Bold Predictions for 18/19

[Henkka]

You think Rasmussen will be better than Mantha?

Yes.

Everybody will love him since the day 1.

 

[Mister Ed]

Holland makes a trade for Faulk or a similar defensemen before the season starts.
Hronek makes his way on the D corps, outplaying everyone at the start of year, making the other D play better because of his competitive spirit.
Bertuzzi is a 50+ points player, and plays like Brad Marchand circa 2011.
Bernier plays 2/3 of the season as #1.
Detroit somehow ends up squeaking into the 2nd Wildcard spot.
Zadina and Rasmussen finish top-5 in voting for the Calder trophy.

I opted for a more optimistic outlook.

 

[Shaman464]

Bertuzzi, sans Zetterberg regresses to 0.25 ppg.

The Red Wings stand pat at the TDL because they will be within 5 points of 3rd in the Atlantic. The wheels come off after and they finish bottom 3.

Cholo gets severely outplayed by Hronek but still gets the first call up because Holland wants to save face.

Zadina, when called up, is a ppg player and paces at .5 gpg.

Howard's numbers fall to .905 save percentage

Ken Holland, while hanging on for dear life is told by Chris Illitch that he is in fact Holland's father. Holland responds 'No, that's not true, that's impossible!" To which Chris responds, "yeah you got me, but it's a cool line".

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Zetterberg - plays 20-30 games later in the season, gets farewell tour, then LTIR.

Howard - traded by TDL or sooner for low 2nd. Doesn't resign in '19, as KH "lowballs" him w/2 yrs. @ $4M.

...Bernier plays 50+ games, does a decent job as a stop-gap replacement for next 2-3 yrs.

Nyquist - traded by midseason, stays in TOP 6 til then to be showcased. Resigns for 3-4 yrs. @ 4.75M

AA -ups his value by playing with Vanek on 3rd line & then traded w/B-level prospect or 3rd for Faulk or similar value Top 4 Dman. (Faulk's offensive #'s regress w/CAR. for a 4th straight season, lowering his value, his Defensive game is still CRAP, but he is slightly quicker having shed 10 lbs. in the offseason). Faulk signs 4-5 yrs @ $4.9M.

DDK - 30+pts. & rock solid D!

Bertuzzi - 50 pts, he is our Marchand, but not as dirty.

Svech - starts in GR, called up in Nov., has 35-40 pts.

Hronek - starts in GR, called up in Nov., has 30 pts.

Raz - makes DRW, has 40+ pts, 20+ on PP.

Green - rebounds & hits 50 pts!...finally on PP#1

Daley - traded. Replaced by Faulk ^^

Big E - traded @ TDL & replaced by Cholowski

Kronner - 20-30 games, then LTIR, replaced by Hronek.

Hicketts & Sulak as # 7/#8 by TDL...Witk is needed on 4th line F.

LGD - traded for 3rd & 5th, replaced by Turgeon.

Powerplay is revamped:

PP#1: Bert-Larkin-Mantha-Nyquist-Green

PP#2: Nielsen-Svech-Raz-Vanek-Hronek

Helm & Abby- 35+pts each, solid D & PK.

Zadina - 9 game cup of coffee later in season...but shreds GR.

After TDL:

DDK-Green
Cholo-Faulk
Jensen-Hronek
Sulak-Hicketts

Raz-Larks-Mantha
Bert-Nielsen-Vanek
Abby-Helm-Svech
Wit-Turgeon-Frk

We finish bottom 3-4...We win the lottery & Draft#1 Jack Hughes or best Dman.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

also AA meshes well with CAR, then pulls a quasi-Cheechoo in '19-'20 by scoring 35+ goals, still subpar & lazy defensively, but signs a FAT contract, then regresses to a 40pt. player for the duration of contract.

Meanwhile Faulk flourishes with DRW & scores 40+ each year after he signs his 4-5 yr. DRW contract, while improving defensively & KH is touted a genius for winning the trade.

 

[lilidk]

Will have about 6 games loosing strake Blush will be fired this year , after that team will bring Hronek and Zadina . We will get Hughes next year and then in 5 years we will Stanly cup

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Larkin plays a game.

I win.

 

[KJoe88]

Larkin gets 80P

Mantha scores 40G

Zadina starts the season and scores at least 20G

Holland trades for Faulk.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Larkin gets 80P

Mantha scores 40G

Zadina starts the season and scores at least 20G

Holland trades for Faulk.

I Really hope you're right!!!

 

[19 for president]

1. AA is traded before or early in the season for a dman.
2. Ras-Larkin-Mantha make up one of the most lethal PP units in the league
3. Ras goes 25/25 and is the best net front player we've had since Franzen.
4. Bert (55pts)-Larkin (80)-Mantha (70)
5. Mantha scores 30, Larkin 25.
6. Nielson has a bit of resurgence returning to the 2nd line center position after Z retires.
7. Abby, Glen, and Helm cement themselves as the most overpaid and defensively average 4th line in the league.
8. Ericsson and DD have solid seasons
9. Green only puts up about 35 points
10. Howard is actually really solid and does a 3/4 split with Bernier who is also solid.
11. Nyquist is traded at the deadline but only gets a mid 2nd. Vanek stays, Daley is dealt for a 4th. Howard is dealt to the isles for a 3rd.
12. Zadina gets an 8 game look but looks a bit overwhelmed so he gets sent down until post deadline.
13. Hickets makes the team
14. Svech surprises with a good camp, plays well for a month or so in the AHL before making the wings permanently.
15. Wings finish better than many expect but still miss the playoffs. Get a 3rd overall pull in thr lottery.

