Annual "Where will the Canes finish?" Poll

[FaulkYouAho]

i agree but disagree. i think bubble team and also i think Columbus and Philly are not as good as the rest of the them. Columbus i think will take a huge step back because of how they had so many career years last year. i only agree that they will be just as good is if Bob can win another vezina and werenski and the rest of the guys can keep up their career years. Philly, they are no where close to us. i think that the isles are closer to a play off team than them. Philly has a goalie problem, lack of defensive depth and lack of depth forwards while they have enough star power to overpower it making them look better than they really are. Isles don't have a starter unless nuverith plays the way he played the year before last, have semi good forward depth and have decent defense. My projected Record 40-25-17 Points 97 GD +15

 

[FaulkYouAho]

so many things wrong with that @MinJaBen idk how to quote post anymore... so i just tag u like that. first off avs better than vancouver devils and knights? Projected from points with reasons.
1st. Tampa (110)- If stamkos can stay healthy and is on a line with kucherov and point anything can happen. i think point would have a 50 point season and kuch and stammer with 100 points. only time i think that Pittsburgh can be topped
2nd. Pittsburgh(106)- They lost a few players and don't have a 4th line center. their defense is getting worse with the exit of Hainsey. Malkin Guentzel and Crosby with all 60+ points unless Crosby gets injured then they could also drop in the rankings
3rd. Chicago(105)- Toews has been on the downfall but they hope to spark him with Saad. Toews and Kane actually requested a trade for Saad so i think that the locker room will improve and that will improve their play.
4th. Dallas(104)- All they did was improve over the offseason. Got a better goalie, already had a decent defense and great offense but improved on both with the additions of Methot and Hanzal. It was really hard to put Dallas behind Chicago.
5th. Calgary(103)- They hopefully found the answer in net with last years all star goalie Mike Smith and Eddie Lack. Their defense is elite and their forwards are decent with some additions of prospects.
6th. Anaheim(101)- Another great young team but with a horrible fan base. They have that mix of veteran prescence and young kids that can play. i think that everyone takes a small step in their young core and their older guys will stay around the same they can keep it up.
7th. Edmonton(100)- Its the generational talent effect. Him and Draisaitl just got huge contracts and need to take the next step. If they do they could be even higher than this in the standings while mcdavid can make players like maroon into 30 goal scorers.
8th. Washington(99)- They took a major step back. i hated putting them much higher than this but i think they should be here.
9th. Toronto(99)- With all of their younger players if they can make the next step they can do it. Their defense improved a little bit but is still mediocre but with Freddie anderson in net i don't think that they will have a problem.
10th. NYR(98)- Could drop a couple of spots but i highly doubt will. Most of the division got worse but if some of their older players take a step back they might not be here.
11th. NYI(97)- This is a team that doesn't have a clear cut starter with Halak and Greiss but has enough depth to stay with the best.
12th. Carolina(97)- Already know why. One of the most improved teams in the NHL and if everyone takes that next step forward and Derek Ryan stays on pace for his 100 some goals (thats a joke BTW) we could possibly be higher.
13th. Montreal(96)- Carey Price carrying them ahead of ottowa. very hard to put them in front of Ottowa but Carey Price will Carey them (if you get the pun) past them.
14th. Ottowa(94)- Better forwards and Defense than Montreal but don't have that top 5 goalie in the league to carry them past them.
15th. Predators(93)- I think they should be higher but i also think with the no 2nd line center they won't contend again until they get one again.
This is all for now as i have to go to a HS football game (i am a marching band member) and i am tired of writing for now after all that is a entire google docs post. will probably post rest tommorrow.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

thanks for sharing one of your google docs with us

there is no chance montreal finishes ahead of ottowa

 

[FaulkYouAho]

i said it was hard for me to do it.

