As of right now how do you think the regular season will go?

[Scouter]

Will they make the playoffs or not?

Here is what I think, I say the Sedins will have at least 60 point seasons, with Desjardins as coach they won't be as bad as last year, depth of course could be an issue, I would like to see them add people, I see the Sharks as a declining team, I'm not sure Dallas can repeat their performance, same goes for the Wild, so I will say their chances to make the playoffs are decent, except Nashville are maybe looking better, but I question their coach.

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[Index]

Canucks barely miss playoffs

Henrik 65
Daniel 52
Vrabata 58
Stanton 9

Crosby-108
Tavares-98
Spezza- 54

PAP-45
Hall-80

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

We finish 9th or 10th, although I do anticipate better numbers from the Sedins and an overall better performance. I am just not convinced we'll be able to push our way into the dogpile even if we'll fight for it. That said, this is based primarily on the status quo. If Kassian puts it altogether, Bonino proves last year was his breakout, Jensen/Horvat/whomever hit their stride and etc. Things could very quickly change for us - all for the better.

But as it stands. My prediction is...

1. St. Louis
2. Anaheim
3. Chicago
4. Los Angeles
5. Dallas
6. Colorado
7. San Jose
8. Minnesota
9. Vancouver
10. Nashville
11. Calgary
12. Edmonton
13. Phoenix
14. Winnipeg

 

[mangdas]

How will the Stars not repeat their performance from last year? They just added a potent 2nd line of Spezza-Hemsky. If anything Arizona will hopefully fall but they always seem to contend for that 8th spot.

I however think the Nucks will do better than last year, and when looking at last year and all the botched 3rd period leads that led to regulation or OT losses, they would have made the playoffs. I think we can clinch a playoff spot this year and hopefully bring along some young players for the ride.

 

[Ventana*]

Playoffs. Will make it over Minnesota or San Jose in the wild card.

 

[Scouter]

How will the Stars not repeat their performance from last year? They just added a potent 2nd line of Spezza-Hemsky. If anything Arizona will hopefully fall but they always seem to contend for that 8th spot.

I however think the Nucks will do better than last year, and when looking at last year and all the botched 3rd period leads that led to regulation or OT losses, they would have made the playoffs. I think we can clinch a playoff spot this year and hopefully bring along some young players for the ride.

Yeah the Stars should do well with that line, but only if they can stay healthy, they aren't exactly the strongest players, in the difficult west you need to be tough as well as skilled.

Arizona just downgraded going from Ribeiro to Gagner, so I expect them to be less of a threat.

 

[just22]

In the wildcard race until the very end when it falls apart in typical Vancouver fashion.

 

[Index]

Playoffs. Will make it over Minnesota or San Jose in the wild card.

Hopefully your right.

 

[Index]

How will the Stars not repeat their performance from last year? They just added a potent 2nd line of Spezza-Hemsky. If anything Arizona will hopefully fall but they always seem to contend for that 8th spot.

I however think the Nucks will do better than last year, and when looking at last year and all the botched 3rd period leads that led to regulation or OT losses, they would have made the playoffs. I think we can clinch a playoff spot this year and hopefully bring along some young players for the ride.

I'd be surprised if none of them get injured in the first half season.
I don't want to say weak, but they are playing in the west..

 

[CherryToke]

Make the playoffs and upset Kesler and his Ducks in the first round.

 

[Catch]

I think many of last seasons problems have been identified and addressed. Will we return to former glory? No, but a wild card position is very likely.

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

Anywhere from 6th-10th.

I do think the Twins will bounce back to around PPG and it will be a far more positive experience compared to this past season. I know I'm in the minority, but I've really enjoyed what Linden/Benning have done so far (still iffy on Garrison but the cap space was put to good use). Besides, there is no way it can go as badly as it did last year, and if it does, we get to draft a great player; win-win as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Free Edler]

7-72-3, last in the NHL, everyone gets fired, lose the draft lottery and drop to #2 overall.

Did I do it right, Pauser?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I voted miss, but I still think we have a rebound season. West is just too strong, we miss by 4-10 points, with a closely grouped bunch including Nashville, Winnipeg and Phoenerzona. Calgary and Edmonton continue to suck donkey balls, but miss out on McEichel in drafting 3rd and 5th.

 

[Fat Tony]

7-72-3, last in the NHL, everyone gets fired, lose the draft lottery and drop to #2 overall.

