The NHL season is upon us and the parity within the league might be bigger than it has ever been before, will it result in a new champion?
Last year saw the Washington Capitals finally get the job done. It put an end to their story of not getting past the second round. Now Alex Ovechkin and company can say they’ve done it all.
But, Washington wasn’t the only big story in the NHL in 2017-18. It was a year which saw the best season from an expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, in history. The Golden misfits all came together and gave the Capitals a run for their money in the Finals.
That was last year, now in 2018-19, a new season brings hope to all despite the harsh reality that fans eventually realize early on in their season. Big name players have moved on to new places, a new wave of coaches have entered the league, and yet the goal all remains the same: winning the Stanley Cup.
Fans will be looking to see how John Tavares settles in with Toronto after leaving the New York Islanders. Erik Karlsson looks to form one of the games best defensive pairings with Brent Burns in San Jose.
On the coaching front, there was plenty of change following disappointment in 2017-18. Bill Peters, Rod Brind’Amour, Barry Trotz, David Quinn, Todd Reirden, and Jim Montgomery all look to make the transition to different benches. How their teams rally around them and perform will be one of the major storylines 2018-19 has to offer.
With that, the ESNY NHL staff has everything you need from analysis to predictions in order to get ready for the start of the 2018-19 season.
For the first time in two years, the Pittsburgh Penguins are not the defending Stanley Cup champions. Coming off a 100 point season, Pittsburgh is expected to be right back in the mix of things this year.
They have some of the best depth in the entire NHL with the likes of Derick Brassard backing up Sidney Crosby. Or Jake Guentzel being a security blanket should Phil Kessel go down. That depth will be back and fresh since they did not have to go on yet another long Stanley Cup run.
There really was not much change on the Penguin roster this year, which should allow them to gell quicker than most teams under Mike Sullivan. Matt Murray’s health is actually the only real question that should concern Penguin fans. He has yet to play in a full NHL season, so keeping him healthy will be a priority.
Prediction: 105 points
The defending Stanley Cup Champions look to build a dynasty in Washington.
For the most part, there was not much change over in the capital outside of Barry Trotz choosing not to return. But, despite the change, it won’t be a big difference considering the team’s new head coach, Todd Reirden, was a member of Trotz’s coaching staff.
Reirden has inherited a team that is full of offensive firepower with Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeni Kuznetsov, and T.J. Oshie. In net, Braden Holtby is considered by many as one of the best in the entire league. It should be another strong year for the Washington Capitals.
Prediction: 103 points
Columbus is set up to have another strong year under head coach John Tortorella.
Their core has been together for some quite time now and they have a group of defensemen that is one of the best the league has to offer. That, along with Sergei Bobrovsky in goal gives Columbus a legitimate chance at contending throughout the season.
There is a bit of an injury concern when it comes to Seth Jones. He will be out four-to-six weeks with an injury, but their depth should be able to cover them until he returns. How they manage without him will determine how far they go this year.
Prediction: 101 points
The Flyers have been the talk of the league the last couple of days with the unveiling of their new mascot Gritty. The Broad Street Bullies look to take Gritty’s intimidating look and bring it on to the ice.
Veterans like Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, James van Riemsdyk, Sean Couturier along with youngster Nolan Patrick, Ivan Provorav, and Shane Gostisbehere make for a good combination of young and old to contend. The only question that surrounds Philly is who will be in between the pipes? Will Brian Elliot emerge as a number one starter again? Or, will Michael Neuvirth steal the job?
Despite the questions in goal, the Flyers still have one of the strongest lineups the Metropolitan Division has to offer. Look for them to battle it out with Columbus for the number three spot this year.
Prediction: 99 points
The Devils took the league by storm a season ago and now have some big expectations on their backs.
How the team handles those expectations will go a long way in their 2018-19 season. They are still a relatively young team, and higher expectations sometimes make things more complicated for younger players. That is where veterans like Taylor Hall, Travis Zajac, Ben Lovejoy, and Andy Greene have to keep their young squad focused.
Former number one draft pick Nico Hischier had a very impressive rookie campaign and looks even better this preseason. Expect for him and the rest of the team to be just fine competing for a wild card in the Eastern Conference.
Prediction: 93 points
The Blueshirts went in a different direction last year, a direction that placed an emphasis on getting younger. That continues in 2018-19 while trying to compete for a playoff spot.
Under new head coach David Quinn, they look to be a competitive team that gives their all on a nightly basis. The goal this year is to get back to being better on a daily basis as the team seems to really be embracing Quinn’s message.
Despite employing veterans like Henrik Lundqvist, Marc Staal, Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Mika Zibanejad, the Rangers just do not have the talent to keep up with the big boys of the Metro. Look for them to be a bottom of the pact team, while still being competitive.