 

[KJoe88]

I Really hope you're right!!!

I thought it was bold enough, but not completely out of his world.

Just... bold

 

[jkutswings]

All these predictions of great production from the young forwards would be fun to watch...but are each one of them routinely going coast to coast, or who's suddenly able to provide a transition game to make this offensive onslaught possible?

Again, exciting point totals, but there would need to be a similar renaissance on defense - or at least a big improvement - to get those planes off the ground, so to speak.

 

[Konnan511]

Abdelkader scores one goal off his face.
Howard gets two roughing minors this season.
Zadina scores an own goal.
Larkin and Mantha both make the all-star team.
Xavier Ouellet scores a goal against the Wings.

 

[SCD]

Trades:
AA, Daley, Nyquist, and Glendenning

Zetterberg LTIRetires.

Zadina starts with Larkin and Mantha. Mantha sleep walks through a couple of games in November and is replaced by Rasmussen. L/R/Z all end up with 20+ goals.

Bertuzzi is concussed by a cheap shot and misses 15+ games.

Kronwall plays 60+ games despite traveling in a wheelchair between games.

Hronek starts the season in Detroit, but is benched on several occasions after being caught in the O zone.

Cholowski starts in GR, but plays the rest of the season in Detroit after the trade deadline.

Hicketts gets called up several times for injury replacement, but unable displace a starter and stay up.

Detroit finishes 24th in the league, but gets the 9th draft pick in the first round.

 

[Perfect Human]

Howard goes down in early November and Bernier comes in and takes the #1 spot. Howard is traded for a 3rd/4th by TDL

 

[Killerjas]

1. Detroit will qualify for the play-offs
2. Larkin and Zadina will have a great season. Zadina will have more than 20 goals and Larkin more than 70 points.
3. Will trade for a top 5 pick
4. Athanasiou will get traded with someone and a pick for a top 5 pick

 

[masta8]

- Wings squeak in playoffs with 2nd WC spot and lose in 5 to TB
- Zadina makes team and 2nd in Calder (to Dahlin) voting
- Larkin cracks 75 points and 25 goals
- AA has 30 goals

 

[RedWingzz]

I'll throw another bold prediction out that we have a 30 goal scorer this year. Doesn't seem all that bold at all, but we haven't had a 30 goal scorer since 2008-2009. This is such a random/weird stat. 9 seasons without a 30 goal scorer. The next longest streak has Ottawa, Arizona and Buffalo all tied at 6 seasons without a 30 goal guy.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I'll throw another bold prediction out that we have a 30 goal scorer this year. Doesn't seem all that bold at all, but we haven't had a 30 goal scorer since 2008-2009. This is such a random/weird stat. 9 seasons without a 30 goal scorer. The next longest streak has Ottawa, Arizona and Buffalo all tied at 6 seasons without a 30 goal guy.

Yeah too bad Tats and Gus never got over the hump. Mantha, Zadina, Ras and even Larkin and Svech have that potential though. We should get one soon.

 

[obey86]

I'll throw another bold prediction out that we have a 30 goal scorer this year. Doesn't seem all that bold at all, but we haven't had a 30 goal scorer since 2008-2009. This is such a random/weird stat. 9 seasons without a 30 goal scorer. The next longest streak has Ottawa, Arizona and Buffalo all tied at 6 seasons without a 30 goal guy.

Tatar and Nyqvist came close a few times. Tatar with 29 in 14-15 and Nyqvist with 28 and 27 in back to back years.

I think there's a pretty decent chance Mantha cracks 30 this next year.

 

[SCD]

It will be tougher for Mantha as Rasmussen starts pulling away prime minutes. It will be interesting to see how quickly it happens.

 

[obey86]

It will be tougher for Mantha as Rasmussen starts pulling away prime minutes. It will be interesting to see how quickly it happens.

I don't know about that, especially since Zetterberg is due to retire this offseason or next offseason. That's a ton of PP time opening up. Not to mention, Ras on the team and playing net front on the PP could actually open up Mantha to be more of a shooter on the PP and hence, more goals.

 

[Heaton]

I don't know about that, especially since Zetterberg is due to retire this offseason or next offseason. That's a ton of PP time opening up. Not to mention, Ras on the team and playing net front on the PP could actually open up Mantha to be more of a shooter on the PP and hence, more goals.

And Abdelkader should lose most of his PPTOI to Rasmussen, which is another large chunk of TOI.

 

[ColdToiletSeats]

I would say Stanley Cup champions because Vegas made it to the finals... but we don't have a good goalie ... I pray Howard has the worst season ever and we never think about re-signing him.

 

[masta8]

I'll throw another bold prediction out that we have a 30 goal scorer this year. Doesn't seem all that bold at all, but we haven't had a 30 goal scorer since 2008-2009. This is such a random/weird stat. 9 seasons without a 30 goal scorer. The next longest streak has Ottawa, Arizona and Buffalo all tied at 6 seasons without a 30 goal guy.

That is such an unfortunate stat but I agree that this should be the year of a 30 goal scorer. Mantha should be the front runner to end the streak.