Fearless Forecasts: 2011-2012

[Johner]

1) Hemsky scores 83 points and plays the complete season
2) Barker scores 40+ points (and Edmonton resign him for a crazy amount of $$$)
3) Red Wings miss the playoffs
4) Froik breaks out and hits 30g 30a in Chicago
5) Moulson scores only 20g
6) Hornqvist scores 35g
7) Penner reaches 70pts
8) Rask steals the starting job back from thomas, this time permanently
9) Sequin finishes the season on the top line, final 41 games on a PPG pace
10) Both of the sedins finish with under 80pts

[oasiswings1]

1. Crosby plays 75plus games, wins the art ross, records 125pts
2. Malkin plays 75plus games, 2nd in league scoring, gets 114pts
3. Ovi is 3rd in league scoring, wins rocket richard with 58 goals
4. Stamkos finishes 3rd in scoring for tampa with 77pts behind marty and vinny
5. Tavares breaks the 85pt mark, is easily the best player playing anywhere in New York
6. NJ misses the playoffs, Parise is dealt to Vancouver but it wont be for Schneider
7. Heatley finishes with just 23 goals, finds himself on the 3rd line and 2nd pp
8. Det, Chicago, Columbus and St. Louis all make the playoffs from the central
9. Shea Weber is traded to Detroit(please) at the trade deadline
10. Pittsburgh vs Det SCF for the 3rd time in 4 years, Lidstrom retires on top, wins Norris and Conn Smyth

[Dutch]

1. Colorado makes the playoffs
2. Crosby misses ~15 games...and still finishes top 3 in scoring
3. Hornqvist scores over 65 points for Nashville
4. Nash and Carter play on different lines after 10 games
5. Tampa Bay misses the playoffs
6. Stafford fails to hit 20 goals
7. Kronwall scores at least 50 points
8. Neuvirth has less starts than Vokoun yet posts a better sv% and GAA
9. Cam Ward is nominated for the Vezina but loses to Rinne
10. Weber signs a multi-year deal with Nashville after they play in the Western Conference Finals

I love your number 10, dude well done!

[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.

[InForAPenny]

Sure, let's see:

1) Brad Richards misses more games than Gaborik
2) Dalpe wins the Calder
3) Justin Williams plays more than 70 games
4) Tampa beats out Washington to win the Southeast
5) Kessel breaks 45 goals (not a Leafs fan - maybe the opposite)
6) Edmonton beats Calgary in the standings
7) Weber wins the Norris
8) The Minnesota Wild finish last in the west
9) The Ottawa Senators finish last in east
10) The Islanders make the playoffs
11) After limping into the playoffs Detroit catches fire and wins the Cup - one more for Lidstrom.

We'll see.

[islefan31]

1) Kovalchuk under 75 pts
2) Bieksa records 45 pts, 150 pim
3) Price wins the Vezina
4) Gaborik plays 80+ games, put 49 goals
5) Crosby wont play until Christmas
6) P.Kane gets hurt, records under 60 pts
7) Tavares over 85 pts, top 10 in the league
8) Spezza injury free season, records 85 pts
9) Jordan click with Malkin, outscore Eric (Staal) by 1 pt
10) Carcillo records 15 G and 300 pim

I can see some of this happening. Don't think Gaborik plays more than 72 games though.

[Lucic Haymaker]

1) Nathan Horton comes back healthy, scores 40+ goals, starts pouring water from TD Garden ice on the ice at every road game until the NHL makes a rule against it.

2) Carey Price gets involved in an off-ice incident (drinking? sexual deviancy?) that becomes a season-long distraction. "We want Halak back" chants heard at home games.

3) Flames start terribly, dismantle the team, but get back young quality players who immediately thrive and repeat last year's great second half only to fall short of playoffs AGAIN. Jay Feaster wins GM of the Year for his efforts, Calgary media begins campaign to reinstate Darryl Sutter.

4) Phil Kessel boycotts the media and becomes even more of a grouch after Tim Connolly breaks 6 bones in his hand while passing the salt at dinner, Leafs trade him at deadline, Burke says he'd still make the Seguin-Kessel trade all over again.

5) Jagr is a healthy scratch coming down the stretch for the Flyers, says he hopes to sign long-term deal with another team over the summer. Instead, returns to Russia when his only contract offer is from Edmonton.

6) Vokoun is a Vezina finalist but Semin and Backstrom both phone it in this year, Green only has 40pts, and the Caps finish 7th or 8th in the East.

