Hockey News 2012-13 predictions

[DevilishWon]

I new the Islanders would be rated low, but 15th? I'm sorry, but they're better than Montreal, DAMNITT!! Any team with Scott Gomez on it deserves to finish last.

Hard to argue against that

 

[BF4L]

Here is my prediction

Bruins win it all.

Mark it down!

 

[puckhead]

Canucks and Boston #2. So Pittsburgh and St Louis are #1 in the conferences? I Dont think St Louis will be #1

The Blues aren’t going to win the West | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com

 

[DChero]

I predict the Penguins finish at 2 or 4 on the conference... with a record of 3-1-1.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

My prediction.......Pain. The Sabres will be a surprise team. Now that Miller is over his concussion and the rest of these clowns that thought last year was a lockout and put forth an effort things will be better.

Seriously I do feel they will be a better team, Stanley Cup team? No, but better. I Ott not make predictions but I did anyway.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I predict the Penguins finish at 2 or 4 on the conference... with a record of 3-1-1.

I predict the Oilers will finish in the bottom 5, win the lottery & pick 1st overall for the 4th consecutive year.

 

[johnnytata]

is it completely crazy to think that lidstrom retiring actually has some benefit to the wings?

i know this sounds blasphemous, but hear me out.

over the past several years, i have seen the wings get sloppier and sloppier in their own end. stupid turnovers, blind passes in front of the net, not fighting hard enough in the corners, etc. maybe there was too much reliance on lidstrom and his ridiculous ability to own his end.

without lidstrom, guys are gonna have to really step up their games. guys like kronwall, ericsson, kindl who have a ton of talent but aren't always playing up to it. they'll have to fight harder, play smarter because there is no safety net.

it's not exactly as if there is no precedent for this. the last time an all-world, hall of famer "irreplaceable" player retired, speaking of yzerman, it forced guys like zetterberg and datsyuk into the spotlight. and they eventually took advantage.

of course they could bomb and the team could suck, but there is some chance lidstrom's retirement could have some long term benefit.

still, i don't see them as any better than 6th in the conference.

 

[johnnytata]

also, i think it is still a bit premature to call the wings' offseason "disastrous." we have no idea how all these free agents are going to perform. we don't know if any of these guys were overpaid yet. we also don't know yet what the new salary structures are going to be like and whether these contracts are going to be manageable or huge albatrosses.

the wings still have a lot of cap space to work with and a better idea what to do with it once/if the cba is done.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

is it completely crazy to think that lidstrom retiring actually has some benefit to the wings?

i know this sounds blasphemous, but hear me out.

over the past several years, i have seen the wings get sloppier and sloppier in their own end. stupid turnovers, blind passes in front of the net, not fighting hard enough in the corners, etc. maybe there was too much reliance on lidstrom and his ridiculous ability to own his end.

without lidstrom, guys are gonna have to really step up their games. guys like kronwall, ericsson, kindl who have a ton of talent but aren't always playing up to it. they'll have to fight harder, play smarter because there is no safety net.

it's not exactly as if there is no precedent for this. the last time an all-world, hall of famer "irreplaceable" player retired, speaking of yzerman, it forced guys like zetterberg and datsyuk into the spotlight. and they eventually took advantage.

of course they could bomb and the team could suck, but there is some chance lidstrom's retirement could have some long term benefit.

still, i don't see them as any better than 6th in the conference.

In the past two seasons the Wings have lost Rafalski, Lidstrom & Stuart. They really only have 1 defense prospect who could be ready to play in the NHL in Brendan Smith. Kindl has been a disappointment. No team is going to be better right away after that much talent says goodbye. Ken Holland needs to make a move or two & I'm sure he knows it.

 

[johnnytata]

In the past two seasons the Wings have lost Rafalski, Lidstrom & Stuart.

well it sounds pretty bad when you say it like that