{"id":110099,"date":"2024-10-04T00:33:56","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T17:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110099"},"modified":"2024-10-04T00:33:56","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T17:33:56","slug":"from-stanley-cup-contenders-to-bottom-feeders-predicting-the-2024-25-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110099","title":{"rendered":"From Stanley Cup contenders to bottom feeders: Predicting the 2024-25 season"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Fun fact: In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5811315\/2024\/10\/03\/nhl-awards-predictions-2024-25\/\">NHL<\/a>, the \u201cpre\u201d in preseason stands for predictions. We all have to make them, including you \u2014 the reader prediction contest is coming later this week, so be ready. For now, it\u2019s my turn to lay my cards on the table, with my annual division-based attempt to dice up the league.<\/p>\n<p>The rules, as always: I get four divisions, with exactly eight teams each. We\u2019ll have the bottom-feeders, the middle-of-the-pack, the legitimate Stanley Cup contenders and then the teams I just have no idea about. Because I enjoy making my own life difficult, that eight teams per division rule is mandatory. (Insert your own joke here about the \u201cno clue\u201d division having all 32 teams in it otherwise.)<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll start from the bottom and work our way up\u2026<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"embedPlayer\" style=\"border: 0px; border-radius: 12px; width: 100%; height: 175px; max-width: 660px;\" title=\"Media player\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/can-swayman-and-bruins-fractured-relationship-be-repaired\/id1546282862?i=1000671572109&amp;itscg=30200&amp;itsct=podcast_box_player&amp;ls=1&amp;mttnsubad=1000671572109&amp;theme=auto\" width=\"100%\" height=\"175\" sandbox=\"allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>The Bottom-Feeder Division<\/h2>\n<p><em>The good news, if you see your team here, is one of the teams from last year\u2019s bottom-feeders went on to make the playoffs, so there\u2019s hope. The bad news is another one of the teams from last year no longer exists, so\u2026 yeah.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/sharks\/\">San Jose Sharks<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 19-54-9, -146 goals differential, dead last in the league.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Won the lottery, got <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"ZAKXI6uE1Fyml3Mn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/macklin-celebrini-ZAKXI6uE1Fyml3Mn\/\">Macklin Celebrini<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because even the most optimistic Sharks fan didn\u2019t think they\u2019d be anywhere else. While they did sign a legitimate player in <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"yUa6Dk4I4kNw4kTG\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/tyler-toffoli-yUa6Dk4I4kNw4kTG\/\">Tyler Toffoli<\/a>, this is still the phase of the rebuild where it\u2019s about running out the string on bad contracts and collecting young players. The good news is they\u2019re doing a great job on that second piece. The bad news is it won\u2019t pay off for another year or two, at least.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/ducks\/\">Anaheim Ducks<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 27-50-5, -90, seventh in the Pacific.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Didn\u2019t add much, didn\u2019t trade Zegras.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> They were very bad last year and didn\u2019t improve during the offseason, so I ran the numbers and it says they\u2019ll be bad again. They\u2019re young, and sometimes young teams take bigger steps forward than you expect. And the <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"sQpqyVdw5tZ2yVUw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/john-gibson-sQpqyVdw5tZ2yVUw\/\">John Gibson<\/a> health news increases the uncertainty by temporarily <a href=\"https:\/\/nytimes.com\/athletic\/5797455\/2024\/09\/26\/john-gibson-appendectomy-ducks\/\">replacing a known commodity with Luk\u00e1\u0161 Dost\u00e1l<\/a> to start the season; more variance is a good thing when you\u2019re looking for a long shot. That said, there\u2019s just too much ground to make up here, so the Ducks are an easy call for another year of bottom-feeder duty.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/blackhawks\/\">Chicago Blackhawks<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 23-53-6, -111, last in the Central.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Lots of reinforcements, probably not enough.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> The Hawks were busy over the summer, adding plenty of talent and quite possibly earning the title of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5626787\/2024\/07\/10\/nhl-teams-offseason-2024\/\">the league\u2019s most-improved team<\/a>. But even if it all clicks, and even assuming Taylor Hall stays healthy and Connor Bedard takes a big stride toward MVP-level production, it still feels like there\u2019s just too much ground to make up. Last year\u2019s team was truly awful, so even the best-case scenario here <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5625530\/2024\/07\/10\/blackhawks-2024-25-season-projection\/\">isn\u2019t all that good<\/a>\u2026 yet.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/blue-jackets\/\">Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 27-43-12, -64, last in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5746105\/2024\/09\/04\/gaudreau-candlelight-vigil-blue-jackets-flames\/\">\u201cI just miss him so much.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> The Johnny Gaudreau tragedy means a bad team lost its best player, which should mean a tough season. Mix in dumping <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"Qv3zY3ZTfMLQwvXu\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/patrik-laine-Qv3zY3ZTfMLQwvXu\/\">Patrik Laine<\/a>, and even a new coach and GM shouldn\u2019t be enough to get this group out of the basement.