Prediction: 81 points
Carolina took a major step forward in their rebuild a season ago finishing sixth in the division. But they are still relatively young and under new head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
They traded away veteran Jeff Skinner in the offseason, and will still be relying on some relatively young players that have not seen what it is like to win in the NHL. That’s the difference between them and the Devils. That’s why the expectation is for them to finish towards the bottom of the league yet again.
There is still a chance they can surprise you. Talent can win games, but the loss of former head coach Bill Peters will be a bigger blow than some expect.
Prediction: 80 points
The Islanders continue to experience what life without John Tavares is going to be like. Whenever the face of the franchise leaves, it is going to be a period of transition and they are learning that right now.
A team that has been constructed around a group of veterans with the young talented Mathew Barzal does not really appear to be headed in the right direction to contend this season. The hesitancy to give their younger players like Josh Ho-Sang and Kieffer Bellows a chance this year ultimately will hurt their contending chances.
In goal Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss look to split the load. Lehner spent the last three seasons in Buffalo, not winning many games. Look for that trend to continue in the Barclays Center, Nassau Coliseum or wherever the Islanders play a game this season.
Prediction: 79 points
- Pittsburgh Penguins (105 points)
- Washington Capitals (103 points)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (101 points)
- Philadelphia Flyers (99 points)
- New Jersey Devils (93 points)
- New York Rangers (81 points)
- Carolina Hurricanes (80 points)
- New York Islanders (79 points)
The Ottawa Senators’ roster is far from the same Stanley Cup Playoff contender it was back in 2017 when the Sens advanced all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, only to lose to the likes of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
No, Ottawa wasn’t even an average team last season (28-43-11 –67PTS), but with the departure of Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman and Derick Brassard among others, the Senators are set for a last-place finish in a competitive Atlantic Division.
Yes, it appears the Senators may be on to something positive with up and coming skaters such as Matthew Tkachuk, but Ottawa is still a handful of seasons away from being a playoff contender again. The team has minimal offensive power and the defense-core is average at best, plus Ottawa is unstable between the pipes – even if goaltender Craig Anderson finishes out the season with the Sens.
For the first time since 1980-1983, the Detroit Red Wings will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for three straight seasons.
Hockeytown is no longer the title-town it once was.
In fact, the Red Wings are poised to miss the playoffs in 2020, too. There are arguably some youthful assets on the rise with skaters such as Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou, but Detroit is weak in net and sub-par on defense.
Newly acquired goaltender, Jonathan Bernier, is nothing more than a solid backup goaltender and that’s exactly what the Red Wings have in net with Bernier and Jimmy Howard. Two inconsistent goaltenders playing for a rebuilding team that’s in need of a masked man to bail them out of games and steal some victories on a nightly basis.
The Red Wings were a division-worst last season, 8-16-4, against the Atlantic and don’t expect that record to improve in 2018-19. Divisional points are so crucial in order to gain ground in the Eastern Conference standings, and while Detroit may be exciting to watch at times, the Red Wings are far from being competitive again.
Believe it or not, but the Montreal Canadiens will improve from last season’s 29-40-13 record. General manager Marc Bergevin followed through with some key roster changes that included acquiring youngster Max Domi and Tomas Tatar.
Montreal departed ways with skaters desperately in need of a new scenery in Alex Galchenyuk and former captain Max Pacioretty, and a healthy Carey Price between the pipes automatically gives Montreal a fighting chance at close to 40 wins this season.
Montreal proved how serious it was about turning over a new leaf with its commendable offseason and selections at the 2018 NHL Draft. Head coach Claude Julien is too good of a voice behind the bench to let this team continue to spiral downhill, too.
There’s a different feel in Montreal and now it’s just a matter of time if the skaters such as Domi, Jonathan Drouin, and Shea Weber can find a way to come together and take one giant step forward in 2019.
Sixth place it is for the Canadiens.
A fifth-place finish for the Atlantic Division in 2019 may just be good enough to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Eastern Conference this spring.
Yes, that means that the Buffalo Sabres can potentially offer playoff hockey to the city of Buffalo for the first time since 2010-11. It’s been a broken record in Buffalo with the Sabres for too long, but head coach Phil Housley and company portrayed signs of promise during the second half of the season in 2018.
Buffalo was smart to part ways with skaters such as Ryan O’Reilly and Evander Kane, and while Buffalo also acquired draft picks in those transactions; the Sabres also upgraded on offense with the likes of Jeff Skinner, Conor Sheary, Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka.
Casey Mittelstadt and Jack Eichel will form a dynamic duo that the Sabres have been missing on offense in over a decade, and expect the team’s defense to notably take a huge step in the right direction.
