Fool's Game Part 3 - predict Western Conference Standings 2016/17

[oldnews]

Ok folks.  The draft - and free agency pretty much concluded with not that many impact players, if any, still available.

 

So to mitigate the boredom, let's hear it from all our homers and tankers and everyone in between.

Who dares to predict the Western Conference standings at the end of this coming regular season?

 

Please post your predictions - and keep your criticisms of others' predictions to yourself - unless you take a position of your own first.

 

My 2016/17 predictions - full homer blinders in effect!  (Here for your laughs next spring!)

 

 

For me, it's less predictable at the top this coming season.  I don't really think any of the top Western teams improved much, if at all - and a few imo are due for a good drop off.

 

 

1) Anaheim - I think they have a chip on their shoulder, an urgency, are very deep down the middle and on the blueline, with an elite young goaltender.

2) Chicago - whatever.  I hate you (still). Always another piece to plug in, mistakes or not.  Pokka, Hartman, Kempny, Schmaltz...you make me sick.

 

3)  Nashville - not because of the Subban deal, but because many other mid-tier Western teams declined imo.  Nashville sustains.

4)  St Louis - don't like the loss of that piece of work Backes, but their blueline is deep and they have solid scoring depth imo.

5) Los Angeles - tempted to drop them a few spots, but their blueline and goaltending keeps them at 5 for me (and they should be a bit quicker with the departures of Lucic, Schenn..)

 

Here's where most of you are  gonna think I done lost my marbles.  I don't give a dump.  Western Canadian resurgence (but screw you lottery Coilers, not yet).

 

6) Vancouver - damn straight.  Good depth on the blueline, good goaltending, four solid lines - balanced and harder to play/score against.  Lovers gonna love.

7) Winnipeg - great talent up front - good young blueline upticking imo - only thing holding them back is their goaltending (until their youth emerge).

8) Calgary - like their blueline, good forward group (need more secondary scoring/depth, have some question marks, ie Shink and Vey haha) - but improved goaltending. 

 

The fallers - again, some people will think this is nutz - but who cares?  Not a lot separating 9 through 13 from playoff spots, but....

 

9)  Dallas - weakened, questionable blueline - lost some key pieces - Hammer can't make up that gap, nor their youth.  Questionable goaltending barring a Lehtonen comeback. Stars fall.

10) San Jose - Finals loss hangover - and too old and shallow to refill the tank soon enough.  Great run last year, but it's over.  Hard.

11) Minnesota - another overachiever - with suspect depth imo.  I don't think they hold on this time.  A miss for the Wild.

 

12) Edmonton - just because I hate your lottery ass (not really - but you're pathetic and not yet a team.)  Lucic is too slow. "Hey wait for me at the blueline Connor."  But will they finally? NO.

13) Colorado - I like the 'loss' of Roy and many good pieces, but I'm not sure they're quite ready or deep enough yet. But I don't think the gap between 9-11 and the Avs/Coil will be much.

14) Arizona - zero confidence in their management changes or Chayka's 'analytics'.  Too many young question marks in key positions. Don't think Smith(or Tippett) can bail them out.

 

Again, unless you post your own predictions - don't care what you have to say.

 

Lastly, this will make for a Vancouver vs Los Angeles first round matchup - in which we exact some serious revenge.  Vancouver in 6.  Suck it tank nation.

 

[Fanuck]

Dallas

Nashville 

St Louis 

Anaheim 

Chicago 

San Jose 

Los Angeles 

Vancouver 

Winnipeg 

Calgary 

Minnesota 

Arizona 

Edmonton 

Colorado 

 

Or something like that.......

[PlanB]

5 minutes ago, Fanuck said:

Dallas

Nashville 

St Louis 

Anaheim 

Chicago 

San Jose 

Los Angeles 

Vancouver 

Winnipeg 

Calgary 

Minnesota 

Arizona 

Edmonton 

Colorado 

 

Or something like that.......

Very,  very close imo. 

One or two tweaks here/there - you've got yourself the regular season standings. 

[GettinGuddyWithIt]

1. Nashville

2. Chicago

3. L.A

4. San Jose

5. Dallas

6. St.Louis

7. Vancouver

8. Winnepeg

9. Anaheim

10. Minnesota

11. Calgary

12. Edmonton

13. Colorado

14. Arizona

 

Nashville vs Winnipeg- NSH in 5

Chicago vs Dallas- CHI in 7

L.A vs St.Louis- L.A in 6

Vancouver vs San Jose- VAN in 6 due to injuries

 

Nashville vs Chicago- NSH in 6

L.A vs Vancouver- L.A in 6 

 

Nashville vs L.A- NSH in 5

 

Nashville loses in the finals to Pittsburgh in 7.

