Bold prediction thread for 19-20 season

[Buffalo Norsemen]

Sabres go on 10 game unbeaten streak and still do not make the playoffs. I know it sounds impossible but...

 

[Chainshot]

Casey Mittelstadt grows a beard.

We talking Shakespearean or a real beard?

 

[Fezzy126]

Casey Mittelstadt grows a beard.

Casey Mittelstadt rocks a man bun

(do the Casey = Macaulay comparisons qualify as dad/old man jokes?)

 

[littletonhockeycoach]

Casey Mittelstadt grows a beard.

First he has to lose his baby fat.....

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

Yes, changes have been made. Ralph seems like a solid coach. But I do not see enough change or improvement yet to think we will be in the playoff race. Perhaps Ullmark steps it up, perhaps the D are world beaters and make up for a poor bottom 6, perhaps Botts can still acquire a top 6F or 2C but for now...

84 Pts.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Fjordy]

75-80 points and Botterill fired.

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

Eichel requests trade after another sh*t show season.

 

[Buffaloed]

Suppose the Sabres outperform expectations and are sitting in a playoff spot as the trade deadline approaches. Larsson and Girgensons are both being talked about as Selke candidates. Vesey and Sheary are 20 goal scorers. Even Scott Wilson and Vladimir Sobotka have teams inquiring about their availability. Bogosian, Scandella, and Nelson are also pending UFA's. What do you do? Trade them for picks before they can walk in the Summer and knock yourself out of the playoffs? Try to re-sign some before the deadline? Hang onto them all?

 

[Jim Bob]

Suppose the Sabres outperform expectations and are sitting in a playoff spot as the trade deadline approaches. Larsson and Girgensons are both being talked about as Selke candidates. Vesey and Sheary are 20 goal scorers. Even Scott Wilson and Vladimir Sobotka have teams inquiring about their availability. Bogosian, Scandella, and Nelson are also pending UFA's. What do you do? Trade them for picks before they can walk in the Summer and knock yourself out of the playoffs? Try to re-sign some before the deadline? Hang onto them all?

Improve your playoff chances by trading Bogosian & Scandella to teams that are overly desperate for "veteran D depth" and play the kids.

 

[Doohickie]

Sabres will have a 20-goal scoring defenseman not named Rasmus Dahlin.

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

 

[jc17]

Marco and vlad get scratched/hurt early, the team performs better, Marco and vlad are re-inserted into the lineup

 

[Scherbs]

Casey Mittelstadt rocks a man bun

(do the Casey = Macaulay comparisons qualify as dad/old man jokes?)

I thought this was Robin Lehner for 4 seconds too long.

 

[stokes84]

Eichel requests trade after another sh*t show season.

This made me audibly sigh. I could definitely see this happening.

 

[TehDoak]

I mean, I think we see an overall improvement (about 90% of it coming from Dahlin being incredible), but poor goaltending and secondary scoring issues (and Skinner likely regressing back to his normal 30-ish goal form) doom us.

My predictions:

Dahlin gets 50+ pts
Eichel continues at greater than a PPG pace.
Olofsson gets 25+ goals
Skinner gets 30-ish goals
The Johanssen at center experiment lasts less than 10 games
The underlying numbers overall are better (due to an improved defense) but the results only uptick a little (we finish with anywhere between 80-90 points)

 

[Aladyyn]

I mean, I think we see an overall improvement (about 90% of it coming from Dahlin being incredible), but poor goaltending and secondary scoring issues (and Skinner likely regressing back to his normal 30-ish goal form) doom us.

My predictions:

Dahlin gets 50+ pts
Eichel continues at greater than a PPG pace.
Olofsson gets 25+ goals
Skinner gets 30-ish goals
The Johanssen at center experiment lasts less than 10 games
The underlying numbers overall are better (due to an improved defense) but the results only uptick a little (we finish with anywhere between 80-90 points)

If Skinner plays away from both Eichel and Reinhart then we can't talk about regression.

 

[Jim Bob]

https://www.tsn.ca/31-bold-predictions-avalanche-will-hoist-the-stanley-cup-1.1375254

4. BUFFALO - Jason Botterill’s future as Sabres GM will be up for debate after Buffalo doesn’t come close to the playoffs for the third straight season on his watch. Maybe Botterill’s biggest win will be finding a way to keep perennial 40-point defenceman and minute-eater Rasmus Ristolainen happy and on the Buffalo blueline.

 

[sabrebuild]

Slightly bold prediction, Olofsson pots 30, and becomes our number one shooter on the pp.

Bolder, Reinhart breaks 70 points and we collectively cringe at the ensuing contract.

Boldest, Dahlin takes la leap, breaks 60 points, and becomes Neo on ice, stopping bullets and flexing on the whole league.

 

[Snippit]

It seems like everyone has high expectations for VO so my 50 point prediction no longer feels as bold.

New bold prediction: Dahlin eclipses 60 points

 

[Jim Bob]

Skinner doesn't net 30 goals

VO tops 20 goals

Dahlin finishes top 5 in Norris voting

 

[TehDoak]

If Skinner plays away from both Eichel and Reinhart then we can't talk about regression.

Ah yes, the excuses are already starting

Maybe we shouldn't have given him 9.5 million dollars if he needs an elite center to put up elite numbers?

 

[Aladyyn]

Ah yes, the excuses are already starting

Maybe we shouldn't have given him 9.5 million dollars if he needs an elite center to put up elite numbers?

1) Not an excuse, just explaining how point totals work
2) He's not getting 9.5 million dollars
3) Since when is Reinhart a center?

I could go on but I feel like it would be pointless.

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

Bott's hides out in the Regier bunker this week and Mrs. Pegula comes knocking with his severance package.

 

[Buffalo Norsemen]

Sabres go on 10 game unbeaten streak and still do not make the playoffs. I know it sounds impossible but...

I was pretty close!