 

[FaulkYouAho]

going to start editing it to do 16-31. so go back and look at it in a few minutes. will just put it as edit post and not do 2 entire posts

 

[geehaad]

We're on a 164-point pace, atm. Most of you guys are way off your projections already.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Everyone but me and few others: read this, feel dumb and recognize I know better than you do

 

[WreckingCrew]

Everyone but me and few others: read this, feel dumb and recognize I know better than you do

FWIW, I don't think any of us will be foolish enough to be optimistic at the start of next season...I think this year finally broke many/most of us entirely

 

[Novacane]

I believe we’ll make it but it all rides on Darling being able to handle a heavy workload

Definitely the best I’ve felt about them in years

f***ing RIP

 

[Joe McGrath]

I realize a lot of you wrote it hinged on Darling and my was that ever the case. Ward getting 46 points in 41 starts was more than anyone could’ve hoped for. And Darling puts up 33 in 39 in addition to average goalie numbers if this were the early 80s. f*** that guy

 

[MinJaBen]

I voted bubble but not making it. Not because I don’t think we’ll be better, but because I think there are legitimately 12 teams in the East that could make the playoffs.

Close. But it turns out we were close because a lot of teams stunk, not because a lot of teams were better or we were better.

 

[Breakdowns]

I voted bubble but in, but I am quietly feeling that we can be top3 metro team if Darling and Ward plays good enough.

I am a little bit concerned about Darling, but if he is legit #1 like Talbot and Jones situation in San Jose and Edmonton - I really feel like our team will be good. There is no huge gap between top teams in metro and us IMO if Darling is #1.

Caps and Pens will be a bit worse this season for sure.
Jackets didnt play very good all season long, their win streak really helped them.
Rangers are hovering, but I think we can be better than them.
Philly has good prospects but their goaltenders are not that good, I think they need at least a year if not 2.
Devils is rock bottom of our division for sure.

I think we can be 3rd in Metro. Fingers crossed.

I was concerned about Darling from the start - didn't expect it to be as bad as it went though.

Caps and Pens are a bit worse.
Jackets are not as good as last season.
We are better than Rangers.
Philly got carried by their stars.
I was completely wrong about Devils, but who knew that would change for 180 degrees.

I f***ing hate Darling.

 

[RodTheBawd]

I was comfortably in and a big proponent of Darling... no hesitation in saying I was dead f***ing wrong across the board.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I went from bottom 5 in the league 2 years ago (and was wrong) to bubble team that misses last year (which was "kinda" right). I think they'll be a bubble team this year and am just not sure if they make it or miss. As I said in the other thread.

- NYR, PIT, WSH and probably CLB are good bets to make it from the Metro.
- 3 of BOS, TOR, MTL, OTT, and TBL will make it from the Atlantic.

So that leaves 1 spot for Car, Philly (who, if they have decent goaltending will be much better), NYI, and 2 of BOS, TOR, MTL, OTT and TBL. That's assuming someone like Buffalo and FLA doesn't surprise as well. It's going to be tough and there isn't a lot of margin for error here.

I'm going with bubble team that makes it. I'm not convinced of this by any means, but I think this is a year they are best suited to do it.

I wasn't too far off. I had most of the teams right other than swapping NJ for NYR and thought it would come down to Philly, which is currently holding the last wild card spot. I never thought our goaltending would be worse than the season before though and although I wasn't very confident, I thought they'd squeak in.

 

[Ole Gil]

I realize a lot of you wrote it hinged on Darling and my was that ever the case. Ward getting 46 points in 41 starts was more than anyone could’ve hoped for. And Darling puts up 33 in 39 in addition to average goalie numbers if this were the early 80s. **** that guy

That's the real sick to our stomach aspect. If Ward is good enough to get 46 in 41. A good goalie should be able to get 50 in the other 41, right? That'd be 96. The expectations for Darling really only needed to be "a bit better than Ward", and that turned out to be so far beyond his reach it was tear inducing.

This season is such a shame. But I'm ready to get back on the optimism train once Peters and Darling are sent away.

Also, the special teams. The PP sometimes looks unstoppable, but they seemed to forget how to do it for months at a time. And the PK was a disaster. Hopefully Coach Smith gets shown the door as well. His season was an underrated dumpster fire.

 

[MinJaBen]

But I'm ready to get back on the optimism train once Peters and Darling are sent away.

So....you are going to setup a tent in the station, then?

