2011-2012 NHL Predictions

I really don't take predictions too seroiously anymore. Just my opinions and if I'm right about them I'll brag about it. If I'm wrong then this post might get magically deleted....I'm kidding.

Anyways I"m really amped  up for the 2011-2012 NHL regular season. Last year was an up and down year for the Pittsburgh Penguins. They opened their new beautiful home, Consol Energy Center and hosted the Winter Classic at Heinz Field. They also had two players make the All-Star team other than Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, in Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang.

The Pens finished the season with the fourth best record in the Eastern Conference and lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. They also played the second half of the season and the playoffs without Malkin and Crosby.

The Boston Bruins went on to win the Stanley Cup defeating the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Fianls. Jesus won the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoffs mvp wearing a Tim Thomas jersey.

Daniel Sedin won the Art Ross trophy, succeeding his freakish looking twin brother Henrik as the scoring champion.

Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks came out of nowhere to win the Hart Trophy.

And HBO produced some of the finest television ever in 24/7.

Big questions entering the season:




When well Sidney Crosby come back? And will he still be the best player in the league? 


How will Brendan Shanahan impact the NHL by taking over for Colin Campbell as the NHL's cheif player disciplinarian. 

Will there be more riots in Canada?  Maybe Toronto Maple Leafs fans can do a mass-suicide after their team sucks once again. 


In what round of the playoffs will Roberto Luongo choke this year? 


Will Matt Cooke get banned from the NHL? 




Predicition time lets go:


Eastern Conference 


Atlantic Divison:


1. Pittsburgh Penguins- Pens had one of their best seasons last year in terms of points and had Jordan Staal miss a third of the season and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin miss the second half. Crosby will end up coming back sooner and later and the Pens' have the depth and talent to be one the best teams if healthy. 


2. Philadelphia Flyers- Ilya Bryzgalov is a good goaltender who will keep the Flyers in a lot of games. I still like the Flyers blue-line and Jaromir Jagr will have a good season. Max Talbot will never live up to his contract. Flyers did lose their captain and their top two scorers in Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. 


3. New York Rangers- Henrik Lundqvist is a really good goaltender and is capable of having Vezina type seasons. Now with the duo of Brad Richards and Marion Gaborik, the Rangers offense might be able to be more potent. They'll make the playoffs.


4. New Jersey Devils- Yes Martin Brodeur is still there. I know he's ancient. The Devils should be better than they were last year just because they'll have a healthy Zach Parise. Kovalchuk is overrated but Parise is the real deal and watch out for young Adam Larson.

5. New York Islanders- Team continues to bring in decent young talent like John Tavares and Michael Grabner but Rick DiPietro still has one of the worst contracts in sports and their fans suck. DiPietro is never heathy and when he is he's getting knocked out by Brent Johnson.

Northeast Divison

1. Boston Bruins- They still have the core of a team that won a Stanley Cup last year. They still have the best goalie in hockey in Tim Thomas and they have a lot of depth at the forward position. They would have even more if Marc Savard wasn't such a concussion, blame Matt Cooke.

2. Buffalo Sabers- The Sabers spent a whole bunch of money this offseason tyring to have a Stanley Cup contending team. Unless Ryan Miller can do what Tim Thomas did last year, I think they're a playoff team, but not a Stanley Cup team.

3. Montrael Canadians- The Canadians have a lot of talented players. Goalie Carey Price could be a Vezina contender this year and P.K. Subban should continue to get better. Not sure if the Canadians have enough fire power but they should contend for the 8 and/or 7 seed in the east.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs- Riemer is their goalie and Phil Kessel might be their best player. Leafs fans will believe they have what it takes to make the playoffs but the Leafs will be at the bottom of the pile in the standing at the end of the year. Whammy

5. Ottawa Senators- Remember those really talented and deep Senators' teams? That feels like a lifetime ago. Goaltending sucks, Gonchar and Alfreddson are ancient and they have no depth. Could contend for the number one overall pick.

