WatchfulElm
Former "Domi a favor"
Here's a challenge for the HFboards community :
I'm challenging you to find any magazine, "expert" or professional website that has predicted the Montreal Canadiens to finish 1st in their division, for any of the last 6 seasons (including the current offseason). Do this knowing that Montreal won their division title for 3 of the last 5 years.
I've done the same research myself, and while it's not exhaustive, the result is really mind blowing. How many expert have predicted a division title for the Habs over the last 5 years?
Answer : ONE! Just a single one!! And a guy I've never heard about. Look at those predictions :
2012-13
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Boston
2- Ottawa
3- Montreal
Bleacher report
1- Boston
2- Buffalo
3- Ottawa
4- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Boston
2- Buffalo
3- Ottawa
4- Toronto
5- Montreal
2012-13 final standings
1- Montreal
2- Boston
3- Toronto
2013-14
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Boston
2- Detroit
3- Montreal
Bleacher Report
1- Boston
2- Tampa
3- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Boston
2- Detroit
3- Ottawa
4- Montreal
2013-14 final standings
1- Boston`
2- Tampa
3- Montreal (just 1 point behind Tampa)
2014-15
What experts predicted :
2014-15"]The Hockey Writers
1- Boston
2- Tampa
3- Montreal
Bleacher Report
1- Tampa
2- Boston`
3- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Boston
2- Tampa
3- Montreal
2014-15 final standings
1- Montreal
2- Tampa
3- Detroit
2015-16
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Florida
Bleacher Report
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Ottawa
The Hockey News
1- Tampa
2- Detroit
3- Montreal
TSN
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Detroit
2015-16 final standings
1- Florida
2- Tampa
3- Detroit
4- Boston
5- Ottawa
6- Montreal
2016-17
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Florida
Bleacher report
1- Tampa
2- Florida
3- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Tampa
2- Florida
3- Montreal
TSN
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Florida
ESPN
Out of 10 experts, 10 of them project Tampa to win the division
NHL.COM
Out of 20 experts, 17 project Tampa to win the division. 2 says it's gonna be Florida. And... tadam! You have one guy, the only one I could find in 5 years, who predicted Montreal would win the division. And he was right! Congratulations Rob Vollman!!
2016-17 final standings
1- Montreal
2- Ottawa
3- Boston
And the trend continues this offseason. Despite underestimating the Habs massively for 3 of the last 5 years, I'm still unable to find a single expert who projects the Habs to win their division in 2017-18. They project Tampa, who just missed the playoffs and replaced Drouin with Kunitz. I've seen Toronto, who lost 14 games in a row against Montreal. I've seen Ottawa too. But nobody is taking a chance on Montreal, once again.
So the question is : why are experts so often underestimating the Habs? Here's a few possible answers :
1- Experts underestimate the impact of a star goaltender on the overall result
2- Experts are shy about placing the Habs first, because of what they represent, and because this is a team loaded with emotivity, good and bad. They prefer to take a safe bet and place them 2nd or 3rd every year, so they avoid controversy.
3- The Habs players and coaching staff have been greatly underestimated over the years
4- Habs overachieved 3 years out of 5. I assume this will be a popular option, but it's hard to believe. Habs have the 7th best regular season record in the past 5 years. Such consistent success cannot be overachieving.
5- Any other explanation?
I'm challenging you to find any magazine, "expert" or professional website that has predicted the Montreal Canadiens to finish 1st in their division, for any of the last 6 seasons (including the current offseason). Do this knowing that Montreal won their division title for 3 of the last 5 years.
I've done the same research myself, and while it's not exhaustive, the result is really mind blowing. How many expert have predicted a division title for the Habs over the last 5 years?
Answer : ONE! Just a single one!! And a guy I've never heard about. Look at those predictions :
2012-13
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Boston
2- Ottawa
3- Montreal
Bleacher report
1- Boston
2- Buffalo
3- Ottawa
4- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Boston
2- Buffalo
3- Ottawa
4- Toronto
5- Montreal
2012-13 final standings
1- Montreal
2- Boston
3- Toronto
2013-14
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Boston
2- Detroit
3- Montreal
Bleacher Report
1- Boston
2- Tampa
3- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Boston
2- Detroit
3- Ottawa
4- Montreal
2013-14 final standings
1- Boston`
2- Tampa
3- Montreal (just 1 point behind Tampa)
2014-15
What experts predicted :
2014-15"]The Hockey Writers
1- Boston
2- Tampa
3- Montreal
Bleacher Report
1- Tampa
2- Boston`
3- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Boston
2- Tampa
3- Montreal
2014-15 final standings
1- Montreal
2- Tampa
3- Detroit
2015-16
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Florida
Bleacher Report
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Ottawa
The Hockey News
1- Tampa
2- Detroit
3- Montreal
TSN
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Detroit
2015-16 final standings
1- Florida
2- Tampa
3- Detroit
4- Boston
5- Ottawa
6- Montreal
2016-17
What experts predicted :
The Hockey Writers
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Florida
Bleacher report
1- Tampa
2- Florida
3- Montreal
The Hockey News
1- Tampa
2- Florida
3- Montreal
TSN
1- Tampa
2- Montreal
3- Florida
ESPN
Out of 10 experts, 10 of them project Tampa to win the division
NHL.COM
Out of 20 experts, 17 project Tampa to win the division. 2 says it's gonna be Florida. And... tadam! You have one guy, the only one I could find in 5 years, who predicted Montreal would win the division. And he was right! Congratulations Rob Vollman!!
2016-17 final standings
1- Montreal
2- Ottawa
3- Boston
And the trend continues this offseason. Despite underestimating the Habs massively for 3 of the last 5 years, I'm still unable to find a single expert who projects the Habs to win their division in 2017-18. They project Tampa, who just missed the playoffs and replaced Drouin with Kunitz. I've seen Toronto, who lost 14 games in a row against Montreal. I've seen Ottawa too. But nobody is taking a chance on Montreal, once again.
So the question is : why are experts so often underestimating the Habs? Here's a few possible answers :
1- Experts underestimate the impact of a star goaltender on the overall result
2- Experts are shy about placing the Habs first, because of what they represent, and because this is a team loaded with emotivity, good and bad. They prefer to take a safe bet and place them 2nd or 3rd every year, so they avoid controversy.
3- The Habs players and coaching staff have been greatly underestimated over the years
4- Habs overachieved 3 years out of 5. I assume this will be a popular option, but it's hard to believe. Habs have the 7th best regular season record in the past 5 years. Such consistent success cannot be overachieving.
5- Any other explanation?