Fearless Forecasts: 2011-2012

[ross10019]

Hey, whaddaya know, not doing too badly!

Although obviously I was way off on the Sabres/Habs thing!

Here goes nothing:

1. The Bruins, Sabres and Habs all reach the 100-point mark and finish 1-2-3 in the Northeastern Division, and 3-4-5 in the Eastern Conference, and the Sabres and Habs have an epic 7-game first round matchup. MISS ON SABRES/HABS, HIT ON BRUINS

2. With the huge lift of playing in a Canadian NHL market for the first time, and with the rabid fanbase firmly behind the team despite a losing season, Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little each breakout with 60+ points each. PRETTY CLOSE TO A HIT

3. Henrik Lundqvist wins the Vezina and breaks the 40-win barrier for the first time. LOOKING GOOD

4. Jordan Eberle scores 35 goals. LOOKING GOOD DESPITE INJURY

5. Patrice Bergeron wins the Selke. LOOKING VERY GOOD

6. Steve Mason bounces back with 30+ wins, and posts sub-2.5 GAA and better than 0.915 save percentage. MISS

7. One of Sheldon Souray, David Perron or Peter Mueller win the Masterton Trophy, and Ryan Callahan wins the Messier Leadership Award. LOOKING GOOD ALL AROUND

8. Nino Niederreiter wins the Calder with a 30-goal season. MISS

9. Jeff Skinner and Derek Stepan improve on their point totals in their sophomore years. HIT FOR STEPAN, MISS FOR SKINNER ONLY DUE TO INJURY

10. Josh Gorges leads the league in blocked shots. DEAD ON HIT

And, bonus forecast, an Eastern team will win the Cup again, but it won't be the Bruins. WE SHALL SEE!

[Dakkster]

The last time I did this was the 09/10 season and I got two and a half out of ten right. Let's try it again!

1. Ryan Getzlaf plays in 82 games.
2. Mike Green scores 80 points.
3. Both Parise and Kovy score at least 40 goals.
4. Detroit trades for a veteran star like Alfie, Doan or Iginla or someone like that before the deadline.
5. Matt Cooke gets the longest suspension ever, getting more than Chris Simon's 30 games in 07.
6. Cammalleri scores 40+ goals and 80+ points.
7. Someone breaks 350 PIM.
8. Kevin Smith's last movie Hit Somebody comes out and is completely awesome.
9. Malkin gets injured again and misses considerable time, Stamkos scores 50 again and Dobber still insists on Malkin being the more valuable player
10. My keeper team becomes league champion

Yeah, I'm out.

[dmvincent]

1. Andrei Markov stays healthy in 2011-2012
2. James Reimer wins 30-plus games
3. No NHL rookie hits 65 points
4. Tomas Vokoun wins 40 games
5. Zach Parise hits 90 points
6. The Los Angeles Kings capture the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup
7. Mike Green rebounds to his 70 point form
8. The Leafs make the playoffs
9. Brad Richards under 80 points
10. Brent Burns-Dan Boyle are the most lethal D pairing in the league

1. Eep!
2. I was totally wrong about Reimer, he's been awful. Gotta love what Gustavsson is doing though! I'm off the Reimer bandwagon.
3. Could happen.
4. On track for 40.
5. Could happen
6. Unlikely, I'm disappointed with them this year. I really did expect more.
7. I may have become the biggest Mike Green hater out there this year, if you look at his production since sustaining injuries it hasn't been anything near as good.
8. Definitely possible, it would be great to see the city of Toronto cheering on the Leafs.
9. Money in the bank, unless he turns into superman in the second half.
10. Surpising, but he's really been ineffective offensively for the Sharks.

All things considered, not too shabby.

[ross10019]

1. Eep!
2. I was totally wrong about Reimer, he's been awful. Gotta love what Gustavsson is doing though! I'm off the Reimer bandwagon.
3. Could happen.
4. On track for 40.
5. Could happen
6. Unlikely, I'm disappointed with them this year. I really did expect more.
7. I may have become the biggest Mike Green hater out there this year, if you look at his production since sustaining injuries it hasn't been anything near as good.
8. Definitely possible, it would be great to see the city of Toronto cheering on the Leafs.
9. Money in the bank, unless he turns into superman in the second half.
10. Surpising, but he's really been ineffective offensively for the Sharks.

All things considered, not too shabby.

Lots of things "could happen", but do you really think Parise is going to score at a 120-pt clip over the last 30 or so games of the season?

[TK12555]

1. PK Subban breaks 50 points.
2. Mike Richards gets 80 points on LA.
3. Marian Gaborik does not reach 30 goals.
4. Phil Kessel scores 40 goals.
5. Tomas Vokoun leads the league in Save percentage and GAA.
6. Evgeni Malkin records no less than 105 points.
7. Claude Giroux cracks 85 points.
8. Taylor Hall scores 30 goals.
9. Carey Price plays 75 games.
10. Jamie Benn clears 80 points.

1=Miss, big miss
2=Bigger miss
3=Even Bigger miss
4=Likely hit
5=Miss
6=Likely hit
7=Likely hit
8=Possible hit
9=Miss
10=Possible hit

[dmvincent]

Lots of things "could happen", but do you really think Parise is going to score at a 120-pt clip over the last 30 or so games of the season?

Haha, that was probably too optimistic on my part. I did alright with my predictions though. How about you?