Blueliner, Rasmus Dahlin, is the whole package and will prove just how dynamic the first-overall selection (2018) can be for Sabres come puck drop in October. The Swedish native is good for at least 40 this season.
Buffalo also has stability in net with Carter Hutton and top goaltending prospect, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, could take over the reigns between the pipes in good ole’ Buffalo sooner than most think.
The Sabres are last season’s (Cinderella story) Colorado Avalanche and expect a breakout season from the fourth-year skater, Eichel – who has yet to record 70 points in a season entering his fourth year.
One other feel-food-stories of the year in 2018 was the Florida Panthers magical run during the second half of last season. While the team’s success (best record after the NHL All-Star break) didn’t do justice and the Panthers missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, expect the Panthers to be in the conversation for playoff hockey come this April.
This hockey enthusiast believes that Florida will finish in fourth, but there’s always a chance that the Cats could stun the hockey world and finish at a higher seed for the Atlantic Division.
Hockey in South Florida hasn’t been this anticipated since the team last won a playoff round back in 1996 after the Panthers advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final (lost to Colorado Avalanche).
Defenseman Aaron Eckblad is set to prove that he’s a Norris Trophy candidate as one of the league’s best defenseman for years to come, and the offense is deep with the likes of Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck, Nick Bjugstad, and Jonathan Huberdeau.
It’s apparent that head coach Bob Boughner has this team drinking whatever Kool-aid he’s been pouring after last season’s uncanny success, and the Panthers potential is only on the rise with how dynamic they are in all areas on the ice.
The only question mark is between the pipes with an aging Roberto Luongo and an unproven No. 1 starter in James Riemer. One setback last season was Luongo and Riemer both going down with injuries.
It should be interesting to see if the Cats try to make a move to add depth in net as the season progresses.
The reality is that the Panthers missed the playoffs by one point last season and that they’re a legitimate Stanley Cup Playoff contender for at least the next handful of seasons.
Yes, the Boston Bruins are deep in all areas on the ice and have a commendable mix of veteran skaters and youthful assets.
Forwards such as Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci will continue to lead the way for the B’s up front, while youngsters Danton Heinen and Jake Debrusk will blossom into offensive threats on a more consistent basis in 2019.
Whether fans want to admit or not, Marchand among other Bruins mentioned above are borderline Hart Memorial Trophy candidates next season, but Boston’s success won’t just come from the team’s forwards.
The Bruins’ blue line is deep with the likes of Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, and Kevan Miller. Let’s not forget about Zdeno Chara who still has at least one more solid year left in the tank, and the newly added John Moore, either.
Boston’s goaltending situation may appear to be the question mark, but the reality is that the Bruins are deep between the pipes. Signing goaltender Jaroslav Halak was a necessary and key signing for Boston, and a lesser role in net for Halak will benefit he and the Bruins, greatly.
Tuukka Rask still has what it takes to be in the conversation for the Vezina Trophy as one of the league’s top goaltenders, and it’s his time to finally lead the Bruins back to the Stanley Cup Final.
Boston’s offense fizzled out towards the end of last season and into the playoffs, but expect that to show for a good learning experience moving forward for head coach Bruce Cassidy.
If the Tampa Bay Lightning don’t reach the Stanley Cup Final, like last season, then it’s a disappointment. The Bolts are stacked in all areas on the ice and similar to Boston have a good mix of veteran skaters combined with youthful assets.
Tampa’s hot start last season convinced most analysts that it was the team to beat, but the team’s overall defensive play struggled, and Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov were held off the scoresheet come Game 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.
Goaltender and 2018 Vezina Trophy nominee, Andrei Vasilevskiy, proved that he was arguably the team’s most valuable player last season. The 24-year-old has quickly transformed into a top-tier NHL goaltender and the Russian native will lead the Bolts back to the top of the Atlantic Division.
It’s another successful season for “Rangers South” in the Atlantic Division, but don’t be surprised if the Lightning fails to win the division, which could also be a blessing in disguise for the Stanley Cup favorites come playoff time.
It’s Toronto’s time.
After a string of dark years, the Toronto Maple Leafs are poised to have one of the franchise’s best regular seasons, ever. From the front office to the bench the Leafs have talent and the right type of culture to make a run at Lord Stanley.
Regardless if the Maple Leafs signed forward John Tavares or not, Toronto was still set to be a favorite to win the Atlantic Division. Youngsters Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner are all a year wiser, and goaltender Frederik Andersen could be in the conversation for the Vezina Trophy in June.
Head coach Mike Babcock’s squad finished with the league’s second-best power play last season (25 percent), and the team’s man advantage only improved with Tavares now in the lineup.
