It is finally game day and there's only one division left to talk about!
As Pete Weber said on yesterdays podcast, "this might be the hardest division in all of sports.… I tend to agree, and it would not be surprising to once again see 5 teams in the postseason.
So let's get right to it…
#7 the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets are by far the best last place team in the NHL. Were they in the Eastern conference they would be a playoff team in my opinion and in any other division they would be right in the battle. It is possible that they finished close to 100 points and yet finish in seventh. I really love how the young players are developing on this team and it wouldn't surprise me at all for them to make the playoffs and be this year's version of Colorado. They have talent and speed up front…. But do they have goaltending?
#6 the Colorado Avalanche
Yes, the Colorado Avalanche. It's really hard to put it seem out of the playoffs in this division, but everyone is so solid and at the end of the day the avalanche defense needs to come up with another miracle like performance. This team will eventually win the Stanley Cup. Nathan MacKinnon is an absolute superstar.
#5 the Minnesota Wild
It doesn't make sense for the wild could miss the playoffs and yet be a better team than they were last year. If their goaltending situation was stable and Josh Harding was ready to go I can see them finishing his high as third. They won't be more than three points out of (or in) a playoff spot in my opinion. And with injuries to St. Louis, Nashville, Or Dallas anyone of these teams could find themselves in sixth place looking in. The Wild took a big step forward last year and if they make the playoffs are as dangerous as anyone and perhaps the team best suited to knock off the LA Kings in a playoff series.
#4 the Nashville Predators
The Predators have made some really strong additions upfront. And this is a team that played without Rinne last year and still finished extremely close to making the playoffs in this god-awful division. I think Laviolette Will find a way to get this team into the playoffs. The team with a defense and a goalie like the Predators have is a playoff team. Again it'll come down to who stays healthy in this division. Who can survive the war?
#3 the St. Louis Blues
The Blues were the best team in the NHL for much of last season, and the addition of Paul Statsny Will only make them better. There is also a really promising Young group of players coming into this already stacked lineup. But I kind of expect the Blues to focus more on the postseason this year and I don't know that the desire to win this division will be there. the playoffs are going to be the determining factor in how this year goes down.
#2. the Dallas Stars
The Stars are going to be very motivated bunch and have added great amount of talent to an already star-studded forward group. They have the goaltending and in my opinion A strong underrated defense. They have the coaching and the GM who will find them what they need at the deadline. It's going to be a good year to be a Dallas Stars fan.
#1 the Chicago Blackhawks
After losing in the conference finals you know the Blackhawks are going to be ready. This is a team that was literally one goal away from probably winning the Stanley Cup. And they actually got better with the addition of Richards. There's also younger players pushing their way and with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane now Blackhawks for essentially life… as long as Crawford performs to his high-level which he showed last year in the regular season and playoffs this team probably can finish any less than second in the division.
Here we are with our annual Prediction show!