7) Canucks finish 1st in the West and are immediately upset in the first round by the 8th seed.

8) Sam Gagner has 60 pts, Taylor Hall scores 35 goals, and the Oilers still suck.

9) Zach Bogosian isn't traded, and instead thrives in Winnipeg with a new coaching regime, recording 18 goals, 55 points, and being discussed as a potential Norris Trophy nominee.

10) The NHL announces the new realignment plan for 2012-13 during the NHL playoffs and completely f**k's it up, managing to please no one, and prompting anti-Bettman demonstrations throughout the rest of the playoffs. A fan runs onto the ice and tackles Bettman when he comes out to present the Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup in June.

[Celly]

1. Winnipeg makes the Playoofs and pulls off a Huge Upset in 1st round in Playoffs, GO JETS GO!
2. Tamba Bay wins the Stanley Cup, beating San Jose Sharks in 6 Games.
3. Jaromir Jagr is a big bust and scores less than 50 points.
4. Duncan Keith regains his luster and scores over 60+ points.
5. Tavares gets over 90 points.
6. Spezza, Parise, and Hemsky play healthy all season and they all average over a PPG.
7. Kevin Bieska has stellar year, and becomes the highest point producing D in Vancouver.
8. Corey Crawford, Jaroslav Halak, and Carey Price are nominated for the Vezina.
9. Edmonton snags the final playoff spot in West over Calgary, in their last game with a Victory over the Canucks in Vancouver.
10. Martin Hanzal gets big boost in production and leads Phoenix's forwards in points.

[BIGBADCATS]

1- Caps for the Cup
2- Doughty first in points among dmen and wins the Norris
3- Crosby plays less than 41 games
4- Malkin miss 25 games
5- Winnipeg finishes last
6- (summer 2012) Phoenix Coyotes or New York Islanders are moved to Quebec
7- Less head injuries (I really hope... Those kill hockey careers)
8- Rask steals the no 1 spot from Thomas
9- Price wins the Vezina
10- None of Sedins puts up more than 90 pts

[dd1439]

1. Al Montoya will make the all-star game
2. Chris Stewart will score 49 goals
3. Rask will once again be the top netminder in boston
4. Boston will miss the playoffs
5. Wheeler will lead Winnipeg in points
6. Halak will bea Vezina candidate.
7. Jack Johnson wins the Norris.
8. Hornqvist will end up with 37 goals
9. Rick Nash hits 42 goals
10. Patrick O'Sullivan has a comeback year with 58 points

[Flyer Fan]

1. Various Philadelphia area media members will come increasingly under fire amidst persistant rumors emenating from Los Angeles, and confirmed by anonymous sources in Columbus that their partying "has become a problem"

2. Thomas Vokoun will have a terrible season, but his poor performance will be attributed not to the erosion of his skills due to his advancing age, but instead will be blamed on his being somewhat distracted due to the repeated police questioning regarding the mysterious disapearance of his former agent.

3. What starts as a trickle of angry emails directed at Gary Bettman in December and January, will by March grow into an avalanche as dozens of Atlanta Thrashers fans begin to realize that they no longer have an NHL team.

4. The same thing happens in New Jersey as Martin Brodeur realizes that he doesn't either.

5. Despite the success of last season's Stan Lee inspired "Guardian" project, this season's bold new "NHL Pokeman" campaign will be brought to a sudden standstill when someone neglects to punch airholes in the crate, and the LA Kings Pokeman character tragically, arrives dead. Thankfully, the campaign is eventually able to be resumed thanks to the aid of helpful Edmonton Oiler team doctors who assure Kings GM Dean Lombardi that the Pokeman character is merely "resting" and will be just fine in a few days.

6. Attempting to capitalize on the excitement and good will generated by the return of an NHL team to the area, Gary Bettman tries to persuade Versus to televise the team's first home game. Unfortunately, Versus declines, citing a history of poor ratings for broadcasts involving the Florida Panthers.

7. After a summer spent working out with Gary Roberts, a rejuvenated Rick DiPietro reports to camp completely healthy and in the best shape of his life, he will then reel off twenty five consecutive starts to start the season, before the streak is suddenly ended when embarrassed Islanders officials are forced to admit, that now that they've actually had a chance to see him play regularly, they realize he's not nearly as good as they thought he'd be.

