Thee Officialle 2021 NHL Season Thread: Catch the Fever!

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Predictions

Scotia North:
Toronto
Calgary
Montreal
Vancouver
Edmonton
Winnipeg
Ottawa

Honda West:
Colorado
Vegas
St. Louis
Coyotes
Wild
Ducks
Sharks
Kings

Discover Central:
Tampa
Carolina
Dallas
Columbus
Florida
Nashville
Detroit
Chicago

MassMutual East:
Philadelphia
Boston
Washington
Pittsburgh
Islanders
Rangers
Sabres
Devils

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Some notes:
2nd through 5th place in the North should be pretty tight, I could see any of those teams missing the playoffs.

Picking the fourth playoff team in the West is tough. I know the Sharks were dogshit last year but I think there's an outside shot that they sneak in, provided that Burns and Karlsson play better and one of the goalies isn't horrid.

The last spot in the Central should be a good battle between Columbus, Florida, and Nashville. Columbus has the worst roster on paper but they get it done, whereas Florida always seems to be a letdown. I could see the Shreds falling off the pack.

I don't think there's a clear best team in the East, and it's conceivable that any of the top five could be it. I'm curious how much losing Krug and Chara will hurt the Broons -- they're great up front but thin on the blueline. Washington could fall. Pittsburgh could fall. I should have the Isles in because they're like the Beej in that they just get it done, but are they better than last year? No -- maybe Dobson getting more ice covers for Toews getting traded, I don't know. I'm not sold that the Rangers are good enough to be in that mix. The Flyers look like the most solid team in that division.

Anyway I fully expect some good team to shit its pants due to COVID.

[captain]

My picks aren't that far off from you. Probably the biggest factor for me this season is goaltending. Those with strong tandems, or experienced starters who can handle a high workload are going to win the day. I feel like the North and Central divisions are easily the least predictable, I had a really hard time ranking the central teams after Tampa and Carolina.

Scotia North:
Toronto
Calgary
Montreal
Edmonton
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Ottawa

Honda West:
Colorado
Vegas
St. Louis
Coyotes
Wild
Ducks
Kings
Sharks

Discover Central:
Tampa
Carolina
Columbus
Dallas
Nashville
Florida
Detroit
Chicago

MassMutual East:
Boston
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington
Islanders
Rangers
Sabres
Devils

[captain]

Some notes:
2nd through 5th place in the North should be pretty tight, I could see any of those teams missing the playoffs.

Picking the fourth playoff team in the West is tough. I know the Sharks were dogshit last year but I think there's an outside shot that they sneak in, provided that Burns and Karlsson play better and one of the goalies isn't horrid.

The last spot in the Central should be a good battle between Columbus, Florida, and Nashville. Columbus has the worst roster on paper but they get it done, whereas Florida always seems to be a letdown. I could see the Shreds falling off the pack.

I don't think there's a clear best team in the East, and it's conceivable that any of the top five could be it. I'm curious how much losing Krug and Chara will hurt the Broons -- they're great up front but thin on the blueline. Washington could fall. Pittsburgh could fall. I should have the Isles in because they're like the Beej in that they just get it done, but are they better than last year? No -- maybe Dobson getting more ice covers for Toews getting traded, I don't know. I'm not sold that the Rangers are good enough to be in that mix. The Flyers look like the most solid team in that division.

Anyway I fully expect some good team to shit its pants due to COVID.

I basically agree with all of this except for San Jose, there's no way they get in. I like Arizona for it because of the Kuemper/Raanta tandem.

[Alexei Ca$hin]

I think that Chicago roster, especially at G and D, should give Ottawa a run for last place.

[nick]

North:
Toronto
Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
Montreal
Winnipeg
Ottawa

West:
Colorado
Vegas
St. Louis
Minnesota
Arizona
Anaheim
San Jose
LA

Central:
Tampa
Carolina
Dallas
Columbus
Nashville
Florida
Detroit
Chicago

East:
Washington
Philadelphia
Boston
Pittsburgh
NY Islanders
NY Rangers
NJ Devils
Buffalo

[Grand Moff Larkin]

It's not as much that I think San Jose will be good this year -- they won't -- but none of those other four teams is particularly impressive.

The Coyotes have the best goaltending tandem of the bunch but here's the rest of their lineup:

D: Hjalmarsson, Chychrun, Ekman-Larsson, Goligoski, Demers, Capobianco, Oesterle

F: Schmaltz, Keller, Hayden, Brassard, Pitlick, Dvorak, Larsson, Hayton, Fischer, Crouse, Kessel, Garland, Caggiula

Maybe Hayton proves he can be a top-six center at the NHL level but that's a rough collection of guys who are at best second/third-line tweeners (including Kessel, who was bad last year).

The Ducks could conceivably be better if Gibson returns to form but here's an estimation of their lines

Rakell Henrique Silfverberg
Lundestrom Getzlaf Heinen
Jones/Comtois Steel Terry
Deslauriers Grant Rowney
Milano

Fowler Manson
Lindholm Shattenkirk
Larsson Hutton

Gibson
Miller/Stolarz

That's middling at best. A good top four I guess.