<\/p>\n<p>All that said, we really don\u2019t have a blueprint for how a team will respond to an unthinkable tragedy like losing Gaudreau. It\u2019s possible the team and the community come together, not unlike what we saw with <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"632\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/golden-knights\/\">Vegas<\/a> in 2017, especially if they can generate some momentum by upsetting teams like <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/fla-panthers\/\">Florida<\/a>, <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/avalanche\/\">Colorado<\/a> and <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/leafs\/\">Toronto<\/a> early in the schedule. That would be a fantastic story, and it\u2019s hard not to root for it. But the likelier scenario is still that they struggle through another difficult season.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/flyers\/\">Philadelphia Flyers<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 38-33-11, -27, sixth in the Metro.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> The <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"BaophE6CdtSghudG\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/matvei-michkov-BaophE6CdtSghudG\/\">Matvei Michkov<\/a> era has arrived.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because last year felt like an overachievement and we\u2019re not sure if the goaltending will work behind a roster that, on paper, is just OK. That\u2019s enough to offset the excitement of Michkov\u2019s arrival and probably keep them outside of the playoff race. Of course, nobody believed in them last year either, and they spent the first four months of the season making us look bad.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/flames\/\">Calgary Flames<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 38-39-5, -14, fifth in the Pacific.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Markstr\u00f6m traded, maybe rebuilding, maybe not.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> This might feel a little too negative; the Flames have traded away a ton of veteran talent in the last year, but they haven\u2019t stripped it all down to the studs. They don\u2019t seem like they want to, either, at least based on what the front office has been saying. It\u2019s certainly possible <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"lzuEq7CYX1Hp1uS3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/dustin-wolf-lzuEq7CYX1Hp1uS3\/\">Dustin Wolf<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5646654\/2024\/07\/26\/ranking-each-nhl-teams-current-and-future-goaltending-outlook-part-3-the-top-10\/\">lives up to the hype<\/a> and keeps them closer to middle-of-the-pack, but all things considered, it\u2019s probably better for their long-term hopes if this bottom-dweller prediction comes true.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5807293\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption-image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-5807293 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171229\/GettyImages-2148467669-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1706\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171229\/GettyImages-2148467669-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171229\/GettyImages-2148467669-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171229\/GettyImages-2148467669-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171229\/GettyImages-2148467669-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171229\/GettyImages-2148467669-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline-credits\">\n<div class=\"inline-credits-container\">\n      <span class=\"table-cell-span\"\/><br \/>\n      <span class=\"credits-text\">With Jacob Markstr\u00f6m gone, Dustin Wolf is set to make the Calgary net his own. (Sean M. Haffey \/ Getty Images)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/canadiens\/\">Montreal Canadiens<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 30-36-16, -49, last in the Atlantic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Rolled the dice on Patrik Laine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> There\u2019s some budding optimism in Montreal, and you can see why. The prospects are strong, the roster is young enough to improve organically and while Laine represents a significant gamble, he\u2019s at least one with some upside if and when he\u2019s healthy. The lingering question is still whether the ceiling is high enough, both among the <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"qwIAe9W3ikVhMWav\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/nick-suzuki-qwIAe9W3ikVhMWav\/\">Nick Suzuki<\/a>\/<a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"dOIaaezXSp4Lko87\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/cole-caufield-dOIaaezXSp4Lko87\/\">Cole Caufield<\/a> types and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5789528\/2024\/09\/24\/canadiens-top-prospect-rankings-pronman\/\">the kids on the way<\/a>. That\u2019s probably not a question that gets answered this year because that undetermined ceiling is still a few years away.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"756\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/kraken\/\">Seattle Kraken<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 34-35-13, -18, sixth in the Pacific.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Long UFA deals, plus new coach.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> We spent a few years waiting to see if Ron Francis would get more aggressive in building this roster, and when he did on July 1 nobody <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5608921\/2024\/07\/01\/nhl-contract-grades-chandler-stephenson-kraken\/\">seemed to like the results<\/a>. Aside from one year where they shot the lights out in a plainly unsustainable way, this has been a very mediocre team at best. Maybe that gets them closer to middle-of-the-pack than where I have them, but that\u2019s as far as my optimism can stretch.