I really don't think Hamonics absence was the reason they missed the playoffs this past season. I think crappy goaltending and an inability to put the puck in the net were bigger factors, especially in the beginning of the season. Harmonic was crap last season and the Isles played better without him. I'm hoping your predictions are very wrong, We need a big year.
We score goals, we score a lot of even strength goals, we had a lot of 20 goal scorers last season, offense is not the reason for this team's shortcomings, the PP is bad, and may get better, but won't make up for the poor defense, Isles turned things around by adding Leddy and Boychuk.. now Boychuk is getting older and nothing new has shown up and that aspect of our game is a few injuries away from a HIckey/Mayfield pairing.
Goaltending was not the problem, they aren't great, they don't blow... Carolina games are the worst games because defensive system falters against all that speed.
Want a bold prediction.... Carolina cracks 100 points, that team added Justin Williams to all that youth and still have Cam Ward... and boy I hate when we play them.
I don't see the big year
We never replaced Frans and I like Quine and feel that he can grow into frans role but that won't happen on this forward laden roster.
We have nobody that will drop the gloves successfully on the roster, we will get pushed around. Teams know now that they can trod upon us and there will be no accountability.
Counting on rookies to step up makes sense if they are elite level rookies, at best JHS gets 50 points, Beau gets 40, Barzal gets 40 and Pulock gets 30... and that is not realistic for the most part
Where will surprises come from
Kulemin for sure, playing for a contract, he is going to be the big surprise this year, will get 20 goals in the first 50 games
Pelech, love this player, he will develop
Lee could score 40, Jane could score 30 but would that be surprises?
Toews could end up here, not sure how he will turn out.
I can see sharp declines in the older players... I wish we could deal Hickey for a stay at home type of dman, but no one wants that dude