Predictions for hardware 2018-19

[yave1964]

My latest installment of predictions sure to go wrong...….

 

STANLEY CUP FINALS Jets and Lightning. Wow really on a limb there, aren't I, lol? A lot of people are in love with both teams this year and rightfully so, I have the Bolts in 7 tough games.

 

CALDER TROPHY: Top rookie for this year I am going with Brady Tkachuk from a deep class. He plays a lot like his brother but scouts say he is more of a scorer. The Sens need all they can get to make certain the Avalanche do not get the first pick in the draft so their deep rookie class will be given every chance to shine. Not saying Tkachuk is the cream of the class, just that he has the best rookie season.

 

VEZINA Truthfully Connor Hellebuyck got a bit hosed last year, his numbers wereslightly  better than Rinne in most every category but Rinne got the nod by voters kind of like a gold watch at the end of working somewhere for twenty years. It will be rectified this year, Hellboy gets the trophy.

 

HART League MVP Stamkos leads the Bolts past the surging Leafs, past the aging but deadly Pens and narrowly past the Jets and like Ovie the year before gets the piece of hardware missing from his trophy case in the Conn smythe as playoff MVP. Oh and the Hart trophy as leagues best regular season performer to boot. 

 

NORRIS Top defender for the league is the underrated Alex Pietrangelo who finally gets the overdue recognition.

 

SURPRISING TEAM Rangers. They added a bunch of picks/prospects late last year but have a young talented core and ready now kids everywhere. I see them making the postseason. 

 

DISSAPOINTING TEAM Bruins. I think the aging core of Bergeron/chara/Krejci will miss 50-60 games between them this year and the young kids are a bit overrated.

 

WORST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE Les Habitants. Montreal has no strength anywhere save for in net and Price is showing signs of breaking down.

 

LEADING GOAL SCORER (RICHARD) Laine edging out Ovie as a torch is passed.

 

  That is that. Sure to be wrong.

[Math]

Cool exercice, I'll go with my predictions by being lazy on the descriptions.

 

Stanley Cup final - Maple Leafs vs. Lightning

 

Calder - I would have gone with Dahlin, but scorers are more likely put in evidence. Let's go with Zadina.

 

Vézina - Vassilievski.

 

Hart - John Tavares

 

Norris - P.K. Subban

 

Surprising Team - Buffalo. They really seem to get improved. Should be fighting for a play-off spot in a very weak division.

 

Disappointing team - Vegas. To be better than last year, they need to win the Stanley Cup... Sophomore year, the surprise effect is gone.

 

Worst team in the league - I was about to go with Montréal, but Ottawa did a great job in demolishing its franchise. I'll go with the Sens.

 

Maurice Richard - John Tavares again.