Randall Flagg Posted September 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2018 Toronto Maple LeafsRecord last season: 49-26-7, 105 points, 3rd in Atlantic Playoffs: Lost in first round to Boston Coach: Mike Babcock GM: Kyle Dubas Captain: Vacant GF: 270 (3rd) GA: 230 (12th) PP: 25.0% (2nd) PK: 81.4% (10th)Top 5G: 1.) JVR (36) 2.) Auston Matthews (34, in 62 games, 45 goal pace) 3.) Nazem Kadri (32) 4.) Patrick Marleau (27) 5.) Mitch Marner (22) Top 5A: 1.) Mitch Marner (47) 2.) Jake Gardiner (47) 3.) Morgan Rielly (46) 4.) William Nylander (41) 5.) Tyler Bozak (32) Top 5 PTS: 1.) Mitch Marner (69) 2.) Auston Matthews (63) 3.) William Nylander (61) 4.) Nazem Kadri (55) 5.) JVR (54) Key Additions: John Tavares (C), Par Lindholm (C), Josh Jooris (C), Tyler Ennis (W)Key Losses: JVR (LW), Tyler Bozak (C), Leo Komarov (C), Roman Polak (D), Dominic Moore (C), Tomas Plekanec (C), Matt Martin (LW) Projected Lineup: Marleau - Matthews - Nylander Hyman - Tavares - Marner Johnsson - Kadri - Brown Ennis - Lindholm - Kapanen Rielly - Hainsey Gardiner - Zaitsev Dermott - Carrick Andersen McElhinney Top Prospects we might/might not see 1.)Kasperi Kapanen, RW, trade 2.) Timothy Liljegren, D, 1st round 2017 3.) Travis Dermott, D, 2nd round 2015 4.) Rasmus Sandin, 1st round, 2018 5.) Carl Grundstrom, LW, 2nd round 2016 My thoughtsIn Bozak and JVR they lost guys that put up points but were a bit maddening hockey players at ES. They lost some old/bad depth, and are replacing it all with youth like Johnsson, who is freakin fast, and Kapanen, who is freakin fast. THe whole organization is the fastest in the league really. They skate fast and play fast. Oh, and they added Tavares too. So their top six is the best top six in the league that isn't Pittsburgh's. Goal scoring centers with playmakers on the wing? Interesting. We can hope for a few things to derail the leafs - Matthews asking for 12, Marner asking for 10, Nylander asking for 10. Nylander not signing a contract and sitting the year. The continued dominance of Boston/TB forcing them out in the first again. While their defense is still their weak point, Dermott is rock solid, Liljegren is promising, and Sandin had an outstanding preseason. It will never be their focal point and will never have to be, and they were comfortably in the top half of the league in defensive numbers, so I don't think it'll cripple them. This team's floor is first round exit, and their ceiling is breaking their cup drought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted September 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 Vancouver CanucksRecord last season: 31-40-11, 73 points, 7th in the Pacific Playoffs: None Coach: Travis Green GM: Jim Benning Captain: Vacant GF: 218 (26th) GA: 259 (26th) PP: 21.4% (9th) PK: 78.3% (21st)Top 5G: 1.) Brock Boeser (29) 2.) Daniel Sedin (23) 3.) Bo Horvat (22) 4.) Thomas Vanek (17) 5.) Sven Baertschi (14) Top 5A: 1.) Henrik Sedin (47) he had 3 goals LOL 2.) Daniel Sedin (32) 3.) Alex Edler (28) 4.) Brock Boeser (26) 5.) Thomas Vanek (24) Top 5 PTS: 1.) Daniel Sedin (55) 2.) Brock Boeser (55) 3.) Henrik Sedin (50) 4.) Bo Horvat (44) 5.) Thomas Vanek (41) Key Additions: Antoine Roussel (LW), Tim Schaller (C), Jay Beagle (C)Key Losses: Sedins, Jussi Jokinen (LW), other junk Projected Lineup: Baertschi - Horvat - Boeser Eriksson - Gagner - Pettersson Roussell - Sutter - Granlund Schaller - Beagle - Virtanen Edler - Tanev Del Zotto - Stetcher Pouliot - Gudbranson Markstrom Nilsson Top Prospects we might/might not see 1.) Elias Pettersson, C, 1st round 2017 2.) Quinton Hughes, 1st round 2018 3.) Olli Juolevi, D, 1st round 2016 4.) Thatcher Demko, G, 2nd round 2014 5.) Jonathan Dahlen, LW, trade with Ottawa My thoughtsThe Canucks are set to be pretty bad this year, though I don't see them getting much worse than mid-low 70s. Pettersson is a special player and should be ready to give them fireworks right from the get-go. Their young group of prospects is awesome and their future is bright, though a bit far away yet. They'll probably be a largely boring and bad-at-defense team, but Horvat/Boeser/Pettersson up front will have some fun games. I'll probably see them play twice total all season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted October 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 Vegas Golden KnightsRecord last season: 51-24-7, 109 points, 1st in the Pacific Playoffs: Lost the SCF to Washington Coach: Gerard Gallant GM: George McPhee Captain: Vacant GF: 268 (5th) GA: 225 (8th) PP: 21.4% (9th) PK: 81.4% (10th)Top 5G: 1.) William Karlsson (43) 2.) Erik Haula (29) 3.) Jon Marchessault (27) 4.) James Neal (25) 5.) Reilly Smith (22) Top 5A: 1.) David Perron (50) 2.) Jon Marchessault (48 ) 3.) Reilly Smith (38 ) 4.) William Karlsson (35) 5.) Colin Miller (31) Top 5 PTS: 1.) William Karlsson (78) 2.) Jon Marchessault (75) 3.) David Perron (66) 4.) Reilly Smith (60) 5.) Erik Haula (55) Key Additions: Paul Stastny (C), Nick Holden (D), Max Pacioretty (LW)Key Losses: James Neal (RW), David Perron (LW), Luca Sbisa (D), Jason Garrison (D), Clayton Stoner (D), Tomas Tatar (LW) Projected Lineup: Marchessault - Karlsson - Smith Pacioretty - Stastny - Tuch Carr - Haula - Eakin Lindberg - Bellemare - Nosek Miller - McNabb Engelland - Holden Whitecloud - Brannstrom (Theodore/Schmidt will be back at some point) Fleury Subban Top Prospects we might/might not see 1.) Cody Glass, C, 1st round 2017 2.) Erik Brannstrom, D, 1st round 2017 3.) Nic Hague, D, 2nd round 2017 4.) Jake Leschyshyn, C, 3rd round 2017 5.) Nikita Gusev, LW, trade with Tampa My thoughts I think they'll still be pretty good. Their ceiling is what they did last year, but I could see them winning a round pretty easily, and they should make it as long as Theodore/Schmidt aren't gone forever as 2 of their best 3 D (and maybe best 2). I forget the details of each of their absence. I don't think they'll be quite as dominant though, and could see them sliding as the novelty wears off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted October 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 Washington Capitals Record last season: 49-26-7, 105 pts, 1st in the Metro Playoffs: STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS Coach: Todd Reirden GM: Brian MacLellan Captain: The Great 8 GF: 256 (9th) GA: 238 (16th) PP: 22.5% (7th) PK: 80.3% (15th)Top 5G: 1.) Alex Ovechkin (49) 2.) Evgeny Kuznetsov (27) 3.) Nicklas Backstrom (21) 4.) TJ Oshie (18) 5.) Lars Eller (18)Top 5A: 1.) Evgeny Kuznetsov (56) 2.) John Carlson (53) 3.) Nicklas Backstrom (50) 4.) Alex Ovechkin (38 ) 5.) TJ Oshie (29) Top 5 PTS: 1.) Alex Ovechkin (87) 2.) Evgeny Kuznetsov (83) 3.) Nicklas Backstrom (71) 4.) John Carlson (68) 5.) TJ Oshie (47) Key Additions: NoneKey Losses: Their coach, Philipp Grubauer (G), Jay Beagle (C), Brooks Orpik (D), Alex Chiasson (RW) Projected Lineup: Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Wilson Vrana - Backstrom - Oshie Burakovsky - Eller - Connolly Gersich - Stevenson - Smith-Pelly Orlov - Niskanen Kempny - Carlson Djoos - Bowey Holtby Copley Top Prospects we might/might not see 1.) Ilya Samsonov, G, 1st round 2015 2.) Jonas Siegenthaler, D, 2nd round 2015 3.) Alexander Alexeyev, D, 2nd round 2018 4.) Lucas Johansen, D, 1st round 2016 5.) Connor Hobbs, D, late 2015 My thoughts The cup champs are bringing back most of their roster. The coach is gone, and they might have a wicked cup hangover. But you can never count out the reigning champions. They should be a rock-solid hockey team with a lot of swagger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted October 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 Winnipeg Jets Record last season: 52-20-10, 114 points, 2nd in the Central Playoffs: Lost in WCF to Vegas Coach: Paul Maurice GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Captain: Blake Wheeler GF: 273 (2nd) GA: 216 (5th) PP: 23.4% (5th) PK: 81.8% (7th)Top 5G: 1.) Patrik Laine (44) 2.) Kyle Connor (31) 3.) Nikolaj Ehlers (29) 4.) Mark Scheifele (23 in 60 games) 5.) Blake Wheeler (23)Top 5A: 1.) Blake Wheeler (68) 2.) Mark Scheifele (37) 3.) Dustin Byfuglien (37) 4.) Nikolaj Ehlers (31) 5.) Tyler Myers (30) Top 5 PTS: 1.) Blake Wheeler (91) 2.) Patrik Laine (70) 3.) Mark Scheifele (60 in 60 games) 4.) Nikolaj Ehlers (60) 5.) Kyle Connor (57) Key Additions: Laurent Brossoit (G)Key Losses: Paul Stastny (C), Joel Armia (RW), Toby Enstrom (D), Shawn Matthias (LW), Matt Hendricks (LW) Projected Lineup: Connor - Scheifele - Wheeler Laine - Little - Ehlers Petan - Roslovic - Perreault Lowry - Copp - Tanev Morrissey - Trouba Chiarot - Byfuglien Kulikov - Myers Hellebuyck Brossoit Top Prospects we might/might not see 1.) Jack Roslovic, C, 1st round 2015 2.) Kristian Vesalainen, LW, 1st round 2017 3.) Dylan Samberg, D, 2nd round 2017 4.) Brendan Lemieux, LW, trade with Buff 5.) Tucker Poolman, D, late 2013 My thoughts I'm quite high on the Jets. Their vets are awesome - Wheeler is an awesome leader and great first-liner, Little is a great leader and a good 2nd liner, Perreault is the perfect 3rd liner. Buff can still play. Nobody is over the hill yet. Their older youngsters, Scheifele and Trouba, are everything you'd want in a C/D that age. Finally, their kids are freaking awesome. Look at their goal scoring list, everyone but Wheeler is a baby. Morrissey will be their best defenseman sooner than later, and that fourth line is the best energy-fourth-line-with-skill in the league. Watch out for Jack Roslovic too. Even if Trouba forces his way out, I wouldn't be phased long-term. These guys are cup contenders now and going forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted October 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2018 I did two teams tonight because I'm busy tomorrow - exam in the AM and my parents showing up for a visit in the afternoon. This is every team, so if anybody even read this thread, you're all ready for the start of the season! Puck drops tomorrow night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.