Central Division Predictions

[Guffman]

Honestly don't see how we would have the cap space to pick up a high end rental like Stastny this year after Morrissey signs, especially considering how we would likely have to overpay to get the other team to retain salary. Chevy pulled a rabbit out of his hat this past deadline, but I think it's unfair to expect him to get the best of the other GMs every year.

We went 13-4-1 to end the season with Stastny (even with Maurice resting some of the regulars) for a 0.750 points percentage, which was significantly up from our 0.669 points percentage prior to trading for him (however small the small size).

Considering how with all our firepower +Stastny we still managed to run out offense by the third round, I don't think the concerns regarding potential regression this season are totally invalid.

Now I'm one of those guys that believes any good team that gets hot at the right time has what it takes to win a cup, so I'm far from jumping off the bandwagon any time soon, especially considering how young this core is. However, even as a hardcore Jets fan I still personally believe that the idea that the Jets take a small step back is totally realistic, or at very least, worth a level-headed discussion.

I don’t think looking at our win ratio pre and post Stastny acquisition is valid given that we played a lot of teams that either already secured a spot or were playing out the string with AHL rosters.

As a young team, our players should keep getting better (what I call organic growth). We were an elite team before Stastny and this year, most of our players should be even better.

If you want to take the position that we cannot afford a high end rental this year...perhaps. We’ll have to see how much space we have and whether we even need to acquire a high end rental.

 

[Whileee]

How did the Jets get weaker?

They didn't, really.

Roslovic, Petan, Dano > Armia, Hendricks, Matthias

Young guns likely take another step forward.

 

[ello]

I don’t think looking at our win ratio pre and post Stastny acquisition is valid given that we played a lot of teams that either already secured a spot or were playing out the string with AHL rosters.

As a young team, our players should keep getting better (what I call organic growth). We were an elite team before Stastny and this year, most of our players should be even better.

If you want to take the position that we cannot afford a high end rental this year...perhaps. We’ll have to see how much space we have and whether we even need to acquire a high end rental.

Fair but you could say the same about the Jets as well, that they were on autopilot yet still dominating.

But yeah I agree that growth from within will be the key to our success this season. Chevy's drafted incredibly during his tenure and its time for the fruits of his labour to come to fruition. Especially if Roslovic can take a step forward, I think that would do wonders for our centre depth this year.

 

[rehf]

1. Preds
2. Jets
3. St. Louis
4. Dallas
5. Colorado
6. Chicago
7. Minnesota

 

[Jet]

A world where the Hawks, Wild, and Stars don't make the playoffs is a good one, indeed.

I think the Jets COULD be first. I don't like our backup situation. I've said it a hundred times. Someone good needs to be there to give Helle rest and WIN while he does it. I also am nervous about how our D shakes down. Enstrom leaving, Trouba being a dickhead, Myers being able to stay healthy (as well as Buff), and how Poolman and Morrow will play (and if Niku will impact) all have me worried.

The good news is I think we have enough NHL caliber D to get through, and enough scoring to tally our way to a W. Whether that nets us the top spot? Not sure.

Top 3 for sure though.

 

[Maukkis]

A world where the Hawks, Wild, and Stars don't make the playoffs is a good one, indeed.

I think the Jets COULD be first. I don't like our backup situation. I've said it a hundred times. Someone good needs to be there to give Helle rest and WIN while he does it. I also am nervous about how our D shakes down. Enstrom leaving, Trouba being a ********, Myers being able to stay healthy (as well as Buff), and how Poolman and Morrow will play (and if Niku will impact) all have me worried.

The good news is I think we have enough NHL caliber D to get through, and enough scoring to tally our way to a W. Whether that nets us the top spot? Not sure.

Top 3 for sure though.

I'm still wondering how the Wild have not made it yet. With that D corps (sweet Jesus), 3-4 legitimate top line forwards, a starting goalie... is it just bad luck, a coaching issue or what? Lack in special talent?

I pretty much agree with what you have to say about the Jets. The defense has taken a hit and a half, but as long as Trouba stays with us, we should be able to get by.

 

[Hollywood3]

1 Winnipeg
2 Nashville
3 Chicago
4 St. Louis
5 Dallas
6 Minnesota
7 Colorado

 

[puckhandler]

Winnipeg( jets win presidents trophy and run away with the central division amassing 120 points.mark my words)

Nashville
Chicago
Dallas
St.louis
Minnesota

 

[voyageur]

They didn't, really.

Roslovic, Petan, Dano > Armia, Hendricks, Matthias

Young guns likely take another step forward.

Dano was on the team last year. And he and Petan were not great in camp, I would say outperformed by Lipon. So Matthias would be replaced by Lemieux, Suess, or an 8th d, which I agree is an upgrade either way.

