NHL 2019-20 Standing Predictions

[3rd Sedin]

Metro
Caps
Pens
Canes
Flyers (WC)
Devils
Isles
CBJ
Rags

Atlantic
Bolts
Leafs
Bruins
Panthers (WC)
Habs
Sabres
Wings
Sens

Central
Preds
Avs
Stars
Blues (WC)
Hawks
Jets
Wild

Pacific
Knights
Sharks
Flames
Coyotes (WC)
Nucks
Oilers
Ducks
Kings

Playoffs
East
Bolts over Flyers
Leafs over Bruins
Panthers over Caps
Canes over Pens

Bolts over Leafs
Panthers over Canes

Bolts over Panthers

West
Preds over Coyotes
Sharks over Flames
Blues over Knights
Stars over Avs

Stars over Preds
Sharks over Blues

Stars over Sharks

Stanley Cup Final
Bolts over Stars

 

[wetcoast]

I think Boston will give it one more kick at the can.

Leafs were under 500 from Dec.01 onward last year and had a brutal record against the top 10 defensive teams - something like 12 and 25 and squeaked into the playoffs. They got rid of some of the dead weight, but the core is still there and they’re soft as butter. Also, Babcock is still there.
It’d be borderline a sports miracle if they won the east, IMO.

I don't think that anyone is predicting the Leafs to win the East as most have TB walking away with it once again.

I happen to think that babcock is still a very good coach, not really sure why you even made that comment to be honest.

They might be "soft as butter" but their top 6 is much better as a group than Boston, even though Boston has a better top line, the dropoff is quite large between Toronto's second line and what Boston has to offer.

I think the Leafs are going to need to rely on Sandin and Dermott developing at the NHL level as bottom pairing Dmen, which shouldn't be a huge burden for them.

Once again there is alot in play after TB as the Panthers now have BOB in net and that excellent group of young forwards, although their back end isn't the greatest.

I have no idea of what to make with Montreal they could go either way, their playoff fortunes once again rest largely on Price and even if he has an excellent season they still might miss.

 

[wetcoast]

Metro
Caps
Pens
Canes
Flyers (WC)
Devils
Isles
CBJ
Rags

I really like the effort but honestly it's hard to see the NYI dropping this low given their success as a team last year. Sure on paper they look "weaker" than Philly or the Devils but they are proven.

I also think Carolina is the favorite to win this division for me.

Atlantic

Bolts
Leafs
Bruins
Panthers (WC)
Habs
Sabres
Wings
Sens

I like this order, although I think the Sens and Detroit might surprise but the rest of the division is too strong. Buffalo is my sleeper team but as I said that top 4 is just a monster group to break into.

Central

Preds
Avs
Stars
Blues (WC)
Hawks
Jets
Wild

I think Nashville is the strongest team overall in the west with the addition of Ducshene.

The Black Hawks are my sleeper team in this division and the west as they have made excellent additions and I think they will make the playoffs as a wildcard (2 of them coming from the central this year I think).

I also think it's too early to write off the Jets, with arguably the best group of 12 forwards in the league, but a poor start or an injury to an already depleted Dman core would make it a huge uphill battle.

Pacific

Knights
Sharks
Flames
Coyotes (WC)
Nucks
Oilers
Ducks
Kings

I think this order will be pretty spot on and I'm not sure if the Yotes will beat the black Hawks for the final playoff berth.

Playoffs
East

Bolts over Flyers
Leafs over Bruins
Panthers over Caps
Canes over Pens

Bolts over Leafs
Panthers over Canes

Bolts over Panthers

If these are the matchups hard to argue right now.

West

Preds over Coyotes
Sharks over Flames
Blues over Knights
Stars over Avs

Stars over Preds
Sharks over Blues

Stars over Sharks

Stanley Cup Final
Bolts over Stars

Once again hard to argue any of this but let's wait for the actual matchups.

Great effort.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

...

Leafs were under 500 from Dec.01 onward last year and had a brutal record against the top 10 defensive teams - something like 12 and 25 and squeaked into the playoffs. They got rid of some of the dead weight, but the core is still there and they’re soft as butter. Also, Babcock is still there.
It’d be borderline a sports miracle if they won the east, IMO.

Truth.

 

[Bandit]

I predict these predictions are all full of shit.