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>The Middle-of-the-Pack Division<\/h2>\n<p><em>It\u2019s not a bad place to be as long as you\u2019re passing through. Get stuck here for more than a couple of years, though, and the future starts looking mighty bleak.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/senators\/\">Ottawa Senators<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 37-41-4, -31, seventh in the Atlantic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> New goalie, new coach, annual optimism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because I only just now realized they finished just two points ahead of the Canadiens last year. I knew their season was disappointing, but I didn\u2019t realize it was quite that bad. Still, a year of <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"FXm8r2Ou2BUNO3rw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/linus-ullmark-FXm8r2Ou2BUNO3rw\/\">Linus Ullmark<\/a> should be enough to get them back over .500, and continued development from the youth could put them squarely in the playoff race. Yes, I know we say that every year, but this time we mean it.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/capitals\/\">Washington Capitals<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 40-31-11, -36, swept in the first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Honestly, they maybe kind of cooked?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because they were a playoff team last year who seemed to get better in the offseason, but literally nobody seems to be picking them for the postseason this time around. I get it because I\u2019m not picking them either. But with an apparent upgrade in net, plus the addition of <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"mOpOXSetlCmRJ5tG\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/jakob-chychrun-mOpOXSetlCmRJ5tG\/\">Jakob Chychrun<\/a> and <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"BCh3FfFRFQgYbf7Z\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/andrew-mangiapane-BCh3FfFRFQgYbf7Z\/\">Andrew Mangiapane<\/a> and fourth-time-is-the-charm <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"nDjkQo3GxE1GcW8s\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/pierre-luc-dubois-nDjkQo3GxE1GcW8s\/\">Pierre-Luc Dubois<\/a>, you can at least imagine them gliding into another wildcard and making us all look silly.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/islanders\/\">New York Islanders<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 39-27-16, -13, lost in first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Mostly quiet, although Duclair could work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> They\u2019ve pretty much owned this territory for a while now, finishing between 84 and 94 points for three straight years without ever getting out of round one. On paper, the forwards aren\u2019t good enough to get them to the next level, but with <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"2XL1sGYLWwBdJIuj\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/ilya-sorokin-2XL1sGYLWwBdJIuj\/\">Ilya Sorokin<\/a> in goal and a first full year of Patrick Roy behind the bench, you don\u2019t want to count them out.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/penguins\/\">Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 38-32-12, +5, fifth in the Metro.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Guess Sid\u2019s new AAV. You\u2019re correct.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> With <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"deXXidb2XqBmHfff\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/sidney-crosby-deXXidb2XqBmHfff\/\">Sidney Crosby<\/a> locked in for another three years, the Penguins are very clearly going for it. Whether \u201cit\u201d is another championship or just a playoff appearance depends on how much optimism you can summon, and I can\u2019t summon anywhere close to enough to move them up to the contender list. Either way, the rebuild is on hold, so this feels like the only spot for them.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/redwings\/\">Detroit Red Wings<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 41-32-9, +2, fifth in Atlantic, missed playoffs on tie-breaker.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Tarasenko in, Perron out, kids extended.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because they\u2019ve pretty much always been here, ever since Steve Yzerman arrived and started the world\u2019s slowest rebuild. That\u2019s not exactly a compliment, but it\u2019s worth noting the Wings do keep shuffling forward, which is better than some other rebuilds we\u2019ve seen over the years. Last year they came as close to the playoffs as you can without actually making it, so another few baby steps should get them in\u2026 assuming they don\u2019t get leap-frogged by someone who\u2019s moving quicker.<\/p>\n<h3>Toronto Maple Leafs<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 46-26-10, +37, you\u2019ll never guess what happened in the first round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Berube and Tanev arrive, core remains.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because after yet another offseason of tinkering around the edges, the Leafs are firmly in the \u201cbelieve it when we see it\u201d zone in terms of actual Cup contention. <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"bSfm5GiRzkbHegX9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/chris-tanev-bSfm5GiRzkbHegX9\/\">Chris Tanev<\/a> should fit well, at least early on, and maybe a new coach can change the culture. But this still looks a lot like the 2023-24 team that had about 100 points and lost as a road team in round one, and these days that\u2019s closer to the middle than real contention.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/wild\/\">Minnesota Wild<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 39-34-9, -12, sixth in the Central.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Barely anything, except for Faber extension.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> They are the Minnesota Wild.