The Strummer Final Report (Unredacted Version) Have I ever been wrong before?
The season is almost over and you know what that means... Time to review my beginning of the season predictions and whine. I consider these predictions a moral victory:
1) Nathan MacKinnon will win the scoring championship if he stays healthy. In the top ten I expect to see Tavares, Stamkos, Mcdavid, Marner, Barzal, and Drouin. Is this the year somebody reaches 130 points again?
Well 4 out of 7 ain’t bad. Ok so I missed the Kuch and Kane and Gaudreau. The big disappointment is Drouin. He has had his moments but not close to the top tier of forwards. He may not even be in the top tier of habs forwards this year. As the brooklyn dodger fans would say annually ‘wait till next year’. As for MacKinnon he did his annual disappearing act in the second half and it is duly noted. At least he revived for the playoffs.
2) I am not confident about the Norris. The wild card is Karlsson and how he fits in with San Jose and Brent Burns. One of them might win it. Subban and Hedman have a shot at it depending how their teams do. And then there is Rasmus Dahlin...
I got two out of three. Hedman and Burns are nominated. Subban has had a poor year probably due to injury and other distractions ahem. Dahlin has had a decent year but not in the top tier yet.
3) The Maurice Richard trophy will go either to Patrick Laine or John Tavares. Tavares is an underrated goal scorer and Marner may set him up on a constant basis. Laine is a natural and sooner or later gets on fire. Don’t be surprised if Pacioretty is in the top ten if not in the running. Kucherov, Eichel, Mcdavid and Stamkos will also be in the top ten. Auston will be sulking.
Ovechkin ruins my prediction every year so he will be my choice next year just so he will not win. Not sure what has happened to Laine but he is giving up millions in his no show act. Pacioretty was slowed down by injuries this year. Tavares Kucherov, Mcdavid, and Stamkos are in the top ten.
4) Who will finish ahead between Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto? It is not difficult to think of Toronto being a top-tiered team and a possible contender for Lord Stanley (egad). At this point I think Toronto, a member of the axis of evil along with Philadelphia and Boston will make the playoffs. At least Detroit won’t. The problem with Ottawa and Montreal is their defence. In Ottawa, their goaltenders leave a lot to be desired. In Montreal, with an injured Weber, their defence is really slow and inexperienced leading to a recipe for disaster. Can a fragile Price save the day? I doubt it.
I am mostly right here. I discuss the habs more fully below. The Senators keep sucking in nets. Toronto is a top-tiered team but I still have my doubts they will go far in the playoffs with that defence. The good news Flyers and Wings are eliminated. Even better news the bruins or leafs will be eliminated in the first round. Yeeehaaaa.
5) Crosby, Ovechkin, Getzlaf, Carter, and Kovalchuk all will see their games decline.
Other than Ovechkin, the others have shown decline.
6) Who will win the Cup this year? Still unsure, I will not be shocked if Tampa and Nashville are in the final. (Psst meant the leafs shhh) Kidding.
The year of the upset at least no one will be right.
7) In my time travels, Habs will be an underdog most of the year and may surprise and make a surge for the playoffs in the second half. I am basing this on my bias for the habs and nothing else.
The habs were in the playoff hunt. Price and Drouin had to be consistent in the second half for the habs to have a chance. Price has been a littlle bit steadier in the second half, but he still had his let-downs in big games. Drouin has not progressed like many believed like myself.
Still young he should be allowed a few more seasons to mature.
Ovechkin ruins my prediction every year so he will be my choice next year just so he will not win. Not sure what has happened to Laine but he is giving up millions in his no show act. Pacioretty was slowed down by injuries this year. Tavares Kucherov, Mcdavid, and Stamkos are in the top ten.
4) Who will finish ahead between Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto? It is not difficult to think of Toronto being a top-tiered team and a possible contender for Lord Stanley (egad). At this point I think Toronto, a member of the axis of evil along with Philadelphia and Boston will make the playoffs. At least Detroit won’t. The problem with Ottawa and Montreal is their defence. In Ottawa, their goaltenders leave a lot to be desired. In Montreal, with an injured Weber, their defence is really slow and inexperienced leading to a recipe for disaster. Can a fragile Price save the day? I doubt it.
I am mostly right here. I discuss the habs more fully below. The Senators keep sucking in nets. Toronto is a top-tiered team but I still have my doubts they will go far in the playoffs with that defence. The good news Flyers and Wings are eliminated. Even better news the bruins or leafs will be eliminated in the first round. Yeeehaaaa.
5) Crosby, Ovechkin, Getzlaf, Carter, and Kovalchuk all will see their games decline.
Other than Ovechkin, the others have shown decline.
6) Who will win the Cup this year? Still unsure, I will not be shocked if Tampa and Nashville are in the final. (Psst meant the leafs shhh) Kidding.
The year of the upset at least no one will be right.
7) In my time travels, Habs will be an underdog most of the year and may surprise and make a surge for the playoffs in the second half. I am basing this on my bias for the habs and nothing else.
The habs were in the playoff hunt. Price and Drouin had to be consistent in the second half for the habs to have a chance. Price has been a littlle bit steadier in the second half, but he still had his let-downs in big games. Drouin has not progressed like many believed like myself.
Still young he should be allowed a few more seasons to mature.
8) Jeff Petry, Jordie Benn, and Dave Schemko will be traded at the deadline. If Niemi looks semi-decent he may go too. As for Weber, if Habs realize it is a full rebuild...
Petry had a superb first half of the year but slipped in the second half as his playing time was reduced with the recovered Weber back. Schlemko was traded but Benn became a bona fide 6th defenceman. Even though Weber had a productive return, there is still the question of how many good years he has left.
9) After the Pacioretty and Galchenyuk trades, the habs will become Jonathan Drouin's team. He will lead his team in scoring and become a bona-fide superstar. If he doesn’t the habs are screwed big-time.
Drouin has had his moments, but does he have the mental strength to lead the team like a Domi or a Gallagher. He does not show up every game. When he is on he has amazing skill but a little like Kovalev in the past he does not bring his A game to the rink on a consistent basis.
10) Bergevin’s job is on the line this year. Disastrous years by Price or Drouin will lead to his dismissal. So Bergevenites better start praying.
Right now it looks like Bergy’s job is safe for another year, but not because of Price or Drouin. It has been more due to the Domi and Armia trades, and the promise shown by the youngsters Kotkaniemi, Juulsen, Mete, and the comeback years of Lehkonen and Shaw. Even though the habs did not make the playoffs, when there seemed little hope at the start of the year, there are glimmers of a resurrection in the future.
11) Easy pick Rasmus Dahlin Calder winner.
Well, Pettersson in Vancouver may have something to say about this..
12) Donald Trump will resign by the the time the Stanley Cup is handed out. Ok vafanculo I predicted that last year...
Lord No collusion vafanculo
Health Advisory: Well anyways one can hallucinate on cannabis legally this year and these predictions could collapse if injuries occur or time travellers interfere with the universe as it should unfold..
9) After the Pacioretty and Galchenyuk trades, the habs will become Jonathan Drouin's team. He will lead his team in scoring and become a bona-fide superstar. If he doesn’t the habs are screwed big-time.
Drouin has had his moments, but does he have the mental strength to lead the team like a Domi or a Gallagher. He does not show up every game. When he is on he has amazing skill but a little like Kovalev in the past he does not bring his A game to the rink on a consistent basis.
10) Bergevin’s job is on the line this year. Disastrous years by Price or Drouin will lead to his dismissal. So Bergevenites better start praying.
Right now it looks like Bergy’s job is safe for another year, but not because of Price or Drouin. It has been more due to the Domi and Armia trades, and the promise shown by the youngsters Kotkaniemi, Juulsen, Mete, and the comeback years of Lehkonen and Shaw. Even though the habs did not make the playoffs, when there seemed little hope at the start of the year, there are glimmers of a resurrection in the future.
11) Easy pick Rasmus Dahlin Calder winner.
Well, Pettersson in Vancouver may have something to say about this..
12) Donald Trump will resign by the the time the Stanley Cup is handed out. Ok vafanculo I predicted that last year...
Lord No collusion vafanculo
Health Advisory: Well anyways one can hallucinate on cannabis legally this year and these predictions could collapse if injuries occur or time travellers interfere with the universe as it should unfold..
Comments
Post a Comment