Did not even use a crystal ball...

So we are reaching the half-way point in the season time to review my third annual absurd and bizarre but fundamentally correct predictions for the 2017-2018 nhl season that I posted in September:


1) Connor Mcdavid, Auston Matthews, Nathan Mckinnon, and Jonathan Drouin will challenge for the Art Ross. Will they get 100 points? Every year I expect a 120 point season and it just doesn't happen.


Kinda pleased with this prediction. I can see Mackinnon and Mcdavid catching up to the leaders and surpassing them by year’s end. The young legs and talent will take over. I am especially pleased with my Mackinnon choice that many were calling a dud. The concussed Matthews may still make the top ten. Now for Drouin. Maybe I was one year too early and was not expecting the total mess that are the habs. I also did not expect the Pacioretty meltdown and Weber to be injured.

2) I predict a 3 way fight for the Norris. My choices from last year are back in PK Subban and Victor Hedman. My surprise choice as the 3rd challenger is Shea Weber. PK might win it this time because Ellis will be missing for several months which should increase PK's ice-time. He is also more comfortable with his teammates. Weber will be set up by Drouin on the powerplay and this should add to his goal total. He will also have an increased work-load after the exit of many veteran hab defencemen. I did not take Karlsson because he may miss the first month but if he doesn't...


Subban and Hedman are having very good seasons but they may be challenged by their mates Sergachev  and Josi. They still have a shot at the Norris but I would probably put Doughty in the mix as well. Ain’t happening for Weber who has been injured and simply has not played well. He still has the offensive stats for the few games he played.

3) The Maurice Richard trophy will go either to Patrick Laine or Auston Matthews. My choice for the Calder, Laine was sidetracked by a concussion last year. Both of these young guns proved they have that old fashioned sniper aptitude of the 1970's and 80's. Steve Stamkos could be there as well but once again his fitness is unknown.

What has been surprising about this is the many other snipers that are in the hunt including Lee, Tavares, Kucherov, Ovechkin, Boeser etc. Laine has not taken over like I thought but there is still time. I am expecting Stamkos to get in the hunt soon too. As for Matthews who knows but his concussion has held him back.

4) Who will finish ahead between Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto? Honestly this is difficult because I am not sure whether Bergy is through fiddling with the line-up. At this point I think Toronto, a member of the axis of evil, and Ottawa will be ahead of Montreal and probably challenge for first with Tampa. However, if Montreal were to get that first line center we have been anticipating for eons they may be better than their inter-province rivals and challenge Tampa.


Well Montreal is more or less dead and they never got the first line center. Ottawa should make a run for a playoff spot and more than likely finish ahead of the habs. Karlsson raising the free agent issue and Melnyk talking about moving the team has not helped team spirit. The Duchene trade has been a bust so far but I fully expect that he will begin to gel with his new mates in the second half. The leafs are doing well enough to get a playoff spot but even that is not a certainty. One thing that seems obvious is that Matthews is the key. Leafs started to struggle without him.


5) Boston, Philadelphia, and Detroit will not make the playoffs. The axis of evil foiled again except for those darn infernal leafs.

The way things are going the Bruins and Leafs are making the playoffs. Bruins have been a real surprise and the dismissal of Julien egad has rejuvenated the veterans and speeded up the rebuild. The leafs are only good when Matthews plays. Otherwise they are very mediocre and if not for Andersen they would be barely in the playoff race.

6) Who will win the Cup this year? Still unsure, I will not be shocked if the Oilers and Tampa are in the final.

I sure look good with that Tampa pick. The oilers have sucked big time but if they squeeze into a playoff spot their chances could still be pretty good. They are built to have a long playoff run. Otherwise, it will be Nashville or the Kings.

7) Once again, I repeat as a time traveller Habs will finally trade for a first line center ahem. I am hoping for any of the following Duchene, Giroux, Tavares, or Nugent- Hopkins. I will not be pleased if they get a Bozak type center. I hope this prediction becomes confirmed by the end of the month.

I am amazed this has not happened and now it’s too late. So much for my time travelling... so now rather than that first line center I expect the veterans to be traded for draft picks and youngsters as Bergy goes on a selling binge (wishful thinking he will probably re-sign Plekanec another two years)...

8) I am thinking one of these two players will be traded this year by the habs the erratic Galchenyuk or the hardest working man in the NHL Gallagher. Either Lindgren or McNiven will also be sadly gone. 

This could still happen but I am thinking it will more likely be Chucky or Pacioretty. The goalies could be traded if they get something good in terms of prospects.

9) The Avs will become Nathan Mckinnon's team after Duchene is traded. The habs will become Jonathan Drouin's team. They will lead their team in scoring and become bona-fide superstars. They will become showtime athletes.

Well one out of two ain’t bad. Like I said about Drouin previously I expect him to shine next year and maybe like Mackinnon it will be when one of the veterans leaves the team like Pacioretty or Chucky.

10) Crosby, Toews, Benn, Kane, Seguin, Carter, Getzlaf etc etc etc are just plain too old- Pierre Mcguire

I was joking about this prediction but you know a lot of them have shown their age this year.

11) Donald Trump will resign by the the time the Stanley Cup is handed out. Ok vafanculo I predicted Hillary would win...


Who knows...


Health Advisory: Well anyways one can hallucinate and these predictions could collapse if injuries or illness occur or players decide to go to the olympics..


Still stick by this advisory and have a very vafanculo new year.