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

As for this year, I think the defense stays just as good as they were last year. I have a funny feeling that Slavin will regress slightly (no shame in that, he was incredible last year). Hanifin is a guy I'd expect to make a major leap. Pesce will be just as solid, and I think Faulk makes less mental errors while still putting up points.

The only weakness from our defense last year was an abysmal bottom pairing, and I think TVR will fix that. Whether it's Fleury, Carrick, or whoever, that pairing will be improved from Matt Tennyson who is pretty bad.

As for the forwards, I think we look a lot like the Rangers from past years; no real centerpiece (closest we have is Skinner), but we will roll 3 lines that we are confident can score and a 4th that can shut teams down. While there is no real superstar in our forward group, there's also no real weakness when you look at all four lines. Teams can make the playoffs with that.

Specifically in the forward group I am excited to see what TT can do to step up. Fancystats LOVED him last year even with modest point totals, and so far this preseason he's showing some improved offense.

Goaltending is a toss-up, but honestly even if we get bottom 1/3rd goaltending again this year it does seem like the other improvements could make up for it. We got close-ish last year with awful goaltending, it's hard to believe Darling won't at least be a modest improvement.


Finally, as a whole, this was one of the youngest teams in the league last year. It's not unrealistic to expect some natural progression across the board. I think the addition of Williams, while adding some scoring and a percent or two on the PP, is especially a good development move. He seems to be ready to embrace a mentor role, and I think sometimes the value of such a thing is scoffed at. But I think it just might help some of these other kids to improve.


I think with some of the young guys we are seeing step up across the board, this team is more "injury-proof" than it has ever been. Wallmark can come up if we've got a center injury. Zykov, PDG, or maybe even a Saarela or Kuokkanen for wingers. Carrick (if he gets sent down) on defense. The value for this year in having all of these young guys making final rosters decisions difficult is that it gives us the luxury of not having to be the healthiest team in the league to succeed.


Overall, I think this team gets a wildcard spot. But honestly, I think it's got potential to do even more than that. I don't think a playoff spot is guaranteed, so I will be happy even if we sneak in on the last game of the season. But I do think there's a realistic chance that we are somewhat comfortable with our position with 5-10 games left.

I got an odd amount right for having a season prediction that is so wrong...

In fairness, it still is hard to believe Darling wasn’t at least a modest improvement. It’s incredibly hard to believe his level of play this year.

 

[NotOpie]

Can't find my prediction.....might have successfully dodged that bullet as I was very bullish at the beginning of the season. Optimism is the cruelest mistress.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Can't find my prediction.....might have successfully dodged that bullet as I was very bullish at the beginning of the season. Optimism is the cruelest mistress.

You just were lucky that when they switched over to the new boards, the polls from the old boards disappeared so we can't see your vote.

 

[DaveG]

I figured correctly at the beginning of the season that the rest of the top teams in the Metro last year would take a step back. That happened. I also had us over NYI and NYR. But seriously where the f*** did NJ come from? This is like that season that Colorado fluked their way in to a division title a few years back that was bookended by seasons of "turrible" and dead last in the new central. Though Hall is better then anyone from Colorado was that season by a decent margin.

Also f*** you Scott Darling, f*** you.

 

[Wolfpuck]

It's always painful to dredge these threads up at the end of every single season...

 

[Tryamw]

Totally botched my expectations. Darling I thought could be solid. (he's solid all right like Fish net. except designed to catch whales )I thought we'd finally ge tot the playoff promised land. At this point for next yet I'll just say Somewhere on the outside looking in (AGAIN!#@$@#$%R@#%$#@R%#@R%@#@%#@%#@%#@%$#@%#@%)

 

[NotOpie]

You just were lucky that when they switched over to the new boards, the polls from the old boards disappeared so we can't see your vote.

Oh I fully own my unrealistic optimism....like a broken clock I have the potential to be right....mostly because of mechanical failure.

In all seriousness, I thought we'd be more than a bubble team and competitive for the 3rd spot in he division....so whatever option that was, that's the one I'd have selected.

 

[Stickpucker]

If someone said before the season we would finish ahead of both NY teams I don't think we would have expected to be this frustrated.