The team’s defense has been an Achilles’ heel in recent memory, but that’s anticipated to improve and don’t be surprised if the Leafs trade for depth on the blue line at the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline. Toronto is in the driver’s seat to execute trades in order to “win now” due to the team’s superstar youngsters on the rise.
No, the Maple Leafs won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2019, but Toronto will have another banner to raise to Scotiabank Arena’s rafters in October of 2019.
- Toronto Maple Leafs (109 points)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (105 points)
- Boston Bruins (103 points)
- Florida Panthers (99 points)
- Buffalo Sabres (95 points)
- Montreal Canadiens (87 points)
- Detroit Red Wings (79 points)
- Ottawa Senators (63 points)
To much of everyone’s surprise, the Ducks managed to defy injury to claim yet another 100+ point season only to be swept in the first round by the San Jose Sharks, a firm sign that their championship window has closed shut.
Ryan Kesler is already set to miss significant time from offseason hip surgery and there isn’t much optimism for the Ducks at center past Adam Henrique. Top prospect Sam Steel is poised to make his NHL debut, but it’s unlikely raw potential alone will save the Ducks from their center issues.
While Ryan Getzlaf had a pretty solid regular season with 61 points, Corey Perry’s numbers have taken a notable dip down to 17 goals and 49 points. Neither player did much of anything in the playoffs, with two assists from Getzlaf and nothing — nothing — from Perry in four games.
Rickard Rakell is most definitely the driving force on offense for the Ducks, but he can’t do it alone. For a group that ranked 18th overall last season in goals-for, there was nothing done on the open market or via trade to bolster their offense.
The good news is that defensively, the Ducks will be just fine. A very well balanced group led by Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm should keep the Ducks in the top five in the NHL in goals-against.
It would be good to improve on finishing 26th overall for shots allowed, but John Gibson between the pipes alone gives them some of the best goaltending in the NHL when he’s healthy.
The Ducks will once again rely on their strong defense and John Gibson to help guide them to another post-season berth. This time, when the injury bug eventually hits, the Ducks won’t have the depth necessary to plug their deficiencies and will miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
If the Coyotes can play the way they did from January through the rest of the 2017-18 season, there’s a good chance they can make the playoffs.
Imagine hearing that when the Coyotes were 2-15-3 on Nov. 14, 2017.
Antti Raanta’s struggle to stay healthy early in the season made adjusting to Rick Tocchet’s system a sloppy process. The Coyotes tried to make up for Raanta’s absence via Louis Domingue, but eventually waived the goaltender and traded for Scott Wedgewood before subsequently moving on from him as well.
The Yotes traded Wedgewood and Tobias Rieder to the Kings for Darcy Keumper to hopefully curb the implosion that can occur if Raanta misses extended time again.
Once Raanta did return in mid-November, he found his footing. From January 1 until the end of the season, Raanta posted a .942 save percentage with a 1.84 goals-against average — the best in the NHL during that span.
The emergence of Clayton Keller gives the Yotes another piece to build around after re-signing Oliver Ekman-Larsson to an eight-year contract and provides more firepower up front.
Speaking of, the Desert Dogs acquired Alex Galchenyuk this offseason which will help ease the burden at center for Derek Stepan and can hopefully push Dylan Strome to break through at the NHL level.
Vinnie Hinostroza joins the Yotes after being traded by the Chicago Blackhawks. At just 24-years-old, Hinostroza played 49 and 50 games in each of the last two seasons, so he’s part of their growth going forward.
After finding another gear to switch to in the 2016-17 season, Michael Grabner is a 20-goal scorer once again with 27 in each of his last two seasons and will provide a boost to the third or second line, if need be.
At the worst, this Coyotes team is good enough to contend for a wild-card spot in a very skewed division. Playoffs may not happen this season for the Coyotes, but they will be a contending team in the very near future, they’re close.
After doing a swap in their core with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Calgary Flames are reloaded and looking to continue their trend of making the playoffs for the third consecutive time after missing the season prior.
The Calgary Flames fell flat in the last two months of play last season to derail an otherwise pretty good year.
Johnny Gaudreau set a career-high in points with 84, Matthew Tkachuk re-signed almost immediately, guaranteeing he sticks around after his entry-level contract expires.
While they lost Dougie Hamilton and Michael Ferland, receiving Elias Lindholm is a boost in depth scoring for the Flames and Noah Hanafin is a 21-year-old defenseman with three seasons of play already under his belt.
GM Brad Treliving also signed James Neal to a five-year contract after Neal played a huge part in the Vegas Golden Knights run to the Stanley Cup Final. As Neal enters his leaner years at 30 years old, he doesn’t have the pressure to be a top-six scorer — especially with the Flames’ top-six — and can comfortably net at least another 20 next season.