Hendricks was a good leader. Locker room fit. Most young players who played on his line improved over the course of the year. Petan has not broken down any doors. He has to show he belongs in Maurice's system, regardless of talent.

Roslovic is a player to get excited about. Armia was important on the PK, that's an area Roslovic still has to prove himself in.

Niku/Morrow I like over Enstrom. For pace.

Backup goalie is younger too.

I think enough leaders stepped up last year to be confident in the team's direction. Only thing is the short offseason usually translates to slow starts, as does the Eurotrip.

Chevy's drafting should keep us in the important top 3 in the division.

 

[Georgetown Al]

As long as we make the playoff's with all of our four lines of main core players healthy I really don't care what number were at to play in the show.

Watch Maurice rotating players in and out of injury to make it so...

I want everyone ready and healthy so we all can fight for the right to hold upright:

Go Go

 

[garret9]

Hendricks was a good leader. Locker room fit. Most young players who played on his line improved over the course of the year.

Most young players improve over a year, without Hendricks. So how many wins was Hendricks worth in that leadership and how much was just natural improvement that would have happened any way?

 

[DRW204]

Jets
Preds
STL
MIN
CHI (if Crawford is healthy, if not put them last)
COL
DAL

 

[QuietContrarian]

Been thinking about this for a while.

And I am a total anti jinxer type, so I can't get myself to put us @ 1.
Yeah, I know, absolutely silly.

But here goes my anti-jinx predictions.

1. Preds - It's between us and them, but for the purposes stated above, I put the Preds at 1.

2. Jets - Same as above.

3. Colorado - I have big faith in this team, MacK is really growing into that #1 pick he was, and Rantanen is a very nice add.

4. St.Louis - Their goalie tandem is what makes me put them here. Adding RoR is a good one tho.

5. Minnesota - Im not that high on Minny, and I don't see them sneaking into the PO again.

6. Chicago - That D is looking less impressive and hasn't brought in a lot of new quality. Kane, Toews and Saad, are not enough. DeBrincat is going to be fun to follow tho.

7. Dallas - Some nice offense, but nothing spectacular in Goal or at D - I mean yeah, Klingenberg is great, but he acts more as a 4th forward, than a D.​

 

[voyageur]

Been thinking about this for a while.

And I am a total anti jinxer type, so I can't get myself to put us @ 1.
Yeah, I know, absolutely silly.

But here goes my anti-jinx predictions.

1. Preds - It's between us and them, but for the purposes stated above, I put the Preds at 1.

2. Jets - Same as above.

3. Colorado - I have big faith in this team, MacK is really growing into that #1 pick he was, and Rantanen is a very nice add.

4. St.Louis - Their goalie tandem is what makes me put them here. Adding RoR is a good one tho.

5. Minnesota - Im not that high on Minny, and I don't see them sneaking into the PO again.

6. Chicago - That D is looking less impressive and hasn't brought in a lot of new quality. Kane, Toews and Saad, are not enough. DeBrincat is going to be fun to follow tho.

7. Dallas - Some nice offense, but nothing spectacular in Goal or at D - I mean yeah, Klingenberg is great, but he acts more as a 4th forward, than a D.​

I am surprised at how many people have Minnesota ranked so low. Hellebuyck had to stand on his head, and we had to get some breaks to beat a Minnesota team without Parise or Suter.

Suter, Dumba, Brodin, Spurgeon is a pretty decent, mobile top 4.

Granlund is a big play guy, as is Parise. That Greenway kid looks full of promise. Maybe not the strongest up the middle, but not the weakest either, though I think Koivu is past his prime.

I'd have Minnesota as a playoff team with BB coaching. The team I expect to slip is Colorado. They had a nice run. Have some talent on d. But Varlamov can't stay healthy. And Grubauer I'm not sure is an upgrade on Bernier.

2-4 lines I don't think have enough talent.

Also Colorado is a high and low team for whatever reason. Maybe the altitude.

I think Dallas has a lot to prove this year too. And will be better without Hitchcock.

And the Hawks know how to win.

I'll revise my prediction

1. Nashville
2. Minnesota
3. Winnipeg
4. St. Louis
5. Dallas (crossing over)
6. Chicago
7. Colorado

 

[LucianoBorsato]

1. Nashville
2. Winnipeg
3. Colorado
4. St Louis
5. Dallas
6. Minnesota
7. Chicago

 

[ATLbound]

I actually really like what the Blues did this summer. ROR is a good add and Bozak is still a decent #3. They added some depth and offense. Goaltending still a ?.....

