cobra427
Registered User
- May 6, 2012
- 9,327
- 3,347
Just knowing the public is wrong, I would now bet sharks/Knights are not top 2 or Vancouver is not last, even though these are obvious choices. Vegas was predicted to be last place and the Hawks were central challengers, at the beginning of last year. So:I've been looking at this thread and I just have such a hard time deciding how it will shake out! I went ahead and did an average of everyone who posted before me just to see...
Also did some deviation to see how that shook out since some lists had teams finishing way different than others. (Sorry if any mistakes! Just a quick fun idea ha)
1.) San Jose (second smallest deviation too)
2.) Vegas (3rd smallest deviation of the bunch)
3.)LA (BOOO) (tied for most deviation)
4.) Calgary (Just under LA in deviation in chosen positions)
5.) Arizona (We should be number 1 always, I wish... 4th least deviation)
6.) Edmonton (Less deviation than Calgary but more than AZ)
7.) Anaheim (Tied most deviation)
8.) Vancouver (No deviation whatsoever. Unequivocally picked number 8 haha)
So Vancouver is one people have absolute confidence in finishing last, with San Jose finishing first most of the time. Very interesting!
It's so hard for me to decide because I feel that San Jose is indeed the favorite but we know how things happen. After that it's really a crap shoot.
So my own list I will go with is... it's a crap shoot with potential to make me look foolish... aka it's perfect:
1. San Jose - Just have to pick them here at this point
2. Calgary - Depends on goaltending/health
3. Arizona - If we can stay healthy, I can see a higher than expected finish. Big if though.
4. Vegas - Could easily switch them and Calgary. Lost a couple of pieces but brought in some good ones too. Don't know that they capture the same emotional magic. Slight drop off.
5. Edmonton- Didn't do much to address their problems over offseason. But that's difficult considering the season before they did well so... could easily shoot up or down the list.
6. LA - I just don't see them being as big of a threat as they have been. Part of the reason I put them down here is cause they are LA Could probably do better but meh
7. Vancouver - Someone had to give them a break. Maybe the young guys do well and teams take them for granted? Probably should be 8 but...
8. Anaheim - Every season there is a surprise, I think maybe they will be that surprise awful team this year. There is potential for let downs with this team. Wouldn't count them out though.
Edit: Yotes should be number 1. Forgive my momentary madness. After that the order is the same though.
There will be one big upside surprise in the Pacific, I'm hoping its the Coyotes, and one major disappointment, I'm thinking Vegas this year. Both are due for the other side of the luck spectrum.