The replacing of Glen Gulutzan and his staff with Bill Peters, Geoff Ward, and Ryan Huska puts an emphasis on their defensive issues.
Goaltending has been an issue for Calgary ever since the departure of long-time netminder Miikka Kiprusoff, and that won’t change for them this season. Mike Smith’s start to the season was great – probably better than expected for the (then) 35-year-old netminder: a .920 save percentage through 33 games.
It was the last 22 games in the second half of the season that buried the Flames and his numbers with a .910 save percentage in that span. A stabilized defensive group should help Smith’s numbers down the stretch, but the Flames will need more consistency as the year goes on for the veteran goaltender, especially entering the season at 36 years old.
All in all, expect the Flames to enter this season with renewed vigor from a boost to their depth scoring and defensive structure. Bill Peters will tighten up their systems play and put the Flames back into the playoffs once again.
The Edmonton Oilers had sky-high expectations after an exciting 2016-17 and even entered the season as cup contenders, only to be well on the outside by Dec. 1 with a 10-14-2 record and finish 17 points from a playoff spot.
There were several factors to blame for the Oilers magnificent rise and even more puzzling fall.
Firstly, their special teams were far from special. For a team as offensively gifted with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to name a few, they had the league-worst powerplay at 14.8 percent. Their penalty-kill fared only a little better with a 25th overall finish at 76.7 percent.
Like the Flames, the Oilers were a top-heavy team with the majority of their firepower coming from their top-six. Balanced scoring is needed from players like Jesse Puljujarvi who had 20 points in 65 games last season and Ryan Strome, who has continued to struggle since his inaugural 50-point season.
Milan Lucic was also a shell of his 2016-17 self, dipping from 50 to 34 points and 23 to 10 goals respectively. Despite scoring 26 points in the first 39 games, Lucic’s production nosedived in his last 44 games with just a single goal and eight points for the rest of the season – a telling sign that confidence, not skill was the issue for him last season. Expect a renewed effort from Lucic this season.
Darnell Nurse has a golden opportunity to play a huge role with the Oilers next season after signing a two-year bridge deal after a tense offseason stalemate. Nurse led all Oilers defensemen in scoring with six goals and 26 points and will look to take another step forward by reinforcing the Oilers’ top-four.
Cam Talbot is looking for a rebound year as well after his save percentage dipped from .919 in 2017 to .909 in 2018. Talbot’s start to the season was a rocky .905 save percentage and 2.83 goals-against average. It wasn’t until February when Talbot finally started regaining some consistency, with a .916 save percentage through his final 28 games of the season.
The Oilers haven’t changed much in their approach, and it’s unclear if that can lead to better results. Talbot will definitely be better, as should Lucic, but the Oilers have a questionable bottom-six, and in the modern NHL contribution has to come from all four lines.
Though improvement is expected, it will likely not be enough to carry them back to the post-season in 2019.
The Los Angeles Kings’ window slammed shut last season, but they’ll do everything in their power to force it open for one last year.
After being swept by the Knights’ in last season’s opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Kings’ lack of offensive depth was exposed after their veterans could do little to impact their team’s fate in the post-season.
To address the issues the Kings signed Ilya Kovalchuk – someone who hasn’t played in the NHL since 2013 — to a three-year deal worth $6.25 million per season.
That isn’t a knock to Kovalchuk or his capabilities, it’s likely the forward can at least return to the 20-goal, 40-point mark once again. The Kovalchuk signing is more indicative of a team in denial that they just aren’t good enough as they stand.
It’s worth pointing out that the Kings lost Jeff Carter six games into the season. When he returned, he posted 19 points in 21 games – a promising sample for the Kings’ second-line center. Carter should be good for another 60 points next season if he can stay healthy.
Beyond Carter, Michael Amadio should be looking towards extended bottom-six responsibility. In his first NHL season, he scored four goals and eight points in 37 games. The 22-year-old will look to build on getting his first taste in the NHL and fortify the Kings’ much-needed depth scoring.
The Kings were arguably the league’s best team defensively finishing first overall in goals-allowed and in the penalty-kill. Jonathan Quick had another terrific season with a .921 save percentage and even posted some of his best post-season numbers in a four-game sample against the Knights. He was far from the reason the Kings were swept in the opening round.
It’s due to their strong defense that favors the Kings playoff chances, but realistically, this is a team that should be looking to transition out of an era of players, not keep their closing window open one more year.
This is the path the Kings have chosen, and, it realistically, isn’t enough to push them into the post-season.
The San Jose Sharks are one of the best-balanced teams in the NHL between their core of young players and veterans, and acquiring Erik Karlsson this-past offseason puts them as the Stanley Cup favorites heading into the season.