The Wild currently have Bonino and Bjugstad as their top two centers. Their ceiling, as ever, is unexciting / borderline competent.

The only way I'd give any credence to a Kings resurgence is if they actually played all of their young guys, but I think Villardi's the only one in the lineup right now.

The Sharks, again, will not be good. But

Meier - Couture - Labanc
Kane - Hertl - Leonard
Nieto - Gregor - Donato
Marleau - Kellman - Noesen
Sorensen, Gambrell

Ferraro - Burns
Vlasic - Karlsson
Knyzhov - Middleton
Pasichnuk

Jones
Dubnyk​

at least has a handful of guys who are capable of playing at a higher level. Would I bet on it? Of course not. But it's possible that Couture / Meier / Hertl / Kane / Burns / Karlsson are enough to get over the Wild, Coyotes, and Ducks.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

I think that Chicago roster, especially at G and D, should give Ottawa a run for last place.

I think it depends on how long Toews is out. They're definitely in the worst tier along with Ottawa, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Jose, and maybe the Devils. Right now I think Chicago's the worst overall, unless Kane goes on a fuck-you tear or something.

Detroit could be better than those other ones because they have two competent goalies. Their D isn't good and they have one productive line (unless Fabbri / Zadina do well), but I could see them moving up to "sub-middling."

I'm doubtful that one of the Kings / Sharks / Ducks will be the worst team overall because they get to play each other (and the Coyotes and the Wild) a lot, and those are games they could conceivably win. Whereas the Wings and Blackhawks are markedly worse than the other teams in their division.

If the SNES commit to playing their young guys up front, I think they can win some games in the Scotia North. Not a ton, but do I think they can beat thee Goil or the Jerts or the Flames on a given night? Sure.

The Devils are close to the worse tier, depending on whether J'Accuse! is any better this year and if Blackwood is solid. They improved their roster, not enough to get out of the lottery, though. Their division's tough, not a lot of easy wins.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

I regret predicting the Beej make the playoffs:



At some point I saw a thing that theorized what the Broons could give up to get him (DeBrusk, Strudnicka, 1st) and that's weirdly believable. I know the Beej want a better player in the package but who's giving up a legit top-six center (read No Stromes) right now?

[Alexei Ca$hin]

Why does the PHI-PIT game start at 5:30pm ET??

[Alexei Ca$hin]

I'm doubtful that one of the Kings / Sharks / Ducks will be the worst team overall because they get to play each other (and the Coyotes and the Wild) a lot, and those are games they could conceivably win. Whereas the Wings and Blackhawks are markedly worse than the other teams in their division.

I agree with this. How did the Wild manage to get moved to such a weaker division? The top 3 Vegas, Colorado, STL are a lock. But after that?

[linseman]

i can't even make predictions

probably gonna watch the HBAS/LEAVES later though

[Alexei Ca$hin]

Why does the PHI-PIT game start at 5:30pm ET??

Don't these jerks know that I have to make supper?

[Grand Moff Larkin]

I'm doubtful that one of the Kings / Sharks / Ducks will be the worst team overall because they get to play each other (and the Coyotes and the Wild) a lot, and those are games they could conceivably win. Whereas the Wings and Blackhawks are markedly worse than the other teams in their division.

I agree with this. How did the Wild manage to get moved to such a weaker division? The top 3 Vegas, Colorado, STL are a lock. But after that?

It's a toss-up on whether teams would rather be in the Central and have a shot at the playoffs but generally less travel or in the West where they have to fly more. I remember St. Louis, Minnesota, and Dallas all angling different ways on it.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

COVID Protocol Related Absences – Jan. 13, 2021:
Anaheim - none
Arizona – Lawson Crouse
Boston - Karson Kuhlman
Buffalo - none
Calgary - none
Carolina - none
Chicago - none
Colorado – Erik Johnson
Columbus – Mikko Koivu
Dallas – will be released prior to its first game
Detroit – Darren Helm, Christian Djoos
Edmonton – Gaetan Haas; James Neal
Florida – Markus Nutivaara
Los Angeles – Cal Petersen; Kurtis MacDermid; Sean Walker
Minnesota – Alex Stalock
Montreal - none
Nashville – Mikael Granlund; Luca Sbisa
New Jersey - none
NY Islanders - none
NY Rangers – Justin Richards
Ottawa - none
Philadelphia – Shayne Gostisbehere
Pittsburgh – Kasperi Kapanen
San Jose – Max Letunov
St. Louis - none
Tampa Bay - none
Toronto - none
Vancouver – Jordie Benn; J.T. Miller
Vegas - none
Washington - none
Winnipeg – Nikolaj Ehlers

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Ugh fuckin' Pierre

[Grand Moff Larkin]

It appears that Mark Jankowski is now the best player from his draft class

[Grand Moff Larkin]

This commercial is a regular on NBCSN, kill me

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Flyers piling it on

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Gritty should be the only fan in attendance at all arenas