2014-2015 Season Predictions

[Alexdaman]

We get the wild card.

 

[Grant McCagg]

I don't see Boston finishing ahead of the Hab this season...I see the Bruins coming back down to the pack. Thornton, Boychuck and Iginla..that's a lot of veteran leadership, grit and size gone from the lineup.


How many of Boston's core players are 25 or younger and still improving? Hamilton, Krug and Reilly Smith. ..perhaps Matt Fraser becomes a core guy.

Habs have Subban, Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Eller, Beaulieu. Bournival and Tinordi all under 26 and on the upswing....stands to reason that the above group will improve more than Chara, Bergeron, Krejci, Lucic, McQuaid, Seidenberg, etc. Boston adds Spooner as a young player..Montreal adds Sekac.

Montreal beat Boston in the playoffs as well......For me the Habs have their deepest club in 20 years. They're more than five lines deep with NHL talent I think, and at least 8 deep on the blueline. I think they will be able to overcome injuries at every position with the exception of Price of course, but that goes for most teams.

I think the Habs win the east.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

I don't see Boston finishing ahead of the Hab this season...I see the Bruins coming back down to the pack. Thornton, Boychuck and Iginla..that's a lot of veteran leadership, grit and size gone from the lineup.


How many of Boston's core players are 25 or younger and still improving? Hamilton, Krug and Reilly Smith. ..perhaps Matt Fraser becomes a core guy.

Habs have Subban, Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Eller, Beaulieu. Bournival and Tinordi all under 26 and on the upswing....stands to reason that the above group will improve more than Chara, Bergeron, Krejci, Lucic, McQuaid, Seidenberg, etc. Boston adds Spooner as a young player..Montreal adds Sekac.

Montreal beat Boston in the playoffs as well......For me the Habs have their deepest club in 20 years. They're more than five lines deep with NHL talent I think, and at least 8 deep on the blueline. I think they will be able to overcome injuries at every position with the exception of Price of course, but that goes for most teams.

I think the Habs win the east.

Your assessment carries a lot of weight, Grant. Even at 51, I'm giddy with excitement. Drop the puck!

 

[deandebean]

Not as optimistic as my buddy Grant. This will be a year of a small setback before 'the promise land'. Kids will have to assert teir leadership, and it's not as easy as some may think. They have one of the worst month of October in recent years, and could suffer through an early rough patch. Leadership will be tested early.

I see youth taking control, but with youthfullness comes instability. Price will need to be miraculous.

I see them finish 7th or 8th.

 

[Rapala]

Your assessment carries a lot of weight, Grant. Even at 51, I'm giddy with excitement. Drop the puck!

Not so sure Thornton Iginla and Boychuck are more of a loss than Gio Gorges and Budaj in veteran leadership. The Bruins have a huge advantage in structure and stability over the Habs.
We are deep no question but we are bottom 6 deep.
If we don't improve our ES numbers and our PP numbers we will be in for a rough ride.
Chances are our PK rating falls from last year.
I'm a little bit concerned with AG getting stifled on Plecky's line.
PAP is a complete mystery as to what he can bring to DD and Max.
Gallagher gonna get jumped around some again?

Hopefully I completely wrong.

 

[Mr Fox]

I know people don't like bumping old threads, but I always see posters writing "It will be fun to revisit next year" but I have never seen it done.

So here is the 2014-2015 predictions thread. I saw a few that were actually pretty accurate (Price Vezina, Conn Smythe and all).

 

[Lshap]

Interesting to look back, but any new predictions belong in the current Predictions thread. Closed.