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/win-jets\/\">Winnipeg Jets<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 52-24-6, +61, lost in the first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Arguably the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5626787\/2024\/07\/10\/nhl-teams-offseason-2024\/\">worst in the league<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because I need eight teams in each division, and sometimes that means squeezing in a team that I\u2019m not sure fits. The Jets are the best team in this group by a decent margin, at least in terms of last year\u2019s regular-season record. But that team made an embarrassingly easy exit from the playoffs, and this year\u2019s version seems like they\u2019ll take a step back. Betting against Connor Hellebuyck is rarely smart, but unless he\u2019s playing at a Vezina level again this year, I think the Jets take a step or two back.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>The Contenders Division<\/h2>\n<p><em>These are the eight teams with the strongest Cup case heading into the year. Maybe worth noting: There\u2019s not as much year-to-year turnover as I would have expected, with six of last year\u2019s teams back this time.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Colorado Avalanche<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 50-25-7, +50, lost in the second round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Not much, but Landeskog possibly returning?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because we don\u2019t need to overthink things. The Avs are a recent-ish Cup winner that have been good for years and are returning essentially the same lineup, maybe even eventually with the beloved captain returning. The Central is a tough path, but Colorado is clearly one of the league\u2019s eight best teams.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/lightning\/\">Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 45-29-8, +21, lost in the first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Guentzel in, Stamkos and Sergachev out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because it\u2019s fun to live dangerously. Not that dangerously, mind you, because we\u2019re picking a recent Cup winner with a bunch of stars and the best coach in the league to do well. Still, it\u2019s felt like the clock was ticking on the Lighting for a few years now, and in the last two seasons they haven\u2019t made it to 100 points or won a round. It would be poetic for the window to finally slam shut the moment <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"LAne1Qw4slgxuwn2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/steven-stamkos-LAne1Qw4slgxuwn2\/\">Steven Stamkos<\/a> leaves, but there\u2019s enough history here that I\u2019d rather be a year too late on ruling them out than too soon.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/hurricanes\/\">Carolina Hurricanes<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 52-23-7, +66, lost in the second round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> New GM. Same coach. Diminished roster?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> I\u2019ve seen a few smart people make the case that the Hurricanes will be worse, and I can see it. What I can\u2019t quite see is them missing the playoffs in the Metro. Others can, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nhl\/insider\/story\/_\/id\/41419134\/nhl-predictions-2024-25-scoring-trades-stats-playoffs-awards-leaders\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">they\u2019re completely not unconvincing<\/a>. But for now, I think they\u2019re safe enough that they can spend 60 games or so figuring out where the weaknesses are and then aggressively addressing them at the deadline.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/stars\/\">Dallas Stars<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 52-21-9, +62, lost in the conference final.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Pavelski retires. And again. And again.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because even though I picked them to win the Cup last year and they let me down, I\u2019m not the sort of person who holds a grudge. The Stars figure to go back and forth with the Avalanche for top spot in the Central, and probably meet them in the second round for the right to face the <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/oilers\/\">Oilers<\/a>. In other words, a lot like last year, although Stars fans will be hoping for a better ending.<\/p>\n<h3>Vegas Golden Knights<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 45-29-8, +20, lost in the first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Even Marchessault gets no loyalty here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> I went back and forth on the Knights, who really weren\u2019t very good last year and enter the season with questions in goal and on the wing. Middle-of-the-pack certainly isn\u2019t out of the question here. But with a full season of <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"ujb69oMzy32EnMpV\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/tomas-hertl-ujb69oMzy32EnMpV\/\">Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hertl<\/a> to (hopefully) make up for a loss of forward depth, and the knowledge they\u2019ll be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/nhl\/yost-the-vegas-golden-knights-have-turned-roster-building-on-its-head-1.2088188\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">aggressive during the season<\/a>, I think they get to the postseason in solid shape to do some damage.