HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Hotstove: Central Division Bold Predictions

Adam, Duncan Keith might win another Norris, but if he ever deserves another one, I'll get a full body Jeff O'Neil tattoo.

And guys, I love you all, but picking the team with the best defense in the NHL to win the division isn't very "bold."

Chicago will win it again!

Colorado improves just enough to miss Foote in the draft, Fatmarsh eats himself into a coma to cope with the depression.

Blues ( regular season is the time they shine )
Preds ( trending up )
Hawks ( getting older )
Wild ( boring as f?/k )
Stars ( need a goalie )
Jets ( need a goalie and a owner who is not so bloody cheap )
Avs ( need D )

Colorado improves just enough to miss Foote in the draft, Fatmarsh eats himself into a coma to cope with the depression.
- smellmyfinger

This

Blues ( regular season is the time they shine )
Preds ( trending up )
Hawks ( getting older )
Wild ( boring as f?/k )
Stars ( need a goalie )
Jets ( need a goalie and a owner who is not so bloody cheap )
Avs ( need D )
- Leo_Union

I don't think you are familiar with the avs current d core, they don't need D, they need to play an actually defensive system, not roys hybrid man to man with an emphasize on shot blocking. Bednar won't play that

hot take bold prediction in the central. Avs Dcore will solid and impressive this year

LOL @ James Tanner

There's bold predictions and just silly; MIN and WPG being two playoff teams that are non-wild card is just silly.

Nashville is clearly going to win this division and not because they got so much better. I personally think the Subban trade will be a wash for the most part and NSH will remain as good as they were, but better? that remains to be seen.

NSH will win the division virtue of the fact that CHI, DAL and STL all took steps backwards. NSH, DAL and CHI will likely finish at the top. My bold prediction is that STL misses the playoffs or at least barely makes it. I do think however that WPG and COL will be neck and neck with STL, and possibly usurp them.

Cant Nashville trade Rinne plus something good (1 st rd pick and decent prospect) to the Pens for Flower?

Cant Nashville trade Rinne plus something good (1 st rd pick and decent prospect) to the Pens for Flower?
- DutchSenators

The main reason the Pens neee to get MAF off the books is so they can protect Murray. I'm pretty sure Rinne has the same type of movement/trade clause that would force the Pens to protect him over Murray, so it wouldn't work.

Plus, the salary difference would be a major issue.

Adam, Duncan Keith might win another Norris, but if he ever deserves another one, I'll get a full body Jeff O'Neil tattoo.

And guys, I love you all, but picking the team with the best defense in the NHL to win the division isn't very "bold."



Surprise, surprise!!
Can we ever have a blog involving Tanner that does not include some Hawk hate? This blatant bias makes him appear as an idiot amongst the other contributors.

Man, St.Louis has Shattenkirk, Pietrangelo and Paryako. They have Jake Allen and one of the deepest groups of forwards in the NHL.

How did they get worse in the offseason? If anything, losing Backes was a blessing in disguise. I think they're going to be one of the best teams in the league.

Adam, Duncan Keith might win another Norris, but if he ever deserves another one, I'll get a full body Jeff O'Neil tattoo.

And guys, I love you all, but picking the team with the best defense in the NHL to win the division isn't very "bold."



Surprise, surprise!!
Can we ever have a blog involving Tanner that does not include some Hawk hate? This blatant bias makes him appear as an idiot amongst the other contributors.
- 67hawks

It's pretty realistic and not hateful. It's not too often 33 year old declining players improve to the point where they deserve to be called the best in the league.

Man, St.Louis has Shattenkirk, Pietrangelo and Paryako. They have Jake Allen and one of the deepest groups of forwards in the NHL.

How did they get worse in the offseason? If anything, losing Backes was a blessing in disguise. I think they're going to be one of the best teams in the league.
- JTanner

Deepest group of forwards? Please to explain. The team that was 15th in scoring? I'm curious to hear this analytics answer.

They lost Brouwer and Backes: appx. 40 goals
Who did they replace him with? David Perron

Goals are not all they lost in Brouwer and Backes, they lost two players who make it very hard to play against. Perron is below average in most everything and not a suitable replacement for either.

Steen is now on his decline and you can probably expect a few more goals than last year given he plays 70+ games.

Yes, Fabbri could make up for some and MAYBE Stastny could stop being average, but you're looking at a team that lost more than they replaced. Also, neither Brodziak nor Bergulnd are adequate 3rd line centers.

This is also a team that was average in scoring to begin with and you lost players who made it harder for teams to play against.

Congrats on the defense, but if you can't score you can't win.

To Leo_Union

A: the Jets have a goalie. Connor Hellebuyck.
B: how is the Jets owner cheap? This offseason alone the team handed out over $20 million in salary. Are the Jets cheap because they've signed everyone for less than market value? Or because their bad contracts (Stuart and Pavelec) add up to about $5 million and will be gone by the start of 2017-18?