[AlwaysACanuckFan]

1) Chicago 

2) Dallas 

3) Anaheim 

4) Nashville 

5) St Louis 

6) Los Angeles 

7) San Jose 

8) Vancouver 

9) Winnipeg 

10) Minnesota 

11) Calgary 

12) Edmonton 

13) Arizona 

14) Colorado 

[apollo]

Love it! I'll take a 6th place, first round match up vs the Queen's. 

 

Here's mine, spiced a Lil extra homer on there 

 

1. SJ iono, I like Jones and I think they'll do well 

2. Nashville, this could really go either way... I think PK and Co thrive though. 

3. Chicago is the most pathetic city on the planet (tied with Boston and LA). That's all I have to say... 

4. Vancouver Vintage Sedinery ensues. Some kinds step up, either Miller or Marky have vezina seasons 

5. Ducks juice kes first round match up... Why not? 

6. Blues like them more without Backes. I hated Backes. 

7.  Stars too good up front... Hammer will do well 

8. Winnipeg, good youngsters bound to make leaps 

 

9-14... Iono but LA is pathetic. Calgary Oil still suck. Avs yotes wild out too

 

 

[LaBamba]

1. Nashville - I don't think the Defensive systems of the NHL are ready for a back end as Dynamic as this. 

 

2. San Jose - they don't need Thorton and marleau, they have an outstanding amount of depth. They also have an emerging star in net. 

 

3. Anhiem - they have a great mix of youth, speed, toughness and veteran leadership. 

 

4. St Louis - they lost the 2 most overrated players on their team, they'll be fine. 

 

5. Dallas. Yes, they do have a thin blue line but so did the Pens. They have way too much offence to not make the playoffs. Their goaltending and defense is garbage but they won't be exposed until the playoffs they are regular season darlings.  

 

6. Chicago - they have lost too many pieces to recover without missing a stride. The damage has already been done. They have proven everything. Still a playoff team. 

 

7. Winnipeg - the victim of a powerful central division will now reap the benefits of a Chicago downturn. 

 

8. Wild - Their new coach will have them energized and scoring like crazy. They made the playoffs with an injured team captain last season. If healthy the wild are mediocre, but still good enough. 

 

Bubble teams 9-12

 

9. Los Angels - too slow, that is all. Could easily flop with the wild. 

 

10. Arizona - there is always a surprise in the western conference and that will be Arizona. I look at their lineup and see a lot of talent with a lot of potential. This is my bottom feeder breakout candidate. 

 

11. Calgary - Still not enough depth. Could make it if they stayed healthy. 

 

12. Vancouver - same as Calgary. 

 

13. Edmonton - They lost Taylor Hall and still have no depth on the blue line. It's scary how bad they still are. 

 

14. Colorado - is lost. 

 

 

 

[Master Mind]

1. Dallas - I think goaltending will improve, and young players fit in well

2. San Jose - Same group plus Boedker. Only California team that improved

3. St. Louis - Always plenty of regular season success

4. Nashville - Bounce back season from Rinne moves them up

5. Anaheim - Coaching change won't fix their struggling offence

6. Chicago - Lacking depth but will find a way in

7. Minnesota - Boudreau is a regular season guru

8. Los Angeles - No replacement for Lucic, will struggle to score

---

9. Winnipeg - Lose out due to tough Central division

10. Vancouver - Better than last year but still not quite there

11. Edmonton - Finally a step forward, but still not playoff bound

12. Calgary - Improvement but still not good enough

13. Arizona - Regress from last season

14. Colorado - Still yet to address their defence

 

 

[Master Mind]

39 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Ok folks.  The draft - and free agency pretty much concluded with not that many impact players, if any, still available.

 

So to mitigate the boredom, let's hear it from all our homers and tankers and everyone in between.

Who dares to predict the Western Conference standings at the end of this coming regular season?

 

Please post your predictions - and keep your criticisms of others' predictions to yourself - unless you take a position of your own first.

 

My 2016/17 predictions - full homer blinders in effect!  (Here for your laughs next spring!)

 

 

For me, it's less predictable at the top this coming season.  I don't really think any of the top Western teams improved much, if at all - and a few imo are due for a good drop off.

 

 

1) Anaheim - I think they have a chip on their shoulder, an urgency, are very deep down the middle and on the blueline, with an elite young goaltender.

2) Chicago - whatever.  I hate you (still). Always another piece to plug in, mistakes or not.  Pokka, Hartman, Kempny, Schmaltz...you make me sick.

 

3)  Nashville - not because of the Subban deal, but because many other mid-tier Western teams declined imo.  Nashville sustains.

4)  St Louis - don't like the loss of that piece of work Backes, but their blueline is deep and they have solid scoring depth imo.

5) Los Angeles - tempted to drop them a few spots, but their blueline and goaltending keeps them at 5 for me (and they should be a bit quicker with the departures of Lucic, Schenn..)

