Who Will Lift The Cup? Hartnett's 2015-16 Fearless NHL Predictions
By Sean Hartnett
» More Columns
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Lightning in a bottle? The Bolts return an almost identical roster after being bested by the Blackhawks in the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, but the window might be closing as quickly as it opened. On paper, the Lightning are as deep and talented as any team in the East. The possibility of captain Steven Stamkos bolting in the summer is a looming distraction. Locking the all-world forward down to a long-term extension guarantees future cracks at Lord Stanley. Losing him would be devastating.
There's plenty of reason for optimism in Motown. First-year head coach Jeff Blashill inherits an upward-trending Red Wings team. While Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg remain Detroit's biggest stars, the torch is being passed to rising talents Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan. Speedster Dylan Larkin, 19, will have the chance to shine in a top-nine role. The arrival of veterans Brad Richards and Mike Green will have a solidifying effect.
The Canadiens finished 20th last season in goals per game and ranked 23rd on the power play. The Habs are looking to take a step forward, but they've put their faith in the wrong guy in underachieving winger Alex Semin.
Ottawa won't be sneaking up on anybody this year, but the Sens are for real. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson is in a class of his own. Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone headline a confident group of forwards. As long as their goaltending holds up, Ottawa stands a solid chance of making the playoffs. The Panthers are also chock full of youthful talent, but they're not quite there yet.
The battered Bruins are going to struggle, and there's a good chance head coach Claude Julien is out of a job by midseason. Both the Sabres and Leafs are a long, long way from competing.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Lightning*, 2. Red Wings*, 3. Canadiens*, 4. Senators*, 5. Panthers, 6. Bruins, 7. Sabres, 8. Leafs (* denotes playoff team)
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Bolstered by the addition of top-six wingers T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams, the Capitals are the most improved team in hockey. The Caps are loaded up front and goaltender Braden Holtby has proven his mettle. They will eke out the top spot in the Metro.
Pittsburgh will benefit tremendously from the acquisition of elite sniper Phil Kessel, who will be rejuvenated by the opportunity to play on Sidney Crosby's right wing. Forty-five goals from Kessel isn't a far-fetched notion. Their blue line is somewhat suspect, but Marc-Andre Fleury silenced all doubters last season.
The pressure is on the Rangers to deliver after two seasons of near misses. As long as they're healthy, Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello are going to produce the goods. They're going to need youngsters Chris Kreider, Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller to continue trending upward. New York's stout, yet aging blue line could take a step back, but 33-year-old Henrik Lundqvist remains the best "money goalie" in the biz.
A pileup of injuries kept the Blue Jackets from reaching the playoffs last season. Backed by the superb Sergei Bobrovsky in net, the addition of Brandon Saad to an already potent offense will make the Jackets a sneaky, dangerous Stanley Cup dark horse.
The Islanders haven't done enough to keep up with the Joneses in a fiercely competitive Metro. Led by perennial Hart Trophy candidate John Tavares, the Isles are blessed with a wealth of scoring depth, but can they defend? Improving last season's 22nd-ranked goals against and a dreadful 26th-overall penalty kill are major concerns.
You have to feel for criminally underrated goaltender Steve Mason, as he'll be playing in front of a paper-thin blue line in Philly. It's all changed in New Jersey. It's going to take some time for the Devils to transition their roster into one that can play the uptempo hockey desired by new general manager Ray Shero. Expect the Canes to deal away one or both of the Staal brothers and repeat as Metro cellar dwellers.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Capitals*, 2. Penguins*, 3. Rangers*, 4. Blue Jackets*, 5. Islanders, 6. Flyers, 7. Devils, 8. Hurricanes
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
The Wild are on the brink of greatness. They play excellent defense, are dominant on the penalty kill and have found their answer between the pipes in Devan Dubnyk. Star duo Zach Parise and Ryan Suter have worked hard all summer in the hope of improving a 27th-ranked power play. Look for a healthy Jason Zucker to give the Wild an offensive lift.
In a constant cap crunch, the defending-champion Blackhawks have to get creative every summer. Some big names have departed in Patrick Sharp, Saad, Richards and Johnny Oduya. Artem Anisimov fills the long-standing need of a second-line center upgrade. It will be interesting to see if the Hawks can harness Trevor Daley's full offensive potential.
The Blues must get over the one-and-done hump. Head coach Ken Hitchcock wants to get the Blues playing a faster game. Aside from the Oshie-Troy Brouwer swap and letting go of veteran defenseman Barret Jackman, St. Louis has retained its core and stuck with the same coach-GM combo. Expect major changes if the Blues get bounced early again.
It's pretty clear what the situation is in Dallas: an electric offense and a questionable defense. They should be able to grab a wild-card berth. The Predators boast a strong blue line and Pekka Rinne is outstanding. Their lack of offseason improvements means they could take a step back, but Nashville still can sneak into the playoffs.
Patrick Roy is under tremendous pressure to deliver. It could be a long year for Avs fans. After losing a slew of veterans, the Jets are counting on a lot of kids to produce. If things go sour, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could be temped into dealing Dustin Byfuglien well before the 2016 trade deadline.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Wild*, 2. Blackhawks*, 3. Blues*, 4. Stars*, 5. Predators*, 6. Avalanche, 7. Jets
PACIFIC DIVISION
The Ducks are everyone's Stanley Cup favorite, and rightfully so. Anaheim is loaded at every position. They're a big-bodied, physical bunch with scoring punch. Key acquisition Carl Hagelin adds penalty-killing expertise and a much-needed speed element. Kevin Bieksa adds ruggedness to the blue line.
After missing out on the 2015 playoffs, the Kings will bounce back. Several big names have departed, but that's been offset by the arrival of Milan Lucic and Christian Ehrhoff. The second spot in the Pacific is wide open, but the Kings are best prepared to claim it.
Everyone is forgetting about the Sharks, who are now guided by ex-Devils coach Pete DeBoer. They've made solid additions in Paul Martin and Joel Ward. Goalie Martin Jones is a bit of a wild card. In small samples, he posted strong numbers backing up Jonathan Quick in LA. Is he ready to handle the pressure?
The Flames have gotten better on paper, but they overachieved last season. Largely outshot last season, Calgary defied the analytics crowd. They're probably headed for a collapse. The odds are against them repeating last year's success if unfavorable analytical trends continue into this season.
Edmonton has a new direction with Todd McLellan behind the bench and Peter Chiarelli leading the front office, and fresh optimism has been generated by No. 1 pick Connor McDavid. But the playoffs are a long shot. After a number of questionable offseason moves, Vancouver appears to be downward-trending. The Coyotes are stockpiling young talent, but it will be awhile before they gel.
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Ducks*, 2. Kings*, 3. Sharks*, 4. Flames, 5. Oilers, 6. Canucks, 7. Coyotes
____________________________________________________________________________
CONFERENCE FINALS: Penguins over Lightning in seven, Ducks over Wild in six
STANLEY CUP FINAL: Ducks over Penguins in six
Follow Sean on Twitter @HartnettHockey.