To Leo_Union

A: the Jets have a goalie. Connor Hellebuyck.
B: how is the Jets owner cheap? This offseason alone the team handed out over $20 million in salary. Are the Jets cheap because they've signed everyone for less than market value? Or because their bad contracts (Stuart and Pavelec) add up to about $5 million and will be gone by the start of 2017-18?
- Rexypoo

4th place in the central will be a dog-fight and WPG will be right in the mix. There's too much talent emerging. Your defense will be the x-factor, but I expect them to be better along with Hellebuyck hopefully getting his ice time.

Also, I predict Nashville wins the division virtually uncontested. Every team not named "Jets", "Predators", or "Avalanche" either stood pat or got worse. Nashville took their #4 (Weber) and moved him for their new #2.
Josi-Subban
Ekholm-Ellis
That's basically a top 4 made up of top pairing Dmen.
It'll stack out like this:
Nashville
St.Louis
Dallas
Chicago*
Winnipeg*
Minnesota
Colorado
*=Wildcard.

4th place in the central will be a dog-fight and WPG will be right in the mix. There's too much talent emerging. Your defense will be the x-factor, but I expect them to be better along with Hellebuyck hopefully getting his ice time.
- Rinosaur

To be fair, the Jets were 7th in shots allowed and 28th in save percentage. But, to be fair the other way, the group clearly wasn't as solid as 14-15. I've never been so excited for the start of the season, but with a team this young and Helly in net, I would be as surprised with winning the Central as I would be with dead last: not very.

Central should go something like this:
-NSH
-DAL
-CHI
-STL
-COL
-WPG
-MIN

STL, COL and WPG should be within two or three points of each other. Of course this also depends on the Pacific. If the Pacific only has three playoff teams, then STL would be a lock.

However, I think CGY will be better and challenge for a playoff spot, so I expect four teams from the Pacific.

To be fair, the Jets were 7th in shots allowed and 28th in save percentage. But, to be fair the other way, the group clearly wasn't as solid as 14-15. I've never been so excited for the start of the season, but with a team this young and Helly in net, I would be as surprised with winning the Central as I would be with dead last: not very.
- Rexypoo

I think Helly is going to be out-friggin-standing. I think if your defense is average and goaltending above average, you're playoff bound. Despite losing Ladd, having Ehlers in a prominent role and Laine coming into the lineup, you guys should be able to score another 20ish goals this year.

Also, I predict Nashville wins the division virtually uncontested. Every team not named "Jets", "Predators", or "Avalanche" either stood pat or got worse. Nashville took their #4 (Weber) and moved him for their new #2.
Josi-Subban
Ekholm-Ellis
That's basically a top 4 made up of top pairing Dmen.
It'll stack out like this:
Nashville
St.Louis
Dallas
Chicago*
Winnipeg*
Minnesota
Colorado
*=Wildcard.
- Rexypoo

Weber was our #4 defenseman? What are you smoking up there? One could make the argument that Josi surpassed Weber last season, but Ellis/Ekholm/Bitetto/Jackman/Granberg certainly did not.

Weber was terrible in the playoffs. One could successfully make the argument Josi passed Weber 3 years ago if they knew what to look for. In 2011, Weber is probably the best Dman in the NHL. In 2016, he's a solid 3/4 who is elite on special teams.

Also, I predict Nashville wins the division virtually uncontested. Every team not named "Jets", "Predators", or "Avalanche" either stood pat or got worse. Nashville took their #4 (Weber) and moved him for their new #2.
Josi-Subban
Ekholm-Ellis
That's basically a top 4 made up of top pairing Dmen.
It'll stack out like this:
Nashville
St.Louis
Dallas
Chicago*
Winnipeg*
Minnesota
Colorado
*=Wildcard.
- Rexypoo

The avs didn't get worse or stood pat, they upgraded their depth and are a better overall team bc of it. They didn't need flashy signings to be "better"

You're takes are not hot, just misinformed.

The avs didn't get worse or stood pat, they upgraded their depth and are a better overall team bc of it. They didn't need flashy signings to be "better"

You're takes are not hot, just misinformed.
- DDM-Coga

I think coaching is the real question mark for you guys. You did SLIGHTLY upgrade your depth, but it comes down whether your team comes together.

There's no good reason why you aren't a playoff team every year and I don't think it comes down to any more significant roster changes.

To Coga

How do I get the quoting to actually work? It's annoying to have to call people out instead of replying directly. Feel like it makes me look confrontational.
Anyway, the Avs made some marginal improvements player wise, but losing Roy should be a huge bonus. I did say they improved in my original comment. They still need a pair of top 4 Dmen, consistency out of Varly, and for their young forwards (Duchene, Mac, Landeskog, and even Grigorenko) to live up to expectations. They're in the same boat as my Jets, being full of question marks past their top guys.