1) Preds
2) Jets (Provided Helle carried over and stays healthy)
3) Blues
4) Avs
5) Stars

6) Wild
7) Hawks

* IMO the Stars, Wild and Hawks can all be moved around any order. My guess is 5 Central playoff teams

 

[Georgetown Al]

Honestly don't see how we would have the cap space to pick up a high end rental like Stastny this year after Morrissey signs, especially considering how we would likely have to overpay to get the other team to retain salary. Chevy pulled a rabbit out of his hat this past deadline, but I think it's unfair to expect him to get the best of the other GMs every year.

We went 13-4-1 to end the season with Stastny (even with Maurice resting some of the regulars) for a 0.750 points percentage, which was significantly up from our 0.669 points percentage prior to trading for him (however small the small size).

Considering how with all our firepower +Stastny we still managed to run out offense by the third round, I don't think the concerns regarding potential regression this season are totally invalid.

Now I'm one of those guys that believes any good team that gets hot at the right time has what it takes to win a cup, so I'm far from jumping off the bandwagon any time soon, especially considering how young this core is. However, even as a hardcore Jets fan I can still personally believe that the idea that the Jets take a small step back is totally realistic, or at very least, worth a level-headed discussion.

Small step back?

No no two large steps forward is what’s coming...

Even me the most rah rah fan here will be in awe of how dominant our Winnipeg Jets will be this season...

Go Jets Go

 

[Daximus]

I could see the Blues doing really really well. All the sudden they have great center depth. One of the best even strength scorers in the league. A solid defence. Only real question is their goaltending.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I could see the Blues doing really really well. All the sudden they have great center depth. One of the best even strength scorers in the league. A solid defence. Only real question is their goaltending.

I don't see all that much improvement. They've gained some and lost some. They are pretty solid all around but not great anywhere.

Goaltending is the ?. If Allen has a good season they could be tough. If not, not. I honestly think they were better 2, 3 & 4 years ago with Stastny, Oshie, Shattenkirk, a younger Steen and Elliott alternating with Allen.

 

[voyageur]

I don't see all that much improvement. They've gained some and lost some. They are pretty solid all around but not great anywhere.

Goaltending is the ?. If Allen has a good season they could be tough. If not, not. I honestly think they were better 2, 3 & 4 years ago with Stastny, Oshie, Shattenkirk, a younger Steen and Elliott alternating with Allen.

Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Fabbri-O'Reilly-Perron
Steen-Bozak-Jaskin/Kyrou
Maroon-?-?

If Thomas makes it out of camp that's a lot of forward talent. That is also injury prone.

I think Pietrangelo-Parayko is better than Buff-Trouba as 1-2 RD. No Morrissey at LD though, and Bowmeester is starting to slip.

Allen is not a #1, on his own, best as a tandem goalie, to ride when hot. I think they are not quite in the top 3, as I think Mau or Boudreau are better coaches than Yeo. But you never know.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko
Fabbri-O'Reilly-Perron
Steen-Bozak-Jaskin/Kyrou
Maroon-?-?

If Thomas makes it out of camp that's a lot of forward talent. That is also injury prone.

I think Pietrangelo-Parayko is better than Buff-Trouba as 1-2 RD. No Morrissey at LD though, and Bowmeester is starting to slip.

Allen is not a #1, on his own, best as a tandem goalie, to ride when hot. I think they are not quite in the top 3, as I think Mau or Boudreau are better coaches than Yeo. But you never know.

They've added and subtracted a lot of players. I'm not sure if there is a net gain there or not. Perron, Bozak and Maroon are all flawed players. Steen is aging. We'll see how their revamped F group works out.

Agree about Allen, or at least, I would say this is kind of a last chance year for him to step up and become a quality starter.

Agree about coaching too.

 

[SoCalJetsFan]

Top
Jets & Pred’s - I think both teams when healthy are 2 of the top teams in the league.
Playoffs
Blues & Avs’s - I think they will be fighting it out for 3rd in the division but at least 10 points behind the Jets and Pred's.
Wild, Hawks & Stars - won’t make the playoffs.

 

[AlphaLackey]

Blues fan coming in peace. I would agree with most of you that the Blues will finish somewhere between 3rd and 5th. But, I think 5 teams make it from the central again. If Hellebuyck stays playing as well as he did, you guys will be top 2. Don't overrate Nashville. Saros is good, but he's not Rinne and Rinne is getting older. They will finish top 2 again in the division, but my guess is bow out in round 1 or 2 again.

I'd love to somehow see a Jets/Blues WCF.

We'll do our part to make it happen, the rest is on you guys

But yes, it's another year with 5 teams from the toughest division in hockey, no doubt about it.

 

[Derfel]

Unpopular opinion alert

1. Avs
2. Hawks
3. Preds
---
4. Jets
---
5. Blues
6. Wild
7. Stars

 

[LucianoBorsato]

Bump. How did your prediction fare?