As Peter DeBoer told his team during their first full practice, “Our time is now, our window is now.”
Sharks GM Doug Wilson promised his team he would set out to acquire a big name this offseason, and after narrowly missing out on the John Tavares sweepstakes he made sure not to miss twice with Karlsson.
After adding Evander Kane at the trade deadline, he re-signed with the Sharks for seven years at $7 million per giving an extended boost to the Sharks’ top-six. An already strengthened core could see a further boost from rookies like Timo Meier, who scored 21 goals and 36 points last season. Antti Suomela is looking to crack the Sharks’ lineup next season too, as the most viable replacement for the departed Chris Tierney.
There isn’t much that needs to be said from the Sharks offensive core. Joe Pavelski should post another high-60, low-70 point season, Joe Thornton should return one-hundred percent healthy and is still very much capable of a 50-point season and Logan Couture found a home alongside Pavelski.
The addition of Karlsson should provide a jump in the Sharks’ power play, which finished16th overall last season, to well within the top 10 if not the top five.
With Martin Jones’ stable presence in net and history of post-season success, the Sharks are looking towards a long year and a short summer in 2019 with a Stanley Cup parade in June.
An optimistic start at the beginning of the season eventually turned sour for the Vancouver Canucks last year, who will look to continue building the foundation of a new chapter in their history.
Now that both Henrik and Daniel Sedin retired, this is Brock Boeser’s team. An unfortunate injury derailed what could have likely been a 40-goal season for Boeser, but there’s no doubt he can easily bounce back.
A nasty rash of injury hit the Canucks hard last season, along with Boeser missing about a month Bo Horvat suffered a broken ankle and missed a month and a half while Sven Baertschi had two separate bouts of injury which kept him out for a total of nearly two months.
The Canucks, more than arguably any other team, will continue to emphasize growth in their players. Heavy minutes of playing time in key situations should help their kids continue to develop. That goes as much for the aforementioned players as well as their young roster-hopefuls in guys like Brendan Leipsic and Adam Gaudette.
Of course, the team added another piece to their core in Elias Pettersson and the expectations will be on him to have a lights-out rookie year. He led the Swedish League in scoring with 56 points in 44 games and was named league MVP and top rookie en route to a championship season. Pettersson is in prime position to win the 2019 Calder Trophy if even half of his success overseas follows him into the NHL.
That said, growth is something that must be emphasized team-wide, with veterans like Sam Gagner taking a step back and Loui Eriksson with a huge step back from his 63-point season in 2015-16. In the last two years combined, Eriksson couldn’t even tie his total from two years ago with 47 points. Both him and Gagner (who had a 19-point deficit last year vs. his previous season with Columbus) need to look ahead to more gradual improvement.
The big question for the Canucks is Jakub Markstrom, who at 28-years-old has struggled to maintain consistency in parts of five seasons with Vancouver. His 60 games played last season is his most ever, ending with a .912 save percentage and a 2.71 goals-against average – just about league average.
The 2018-19 season will be the biggest in his career, with the workload firmly resting on his shoulders it’s time for him to put-up or shut-up. With Thatcher Demko knocking on the door and waiting for his inevitable call-up, the least Markstrom can do is put himself in a position to continue his NHL career for as long as he can.
As one can assume, this season is about development for a Canucks team in transition. Even if they overachieve in every aspect, this is a Canucks team whose focus is not on immediate success and will have a lot to digest on the outside looking in.
The Knights started the 2017-18 season 8-2-0 in their first 10 games, and no, it didn’t slow down from there. At all.
Riding two-thirds of the Florida Panthers’ 2016 top line, Marc-Andre Fleury, and the leadership from Gerard Gallant, the Knights embarked on a journey that brought them all the way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final.
Unfortunately for them, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is where the journey would end as they dropped four-straight games to the Washington Capitals — their worst losing streak in franchise history.
From inaugural season puns to their roster, not much has or will change for the Knights next season, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While they bid farewell to James Neal and David Perron, they also welcome new-found center depth in both Paul Stastny and Max Pacioretty.
Truthfully, it would make sense to bet against Vegas heading into next season. The statistical probability that the majority of their forwards will continue to grow is overwhelming given how many players had career seasons.
Then again, all they have done since joining the league is defy every stat in the books. Newfound depth at center will maintain a potent offense and a returned-to-form Marc-Andre Fleury will help the Knights keep things trending upwards next season.
Their lone concern lies at D, where on paper things could get very thin very quickly if Brayden McNabb can’t lead a defensive group comprised of Deryk Engelland (who will turn 37 this season) and two young guns in Shea Theodore and Colin Miller.
Without the services of Nate Schmidt until Nov. 18, a quick injury or two could force the Knights into a rough situation.
