Season Predictions thread

[AR_Six]

Prediction: Vancouver wins cup, everyone on CP immediately takes the position that it doesn't count because of the shortened season.

[Machiavelli]

#4 misses the playoffs...hopefully not on this team

[VERVE]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

I've got a good one!

Oiler fans show up in droves prior to the season praising the changes they have made in the offseason and say something special is on the horizon. They predict the Oilers will not only contend for a spot in the playoffs, but will be a team everyone will fear come playoff time and have the chance to get far.

The Oilers get off to a hot start in the season and win 7 of their first 10 games, and actually manage to beat the Flames a couple times early in the season. At this point the Oilers will be fulfilling their destiny and will be first in the conference. Oiler fans start signing up at CP in droves causing the board to crash a month into the season. Photon and other Mods combat this by banning 99% of new members on February 14th (St. Valentine's Day Massacre Part II).

Then out of nowhere the Oilers begin to collapse and lose 6 straight games heading into the trade deadline. They fall to the point where they are barely hanging onto a thread in the playoff race. Perhaps coincidentally 99% of all Oiler fans on CP disappear during this stretch causing Captain Crunch among others to question their loyalty.

As April comes around the Oilers continue to slide into obscurity, but TSN and other broadcasters still praise their efforts and state that eventually things will take a turn for the better. In fact on April 1st Ray Ferraro will have an aneurysm during an argument in wish he states Justin Schultz should be considered the front runner for the Calder with his great offensive stats (although his -40 says otherwise). While some believe it was all an April Fools day joke, it causes Ferraro to take a leave of absence from TSN (for shame).

Almost unpredictably the Oilers end up finishing 13th in the standings, but Verve considers that to be a massive improvement as they moved up from where they ended up last season! From 15th to 14th to 13th, they are obviously making considerable improvements.

Finally come lottery time again we see a massive increase in signups at CP as Oiler fans begin to make their usual reappearance for their favorite event of the year. However with the new lottery system implemented the Oilers end up in the 5th spot and end up taking Kevin Lowe's paperboy who had just been awarded paperboy of the month for his hard work. Oiler fans immediately fall in love with the move and once again state that something special is bound to happen for the 2013-14 season!

There's my attempt at fan fiction, but we all have to know by now that in all likelihood there is a very good chance at much of this happening.

Obviously, VERVE would like to have some of that psilocybin-laced fungus of terrestrial origin...please

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

Slow starts or major injuries will spell the end for a lot of teams as there really won't be much room for mistakes. My prediction is there will be a team expected to make the playoffs on the outside after 40 odd games due to having a major player get injured for a significant amount of time and not being able to recover from it.

It really does reduce the margin for error for even good teams as the shortened season will be more like a sprint than a marathon. Doors may be open for a few teams that may not have the horses for an 82 game season and doors close on playoff caliber teams that come out of the gate too slow or go through an extended period of losing. Will be interesting that's for sure.

I see a big opportunity for the Wild given the Canucks are notorious slow starters. The Flames are a wildcard in that maybe Hartley can push all the right buttons but Iginla's Flames have run out of good will with me and I'm in the "show me" camp.

[indes]

It's hard to say but that's the bummer about a shortened season there's always the big "what ifs" - I mean does LA even make the playoffs last year if it was 50 games?

[Magnum PEI]

If Kiprusoff plays like he did last year the Flames will be in the thick of for the whole season. I think they make the playoffs and go on a bit of a run, second or third round.
Rangers or Flyers win the cup.

[calgarybornnraised]

I want to see what Hartley has in store.Hopefully the team and coach gel fast.

[stignasty]

Darren Pang basically said the Flames have no chance.

Does anyone have the standings after approximately 50 games last year?

[stignasty]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm...ate=02/01/2012

Kings in 7th
Flames in 11th

[Flame Of Liberty]

As every year, Oilers will be mathematically eliminated by the end of January.

[Tsawwassen]

This lockout shortened season will be almost a carbon copy of the 1995 lockout season. Devils sweep the Red Wings in the finals. I just hope the Flames don't lose the heartbraking game 7 at home againt the Sharkies.

[calgaryboy]

Originally Posted by Flame Of Liberty

As every year, Oilers will be mathematically eliminated by the end of January.

You made my day :-) Awesome opinion :-)

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by stignasty

Darren Pang basically said the Flames have no chance.

Well that's that. Any time I want to hear from a hockey authority I seek out that motormouth, little person that's full of concentrated sh$t.

[troutman]

Edmonton will not make the playoffs. The young kids will score, but will not out-score their opponents.

[Bobby]

I think the Flames will make the playoffs.

Kipper usually slows down due to fatigue at the end of the season. Maybea 7th spot finish.

Nashville misses.

[North East Goon]

New York Rangers win the cup over Vancouver.

Seth Jones becomes a Calgary flame.

[polak]

Flames will stumble hard out the gate and then play catch up for the rest of the short season missing by only a point or two.

You know that you agree with me on that.

I think the bruins will make another push.

[Username: Flames]

Sven scores 50 goals in 48 games!

[the_only_turek_fan]

Vancouver, Minnesota, LA, and St. Louis should get in. Boston, Pittsburgh, NY Rangers, Philadelphia, and Carolina in the East.

Detroit may miss the playoffs. Toronto will get Luongo and get in. Columbus will finish dead last.

I think Edmonton gets in, and Calgary will not. This will be Kiprusoff's last season in Calgary. The Iginla issue will dominate all Calgary Flames news until July.

I think Los Angeles will repeat.

[_Q_]

The idea that Edmonton can make the playoffs is comical. I don't understand how any of you can make that prediction. Edmonton will most definitely miss, but may do better than last season based on the fact that their players have had some time to develop. That lineup, however, is horrible.

I think it's going to be very difficult to predict how well Calgary does simply based on the Hartley factor. How accepting will the mostly veteran line-up be of his system? Who does he not see eye to eye with? How effective will his style be?

I do think LA will repeat, though, as cup champs.