 

[CartographerNo611]

Metro

1. Philadelphia
2. New Jersey
3. Washington
4. Carolina
5. Columbus
6. New York Rangers
7. Pittsburgh
8. New York Islanders

Atlantic

1. Tampa Bay
2. Toronto
3. Florida
4. Boston
5. Buffalo
6. Montreal
7. Detroit
8. Ottawa

Central

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

Pacific

1. Calgary
2. Las Vegas
3. Arizona
4. San Jose
5. Edmonton
6. Vancouver
7. Los Angeles
8. Anahiem

 

[A Loyal Dog]

ATLANTIC
1. Tampa Bay
2. Toronto
3. Boston
4. Florida
5. Buffalo
6. Detroit
7. Montreal
8. Ottawa

METROPOLITAN
1. Carolina
2. Philadelphia
3. New Jersey
4. Washington
5. New York Islanders
6. Pittsburgh
7. New York Rangers
8. Columbus

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

PACIFIC
1. Calgary
2. Vegas
3. San Jose
4. Edmonton
5. Arizona
6. Vancouver
7. Anaheim
8. Los Angeles



Playoffs - QF:
Tampa v Florida (4 games)
Toronto v Boston (7 games, lol)
Carolina v Washington (5 games)
Philadelphia v New Jersey (6 games)

Dallas v Nashville (7 games)
Colorado v St Louis (6 games)
Calgary v Edmonton (6 games)
Vegas v San Jose (5 games)


Playoffs - SF:
Tampa v Boston (6 games)
Carolina v Philadelphia (4 games)

Colorado v Nashville (6 games)
San Jose v Edmonton (5 games)


Playoffs - CF:
Tampa v Carolina (5 games)

Nashville v Edmonton (6 games)


Playoffs - Finals:
Tampa v Edmonton (5 games)

 

[3rd Sedin]

I really like the effort but honestly it's hard to see the NYI dropping this low given their success as a team last year. Sure on paper they look "weaker" than Philly or the Devils but they are proven.

I also think Carolina is the favorite to win this division for me.



I like this order, although I think the Sens and Detroit might surprise but the rest of the division is too strong. Buffalo is my sleeper team but as I said that top 4 is just a monster group to break into.



I think Nashville is the strongest team overall in the west with the addition of Ducshene.

The Black Hawks are my sleeper team in this division and the west as they have made excellent additions and I think they will make the playoffs as a wildcard (2 of them coming from the central this year I think).

I also think it's too early to write off the Jets, with arguably the best group of 12 forwards in the league, but a poor start or an injury to an already depleted Dman core would make it a huge uphill battle.



I think this order will be pretty spot on and I'm not sure if the Yotes will beat the black Hawks for the final playoff berth.



If these are the matchups hard to argue right now.



Once again hard to argue any of this but let's wait for the actual matchups.

Great effort.

I can’t disagree much with what you’ve said! The Metro was frustrating to pick and I must’ve done five different drafts before settling on this. I gave the Pens a large benefit of the doubt but like you said wouldn’t be surprised to see the Isles and Canes above them.

Central like the Metro is very difficult to predict, and Winnipeg or Chicago could easily finish top 3. Minnesota seems like the safest bet for last place but even then I don’t think they’re a bad team at all.

Atlantic and Pacific clearly have the weakest divisions in the league and it’s hard to imagine either of the top threes losing their spots, but crazier things have happened in hockey.

Cheers to a good season ahead

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Capitals haven’t added anything and are also losing key contributors. They are also getting older just like the Penguins.

They also lost in the first round. Weird argument to say one is going downhill while the other one is “the class of the division”.

If anything, I’d put the Isles or Carolina up in the first two spots.

They've improved their blue line, their bottom 6 is better, bigger and harder to play against and they've addressed their PK which was a major weakness last year with who they've signed and keeping Hagelin. Their goaltending can only get better as the last 2 regular seasons have not been strong for Holtby. He's in a contract year and he's expected to be better with Samsonov challenging him as backup.

In no way, shape or form are the Caps worse than last year, they're better and deeper.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Atlantic

1. Toronto
2. Tampa Bay
3. Montreal

4. Florida
5. Boston
6. Buffalo
7. Detroit
8. Ottawa
​

Metro

1. Carolina
2. NY Islanders
3. NY Rangers

4. Philadelphia
5. Washington
6. New Jersey
7. Pittsburgh
8. Columbus
​

Pacific

1. Vegas
2. San Jose
3. Anaheim

4. Vancouver
5. Arizona
6. Calgary
7. Edmonton
8. Los Angeles
​

Central

1. Dallas
2. Colorado
3. St.Louis

4. Chicago
5. Nashville
6. Winnipeg
7. Minnesota​

Unless someone shoots every superstar on their team, there's zero chance the Capitals are out of the playoffs.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

They've improved their blue line, their bottom 6 is better, bigger and harder to play against and they've addressed their PK which was a major weakness last year with who they've signed and keeping Hagelin. Their goaltending can only get better as the last 2 regular seasons have not been strong for Holtby. He's in a contract year and he's expected to be better with Samsonov challenging him as backup.