Regardless of that, they will compete once again next season without a doubt. T-Mobile Arena has quickly become one of the most hostile venues in the NHL, and the Vegas fans are ready for another deep playoff run.
- San Jose Sharks (110 points)
- Vegas Golden Knights (104 points)
- Calgary Flames (97 points)
- Los Angeles Kings (94 points)
- Arizona Coyotes (90 points)
- Anaheim Ducks (87 points)
- Edmonton Oilers (84 points)
- Vancouver Canucks (75 points)
It’s hard to discount any team with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane on it, but 2018-19 will see the Blackhawks as a fringe team, only reaching the playoffs if all goes according to plan. Expectations like these are a departure for Chicago considering that they’ve notched 100 point seasons in seven of the last 10 years, but after a disappointing 2017-18 campaign that only saw the ‘Hawks record 76 points, it’s hard to maintain a positive outlook.
From a talent standpoint, this team is very top heavy. Their top two lines possess elite talent championed by Toews, Kane, Brandon Saad, and Alex Debrincat, but as you go further into the roster, there’s not much to look at. The same thing goes on defense led by an aging Duncan Keith. Bringing in Chris Kunitz and Marcus Kruger chip away at that problem by adding an additional veteran presence, but they are only replacement level.
The Blackhawks success in 2018-19 will hinge directly on whether their goalie can stay on the ice. Crawford had to sit out the bulk of last season after dealing with the complications of a bizarre head injury. Chicago needs their starting goalie healthy and productive to have any shot at the postseason.
Prediction: 84 points
It’s a regime change in Dallas. Jim Montgomery is taking over a very talented Stars team that finished 19th in points last season. The core strength of the Stars is clearly their top line. Skating Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alex Radulov together make for the best first line in the entire league. Thankfully, I’m a Rangers fan, but this line scares me. Dallas’s most pressing issue is that no other aspect of their roster will strike fear into the hearts of enemy fanbases.
Yes, Jason Spezza and Valeri Nichushkin could make for an interesting pair on the second line, but assuming they can produce on the level necessary to make Dallas a playoff club is wishful thinking (at least at this point). That coupled with the fact that the Stars are not particularly strong on defense is not exactly the recipe for success. John Klingberg is elite, and it will be exciting to see how well Miro Heiskanen can produce in his rookie campaign. After that, it’s basically you or me suiting up in green.
There are two outcomes here. Ben Bishop finds his mojo and Montgomery looks like a genius by revitalizing the Stars or, more likely, Dallas turns out to be another team in transition as a new coach starts to make his mark.
Prediction: 85 points
The Blues have been a perennially strong team, reaching the postseason in five of the last six years. Last season was not so lucky for St. Louis. They came up short in the hunt and said goodbye to Paul Stasny. The good news is that they still have Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn. The even better news is that they made a series of well-received moves this offseason including adding Ryan O’Reilly, Tyler Bozak, David Perron, and Patrick Maroon.
There is a ton of talent spread across these top three lines and this Blues team is fortunate enough to have two very strong defenders in Alex Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko. Vince Dunn is also poised for a big year after 2017-18 left us wanting much more.
The Blues have to do a lot to be successful in 2018-19, including tightening up what was an ineffective power play last year. Mike Yeo’s job is safe, but it will be interesting to see whether he can get the most out of the impressive depth the Blues possess among their forwards. If they are even dreaming of the postseason, then Jake Allen has to become much more consistent between the pipes.
Prediction: 88 points
Led by their star center Nathan MacKinnon, the Avalanche posted one of the most impressive turnarounds any of us have ever seen. Colorado found a way to compete last year and even though they couldn’t get through Nashville in the opening round of the playoffs, they still carry a ton of momentum into this upcoming season.
MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog form an extremely formidable top line. The best part for Avs fans you ask? All three of those guys are under 25 years old. Their biggest concern is that outside of that trio, the rest of their forwards are essentially replacement level on a good day (with the exception of Alex Kerfoot).
On the defensive end, Tyson Barrie, Erik Johnson, and Samuel Girard make for an exciting group on defense. Girard has a ton of upside and could take a major leap in 2018-19. As far as goalies are concerned, Colorado is looking at a platoon situation at least to open the season. Semyon Varlamov remains a safe option, but in a contract year, the Avs may lean towards settling Philipp Grubauer into the role. Grubauer has a higher upside and could be in net for years to come after he was acquired from Washington.
Prediction: 89 points
Zach Parise and company should have high hopes for 2018-19. Injuries robbed them of a potentially deep playoff run a year ago. Between Jason Zucker, Eric Staal, Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Mikko Koivu, Parise, and Nino Niederreiter, this team is as talented as any among their top nine. Realistically, Zucker and Staal cannot be as good as they were a year prior and for Coyle, it’s essentially time to put up or shut up after an off-track year.
