Predator Predicitions/Western Conference Predictions

The glaring difference I’d have is on Anaheim. The Stanley Cup-winning defense has been gutted, and they’re going to be pretty terrible.

Phoenix will be an interesting situation as well. They’ll miss Matt Lombardi.

1. Van
2. Det
3. SJ
4. LA
5. Chi
6. NASHVILLE
7. St. Louis
8. Colorado
9. Ana
10. Calgary
11. Phx
12. Columbus
13. Edm
14. Dal
15. Min

Time to win our first division title!

1. Van
2. Nashville
3. LA
4. SJ
5. Det
6. Chicago
7. Calgary
8. St. Louis
9. Min
10. Colorado
11. Columbus
12. Phx
13. Edm
14. Ana
15. Dal

PHX looks like the odd situation in this story

I think Anaheim is the least likely of your list to make the playoffs this year unless they do something about their tattered defense. They have to be looking at bringing in some help there, or they aren’t going to do anything consistent enough to make the playoffs.

The Kings are interesting, and if they place one or two more pieces, they could well be on their way to a deep cup run.

San Jose… well, we’ll see how they do yet again… they will make the playoffs, but I’m hoping that they will be dethroned as the Presidents Cup winner. No guarantee there.

Detroit will be another wild card this year, making the playoffs, and depending on how injury free they are heading into the playoffs will make it to the second round.

Chicago has had a garage sale, but has plugged in pieces to fill some of those holes. We’ll see how they do, but they have kept the core of their team, and I don’t expect them to fall too far.

Vancouver is too armed and ready for a deeper cup run and without Chicago in top shape to stop them, and I foresee them making the western conference finals this year.

I’m not sure Calgary will do very well this season, possibly ending the mismanagement of the Sutter bro’s.

Not sure where the Blues will rank this season, and they have some interesting pieces. Young talent, and playoff winning goalie. Wonder if Halak was a flash in the pan or the real deal. We’ll see this year, where I put St. Louis on the bubble of making or missing the playoffs.

The Wild are another ‘wild’ card for me. They added some success last season a little late and just barely were edged out of the playoffs again. Possibly more of the same this year.

Dallas, Edmonton, are my bottom feeders again this year. Dallas because of being broke, possibly sold, and no pieces in place to turn it around this year. Edmonton because having one excellent unproven rookie making the team is hardly a recipe for a turnaround. That and the possible outrage of Edmonton taxpayers about the new arena proposal when the public wakes up and learns they are supposed to pay 300 million with no additional potential profit to fill the city’s coffers.

I’d personally like to see the Coyotes succeed with Tippet at the helm again this year. Especially with Nashville also being called a “non-traditional hockey market.” Like Colorado, both of these teams have potential, but I’m not confident that it will happen like it did last year.

Columbus is a team that I constantly also wish success for, and it seems to elude them every year, despite some of the strong pieces they have in place. They need Nash to step it up and be consistent, and maybe they should look at bringing in another possible piece to help him. I’d suggest Lee Stepniak, but he also plays right wing.

I save the best, or my favorite, for last. Nashville, who has some great young talent, some veteran leadership, and is moving into a new era with a new captain at the helm. I want to feel confident about making the playoffs, (and believe we absolutely will) but I remember that we are doing an excellent job about growing our talent ‘the right way’. My goal has been a deeper run in the playoffs, and despite looking at an excellent team this year, I don’t want to disappoint myself by setting those expectations. Perhaps my feelings have been hurt in the past, and I’m cautious of having my hopes dashed again.