Did I do it right, Pauser?

Number 2 in this draft is better than number 1 in most years.

 

[Index]

Make the playoffs and upset Kesler and his Ducks in the first round.

 

[Index]

Number 2 in this draft is better than number 1 in most years.

What on Earth? Tavares, Hall, Crosby, Ovi, MacKinnon, Stamkos, Kane.

Edit Sorry, read that wrong.

Edit2 But that's still a good argument to your statement still

 

[Powder]

I did the math shortly after we signed Vrbata, and if everyone on our team has roughly career average years in terms of point production, we should be roughly 10th to 15th in terms of goals for in the league.

Considering our defence was considered terrible last year and we ended up 15th in goals against in the league, if that slightly improves (with the signing of Miller and an improvement in team defence), I think we have a 50/50 chance in terms of beating a team like Minnesota who is in the same ballpark in terms of goal differential.

It's a really basic way of looking at things but it's a decent predictor in terms of positioning. I think it comes down to which team can go on a long hot streak, avoid a long cold streak, and avoid big long-term injuries to their key players.

I think people underestimate the difference a coaching change can make. This team is not nearly as bad as they were last year as a good majority had or nearly had career-worst years. If Desjardins is as good as he's hyped up to be, he should have no problems getting our team back to their average (and expected) level of play.

I'm just hoping that if we don't make the playoffs, this will be the year the lottery draft finally takes a team that nearly made the playoffs: us (see: Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA).

No point in stressing.

 

[MikeK]

Miss the playoffs.

I do not see a playoff team when I look at the rest of the West. We may not have the same drama surrounding the team this coming season but the results will be very close to the same. This team is going to struggle for a few years so we all better get use to the idea.

 

[LeftCoast]

I think we will be right on the edge. The one thing that is hard to factor in is coaching.

 

[NoShowWilly]

more entertaining then the last 2 years. have us projected to be likely 9th or 10th with the Jets.

Lots of question marks and since we missed last year we don't get the benefit of the doubt on those question marks.

 

[Bure All Day]

No, but thanks to the signings of Vrbata and Miller (even though I don't think Miller is much of an upgrade over Lack) we'll probably finish 9th or 10th in the West rather than 12th-14th

 

[Royal Canuck]

6th-11th, in that range probably.

I'll say they squeak in at 8.

 

[opendoor]

I did the math shortly after we signed Vrbata, and if everyone on our team has roughly career average years in terms of point production, we should be roughly 10th to 15th in terms of goals for in the league.

Considering our defence was considered terrible last year and we ended up 15th in goals against in the league, if that slightly improves (with the signing of Miller and an improvement in team defence), I think we have a 50/50 chance in terms of beating a team like Minnesota who is in the same ballpark in terms of goal differential.

It's a really basic way of looking at things but it's a decent predictor in terms of positioning. I think it comes down to which team can go on a long hot streak, avoid a long cold streak, and avoid big long-term injuries to their key players.

I think people underestimate the difference a coaching change can make. This team is not nearly as bad as they were last year as a good majority had or nearly had career-worst years. If Desjardins is as good as he's hyped up to be, he should have no problems getting our team back to their average (and expected) level of play.

I'm just hoping that if we don't make the playoffs, this will be the year the lottery draft finally takes a team that nearly made the playoffs: us (see: Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA).

No point in stressing.

What kind of prediction would that type of analysis have yielded last year though? Or the year before? The team hasn't been able to score for about 200 games now, so I'm not sure assuming that everyone will return to career averages is a safe bet.

Even assuming the Sedins bounce back to around point per game numbers and produce about 1.20-1.30 G/G, are the bottom 3 lines really going to be capable of producing the 1.40-1.50 G/G needed to get them into the top 15? I'm skeptical given that teams like LA and PIT only got 1.20-1.30 G/G out of their bottom 9 and teams with great depth like San Jose were only getting about 1.50 G/G (which is about what the Canucks got in 10-11).

I mean yeah, if you take a list of players and sum their averages together you might get decent totals, but are there going to be enough minutes to go around to achieve those numbers? Higgins likely isn't going to score 40 points if he's getting 15 minutes a night rather than the 19 he got this year. And a guy like Richardson is unlikely to put up 10 goals and 25 points if he's actually used as a 4th line center.

 

[kcunac]

Around number 8 so hard to say. I went with miss the playoffs.