Even with all of that forward talent, the Wild are a team anchored by their defense. Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin make for an exceptionally talented group. Any success in 2018-19 will depend on their continued production and injury luck. Devan Dubnyk is not a star or a top-tier talent, but he is steady. With this much talent, all they need of him is to remain consistent. His affordability should continue to offset his aging body and declining level of performance, but for this upcoming season, he can be exactly what Minnesota needs to survive.
Prediction: 98 points
Winnipeg came close to reaching the Stanley Cup Finals last season and there is no reason they won’t at least come close to doing so again. This team is championship ready and all they need to do is push the right buttons at the trade deadline the way they did with Paul Stastny last year.
Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler make for one of the best first lines in hockey, but the talent doesn’t stop there. Nikolaj Ehlers, Bryan Little, and Patrik Laine join forces to form a second line that could be a first line for many other NHL teams. Dustin Byfuglien leads an impressive group on defense and with the help of Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Josh Morrissey should continue to wreak havoc across the league.
Connor Helleybuck has emerged as a star and possessing a premiere goalie like such is one ingredient in the recipe to bring the Stanley Cup back to Winnipeg. Let’s also not forget that this team’s special teams were crazy good a year ago, with a fifth-ranked powerplay unit and a ninth-ranked penalty kill. The Jets have big aspirations for 2018-19 and should continue to wow us with all of their talent, en route to a deep and entertaining playoff run.
Prediction: 110 points
The Nashville Predators were the best regular team in hockey last season. Nothing less than a championship will satisfy them in 2018-19. In a perfect world, their path to the Stanley Cup Finals would not include a matchup with the Winnipeg Jets. But the truth of the matter is that no team can escape a playoff meltdown if it’s in the cards for them.
Nashville shouldn’t have to worry too much because their top two lines are so talented it deeply saddens me just wishing the Rangers could compete on that level. Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansen, Kyle Turris, Kevin Fiala, and Craig Smith are a scary group. Scary is honestly an understatement. They are terrifying.
And when you look at their defensive group, you start to doubt whether anyone could contend with this club. Roman Josi. Ryan Ellis. P.K. Subban. Mattias Ekholm. All four of those names could be top defenders of a variety of NHL teams. Subban could probably be a number one on all 30 other teams. Adding Dan Hamhuis to the fold makes them even more formidable.
This is starting to look like the farewell tour with Pekka Rinne in the final year of his contract. After winning the Vezina Trophy in 2018, Rinne should be just as stellar as he was a year ago. It’s now or never for Rinne unless Nashville decides they want to reinvest in their aging goalie. In the event of an emergency, Juuse Saros is waiting in the wings. At 23 years old, Saros is the future of this franchise and could start to show that as early as this season. Regardless, Nashville is a team that should be playing in the Stanley Cup Finals this May. Anything less is unacceptable.
Prediction: 120
- Nashville Predators (120 points)
- Winnipeg Jets (110 points)
- Minnesota Wild (98)
- Colorado Avalanche (89 points)
- St. Louis Blues (88 points)
- Dallas Stars (85 points)
- Chicago Blackhawks (84 points)
- Eastern Conference Final: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Western Conference Final: Winnipeg Jets vs. San Jose Sharks
- Stanley Cup Final: Winnipeg Jets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Stanley Cup Champion: Winnipeg Jets
- Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Mark Scheifele
- Hart Trophy: John Tavares
- Vezina Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck
- Eastern Conference Final: Tor vs. TBL
- Western Conference Final: WPG vs. Vegas
- Stanley Cup Final: Wpg vs. Tor
- Stanley Cup Champion: Toronto 4-2
- Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Austin Mathews
- Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid
- Vezina Trophy: Braden Holtby
- Eastern Conference Final: Philadelphia vs. Boston
- Western Conference: Los Angeles vs. St. Louis
- Stanley Cup: LA vs. Boston
- Cup Winner: LA
- Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Anze Kopitar
- Hart Trophy: Aaron Ekblad
- Vezina Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck
- Eastern Conference Finals: Pittsburgh vs. Tampa
- Western Conference Final: San Jose vs. St. Louis
- Stanley Cup Final: San Jose vs. Tampa
- Stanley Cup Champion: Lightning
- Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Nikita Kucherov
- Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid
- Vezina Trophy: Andrei Vasilevsky
- Eastern Conference Finals: Lightning vs. Pens
- Western Conference Finals: Sharks vs. Jets
- Stanley Cup Finals: Sharks vs. Pens
- Stanley Cup Champion: Sharks
- Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Erik Karlsson
- Hart Trophy: Connor McDavid
- Vezina Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck