Follow @james_tanner123 Usually once a day someone who takes this stuff a lot more seriously than I do will find me on the internet and tell me I an an idiot for making a wrong prediction at the start of the year. I generally think predictions are dumb because they are really just guesses. And, guys like me and Don Cherry just take the ones we actually get right and use them to prove how smart we are while ignoring all the bad ones.
So I went back to the start of the season and checked all my predictions. Here are the results:
1. McDavid Wins Scoring Tile.
So far so good. But, a moron could have predicted this. It's like predicting that Trump will be impeached - it's so obviously going to happen you don't have to have psychic powers to foresee it.
Now, McDavid might not even win, Crosby is only two back - but still, it's not the kind of prediction you can brag about if you get it right.
2. Taylor Hall comes in second.
He's got the same amount of points as Tyler Bozak and Braydon Schenn. He did miss ten games with an injury, but he isn't anywhere near the top ten. Of course, his most common linemates are Paranteau and Zajac, so whatever.
3. Flyers are a good team; make playoffs.
This is my worst prediction ever. The Flyers are a garbage team with a bad coach and declining core. They won't make the Playoffs without a ton of luck. In fact, they're only even in the conversation because of one of the most unlikely winning streaks in NHL history.
4. Blackhawks Miss Playoffs.
They have the third hightest PDO in the NHL and the 17th best team possession stats. They also have a five game winning streak and are almost 15 puts up on a Playoff spot.
The prediction is wrong, but they aren't as good as their record indicates. Half marks for getting the spirit of the prediction right!
Just a terrible pick. After trading Hall and signing Lucic I should have known better, but I wanted them to be good. They are OK, just not what they could have been.
6. I see potential missed playoffs for Ducks, Hawks, Stars, Canadiens, Sabres and (sadly) Coyotes.
No, No, Yes, No, Yes, Yes.
Three for Six - not bad. Certainly not on the level of Sportsnet predicting the Avalanche would be possession kings and ride great advanced stats to the Pacific Crown.
The Ducks are doing good, and I hate that because I want to schadenfreude Murray and Carlyle, but what can you do - that Defense is the best in the NHL.
7. These will be your basement dwelling lottery competitors: Detroit, Vancouver, Buffalo, Columbus and Ottawa.
Detroit and Vancouver are 26th and 27th currently, so that's right on. Buffalo is 21st, so that was a bit off. Columbus is one of the league's best teams, so that's way off, but who saw that coming? I still think they're a bit of a fraud, but way better than I gave them credit for, certainly.
Ottawa is just having a lucky season, I don't consider my pick on that to be wrong.
8. Hart: McDavid Norris: OEL Art Ross: McDavid Calder: Matthews Selke: Kopitar Coach: Who Cares? Stupid Award Lady Bying: Who Cares, Stupid Award Host of Award Show: Kevin Spacey and Gary Bettman, co-hosting as each other. Musical Guest: William Hung West: Edmonton East: Florida Cup: Nashville (assuming the get a goalie) vs Florida
Let's predict how my predictions will look once the season is actually done: Hart, Art Ross and Calder: Correct. (But anyone with a brain also could have done that) Norris, wrong. Selke, who knows? Coach: Correct. Lady Bing, Correct. West, East, Cup: Wrong Wrong Wrong.
In the end, it is clear that next time I make a prediction, someone should punch me in the face.
How'd you do?
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