 

Here's where most of you are  gonna think I done lost my marbles.  I don't give a dump.  Western Canadian resurgence (but screw you lottery Coilers, not yet).

 

6) Vancouver - damn straight.  Good depth on the blueline, good goaltending, four solid lines - balanced and harder to play/score against.  Lovers gonna love.

7) Winnipeg - great talent up front - good young blueline upticking imo - only thing holding them back is their goaltending (until their youth emerge).

8) Calgary - like their blueline, good forward group (need more secondary scoring/depth, have some question marks, ie Shink and Vey haha) - but improved goaltending. 

 

The fallers - again, some people will think this is nutz - but who cares?  Not a lot separating 9 through 13 from playoff spots, but....

 

9)  Dallas - weakened, questionable blueline - lost some key pieces - Hammer can't make up that gap, nor their youth.  Questionable goaltending barring a Lehtonen comeback. Stars fall.

10) San Jose - Finals loss hangover - and too old and shallow to refill the tank soon enough.  Great run last year, but it's over.  Hard.

11) Minnesota - another overachiever - with suspect depth imo.  I don't think they hold on this time.  A miss for the Wild.

 

12) Edmonton - just because I hate your lottery ass (not really - but you're pathetic and not yet a team.)  Lucic is too slow. "Hey wait for me at the blueline Connor."  But will they finally? NO.

13) Colorado - I like the 'loss' of Roy and many good pieces, but I'm not sure they're quite ready or deep enough yet. But I don't think the gap between 9-11 and the Avs/Coil will be much.

14) Arizona - zero confidence in their management changes or Chayka's 'analytics'.  Too many young question marks in key positions. Don't think Smith(or Tippett) can bail them out.

 

Again, unless you post your own predictions - don't care what you have to say.

 

Lastly, this will make for a Vancouver vs Los Angeles first round matchup - in which we exact some serious revenge.  Vancouver in 6.  Suck it tank nation.

 

Pretty bold taking out both the top seeded west team AND the finalist.

 

If Thornton slows down, I can see it. However Dallas is lead by players too easy to hate. They'll be the next Chicago.

 

But as you said, it's a fool's game anyway. Injuries and hot/cold starts will have an impact we can't predict.

[oldnews]

1 minute ago, Master Mind said:

Pretty bold taking out both the top seeded west team AND the finalist.

 

If Thornton slows down, I can see it. However Dallas is lead by players too easy to hate. They'll be the next Chicago.

 

But as you said, it's a fool's game anyway. Injuries and hot/cold starts will have an impact we can't predict.

Yeah, Dallas can probably score their way into the playoffs - and they do have a few good young D to plug in....I just hate them and am hoping (despite Hammer) that they collapse.  It won't shock me if they do - the NHL is largely an unpredictable gig imo.

San Jose - you never know, they're so inconsistent - but I do think they're going to struggle after the disappointment of coming so close so late in a number of their key player's careers....and I don't like the diving drama queens lol.

[Master Mind]

3 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Yeah, Dallas can probably score their way into the playoffs - and they do have a few good young D to plug in....I just hate them and am hoping (despite Hammer) that they collapse.  It won't shock me if they do - the NHL is largely an unpredictable gig imo.

San Jose - you never know, they're so inconsistent - but I do think they're going to struggle after the disappointment of coming so close so late in a number of their key player's careers....and I don't like the diving drama queens lol.

Ideally, they both miss (along with Chicago and LA) but I certainly know that would be too good to be true.

[LaBamba]

2 minutes ago, oldnews said:

Yeah, Dallas can probably score their way into the playoffs - and they do have a few good young D to plug in....I just hate them and am hoping (despite Hammer) that they collapse.  It won't shock me if they do - the NHL is largely an unpredictable gig imo.

San Jose - you never know, they're so inconsistent - but I do think they're going to struggle after the disappointment of coming so close so late in a number of their key player's careers....and I don't like the diving drama queens lol.

I don't think there is a really bad team in the western conference or a really great team either. IMO the east is finally turning the corner with the powerhouses of the league atop their standings. 

 

1. Tampa

2. Washington 

3. Nashville. 

[oldnews]

1 minute ago, Master Mind said:

Ideally, they both miss (along with Chicago and LA) but I certainly know that would be too good to be true.

I don't think there's a team in the West that can be considered a true lock to finish top 4.

For me, if I had to pick one, Anaheim might be that - but beyond them, personally I think it's a big mish mash (I have no idea what's going to happen).

[Master Mind]

2 minutes ago, oldnews said:

I don't think there's a team in the West that can be considered a true lock to finish top 4.

For me, if I had to pick one, Anaheim might be that - but beyond them, personally I think it's a big mish mash (I have no idea what's going to happen).