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5807307\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption-image-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-5807307 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171802\/GettyImages-2149760892-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171802\/GettyImages-2149760892-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171802\/GettyImages-2149760892-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171802\/GettyImages-2149760892-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171802\/GettyImages-2149760892-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2024\/09\/30171802\/GettyImages-2149760892-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"inline-credits\">\n<div class=\"inline-credits-container\">\n      <span class=\"table-cell-span\"\/><br \/>\n      <span class=\"credits-text\">A full year of a healthy Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hertl is likely to boost Vegas\u2019 production after losing William Marchessault. (Sam Hodde \/ Getty Images)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/rangers\/\">New York Rangers<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 55-23-4, +52, won Presidents\u2019 Trophy, lost in the conference final.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Not the big changes we expected.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because even if you forecast a step back from last year, which you probably should, they\u2019ve still got enough star power to waltz into the playoffs. The one wild card here is the <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"LOibjd8d20HPtRSj\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/igor-shesterkin-LOibjd8d20HPtRSj\/\">Igor Shesterkin<\/a> contract situation, and just how much of a distraction that turns into. But having your most important player in a show-me contract year isn\u2019t the worst thing in the sports world.<\/p>\n<h3>Florida Panthers<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 52-24-6, +67, won the Stanley Cup.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Lost some guys, but not Reinhart.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> In the last three years, they\u2019ve won a Presidents\u2019 Trophy, went to the final and then won it all. I think they might be good, you guys.<\/p>\n<h3>Edmonton Oilers<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 49-27-6, +56, lost in the Stanley Cup final.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Offer sheets, Bowman hired, cheap UFAs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because while I\u2019m sure Oilers fans are starting to get a little bit nervous over how unanimously everyone is picking Edmonton to dominate this year, I\u2019m not enough of a contrarian to try to pretend it won\u2019t happen. That doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re guaranteed to win it all, but it\u2019s hard to imagine a scenario where they don\u2019t at least wind up with home ice in a weak-ish Pacific. Yes, they\u2019re my Cup pick, even as I won\u2019t get any points for originality.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>The Your-Guess-Is-As-Good-As-Mine Division<\/h2>\n<p><em>Here\u2019s hoping you didn\u2019t forget about this division and then get all excited when your team wasn\u2019t in the bottom-feeders or the middle-of-the-pack groups. Ah, who am I kidding, I love when that happens.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/bruins\/\">Boston Bruins<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 47-20-15, +42, lost in the second round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Roughly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5806291\/2024\/09\/30\/bruins-cam-neely-jeremy-swayman\/\">64 million reasons<\/a> to worry.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> They apparently enjoyed last year\u2019s role as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/4953791\/2023\/10\/13\/nhl-predictions-contest\/\">the league\u2019s most confusing team<\/a> so much that they figured they\u2019d go for an encore based on goaltending drama. With <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"7dJCTEYXEVxtYIqj\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/jeremy-swayman-7dJCTEYXEVxtYIqj\/\">Jeremy Swayman<\/a>\u2019s status still up in the air, it\u2019s really impossible to project how the Bruins\u2019 season will go. Swayman could sign tonight, join camp tomorrow and be ready to go early enough in the season to chase a Vezina. Or he could be out until December 1, and maybe even all season. That still feels exceedingly unlikely, but until this is put to bed, Boston is a question mark.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/devils\/\">New Jersey Devils<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 38-39-5, -17, seventh in the Metro.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Goalie acquired, so ignore last year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Last season\u2019s biggest disappointment is apparently right back on everyone\u2019s list of contenders heading into this year. And sure, it makes sense. They have <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"ysUSN5FrGMszsQUK\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/jacob-markstrom-ysUSN5FrGMszsQUK\/\">Jacob Markstr\u00f6m<\/a> now, <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"peR1BkphCs7nmkA4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/dougie-hamilton-peR1BkphCs7nmkA4\/\">Dougie Hamilton<\/a> is healthy, <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"yvxR1X9SJYkHGEoL\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/jack-hughes-yvxR1X9SJYkHGEoL\/\">Jack Hughes<\/a> is another year into his prime\u2026 the Devils should be a lot better. But they need to be about 15 points better just to get into the playoff mix, and that\u2019s a big gap. Are we sure they\u2019re an elite team? OK, just checking, I guess I\u2019ll go along with the crowd.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/kings\/\">Los Angeles Kings<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 44-27-11, +44, lost in the first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> PLD traded. Dreams do come true.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because I don\u2019t have the guts to put a 99-point team in the bottom-feeder group, but I\u2019m also not confident they can stay in contention. That was true even before the <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"Z8rfsF7LvLfLOc9E\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/drew-doughty-Z8rfsF7LvLfLOc9E\/\">Drew Doughty<\/a> injury, although that obviously doesn\u2019t help. This just feels like a rebuilding team that\u2019s stalled out in the mushy middle, and may have got worse over the summer. When the best-case scenario is the annual first-round door-kicking from the Oilers, I\u2019m not sure where the optimism comes from.