[Big Ev]

1. Mike Smith finishes with more wins, a higher SV% and a lower GAA than Ilya Bryzgalov.

2. A defenceman not named Keith or Seabrook leads the Hawks D in scoring

3. Mika Zibanejad not only makes the NHL but challenges for the Calder

4. Jared Cowen finishes with more points than David Rundblad

5. Phil Kessel is the only Leaf to score 20 goals.

6. The Stars win the Pacific Division.

7. Lidstrom finally appears done and only puts up between 20-25 points.

8. Scott Gomez finishes with the most goals on the Habs.

9. Andrew Cogliano records more points than Taylor Hall

10. Paul MacLean is nominated for the Jack Adams Award

Got #1 for sure, #2 is close (Leddy), #4 for sure, #10 for sure

[ross10019]

Haha, that was probably too optimistic on my part. I did alright with my predictions though. How about you?

The original prediction of 90 pts for Parise wasn't overly optimistic at all, but the idea that he'll get there at this point is!

I actually did very well. Only true misses are Steve Mason with the big bounceback, Niedereiter winning the Calder (although in part due to injury), and predicting Habs/Sabres notching 100 pts (bomb).

[wendelclark17]

We got ourselves a prophet...

Too bad bOndon didn't trust his own intuition, he has Reimer ..... Gotta trust yoself bOndon!

Got #1 for sure, #2 is close (Leddy), #4 for sure, #10 for sure

#8 cancels out anything else you predicted althoughthe Cowen Rundblad one was good .

[dmvincent]

Here goes nothing:

1. The Bruins, Sabres and Habs all reach the 100-point mark and finish 1-2-3 in the Northeastern Division, and 3-4-5 in the Eastern Conference, and the Sabres and Habs have an epic 7-game first round matchup.

2. With the huge lift of playing in a Canadian NHL market for the first time, and with the rabid fanbase firmly behind the team despite a losing season, Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little each breakout with 60+ points each.

3. Henrik Lundqvist wins the Vezina and breaks the 40-win barrier for the first time.

4. Jordan Eberle scores 35 goals.

5. Patrice Bergeron wins the Selke.

6. Steve Mason bounces back with 30+ wins, and posts sub-2.5 GAA and better than 0.915 save percentage.

7. One of Sheldon Souray, David Perron or Peter Mueller win the Masterton Trophy, and Ryan Callahan wins the Messier Leadership Award.

8. Nino Niederreiter wins the Calder with a 30-goal season.

9. Jeff Skinner and Derek Stepan improve on their point totals in their sophomore years.

10. Josh Gorges leads the league in blocked shots.

And, bonus forecast, an Eastern team will win the Cup again, but it won't be the Bruins.

Really solid! Nicely done dude.

[horrorfan]

1) Calgary wins the NW division - Iginla leads the way with 50 goals and Kiprusoff is nominated for the Vezina.
2) Bobby Butler scores 30+ goals and 60+ points.
3) Kopitar wins the scoring title with 108 points, and the Hart Trophy.
4) Phoenix makes the playoffs and LaBarbera ends up with 30+ wins.
5) Grabner struggles and gets demoted to the 3rd line half way through the season.
6) Souray outpoints Goligoski
7) Winnipeg and Florida battle for the 8th spot until the last week of the season, with Winnipeg sneaking in thanks to Pavelec's strong season.
8) Wolski bounces back and surpasses the 60 point mark.
9) The Stanley Cup will be won by a team who didn't make the playoffs last year (yes, vague but I don't care)
10) I will win my new roto league over fellow Dobberites.

1. Haha nope, though Kiprusoff is having a good season
2. Haha nope
3. Nope
4. They have a shot, but because of Smith
5. He is struggling
6. Close, Souray 17 Goligoski 16
7. Florida 7th 55pts, Winnipeg 10th 50pts. Still a chance.
8. Haha nope
9. Still possible - Blues?
10. Leading so far

[Shoeless]

The original prediction of 90 pts for Parise wasn't overly optimistic at all, but the idea that he'll get there at this point is!

I actually did very well. Only true misses are Steve Mason with the big bounceback, Niedereiter winning the Calder (although in part due to injury), and predicting Habs/Sabres notching 100 pts (bomb).

Ross don't you think Lupul has the inside track on the Masterton?

[bondon]

Got #1 for sure, #2 is close (Leddy), #4 for sure, #10 for sure

That's pretty awesome man lol, I'm very impressed, especially about calling Mike Smith over Bryzgalov and Cowen over Rundblad!

[TK12555]

Ross don't you think Lupul has the inside track on the Masterton?

Read this article http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ontent=2318072

Great story by James Mirtle on Lupul's injuries, and the fear that he may never play hockey (or even walk) again.

You're spot-on here. I'd be shocked if he doesn't win the Masterton.

[temek]

1. St. Louis wins the Western Conference.
2. Tyler Kennedy scores 60+ points.
3. Corey Perry scores less than 35 goals.
4. Anaheim are a lottery team.
5. Ryan Whitney plays 70+ games and scores less than 30 points.
6. Both Sedins score less than 85 points.
7. Franson outscores both Suter and Weber.
8. Boston will follow Chicago's example and just makes the playoffs as a 8th seed.
9. New Jersey wins the Atlantic division.
10. Clutterbuck doesn't lead the NHL in hits.
11. Rundblad scores at least twice as much points as Stefan Elliott.

1. Could still happen, the right idea about St. Louis being pretty good at least.
2. Not going to happen.
3. Perry is on pace for 29 goals so still a good chance for this to happen.
4. Anaheim is currently 3rd last, but I think they will climb slightly upwards so probably going to be a miss.
5. I had far too much confidence in Whitney being healthy, right about not scoring so far (3 PTS in 18 GP).
6. Both Sedins are on pace for 87 points so could still happen.
7. Missed by far.
8. Also total miss.
9. Not going to happen either.
10. Martin is leading Clutterbuck by over 30 hits so pretty good chance for this to happen.
11. Not going to happen.

Pretty mediocre overall, but at least some of them look decent.