Southeast Division


1. Washington Capitals- I hate putting them first but they're a great regular season team. They're the Indianapolis Colts of the NHL, which makes Ovechkin Peyton Manning. A great talent who under-performs when it counts most. Thomas Vokoun is the biggest question mark. Great goalie on a terrible team in Florida, now he's on a contender. See how he holds up.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning- Martin St.Louis and Vincent Lecavalier are another year older. Will they ever show their age? Steven Stamkos is a great talent and should contend for the Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies. Dwayne Roloson is 42 and is their starting goalie.  


3. Carolina Hurricanes- Can Eric Staal and Cam Ward stay healthy? If so then the Hurricanes might make the playoffs. I see them, the Devils, and the Canadians fighting for the 8th seed in the east. Thomas Kaberle is a great pickup and I'll be watching to see if Jeff Skinner has a sophomore slump. 


4. Winnipeg Jets- Why are the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers in the east? That's my big question about this team. Dustin Byfuglien is fun to watch play hockey for many reasons. They have a lot of young talent but I don't see enough for this team to make the playoffs. 


5. Florida Panthers- This franchise is sad. They practically give away tickets and still fail to sell out games. Without Brian Campbell and Ed Jovanovski, you wouldn't even think that they're a real NHL team. Maybe they'll get the number one overall pick next year. 

Too much to read and write so I'll just give you the standings for the Western Conference.

Central Divison

1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Nashville Predators
4. St. Louis Blues
5. Columbus Blue Jackets

Northwest

1. Vancouver Canucks
2. Colorado Avalanche
3. Calgary Flames
4. Minnesota Wild
5. Edmonton Oilers

Pacific

1. San Jose Sharks
2. Los Angeles Kings
3. Anaheim Ducks
4. Dallas Stars
5. Phoenix Coyotes

Playoffs

1st round:

1. Pittsburgh def 8 Montrael  4 games to 2
2. Washington def  7 NY Rangers 4 games to 3
3. Boston def 6 Tampa Bay 4 games to 2
4. Buffalo def 5 Philadelphia 4 games to 3

1. Vancouver def Colorado 4 games to 0
2. San Jose def Anaheim 4 games to 2
3. Chicago def Nashville 4 games to 2
4. Detroit def Los Angeles 4 games to 3

2nd round

1. Pittsburgh def Buffalo 4 games to 1
3. Boston def 2 Washington 4 games to 3

4. Detroit def 1 Vancouver 4 games to 3
2 San Jose def 3 Chicago 4 games to 3

Conference Finals

1. Pittsburgh def Boston 4 games to 2
2. San Jose def Detroit 4 games to 3

Stanley Cup Finals

1. Pittsburgh def San Jose 4 games to 2

Stanley Cup Champion- Pittsburgh Penguins

Conn Smythe- Sidney Crosby


Jack Adams: Coach of the year- Lindy Ruff (Buffalo Sabers)
other contenders: Stefan Elliot (Colorado) Todd McLellan (San Jose) 


Hart Trophy (MVP)- Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh)
other contenders: Steven Stamkos, Alexander Ovechkin, Tim Thomas, Ryan Miller, Jonathan Toews


Art Ross (Scoring champion)- Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh)
other contenders: Steven Stamkos, Alexander Ovechkin, Corey Perry, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin


Vezina (Goalie)- Ryan Miller (Buffalo)
other contenders: Pekka Rinne (Nasheville), Tim Thomas (Boston) Henrik Lundqvist (New York) 


Selke (defensive forward)- Ryan Keslar (Vancouver) 
other contenders: Jordan Staal (Pittsburgh), Pavel Datsyuk (Detroit) Jonathan Toews (Chicago)


Norris Trophy (best defenseman)- Shea Weber (Nashville)
other contenders: Duncan Keith (Chicago) Zdeno Chara (Boston) Drew Doughty (Los Angeles) Dan Boyle (San Jose)


I'm sure some of these won't happen at all. But I'm geared up for hockey. If you disagree post your thoughts and/or predictions at the bottom or start your own damn blog.

Lets go Pens!

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