8. Tyler Seguin will score on a backhander at 4:09 of the second period to giver the Bruins a 1-0 lead in their opening night game against the Flyers, ...prompting the immediate benching and demotion to third string of Ilya Bryzgalov, and the recall of Michael Leighton from the AHL between periods. Seguin will score two more goals in the third period sparking riots in Toronto.

9. Sometime in January, Sean Avery will shock the hockey world when he "comes out" of the closet, ...sadly, he will be promptly subjected to abuse and death threats, ....from an outraged gay community who demand that he immediately go back in. A beleagered Gary Bettman is forced to intervene when the equally irate hetro community refuses to acknowledge him as one of their's either. Eventually, united by the common ground they share in their disgust for Avery, the issue of gay rights is settled peacefully, and amicably as both sides agree that it's only marriages involving Sean Avery that need to be banned, ...religous leaders quickly agree, and a new era of peace and equality is born. Eventually diplomats are able to bring peace to the middle east, reconciling Arabs and Jews based on the common bond they too share in their mutual disdain of Avery.

10. After being summoned for a disciplinary hearing as a result of his blatant elbow to the head of Nick Lidstrom during the Pens opening night match against the Red Wings, a still bleeding and visibly shaken Matt Cooke emerges from Brendan Shanahan's office claiming meekly that "I fell", and then mysteriously announcing his immediate retirement from the NHL. Later the disciplinary office releases a statement saying only that "The situation has been handled" and offering no explaination as to whether any fines or suspensions were given. Strangely, Mario Lemieux refuses to comment, ...as do Eric Goddard, Trevor Gillies, Dan Carcillo, Sean Avery, Patrick Kaleta, Jarkko Ruutu, and Ben Eager, ...who oddly enough, shortly thereafter all announce their immediate retirements too.

Remember, you read 'em here first.

[tripel]

1. Nabokov regains his SJ form in LI and helps the Isles to the playoffs, where they win a round.
2. Ballard has a career season, 40+ pts
3. Gaborik has another one of his injury-filled seasons, Richards <75 pts.
4. The Jagr experiment proves a disaster, but the Flyers make the ECF anyway.
5. Chicago acquisitions prove too old & slow to mesh effectively with the young core, Crawford struggles and they finish 9th behind St Louis.
6. Best UFA signing will prove to be Upshall, worst Cole, w 4 Edmonton-esque years at $4M per.
7. Canucks are the only Canadian team to make the playoffs.
8. Bryz loss will prove crippling to the Yotes, who will finish bottom 3, trade Doan to the Canucks at the deadline for Schneider, pick.
9. Bernier steals the job from Quick and wins the Calder.
10. Canucks win cup over Caps, jackasses riot again.

[TangerineDreamTeam]

1. Dynamic Duo In Montreal?!
No, not Batman and Robin, Cammy and Pleks, and they will combine for over 140 points, not including Cammy's postseason points!

2. No change, perfect cents
The same 8 teams make the playoffs in the East with Carolina and New Jersey just missing them, St Louis is the only new team to make them in the West (sorry Phoenix)

3. More Games, MORE POINTS!
Crosby and Ovechkin play 82 games, both get 115+ points! (110 wouldn't be fearless)

4. No Points for you... NEXT!
No one on Florida, Atlanta and Phoenix breaks 60, and No one on St Louis, Edmonton, Ottawa or Toronto breaks 65

5. The HEAT is GONE
Dany Heatley finishes with less than 30 goals and less than 60 points

6. Keep your Head Up
The NHL hands out an 8+ game suspension in the first month and none for the rest of the regular season

7. The Back-stoppers are Back
A goalie wins the Heart trophy with 40 wins, 10+ shutouts and over .935 save %

8. Family Feud
The Sedin's get less points than the Staal's... 200+ for the 3 Staal's and under 190 for the Sedins.

9. The Heat is On!
Dany Heatley sco... NO, the real heat are the flames this year. Iginla picks up where he left off, and has a good first half and finishes strong for a close to 50/50 season and Tanguay is near 80 points

10. Love for Radulov
He comes back before the seasons end and makes an impact for Nashville, they also keep Weber get to the conference finals

[butch]

winnipeg players refuse to board their chartered flight back to winnipeg after spending 10 days on a florida panther /tampa bay road trip in january.

[TK12555]

4. No Points for you... NEXT!
No one on Atlanta breaks 60

I'll one up you. I bet not one person that plays for Atlanta gets 1 point.