With the current NHL season approaching the halfway point, I figured it was a good time to put some bold predictions out into the world and see which ones – if any – stick.
This season will be Jack Eichel’s last in Buffalo
There were rumblings that Eichel was nearly ready to part with the Sabers last season, and now they stink again. Buffalo currently sits second last in the entire 31-team NHL and have lost four in a row. This is after bringing in Taylor Hall on a one-year deal to help Eichel. Jack is an incredible talent and a fierce competitor, and I think he’s had enough of this poorly managed franchise. He may not get dealt before the deadline, but he won’t play another game for the Sabers after this current season ends.
Sidney Crosby will be traded to Montreal
Things aren’t great in Pittsburgh. The Penguins are currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs, and it’s tough to see an easy road in for them. Sure, they could absolutely catch the New York Islanders, but it feels like Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington are a lock for three out of four spots.
According to MoneyPuck at the time of publishing, Pittsburgh only stands a 45.4 percent chance of making the playoffs. Sidney Crosby, who is from Nova Scotia, grew up as a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. Other than the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal looks like a force this year, and adding Crosby could be the piece they need to go on a Cup run.
Crosby gets another shot at a Cup with the team he grew up cheering for, and Pittsburgh gets assets in return to help rebuild. I can see it happening.
Auston Matthews scores 50 goals in 55 games
The league is buzzing over Matthews’ insane pace right now. He’s got 16 goals on the season in only 17 games played. He looks like a complete player this year more than he has any other, and the North Division doesn’t look particularly strong. Matthews, with the wizardly duo of Marner and Thornton on his flanks, will do the unthinkable and score at least 50 goals in 55 games.
The Edmonton Oilers will miss the playoffs
I haven’t followed them too closely, but the Calgary Flames should be doing better than they are, and it’s no secret that the Oilers are just the Edmonton McDraisaitls. The Duo have a combined seven game winning goals, and the Oilers only have 10 wins. They are first and second in the league in points. If they aren’t buzzing, the Oilers are in last place in the North and yes, I know that the Ottawa Senators exist. I say Calgary and Winnipeg take the final two spots in the North Division and Edmonton is on the outside looking in by season’s end.
The Dallas Stars will miss the playoffs
This one is for my friend Dusty, but the magical run that the Stars went on last season delivering them to the Cup Final was an outlier. They overachieved, and it won’t happen again.
Currently, Dallas has a 52.5 percent chance of making the dance according to MoneyPuck, but they have lost four in a row, and have had four games postponed due to the weather in Texas. They will need to jam 44 games into 78 days between Monday and May 10, their projected end to the season. That is a game every 1.7 days, which is a horrid pace by NHL standards, and that’s assuming they don’t have any more games postponed due to weather or COVID-19.
Those are my five. I guess not all are crazy predictions, but I could see any of the five going either way, and I’m interested to see what I get right by season’s end.
