin will win the Vezina. MAYBE

10. McAvoy will win the Norris. GOOD

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Fun options. I voted for:

3. Ottawa will disappoint.

5. Pittsburgh will finish above Carolina (they'll both be top teams, I can see this 50/50, but picked it).

Hesitated over:

- Tampa will be a wildcard. Honestly - they'll make the playoffs, never in doubt. Whether high in standings or not, it's less important to them. If they're a wildcard, they'll be the type of wildcard where you were always sure they'd make it - and they do. So, not a huge stretch

- Rangers taking a big step back. I think it's very possible. Relying on your goalie playing as good as last year isn't exactly sustainable. Flipside is, they do have a ton of talent who can step up to compensate. I think they have a worst regular season, but probably still qualify, maybe as a wildcard.

As for Habs - if Price returns, I'd vote that one in a heartbeat. With no Price, no way. Could they finish 6th or 7th form bottom instead of bottom 5 or lower? I suppose, but hardly makes a difference - they'll be a very poor team.

Very early but as disappointing as the Rangers have been the last 3 games the reason they've been disappointing has NOT been over reliance on goaltending. They've arguably outplayed the other team in each game so far, outside of a period here or there (most notably the third period against the Sharks). Last year they'd get outplayed almost every night until the trade deadline acquisitions.

 

[wintersej]

How my takes are looking so far:

1. Calgary will finish top 3 overall in the league. GOOD

2. Tampa will be a wild card team. GOOD

3. Ottawa will disappoint, finishing out of the playoff picture by a fair margin. MAYBE

4. NYR will take a big step back, missing the playoffs. MAYBE

5. Columbus will finish 1st or 2nd in the Metro. BAD

6. Pittsburgh will finish above Carolina. GOOD

7. Toronto will make the SCF. BAD

8. Montreal will be better than expected, finishing out of the bottom 5. GOOD

9. Sorokin will win the Vezina. MAYBE

10. McAvoy will win the Norris. GOOD

McAvoy hasn’t even allowed a single shot while he has been on the ice and hasn’t even had one offensive zone start!

 

[HabzSauce]

This is a great list so far