ROOS LETS LOOSE POLL: 17 Fearless Forecasts for 2022-23

[RizzeeDizzee]

I know I just ran a poll last week for Roos Lets Loose; but as I do every year, I'm giving you - the DobberHockey readers - a chance to predict which of my annual Fearless Forecasts (publishing on the main site on October 5th) will come true. Here is a full list of the Forecasts, some of which I had to abbreviate to fit into the poll:

1) Every current Panther who played 40+ games in 2021-22 while scoring at a 60+ point pace will produce at a lower scoring rate (i.e., lower points per game rate) for 2022-23
2) At least five Ottawa forwards will have 10+ power play goals
3) Rasmus Dahlin will finish in the top five in defenseman scoring
4) Dougie Hamilton will set a career high in scoring rate (i.e., points per game rate)
5) At least 15 goalies who play in 30+ games will have a better GAA and SV% than Andrei Vasilevskiy
6) Nick Suzuki will finish in the top five in points among centers in the Eastern Conference
7) Mathew Barzal will set a career high in points in 2021-22
8) If he plays 75+ NHL games, Calen Addison will score 50+ points
9) At least one goalie who played in 30+ games and had a GAA above 3.00 in 2021-22 will finish in the top five in GAA for 2022-23 among goalies who play 30+ games
10) Alex Ovechkin will get 40+ goals, but under 70 points
11) Devon Toews will finish behind Cale Makar, Samuel Girard, and Bowen Byram in points per game
12) Nikita Kucherov’s PPPts total will be higher than the overall point total from the highest scorer from at least one other team (i.e., Nikita Kucherov will end the season with more PPPts on his own than total points of the leading scorer in total points of at least one NHL team)
13) Zach Werenski will finish behind only Cale Makar in defensemen goals per game
14) Marco Rossi won’t average a point per every other game if he plays center
15) Anton Forsberg will finish with at least ten more wins than Cam Talbot
16) Andrei Svechnikov will finish no better than fifth in points per game among Hurricane players
17) Elvis Merzlikins will lead the league in netminder appearances

As you can see, this season I upped the total number of forecasts from the usual 15 to 17. Why? Just in case Calen Addison doesn't stick with the Wild and/or if one of the named Colorado defensemen is traded during the season. Plus, isn't 17 even more fun than 15?

Your task is simple - vote for any and all of the forecasts you believe will come true in 2022-23. In other words, voting for multiple forecasts is entirely appropriate. If, however, you think that none of the forecasts will come to fruition - which, for the record, has never occurred - then there is an 18th "none of the above" choice for you to select.

To make this more informative, please list which ones you voted for and why. And while you're at it, feel free to add some forecasts of your own.

One last thing I'll mention - if you notice in my Forum signature it says I've been a writer here at DobberHockey since 2012. Well, my first column appeared on the site right around this time in October 2012, so this is essentially my 10th anniversary writing for the site. I wish I could link to it here, but it seems to have disappeared, although I know it was about whether or not Martin Brodeur was done as a dependable goalie. And although I recently got a new real life job that figures to keep me very busy, I'm going to do my best to try and remain a writer here, because it's been such a fun experience. And a rewarding one too, thanks in large part to the kinds words offered by many of you in support of my columns.

I look forward to see how you vote, and best of luck in your leagues in 2022-23!

[pmorrow]

Before I vote - is the term "scoring" the same as "points"?

[Belexus75]

I voted Dougie… was going to vote Dhalin as well but I’m not sure both can happen together

[RizzeeDizzee]

Before I vote - is the term "scoring" the same as "points"?

Yes - scoring and points are synonymous. I will amend the OP to clarify.

[kovalchuk17]

I voted Suzuki, Addison, Ovi and Rossi

There were a few that were close that I thought about like Svech and the goalie ones but in end didnt vote it

[hockeyrobot]

Barzal and Dahlin for me.

[Dr.Brad]

Anton Forsberg. I couldn’t see any of the others….., but then I’m the guy who’s predicting Detroit and Winnipeg to be in the NHL playoffs, so there’s that.

[chuckcouples]

I went with Dougie having a career season and with Toews finishing behind all the other Avs dmen.

[RizzeeDizzee]

Bumping because my Results and Lessons Learned column is being posted on the site today, and so folks can see how things turned out.