Speculation: Where do the Jackets finish?

[Doggy]

...we all know at best we're competing for a wild card spot this season....

Screw that, after we smoke Anaheim and Montreal we will be 5-2.

 

[CBJx614]

Screw that, after we smoke Anaheim and Montreal we will be 5-2.

With 75 more games to go...

 

[Doggy]

With 75 more games to go...

You wanna be a realist or pessimist in January if we are mired in last place ten points out of the last playoff spot..have at it then. But right here, right now...just win baby...playoffs or bust!

 

[BB88]

Which would be a better outcome?

- Jackets finish with 90 points and miss the playoffs, no front office changes after the season

- Jackets finish with 75 points with relatively healthy roster, Jarmo and JD get canned

Why would that 2nd option be better?

 

[CBJx614]

You wanna be a realist or pessimist in January if we are mired in last place ten points out of the last playoff spot..have at it then. But right here, right now...just win baby...playoffs or bust!

Oh I agree we need all the wins we can get at this point.

 

[tunnelvision]

Why would that 2nd option be better?

I thought you have been reading this board long enough to know...

 

[I3LI3]

currently on pace for 96 points.
honestly, about as good of a start as I could’ve imagined before the season started.
96 points last season would’ve been good for 4th in the metro and the 1st wildcard spot.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Which would be a better outcome?

- Jackets finish with 90 points and miss the playoffs, no front office changes after the season

- Jackets finish with 75 points with relatively healthy roster, Jarmo and JD get canned

I don't know much about this draft, but from what I have heard there really isn't an incentive to suck this year. There's no franchise changing player available.

90 points and missing easily as long as our young guys take strides and our core veterans establish our culture.

 

[Indy18]

currently on pace for 96 points.
honestly, about as good of a start as I could’ve imagined before the season started.
96 points last season would’ve been good for 4th in the metro and the 1st wildcard spot.

We also have an "easier" strength of schedule to start the year off. Not trying to rain on the parade because even with a winnable game like last night and still got a point. We go through the blender in Dec so lets see how we do then but at-least this is a competitive team that is only going to get better as they get more experience. We just need to clean up the mistakes.

 

[DarkandStormy]

The Metro is still very compressed right now, unlike the early separation in the Atlantic.

 

[koteka]

View attachment 758763

The Metro is still very compressed right now, unlike the early separation in the Atlantic.

I was looking at standings this morning too. The worst teams in the East are all within 1 game of Bettman .500.

The West has the Sharks, Oilers, Flames, Blackhawks, and Kraken all more than 1 game away from Bettman .500.

 

[CBJx614]

View attachment 758763

The Metro is still very compressed right now, unlike the early separation in the Atlantic.

If we pull off two of those OTLs (which was very possible) were sitting at #3 in the East...

 

[koteka]

October is over.

The Jacket’s had the easiest part of their schedule in October. They had 3 road games and 6 home games. The had 1 back-to-back (Flames, Wild).

home vs Flyers (7th Metro)
home vs Rangers (3rd Metro)
home vs Wings (7th Atlantic)
home vs Flames (5th Pacific)
at Wild (3rd Central)
home vs Ducks (8th Pacific, worst record in NHL)
at Canadiens (8th Atlantic)
home vs Islanders (4th Metro)
at Stars (2nd Central)

Only 1 opponent finished in the top 2 of their division last year (Stars). 4 opponents (Ducks, Flyers, Red Wings, Canadiens) finished in the bottom 2 of their division last years.

October for the Jackets was tilted towards home games against bad teams.

Based on points percentage, the Jackets are tied for 2nd worst team in the Eastern conference.

 

[Cheddarcheese]

i think we are in a very similar situation when the leafs first hired babcock they finished
29-42-11 but changed the culture and the following year they improved massively. we have already noticed this team is playing so much better and has so much potential. you can see the talent we have

 

[stevo61]

i think we are in a very similar situation when the leafs first hired babcock they finished
29-42-11 but changed the culture and the following year they improved massively. we have already noticed this team is playing so much better and has so much potential. you can see the talent we have

Well aside from the fact the Leafs intended to tank that year and got Matthews. We werent as intentional but got Fantilli plus our other recent high picks so really we should be closer to year 2 than year 1

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I wish they had done better with their home favored schedule too, but I don’t think things are as bad as people make them out to be.

I’m no expert on reading into analytics but our goalies have done way better than they were doing last year, and hopefully that stays the same. Our top guys haven’t been our top guys yet. Some of our most important young players are also not going yet. These things will turn eventually.

We aren’t getting outshot 2:1 every game. We’re either up, or close. Which is definitely an improvement over the last few years.

Vincent appears to be working the teams core values right now, focusing in on compete, battle, 1on1, and competitive edge play in practice. The last few years must have done a number on these guys, and the culture in the room needs shaken up. I like his approach so far.

We’re going to be okay. That doesn’t mean I think we’re going to make the playoffs, but I always saw this year as a stepping stone year. If we are on the bubble but miss, I am perfectly okay with that. It means progress. We weren’t going to have a New Jersey like jump, but maybe with the right buttons pushed we could have a big jump next year.

 

[Cheddarcheese]

"We’re going to be okay. That doesn’t mean I think we’re going to make the playoffs, but I always saw this year as a stepping stone year. If we are on the bubble but miss, I am perfectly okay with that. It means progress. We weren’t going to have a New Jersey like jump, but maybe with the right buttons pushed we could have a big jump next year."

i couldn't agree more with this. if we make great, if we miss its okay. we have so much talent the future is exciting

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Also our “easy schedule” to start has 5 current teams in the playoffs (about to be 6) of our 9 games played so maybe it wasn’t such an “easy” start after all.

*yes I am aware it’s only October and that doesn’t mean these current playoff teams will end up being good.

 

[DarkandStormy]

At the very least, no eggs have been laid. Team laid at least a dozen last year. Of course, having a mostly-healthy lineup will do wonders.

A 9-game stretch is still a tad early to draw too many conclusions. Schedule was favorable, but new coach, new system, quite a few new players.

Elvis is back to being a sub-.900 goalie. If that continues they will stay near bottom 5 in the league.

But good to see the flightless birds are last in the division.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Also our “easy schedule” to start has 5 current teams in the playoffs (about to be 6) of our 9 games played so maybe it wasn’t such an “easy” start after all.

*yes I am aware it’s only October and that doesn’t mean these current playoff teams will end up being good.

So what we're saying here is that where teams are now isn't necessarily where they will be later?

 

[EspenK]

So what we're saying here is that where teams are now isn't necessarily where they will be later?

...and the last (or next to last) shall be first...nah!.

 

[Cowumbus]

I think we can all agree, nobody can out tank the sharks.

9 goals so far, and 0 wins in October.

 

[DarkandStormy]

Per The Athletic, the CBJ now have a 0% chance of making the playoffs.

 

[Jovavic]

And the flightless birds have 42%

Riiiight

 

[DarkandStormy]

Currently last in the East.