In no way, shape or form are the Caps worse than last year, they're better and deeper.

And that’s an entirely “glass half full” description of their team.

Or homerism.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Ok maybe they were a fluke....why arent the canes a fluke? And why are the jackets stills a better team? And how have the 1 line no D rangers gained 30+ points?

The Canes had historic offensive advanced stats, everything projected them to be there, the Islanders relied on a goaltender playing all world. The Canes are more or less the same team and the Islanders have lost a TON of what made the perform well beyond their talent. I'd be very surprised in NYI made the playoffs this year, last season was a fluke and everything points to why that is true.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

And that’s an entirely “glass half full” description of their team.

Or homerism.

In no way is it homerism. Orpik was a corpse last year, that's addition by subtraction right there. It's really hard to put into words how bad he was. Niskanen is old and is on the decline, he actually had a worse season than Orpik. We traded him for Gudas who is coming off his best year and is in his prime. Again, that's an improvement. Seigenthaler can play, him taking Orpik spot is a gross improvement.

The Capitals bottom 6 added little to nothing last year and were the bane of the team. They've added defensive depth, grit and can replace Connolly's production. The only part of my post that could be considered conjecture is the Brett Connolly factor but he added little else but goal scoring. Brett didn't drive play, play strong defense or make plays elsewhere.

Our PK was terrible until Hagelin got there, resigning him and adding Panik as well as Hathaway, along with the improvements on the blue line fix that problem.

Holtby wasn't good last year either, no way he tanks the bed again in a contract year and with a blue chipper like Samsonov challenging him.

And finally, Todd Rierden is in his second year without the pressure to repeat from a previous coach.

That's a better team in every capacity of the sense. Again, in no way are the Washington Capitals a worse team on October 2nd 2019 than they were in 2018.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

In no way is it homerism. Orpik was a corpse last year, that's addition by subtraction right there. It's really hard to put into words how bad he was. Niskanen is old and is on the decline, he actually had a worse season than Orpik. We traded him for Gudas who is coming off his best year and is in his prime. Again, that's an improvement. Seigenthaler can play, him taking Orpik spot is a gross improvement.

The Capitals bottom 6 added little to nothing last year and were the bane of the team. They've added defensive depth, grit and can replace Connolly's production. The only part of my post that could be considered conjecture is the Brett Connolly factor but he added little else but goal scoring. Brett didn't drive play, play strong defense or make plays elsewhere.

Our PK was terrible until Hagelin got there, resigning him and adding Panik as well as Hathaway, along with the improvements on the blue line fix that problem.

Holtby wasn't good last year either, no way he tanks the bed again in a contract year and with a blue chipper like Samsonov challenging him.

And finally, Todd Rierden is in his second year without the pressure to repeat from a previous coach.

That's a better team in every capacity of the sense. Again, in no way are the Washington Capitals a worse team on October 2nd 2019 than they were in 2018.

So everyone got better and no one got worse? All areas of the team have been improved?

Lol gotcha.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

In no way is it homerism. Orpik was a corpse last year, that's addition by subtraction right there. It's really hard to put into words how bad he was. Niskanen is old and is on the decline, he actually had a worse season than Orpik. We traded him for Gudas who is coming off his best year and is in his prime. Again, that's an improvement. Seigenthaler can play, him taking Orpik spot is a gross improvement.

The Capitals bottom 6 added little to nothing last year and were the bane of the team. They've added defensive depth, grit and can replace Connolly's production. The only part of my post that could be considered conjecture is the Brett Connolly factor but he added little else but goal scoring. Brett didn't drive play, play strong defense or make plays elsewhere.

Our PK was terrible until Hagelin got there, resigning him and adding Panik as well as Hathaway, along with the improvements on the blue line fix that problem.

Holtby wasn't good last year either, no way he tanks the bed again in a contract year and with a blue chipper like Samsonov challenging him.

And finally, Todd Rierden is in his second year without the pressure to repeat from a previous coach.

That's a better team in every capacity of the sense. Again, in no way are the Washington Capitals a worse team on October 2nd 2019 than they were in 2018.

Why do folks use age against the Pens to determine they're going to be worse this year ("Crosby and Malkin are declining!"), yet that doesn't seem to apply to Ovechkin and Backstrom, who are the same age as the Pens' duo?

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Why do folks use age against the Pens to determine they're going to be worse this year ("Crosby and Malkin are declining!"), yet that doesn't seem to apply to Ovechkin and Backstrom, who are the same age as the Pens' duo?