Agreed none are locks. All the top teams got worse for the most part, and the bottom teams got better. Going to be more competitive than ever in the west this year.

[oldnews]

5 minutes ago, LaBamba said:

I don't think there is a really bad team in the western conference or a really great team either. IMO the east is finally turning the corner with the powerhouses of the league atop their standings. 

 

1. Tampa

2. Washington 

3. Nashville. 

I agree regarding the West - I think there could be some silly parity this year.

The East - I like Tampa but I think the expansion draft (forcing them to deal Bishop / Vasilievskiy) and their RFAs /.cap space are going to cause StevieY some headaches.  I think they'll also have to deal a forward to deepen their blueline depth, but Yzerman is a pretty crafty GM imo.

[LaBamba]

18 minutes ago, oldnews said:

I agree regarding the West - I think there could be some silly parity this year.

The East - I like Tampa but I think the expansion draft (forcing them to deal Bishop / Vasilievskiy) and their RFAs /.cap space are going to cause StevieY some headaches.  I think they'll also have to deal a forward to deepen their blueline depth, but Yzerman is a pretty crafty GM imo.

He doesn't have that problem until the summer. They are my Stanley cup favourite. 

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

This fool is thinkin something like this

 

Craphawks - This hurts more than you could possibly imagine

Ducks - Greasy low lifes will slither their way through the pit of the west

DAL - Could be scary

SJS - Jones is for realz

NSH - Rinne will continue as will their stellar D

Queens - @#$ ! you

STL - Wont matter playoffs is their curse

VAN - by the single hair of  Aquilini's chin

MIN - Sub par scoring but Super Duby will make them lookbetter.

WPG - Their division is disgusting

fLAMES - Gudreau will not sign and and CGY will be forced to deal him causing rioting in the streets(every possibly finger and toe are crossed for this one ! )

Project Yakupov - Still no  true number 1 D and no solid bottom six. How long is this  project supposed to last anyways ?

COL - Sinking ship ?

ARI - Howling in the cellar !

 

 

 

[Nuxfanabroad]

1- San Jose

2- Nashville(great D; finally adding O)

3- Ana

4- StLoo(question the 'tending)

5- Dall(same as StL)

6- Chi

7- Van(#14 overall, already predicted this, so stick with it)

8- Winterpeg(surprise-team squeaks in)

 

LA gets hit by injuries & apathy.

Cal & Edm drag each other down.

Minny & Col keep on imploding.

Phx is too young, they'll be good until Jan/Feb.

[IBacon Strips]

1 - Anaheim - Getting older, but still by far the most balanced team in the west. 

2 - Nashville - Rinne is declining fast, but their forward depth and ridiculously good blue line will make up for it. 

3 - Chicago - Same old. 

4 - Dallas - Their goaltending may be one of the worst in the west, but they won't have too much trouble outscoring their opponents. Solid additions in hudler, cracknell, and hamhuis will help them while they throw the youngins into the fire on D. 

5 -  St Louis - Lost a few key players, but still a deep team at all positions. 

6 - San Jose - Older team that played a lot of hockey in the last year and it will show during the first few months. 

7 - Winnipeg - They have such a solid group up and down their lineup, but goaltending is still a concern. This is the year they will start to figure it out. 

8 - Vancouver - Our team is underrated, the defence and goaltending are above average and we still have a great top line. 

-------------------

9 - Calgary - Much improved, but still a bit shallow up front. Could easily make a run for Vancouver's spot. 

10 - Colarado - New coach will help the talent they have take the next step. Defensive depth still an issue, but they have intriguing prospects looking to make an impact. Not quite playoff ready, but close. 

11 - L.A - Solid top 6 and top D pairing. Big drop off after that and Quick is going to show everyone that he is vastly overrated. Again. 

12 - Minny - Old and the youth they have aren't all that good. 

13 - Edmonton - McDavid could carry them higher, but the team still lacks depth in all positions. This is the year they will start to shake the losers mentality though. 

14 - Arizona - If they get goaltending, they could surprise some people and move up a bit more. Lots of good young players are going to be in the lineup from now on and that will be scary in a couple years. 

 

Playoffs:

Anaheim (1p) > Winnipeg (w2) in 5

Nashville (1c) > St Louis (w1) in 7

Dallas (2c) > Chicago (3c) in 6

San Jose (2p) < Vancouver (3p) in 6

-------

Anaheim (1p) > Vancouver (3p) in 7

Nashville (1c) > Dallas (2c) in 5

-------

Anaheim (1p) < Nashville (1c) in 6

 

Bold prediction: The worst western team will still finish higher than Columbus, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, and Detroit. 

[Jam126]

Chicago

Anaheim

Dallas

Nashville

Los Angeles

San Jose

Vancouver

Winnipeg

Edmonton

Calgary

Colorado

Arizona

 

Nashville is my pick for the finals.