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/hockey-club\/\">Utah Hockey Club<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> They didn\u2019t exist!<\/p>\n<p><strong>No but really, last season:<\/strong> 36-41-5, -20, seventh in the Central (as the Coyotes).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> We put a team where now?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because I have absolutely no idea how this will play out. The Coyotes did their best under tough circumstances at Mullett Arena, but it\u2019s hard to really get a sense of how good this roster could be, especially with the blue line upgrades this summer. Mix in some cap space and an owner who presumably wouldn\u2019t mind winning right away, and Utah still feels like a work in progress. Last year\u2019s Coyotes are probably the floor, but I\u2019m not sure how high the ceiling goes.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/sabres\/\">Buffalo Sabres<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 39-37-6, +1, sixth in the Atlantic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> It\u2019s going so well, why change?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Because after an offseason that saw them mostly stay the course, they\u2019ll be about the same as last year, which is to say middle-of-the-pack. Unless Jesse is right about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5646654\/2024\/07\/26\/ranking-each-nhl-teams-current-and-future-goaltending-outlook-part-3-the-top-10\/\">their goaltending being secretly great<\/a> and the kids all take a stride forward and Lindy Ruff works his magic, in which case they\u2019ll finally return to the playoffs. Unless the Sabres gonna Sabre, in which case they\u2019ll fake us out with one early-season win streak and otherwise be terrible and we\u2019ll all make fun of them. Unless it\u2019s something else. But definitely one of those things.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/blues\/\">St. Louis Blues<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 44-33-6, -14, fifth in the Central.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> You like offer sheets? Here\u2019s two.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> Even if we assume the hockey gods aren\u2019t going to punish Doug Armstrong for committing the cardinal sin of <s>actually trying to win<\/s> using offer sheets, there are still enough questions here that it\u2019s hard to know where to slot in the Blues. Armstrong is treating them like they\u2019re a playoff team, and if <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"dgrueO7FLsjRGLgp\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/jordan-binnington-dgrueO7FLsjRGLgp\/\">Jordan Binnington<\/a> is really good then maybe they are. Then again, Binnington was really good last year and it wasn\u2019t quite enough, so what if he has an off year? (Casually ducks flying water bottle.) You\u2019re right, that wouldn\u2019t happen, forget I brought it up.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/predators\/\">Nashville Predators<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 47-30-5, +18, lost in the first round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Nice franchise icon. He\u2019s ours now.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> They were already a 99-point team, which I had to double-check because I didn\u2019t remember them being quite that good last year. But yep, they were just short of the century club before Steven Stamkos and <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"RhL2Ph8cKhb1MY9t\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/jonathan-marchessault-RhL2Ph8cKhb1MY9t\/\">Jonathan Marchessault<\/a> arrived, so you\u2019d think those additions put them in the running for the Central and maybe even a Cup. Then again, adding mid-30s UFAs hasn\u2019t exactly been a recipe for success in the cap era, and last year\u2019s Preds couldn\u2019t even beat a playoff opponent that was down to its third-string goalie. I hope Nashville does well because teams that take big swings are fun, but you could imagine it all adding up to a letdown.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/team\/canucks\/\">Vancouver Canucks<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Last season:<\/strong> 50-23-9, +58, lost in the second round.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Their offseason in six words:<\/strong> Thatcher Demko prayer circles forming regularly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why they\u2019re here:<\/strong> The Canucks were already going to be a tricky team after defying expectations for pretty much all of 2023-24. The regression predictions were already inevitable back when we thought they\u2019d have healthy goaltending. With Demko out, this could be headed downhill. Then again, didn\u2019t we all get tired of being wrong with doom-and-gloom calls about the Canucks last year?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>(Top photos of <a class=\"ath_autolink\" data-id=\"VfItXoBcgevk6MMy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/nhl\/player\/thatcher-demko-VfItXoBcgevk6MMy\/\">Thatcher Demko<\/a> and Pierre-Luc Dubois: Derek Cain and Richard T. Gagnon \/ Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/5806185\/2024\/10\/03\/predicting-2024-25-season-divisions\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fun fact: In the NHL, the \u201cpre\u201d in preseason stands for predictions. We all have to make them, including you \u2014 the reader prediction contest is coming later this week, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110099\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=110099"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110099\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=110099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=110099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=110099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}