It’s weird I mentioned that in another thread and a few people acted like I was crazy. Players slowly get worse the older they get. It’s not an attack on the team, it’s just basic biology.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay*
2. Toronto*
3. Florida*
4. Boston*
5. Montreal
6. Buffalo
7. Detroit
8. Ottawa

Metropolitan Division
1. Washington*
2. Carolina*
3. Philadelphia*
4. New Jersey*
5. NY. Rangers
6. NY. Islanders
7. Pittsburgh
8. Columbus

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

Pacific Division
1. Vegas*
2. Calgary*
3. San Jose*
4. Vancouver*
5. Edmonton
6. Arizona
7. Anaheim
8. Los Angeles


Asterisked teams make the playoffs.

 

[mm11]

The Canes had historic offensive advanced stats, everything projected them to be there, the Islanders relied on a goaltender playing all world. The Canes are more or less the same team and the Islanders have lost a TON of what made the perform well beyond their talent. I'd be very surprised in NYI made the playoffs this year, last season was a fluke and everything points to why that is true.

Both Islander goalies had the same stats...coincidence?

 

[Paradise Circus]

Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay
2. Toronto
3. Florida
4. Boston
5. Buffalo
6. Montreal
7. Detroit
8. Ottawa

Metropolitan Division
1.Philadelphia
2. Washington
3.Pittsburgh
4. New Jersey
5. Carolina
6. NY. Islanders
7. NY Rangers
8. Columbus

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

Pacific Division
1. San Jose
2. Vancouver
3. Calgary
4. Vegas
5. Edmonton
6. Arizona
7. Anaheim
8. Los Angeles

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Metro
Caps
Pens
Canes
Flyers
Devils
Isles
Rangers
Jackets

Atlantic
Bolts
Leafs
Bruins
Panthers (WC)
Habs (WC)
Sabres
Wings
Sens

Central
Preds
Avs
Stars
Blues (WC)
Jets (WC)
Hawks
Wild

Pacific
Knights
Sharks
Flames
Coyotes
Nucks
Oilers
Ducks
Kings

 

[gtrower]

Unless someone shoots every superstar on their team, there's zero chance the Capitals are out of the playoffs.

Eh never say never. I don’t think we’re as deep as we’ve been in the past.

Bura was a guy we could scratch or plug-and-play on any of the Top 3 lines. Not a world beater, but gave us flexibility.

And we’re likely gonna have to trade Djoos or Stephenson since Djoos decided to screw us with arbitration. Losing either one of those is gonna further hurt depth.

On paper we should be worse offensively but better defensively and on PK with Hathaway/Panik/Gudas/Siegenthaler for Bura/Connolly/Niskanen/Orpik.

If we’re healthy we’re in our own tier in the Metro. But injuries to a few guys and i can see our lineup starting to look iffy. And there’s not much separation between the whole division after that. Don’t think it would have to be superstars either. We all saw how much worse the defense looked in the playoffs after Kempny went down late in the RS.

 

[DougieSmash]

Bottom 5 teams in the league: Sens, Kings, Red Wings, Jets, Devils.

East playoffs: Florida, Tampa, Bruins, Carolina, Capitals, Flyers, Leafs, Pens
West playoffs: Avs, Blues, Predators, Sharks, Coyotes, Stars, Vegas, Hawks

 

[HajdukSplit]

ATLANTIC
1. Tampa Bay*
2. Toronto*
3. Boston*
4. Florida*
5. Montreal
6. Detroit
7. Buffalo
8. Ottawa

METRO
1. Washington*
2. Pittsburgh*
3. Carolina*
4. NY Islanders*
5. Philadelphia
6. New Jersey
7. NY Rangers
8. Columbus

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

PACIFIC
1. Vegas*
2. San Jose*
3. Calgary*
4. Vancouver*
5. Arizona
6. Edmonton
7. Anaheim
8. Los Angeles

 

[Pure Slaughter Value]

Playoff spots:

Atlantic: Lightning, Bruins, Leafs
Metro: Caps, Canes
Central: Nashville, St. Louis
Pacific: Vegas, San Jose, Calgary

That leaves three spots available in the East and three spots available in the West that could go to any of 15 teams...

PSV, going out in a limb since never.

 

[PG Canuck]

ATLANTIC
1. Tampa Bay*
2. Toronto*
3. Boston*
4. Florida*
5. Montreal*
6. Buffalo
7. Detroit
8. Ottawa

METRO
1. Washington*
2. Carolina*
3. Pittsburgh*
4. New Jersey
5. NY Islanders
6. Philadephia
7. NY Rangers
8. Columbus

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

PACIFIC
1. Vegas*
2. San Jose*
3. Calgary*
4. Arizona*
5. Anaheim
6. Vancouver
7. Edmonton
8. Los Angeles