well the 2023-2024 season is starting as I type this so I have slapped together something for a season preview courtesy of ESPN. This is their rankings, odds & (most importantly) off-season moves (wrapped w/SPOILER tags due to tl;dr):
Spoiler:
1. Vegas Golden Knights
Last season: 51-22-9, 111 points. Won the Stanley Cup.
Stanley Cup odds: +1200
Key players added: None
Key players lost: F Teddy Blueger, G Laurent Brossoit, F Phil Kessel, G Jonathan Quick, F Reilly Smith
2. Colorado Avalanche
Last season: 51-24-7, 109 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +900
Key players added: F Ross Colton, F Jonathan Drouin, F Ryan Johansen, F Miles Wood
Key players lost: F J.T. Compher, F Lars Eller, F Darren Helm, D Erik Johnson, F Denis Malgin, F Alex Newhook, F Evan Rodrigues
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Last season: 52-21-9, 113 points. Lost in Eastern Conference finals.
Stanley Cup odds: +750
Key players added: F Michael Bunting, D Dmitry Orlov, D Tony DeAngelo
Key players lost: D Shayne Gostisbehere
4. Edmonton Oilers
Last season: 50-23-9, 109 points. Lost in second round.
Stanley Cup odds: +900
Key players added: F Connor Brown, F Mattias Janmark, F Lane Pederson
Key players lost: F Nick Bjugstad, D Oscar Klefbom, F Klim Kostin, D William Lagesson, D Ryan Murray, F Kailer Yamamoto
5. New Jersey Devils
Last season: 52-22-8, 112 points. Lost in second round.
Stanley Cup odds: +1000
Key players added: F Tyler Toffoli
Key players lost: D Damon Severson, D Ryan Graves, G Mackenzie Blackwood
6. Toronto Maple Leafs
Last season: 50-21-11, 111 points. Lost in second round.
Stanley Cup odds: +1000
Key players added: F Max Domi, F Tyler Bertuzzi, D John Klingberg, F Ryan Reaves, G Martin Jones
Key players lost: F Michael Bunting, F Alexander Kerfoot, F Ryan O'Reilly
7. Dallas Stars
Last season: 47-21-14, 108 points. Lost in Western Conference finals.
Stanley Cup odds: +1500
Key players added: F Matt Duchene, F Craig Smith, F Sam Steel
Key players lost: F Max Domi, F Luke Glendening
8. Florida Panthers
Last season: 42-32-8, 92 points. Lost in Stanley Cup Final.
Stanley Cup odds: +2000
Key players added: D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D Dmitry Kulikov, D Niko Mikkola, D Mike Reilly
Key players lost: F Anthony Duclair, F Patric Hornqvist, D Radko Gudas, D Marc Staal, G Alex Lyon
9. New York Rangers
Last season: 47-22-13, 107 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +1300
Key players added: F Blake Wheeler, D Erik Gustafsson, G Jonathan Quick
Key players lost: F Patrick Kane, F Vladimir Tarasenko, D Niko Mikkola
10. Boston Bruins
Last season: 65-12-5, 135 points. Lost in the first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +1800
Key players added: F Milan Lucic, F James van Riemsdyk, D Kevin Shattenkirk
Key players lost: F Patrice Bergeron, F Tyler Bertuzzi, F Nick Foligno, F Taylor Hall, F David Krejci, D Connor Clifton, D Dmitry Orlov
11. Tampa Bay Lightning
Last season: 46-30-6, 98 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +2200
Key players added: F Luke Glendening, F Tyler Motte, F Conor Sheary
Key players lost: F Corey Perry, F Alex Killorn, F Pat Maroon, F Ross Colton
12. Los Angeles Kings
Last season: 47-25-10, 104 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +2000
Key players added: F Pierre-Luc Dubois, D Vladislav Gavrikov, F Trevor Lewis, G David Rittich, G Cam Talbot
Key players lost: D Sean Durzi, D Alexander Edler, F Alex Iafallo, G Joonas Korpisalo, F Rasmus Kupari, F Gabriel Vilardi
13. Minnesota Wild
Last season: 46-25-11, 103 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +3500
Key players added: F Patrick Maroon
Key players lost: D Matt Dumba, D John Klingberg, F Gustav Nyquist, F Oskar Sundqvist, F Sam Steel
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
Last season: 40-31-11, 91 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +2500
Key players added: F Noel Acciari, F Lars Eller, F Reilly Smith, D Ryan Graves, D Erik Karlsson
Key players lost: F Jason Zucker, D Brian Dumoulin, D Jeff Petry, G Casey DeSmith
15. Seattle Kraken
Last season: 46-28-8, 100 points. Lost in second round.
Stanley Cup odds: +4000
Key players added: F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, D Brian Dumoulin, F Kailer Yamamoto
Key players lost: F Ryan Donato, F Joonas Donskoi, F Morgan Geekie, G Martin Jones, D Carson Soucy, F Daniel Sprong
16. Buffalo Sabres
Last season: 42-33-7, 91 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +4000
Key players added: D Connor Clifton, D Erik Johnson
Key players lost: G Craig Anderson
17. New York Islanders
Last season: 42-31-9, 93 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +5000
Key players added: None
Key players lost: F Josh Bailey
18. Calgary Flames
Last season: 38-27-17, 93 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +3500
Key players added: F Yegor Sharangovich
Key players lost: F Trevor Lewis, F Milan Lucic, D Michael Stone, F Tyler Toffoli
19. Ottawa Senators
Last season: 39-35-8, 86 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +5000
Key players added: F Vladimir Tarasenko, G Joonas Korpisalo
Key players lost: F Alex DeBrincat, G Cam Talbot
20. Winnipeg Jets
Last season: 46-33-3, 95 points. Lost in first round.
Stanley Cup odds: +5000
Key players added: G Laurent Brossoit, F Alex Iafallo, F Rasmus Kupari, F Gabriel Vilardi
Key players lost: F Pierre-Luc Dubois, G David Rittich, F Blake Wheeler
21. Detroit Red Wings
Last season: 35-37-10, 80 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +7500
Key players added: F Alex DeBrincat, F J.T. Compher, F Klim Kostin, F Daniel Sprong, D Shayne Gostisbehere, D Jeff Petry, G James Reimer
Key players lost: F Dominik Kubalik, F Filip Zadina, G Alex Nedeljkovic
22. Nashville Predators
Last season: 42-32-8, 92 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +7500
Key players added: F Gustav Nyquist, F Ryan O'Reilly, D Luke Schenn
Key players lost: F Matt Duchene, F Ryan Johansen
23. Washington Capitals
Last season: 35-37-10, 80 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +7500
Key players added: F Max Pacioretty, D Joel Edmundson
Key players lost: F Conor Sheary
24. Vancouver Canucks
Last season: 38-37-7, 83 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +7500
Key players added: F Teddy Blueger, D Ian Cole, D Carson Soucy, F Pius Suter
Key players lost: G Collin Delia, D Oliver Ekman-Larsson
25. Columbus Blue Jackets
Last season: 25-48-9, 59 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +15000
Key players added: D Damon Severson, D Ivan Provorov
Key players lost: None
26. St. Louis Blues
Last season: 37-38-7, 81 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +7500
Key players added: F Kevin Hayes
Key players lost: F Josh Leivo, F Tyler Pitlick
27. Arizona Coyotes
Last season: 28-40-14, 70 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +15000
Key players added: F Nick Bjugstad, F Logan Cooley, D Travis Dermott, D Matt Dumba, D Sean Durzi, F Alexander Kerfoot, F Jason Zucker
Key players lost: D Connor Mackey
28. Montreal Canadiens
Last season: 31-45-6, 68 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +20000
Key players added: F Alex Newhook
Key players lost: D Joel Edmundson
29. Philadelphia Flyers
Last season: 31-38-13, 75 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +20000
Key players added: F Ryan Poehling, F Garnet Hathaway, D Marc Staal
Key players lost: F Kevin Hayes, F James van Riemsdyk, D Ivan Provorov, D Tony DeAngelo
30. Chicago Blackhawks
Last season: 26-49-7, 59 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +17500
Key players added: F Connor Bedard, F Colin Blackwell, F Taylor Hall, F Ryan Donato, F Nick Foligno, F Corey Perry
Key players lost: D Ian Mitchell, F Jonathan Toews, G Alex Stalock
31. Anaheim Ducks
Last season: 23-47-12, 58 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +20000
Key players added: D Radko Gudas, F Alex Killorn, D Ilya Lyubushkin
Key players lost: F Derek Grant, D Kevin Shattenkirk
32. San Jose Sharks (LOL)
Last season: 22-44-16, 60 points. Missed playoffs.
Stanley Cup odds: +20000
Key players added: G Mackenzie Blackwood, F Anthony Duclair, F Mikael Granlund, F Mike Hoffman, D Jan Rutta, F Givani Smith, F Filip Zadina
Key players lost: D Erik Karlsson, F Andreas Johnsson, F Steven Lorentz, G James Reimer
Former NHL coach and player Barry Melrose, who has been an Emmy Award-winning hockey analyst for ESPN since 1996, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and is retiring, he announced Tuesday.
I'm probably in the minority, but I always liked him as an analyst on ESPN.
Quote:
Overall, Melrose had an 84-108-29 record as a head coach.
was surprised to see that his coaching record was that bad as he had Gretzky for 3 years.
There's a C the Jets lost on waivers to San Jose who is starting for Tampa, he got a 2 x 1.6M contract, played in the playoffs last year for them, Eyssimont. They thought they could sneak him through waivers, but it was a terrible gamble.
Last edited by Hammerhands; 10-10-2023 at 05:59 PM.
oh, they will. especially since they just gave away caleb jones for no reason. but prob good in the long-term, as a multi-year tank nets good assets. league will prob give them the #1 pick again next year
at least it's funny how teams just keep handing good players to the avs
no reason why the laffs and oilers can't go 2-3 rounds or further. laffs are prob still a good team, and the oilers have been doing less dumb stuff lately (e.g. grabbing ekholm). obv the smart money is on choke for both, but the opportunity is there. and of course edm need mcdrai to stay healthy thru the playoffs, or they're ****ed
Guys wanna predict your 8 from the East and 8 from the West? Always fun to bump after.
no, not really,lol
Tricky tricky this year, you have the already talked about surprises of Ottawa and Buffalo possibly, if not them couple of others. Boston retired mostly, Tampa is without a star goalie and both could be middle of pack, Toronto has a chance of being a disaster and they might not make the playoffs.
in case anyone was wondering how the canucks are doing:
- they blamed sucking last season on what they considered to be a soft training camp, so this year they over-corrected by doing the whole start camp early work everyone to death thing, and promptly lost their first preseason game 10-0. didn't really improve from there, couldn't really score goals, which is concerning
- winger ilya mikheyev, who delayed knee surgery last season in a futile attempt to help the team make the playoffs, who was supposed to be healthy for the start of training camp, wasn't. and still isn't. they seem to be feverishly trying to get him back into the lineup for some reason
- one of their new dmen (carson soucy) is already injured, got hurt in the final preseason game. looked like a serious injury but they're already trying to get him back into the lineup, possibly because they don't have any cap space
- winger connor garland just fired his agent for failing to get him traded. some reports came out yesterday that the canucks will probably retain salary when they do finally manage to deal him, which is just what you want to hear about a bad team with no picks, prospects, or cap space
- and finally, the team already seems to be laying the groundwork for elias pettersson, who is in the final year of his contract, to leave. reports keep leaking that they don't like him that much or think he's worth a lot of money etc. they probably are dumb enough to trade him, so lol
- probably a bunch of other stuff that i'm forgetting
- edit: apparently they might only play 11 forwards tonight because they have no cap space lolol
anyway good to see everyone leaving them off the list to make the playoffs. this is a mediocre team that needs everything to go right if they're gonna have any success ... it's already messy, and their season hasn't even started. lol
I think if Boston can't win (they can't), I'd like Vegas to win again. I think that would be hilarious (and would tilt Leaf and Oilers fans which is always fun)
I think if Boston can't win (they can't), I'd like Vegas to win again. I think that would be hilarious (and would tilt Leaf and Oilers fans which is always fun)
Oilers first but Vegas was my second fav and I love to see them repeat . Your right it would tilt Oilers and Leafs fans
Oilers Leon Draisaitl has 30 points during his current 18-game point streak vs the Canucks (13 G, 17 A)
just saw a model that has the canucks as ever-so-slight favs tonight, but with maybe 11 forwards and a akito hirose/noah juulsen 3rd d pairing i don't really get how lol. pile on the loilers imo
